University of South Carolina Libraries
VOL& ix. MANNING, S. C., WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 18 WEBEWS WRONG-DOING. WHILE SCHOOL COMMISSIONER OF CHARLESTON COUNTY He Forced and Deraul-d-A Life of Much Promise B'be'ed-Tbe Supetritt Ddent gf Educai.Laj Darning Rporc-The Amonut o She rage. CoLrUmBA, S. C., Feb. 15.-Last sum mer Mr. John L. Weber of Charleston. who had been living in that city for many years, engaged in editorial worK on the Newb and CoLrier. was elected to a chair in Trinity College, North Carolina. Ee resigned his position as school commissioner of Charleston County ana his position on the News and Couner and left Charleston stand ing high in the estimation of a!l the neople of ttat city. He was known to ihe world as a high toned, honorable and high cultivated man. He was well known throughout South 3arolna and every one was sorry to see him leave, though all were glad to know of his risein life. It did not take long, however, for the terrible blow, which like the sword of Damocles, hung over the young man's head, to fall. About two months ago it came with crushing force, when it became known to the State authorities that something was wrong in the of fice which Mr. Weber had vacated. An investigation was started and soon the worst was ascertained. The facts have been known to the press for weeks, but they have been waiting official action, before giving them to the public. About a week ago Mr. Weber returned to the State and went to Charleston upon the advice of his triends. Yes terday Superintendent of Education Mayfield, who has been investigating the matter, returned to the city and submitted to Governor Tillman the fol lowing report,which the Governor gave the press for publication. It tells the story of Mr. Weber's downfall in de tails: State of South Carolina, Executive De partment, Office of State Superinten dent of Education, Columbia, S. C., February 13,1894. Gov. B. . Tillman Columbia, S. U. Dear Sir: Under the law county school commissioner are required to report to the State Superintendent of Education by the 1st day of October of each year, among other things, the amount of money collected and expen ded for schools during the year. On the 3rd day of October, 1893. John L. Weber, as school commissioner for Charleston county, fled his annual re port with me, wtftch showed the ex penditures for the year to be in excess of the receipts. Being dissaitsfed with the report, I sought an explanation. Mr. Weber has resigned and lett the State to accept a position in Trinity ,College, lonated at Durham, N. C., and F. Horton Colcock has been appointed by you as his succeesor. Mr. Colcock was unable; from the records in his office, to explam the discrepency. I, therefore, prepared blanks and sent them to the school trustees of that county for the purpose of obtaining the desired Information. In making up these reports, a discrepency was discov ered In one of the school warrants. . I have made a pereonai examination of ths schcol commissioner's office, and find that this particular warrant has been raised from $7.65 to $97.65, by in serting the figure 9 In the margin in front of the figure 7, and writing the word ninety in front of the word seven in the body of the warrant. I als. find other warrants that have been raised, and others that were issued for labor not performed, and for school supplies and forniture that were not furnished. The warrant for $7.65, rais3ed to $97. 65, above referred to, is made payable to "isaac Hammond or order." The correctness of the claim is sworn to by him before the chairman of the bgard of school trustees issuing it, and both of them say the warrant was Issued for $7.65, and that that amount was actually due. Isaac Hammond is a merchant of good financial standing and reputation, and engaged in busi ness on Broad street, in the city of Charleston. He sass that he turned the claim over to Mr. Weber to~ be countersigned by him as school comn missioner,andl that Mr. Weber brought his $7.65 in cash, the amount due him. The warrant was certainly raised be fore it was presented to the county treasurer, Gee. H. Waiter, for payment for it was paid -by hin with a chieck drawn in favor o? "Isaac Hammond or order" for $97.65. The check was pre aented to and paid by the Charleston Bank, Isaac Hammond's name being endorsed on the back of the check. The teller of the bank, who paid the money endorsed on the back of the check in blue pencil that he had paid it to John L. Weber. Mr. Hammond says that the endorsement of his name on the back of the check is a forgery and the experts in the bank say it is not his signature. The changes in the warrant appear to be In the handwrit ing of Mr. Weber. There was issued payable to "Isaac Hammond or order" anoher school warrant for $8.00 whichi was raised to $68.50. This warrant took very much the same course' as the other above referred to, and the changes in It appaar to be in Mr..WVeb ---r's hand. SMr. Weber ran an account with Mes srs. Walker, Evans & Cogswell on which he had charged the articles he purchased for his own private use, and also) those he purchased for his own use as school commissioner, and also those he purchased for the use of the public senools of his county. On April 9, 1892, he owed on this account for all purenases $100.50, and on the same day the acconnt was credited with $66.50. This credit, of $06.50 was a school war rant issued to W alker, Evans & Cogs well originally, for $6.00, but raised to $0650. The changes appear to be in Mr. Weber's hand. Walker, Evans & Cogswell collected the money. Pur. chases were continued, and on April 20,1l892: had increased $8.01, making the wnole account $108.51. On the same day, April 20, 1892, a second school warrant for $89.25 was issued to them and the account credited with the full amount of the warrant, they pay ing Weber $47.24 cash, the difference between the amount of the two war rants and the amount of the account balancing the account. This was warrant was not raised, but was issued for more than the amount of the purchases by reason of a mistake in the bill rendered.. Purcna~ea were continued and on iNovember 15.n, 1892, Weber owed $25.92, and on that alay his account was credited with $85 00 the amount of a third school warrant issued to Walker, Evans & Cogs well, and they paid him $60.00 in cash,whicen they chargedi to him on the account. There is no way by which I can decide whether this warrant was raised or not, the tigures and the body of the warrant being in Mr. Weber's hand. This left 29 cents due them; the ao count was left open atnd purchases con tinued to June 17. 