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otdimnn and outi) co . 8UKTJER WATCHMAN, established April, ISSO. "Be Just and Fear not?Let all the Ends thon Aims't at, be thy Country's, thy God's and Truth's." IHK UE SOUTHRON, EctablUhed Jone 15*6 Consolidated Aug. 2,1881. SUMTER. S. C. WEDNESDAY. MAY 30. 1900 Sew Series?Yol. XIX. So. 4 8?MTER, 8. C. ft brus : $1.50 per annum?io advance. A ? i g h : Obo Square first insertion..................$1 go Rverj subsequent insertion........ ?.. 50 Contracts for three months, or longer wil * be made at reduced rates. All communications which subserve private interests will be charged for as ad versements. Obituaries and tributes of respects will be charged for. BRITISH TROOPS ENTER TRANSVAAL Soers Evacuate Natal Leav ing Laing's Nek Free. OPEN ROAD FOR BULLES ? His Line of March to the Transvaal Clear of the Enemy? ElofiTs Troops Deserted Him at Mafehing?British Walk Into Ambush. London, May 23.?A dispatch from b} Pietermariixborg says the Boers are re ported to have entirely left Natal, leav ing Laing's Nek free. If this is trae it leaves the way open for General Bnller to advance into the Trs^vaal so soon as the repairs of the railroads are sufficient to insure good com m,n t? i cations. Lord Roberts is still at Krooxtstadt, reorganizing his forces. General Sandle's forces are encamped at Trommel, recuperating A patrol 4 miles *Tom Trommel was attacked by ^ the Boers. One man was wounded and some horses were killed. The affair was unimportant except in showing that the Boers are still in the neighborhood and on the lookout for any chance of sniping. Further details of the fighting at < Maf eking sty that Commrjidant Sarei IStofPs followers deserted him, where *? upon Eloff fired on them himself and then surrendered with 80 followers. The dispatch also says that one party of Boers was driven out of the Stoat and allowed to escape, as "we had sufficient prisoners." , The capture of Eloff and his followers cost Baden-Powell three men killed and seven wounded. Boers Offered Stubborn Resistance. London, May 23.?Lord Boberts re ports to the war office in a dispatch from Kroonstadt as follows: "Mahon reports that the fixing col umn entered Mafeking at 4 o'clock on the morning of May IS. He was stub . bornly opposed by 1,500 men on May 17 * 9 miles from Mafeking, but the JBoers were driven from their strong positions after- five hours' fighting. Mah on's casualties were about 30. The Boer losses were heavy." Surrendered With Eloff. Mafeking, May 23.?Among the pris ** oners captured *.vith Commandant Sarei Eloff are Count DeBremont, a French man, and Count Von Weiss, a German. It is found that the Boers were guided by two deserters named Hay and Bol ton. One man was commanded to sur render and replied * 'Never. ' ' Ute Boers shot him through the head. Bethune Lost Heavily. ***" London, May 23.?It is officially an nounced that Colonel Bethune has se perted that while marching in the direc tion of Newcastle, Natal, he was am bushed by a party of Boers 6 miles west of Vryheid, in the Transvaal, and that very few of his force escaped. His casualties numbered 66 men. British invade the TransvaaL. Cape Town, May 23.?British troop* have arrived at Vereeniging (in the Transvaal) north of the Vaal river. The bridge across the Vaal was found to be intact. Twenty-seven Free State and Transvaal locomotives were captured. GER IS IN GOOD HEALTH. Bta-land Residents Are Preparing; Kor Seigc of. Pretoria. Pretoria, May 23. ? An open air j meeting has been held by the local Hol landers, 200 of whom were present, to consider the situation in the event Pre toria should be beleaguered. A commit tee was appointed to secure a pla of safety for the women and children. The onsul general of the Netherlands, Mr. Nieuwennuys, was asked to advise hi* government to take care of its sub jects. One speaker said the position was most dark. The British, he declared, would be masters cf the Free State and Transvaal; might would be right; the capitalists would dominate; the poor would be the sufferers and the Holland ers would have no chance. Dr. Heymaus contradicts the reports received regarding the health of Presi dent Kruger, which he say* is good. Mr. Kruger is transacting all the work for the presidency. In accordance with the understanding between General Botha and the presi dent, a circular was issued staring that should the enemy succeed in gaining a position in the Transvaal and take pos session of one of the districts the inhabi tants should be free to decide whether they should leave. The men must re main with the commandoes. Warren Occupies Douglas. Cape Town*. May 24.?General War ren has occupied Douglas after heavy