The Lancaster news. (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, October 19, 1907, Image 1
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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.
: ' [