1893, tne additional purchases amounting to $51 21. Ad ding the $25.92, the $60.00 and the $51.21 together we have $137.13. the amount of the account, In tne mean time he paid $10.25. On June 17 a fourth school warrant was issued to Waler, Rvan & Cogswell for $41.88. Adding the $85.00, the $10.25 and the $41.88 together we have $137.13, exact ly balancing the account. There is no way by which I can decide whether this warrant (64168) was rained or not, the figures and body of the warrant all being in Mr. Weber's hand. Pur chases continued, and on August 1st, 1893, the account amounted to $8.60, This credited with $86 50, the price of a school c mmissioner's book bought of Walker,Evans & Cogswell and charged to Wener before the $4188 warrant was issued, but subsequent to that time paid for by the county commissioner. Walker, Evans & Cogswell getting the money and crediting Weber's account with tWe amount. The $6.50 taken from the $8.60 leaves Weber due $2 10 on the account, no other payment hav ing been made. Tbe four warrants collected by Wal ker, Evans & Cogswell and the price of the school commissioner's book, paid for by the county commissioners, (866 - 50, $89 25, '$85.00, $41.88, 86,50) make a total of 8589.13 of public fanas paid to them. The total amount of all articles charged on this account, including the school commissioner's book, that were purchased for the public schools, and for which they received the benefit is $84.75. From the $289,13 take the $84.75 and there is left $204.38 paid out of the public funds to Mr. Weber's private ac - count. It is, perhaps, but proper for me to say, in this connection, that Walker Evans t Cogswell do a very large busi ness, and that these transactions oc curred in the~ordinary run of their bus iness, and that they are wholly innocent of any wrong intention or corrupt dealing, having had confidence in Mr. Weber's honesty. The county board of examiners uf Charleston and Berkeley counties agreed to hold a joint teachers' insti tute for white teachers in the city of Charleston in the month of July, 1892, each county to bear one-half of the ex penses; and the county boards of exam iners of the counties of Charleston and Berkeley and Colleton agreed to hold a joint teachers' institute for colored teachers, to be held duringithe month of July at Summerville, each county to bear one-third of the expenses. Mr. Weber drew $200 trom the School fund df Charleston as allowed by the law for this purpose. 1, D. C. Porcher, school commissioner of Berkeley county, paid over to him $65 from tbe public funds of that county drawn as provided for by law. I sent L. E. Parler, school com missioner of Colleton a check for $30 on the Peabody education fund in my hands for institute purposes, which he turned over to Mr. Weber. I sent Mr. Weber a check for S60 for Charleston asa Berklev, on the same fund. These amounts, ($200, $65, 830. $60,) make $355 In Mr. Weber's hands for institute purposes. The cost of the white insti tute was $155, and that of the colored $60, aggregating $215. which taken from the 355 leaves $140 in Mr. Weber hands unaccounted for. In 1893 the county boards of examin ers of Charleston and Berkeley coon ties agreed to hold, during the month of June, in the city of Charleston, a joint institute for white teachers, and also one for the colored teachers. From the public school funds of Charleston county was drawn $200, and A. H. De Hay, school commissioner of Berklev sountv. paid over to Mr. Weber $115 from the public school funds of his county, makidg $315 tn Mr. Weber's ands for institute purposes. The white institute cost $135, and the col red $95, making $230. which taken from the $315 leaves $85 in Mr. Webers hands unaccounted for. In October, 1891, Mr. Waeber drew from tile public school funds, on gen ral account,$186. I can find no vouch ers showing for what purposes this money was expended. In August, 1891, a warrant on the school funds was issued by the trustees f school district No. 1 to Minus Black for $6 for labor. This warrant was raised to $16, and the changes seem to e in Mr. Weber's hand. In February, 1892, a-school warrants was issued by the trustees of school istrict No. 3 to one D. A. Bell fcr $9 for school supplies. T ae supplies were ever furnished and the warrant was rised to $98.75. In February, 1892, a school warrant was issued by thie trustees of schooldis trict No. 2 to one D. A. Bell for $6 for school supplies. The supplies were ever furnmshed, and the warrant was raised to $69.45. In February, 1892, a school warrant was issued by the trustees of school district No. 1 to one D. A. Bell for 8 for school supplies. The supplies were never furnished, and the warrant was raised to $80. In February, 1892, a school warrant was Issued by the school trustees of dis trict No. 4 to one S. A. Cunningham for $6 fcr school supplies. The supplies were never furnishied, and the warrant was raised to $68.50. I cannot find either ID. A. Bell or S. A. Cunningham, nor can I find any one who knows er ever heard of either of them. The changes In these last four war rants appear to he in Mr. Weber's hand and it also appears that he collected the warrants after they had been raised, the three Bell warrants being paid by the treasurer in one check, No. 310, March 9, 1892. 'Che trustees say Mr. Weber told triem he had purchased these supplies and that they would be sent out to the schools. In November, 1892, a warrant was issued to Prince Brown for $9, for making desks and benches, by the trus tees of school district No. 4. The war rant was raised to $97.50, and the chan ges appear to be in Mr. Weber's hand. In April, 1692, a warrant was Issued to Henry Wilson for $6 for repairs on a school house, by the trustees of scbool disrict No. 4. and in September, 1892, the trustees of the same district issued to him a warrant for $49 75 for repairs on school houses and furniture. The amounts in the body cof these warrants appear to have been written by Mr. Weoer. There are only two schools in this district. Inspection of one of the schools, and information as to what work hats been done, and furniture fur nished to both, indicate that thtee claims are without merit, the work not having Deen performed. A warrant has been sworn out against Weber, charging him with vio atng the laws of thle State, and he was arrested in the city of Charleston on the 6th day of January, instant, and gave bond for his appearance to answer any charge-s that may be preferred agaist him in the court of General ssions for the county of Charleston. Not being a collecting officer, and having no power to recover the money that has bt-en thus wrongfully taken from the publhc schools, I, therefore re spectiuliy ask that you direct tbe prop er steps to be taken to recover the mnon y. inquiry elicits the fact that Mr. Weber's bond is good. The amount to be recovered and turned into the treasury tor the use of he publ'c schools is $1, 237.83, and the amount recovered should be distributed among the districts in proportion to tneir losses reepectively. SWhile it is foreign to the issues here in involved, I beg to here call your at tention to the fact that the amonunt of poll tax collected in Charleston county, while very much in excess of the amount formeriy collected, is still very urge that the law be enforced, if pIss. ble, against those persons liable to this tax. Respectfully submite-d, W. D. MAYFIELD, State Superintendent of Eduation. COLU rBIA, S. C., Feb. 15.