fighting and without sustaining any loss. The Boers have retreated to the north. BOERS TO STAND AT RHEINOSTER RIVER Are Well Intrenched and Have Guns In Position. BEITISH MOVE FORWARD Great Battle Is Expected Within 48 HoHrs?Transvaalers to Offer Strong Resistance?Eight Hundred Burgh ers Surrender. London, May 24.?Lord Roberts is ad vancing in force. The wait at Kroon stadt is over and already the main Brit ish army is about 20 miles north of its former resting place. Judging from the dispatches fron Lord Roberts at Ho- ing spruit station while flanking him on either side of the railroad General French's cavalry and General Ian Ham ilton's mounted infantry are both slighty in the advance of Lord Roberts and threatening to envelope the Boer posi tion, which extends 20 miles due north. The main British army wili probably advance along the railroad while Gen eral French converges from the west, and General Hamilton from the east. Against this overwhelming force the Boers will probably follow their asnal tactics of retiring to positions, which doubtless have been prepared in advance for their occupatton. Since the last dispatch left Honing Spruit Lord Roberts has doubtless sf 1 further advanced and by now is either engaging or following the retreating Boers. The first word received from Baden Powell at Mafeking heightens rather than diminishes the reports heretofore cabled of the gallantry exhibited by the garrison duriag the dosing days of the siege. _ Details of Battle at Mafeking. London, May 24.?War office issues a dispatch from Lord Roberts at Honing sprrut, annoanoing the receipt by him of the following message from General Baden-Powell at Mafeking: "I am happy to inform yon that Mafe king has been successfully relieved. The northern and southern columns joined hands on May 15 and attacked the en emy and after .a small engagement en tirely defeated them with loss. The British casualties were three killed and 22 wonnded. "The relieving force marched into Mafeking and the relief and defense forces combined and moved out and at tacked the enemy's head laager. "We shelled them out of their position and took one gnu, a flag and a large amount of ammunition stores, etc. Five dead and 15 wounded Boers were found. The enemy appears to be retreating in all directions except one commando, which is lying low, possibly to cover the re treat of the remainder." Lord Roberts' dispatch further says: "Ian Hamilton has reached Keilbren after a series of engagements with a Boer force under Dewet, who is retiring ; before him. Broad wood has captured 15 Boer wagons. There have been 75 cas ualties in Hamilton's force. We marched here this morning. " Boers Hold Strong Positions. London, May 24.?The Boers, it is stated, have definitely determined to make a stand at the Rheinoster river, which is between Kroonstadt and the Vaal river. They have intrenched themselves and have big guns, some of then Crensot, ?a position. They boast that chey are going to hurl back the "Rooninekes." The British infantry has moved forward and within the next day or two probably the Transvaalers will have an opportunity of proving their words. Boers to Blake Strong Resistance. Honing Spruitt, Orange Free State, May 24.?French has crossed the Rhen ostet river, north of here. This move ment, combined with General Ian Ham ilton's opposition of Heilbron, renders the Boers' position, 20 miles in the Brit, ish front, untenable. The latest re ports, however, received say the burgh ers are prepared to make a strong resist ance and possess 15 guns. Fifteen pris oners have been taken. Eight Ht?n>?-ed Boers Surrender. Kixberle .-tay 24. ?About S00 Boers have surrendered at Vryburg, north of Kimberley, and a little more than half way between that place and Mafeking. The road is all clear from Mafeking and all opposition in this district is prac tically ended. Iron Market Very Dull. Cleveland, May 26.?The iron trade is slowing almost to a standstill. An al most entire absence of buying and at the same timo a rate of consumption known to be close to the highest, if not the highest mark, make a combination the trade has never seen and it is not sur prising that those longest in the busi ness are puzzled by it. Prices are prac tically unchanged, while dullness in all departments has been pronounced. Elect Officers and Adjourn. PITTSBORG, May 26.?The seventh an nual assembly of the Knights of the Ancient Essente order has closed after electing Thomas W. McKnight of Xew York supreme senator and other officers. xr meeting will be held in Cin cii.:i in September, 1901. Negroes Burned to Death. Dadevelle, Ala., May26.?Two negro men were burned to death at J. F. Tur ners saw mill near here late last