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' ?lt? lamterg ij?ralii |jl Established 1891 - BAMBERG, S. C., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1910. One Dollar a Year |f p COUNTRY NEWS LETTERS SOME INTERESTING HAPPENINGS IN VARIOUS SECTIONS. |||;" News Items Gathered All Around the County and Elsewhere. pc> Ehrhardt Etchings. 1P Ehrhardt, Dec. 5.?The cool wave has struck us in good shape, and from all indications the worst of it has not reached us. The last of our short cotton crop is in sight, and lots of the fertilizer iccounts are still unpaid and will remain so until another cotton crop is. made. The Ehrhardt Lutheran parsonage lias been arranged for, and work rill soon be begun on the building. Some of the lumber will be placed m the grounds this week. Want to jlear away some more of the pines n reach of the building yet, then rill be ready for the brick wbrk to commence. Miss Cora Shealy, sister of Prof, uhaa Shealy, has been spending lome time with her brother and old ichool mates. She comes from Clyo, Our Thanksgiving collection for he orphan home in Virginia netted 125.00. This week the Shelby show will be pulled off in town, also a quartet in he hall on the 7th instant and svery one is looking forward to the rth as an evening of much pleasure. Bird hunting is the main sport of >ur young men. Occasionally a few tirds are bagged. Most of the hunters kill more powder and time than drd8. The land auction was a success, ^ots sold at an average price of >90 per lot, which is about 930 more ban was expected. ; Sunday morning looked more like now weather than we have had in , long time. * The Ehrhardt school is progressing nicely. The teachers seem to he well pleased with the records which ppf^ so far have been made. The pupils working hard, having in mind ^ f the fact that the first term examinetfons are drawing near. Miss Hutto,j k*8 charge of the intermediate 'department, spent the week end at jj||p;; .; \ The students off at college are counting the days and hours it will - ^ be until they leave for home to spend .their holidays given them during Christmas. The mothers are fattening the turkeys and arranging for GBp^'tiiem to satisfy the inner man, if Hp^-'tlhST have left their hearts' ideals jffp behind. JEE. Letter from Georgia. I'/": Guyton, Ga., Dec. 5.?The farmers 8g&:-\ here have finished gathering their crops. Some few have not finished It* making their syrup yet. jr; We are having some fine hog killsi? Ing weather now, and the farmers are fk making good use of it. jjfe I notice an article in your paper t from Go van, which states the differeice in the price of syrup in Georgia SSp and South Carolina. But the writer ^ does not know the difference, and I fe will try to tell him. It is in the way # the farmers make it. Myself and if others around me have sold our syrup for BO and 75 cents a gallon. You mSr .know good grades of cotton bring a " better price than sorry grades, and ||& the way you handle it has a great ip-*- deal to do with the grade and the Spte price. kfe/ I also notice what he says about . the divorce law. Yes, it is a disgrace ||&' as man has made the law, but if the great ruler of all things had institute te't- niaybe there would be a good Mr many better husbands and wives and ggj less law suits between husband and ffijpj wife than there is now. Election at Cope. |S' Cope, Dec. 5.?In an election here 'm ^ay for intendant and four warCJl*' dens to serve for the next year, the dRfe following were elected: Efe'* D. W. Bonnett, intendant; O. F. Smoak, W. R. Hoover, G. E. GrifStn and Dr. V. W. Brabham, wardens. Five Mules Perish. l^jj^ Marion, Dec. 5.?This morning ifky : about 3 o'clock fire desroyed the barn, belonging to W. A. Godbold, including five mules, a quantity of corn, hay, fodder and other farm proSlfe duce on what is known as the BrigI man place, four miles east of Marion. F; The origin of the fire is unknown. f The population of South Carolina ! ^ has been given out by the census def j- partment. We will publish the flgures of each county next week. Ac? cording to the report, Bamberg coun?? ty has a population of 18,544. NEGRO GIRL ROBBED. * * Forced to Give Up Hard Earned Money by Two Men. Union, Nov. 29.?A dastardly robbery, where a young negro