-At the re cent meetng of the National. Farmers Alliance at Topeka. as reported by Delegate Bowden, who has returned to this city, it was decided that the Alli ance should discuss three topics before States shall regulate the liquor tariff by some such plan as the dispensary. Mr Bowden is emphatiC in saying that the Alliance has made no official vromulga tien ou the question. The Dispensary has been no part of the platform, and it has been announced. as a topic for consideration and debate merely to get the matter discussed and to get Allian cemen thinking about the advisablity of State control of the liquor trati, and whether the South Carolina Di< pensary idea is suitable to the needs of the various States. All of this goes to s'iow that the Dispensary idea is spreading and it may be taken up as an Alliance de mand. Mr. Bowden talkei interestingly about his Western trip. Tne female suffragists, he says, had a great time in Topeka. Their convention was aslarge as inything he has seen, and the women were much in earnest about the mat ter. The National Alliance, he said, did not do anything oa the question of fe male suffrage, and was inclined to en tirly dismiss the matter and leave each State to act independently on tae ques tion, if it saw fit. The order adopted without alteration or amendment the original Ozala demands. There are two candidates for the next meeting place of the National Alliance -Loss Angelos, Cal., and Paleigh, N. C. The selection is to be made by the executive committee. The offer from California is coupled with a proposition to pay the expenses of the delegates and If that effort is successful the Al liancemen will no doubt "G) West" next year. The Alliancemen of North Carolina wish to have the convention held there and for the members to at tend the ceremoles at the dedication of a monument to the late president Polk. On the subject of, State poaitics Mr. Bowden said that there will be an early convention.-Register. The Work of Fiends. HOUSTON, Tex., Feb. 9.-Last night at the high bridge over White oak B 3. on. train wreckers removed rails and fish plates on the Missouri, Kansas and Texas railroad. When the passenger train came along the engine passed safe ly over, but the baggage and mail cara jumped the track and rolled down the embankmsnt, followed by the smoker which landed on top of them. The wreck presented a frightful appearance. Joe Elliott, brakeman, was sent back to fi se the freight train, soon due. He had not proceeded a hundred yards when a vol iey from ambush was fired upau him Four bullets took effecf, in iis body. The crew in the meatime, aided by pas sengers, were at work extricating mIn buried in the cars and feared to -;o to the fliagman's assistance. He, however, crawled, bleeding and wournded back to the train and now lies dying. In the mail car was Low Morris, a-eat, badlY bruised with several bones broken. His first thought was of his mail and he re queseted a reporter to go to the postot fee and notify them that be had a big run of recistered wail. H. Hatton, ex prers messenger, was found in his car with his ribs broken and in a critical ondition. J. W'. Carter, baggage ma ter, mnjured about the head and internally. A reheft tramn was made uo here and sent to the scene. The wounded were brought in and taken to the hospital. Posses are now on the scene and great excitement prevails. The E-,msuca of an Orpnar~at. SP'ARTANBURG, edb. 10.-The sud en death of Mrs. Joseph Jennings, the founder of the Jennings Orphanage. ased sorrow and regreet throughout ur county and town. Her history is an unusual one. She was the daughter ot Mr. Monsel Jennings, who Adied at his home near Cedar Spring a short time ago While very young she married, her husban being killed in the war. She was eighteen years of age when left a widow. A few days later she married Mr. Joseph Jennings. Her health was wretched, but a little child was sent to brighten the household. God soon claimed it again however, and despondency seized the mother. One day she heard of an orphan babe in a forlorn condition being at Glenn :Spring She persuaded her husband to take het to see It. They found the little outcast sick, dirty and scantily clothed. Alfter a short consultatioDn Mr. and Mrs. Jen nings decided to take the baby home with them. It soon filled the place in their hearts of their dead baby. From this time Mrs. Jennings gathered the little waits into her heart and home, antil there were fifteen at the time of her death, and from this time, the in valid of years standing, was a well wo man. Her little cottage had only five roows but they were kept in spotless condition, and a neater set of children is not to be found in our county. Who will fill her place? She was big-heart ed, strona'minded and affectionate in manner-she was a humanifarian. State. ________ A Bishop en Trial. LINCOLN, Neb., Feb. 9.--Fur the first time in the history of the Catholic church a bishop i-as arraigned before a civil jusdece ol the peace to answer to the chairge of criminal libel preferred by a priest. Tuomas Banacum is the bishop, and the charge aamst himt was founded on a letter seat to the parish of Palm'7ra, nottfy ing the~ congregation that Father Michael J. Corbstt had been suspended and waronig all Catholies not to hold communion with him. Bishop Bonacum was represented by a large array oi attorneys, while with the state attorney sat Father Datvid S. Puie ian, of St, Louis, editor of the Watch man, and famous as an ecclesiastical lawyer. Ona a motion to quash, Father Phelan, alter exnounding the canonic-il law, turned to B~shop Bonamum and, pontiag his finger at him, said: "But what we want to show is that this bishop has lied. It was a lie in that be had never suspended Fatter Corhbett." in this strain Father Pnelan continued for half an hour, hurling invective alter in vective at the bishop, who colored at each thrust. Income itax 0pposed. CHIARLEsTON, Feb. 13.