ni.Mif. The negroes were sleeping in a shack near the mill, which was destroyed by tire, and it is supposed were overcome by the smoke while asleep. ROBERTS' ADVANCE TOWARD PRETORIA Methuen Is Pushing Along South of the Vaal. HE MENACES CLERKSDORP Hutton In Neighborhood of Vredefort. Threatens Federals' Right Flank. Battle Expected at Johannesburg and Laing's Nek. London, May 26.?Another advance along the railroad toward Pretoria has bronght Lord Roberts' troops to Vrede fort road, a few miles north of Prospect, where they arrived Thursday. It is re ported General Methuen is progressing along the southern portion of the Vaal with the object of making a dash at Clerksdorp when he arrives opposite that railroad terminus. G?rerai Hutton's column is appa rently in the neighborhood of Vredefort, 15 miles west of the railroad, whence it threatens the federals' right flank. The next few days will show whether Lord Roberts will encounter serious opposi tion south of the Vaal, but the best opin ion believes the next big engagement will be fought just south of Johannes burg, and that the fight there and possi bly one at Thing's Nek will prove the last pitched battles of the war. The latest indications almost point to the fact that General Boiler will delay until Lord Roberts is ready to detach a force to seize Heidelberg and sever rail road communication between Johannes burg and Thing's Nek. Hunter Pushing Forward. Waekenton, May 26. ? Operations have been pushed forward 80 miles, one of General Hunter's brigades having oc cupied Vryburg. Considering the diffi culties of the road this is a remarkable achievement for a mixed force, short of ; rations, making forced marches. Water is scarce. Some portion of the brigade covered 18 miles without a break. Gen eral Hunter has gone to Vryburg. British Searing the Vaal. Vredefort, May 26. ? The British columns reached the Vredefort road at noon and are now only two marches from the Vaal river. THE PRESIDENT MUST ACT. I He Will Be Forced to Assume a Pro j Boer Attitude. WASKiNQTON,May 26.?Notwithstand ing the declaration of the president that ! he will not interfere with the South j African war. the Boer commissioners ? expect that political expediency will j cause him to make a move which will be beneficial to their cause, j It is apparent to the commissioners that political agitation alone will aid j their cause, and they intend to take ad j vantage of every opportunity to press j it upon the attention of the American ? people. It will be *" nest effort of the ! South Afric* sympathizers in the I United State j make the failure of the president to act in the interest of peace one of the prominent issues of the cam paign. The west is reported wrought up over the refusal of the president to intervene, and it is proposed to keep the question alive. A gentleman acquainted with the sit uation in Sout? Africa and the hopes of the Boers says their troops can certainly hold out until December. Pretoria, he said, was splendidly fortified and would have 15,000 to 20,000 defenders. Should Bryan be elected the fact that the president-elect of the United States has made a declaration of his intentions to take measures to stop the war will ! have the effect, it is believed, of causing I the British to be more lenient in the j terms they will propose. j ST. tOUIS POUCE INDICTED. - Officers Failed to Do Thier Duty Dur in Strike Riots. St. Louis, May 24.?General Manager Ban m h off of the St. Louis Transit com pany has announced that he will com mence to operate the street car lines that have stood idle since the strike be gan. The management of the Transit ! company say cars will not be run after dark until all danger of attack from the disturbing element has ended. The request of United States Marshal Bohle that he be allowed to appoint 100 deputy marshals to help preserve the law and order has been referred by At torney Gentral Griggs to Judge Adams of the United States district court. He said that since the federal injunc tion had been issued the strikers and others seemed disposed to let the wires, 1 cars and other property of the street j railway company alone. The police ofti i cers have been indicted by the grand jury on the charge of neglect of duty in failing to suppress disturbances when called upon to do so in the early days of the strike. Chief Campbell has adopted j this method of compelling officers to do j their duty. ! TAYLOR STAYS IN INDIANA. Governor Mount Still Refuses to Honor Requisition For Finlay. Indianapolis, May 24.?W. S. Taylor, former Kentucky governor, an<l Charles Finlay, wanted at Frankfort on a c harge of complicity in the Goebel assassina tion, are stili here. Friday they had in tended