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READS LIKE A NOVEL, A FULL HISTORY OF THE BARRETT CONSPIRACY CASES. How the Facta Were Brought Ont?Inters eating JRovolations to tlie Astute Attorneys Rascally Scheme?He In Caught Up With at Last. Columbia, S. C., Dec. 18.?During the past week one of the most notable cases ever tried in Columbia, S. C., was concluded in the United States Court?the Barrett postofTice conspiracy case. It was one of the most notable cases of its kind ever tried in the South, indeed in this country, says the Columbia State. The parties on trial were Capt. C. P. Barrett, criminal lawyer, lately of Spartanburg; John S. Fisher, United States Commissioner and mayor of Tryon, N. C.; A. J. Fisher, J. R. Burdine, postmaster at Cowpens, S. C.; John T. Tillman, R. J. McElrath postmaster at McElrath, S. C.; J. W. Owens, postmaster at Owens. S. C.; R. C. Wyatt, postmaster at Wyatt, S. C.; Clarence Lee, John M. Thompson, postmaster at Clifton, S. C.; Thomas J. Hannon, John D. O'Bryant, postmaster at Peak's S. C.: Edward B. Lowe, rtmaster at Enoree, S. C., and Wm. Hatcher. Of these, Tillman, Thompson and Hatcher skipped, leaving their bondsmen in the lurch. McElrath, Owens, Wyatt, Lee Hannon and Lowe turned State's evidence, and McElrath, Lee and Hannon plead guilty; Owens was sick in bed with typhoid fever. The prosecution and the defence brought together a fine array of legal talent John M. Caldwell, one of the leading criminal lawyers of Anniston. Ala., came on to defend John D. O'Bryant and cot him off on the ground that the offences charged against him were barred by the statute of limitations. Mr. Caldwell is probably the most expert penman ever seen here, he being able to imitate perfectly any signature offhand sifter seeing it once - written. Col. Wm. Munro, of Union, represented Thomas J. Hannon, throwing aroun4 him all the legal protection Do'ssible. He was assisted by Mr. S. T. McCravv, of Spartanburg. Col. Blythe, in addition to appearing for Capt. Barrett, as already stated also represented John S. Fisher and A. J. Fisher. He got the Fishers off, but could not save the "red fox." After a most exhaustive and tiresome arumination of many witnesses on both sides and two brilliant arguments for theprosecution and defence, the speech of District Attorney W. Perry Murphy being particularly fine, both on account of his eloquence and his master ly handling of the testimony, District Judge Brawley addressed the iury and - delivered his charge. He had the un divided attention of the entire auui' ence. The charge was able and lucid, Bhowing vast study and research into the laws relating to conspiracies. The jury did not remain out long and at an early hour in the afternoon brought in a verdict of guilty as to Barrett, Owens, Tillman and Lee. Barrett went to jail with the other prisoners. The following history of the conspiracy will now be read, with interest: The case was placed in the hands of Postoffice Inspector Fred D. Peer by Hon. G. M. Whiteside, Chief Postof ' flee Inspector of the Southern States. Peer immediately went to Spartanburg, S. C., and proceeded to work up the matter.' It did not take him long to find evidence enough against Thomas B. Neighbors, postmaster at Dallas, S. CM ana W. D. Evins, postmaster at Converse, S. C., to warrant their arrest for conspiracy, along with Capt. Chas P. Barrett and others to defraud the United States by falsifying the returns of their cancellations of postage stamps and by illegal sale and disposition of the same. Neighbors ana Ev ins ate both one-legged Confederate veterans, highly connected and much esteemed in the communities in which they lived, and the citizens were greatly surprised to find that they had been led astray by Barrett. Peer worked up such a strong case against Neighbors and Evins that when confronted with the evidence they both made full confessions, implicating Barrett, who was then a "practicing lawyer, and otljer members of the gang above mentioned, who were also arrested by Inspector Peer for conspiracy to defraud the Government ana business houses all over the United States. The sworn confessions of five postmasters, together with the corroborative testimony of the other witnesses, and the documentary evidence, produced followed by a conviction in the United States Courts here, disclose one of thrfmost gigantic swindles on record. "Barrett^ Independent Order of South Carolina Postmasters" might be an appellation of the slickest jpng of swindlers ever organized in th ^United States for the purpose of defrauding fixe Government and obtaining every variety of