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* ^ \ The Lancaster News LEDGER J 852 REVIEW 1378 ENTERPRISE 1891 VOL. 3 liJ. 3 SEMI-WEEKLY. LANCASTER, S. C., OCTOBER Iff I9%7 PRICE?FIVE r.FNTc ncn rn n*/ The People and the Railroads. 4 Mr. Elitor: Your editorial of the is*ue of October 10:11, 11)07, beaded ''Corporations and Juries." coming as it does in the ftiidst ot Couit week, suggests to me that it may not be out of place to give a few observation* along the line of the people and he railroads Where the antirailroad sentiment is pronounced and general, as it ap pears to be throughout the United States, there must be a cause, and this cause must be furnished by the ;ellow so genenlly re garded with distrust and suspicion. The writer 1ms observed that the railroads of the country killed 4 00Q people the past year, more people than there are in the town ot Lancaster. Lancas ter c unty lost several citi/ens at the hands of those persecuted innocents. However,only one person killed in this county within the past 15 years has recovered any damages. The people ot thi* c ?unty h >ve an 1 are now paying thousands ot dollars as a railroad tax. Who has the benefit ot this mone>? The present owner* ot a raiiroud which has cost the people ot this county over #80,000. oniy paui $o,uuu 1 ti ca*h for this road, so I am informed b>' a former conductor ; and toon there alter mortgaged it for $135,000, and later on had up around $100,000 cash in the bank, alias a surplus. 1 was told this by an employee at the time, and he was in a position to know. Some of these things are working out on the surface, and it makes the people raw. This sam? railroad in a tax assessors' meeting was so poverty stricken it could not pay its officials any salary, and pleaded for a reduction. Can a railroad with such reputed accumulation be squire in its dealing with 'he people when freight and passenger rates are adjusted. llow about, the multitude of claims and demao Is for loss and damage to freight that, are pigeon-holed, and never paid, the catt'e killed, fires se' out, frightening ol teams on the highway, running freight trains on Sunday, giving ol free passes to ofllcialH, legislators, newspapers, impolitene s to passengers,delays aid so on. These indiscre tioija imve left their impressions. Why are he** parses offered to morn hers of the legislature?are railroads so fie o hearted ; then why not pay just demands? See how the railroads employ men io louoy anu nag ?i the members of the general assembly. Who pays this account and what is it for. You could not get these men to lobby for a good fertilizer bill, unless there was a freight rebate attached. The railroads have their good attorneys, well trained, and skilled in fighting off the just demands of the peo. pie, lobbyists eternally pressing railroad legislation, bilU drawn by the Southern Railroad's attorneys in New York. This evil is now reaping its reward. Whj 1 M Mlr.iU ?.? are free pasaas sca'tered among hanker*, attorney*, surgeons, newspapers and so on. Did you ever see a fellow who is helping to pay the $80,000 bond debi with a pas*, unless he whs one of the above elaes? See how the railroads single ont brothers, relatives and sons of judges and employ them as attorneys. Is there any threat professional ability behind all this? Possibly it is a more accident, but you may gamble on the proposition that the railroad is not ''asleep at the switch." The people see and corrment on the conditions. Ib it mere chance that the son ot a Federal Judge is a big surgeon for the Southern and the son of another Federal Judge in the employ ol the Southern at ? big salary? The people have a remedy, and it is the remedy tor murder, arson, stealing and other crimes, to wit: the jury. A railroad respects its pocket book, but disregards the law; hit its pocket book and its conscience will wt^e, otherwise, ''nothiug doiug." Over working etnpl yees and exposing I hem lo hard an< rough weather is responsible for many accidents. The foregoing are a few reasons why the common, ordinary sense ot justice which has so long lain inactive is now fully alive to the oppression and wrongs ot the railroads, and now demand an even hand ed square deal, that is all. The railroads have had their own way so long, they actually forgot that the people were to be considered. I am glad the new Farmers' Union is paying attention to the railroads, these innocents. 