going to Martinsville, Ind.. luit friends here have told them it would be easy for enemies to kidnap them in so small a place. Finlay now makes contention (hat the present requisition is illegal. They con tend that Beckham's signature was affixed before he was governor in reality. DANCING, CARDS AND THEATERJORRIDDEN Presbyterians Must Abstain From These Amusements. MISSIONARIES ARE HEARD Pleas Are Made For Assistance to Push the Work?Report of Committee on Home 3IIssions?Progress of Sunday school Work. Atlanta, May 24.?The Presbyterian general assembly by its vote urges mem bers of this church to abstain altogether from dancing, theater-going and card playing. The report of the committee on a pas toral letter was adopted this morning. The letter is in part as follows: For the promotion of the spiritual well-being of the church, the general as sembly feel constrained to address all our people a few words of instruction and advice on the importance of ab staining from such amusements as are destructive or unfavorable to the re ligious life of the Christian. Under the term worldly amusements may be included the dance, theater and the card table. There is dancing which is innocent in itself. There are plays that are highly moral, and card playing without gambling cannot be called a sin. There are also dances, stage plays, and games of cards that are in them selves harmful and contrary to the law of God; and such being evil and only evil are condemned and forbidden by I the church. On these matters the church, through its constitution, the deliver ances of its courts and from its pulpits ! has spoken in the strongest terms. The question then arises: May not Christians freely indulge in such forms of worldly amusements as are not sinful in themselves? In reply the general as sembly urges our people to abstain alto- j gether from the amusements referred to, ! as a matter of Christian prudence, ex- j ample and out of regard for the honor of j Christ. The reasons are assigned? 1. These things are worldly and char acteristic of a worldly as distinguished from a spiritual life. 2. Experience shows that persons en gaging in worldly amusements are easily led into such indulgences as are wrong in themselves. 3. Worldly amusements are not favor able to a growth in grace. The report of the committee on home missions showed two new presbyteries j and 15 new churches. For local home j missions -$115,000 had been raised during j the year. | When the recommendations came up j for consideration Kc?v. J. P. Lloyd, aj missionary from the Indian Lerritory, i presented the claims of his field in an ! interesting address. Rev. Robert Hill of Dallas, Tex., j spoke for the Dallas presbytery, urging ! the great need of funds to prosecute the ? work. The Dallas presbytery covers a | territory extending650 miles, embracing a population of 500,01)0, with only eight j self-supporting churches and 3.00J Pres byterians. In one county there were more Methodists than there were Pres byterians in the entire presbytery; in another single county more Baptists. Elder J. t?. Munce of Richmond made a strong appeal for better methods in raising the invalid ministers' fund. He said it was the shame and reproach of the church that infirm and aged minis ters were permitted to suffer. He would not minimize the importance of hon and foreign missions, bnt this was the most important question before the bod" . He quoted the scripture, "He that fai^s to provide for his own household de nies the faith and is worse than an in j fideL" The report of th e committee was adopt ed, carrying with it the re-election of Dr. J. N. Craig, secretarv. Dr. R. H. Nail of Greenwood, S. C, presented a report from the committee . on Sundayschools and young people s ? societies. The report is one of the most ; important and interesting that will come before the general assembly. The com mittee made some recommendations that : bid fair to bring about the liveliest sort j of discussion when they are taken up by the assembly. The reports from 74 presbyteries shows the number of Sundayschools to be 2,063, with a total enrollment of 149,642 offi cers, teachers and scholars, with an ave rage attendance of 94 163. The total contributions for the past year were ! $87,100.76, with current expenses of $58, I 781.76. One feature of the report is the number of churches reporting no Sun dayschools, there being 300. UNITED PRESBYTERIANS. Forty-Second General Assembly In Session In Chicago. Chicago, May 24.?The forty-second general assembly of the United Presby terian Church of North America begun here today in the Sixth United Presby terian church. The opening sermon was j preached by Rev. S. R. Lyons, D. D., I president of