goods from business houses all over the United States by the fraudulent use of the mails. A large numher of fourth class postmasters through out the State, under the guidance and direction of Capt. Barrett, the shrewd _ criminal lawyer, organized themselves into a band, and with the aid of Uncle Sam's letter heads robbed the people all over the country with the greatest boldness and success. Postoffices were established in out of v the way places, where they were not needed, through the instrumentality of Lawyer Barrett, for the express purpose of robbing the Government and defrauding individuals. Barrett has been a sort of Democratic Republican- Tillmanite- Thirdparty "go as-you-please" politician, and has therefore had the happy faculty of ingratiating himself with whatever party happened to be in power. Hence nis success in having postmasters appointed and postoffices established. The sharpest inspectors worked on the case for over three years. During all that time they were convinced that Barrett was the moving spirit of the swindlers, but were unable to get any ^>roof. During the Harrison administration Barrett managed to be made referee in matters of 1 ederal appointments, and his term of office was remarkable for the creation of new fourth class postoffices. Still the inspectors detailed on the case were unable to get much evidence of fraud until Inspector Peer -went to work and caused the arrest of Barrett and about twenty-five others. This was followed up with the trial and conviction of Chief Barrett and his gang already mentioned. Inspector Peer had barrett's law office Beached on a search warrant and found some very damaging evidence against him, together with enough paraphernalia for a full fieddged Post master General's iise. After having Eostmaster's appointed the plan would e as follows: A fourth class postmaster gets no salary, but is allowed a percentage on all postage stamps cancelled by him. These postmasters would, with Barrett's aid, falsify their quarterly returns and report their cancellations at say ?100 or $200, when in reality perhaps only $5 or ?6 worth were actually cancelled. They would then (draw large commissions, and in this way the Government has been beaten out of thousands of dollars. Besides this the stamps left on hand, which had been reported as cancelled, would be turned over, to Barrett who would dispose of them and divide the spoils. Bringing a lot of postage stamps to Barrett was characterized by the postmasters as "bringing a'possum to town." The department was aware that Barrett was selling stamps at less than cost, but could not locate the source of his supply until Fred Peer's shrewd detective work began to throw some lijrht on the subject. It was a case of "diamond cut diamond," but the postoffice inspector proved to be Barrett's peer and therefore the cunning jurist now languishes in jail. Inspector Peer, who is now operating in South' Carolina, is well known throughout the United States. He was formerly emploved in the postoffice at Cincinnati, 0. Peer has the air of a clergyman and is as bashful as a girl, but is keener and has more nerve than half a dozen ordinary Hawkshaws. The band of swindlers mentioned above, of which Barrett appears to have been the bright, shining star, have been working their fraudulerft schemes for a number of years and the many firms that have been victimized have" been mentioned in a former issue of The State. The gang was versatile in its tastes and ordered through the mails without hope or intention of paying for it merchandise of all descriptions, from saw mills and steam engines down to furniture, typewriters, safes, dishes, edibles, soaps and law books. They seemed to have an especial wAkness ' ? on/1 aa-fckd onrl in I or planus, ui^aus auu uu<.> . > ? more than one little log hut out in the backwoods can be found fine office safes and grand mahogany pianos, ranging in price from ?250 Jp $900. This hand of robbers flourishea. They managed to get themselves rated in Bradstreet's or Dun's. The scheme to defraud business houses was this: Using conspicuous letter heads with United States postoffice printed thereon, one of the conspirators would order goods on the instalment plan and upon their arrival would mortgage them to another of the gang. In order to give the transaction a semblance of being bona fide and legal, Barrett would see that money which he furnished was actually passed in the presence of an innocent witness when the mortgage was given. The money, however, would be returned to Barrett as soon as the mortgage was recorded in the clerk's office. When the owners