-The Cha ries ton Chamber of commerce cdieorated its 110th aniversary today with a nand some banquet. At the meeting in the morning resolution was unauinmusly passed requesting the Senators of South Carlinat to oppose the income tacx cla use of the tariff bill, unless vy ding so the passage of the whole bill should be jeopardized. The chamber also appoint ed a special committee to take suitable action in opposition to the Patterson bill, amending the interstate commerce act, and to attempt to secure some charge in discriminations in freight aotesagaminst the Seuthern porit NFFER STORED LIQUORS. BIG RADS ARE TO BEGIN AFTER FRI DAY WEEK, The S-ate B )ard of Control Wall Etforce the Law S;rctly-Parties Who Have Li q'ior St ned Mast Gat Cer'ficates or H'.ve it Seiged, COLUMBIA S. C.. Feb. 13.-After Friday wek those who have liquors stored away in quantities greater than five gallons, and who do not apply to the liquor commissioner for certid cates to oe placed upon them, will m ike I heir places liable to search and all such property found thereon will be sized and sold. Such is the action of the State board of control at a meet ing held yesterday, acting under cer tain sections of the act. At this meeting yesterday there was a full attendance of the members of the oard, and Commissioner Traxler was present by invita'ion. It was decided that Section 35 of cne act shall be rigid ly enfoscad on an after the 23d. This section reads as follows: Section 35. That violations of any of the sections of this act, wuere punish ment upon conviction is not especially provided for, the person or persons or corporation so convicted shall be pun ished in the discretion of the conet try ing the same. All. alcoholic liquors, other than domeetic wine, and in quan tity more than five gallons, whicn do not have on the packages In which they are contained the labels and certificates going to show that they have been par chased from a State officer authorlz ed to sell them are hereby declared con traband, and on seiznre will be forfeited to the State as provided'in Section 31. Provided. That this section shall not apply to liquor held by the owners of registered stills. Persons having more than live gallons of liquor elsewhere than at his or her home, which they wish to keep for their own use, may throw the protection of the law around the same by furnishing an inventory of the quantity and kinds to the State commissioner, and applying for certid cates to affix thereto. After sixty days from the approval of this act any liquor found in the State not having such certificates may be seized and confis cated. Persons having more than they wish to use may obtain certificates to ship beyond the limits of the State. Any persons affixing or causing to be affixed, to any package containing al coholic liquor any imitation stamp or device than those furnished by the State commissioner shall for each of fence be. liable to a penality of ten days' ~imprisonment or twenty-five dollars tine. Tne State board fixes a specific day in order to allow all those who have such liquors stored away and who may not be acquainted with this provision of the law, time to secure the required certificates from the State liquor com: missionar. The board holds that the certificates cost nothing and can be had by simply applying to the commission er as specified in the act. The members of the board say, whether as a bluff cannot be told, that they have infor mation of where a great deal of such lquor is stored away In Columbia and elsewhere, and if the application is not immediately made, and the certificates not secured by the date named, men will be put to work seizing the stuff at once. The board decided not to allow the commissioner to issue any such creti ficates to former liquor dealers who aave taken out revenue licenses since the dispensary law went into effect, alaming that they have the right to make such ref usal, under the following scton of the act: Section 17. The payment of the Uni ed state special tax as a itquor seller, >i notice .of say kind in any place of resort, or in any store or shop, indicat ng that alcoholic liquors are there sold kept or given away, shall be held to be prima facie evidence that the person or persons paying said tax and~the parties :isplaying such notices are acting in violation of this act, and unless said person or parties are selling under per mit as prescribed by this act they shall be published by a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars or imprisment not more than tuirty days. It remains to be seen how the scheme will work out. It shows that some one is studying .out the varions phases of the law with the view to breaking np the blind tiger business, if possible. No action has yet been taken by the Attorney General's office to carry the local lioquor cases futher. Assistant Attorney General Barber is to have control of the matter and nothing is going to be done until his return to the Jadge Brawley Qat's Cangress. WASHINGTTON, Feb. 9.-Juige Brawley nas served his last day in the 531 Congress. He is going home to. night, and he will send his resignation as member of the 1st district to 'Gover nor Tillman from Charleston. Y ester day and to-day Judge B awley has been engaged in taking leave of-tiis many wrm friends in the House. The veteran Judg4e Hlolman took an affectionate fire well of the Charleston mem'ber, throw ig his arms around his neck and saying: "Brawiey, 1 sincerely regret that you are going to leave us. I have not al ways been able to go with you in a1! the masures you have advocated, but I hve taken a strong fancy to you, and I wi-h you God sneed always." Rep resntatives Mc~reary, Bourke Cock ran. Chairman Wilson and, in fact. nealy all of the leading members on both sides of the Hcuse are personal friends of JadLe Brawley, and they prted with him with profound regret. He has been regarded as one cf the stauchest Administration men and was a member of the select committee of lifteeu kno .vn as the "steering commit tee" in the House. Judge Brawley wil gaily and enter upn his judicial du ues at once. ________ lviii be- Repeaied. WAsinNGToN, Feb. 13.