Monmouth college, Mon niouth. His. The greatest discussion in the assem bly will be over the revision of the testi mony on secret societies. Many mem bers of oath bound organizations are now in the church and it is causing trouble. Several reports were presented. Law Is Unconstitutional. Charleston, May 24.?Judge Benet has handed down a decision declaring the act, recently passed by the legis lature, extending the powers of the re corder, allowing him to sentence pris oners for !)') instead of only 30 days, to be unconstitutional. Negro Planter Assassinated. Port Gibson. Miss., May 24.?News has been received here of the assassina tion of William Burris, a negro planter living on the Person plantation. EXPLOSION KILLS TWENTY-TWO MINERS Fearful Catastrophe Occurs In North Carolina. CAUSED BY BROKEN G?AZE Two Hundred and Fifty Pounds of Dy namite Ignited by Defective Lamp. About 50 Men In 3Iine When the Ex plosion Occurred. Raleigh, May 24.?Twenty-two min ers, ten white and 12 negroes, lost their lives in an explosion at Cnmnock Coal mines, Chatham county, 23". C, last afternoon. The explosion occurred at 4:30 o'clock and is supposed to have been caused by a broken gauze in a safety lamp. The accident was in what is known as the east heading and between 40 and 50 men were in the mine at the time. Five were brought out alive from the east heading while none of the men in the other parts of the mine were in jured. Within an hour after the explosion the work of rescue began, and byjaight all the bodies except one had been brought to the top. This is the second explosion this mine has had within the past four years, the former one having occurred on Dec. 28, i 1895, when 43 men lost their lives. The mines are situated at Cnmnock in Chatham county, about 6 miles from Sanford. The mine has been long used in a desultory fashion, but in 1888 Sam uel A. Henzy of Philadelphia organized a company and put in modern machin ery. There are two shafts, one for ven tilation, and the other, the main work ing shaft, is 8x12, and is considerably more than 500 feet in depth. In December, 1895, an explosion took j place at this same mine, in which 43 lives were lost. This explosion was caused by "lire damp," though many of those killed on this occasion lost their lives from the resulting explosion of about 250 pounds of dynamite stored in the mine. A great many of the bodies were burned. The scenes around the mouth of the shaft were heartrending. This disaster is the fourth that has oc curred at this mine, and in the four dis asters about 85 men have lost their lives and many others have been injured. NEW YORK REFORMERS MEET Injunction Against Strikers Discussed. Recommendations Are Mad*1. New York, May 24.?The matter of the injunctions that have recently been issued against the Cigarmakers' union j forbidding them to picker the factories of manufacturers whose employes have I struck, and forbidding it also to pay j strike benefits to the strikers, has been taken up by the Reform club, which lis ! tened to a report made by its committee ? on injunctions. The report recommends ! that an attempt be made to obtain con ! certed action throughout the country in j favor of urging upon the nation and stare legislatures the passage of acts pro viding that injunctions shall not be is sued against any but parties to the action, their agents, servants and attor neys. It also recommended to labor organi zations to have the questions arising un der existing law carried to the higher courts under the direction of the general body in each trade rather than of local associations, to the end that any usurpa tion of judicial power in any corner of the land, however distant and obscure, may be effectually restrained or brought to naught. ADAMS WILL HEAD TIGKET. Will Be Nominated For Governor by Alabama Populists. Birmingham, Ala., May 24.?Dr. G. B. Crowe, Chairman of the Populist state executive committee, when asked who the Populists would nominate for governor at their adjourned state con vention to be held here June 30, stated that Judge S. M. Adams would receive the nomination. When told that Judge Adams had said in an interview that he would not accept the nomination, Dr. Crow** replied that he would be forced to accept the honor. He added that a full state ticket would certainly be put in the field by the Populists and that Judge Adams would lead it. 3Iontgomery Preachers Resign. Montgomery, Ala., May 24.?Rev. Dr. George B. Eager, who for ten years has presided over the First Baptist church has resigned to accept the chair of Biblical instruction ia the Baptist uni versity at Louisville. Rev. E. P. Davis, who for seven years has been the pastor of the First Presbyterian