girl was forced to give up the hard, earned savings of the family under threat that her life would be taken by two unknown negro men several miles from Union, was committed early one morning this week. The matter has been kept quiet while investigation by the sheriff has been going on. It seems that about an hour and a half before sun rise, two negro men one dressed in overalls, the other wearing a white sweater, it is said, wen to the home of Columbus Farr and were met by his daughter. On C tho hnnao thpv ranMcked A VUV MVWWV ?? everywhere for money they thought was in it and after ill treating the girl forced her by threat to take her life to reveal the hiding place of the money which it is understood was in a mattress where she had hidden it. They then demanded that if she knew of any one who had money to tell them that they could get it. One story is that the amount was $60 and that the robbers lost $20 of it after leaving through the window. Govan Letter. Govan, Dec. 5.?The good people of Bamberg county have said by their sovereign will that the county shall not any longer, be debauched by the sale of liquor. Other counties have done likewise, but whether these counties that have made proMbtion a law have acted judiciously or not I cannot say. For the people to make a law whose existence is debauchery is a disgrace, and is a corruption of fidelity, and is but a characterization of our moral status. When the sale oi liquor is quaimeu oy we vuie w our people the indulgence to drink is sanctioned by not only the worst element of our people hut by the better element who perhaps used the best judgment in casting their ballots for the legal sale of it, make a law which constitutes debauchery. The poor drunkard is not to blame for this debauchery, either though he voted for the sale or against it, and he can be compared to the representation that the poet Tennyson made of the aspect of immortality, as we make through our circumscribed view: "Infant crying in the night, Infant crying for the light, And nothing is heard but a cry." The "light" to the drunkard would be total abstinence, but can they expect to fall heirs to this beneficent inheritance in this land of boasted lib^ erty, where corruption is so manifest, and the will of our people like the master artist carves the beautiful statue from the rough stone, systematizes a judicious government for their guidance, but to be trampled under foot by the "blind tiger trafflcers" the sons, of bitterMniquity.. Preaching service was held at Georges Creek church Saturday and Sunday in connection with the UnVeiliTKr naponinnioo nf nilV PfltPPTTIPd SOV ereign Luther Lancaster's tomb, after preaching service Sunday morning. A few members from other lodges participated, and the ceremonies were beautifully carried out. Miss Lucile Curry, our assistant teacher, read the very attractive poem selected by the Order for the burial ceremony, entitled: "Oh! Why Should the Spirit of Mortal be Proud!" Dr. Leighton Hartzog delivered an appropriate address from which 1 append an extract. "Mr. Consul Commander, Sovereigns, Ladies and Gentlemen:? "To-day we pay our last tribute of respect to our deceased friend and Brother Luther Lancaster. Some of our visitors might wonder our object in performing this deed, and question why didn't the W. O. W. appropriate the fund to the member while he lived so that ho could enjoy the benefits. This is not a deed of charity. We do not pretend to ameliorate this deceased sovereign by placing a shaft to his grave. The reputation he made while living stands to his everlasting monument in the memory of all who knew him. "On one occasion the Hon. Joseph Cullen Root, the founder of this noble order in 1890, which is one of the largest fraternal orders in the world, wandered far away from home, and did not return for many years. Finally he returned home and upon reaching there he found that one of his old companions had long since departed and that his remains were interred in the old cemetery. Col. Root, very much grieved, set out to find the spot where the remains of his old friend had been placed. Upon his arrival at the cemetery he found that the rubbish had control il IN THE PALMETTO STATE SOME OCCURRENCES OF VARIOUS KINDS IN SOUTH CAROLINA. State