would endeavor to recover their goods they would find them sold to some supposed innocent purchaser and under the laws of the State of South Carolina they would have to whistle for their money. It was smooth sailing on a summer sea for the swindlers and everything seemed lovely till they struck a snag, a jagging, probing snag in the person of Postomce. Inspector Peer. The plans of Barrett and his regularly organized band of robbers have been fully ventilated in the United States Court room. Many witnesses were examined and the evidence adduced was of the most damaging and convincing character and showed a scheme almost unexcelled in the history of fraud in its boldness and artistic rascality. At Spartanburg, Barrett had a lot of law books in his cell in the jail, which he converted into a sort of law office. He also had a typewriter in his cell, on which he was typewriting all of the evidence in the various eases against him. But Inspector Peer traced it up by its number through the Hammond Tvoewriter Comnanv of New York city, and discovered that it was also abtained by the fraudulent use of the mails. J. H. Nunally, the Southern agent of the Hanmand Typewriter Company at Atlanta, Ga., was sent for and he at once identified the machine and fine cabinet desk that went with it as the same property he had been defrauded out of over two years ago. He claimed his goods and took them away from Barrett by regular process of law, Carson & Evins acting as his attorneys. Attempts have been made by the Barrett gang to victimize a number of firms all over the United States which are the Robt, Mitchell Furniture Company, Dodd, Werner & Co., Mosler, Bahman & Co., and the Herring Hall Marvin Safe Company. A Herring Hall safe, which has never been paid for, was in Barrett's office when he was arrested, Certain circulars which have been sent to various merchants ordering goods, give a very curious insight into some of the methods of Barrett's gang and show the ingenuity of Barrett who originated them. They are well printed on good paper and dated at the United States postoffice at Walker, S. C. They direct that the goods ordered be put in packages not heavier than four pounds, "technically sealed" and mailed with only a two cent stamp tnereon. xnis woum leave $1.26 to be collected at the office of destination on each pakage and A. F. McDowell, who was postmaster at Walkers, as he explained in the circular, got the transportion of the package practically for nothing, as he was allowed 100 per cent, on the stamps he was supposed to put on these packages and cancel. McDowell was convicted at Greenville. The residence of J. W. Owens, who was postmaster at Owen's, was destroyed by fire recently by some of the gang in order to get rid of certain documentry evidence which he had'in his trunk. Owens turned State's evidence and his life was threatened several times. The Windsor Hotel at Spartanburg, it is said, was also burned in the hope of cremating Postoffice Inspector Peer and all the forged bonds in his possession. Peer has since been called the 'Phoenix." Lawyer Barrett stood well with the present Cleveland administration, until his crooked transactions came to light. He was in a fair way of being appointed chief clerk in the Attorney General's office. Judge Brawley sentenced Barrett to eighteen months in the Government prison at Columbus, 0., in the conspiracy case alone, and to pay a fine of $500. Barrett has not been sentenced yet in the Posey Bragg forgery case. The maximum punishment for forgery is fifteen years at hard labor and.a fine of $5,000. Owens, McElrath, Hannon and Lee were sentenced to six months confinement in the county at Spartan-, burg. It is very probable that Tillman will bo severely dealt with when he is captured in Texas. Barrett appealed to the United States Court of Appeals. In the meantime, he is still confined in the Richland jail in Columbia, S. C.?Augusta Chronicle. The Taxes Next Year. Columbia. S. C., Dec. 18.?The supply bill for the fiscal year beginning November 1, 1894, was reported by the Ways and Means Committee last night. The State levy is placed at 4? mills. I am informed that the committee thinks this abudantly sufficient. This is, of course, exclusive of the constitutional 2-mill tax for the schools. The levy is half a mill below this year. The levy bv counties for county purposes is as follows: Abbeville, 2$ mills: Aiken, 2? mills; Anderson, 3$ mills; Berkeley, 5 mills; Chester, 5 7-12 mills, Chesterfield 5i mills: Charleston. 