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; j ^ ^ ^ ^ : VOL. LII. WINNSBORO, S. C.. WEDNESDAY. MARCH 30, 1898. NO. 34. . . ?~~ 7 ~ ' A HORRIBLE STORY, j ' WHAT A PARTY QF CONGRESSMEN SAW IN CUB?, Tt e 3psn2?h Campaign Marked by Slsnithi t?rsas as ledlan Massacres?'Ti e Insnrcnt Government Firmly Established Over a Great?' Pai-t ol th&Islaxd. A few weeks ago the New York Journal sent a commission to Cuba, consisting: of United States Senators Money, Gailinger. Thurston and Representatives, CummiDgrs acd Smith to "-- ^ascertain the true condition 01 saairs j on trie isiacd and report to tbe people of the United States 'what they saw. The following is an extract from the report of theccmmifsion: We went to Cuba ex pectin? to nnsl-e allowance for exaggeration due to the intense strife and bitter passion thereby engenered. We have returned convinced by rersonal examination and observation of tbe bitter inadequacy of language to tell the misery and horor of the situation. If the insurgents have waged a war of destruction against property the Spanisn military authorities hsvain the past waged one of destruction against property and another of extermination agairst the Cuban people. If the campaign of destruction is now less marked it is because the celd of military operations hss been swept bare. Hardly a human habitation, is visible in a rural territory co extensive with that of the six New England States. A faw plantations heavily guarded by Spanish troops,yet paying tribute to the insurgent Government, grind out less than one-tenth the normal sugar crop of the island where three years ago luxuriant fields of cane and tobacco stretched unbroken for miles. The dense vegetation of a |tropical wilderness has sprung up as . < ran'r, as wild as when Columbus discovered America, to be as arduously conquored by the machete and the plough. From all sources, Spanish, Cuban and foreign, whether American or European, consuls or business houses-, the figures practically agree that half the rural population of Cuba has disappeared from the face of the earth. In the central and Western provinces, where the effect of General Weyler's order has been most severely felt. there are districts /rom which, the whole population has been swept as if by pestilence, and of whose people less than one-fifth are today alive within the limils of reconcentration. Nor have the inhabitants of the towns and cities escaped. There the poorer classes have been placed nearly on a par with the recorcsntradcs by the privations due to the paralysis of war. Disease and starvation have everywhere done their awful work. Spain, too, has suffered in loss of life as well as in purse and prestige. Of the 250,000 troops which she has sent to Cuba, not more than one-half will ever see their native land again. Hardly the fifth of her forces now in the island are today effective. The military hospitals are crowded. For the forces in the field no such thing asapziedical corps is known. They are without tents or commisKjf.sary. The steamships to Spain take B back more invalids than ctHet the Wf fresh troons brought ir, ard for every Wr invalid soldier returnee one is buried j in a Cuban trench. The Spanish army 1 is unpaid and discouraged; it has lost m the elan and morale indispensable to military success. Members of the Commission have brought back to the A United States machetes bought from ^tne belis of Spanish soldiers on the sEf^ets of Havana and Matanzas. ^^?t a single Important and success ful op&ration Has mar&e<2 tiie course ] of SpaiE^1 arms since the recall of j Weyler, 4?^d the wet season will begin j within six rKgeis. precluding further movements onpritical importance until Fall. Relatively the insurgents are stronger than^gjer, yet Jacfe the strength and armsift511** to deliver a final blow. Opportunity did not p^sent itself to penetrate the insurgent\Jines, but there was no difficulty in g'f tting in touch with men who are n?^t only sympathizers with the cause of <j\uban independence, but who themse^s are in cobs tan t communication wit?\ ? the Insurgent Government and military leaders. From them it* was learn ed that,?fie-Cut ans were confident of being able to maintain their struggle {indefinitely, and that there wss a 'steady improvement of conditions { within the territory which they con trolled practically without interference from the Spanish forces. It was pointed out that General Gomez had maintained himself within a radius of fifty miles for months in a territory from which he could easily have been driven, had he been so weak or the Spanish as strong as the latter had claimed, and that the Provisional Government at Camaguey was seemingly as firmly planted as Blanco in his palace at Havana, jet it is apparent that there is one large area of the island where the insurgents exercise permanent controL Each in turn raids across a region several miles in extent. The tono graphy of the country makes it plain tnat only an overwhelming force and tireless pursuits could suppress forces far less numerous than the insurgents command. Any other would perish in the guerilla warfaie 111 wnicn tne Cubans have proven sush adepts. Military termiDaion of the war by either Spanish or Cubans is hopeless, m Destruction, extermination and exhaustion seems the only immediate and unaided solution. In the meanwhile American property has been destroyed. American citizens have been maltreated, imorisoncd, wounded and killed, and American commerce destroyed, The less to America through * the Cuban struggle is second onJy to that of .Cubaanii Spain. Cuba had 1,700,000, in round numbers, when the insurrection broke out. Eemcve the Spanish troops ard it is doubtful if one million remain. The destruction of humsn life has bten terrilic. Weyler's order of re panred and followed by a si aught er of pacikccs, men, women and cnildren, as brutal, unprovoked and merciless as an Apache massacre. That these murders lock place principally at the hands of Spanish guerilla bands, half organized and wholly uncontrolled, does not lessen Spanish responsibility 'or arming these oar dits and turning them loose. iiis estimated that 2G0,0CQ reconcentrados are now in need of continued relief. This relief is being extended with marvellous rapidity from American sources and through Amer ican agencies, but until full opporlu ! nlty is given th?s3 people to return 'o their country districts with strength to labor at J east partly restored, and with tcols and seed to raa&e a crop, and must be continuous and unremit ting. 