-The re peal ci the 10 pe: cent. tax on Slate bak issues is soon to come before the iouse and in a most unexpected man ner. I have it irom areliable source .at Cha:rmnan Springer is going to re pot iavorable the bill ot ongressman B3awley, exempting the scrip issue by the banks of South Carolina. and other States during the late finar cial panic. As soon as the measure is on the cal endar, the iight on the unconditional repa l of the tax will be precipitited by cllrng an amendment repealing the 1'x in line wIth the provisions of the Dweraic platform, without any whys ad wtereiuies. The measure, it is re lieved, has enough strength to pass the Housem with flying cAors. It is also re ported trom a reliable source that Sena to V:a ot Wisco-isin, the loresident's clostst iend in the Senate, is preparing a bill ;or thc repeai of the Sahte bank ix. He has given the subject a great deal of attention and an able argument in faivor of 'Ae repeal of the tax can be expected cf him. Tnere is qmite an eveu chance that at this session or Congress, the proh:bitory tax upon State banks HERE IS A MESS! Secms va if Thei State Tex Macl.i le-7 L4 Paralf zed. COLUMBIA, S. C., Feb. 14.-S rne buging bas been done by the last LN islature, i'; seems, which is liable tb cause the State sericus trouble. T bocks now to a good many who have made a most carefil examination ot the county gv erni- t act, passed at the last session of thc Agislature, as if it has crus-d a paraly s of the tax machinery of the State goverr-ment, as far as the makin:g ot asessments for taxation are con cernedf. The man who dre x up the bill, Mr. J. hn Gary Evans, it is supp->sed, as far As now appears, has made it read so that; after January 1. 1895, all the presen'. laws on the subject o making assessimenta, etc., conflicting with the new set shall be considered repealed, and the duties ci the offiaers made away with be devolved upon a county supervi sor and a county board of road c xnxis sioners.. Of course existing laws bold good until the date mentioned. So far so good.' The man who prepare- the law. how ever, goles on down to Section 6 and says that all the duties, p-) er3, etc., of the r-esent township boards of asses sors are "now and hereby abolished." There have evidently been some serious omissions, and the interesting situation is presented of all this ground work tax machinery beimg abolished "now," while no other p rovision is made for any other scheme until January !, 1895. And in Section 7 the county blards cf equalization share the same fate. Then again It conflicts with it self when it provides for the election -f a cuetv supervisor and fixes this election at the next general election; 'requiring ia th'e meantime that the new county boards, which the Governor appoints, taking the powers- o the abolished boards, cannot do anything unless he is preseat. There is only a short time remainina before the township boards will have to act and it Is now a serious question areat ly puzzling the State officials to kno ' what to do. There's n) way of eunra the Supreme Court to decide upon the , matter, and unless that body should I consider the repealing clau e, in the I matter of time, as applying to the Thole i act, every taxpayer could rush into court I and play havoc with the government. A prominent man, wh> is very much concerned in the matter, said yesterday, that it appeared to him that the only remedy was for the Governor to appoint the new boards, but then wculd come the trouble referred to anout the supervisor. It is tbought that Goveracr Tillman I is for once in his life badly puzzled and does not yet know what steps to take. Every one seems to be completely at sea as to what construction to place upon I the gartled act, and all the officials seem afrad to act, for they cannot tell wIat will happen if the matter is carried by any taxpayer to the courts. It means everything to the State government and is a vitally important ma:.ter. ' ?bady cholarsbipe. t South Carolina will bs entitled this year to twelve scholarshios in the lea tody Normal College at Nashville Tenu. Superintendent of Education May- t field nas received a circular of informa- : tion about these scholarships, and is notified that examinations for them t will be held in this State as well as in otter Southern States or July 20,1894. The examination will be in charge of Mr. May field, and he will give due no tice to atpplicants. As the scholarships are highly prized 1 and eagerly sought af ter, the following1 paragraphs from the circular wilL be of general intert s. A PIeabody scholarship is worth $100 a a year and the student's railroad fare s from his home to Nashville and return by the most direct route, and is gocd . for two years. The college year con-: sists of eight months, beginning on the I frst Wednesday in October and closipng on the last Wednesday in May, and scholarship students receive from the c president of the college S25 on the last ~ days of October, December, February, r and April. No payment will be made except for time of actual attendance. 0 , Scholarships will be withdrawn from students who allow bills for board to go unpaid. The qualifications for becoming a. competitor for a scholaishiip are as fol lows: The applicant must not be le'ss than 17 years of age,-nor more than 30 of irreproackpble moral character; in good health; with no physical defects,C habits or eccentricities, which weald interfere with success in teaching, and must take a pledge of intent to teach for at least two years after graduation. Hereafter the freshman class as at present constituted will be discontin ned, and the minimum literary qualiti cations required of all students mnatric ulating for a degree will be as follows: English Grammar. English composition. Thbe examina tion for 1894 will be based on quentin durward of Lamb's tsles from shaaes peare. United States History. Geography, complete. Mathematics: Arithmei ic complete; algebra, to quadratics; geometry, two books. Latin: Beginner's L'ntin book and Collar's Gate to DJeasar, or e quivalents A scholarship is good for any two consecutive years, that is, for freshman and.sophomore, for sophowrove arid jun ior, for junior and senior, or for semior and post graduate. Ciemtoa Colleg'. CoLUMBIA, S. C, Feb.16i.-The mem-.t bers of the board of trostees of Clem son College, who bave been in atteuc.-.c ance upon the called meet iug at the c College, yesterday afternoon returned 1 to the city. The meeting was called for the purpnse of eleeuing a successor to Prof. Ne wman, as professor o f agri culture at the college. All the appli- t cants for the position were in at teud ance upon the meeting. There were s some sti-ong men applyi og, among them i' being Profs. Masses or North Carolina; Quick of Mississippi; Gienn of Georgia c and Da~venport of Michigan. T:ne board wished to elect the latter hut he declined to take the positica up'n thle conditions imposed. fhese conditions I were that he should be elected for a1 year only on trial. When the board I found that Prof. Davenparc ald not ma wish the position on such conditicos. it' decided to elect an asstant proibssort and place him in charge of the depart medt. for the next year. Prof. M.iSt~hee e of'Mississippi was elected to the posi tion. The new professor gradwA'ed a from the college of the State fom S which he comes about twelve years a~go and has been contected with tfle sa I experi mental station of that S tate. lie S comes here very highly recommended. e ie is about thirty years of age. Ther cllege was reopened yesterday. Toh members of the boardsay that tnere are I now about 350 or 400 students on the e ground: They expect some 500 or tkY0 on the ground before the end of tiei week. Most of the other busmne:ss ori~ the meeting was si:npiy routine. Tii t addition to the mechanical hail wtilb soon be completed. The work has been It raidly nnshed forward. THE FAiUlERS' ALLLXNCT. IT WitL BE KEPT OUT OF POLITICS IN FUTURE. l-tu1u 'f:S'cretary Duncan From the Meeljlugofthe NA iira:A111ince atTo rek-&-Thn Coidi-zn-of ,the Ordar 11 samth Cvro ia. COLUMIA, S. C., Fcb 14.