2i mills; Colleton, 6 mills; Darlington 3 mills; Edgefield, 2$ mills;Edgefield is authorized to borrow money for county purposes and pledge taxes in advance and also to borrow $3,500 for bridges, etc. The same privilege is given Fairfield, for which the county levy is placed at 3? mills and one-fifteenth of a mill for deficiency. Florence, 3J mills; Georgetown, 5 mills, with a tax of 3 mills on all live stock in Townships 5 and 6. Greenville, 5? mills; Hampton 4 mills; Horry, 2} mills, in addition fivesixths for poor and thirteen-twentyfourths for railroad bonds. Kershaw. 5^ mills; Laurens, 5} mills; Lexington, 3mills, with 3 mills extra in Broad River and 2i mills extra in Fork and Saluda Townships for railroad bonds. The county is authorized to borrow and pledge taxes in advance. Marlboro, 4 mills; Newberry, 3 mills; Marion, mills, also allowed to borrow money. Richland, 4$ mills; Spartanburg, 6? mills; Sumter, 3 mills; Union, mills; Oconee. 3 1-5 mills; Orangeburg, 2} mills; Williamsburg, 4? mills ana the county is authorized to borrow money. York County, 3$ mills, with the following extra in these townships for interest on railroad Donas: uatawoa, 3 mills; Cherokee, 1 mill; Ebenezer, i mill; York, 5 mills. ThcJPay of Auditor*. Columbia, S. C., Dec. 20.?The following is tlie pay of the Auditor's of the different counties as fixed by the Legislature. The figures in the first column applying to the old salaries, from the State; in the second column to the new salaries from the State and in the last showing the total amount of future salaries, including amount received from counties also: Charleston $2,000 $1,200 $1,900 Berkeley 800 600 1,400 Spartanburg 800 800 1,500 Richland......... 800 700 1,500 Abbeville 700 700 1,200 Aiken 700 600 1,000 Anderson 700 600 1,000 Edgefield 700 600 1,000 Barnwell 700 600 1,100 Beaufort 700 525 1,025 Marion 700 600 800 Sumter 700 600 1,100 , York 700 700 1,200 Chester 600 525 925 , Colleton 6UU 525 1,U355 Darlington ....... 600 525 725 ( Fairfield 600 525 925 i Florence 600 525 825 i Horry 500 450 750 Kershaw 500 450 750 , Lancaster 500 4o0 750 Lexington 500 450 750 Marlboro 500 450 750 Oconee.... 500 450 750 Pickens 500 450 750 ( Union 500 450 750 Williamsburg.... 500 450 750 , Greenville 600 600 Laurens. 600 525 925 Newberry 600 525 925 Orangeburg 600 600 1,000 Chesterfield 500 450 550 Clarendon 500 450 750 Georgetown 500 450 950 Hampton 500 450 850 The House then took a recess till 3:30 o'clock. 4c Cotton Makes 4c Pricos. "Nmf nnlv r>n r>rnvisions. clothinC. furniture and all the actual necessaries of living, but as "well on things appertaining to our enjoyment and culture. This is specially true as to pianos and organs. Wise manufactures realize that in these close times prices must be exceedingly low, and terms of payment made exceptionally easy, and they are meeting the emergency. Notice the latest advertisement of Ludden & Bates Southern Music House, Savannah, Ga., in this issue, and write them for their Four Cent Prices. This is a wide-awake-neverget-left and thoroughly reliable house, whose offers always mean just what they say. It costs nothing to write Luaden & Bates for catalogues, prices and easy installment terms, which they send with pleasure. The Body Washed^Ashore, I London. Dec. 19.?The body of Capt. Overguara of the ship Don Juan, ; which was wrecked off Lomvig, Denmark, on December 6, 1893, was washed ashore on Saturday last near the spot where the vessel was wrecked. The body, which evidently had been buried deeply in the sand, and had been uncovered by the recent storm was well preserved. Among the papers found in the clothing were $180,000 in bank notes and American securities, which the authorities are holding lor the proper claimants. The Don Juan was on a voyage from New York to Gothenburg when she was wrecked. Pailgott Pays the Freight. The advertisement of L. F. Padgett, the well-known furniture dealer of Augusta, gives some idea of what he of fere in the way of furniture and house furnishings. In his extensive establishment may be found well-nigh all that is needed to make the home 1 -In 1 Ama?A rlA vrrViinK I UUIIJlUrUlUlU. lliia lai'go wuuu nmvu Padgett enjoys and the testimonials which he has from scores of customers, sufficiently shows the character of his goods, the fairness of his prices, and his determination to carry out his guaranty of satisfaction in every instance. Head his advertisement. Lout "With All on Board. San Francisco, Dec. 17?That the steum colliers Monteseratt and Keweenaw have been lost at sea with all on board is now considered almost a certainty. The Monteseratt from Nani- : mo and the Keweenaw from Comox, are both seven days overdue at this port. The Monteseratt, Captain