'HE M4.IN5 ^QUIRY. Beport or the Board Arrives In W?sbic?> ingtozs at Im?. Tee report of the Naval Board of Icqairy into the Maine disable* was receivtd ia Washington at 9:35 Thursday night. The four naval rfficers who ha\e soiarded it since its departure from Key West, were hustled at or ce into a carriage by an attache of the Navy Department and driven to the Ebbitt Hons?. The party consisted of Lieutenant Commander Marix. Lieutenant John Hood, Lieutenant Carl Jungen, Passed Assistant Engineer Bowers, A T. Marix, a neph67r of the judge advocate. and Ship Carpenter Helms, of the Maine's ill-fated crew. There was an immense crowd waiting at the de pot when the train pulled in. The naval contingent avoided the crush of citizsns by alighting at the upper end of the platform and going cut across. \ th8 tracks. The party was met by Lieutenant Ward, of the Navy Department, who was the sole representative of Secretary L->cg. He informed Commander Marix that the secretary would not re ceive the report tonight. Lieut. Hood carried the bulky document in a white canvas bs-g sluBg under his arm. It must have weighed ten or twenty pounds without its carrying case. That the whole party carrying the report was armed was demonstrated in ? rather theatrical way just as they werd about to get into the carriage. Some one ran against the end of the mysierious canvas bap id which the report was concealed. Qiick ssa flash Lieuter ant Hood's haud went to his hip ana Lieutenant Jangen laid his hand on the buit of a revolver that was sticking from his side pocket. The movements were sufficient to prevent further jostling. The report, in due process of law, must first be delivered to the secretary of the navy, and this, according to all Dreceuants, will be at the Navy Department. It will then be submitted to President McKinley, udou whose decision its future migrations will depend. A REIGN OF TERROR. A Plf.cc Where It Is Dangerous to Walk Unless Armed. The Charleston Critic says "a reign of terror is on among the laborers in the phosphate mines at Fetteressa, a small phosphate station about eight miles from the city, on the Savannah road. Bloody murders and assaults are of daily occurrences and it is not safe for anT one to-walk about in this neighborhood unless he is armed with a Winchester riila or the like. Mr. John A. Hertz, of 105 Cannon stieat, who is the contractor of the Charleston Mining Works, had the following to ?ay about the lawless condition of affairs in that neighborhood: "Thursday afternoon at about 1 o'clock a negro man was shot down and killed at Fetteresa by another negro." The particulars.of the case he did not give, be went on to say that on last Saturday night two deadly assaults were made upon two colored men by color ed pnospnate uancs. uae 01 me men assaulted had his threat cut from ear to ear and may die at any moment. The other assault resulted in a man being shot in the head and will almost surely die from it. To quote Mr. Hertz: "Never in the history of the phesphate mines has there been such a condition of affairs. These deadly feuds bstween the workmen are the direct outgrowth of whiskey. Men walk about among the laborers and ?.?11 them whiskey by the glass lull and in this way the rows start. Every day there is soma tragedy enacted at this place which results in some one getting badly injured. It is not safe f jr one to walk about unless he is | heavily armed. Not one tenth of these affairs are known in the city." I Only last Thursday a man named Joe Fishburne died at the city hospital from a gun shot wound received from an unknown man at this nlace. The killing Thursday makes two within tXo "weeks and the thing is on the ininci^as^ so it is said. A^NViCTSHOTTO DEA'HV ____ Four of *nd Oae of Them 5hc."~^X*nA special dispatch toS^Augusta Chronicle from Jack?on, S. vS>~s3ys_ about twelve o'clock Wednesday four" CDnvids escaped from the chaingang, near.Hawthorne. Mr. Ready, who was i guarding, was nccked down, his arms taken away from him. Mr. Rsady was not seriously hurt. One of the ( convicts attempted to shoot him, but ; another prevented him doing so. < While the? convicts were making for | the swamp Mr. Hampton Bsaufort, one of the most prominent young men of Hawthorne saw them, and suspicioned that they had escaped from their gang and started in pursuit. Mr. Beaufort was approaching fast when one of the convicts turned and shot him in the fac8 with buckshot, one shot lodged in his side. From re! ports Mr. Baaufort is seriously hurt News from there Ja'e "Wednesday evening says that the doctors pronounc.d his wcunds fatal but he wounded the negro in the legs after he was shot. It was not long before there was a large crowd gathered and began to seek the convicts. Two of them were found and arrested and the life of one was not spared long. John Jackson the ring leader in ail of the miechief, was shot into mince meat. Two of the convicts have not been found. One that was arrested said they were trying to make Augusta before night. ~ The Official Jiecord. Chaplain Chadwick, of the Maine, has completed bis mortuary report, which shows that 25? men and two officers perished in the catastrophe, six succumbed to their injuries ia the Sanarnro hospital in Havana, one died on the Spanish transport Colon; 171 be dies have been recovered from the wreck, of which 61 have been identified; 16 have been buried in the Colon cametery, and 11 at Key West. This is the official report, made public, sfter careful correction, for the first time. Democratic