-Col. D. P. Duncan, thi secretary of the National Farmers' Alliance, has just returned from the annual meeting of that body at Topeka, Kan., and he gives much in formation about the meeting and the general condition of the order,as shown by the reports presented from the dif ferent States. The most interesting feature of the luformation afforded by this officer esterday was the announcement of .he exact strength of the Alliance in ;his State, as shown by the official re port. The Alliance has all along been ,onsidered an imporant factor in South Carolina politics, and it will sur rise a great many to know that the president of the State Alliance report d that there were 15,000 members of he order in this State who had kept ;heir dues paid up to date. He further eported that the entire membership )f the order in this State, as shown by he rolls, was 38,000. Coi. Duncan says that twenty-four tates in the Union were represented It the national gathering by thirty-five lelegates, and several States sent In ull reports. North Carolina reported L membership of 26,000 paid up men. '01. Duncan says there has been no eal increase in the membership of the kllance, viewed as a national order, luring the past year, but that it has iel: its own better than they thought t would. A great many had gone into t expecting a hasty business revolu ion. He says the Alliance is now >retty strong in the following States: rorth and South Carolina, Virginia, reorgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ala >ama, Texas, Kentucky, Tennessee, ?ennsylvaaia, 00io, New York, Indi na, Michigao, Colorado, South Dako a, California. Iowa, Missouri, Nebras. :a, Kinsas, O.lahoma, Utah and Illi Lois. The secretary says it is in a nuch stronger and more healthy con lition in the South than anywhere else. le says this is due to the fact that in a arge measure that the Alliance did iot in the South leave and go into the lopulist party, as it did in the North ,nd West, S .ame States thought that t was an order for political purposes nly, but now their ideas have been hanged, as is shown, he says, by the ollowing address issued to the Alli nce people of the country by a com aittee on the good of the order of 7bich the new president, Marion Bat r, of North Carolina, was the chair nan: o the members of the N. F. A. and 4 I. U., and to all whom it may con cern: Since the inception of this grand or anization there have been those who ought that when some political par y championed our political demands, hat then the mission af the organiza ion was ended. This belief is based n the belief that a political party will ake care of the interests of the farm rs. Tais is a fatal mistake. Besides ;is proven by the acts of every other ldss of citizens (except politicians) 2at they do not rely on parties alone ut organize for influence on any and 11 parties. Every wealth producer of America dould ever keep the follo wing truths efore him: First-That sooner or later all polit :al parties are controlled by politcians. Second-That politicians never serve ny cause or class of citizens from a anse of justice, but always through olicy, fear or gain. Therefore the elass of citizens repre anted by the Farmers' Alliance and1 ndustrial Union can never hope for or ~cure reliet or justice from any polit ~al party, not even from one that laims to champion and endorse its very principle and demand,unless they. iaintain an organization that will ever :td as an effective support- to the ian and the party that darest to do ight, and a constant menace to those liio dare trifle with the rights ana .berties of the people. Hence the upreme Council solemny warns those rho are trae to the principles of the Lilance that they would make a most atal mistake if they give up the or aniz on which is the only power that an force these reforms through any oitical party, and if indeed we were ving under a perfectly just gover 2ent today, the organization would till be absolutely necessary as a great aoral force to keep it so. But our Supreme Council calis upon ou to ever remember that the organ ration has a great mission perform utside of political reform. If the wealth producers of America .re to keep place with the march of ivilization they must do it through ocial and intellectual contract. We tave not only gro wn in mind and heart eysuch association and contact Dut we 'ool our imtellect for the mutual ad 'incement of our best interest. We de ire political reform to enable us to arry out the mission. . Therefore, in couclusion the Supreme souncil appeals to every one who be eves in the principles of the Alliance o stand by and extena the organization Ot only to secure the beneiits that >me from organizition but also to nake certain tnat some political party hall enact their demands unto law. C>ol. Duncan says tbat the Alliance is ouch stronger in South Carolina than miy where else, owing to the ex elence of the work of the ex hanges. H~e says the exchanges have een doing better work in these two tates than any other in the United tates. lie says the Alliance, as a body, in ends to keep clear of politics. Alli. ncemen, Col. Duncan says, intend to ute for the te:>t men-that is men who: avor their de-mands and measures Tich they think for the best intenests f the country at large-State. NASHIVILLE, TenD., Feb. .-When ;vangesi no J mes caled for pea :euts last night at the Gospel Taber acie in this c:ty, ;here he is holding revival, the tirMt per~an ini the line ot rse ~vho went fo'r ward to take his ex ededl palm was no less a personage ian ion. .Jon mJ. Ingalls. Mr. Ingalls as been im Nashvdte several days and ;i!ll ctare here tonight. His presence t me !aiernIacle last night was con piuus and it was noticed that he .iWk a deep interest, several times nngh4and joining in other demon ra- i(ths es tue unique Georgia preach-t aZ tura roasted and cajoled the sin "1 entiorse every word you say," he tarked earnestly, as he grasped thet vuniwiist's hand. "-God bless you," responded Mr. Jonet erveutly. "Possioly," said one who witnessed ae scene,"'the decalogue may after -a11 I ave a place in polices and -hope for ae politiciaus prove morerthan an ir-r idescent reaom" " SOLVING THE QUESTION. Atterney General's Orlion on the Trx Muddle. COLUMBIA, S. C., Feb. 15.