Black- 1 burn, carried a crew of twenty men and the Kewenaw, Captain Jenkins, ! earned a crew of thirty men. Anxie- ! ty is also felt for the barks Germania ! and Columbia which have been out i fifteen and thirty days respectively from Port Blakely. I! THE DISPENSARY. COMMISSIONER TRAXLER SUBMITS HIS ANNUAL REPORT. Showing the Condition of the Bunln?u at Thin Time, and What the Receipt* and Expenditures Have Been. The report of Commissioner JL'raxier for the third quarter of the year, together with a consolidated report of the three-auarters ending April 21, when the dispensary operations were temporarily svspeuded under the decision of the Supreme Court and for the fourth- quarter beginning August 1, and ending November 1, has just been made public. The report outside of the tabulated statements it contains,^ a brief document and is as follows: Governor B. R. Tillman, Chairman, Gen. 0. W. Buchanan, Gen. W. H. Ellerbee, State Board of Control: Gentlemen: I herewith hand you my third quarterly report, a consolidated report of the three quarters ending April 21, when operations were suspended under decision of the Supreme Court, and my fourth quarterly report, beginning August 1st, and ending November 1st; also a report of the estimatedjvaiue of seizures ofjcontraband goods and disposition of same. I.deem it necessary to mention the fact that the stock of goods on hand in the State dispensary was large at the close of the third quarter, owing to large purchases having been made in anticipation of the advance in the revenue tax of the United States government, and by these timely purchases $8,000 or $9,000 has been saved for the State. The demand for a cheaper grade of liquors necessitated the placing upon t.hfi market. onr 80 tier cent. rve. corn and bourbon. These goods are reduced from the standard proof and the chemical purity by no means impaired but a reduction in prices to the consumer of one-fifth. The goods have become a formidable opponent of the illicit whiskey venders all over the State,because they are purer and better and at popular prices. The organization of the dispensary force, the bottling, casing and shipping out of the goods are as nearly complete as an establishment of such magnitude can be. I nave no suggestions to make at this time that would improve the manner of operating the business. Respectfully submitted, D. H. Trailer, Commissioner. The sum total of liquors purchased for the quarter endinf April 21, is given at $121,440.30; for the quarter ending October 31, aa $129,611.55. the consolidated report. *? * ' 1 i * - Xl_ _ XT - She consolidated repon ior me mrec quarters, ending April 21, 1894, shows tne following figures: Total sales to dispensers.. .$573,539.01 Total all other accounts.... 8,470.68 $582,009.89 Total cash received from dispensers. $451,96G. 66 Total cash received from others 7,262.00 Total balance due by dispensers 96,232.72 Total balance due by others 1,208.88 Total amount of breakage. 8,732.10 Total amount of bottles returned 8,769.40 Total amount of merchandise returned 7,838.04 $582,009.89 CA8H. Total cash received from dispensers $451,966.66 Total cash received from others* ..*??.?*......... 7,262.00 State appropriation 50,000.00 $509,228.66 Paid expenses $178,747.66 Paid on accounts 311,295.59 Cash balance 19,185.41 $509,228.66 ASSETS. Stock $ 99,601.26 Amount due by dispensers. 96,232.72 Amount due by others..... 1,208.88 Cash balance...; 19,185.41 $216,228.27 LIABILITIES. State appropriation $ 50,000.00 Amount due on merchandise 84,523.93 Amount to balance, or net gain 81,704.34 $216,228.27 Net gain $ 81,704.34 EXPENSES. The consolidated expense account from July 1 1893, to April 21, 1894, shows a total of $178,747.66, of which amount $40,696.18 was paid to the constabulary, $3,176.66 ior commissioner's ana bookkeeper's salary. $47,124.64 for freight, $13,998.89 for labor, $1,018.10 for insurance and the remainder for various incidental expenses. STOCK ON HAND. The stock inventory shows on hand Novomber 1, 1894, liquors amounting in the aggregate to $65,455.59. CONTRABAND SEIZURES. The report also contains a statement of seizures of contraband liquors and disposition of sam? to November 1, 1894. The report gives the estimated value of all seizures as $11,451.51, and as the pay of the constabulary is set down at $40,696.12, the value of the ? - * 4m mn TMmm 4 V* o -?-? bt/IZUU 19 UUb i-u uv/ii uivxu buau one-fourth of the stum it cost ?fie State to pav the men who made the seizures. The following is the itemized statement of the seizures: Analyzed and shipped out to dispensers : Beer $ 1,994.86 54 cases Edgewood rye 583.20 4 bottles Cleveland Club rye. 4.00 8 dozen Pepper rye 27.00 1 case Monogram. 