CommitteeChairman D. H. Tompkins has issued a call for the Democratic state executive committee to meet in Cesium-1 j bia on April 8. J BLOWN UP BY A MINE j THIS WAS THE FATE OF THE BATTLESHIP MAINE. The Foird oTEcqulry Toei Not Fsi tea the Retpouibll ty-Tfce Sltast m V\ry ?e-i-> oas?Actlv? Pi eparatloaa fot War Being Poehed?G: e^t Ere. temet t In Wasbis^toa The Court of inquiry appointed to isvestigate the cause of the Maine disaster has reported that tne loss of ibe battleship was due to an outside explosion. The state department, by direction of the President, has cabled United States Minister Wocdford at Madrid to notify the Spanish government of this conclusion. The Spanish government has cabled officially to Washington that the Spanish naval commission holds the disaster to the Maine to be of internal origin. Tne commission finds that the Maine was blown up by an explosion from the outside, but is unable to fix the responsibility for the explosion. The court does not express an opinion as to the character-of the explosive, but the testimony goes to show that it; was a powerful submarine mine, 1 lie exact character of which is not deter- j mined by the testimony, though thej belief wjis expressed thai it was a floating submarine mine. There were "nu vuw li auwo i first from the cutsiae, and that Jet off j one of the smaller magazines. It was this result, expressed in detail and with the peecision of a court deeply conscious of its responsibility, together with the evidence on which ic was based, that occupied the attention or the cabinet throughout its extend-d sessions of the morning ana afternoon. The government c? Spain, it can bo slated positively, is net disposed to turn back the torpedo flotilla now proceeding from the Canaries and would be disinclined to consider a suggestionfrom this government tending to interfere wit a the disposition by Spain of her own naval forces. War preparation on an unprecedented scale is being hurried to completion by the war and navy departments, and the ccuatrv nr?ntir>?llv is nn s. war fnniin{r_ The foregoing gives the record of one of the most ev^jatful days the national capital has seen sine3 the close of the civil wiv. It was a day of profoundly import"aclion, of the deepest anxiety coupled with naval and military activity, one step following another in rapid succession. Repre sentative men of the administration, public men in all branches of official and congressional life, no less than the public in general, share in the tension to which the situation has been wrought. There was no effort among the highest officials, nor indeed was it possible from what was clearly ap parent in the developments of the day, to minimize tbe situation. Hardly less suggestive than the ap- j proach of the torpedo flotilla, was the j >artiilYTQ/4 Virf 'nrt y XLLXUJLTiliaUlUIX J. CUC1V tU UJ bUG highest military authorities that the Spanish government had hurried to completion extensive fortifications on the island of Puerto Rico, lying just off Cuba, and the only Spanish possession in this hemisphere other than Cuba. The exact character of those new defenses has been made known here, and they are bsing given weight with the military authorities as showing the disposition of Spain. The order issued by the navy department during the day covered every branch of naval armament The "flyiDg squacron1' was definitely established with Commodore W. S. Schley in command. The squadron is to consist of exactly fivo ships. Those of the squadron will oe the crack armored cruiser Brooklyn, the battleships Massachusetts and Texas and the cruisers Columbia and Minneapolis. Oiher ships which are, now or hereafter, at Hampton Roads, will not be of the fifing squadron, but will belong to the Norm Atlantic station under Captain Sampson. -The flying sq ladron is to be a small compact fleeu of the bast ships in the navy, for quick service at any point along the Atlantic. At the same time the North Atlantic station, under Captain Sampson, is to be further augmented. The cruiser Cincinnati, which left Port Antonio three davs ago under sealed orders is a. *1 _J. Trr-^i. i i to report, at. r?.ej vv tsi ana uecoiuw a part of Captain Sampson's fleet. The gunboat Wilmington, also en route from Port Antonio, wi]l likewise report to Captain Sampson at Key West as will the gunboat Vicksburg, now at Hampton Kaads. The following vessels compose the North Atlantic squadron: New York, Iowa, Indiana, Miantonomoh, Fern, Puritan, Terror, filarblehead, Montgomery, Castine, Nash; JJpi^na, Wilmington, Vesuvius I torpedo bctets, Foote, Dupont, Ericsson, Cushion, Porter. Winslow; tugs, Leyden and ^amoset, Late Fridaythe battleship Texas was ordered from Hampton Roads to the New York navy yard to repair her machinery for hoisting ammunition and mine TCatrrn?a.KI? ftncorPis; from the New York naval militia of their readiness on short notice to supply.officers and men to man the singleturret monitors now called into ser vice. Orders were issued Friday to have all tha warships painted black, a color that is better adapted to hostilities because the vessels will not alfurd as good a target. Tte President and cabinet advisers held two extended sessions Friday, one at 10:30 a. m. and another at 3:30 p. m., at winch the Maiae report was considered in detail. Members of tne cabinet stated after the meeting that never since the wrecking of the Maine has the situation seemed so critical. A Northern Compllmett The Soringfielc';, Mass., R9publican pays the South the following compliment: "The South is receiving high praise from the Northern press lor the unanimity with which its Senators and Representatives voted for the $50,000,000 appropriation for national defense. The South is the most interesting part of this country. It has more inherent poetry and ro mance than sll the rest of !Jie land put together; its history contains the most imnressive drama of modern times, and it has produced statesmen and soldiers as great as any in the English-speaking world since WilJiam