News Boiled Down for Quick Reading-?Paragraphs About Men and Happenings. The corn exposition for Soutt Carolina is being held in Columbia this week. There are nearly 1,00c * ' XI J11 1 J I_1 11^ 1 exniDits, ana mere wui ue uisinuuied about $10,000 in prizes. The State Baptist convention decided to meet in Greenwood next year. The United Daughters of th? Confederacy will also hold their next annual convention in that good town May Harris, the white woman connected with the killing of J. R. Langford, near Brunson, Hampton county, has been carried to the penitentiary in Columbia for safe keeping The four men convicted in Lexington last week for the murder o! young Paul Williams have been car ried to the State penitentiary when .they are to spend the remainder o1 their lives, the sentence of each be ing life imprisonment. South Carolinians Present. Washington, Dec. 5. ? Senaton Tillman and Smith and Represents tives Johnson, Lever, Legare, Aikei and Ellerbe, of South Carolina, were in their seats to-day when the tw< houses of congress met. Senator Smith seems to have gain ed about 20 pounds in weight anc says he is feeling fine. Mr. Legare is fully ready, he says to resume business for good now after a long absence during which h< has been under treatment. He ii looking hale and hearty. of the sacred place and, there was n< mark to direct him to the grave h< sought. The old gentleman, mucl grieved and disappointed, returnee home from his unsuccessful search Then he resolved to make an effor to place monuments to the graves o : all Sovereigns of Woodcraft. H< l made this a rule of our order and i is through Col. Root's influence tha this monument has been erected. "The shaft does not benefit Brothei Lancaster, but it does benefit hi: brothers, friends, and loved ones by enabling them to find the spo where sleeps a devoted husband, * sincere friend, and a true-and faith ful Woodman. "Brother Lancaster led an exem plary Christian life, and evidently i was a blessing to him, and in conse quence he should have passed int( the unknown with peace of soul which appeared to be evident. H< knew through his influence that h< had accomplished great things for hi: Master. His family was a pleasuri to him. It was his pleasure to hin to make them cofortable, which h< did, but that wasn't all. He wantee to know that they would be comfort able after he had left them, and h< joined the W. O. W., with the motive of taking out life insurance." It was a pleasure to have Dr. Hart zog with us on this occasion. Preaching services at Georges Creel church is changed from the first Sat urday and Sunday in each month t< the fourth Saturday and Sunday. Rev. J. R. Bolen filled his regu 1 lar appointment Saturday and Sun day. His discourses are well con densed, and always have dee] thought, and his hearers have to pa: strict attention in order to follow tin line of thought accurately. Rev. E. Alston Wilkes filled hii regular appointment Sunday after noon at Salem Methodist church. Hi< ! subject was "Unity," and was abl: ' handled. Mr. Wilkes measures up t( the high standard of our Methodis preachers. He is somewhat of i humorist, and contributes a manu script to the Southern Christian Ad vocate nearly every week, under tin title of "Notes and Notions," whicl is enjoyed very much by the subscrib ers of that high class publication. W< hope to have brother Wilkes with u: again next year. There will be a "box party" at th< Salem school house next Friday even ing. In the line of skill, little Davi( mmnoooM oil nf Viio onmnoninnc ?a\Jiu. oui^aoo^o cm vi uio wui^Mruiivuu Some time ago he suffered the loss o his arm in a cotton gin, thereby ne cessitating him to acquire better us< of his left arm, or the artl might sai of ambidexterity. He uses his teetl to support the sling, and his onl: (left) arm to stretch the rubbers ii shooting the sling shot, and kills ai equal number of sparrows with his companions. No trace has been discovered as yet of the couple, Sam Donald, a mar ried man, and Miss Padgett, wh< eloped recently from this community y PREACHER IN TROUBLE., i ? He Leaves Letter to Conference Con1 fessing Theft. A sensation was sprung in the North Carolina Conference of the ; Methodist church, South, at Elizabeth City, N. C., on Friday, when