12.00 1 gallon alcohol 3.00 20 gallons gin 25.00 6 bottles Taylor rye 6.00 6 bottles XXXX rye 6.00 200 gallons corn whiskey... 350.00 300 gallons rye whiskey.... 525.00 3 bbls. porter and ale 60.00 2 dozen Edgewood rye 21.60 14 bottles Thurber, W hyland & Co. rye 12.00 Cherry bounce and cider... 23.78 H dozen blackberry wine... 21.60 2 dozen Colo Pola cider.... 1.68 Port wine 14.00 Sherry 7.20 Cider ' 2.94 Cherry bounce 6.70 240 gallons Gold Medal rye. 480.00, 6 gallons rum 0,00 orifl oln 1 5 HO 210 gallons Osceola rye 420.00 415 gallons Monongahela rye 830.00 134 gallous XXX rye 268.00 4 gallons peach and honev.. 8.00 232 gallons rye 406.00 Sundries 6.85 10 gallons r^e whiskey 13.50 45 gallons gin 60.75 45 gallons rye whiskey 67.50 60 gallons wine 45.00 4 cases liquor 27.00 5 gallons whiskey 6.75 2,040 gallons whiskey ...... 3,060.00 57 gallons whiskey in jugs.. 85.50 50 gallons whiskey in kegs.. 75.00 200 gallons corn whiskey... 270.00 90 gallons rye whiskey 135.00 35 gallons wine 24.50 40 gallons wine in flasks.... 48.00 3 cases whiskey ; 15.00 1 trunk champagne and wine valued at 75.00 85 gallons in kegs 127.50 25 gallons whiskey, 1 bbl... 37.50 2 valises of whiskey 10.00 Rejected and shipped out of the State, 60 gallons rye.. 60.00 $11,451.51 RODDY TO THE FARMERS. A Sew York Cotton Broker Telling Exchange Secrets. The Yorkville inquirer gives the following report of the speech of John T. Roddy, of the New York cotton brokerage firm of Roddy & Watts, before a recent meeting of York county^farmers: I am extrerfiely grateful to you for the kind reception you have given me this morning. Though far the past month or more I have been subjected -to all manner of abuse by New York cotton men, and even by many of our Snmfhp.rn nftwsnaners. in the licht of this reception I count their slurs and slanders as nothing. Did I not so fully understand the influences that are at work ruining the homes and wrecking the lives of our Southern people, I would have never raised my pen in protest, nor would I be before you today. But having1 seen and learned what I have and believing so firmly that I not only understand tne trouble, but can suggest tq you an efficient remedy, I can not rest quietly under the burden until I have at least made the situation plain to you as I see it. Do you know the cause of the extremely low price of cotton? There are those who will tell you that there is no demand for it. I tell you this is not true. It is due to the influence of the professional 'bear' operators on the metropolitan boards of trade. These men have so depressed the price of all kinds of agricultural products as to leave the producers without means to create a demand for anything. I know of one New Orleans 'bear' who has taken out of this year's cotton crop $1,000,000 for himself;and I could point you a half a dozen 'bears' in New York, and half a dozen more in Chicago, who cost the South and West not less than $150,000,000 ayear. These men produce nothing, absolutelv nont.rol nrines. realize almost all the profits there are in all our crops, and are literally crushing the producers of the South and West to seridom. And there is no demand ? How can there be a demand when the producer is scarcely allowed a living? When cotton was ten cents a pound, a man could have three shirts where he is now hardly able to own one. The laws of supply and demand do not control the price of cotton. The laws of imaginary supply and demand may; but not the laws of actual supply and demand. Go ask your cotton buyer what is the price of cotton, and will he figure on the supply and demand? No; he wfll tell you that New "iork futures are off 25 points, and that means that your cotton is off 25 points. On the New York cotton exchange, they sell 1,000 bales of futures to every single bale of spot cotton ;and in this case the imaginary fixes the prices of the real. If New York sells 50,000 bales of futures at 3 cents, that means your cotton is 3 cents. Though this is a fact and we see it, at present we are helpless. New York knows that by a certain time we have got to dispose of so much cotton, no matter what the price and so they fix the price themselves. And the mills are not going to help S)u. I saw the other day where a ussian mill was manufacturing American cotton and paying its stockholders a dividend of 25 per cent. It is the way with the mills of the North. They are fattening off of low priced cotton. The future contract system is the greatest thing in the world for them. They do not have