1 ?;~V, u ? ?J? ?n > ' ?T<oii mo uuvi wzucr nn<l 11 it serves to right the wrongs inficted by the railroads upon!he people, as above stated, it shall ' not have lived in vain. Very truly yours, 1 Know Them Cut His Guest's Throat and Stabbed His own Wife. Aiken special in Thursday's State; The killing ot W. J. Chambers of Augusta by John Oat.o, of Warrenville, has just been reportodto Coroner Owens. Toe killing happened at the '{home ol Cato at Warrenville on Saturday, but Ch imbers did not die until Monday. The following letatls are all that can 1 e learn ed : It is said that both nu n were drinking. Thev went to tl.e Ja'o residence about 7 o'clock Saturday night. They entered the house and some time altertor yards Catoe decided Chambers , was too iamtliar with his wife Without a word of warning he drew a knife from his pocket and slashed the throat of Cham bers from ear to ear. Chambers > dropped to the Hon*. Cato then | turned upon his wile and stabt bed her twice, once in the breast ' and once in the hip Chambers was taken to the Augusta hot> pit at, where he died on Monday ' morning. Cato is in jail awaiting a preliminary hearing, at which time new developments are exr pected. f Grand Jury's Report |' i At Present Term of Court? < i A Number of Important i | Recommendations Made? < t Several Presentments. ' < To his Honor, Jno. S. Wilson, presiding Judge. The Grand Jury of Lancaster County in tins it's final present ment for the year t> >? to say: 1 that we have ca efully examined and parsed on li ?ills ol indict, ment handed in n. h* ii o tor aid return <1 t <? same to tie court together w til ou' tindngs thereon Through comm t'ees of our body we have during the year made care'ul t xaminatioos of the t oe's and b >nds of the countv officers, visited and .ex amiued the County Home for the po(w and made careful inquiry to the t'eattnent aceorde I its inmates. The Court House and fail and the roads and bridges of the county have also come in for a share ot attention. We find after a caraful exami nation: that the books of the several ollicers are neatly and correctly kept, tlie bonds strong and safe, fhe olficers courteous and obliging and always ready to render us all the assistance in their power while in the discharge of our official duties. Tt,o ; ^ ? ? -? 1 ?. .<o i <1 ma1 en u: 1110 UOUUtJ' Home report themselves to be well eared tor and are as comfortable as it. is possible io be under their circumstances. The buildings are in I airly good condition and the graveyard has been thoroughly cleared of bushlesand briars and a ii6*t and substantial tence placed around it, all of which we note with * pleasure. The greatly improved appearance of the Court House should be a pleasure and pride to every citizen of the county ; tint we suggest that, a quick growing hedge ol shrubbery be placed around the bbnler and along the \valk$ anil some sl^ade or ornamental trees be planted within * I _ - - ? too grounds. The unsightly wooden oflice bu'ldinas in-the rear of the buddi 11 vr should be removed and a suitable bri-k ofl] e building be erected in their stead. If a suitable location can be found near the Court House at a reasonable price, it might be a good plan to build it larire enough to accmraodate the lawyers and thus pay in'erest on the investment. The j til is in fairly goo 1 condition. The repairs which in a former report we suggested be made on if have not- Deeti made yet, but the supervisor assured us that he is making arrangements to have the same carried out at an early date. The public roads of the county have come in for a good deal ! of attention during the past 'year. Many ideas have been ad\ vanced and possibly some good j has been accomplished. If we ever expect to develop' ur county to iis fullest we inus liav-s roads. As pnpulatiot increases travel necessarily in greases and permanent road should be built, roads that will b capable ot wit hstKiidim: tli heavy. traffic % that must oi ne 3espity pass over them. With this idea in miu 1 tin r i i * uran'i oury in a l?