the Coiqueror." Mighty Warships. j In the presence of the largest crowd ever assembled on a similar occasion, ihe Srst class battleships Kearsarge and Kentucky were launched at the plant of the Newport News shipouilding and Dry Dock Company Thursday morning. Fully thirty thousand persons witnessed the launching. < HEADING THIS WAY. The Coming of the Spanish Torpido Boats ConsJdred Almost Hostile. Advices reached Washington early Thursday that the Spanish torpedo boats had sailed from the Canaries for Porto Rico, and from this moment the most energetic warlike measures followed one another in constant succession . The movement of this fleet had been witched with the keenest interest, as it was felt to involve serious possibilities which might compel the United States government to protest against the movement as of a hostile character. Immediately upon the re j ceipt of the official dispatch from one I of our naval attaches abroad, briefly announcing the sailing of the fleet, the feet was made known to the President, and an earnest conference was held between him asd Secretary Long and Assistant Secretcr? Roosevelt. The seriousness of the movement was fully corsidered, and the President was advised that naval strategis-.s regarded it as essential that this torpedo fleefc should not be allowed to reach Western waters. What, if any, conclusion was reached, is not.known. Later in the day the Spanish minister, Sen or Polony Bernate, called at the State Department and spent sometime with Jucge Day. It was naturaliy inferred that the approach of the Spanish flotilla W3s one c f the subjects referred to. Whether, however, there was any supgeslion against this move K70C n<->r r?icf?lr\<3fc/? V\rr feitVlor .TllfJfirf* DftV or the Spanish agister, botnof whom maintained the; strictest reticence re garding their conference. STAT ? PRESS ASSOCIATION. The City ot Greetville P. epiie to Wrjccxra it In Jaly. A dispatch from Greenville to the News and Courier says: The meeting of the State Press Association is the sensation of Greenville. Wednesday the local committee met and elected James T. Williams, chairman, and W. G. Sirrine, secretary. The following committees were appointed: On Reception?James T. Williams, W. L. Mauidin. Dr. A. P. Montague, M. F. Ansel. W. E. Beattie, P. T. Hayne, L. W. Parker, Charles McAllister, James H. Maxwell, D. C. Durham, A. B. Carpenter and A. G. Furman. On Banquet?R. E Allen, William J TT T71 I - 7 T\? n T> ixjiusmiin, or., jo., nmuei, ur. vy. r>. Earle, Wm. G. Sirrine and J. H. Havnes. On Finance?W. E Beatije,, S-. C. Clyde, A. G. Gower, C.R. Jo/daD, A. G. Farman, Frank Hamnidn3. P. T. Hayneand D. C. Durham, Ja3. H. Morman. The Convention will meet in Benttie's Hall on July 5, at 8:301 Addresses of welcome will ba mad? by Mayor James T. Williams, Col. Hoyi and Col Orr. Responses will be m*de ! by Mr. Aull, president, and by J. C. I Garlington. On Thursday the AssoI ciaiion -will go to Paris Mountain. I The same night they will be entertained with a banquet. Daring the meeting & numhar -of subjects -mil-be discussed. An address will ba made by George B. Cromet, of Newberry, during the meeting. SEND IN THE DOCUMENTS. The Conicdtra'e Bella and The Work of Completing Them. The folio77ir in regard to the Confederate rolls oi the State was issued Thursday : The general assembly, at the recent session, provided for the completion of the Confederate rolls. Tne undersigned proposes to bring the work to a close by Oct. 1 next, when he will proceed to consolidate the returns and report the results to the general assembly of 1899. Pending the closing of the. record, another appeal is made to all the Confederates to whom Gen. Farley entrusted rolls for revision to return them promptly to this office?revised or not revised, mi _ i _ !.. i ji _ mis Diaie nas aone us part m tne off art to protect the record of its soldiery in the war between the States. If the rscord shall, by October next, be found incomplete, the responsibility for historic ingratitude and in jus tice to a portion of our Confederate rank and file, will fall upon those who have neglected the obvious duty of sending in the rolls of their respestivs commands. In addition to the Confederate rolls, the rolls of the State reserves are called fnr anH of oil mili+?rT7 bodies who served the Slate, 1861-65. The contribution of historic war data is invited. The papers of this State are requested to extend this notice. John P.Thomas. Storing Cot Cod. The most practical plan that has yet been suggested for giving relief to the cotton growers, to protect their crops from being sacrificed, has recently been inaugurated in North Carolina, by establishing a bounded wara houss, where cotton may be stored something on the same principle as distillers deposit their products. In this way the planters can store tbeir crops at a less ccsi; and with better protection than the old plan, and hold it uatil ready to sell, in the meantima receiving a libera1, advance on its value at a low rate of interest. Will Abandon ens Wreck. The ravy department has arranged for the practical withdrawal of all its naval officers at Havana and the abandonment of the wreck of the illfated battleship Maine. Capt. C. D. Sigpsbee, and other officers of the Maine, who have been at Havana with the wreck, will return soon. Although it Is not finally settled, it is more than probable that the Fern also will return to the United btites as soon as it is determined that nothing more is to be gained by her piesenc? there. Riddled With. Bni:eC?. A dispa'ch from Manltrie, Ga., says Jim Alien, a negro, under arrest for an iiLiCUIUlCU ia^ uu iu:o. xugeuc, Wednesday confessed his guilt. Sheriff Fisher tried to escape with him to Macon far safe keeping, buta crovrd of about 20 men took hica abcut 3 o'clock Wednesday afternoon and rid; died him with burets. Betow Zero in Kansaf, A special from Topeka, Kansas, says. Ibe severe blizzird which is I sweeping over the West has probably destroyed the fruit crop of Kansas. The cold is intense