to lock their money up in cotton. They find it more profitable to put up a margin on futures. If cotton goes up, they make money by the speculation, just the same as if they had the cotton on hand; and if it goes down, they let their margins go and buy their cotton from you. You have not got the sympathy or the support of these mills, and you are not on an equality with them. They are backed by plenty of money and are able to protect themselves against speculators. The speculators know it and let their products alone. What thev sell is governed by the laws of supply and demand of their goods; but not of your cotton. The price of your cotton is governed only by the manipulations of the professional speculators. Now what are you going to do about it? In the late war you fought because you thought the North was trying to rob you of your property. Then it was fair and open war on both sides; but now it is different. Ten years ago you put an 8 or 10 per cent, mortgage on your lands to be paid in 10 cents cotton. You find the mortgage just the same except now you have it to pay for with five cents cotton. Look around you and you will see that you are hemmed in by cliques on every side. There are trusts on everything you buy and combinations against everything you sell. Why, one man worth $20,000 can sell before its planted, every oaie or couon 10 uu produced in York county next year; and that is a fair sample of the estimates they put on the labor of our people. * * * You say it costs 7 cents a pound to raise cotton. At 10 cents a pound, your lands are worth $25 an acre, and at 5 cents a pound they are not worth the taxes. And you can't do anything ? Eminent authorities are agreed that owing to the peculiar conditions, cotton producers could be more easily oranized for the control of the crop than any other class of farmers on earth. The reason is because this country always lias had, and always will have, a practical monopoly on cotton. We can produce any and overy thing we need. We can get along indepen dent of the world; but under no circumstances can the rest of the world. get along without our cotton. * * Mr. Roddey then went on to explain how* the 'bear' operators on the New York exchange had every advantage over the bulls as to time of delivery, freights, borrowing money, etc., and illustrated the downward tendency of the market with the statement that on 100 bales of futures sold on the New York exchange every year from 1871 to the present would net the seller at this time $276,000; and in conclusion, he said: "I don't want any credit for this thing. I do not want any money out of it. I have property in the South, my relatives and friends have property here. Your interests are my interests. I think some kind or organization is necesary. My plan is not necessarily the only one calculated to accomplish the purpose, and I do not want to see my plan adopted to the exclusion of a better one. But let the South agree on some plan and I promise to do all in my power to make it a success. But I'll tell you this, with all confidence, that if our people will raise at home all neccessary supplies, and put themselves in a position to, hold their cotton absolutely out of the hands of the speculators, and says, with a unanimous voice, that it is worth 8 or 10 cents a pound, that is what it will bring. Jnmped Into the Rl ver. Knoxville, Dec. 19.?Some months ago Calvin McGhee was discharged from a dry goods store for helping himself to cash receipts. He was indicted in the crimnal court and his trial set for January 17.?A special from Chattanooga says his body was found floating in the Tennessee river below that city this morning. He went from here to Chattanooga about the 15th of November, and from there he wrote his affianced, a young lady of Morristown, that he was tired of Inrrtn A IIJLC aiiU VVUUIU JUUlLf XJUbU see river at 10:15 o'clock Thanksgiving night. That morning he paid his board bill and from that day to this, nothing has been heard from him until the finding of his body, which was identified by papers and photographs in his pockets. Fate of a Drnnken Woman. Gardiner, Maine, Dec. 17.?At an early hour this morning a house in Raudolph, owned by Amos Marson, and occupied by a woman and two children, was burned. All three of the inmates were burned to death. The children were known by the names of Lillie Folson, aged 7, and George Folson, aged 4. The woman had given several different names, but in the Bible found in the house was the name "Mrs. Wm McReady." It is impossible to obtain facts regarding the cause of the fire, but from what is known of the woman's habits it is probable she was intoxicated. and tipped over the lamp. Horrible Doable Tragedy. Cleveland, Ohio, Dec. 15.?A special from Jamestown, Ky., says that Mrs.