The Fairfield news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1881-1900, March 30, 1898, Image 1
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VOL. LII. WINNSBORO, S. C.. WEDNESDAY. MARCH 30, 1898. NO. 34.
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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.