and at many points in Western Kansas the mercury has registered below zero. IMPORTANT MATTERS. SEVERAL OPINIONS FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE. Certain Acti are Congtiucd? Qutstiots as to Pay cf Snp:rvIaorf, Fees cf OounJy Treagurers ana Other Matters-Of Interest to Macy. At the request of the comptroller general several legal opinions of much corcern to certain county and city officials -were recently issued from the j oince 01 the attorney general. These opinions, although prepared in certain i srecific cases, are general in their ap | plication, and are given in full below. Here they are: CITY ASSESSORS' DUTIES. Dear Sir: In your communication of recent date you ask the question if the chairman of the boards of assessors of cities and towns is a member of the county board of equalization. The act approved March 2, 1897, provides for the appointment by the go\ernor of three electors to set as a board of assessors in cities and towns of maiftie^an 5G0 inhabitants. It further provides that t'cy* duties hereto| fore devolved upon-' the township | board of commissioners, as assessors, ! shall be devolved upon the board of i sssessors within the limits nf their re; spective towns and cities. It does not expre9s.y corstiiir.e :ne cnairman or the special board a* membar of tbe | county board of equalization, but all tbe cities o?.^e lownsbip board of commission's within tJ-e limits of the city or towJ|j?|fcr whicli tbe board is appointed, ' are devolved upon the special board, and one of these duties is to act as members of the county board cf equalization By implication then the chairman of the board is made a member of tbe county board of equalization. I ana, therefore, of the opinion that the chairmen of the boards of assessors for cities and to vns are members ,of the countv boards of.- equalization, ^ . Yours very truly, C. P. lo-vnsend, Assistant Attorney General. SUPERVISORS' PAY. Dear Sir: Your letter, with that of Mr. Timmerman enclosed, relating to pay of supervisors of registration, had attention. / The question submitted is whether Mr. Timmerman is entilled to compensation as a member of the old board of registration for the month of January, 1S98 'i section v 01 trie registration act ci 1898 provides: "The compensation of each and every member of the board of registration to be appointed under section ? of this act shall be $250 for the year 1896 and $225 for the year 1S97, and until the supervisors of registration to be appointed under section 4 have been appointed and shall qualify." . ' As to the pay of the board cf registration to be appointed under section i4, it provides that the compensation shall be $200 for each election year and $100 for each yea? payable quarterly. c- It seems to me that the act is plain and needs no construction. The mem bers of the old board are to be paid tOOt frtw rlia toot 1R07 onfl tl-.A tinriA elapsing afterward until the appointment of the members of the new beard. Then the salary is to be paid quarterly, which would preclude the j idea of any monthly payment of the1 same. Besides, under section 8, no duties aie required to be performed by the old board after the first day of January, 1898. . I am, therefore, of the opinion that Mr. Timmerman is not entitled to compensation as a member of the old board ef registration for the month of January, 1898. Very respectfully, C. P. Townsend, Assistant Attorney Genera]. TREASURER'S FEES. Dear Sir: The letter of Mr. L. E. Parler, submitted to this office asking if county treasurers are entitled to $1 fcr issuing tax executions in addition to commissions allowed by law, has had due consideration. Section 348 of revised statutes pro vides: "Ine treasurer for any tax warrant issued shall have from each defaulter $1." The act fixing compensation of county treasurers allows /vr? loroo nr\ if% W1UJLULM&UU0 VU IIHAVd WMWV?VV% w-> f ?v a maximum amount. This commission is taken out of the taxes. The cost for issuing the warrant comes out of the defaulting taxpayer, and is the compensation allowed for this specific work. I am cf the opinion that Mr. Parler, as county treasurer, is entitled to the fee of $1 for issuing any execution, when collected from the defaulting taxpayer, in addition to his commission allowed by law. Yours very truly, C. P. Townsend, Assistant Attorney General. * THE STATE LOSES, Jadg? Slmoaton Decides the Phcttphsle Case Against Her. , Judge Simonfoa rendered his decision Tuesday in the case brought by the State against the Farmers' Mining company for $12,000 royalty on a lot of rock which tJie prescribe! royalty had never been paid. The judge decided that the State has not a prior claim on th9 lot of 5,000 tons of reek at the mines, save insofar as the royalty in this particular lot is concerned. The Bank of Charleston loaned the com pany $5,000 on this lot of rock, and Judge Simonton is of the opinion that the State cannot claim and more of it that the rovalty on it. The claim of the attorney general that so much of the rock as is necessary to reimburse the State for the large quantities of rock which were mined and sold without the royalty having been paid, could ba seized by the State, is denied by the court. The State vrill thus lose considerable money for having allowed the company to dispose of its product without having paid the prescribed rojally before the reek was shipped. A ne:d. Ensign Roscoe Spear of the Mont pomery, now lying in the harbor of Key West, jumped overboard late the other night in response to the cry "Man over board-" He was in full uniform, bat after a few minutes found the luckless sailor, who was unable to swim, and was being rapidly borne away from the ship. After a hard struggle young Spear brought the ali i i z. -. lr. 4. most meiess man oacx 10 me -Montgomery, and both men were hauled in more dead than alive. It tODk several hours to revive the plucky officer. COLD COMFORTS FOR SPAIN. Comsrosts [or The British Fiejs on Tfce Maire Keport. Below we print same extracts from the English press