- Winslow Sherman and her daughter, Mrs. Clinton Davis, who lived on a farm near that place, were murdered by unknown persons today. Mrs. Sherman's husband had gone to attend the funeral of his son and daughter-in-law. Mr. and Mrs. Myron C. Sherman, who were killed by a train a day or two since. He returned home about 4 o'clock this afternoon, and was horrified to find his wife* and daughter lying dead in the house. There is no clue to the perpetrator of the crime, although it is apparent that the motive was robbery. NEYER ~ DELAIJiD | / A PAYMENT. NEVER nn\fnnnMTCrn L/Uivir fiuiuiouu A CLAIM. NEVER HAD A LAWSUIT. Such is the record of the I | STAUNTON LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, Numbers of Beneficiaries Testify to its Promptness and Soundness. Natural Premium Insurance on the most Approved Plan?. The new "Conpon Policy" of the Staunton Life is a model of simplicity. In addition to all the best features of modern life insurance it provides for the payment of the "coupon" IMMEDIATELY after death, without notice or the formality of proofs. The "conpon" covers 10 per cent, of the face of the policy, and is in addition thereto. Agents wanted. Liberal Commission. Live men can make big money. Address Jno. S. Reynolds, General Agent, COLUMBIA, m, C, Tils Certificate Is Good FOR SI.00 IF PROl'ERLY SIGNED. Onr .Prop'Mtion. Gut this Certlfilca*e oat and enclonelt with 25 cents 1a an envelope with your nanw and address plainlr written. We " will send ?nu one set of our ?l 00 Genuine Silver Piale<1 Tea Spoons FKEE by mall together with our laue Illustrated cata, lotue of Furniture, Cooking stoves, Crock ery, Baby Carriages, f-ewln* Maefiloes Busies, etc., And will sign thU certificate ann return t jou with catalogue, and we i herewith agree to receive this certificate as < ii* dollar cash on any purchase made within 15 d*js from the date of endorsement of this ce'tlflcate. provld?d that We amount of purchase snail not be for 1*? thar, 915.00. aoo must positively r*>ach us Inside of 15 d*yi from date written or stamped on certificate returned to you. Fill oat the folio win? hlanlc with pendt [Ink will blur.] L. F. PADGETT, 846 Broad Stieet, Augusta, Ga. Enclosed find 25 ceuts stamps or silver for which jou will pieaie send 10 my ad- ? dies'* one set of your 91.00 Genuine Hirer Piatpd Tea Spoon* and jour il'nitrated Cat*lrRUf. r*e. bj mall: also p'ease endoibe this certificate and date It the date that you mall spoous and catalogue, so that 1 may. if 1 so de^ve. uss this certificate ait \our st re fur one dollar cash In a purchase of not less than f is 00. which' is to be made iuslde or 16 days f:om date stamped or wiltten on certificate returned to me. I fully understand thatth's certificate Is of no value unless atwve coudltions are fully compiled with, My name Is P.O. in Mfte ... Received at Augusta. Georgia, and gocdd mailed L. F. PADGE IT, 848 Broad Street, Aucusta, Q-a. By ' * ** This Handsome Rattan ROCKER, j worth the world over $5.00, will be sent to any person who will send m? $1.85. Six Cane Seat CHAIRS, finished light, worth $1.00, at 65c. each. 40 yards of Straw Matting $3.90. $10.50 for an Oak Bed, Bureau, and Wash Stand to match. Send for Catalogue of Furniture Cooking Stoves, Baby Carriages, Sewing Machines, Buggies, Lamps, ?o?ikery, etc. L. F. PADGETT, Broad Street, Angnsta, 6a.gasasasasEsssHsasssasasasas^ 14c: CUTTUJM | Makes 4c. PRICES, even on B: PIANOS & ORGANS g HDNT be discouraged, but s 1 write for our great n] Bargain List and Wonderfully J* Easy Installment "Terms. K. 4c. PRICES. | A new Mathusbek Piano $50 less than S ever before sold. Ln $40 Saved on a Sterling Piano. [Ji Twenty Nearly New Square Pianos FJJ at New York give away Prices. ij] Fifty New Uprighta?from Best Mak- JJT ere at Cut Prices. (J* Rich Mirror Top Organ only 650. rjJ SAVE MONEY by buying from the S Greatest Southern Music House. Qj LUDDEfl & BATES, g Savannah, da. ? Hj (Koa? Stelnway Pianos at Jjj M tUsy Factory Prices. RICE MILLS. I We oflfrr a comply Ric^ Mill In- fit on* n whin*. The r ?neh rice 1n> H p'yt'nd in hopper and rnm^s oit. JH *rH u^llshpfj ready t'T ta- fl b'e usp. Machine can be op T*ted fl with horse rower Bnd will flean 100 hushela of rough rice per ray. CORN MILLS 1 Of the latest design*, vertical an l H horizontal, double and single gear. fl oiler Mills, H Saw Mil is, Engines, S Gins and Presses,! Wcod working machinery.. H ?. i\ (MtiKjLH, I ix;: mjbia.s.c. I