-The trouble referred to yesterday in regard to the bungling of the new county gov. ernment act, created cuite ashiramong the State officials at toe capitol. The seriousness of the condition of affairs was not exagzerated, and it is still a matter which is cauqing the Governor considerabie worry. He yesterday morn ing officially requested the Attorney General to give hWm an opinion in re gard to the matter and that official did so. This, however, is simply the opin ion of the State's attorney in the matter, and of course that opinion would not effect the decisian of the Supreme Court if the matter ever reaches that body in the proper form. It is the custom of Lhe court, however, as shown in past de cisions to look at the general objects of the legislatures in making a law, and no doubt it would be construed as the Attoruey General construes it. How ever there is plenty of jurisdiction for the coirt to render a <tecision 4) the other side, and then there would be a serious state of aftairs. Here is the opin ion of the Attorney General, and it speaks for itself: His Excellency, Governor B. R. Till man. Deas Sir: Your note asking if the a.t approved January 4, 1894, contemplate the immediate devolution of the duties of township and district boards'of asses sors upon the ofilZers mentioned in suchi act, received. In reply would say that if section 6 be taken and coustrued itself, a mei e cursory examination miaht leave the impression that a hiatus exists, but an examination ot the whole act giving effect to every section, reaarding the Ia ter-dependence of every provision, will show beyond all doubt that the act con templated the change 'from and after the first day of January, 1893," as men tioned in section 1 providing for the ap potatment oi county supervisors. Section 7 provides for couaty boards )f commissioners, and section 8 declares hat "the county supervisor, together with the chairman of the boards of com. missioners in the several townships, ap pointed by the Governor, shall consti ;ute the county b)ard of commissioners, )f which said board the county supervi 3or shall be chairmain. It is to be remarked that there can iot be a county board of commission ers without the appointment of a coon ;y supervisor. So there coming into existence as such board is to be maas ired by and coexistent with the time of ls appointmt nt-beginning at the same ame. N w let us see the time of his elec ion or appointment, and the beginning )f his duties. Section 2 declares that he ihall be elected at the "next general election thereafter, whose term of of ice shall be twoyears and until his suc essor shall have been elected and auali ied. Section 1 provides for the abolition of be ofilees now known as county com nissioners, devolving their duties upon ;he county supervisors, etc., from and Lfter January 1, 1895. Now, it is very >lain to be seen that such county board breated dependent upon the election of L supervisor, cannot come into existence intil afar the next general election, at which general election he is to be voted or. The term of the boards of town ihip comnmissionersaby section 5 ts made ontermial with that of the Governor by 'hom they are appointed, and such sec ion is also to be read in c-nnection with iection 2, showing theirappoiutment for he same term. As a result of this construction I have he honor to report that in my judgment bhese officers do not come into existence mntil after the next general election un-1 11l which time the-present machinery of ounty government contmiues. Respectfally, OSMUND W. BUCHANAN, Attorney General. F~und a Mtngon. SAN FRANcIsCo, Feb. 10.-If the Itory told by John F. Ryan, a subma ine diver, is true, the steamer Brother Jonathan has at last been found, after. elng almost 30 years at the bottom of: ~he sea.] The Brother Johnathan was lost on July 3, 1865, about 10 miles northwest >f Cresent Uity, with 147 passengers4 mnd crew and $1,000,000 in treasure on board. Numerous unsuccessful r.. tempts have been made to locate her. Ryan's story is apparently substantiat ed by the production'of one of the ships ixtures bearing the name Brother Jon athan in brass letters, which he picked ap on the deck of the wreck. "Several years ago, while captain of a steamer running on Puget Sound," s sys Ryan, "an old man named G. W. Hill told me that he was a passenger on the Brother Jonathan when she foundered mnd was one of the 19 survivors of the4 lisaater. He said he could take me to the scene of the wreck, and was sure he :onld locate the exact spot where she1 went down. A few weeks ago he came again and Ilaccepted his offer. "After arriving in the vicinity of where the ship went down we located der in a remarkably short time in sev eral hu.ndred feet of water. I went fown to the vessell and walked across her deck and all around her. There was not light enough for me to see, and L had to feel my way everywhere. Ap-4 parently the .Brother Jonathan is in ex 3eiient condition, an't I have hopes of taising her. From what I learn, the gold in the ship is locked up in different parts of the vessel, and with the aid of light I4 muticipate no difficulty in locating it. [n the spring I shall make preparations ro recover the lost treasure." A Mountanivdndetta. GREENVILLE, Feb. 14.-Another kill ng nas occurred in the Dark Corner. Stnve Howard, a brother of the cele rated Big Hill, who died with his joots on, killed LUly Pittmnan on Sunday afternoon near the honse of John Rec .or, en Glassy Mountain. On Sunday norning Pittman, who is a young man, lad a fight with old Shack Howard, but he two were seperated betore any lamage was done to either. Later in he day Mitchell Howard, a son of nack, and the two went out to hunt ip Pittman. About 4 o'clock they round Pittman and his brother Ander on. Steve Howard and Uly Pittmnan. ~et into a fight, and as they fougnt the >ther two stood with drawn pistols to a e'cure fair play. Howard and P'ittman eli in a clincn, and while dowen Putt nan drew his pistol. Hloward t wisetd t he pistol out of nis hand, and they e >oth rose from the ground. As tt~ey i ose floward pulled his own pistol and a hot Pittman twice, the Idrst bullet en ering his arm, the second entering b ubove the eye, and P'ittman fell dead.a ['rial Justice Mitchell commenced ana aquest on Monday. Howard was pres- a nt at the inquest. More blood will ti low, as the Pittmnan family are fighters g .nd this is the locality where twenty s' aen nave been killed during the past i t< en years.