on the report of the board of inquiry in tli3 blowing up of. the Maine. The London Daily Mail which regards war between tiie United States Bad Spain as inevitable says: "America will naturally triumph and earn the world's praise for ridding Cuba of ruthless t.vrannv. but she wiil fight at a dissti^ntage if compelled to fight immcdja'ely." Tne London Djuly Graphic says: ' It is ihe duty of both sides to obtain an independent investigation. To send assistance to the non combatants in Cuba is to force war. President McKiniey should either help the Sagasta cabinet make home rule a reality or should give Spain noticj to quit." The London Morning Post says: "The gravity of the Cuban question is enurmuusiy mureastu uy me .ojxicrican report, because, even if no distinct indictment of the Spanish govern meat is included, the reserve hitherto maintained will be abandoned and Spain will be charged by the American papers with treachery and malice, while the American people will be excited to fever point. Spain, however, has already borne so much that conflict may suil be avoided, but if her object has only been to gain time, it may be that she is now in a position to adopt a more martial attitude." The London Daily Telegraph says:; "Supposing tte American report to be substantiated, there can be no question that Spam is primarily responsible, as any country would b3 if a similar j caiastrophe occurred along its coast line. I{ the Spanish authorities were ignorant of tbe position of the subma- j rire mines, their ignoranc3 is culpa-! ble. If they were aware and omitted to warn their guests, their position is still less defensible. The report adds fuel to the flame. If the task of diplomatists and statesmen -was arduous before, it is ten times more difficult now." The London Daily Chronicle, after expressing a doubt whether the Spanish inquiry has been conducted as carefuljy as the Ameiicaa, the report of whose commission, it says, is *'in harmony -with all the probabilities of the case," proceeds to review the principal aspects of the question. "The patience of the Washington government," says the Daily Chronicle, "and the calm, pacific policy of the President have been beyond all praise. Had the people of the United States been polled on the question, war would have been declared before now, not, as has been falsely suggested, on account of financial and commercial interests, but on grounds of humanity and because of tne intolera bie stencil or itms open sore ciose 10 the borders of the great republic. But it is evident that the time for action has arrived. President MaKinley must take such steps as to challenge in the most direct way Spain's right to murder her revolted colonists any longer. If she attempts to resist the provisioning of starving Cubaas'from American ports, war there will and mu$t be, quite apart from any treachery to the American warship. Despite all rumors, it is quite certain tnat Spain will have no allies and the result will be the liberation of Cuba." Statistics o 1 Pablic sicbools. According to the latest figures which can be obtained, the number of pupils enrolled in the pubic schools of the United States amounts to 14.379,073, or nearly 20 per C9nt of the nation's population. Out of 400,325 teachers employed, 130,369 are males and 269,956 female?. Ihe average monthly salary paid to male teachers is $47.37; the average monthjy salary paid to female teachers is $40.24. The number of public school houses in the United States is 240,968, and the value of all the public school property a# gregates $455,948,164. The cost of public school education in the United Slates per pupil is $18.92 annually. A Bol 1 Ho .te Til.e r. The Siltkehatchie correspondent of the Walterboro Press and Standard says on Saturday, March 12, a negro named Caesar Smiley hired with Capt. W. T. Spencer to plow. In the afternoon he got a horse and wagon to go over near Yemassee for his things and ins;ead of returning drove on down in Kane's Neck, Beaufort county, and sold the borse to another negro named Ceasar J. Thompson, tore the wagon to piece?, hid some in the house, some in and some under a low corn house. Trail, was followed closely, things found and brought back Monday afternoon . A dispatch from Key West says the most significant development' that followed the announcament of the Maine report was the sudden sailing Fridaj aiternoon of the lighthouse tender Mangrove for Havana. The Mangrove was lying quietly at the dock, loaaicg buoys, when orders came about 3 o'clock Friday afternoon for her to proceed with all haste to Habana and to take on board ali ihs American officials in that city with the exception of Consul General Lte. Auatl.e; Democrat Uago aei. Another Democrat w&s unseated by the House last Wednesday R. T. Thorp was given the seat from the Fourth Virginia district. Sidney P. Eppes, who obtained the certificate of election, was unseated by a strict party vote. Mr. Throp was given the seat by a vote of 151 to 130. The Republicans, without a break, voted for Throp and the Democrats and Populists, with the exception of Mr. Hown W/l A f A IftUrt YVlft A D/NVSnll .1^ TT "\4 n /-J //-vm ;c?iu, ui a jl uuuiia??, vutcu iui Eppes. A Father Kills H(* Son. A special from Columbus, Ga., says: Charles Field shot and killed his son Richard at 1 o'clcck Thursday afternoon. The shooting took place at Field's residence and was done with a 38-csliore pistol. Field is 65 years of age and claims he shot his s?n in seif defense. After killing his son he threw the body out in ihe yard and left it there wbile he went to give himself up to the sheriff. Many L'.v?a Loat In Wiecfes. a cispatcn Jrcm London says snow and sleet is falling in various parts of the United Kingdom while heavy eales are sweeping the coasts and caus iDg vessels to seek shelter. Seven men went down with the trawler Nelly off Aberdeen. From Marseilles comes the raport that the French steamer Lydie has > foundered with 30 hands. SERVED HIM RIGHT___________? I A Krgro Tllicse Sloath Caused Him tc