>r:ner repor recommenced thar. a chain gan he established and mules ant road machinery b* purchase* wilh a view to permanent roat building. We do not know wha' acijoi if any lias been taken upon it repori, b'?t we again urge tha this matter be given caretuI at Caution and if found pr ictica that steps be tdketi to give it trial. We are in receipt of a numbe if Anonymous let ers ca'ling on Attention to various infraction of the law. If these partbs vvil come forward like men and uiv us their names we will talc pleasure in inyesUga'ing thei charges hut unless iliev do st we can take no notice of them. We ask that Magistrate W. F (Jaskey be required to have Joh tiett\s placed under hood t keep peace, same being on rt quest of James Jennings. We present .John (lettys, Cha: ley IIel ma and Jim Hood colore: tor assault and battery wi?h ii tent to kiii James Jennings o the night of Oct. 2, 1907. Wil nets to prove same, James Jei nings. We present John Gettvs it carrying concealed pis*ol on tli night of Oct. 2, 1907, Witnes James Jennings. We present Strait, McMul o and Herbert McMullen tor a sault. Witnesses, Bates Reed an Sim Reed. We present Oharle> Alsobrool for whipping Martha Rodger Witnesses, J. I). Caskey, W. I l'lyler and John Ne 1. We present Ira Belk and Lut er Belk for disorderly condu and indecent, exposure ot the pe s??n at the house ot Mollie Floy Witnesses, T W McNael.v, Moll Flovd and Willie Floyd. \Ve recommend thatajaniti be employed who?e duties sha be to have the care of the con house and grounds and to after the sessions "f the court. Sin to be paid not more than fa dollars per month. In conclusion we desire to thai your honor for the courtesies e eifcb d us and for tla^ very ah assistance rendered while in ti discharge of our oflicia' dutie All of which is respecttulIv su mitted. L. C. Hough, ? Foreman. ? A house at Altai) helongii to Mr. J. A. Watson of Winga was burned last Tuesday. It w; occupied by Mr Ransom Starne who lost all his goods. The fi caught from a flue while the fai iIy were in fhe field ?Monr< Journal. Do you take The News? . wr ru.il wr I t! More Conv^pts Escaped from Penitentiary. s e Columbia special in Spartane burfi Herald: Tao more prison era, both white men ami sent up lor life, escaped from the e South Carolina Stat? penitentiat ry this morning. James Sude dith and Walter G. Alien are d the names of the men who ee:1 caped. The men, who were :1 "trusties/' were turned out of their eel!8 at 4:30 o'clock this i iiiorniii!: lor tnetr|daily routine. 8 The guard was a few minutes c late in arriving on ihe soenfe. Alien was convicted of raur1 tier in Grtenville count; in Sepa tember 1901. He is thirty-thres years old. r Suddtlb is forfcv three years r old and wis also servini a life s sentence for murder in Greenl ville county in April, 1901. The e two p-isouers w o escape 1 about e a week ago have not yet been r cap'ured. these were Marry ), Dean, a life' prisoner from Spartanburg county, and Will Smith, \ serving a term of six years from n the same c >unty. o _ How a Chester Farmer was r Cleaned up in Horse Trade 3 ?~ Qwncipc ! * J1 _______ n t- Chester Lantern: About two l- miles south of the city on the Ltossville road a number of Gyp >r sies are encamped. They have ie some pood looking hordes and * s. these attract the attention of passers by. Ah Mr. J. W. Bipn ham, of the Wellridire section, s- was on his way home Saturday id afternoon he saw one of these horses andl'ked it. Heapprrachts.ed the Gypsy and after a little a s. <trade was struck, Mr. Bifjham I {giving his h ?rse and $80 in < ash lor the Gypsy's horse. On atb tempting to hitch his new pur u! cnase ne lound it was a uood r- k,kicker." Finally lie had to d. borrow a "plug" from the tijpie -,iea to ?et home, loavinsr his new ?teed as a pledge for tlie return ur of the"plug." Yes'ar l iv m">rn ill ing Mr. Bighani came back and rt demanded his own liorse, aie*id UirT that he had traded for a ie hnri-e which was falsely repren seated as a jtood aniiual. Mr. Bigham was told that S. Smith, >k Jr., with whom he had traded v I 1 l-'* * ?* uau ieu out. lie c.ime on to h* town aid swore out 'warrants 10 against S. Smith, Sr. and S. ? Smith, Jr. Constable Hedgpatli b- .vent do*n to serve l lie warrants. Smith, Sr., was apprehended but Jr. has gone and can't be found. Smith, Sr., war. released on a $350 bond. Smith, Jr , has deig parted with the horse Mr. Bigte ham originally owned, the horse as he traded tor and $80 in cash, is, which was the difference here 'ween the horses. Mr. Bigharn u- only has the "plug" which was [loaned him to drive home on 'Saturday evening. Efforts are being made to catch S. Smi'h, Jr., with the horses. : ' [