a letter was read from Rev. L. N. Booth, of Chowan circuit, acknowledging that he had misappropriated L missionary and conference funds i amounting to about $200, that he had fled to New Jersey and could not jeturn the money. Charges were immediately preferred and a trial or' dered. It is a bad case. Booth, ^ who was highly regarded by his con5 gregation and fellow members of ^ conference, was said to have left * home four weeks ago, without the knowledge of the presiding elder, on the plea that his invalid wife was in a sanitarium in New Jersey. His congregation had recently presented him with a fine horse and buggy and a mew suit of clothes to Wear to conference. . PREACHER IN FIGHT. Knocked Down and His Skull Fractured by a Dentist. * :? Selma, Ala., Dec. 5.?Dr. G. K. McConnell, a dentist, and Rev. W. E. 1 Gibson, pastor of the Methodist " church at Pine Hill, near here had a 1 fight Saturday, in which the preacher i was knocked down and his skull frac) tured. Surgeons have been in con' stant attendanfce on hjm and he may die. x 1 Rev. Gibson is alleged to have accused the dentist, of leading his * brother astray and this brought on ? the encounter. 5 * m ? 5 BANDIT SHOT IO DEATH. - Negro Killed While Bobbing Passen5 gers on Frisco Train. l ? I Memphis, Tenn., Dec. 2.?Jack Thomas, a negro, of BIythevllle, Ark., [ turned bandit, terrorizing and robf bed passengers aboard a westbound j Frisco train last night and in the t end jna shot to death by A. B. Walt ton, a railroad switchman. The train, the St. Louis-Memphis r Limited, had jhst started across the B bridge oyer the Mississippi river, on t the outskirts of Memphis, when t Thomas, revolver in hand, emerged i through the doorway which separates the white and colored smoking compartments. In true frontier style, the negro ^ commanded: "Hands up!" and without further ceremony a score of j handB went up. Then he passed his victims along into the negro section g of the car, emptying their pockets as * they went along. Four had been dis vested of theiT purses and trinkets 3 when Walton appeared on the scene, 1 summoned from the rear platform a by a fare collector who had escaped j the eyes of the negro. Walton fired as he entered the 3 coach, the bullet striking the high3 wayman just above the heart. He staggered and attempted to aim his . weapon, but Walton continued his fire, two others of his bullets finding c lodgement in the negro's body. Thomas toppled when the last bul3 let struck him and was dead when the watchman made his way through _ the now panic-stricken passengers. _ One of Walton's bullets went wild, . striking an unknown negro and in? flictig a slight wound. r The train was stopped at the next 3 station and the body of Thomas taken off. A coroner's-jury was em3 paneled on the depot platform and _ Walton exonerated from blame. Then 3 the train proceeded on its way, , after y the negro'*. pockets had been stripped 3 of the money and trinkets and ret turn made to the owners, a Poplation of South Carolina. Washington, Dec. 6.?South Caro3 lina's population, according to the i census, is 1,515,400, an increase of - 175,084 in the last decade. This in3 crease was slightly less than it was 3 from .1890 to 1900, and is not sufficient to entitle the State to an nddi3 tional congressman under the present - basis of 194,000 to a representative and if the reapportionment is based i upon a larger number, as is likely, . there will be a reduction of one conf gressman from South Carolina. mi.,.,. fl?... n/M. /\* O/mi+Vi Pnrnlino hv 1 LLC" UgUl CO U1 0UUI.U uaiunuu ktj j counties were given out to-day by the 7 census bureau. The largest gain was 1 in Spartanburg county, 17,905. Next j comes Greenville, 14,887; next Anl derson, 13,840. Richland's gain is i 9,554, and Charleston's 588. Fairi field county gains just 7. The counties of Barnwell, Beaufort, Berkeley, 3 Marion and Orangeburg and Sumter | - lost considerably, in consequence of ) new counties being carved out of . them. Georgetown lost 576. TWO WHITE HEN CHARGED COCKFIELI) AND GASKINS MUSI ANSWER FOR MURDER. Testimony Before Coroner's Jury i That Special Policeman Shot Negro at Lake City. Lake City, Dec. 6.?That Henry A1 fonso came to his death from a gun shot or pistol-shot wound at th hands of