Gst a Whipping. Tuesday night, Walter Beard, a ycung negro living on Mr. R. S. Hanna's place in Bethesda township, was taken from his brother's house and severely beaten by certain parties in the township, who charge him with using some threatening language which if he said it stamps him as a Deast. isearc, wno nas me reparation of being a thief and braggadocio, several days ago while spouting his views on the war question was reported to have said; *1 wish war would come. We negroes wouTd hide in the swamps until all the wnite inen had left the country; then we would kill from the cradle to the grave. I would paint every stump in this county red with the brains of their babes, ana ravish their daughters for pastime.' This report traveled like wild-fire, and Tuesday night two men came to his brother's house, where Bsard had fled on hearing that the white people were inflamed at his fiendish threats, and commanded him to come out. or they would kncck the door down. Beard was persuaded by his brother to go cut and see what they wantedThe masked men secured him and led hinn. apart from the house, and at a whistle signal from one of them, a crowd of men hurried from a cluster of bushes near by. Gathering hold of the negio they dragged him to the nearest woods, where they stripped and whipped him soundly. We have no heart to condemn the act of this mob, because if there ever was a scoundrel who deserved such a visit he is the man. He ought to thank the fates that he was not swung up by the neck.?Rock Hill Herald. FORTY PERSONS DROWNED. By tie Upsetting of a Bark in the Pacific Ocsar. Upon the arrival of the Pacific Coast Steamship Company's steamer Santa Rosa from San Diego at San Francisco Tuesday the news was received of another accident indirectly attributable to the Alaskan gold excitement which is believed to have cost the lives of forty passengers and sailors. Capt. A 1 ~ ? ~ I -t Ol L- T> L n-ieianuer, uj. me oama xvosa, reporcsd that early Tuesday morning while nine miles off Point Bonita, at the mouth of the G-olden Gate, he sighted a derelict bottom up. The tug Witch was immediately dispatched to the point indicated and found the derelict to be the bark Helen W. Almy, Capt. Hogau, which sailed hence for Copper River with twenty-seven passen gers and a crew of thirteen on Sunday last. The bark lay on her starboard side with her storn low down in the water, her deck hamper badly wrecked and several planks of tier hull washed loose by the seas which broke over her. While there were no signs of boats among the wreckage, it is not believed that her passengers and crew escaped by putting off from the vessel in them, as there has teen a very heavy sea for several days past. Furthermore, no word has been received from the survivors if any exist, although the derelict was sighted within ten miles of shore, and lully fortyeight hours haye passed since toe wreck occurred. According to the tusr K/\A 4" WIAM AW% TTtnn A VSMU LUCU liUCiO A fiJTCwvjr awu braeze when the Almy sailed out of Golden Gate on Sunday last, and by noon it was blowing a gale. There was a heavy sea running, and it is supposed that some time during the nigbt she was struck by a squall and turned turtle. HE CAPTURED MERRITT. A Conlederite Captain Who Took tte Major General Prlaorer. There is an ex-Confederate officer in Knoxville, Tenn., who had the honor during the civil war to capture Wesley H. Merritt, now general commanding the department of the South, and in case of war with Spain, likely to be one of cur leading military officers. CoL James C. Ma!one, a prominent cavalryman, was the captor of General Merritt. It was during the compaign in West Virginia in 1862, and in the neighborhood of Cheek Mountain where the incident rvmirrpH East had been ordered to attack a strong force of Federals on the mountain, and the First Tennessee regiment of Maney's brigade, "Lorin's division, was waiting orders to advance. Col. Malone was at that time a lieutenant of the Kock City Guards, a company which had gone out from Nashville. While drawn up the company suddenly saw, not a hundred yards in front of them a federal engineering officer ride up alone. His capture was easily effected as he was completely surprised, not having any :J AT i. n J x-i iuea mail ma uomeueraie s were near. He was very much discomfited at his mishap, and grumbled excessively at nis bad luck. He was sent to Richmond, with other prisoners and Coi. I'alone did not kno?r his subsequent war career. An All-Bound Bascil, Several days ago a young man giving his name as R. M. Cary was arrested at Richmond, Va., and seat to jail for sixteen months on four charges of obtaining money under false pretences on baa checks. A telegram received Tuesday from the chief of police of Plymouth, Ind., by the Richmond authorities says: 4'Party of name of R. M. Cary has been circu lating forged checks on H. E. Buck, of Ihis r.itv. for the n<ist thirtv dava You undouotedly have the right max?, Lstter will follow with full particulars." A telegram from Pinker ion's Detective Agency in Chicago says: "Man under arrest in your city for passing checks on Plymouth Stale Bank is a dangerous forger, wanted in many cities. Please see that he is held. Our New York offise will also communicate with you. Many selling Liquor. Thursday the State dispensary authorities sent up to the United States revenue cfiiseand obtained a complete list of the people in this S'.ate holding United States retail liquor licenses at this time. The list shows that there are 491 such licenses outstanding. Charlestonians held a good proper!ion of them. These figures are exclusive of the licenses held by the county dispensaries and it is said represent the , * _ - 1 i 3 l_"J" J EUtnoer 01 original package a_uu una a tiger people in the State. All Hands Lot:. A cablegram has been received at Brunswick saying th?