- ews and Courier. MYSTERY OF THE SWAMPS. A GHASTLY AFFAIR WHICH PUZZLES THE CORONER. Fioding of the Dad Body of an Uaknowa White Min N ea'' the City-An Unavalil ing Search Yesterday: CoLUMBIA, S. C., Feb. 12.-At noon yesterday a negro girl named Ellie Mey era. accompanied by another named Car. rie Jefferson, came to Police offi.er Jones upon The streets apparently very much frightened, and told him they had walked up the Atlantic Coast Line track trom a point about five miles from the city. They told him that just beyond, the trestle, at Hampton's pond, about twen ty-five or thirty feet distant from the right side of the trestle, they had found the body of a white man lying in the briar patch near the water. They fur. the.r stated that his pants were off, but he still had his shoes and other clothing on. They said that he looked like a tramp, but had evidently been dead for several days, judgina from the swollen appearance of his face. Officer Jones notified Chief of Police Radcliffe, and the chief of police forthwith notified Coroner Roach. In a short time the news spread over the city, and consid. erable excitement was caused. It was generally supposed that the man was one of the desperadoes who hadrobbed the houses on the Hampton place dar ing the early portion of last week. It will be remembered that this patty of desperadoes was fired into and the general belief was that this man was wounded and crawled off into the swamp bo die. About 2 o'clock Coroner Roach, ac :ompanied by Deputy Pollock and Dr. Frank Green and several newspaper nen, departed in the rain to hold an in restigation. They drove to the scene )f the supposed tronble and began to iearch for the remains of the man. This iearch was very complete, and contiued or several hours in the pourmg rain, but althoagh several miles of the swamp and was gone over by the searchers, tever a trace of the alleged dead man ,ould be found. Coroner, Roach, afer ,etting wet through to the skin, stated hat it was the first time in his experi .ace as coroner that he had ever had to earch for a dead boly. Heretotore, he avs, the exact location has always been >ointed out to him. After a search of Lbout three hours, the coron'er and those sslting him finally gave up the search Lad returned to the city, reaching here at about 6 o'clock. Upon his return to the city Coroner loach who, when he left, had no fur her informacion than that given him by he chief of police, sought Officer Jones ind obtained from him the whereabouts Lad names of that officer's informants. Chis morning the coroner will take tiarge of these witnesses and crry them lown with him for the purpose oflocat ng the body. He is determined to solva he mystery, let it cost what it may. le beleves that the body is to be found, Md if is is not some one will very like y be made to siffer for the chase which he officers of the law were compelled to ead ye'.erday afterajon in the paring Lown r.n* The coroner and all others who heard he story of the two women are inclined o the belief that this dead man, about rhom there is so much mystery at pre ent, is one of the desperadoes referred o above. There were some very amasing inci lents of the search yesterday afternoon, ad, not the least was the disappoint nent of the newspaper men, who wasted Learly all of the day mn such a fruitless reardh as was shown by the statements nade at the very damp conference held mnder a dripping tree at the completion >t the search for the purpose of deciding rhether to return to the city or ressm? he search until darknees~l -I'E ery nan in the crowA.as p'retty wet, and mot a single onewvished to remain longer, >r even accompany the coroner back this norning.--&ate,. F ired entheaFlag. Rio JAN'EIao, Feb. 15.-O2 Tnesday light last, a launch belonging to the A.merican cruiser Ne wark, took~ ashore :om that vessel several sailors, who tad been attasked by. yellow fever. rhe men were taken to the yellow fever iospital. Oa her way back the course >f the launch took her close to the mnchorage of the merchant fleet. Lying mmong the merchantmen was tue mnsur fent steamer Marte. The latter fired ;hree shots at the launch, but all three vent wild doing no damage. The cap ;aln.of the Marte afterwards declared hat he .did not know that the launch iras American. This statement, how iver, is not worthy of belief, as the aunches belonging to the American varshilps are easily distingaisnable rom everything else. After landing ier sick sailors, the Newmark, under or lers from Rear Admiral Beaham, ;ailed for Montevideo, where she will e disinfected. It is the opimion of hose who kne w what sort of a place he bay is during the yello w fever sea ion, that the fleet ought to anchor off J~opacebara, outsde the harbor. There s no fever at that place, wnich is easy if communication from the city. Convictecd. BROOKLYN, Feb. 15.-The jary be ore whicn John Y. MiKane or Graves ind was tried for the violatton or the dlection lawes, came int court at 11:50 his morning and rendered a verdict of railty with a recommendation for men :y. McIane paled a little, but took It rery coolly. 0 wing to the aosence of :ounsel for McKane no motion for a tew trial was made and tne count ad ourned until Monday. McK ine's coun el will appeal the case to the general erm and will move for McKanis re. ease on oailnext week. Tnoe punishment provided by law is iot less than t wo years imprisonment in more than ten. McKine was chargedi vith a number of oifenses against tue election laws, out toe particular one hat brougat him to grie. was his o3 itructing tne execution of an order is ued by Justice Gaynor to permit the nspection of the r'egistry lists of the owen ot Gravesend, in wnich G aney Is and is emoraced. MaK ie is chief of olier- azJ a saerviiiar of the t.)Wn of travesenad. A Di pasery Couveation. CHESTER b. C., Feb. 13.-Charles agrers aau G~us R:ihrds, wno were rreeted here Saturday night~by Police ian Willia-ns for bringing llquor into late were tried today betore Tcial Jas - ce L'ckie. Assistant Attormey Gen cal Barber 'for the S~ase, ani Paul [emphill for the defendants. Toe case isted about *ix houirs and tie jury ;ayed in ten or fitteen minutes and rought a verdict ofgu:lty for Gus Rica. rds. P'eopie here were not su:prlsed the verdict as fagger3 clanned the unk wh:cha contaieJi the 1:qur and wve the sheriff the key to open it. His intence was to pay a flee ot $100 or go 'jail for thirty days. He was taken to ii to erve hi e. ncnn-Tou--naL.