Will J. Cockfield and tha J. H. V. Gaskins was accessory afte the fact, was the verdict returned to night by a coroner's jury of some o the best men of this town inquirim into the killing on Sunday-mornini of a negro attache of Wollcott' shows. Stores Closed. : Since Sunday the determination o the best white men that the law mus be vindicated has been increasinj and quiet but steady and persisten investigation has been going on When the inquest began almost ever place of business in town was de serted and a more earnest throm was never seen here than the crow< which, gathered in the court room Having regained confidence that the would be protected, witnesses wh were silent Sunday talked to-day. Sc licitor Stoll conducted the ezamina tion and 15 witnesses were calle upon. The Testimony. The subject of the testimony di rectly in point was as follows: J. H. V. Gask ins was acting chie of police. He was authorized b Mayor Blackwell to appoint specis policemen if necessary, but was car tioned to select only sober men. H appointed several who are notortou for their drinking habits and rowd characters and among those ai pointed was Will J. Cockfleld. Ther was more or less drinking amon these policemen. Shoots the Negro. About 1 o'clock Henry Alfonso, negro attache of Wollcott's showi who was assisting in iqpving the shoi property to the cars, sat down on th show grounds by a fire to warm. H was jfcftkftig to smother negro as was laughing when Will Cockfiel came up and said something aboc shooting. Cockfleld said: "Are yo laughing at me, 'nigger'? You don' believe I would shoot you?" To thi Alfonso replied, "Yes, boss, I believ you would shoot me." Jerking hi pistol from his overcoat pockei Cockfleld fired at the negro, wh ducked his head and the bullet wei over his head. Just as Alfonso raise his head/ Cockfleld fired again, th bullet striking the negro in the lei eyebrow. Alfonso fell backward dead This was the testimony of tw white boys who were eye witnesse and their statements were corrohc rated in numerous aetaxis dj oine witnesses. Gaskins' Testimony. J. H. V. Gaskin testified that hera towards the fire where the shool ing took place and just before h reached the dead man he saw Cocl field come from under a nearby she< He asked Cockfield three , times b< fore getting a reply: "Where wa that shooting?/' and Cockfield said "Towards the railroad." Cockflel went off in a different direction. H did not question Cockfield nor ai tempt to arrest him. Other witnesses who went to th dead man swore they saw Gaskin immediately after the shooting g off with Cockfield round a house nea the scene. Gaskins' own testimony and that c several others pointed to the fact tha Gaskins knew that Cockfield shot th negro, yet made no attempt to arree him, and even assisted him in gettin out of sight. Wanted Inquest at Once. , It was further testified that imnu diately the magistrate reached th scene Gaskins insisted that the ii quest be held at once, notwithstand ing the confusion and the midnigb hour, and volunteered to act as coi stable in getting the jury, and di summons a jury. Among those thu summoned were W. B.. Godwin an G. R. Bowen, both policemen. It i not shown that any one else wa connected with- the killing furthe than the evidence that W. B. Godwi: ?Vtt PaoItfinle\ TX7VlDTI th wits Biauuiug uJ wtnu< iu . . deed was committed, but was not cod nected any closer than this with th killing. The Herald had a call from a par ty a few days ago who wanted to pu on a subscription contest for us, hi concern being the same one which i now conducting contests for variou papers in this State. There wa nothing in his proposition for us, s we did not accept. In fact, when w have another contest we will manag it ourselves. BIG FIRE AT SUMTER. About $6,000 Loss in Burning of V \4:lfj r Frame Buildings. Sumter, Dec. 5.?Sumter wag vis- ;J?