>t a Spanish bark, : commanded by Captain Juan Font, was found drifting bottom up in the i Mediteranean, all on board lost * THE MAINE DISASTER i ' WILL BE TREATED AS AN INCIDENT. BY MCKINLEY And No Demand Will be Made up on Spain iU vumicguuv AUDI C WXfclX XU(rVIV?UklMa In Cuba on Hara*ait?rlan Ground! Now Avowed Program of the Pieiidest. The President said to several of his visitors Thursday, in discussing the situation, that he would do everything consistent with the honor and dignity of tha country to avert war, and he still believed war could be averted. He also said that h9 bslieved the government of Spain was as anxious for peace as we were, but, at the game time, he did not hesitate to admit the gravity of the situation. The President frankly acknowledges that he believes the report of the board of inquiry will find that the Maine was blown up from the outside. His program has been definitely decided. It is hia purpose to troat the blowing up of the Maine as an incident. The report of the board wiLi be sent to Congress with a very brief message, relating the 1. - J? J. _ i.T 2. - *_i. J events ieaazn? up 10 tan point ana. informing1 Congress that ilia facts contained in the report have been cabled to Madrid to be laid before the Spanish government by Minister Woodford. No demand will be made upon Spain, but the laying of the facts before the Spanish government will be equivalent to calling upon Spain for an explanation and such actum as he ! may deem proper. It is the purpose o* the House leaders to refer the ieport and message to the committee on foreign affairs, without debate, and to i this purpose it is believed the Demo cratsofthe House have acquiesced, j reserving the right to demand action ; if a report from the committee is too | long delayed. Much will then depend upon Spain response; but there are these close tothe President whojbelieve that from the time the report is sent to Congress^ will drop out as a factor in the situation. ' The second part of the President's program removes the Maine question and involves intervention on humanitarian grounds within a week or ten | days after the report of the board goes ! to Congress. In will be intervention to relieve the starvation in Cuba, and upon Spain's acquiescence in or objection to this act will defend peace or war. A prominent member of the House said that in his o pinion the next two weeks would determine [ which it would be. Such information as exists here leads those close to the President to believe that the Spanish government will go to any length it dares to preserve peace. The queen regent is especially anxious to prevent war, and it is believed the ministry will go just as far as it can without i?nrwwii7Tn? its Viwn AriainriM anH thn survival of the present Spanish dynasty. : . A MAM MOTH OFFICIAL FRAUD. Government Clerk Cheats PeopliT Oak of Three Hundred Thousand Dollars. Information has reached the Government through a number of banks at St. Paul, Minn., that during the past year these and other nearby banks have been made die victims of colossal frauds through the suspected collusion of Government clerks connected with the commission having in charge the improvements on the upper Mississippi Biver, Full Hpfftils nf thn affaii* Viotm nnf i reached the Government, bat the statements submitted by the banks indicate that $300,000 or more has. been procured from them through fraudulent time checks for services never performed. Copies of some of these time check! are said to be signed fay J. H. Southall, -chief clerk of the United States engineer's office at St. Paul, and are dated at different times during the year 18971 Others, it is understood, are dated in 1896. How the banks came to be imposed upon to the extent indicated and why the checks have been withheld until this time cannot be even conjectured. It is understood that the bania will make a claim for reimbursement, but the law in siiH hdTfl tn Ha aWvIv omintf this contention. The Government will begin a searching investigation tA once into the whole matter. Cut Tula Oat and Save It. We are often asked how many times land must be advertised against tress* passers to make it legal. Here is the bill as amended by the recent Legislature, which settles feat question: "Every entry upon the lands of another after notice from the owner or tenant prohibiting the sams, shall be a misaemeaor, and be punished by fine not io exceed $100 or imprisonment with hard laboi on the public works of the County not exceeding thirty days. Provided, that whenever any owner or tenant of any lands shaft post a notice in four conspicuous placet on the borders of any land prohibiting entry there, and shall publish once a week for four consecutive weeks such notice in any newspaper circulating in the county where such lands are situate, a proof of the posting and TDublishin? such notice within twelve months prior to the entry shall be deemed and taken a? notice conclusive against the person making entry as aforesaid, for hunting or fishing. Stare Militia Will be Called. Representative Marsli, chairman of the house committee on the militia, called upon Secretary Alger Wednesday and urged that in the event of hostilities, the first recourse of the government for soldiers be the state militia, which should be invited to volunteer for the country's defense. Secretary Alger was much interested in the arguments made by Mr. Marsh, and, while cot committing himself on that subject, seemed to regard the suggestions made by him as practicable. Ordeied Into Service. Secretary Long determined Wednesday to order the double turreted monitors Puritan and Terror to Key West, where they will reinforce the squadron in those waters. He also cetermined to bring into service the eight single turreted monitors at League Island navy yard, Philadelphia, two of which will be sent to Boston, two to New York. Southern BspcUt Convention. Preparations for the great Southern Baptist convention, which is to beheld IUl>0ri0iis.0CgiiiiXiJug -uu-aj u, ajnr?yiw ly going forward. Every effort being put lorth to make the event one of the greatest this city has ever seen and one of the greatest conventions ever held by t&e Baptist denomination.