church here, has resigned, having received and ac cepted a call from the Opelika and Au burn churches. Opposition Developing Strength. Washington, May 26.?The fight for the southern naval station is to be ear ned to the floor of the house and those who are against the arbitrary selectiou of Charleston are organizing their forces to make it as lively a fight as possible. They are hopeful of success, but they are not blinding themselves to the fact that so far the advantage is with Charleston. HONEYCOMBED WITH FRAUD. CORRUPTION Cuban Customs Service Prom ises Great Sensation. TREMBLING- WITH PEAR Employes Implicated Terror Stricken. Havana Paper Makes Strong Pretest. Ambassador Andrew D. White a Vice Presidential Possibility. Washington, May 26.?An explosion in the Criban customs service is threat ened which promises revelations as sen sational 'is the disclosures in connection with the postal service. A customhouse official gives the in formation that the customhouse in Ha vana is honey-combed with fraud and corruption and the employes interested are trembling in fear of investigation That congress must make a thorough investigation of every department of the government of Cuba is the'cohclusion being rapidly forced upon administra tion leaders in both houses. Nothing short of a searching inquiry by a com mittee'contammgreprcsentat?ves of the minority party will be accepted: It is expected that the Bacon resolu tion will be adopted by the senate. CUBANS BECOMING RESTIVE. Havana Paper Protests Against Amer ican Occupation of Islands. Havana, May 26.?The Diaro de la. Marinas says that if foreigners should not be employed by the government the Messrs. Bliss, Frye, Wood and others should immediately leave office, adding: "During the previous era, when Cuba's neck was galled by the yoke of Spanish despotism, the island had a constitution under which the people enjoyed home rule and under which all the public offices could only be held by native Cu bans or Spanish residents who had re sided a certain length of time in the island. No governor general or chief of customs would have dared to violate the spirit of the constitution by nominating a foreigner to public office. But thanks to the glorious revolution which freed Cuba from Spain's rule there is no con stitution and no law save the sabre and the latter is supreme." Cuban Customs Employes. Washington", May 26.?The war de partment has issued a statement from the division of customs and insular af fairs designed to show that the number of carpet-baggers in Cuba has been over estimated so iar as the customs service of the island is concerned. According to the latest returns, which were those of Dec. 31, there were OSS customs employes, of whom 515 were Cubans, 99 Spani ards and only 50 Americans, of whom 23 were employed in Havana. Celebrated the Queca?s Birthday, Havana, May 26.?L. E. Guardian. the British consul here, celebrated the ? queen's birthday by giving an official dinner, his guests including Governor General Wood, the bishop of Havana. Senor Taniayo, the secretary of state, Senor Mendoza, president of the su preme court, the foreign consuls gen eral, the prominent Englishmen and the heads of departments. White Is a Possibility. Washington, May 2?\?Andrew D. White, United States ambassador to Germany, is being seriously considered by Republican leaders as a vice presi? dential possibility. His name will be further discussed at a meeting of mem bers of the national committee at Phila delphia on Saturday next. CYCLONE AT MOREHEAD CITY Lasted About Five Minutes but l>id Considerable Damage. Morehead City, N. C, May 20.?A cyclone of great violence struck this place about 6 o'clock. Its approach was unnoticed and it only lasted five min utes, but during that time it tore planks from the depot, turned over and broke the masts of the Samuel Bnckman, a jig 2-sail sharpie, which was tied to the wharf, and the men who were on the wharf only saved themselves by cling ing to posts. It raised boxes of fish weighing 200 pounds as high as a man's head and dropped them with such force that they were crushed to pieces. Cut Her Throat With Razor. Philadelphia, May 24.?Mrs. Anna Chisholm Gilmore, wife of Major J. C. Gilmore, assistant adjutant general cf the National guard of Pennsylvania, has committed suicide by cutting her throat with a razor. She died in her husband's arms. Jockey Walsh's Condition Critical. New York, May 24.?Jockey Tommy Walsh, who was thrown from his horse at Morris park and seriously hurt, is said to be a shade better, but the attend ing physicians say his recovery is only a remote possibility. Powder Makes the food more delicious and wholesome ROYAL OAK)NO POWOEB CO., HEW YORK.