| ? ited by the second big fire of the ^ season last night at about 1 o'clock, when the store belonging to Jim Wright, at the corner of Manning _ avenue and Bee street, took Are. It v|| . spread to the neighboring buildings, e thirteen of which were destroyed be- 1 I fore the fire was put out. The loss,' r , rather difficult to estimate, was reck- .jjs _ oned at about flvev to six thousand f dollars, in buildizigs and goods lost, g The fire started in the store be- . innvtnv Tim Ita Aoma 4a -iSBS g AVU54UQ VV V I III TV IVO VOU0V 10 ^ 8 not known, for no one was supposed '-||J to have been in the building since JV^M Saturday. Prom the store the fire \\-Jjjgm f spread to a house attached to the ^J^^ t rear of the store and then in all dfrec* ;^?M tlons, except across Manning avenue. \-7M t The houses destroyed numbered thirteen, but several of them were ' only little shops of small value. ' , The houses destroyed were: A _ store with dwelling house attached. ? and two adjacent dwelling houses ^ longing to Jim Wright, colored, and 'occupied by Jim Wright, Norman " Mack and the Rer. Robertson; dwell^ ing house of Sallie Besler, owned and ' *$? occupied by her; house owned by^^jSB ? Leg rand Singleton, colored, of New vJjfc York city, and. occupied by Jim jvl? Young; house owned by O'DonneU and occupied by Anna Williams and ^ Leila Moses; house owned and occu-. ' -l.J 1 IV. T> r\ CT IT..VI.n. . '??? yiuu uy luc xvev. u. xi. avyiuu?i ~ '^g| house owned by Legr&nd Singleton /S? ? and'occupied by John Holman; shop JigHj owned by Sallie Belser and run by [~ negro Tindal; two stores owned byv;^| e Eugene Dines, and cafe run by Lad8 son Conyers. M y The loss consisted , mostly of the H buildings, for, except the stock of r jJH e goods in the store belonging to Jim ' "M'l g Wright, most of the goods in the ; stores and shops were saved, and almost all of the furniture from the jjM a dwelling houses was saved before the ; J? ;|| '? fire reached^ the buildings. The V w stores and houses belonging to Jim 6 Wright were all insured, and the;f^|||a ? stores belonging to E. W. Dines were * ? insured, as was most of the other ^ ? property. The property on the east side of u Manning avenue was saved by hard '.SSj 1 work on the part of the Are depart- ' 8 ment, and, besides the cracking of ;J|B e the glasses in the front windows and ^ ji S L J M IV. .11. W. IihIU. me scorcmng ui uw wauo, ui? uuuw ^jmi ings were not damaged. This prop- iflig 0 erty belonged to the estate of E. R. ^ Jcroe and was insured. Mr. Griffin, who had his store at the southwest \ ? corner of Manning avenue and Bee frejaBi ' street, was damaged only to the ex*' , tent of having one glass in his front 0 window cracked. The store of Diner ? was a new one and had just been ; completed and was not yet occupied. . !r The fire began about J o'clock, and vKv||| as the frame buildings were dry, it spread very quickly, and even after n the fire department reached the . scene, it had a hard time checking e the rapid spread of the fire. ;>||S ' All of the telephone and telegraph ^ wires covering that portion of the town were torn down by the burnii^ ,s of the posts, and the street was left ! in a dangerous condition because of" the dangling ends of the wires. This '?|B e morning the Sumter Light and Power Company were hard at work rear-l ranging the lines,, putting up new , e posts and fixing the wires for ser? vice to-night. J r MURDER AND ROBBERY. f if Wonifhv wMt Vindnia Woman Vj^?aB it Found Dead at Her Home. ? Sistersville, W. Va., Dec. 2.?Mrs. 1 Elizabeth Allen, aged 87 years, a s wealthy widow, was found dead today at her home at Sherley, near ; f here. A large sum of money which. ;.'jC33| she had in the house is missing and e the coroner is of the opinion she J" was strangled to death after which " the robbery was affected. Mrs. Allen * 1 lived alone and had no faith in banks. $ ? She owned considerable property, ... owning several farms on which were _,-^Bv d producing oil wells. When Mrs. Allen disappeared early in the day search was made for her and she was found fully dressed ' in a rear room on the floor. Other rooms were in confusion, showing she had fought hard for her life. The nhvftioian who was called said a num ber of small bones in her hand were broken and her wind pipe had been - crushed. In a house twenty feet . t away, Mrs. Allen's son, John, is dys ing from tuberculosis. Attorneys s for Mrs. Allen went through the s house late to-day and found $172 y_-|g s sewed in an old quilt and $12 in an o old sofa. There is missing an old e wallet in which Mrs. Allen is known Jg e to have had oyer.$3,000 in cash, with bonds, notes and other securities. j.