The Abbeville press and banner. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, March 31, 1897, Image 9
I
W Ihe Press and Banner
|| BY HUGH WILSON.
rAiiiii;riLM;, ?. v.
TILLMAN'S PLAIN TALKT
WHAT HE RECENTLY SAID OF SOM
GREAT FRAUDS.
How the Contractors Cheated the (Jevorr
ment In Famishing Armor Plate ?StroD
Words from a Strong >lnn.
The Senate having under considera
tion the bill (H. R. 10336) making ap
propriations for the naval servj.ce fo
the fiscal year ending June 30. 1S98
and for other purposes, Mr. Tillrrai
said:
Mr. President: From my brief ex
perience in this body I sympathizi
very much with the feeling of help
lessness and ignorance which the dis
tinguished Senator from West Virgin
ia (Mr. Elkins) hps coufes-.2d; and
even though I am a memtsr of th<
Naval Committee and have devotee
V 1J /v
as muca ume as x cuiuu sj. ire n^u.
my other duties here to the busim?1
* of familiarizing myself with the sub
; ject matter intrusted to my care, I d(
fnot feel able to give him all the liglr
that he asks for on this question oi
armor. But I do feel able to give hiir
enough light, and to give the Senatt
enDugh ligbt, to show that there if
nothing connected with the receni
history of this government?no ex
penditure?so reeking with fraud and
so disgraceful to those who are rj
sponsible for it.
If we go back and trace the history
of this armor plale manufacture we
find that during Mr. Cleveland's firol
term, when Secretary Whitney began
what is known as the contraction ol
the new Navy, the manufacture of armor
according to the mcst approved
methods was an unknown thing ic
this country, and that there was nc
plant capable of performing that work.
The largest steel plant in the country
at that time, I believe, was at Bethle
hem, and Congress wisely, perhaps
(I shall not pretend to say it was not
wise) entered not into a contract, oul
it authorized the Sscretary of the Na
vy to enter into a contract with the
Bethlehem Iron Works by which they
were to construct a sufficient addition
to their already large steel works to
malrp this armnr. Thfl nrice fixed W8S
away up yonder, some $600 or $700, I
am not familiar with the exact amounl
but it was $600 or $700 per ton, and il
was generally understood in the de
bates and in the newspapers that the
enormous price was given by reason
of the fact that an enormous expendi
ture of three, four or five million dollars
was necessary, and the govern
g ment proposed by this large price tc
reimburse the Bethlehem Manufactu
r ring Company in the contract which
would then be let for its outlay. The
proof is overwhelming in mese report*
in the testimony taken before the Na
l val Committee in the investigation
\ last winter, that the plant at Bethle
hem, which was constructed in addi
lion to what they already had, j has
been paid for twice over by this gov
ernment absolutely, and that they
have made a present of it to the Beth'
lehem Company.
In a year or two after the contracl
was entered into at Bethlehem the
new Secretary of the Navy, Mr. Tra
cy, finding that the delivery of armoi
from Bethlehem did not keep nac:
with the needs of the Navy, or for
some other reason?that was the ci
tensible excuse?without authority
from Congress, entered into a contract
of his own with the Carnegie Work*
at Pittsburg, by which they were tc
receive the same price for the armoi
that Bethlehem was receiving, and he
thereby hoped, as he explained, tc
bring about competition in the price
Avwl V* O TtA <TTTA to
of one, and thereby enable the gov
ernment to obtain all the armor il
might want in the construction of the
new Navy at rcduced prices after s
while.
The construction of the new Navj
has gone on. It is getting to be rathei
respectable. It has cost us an enor
raous sum. Last winter, when the
Venezuela war scare was on, the pro
position came from the house to in
crease the Navy by four battleships.
There was a struggle here to reduce il
to two, but we compromised on three,
as I foretold would b9 the cas3,becaus<
there are only thi3e navy-yrrdsir
this country that can construct suet
ships. Each one of them got a ship,
and they, in collusion, agreed as tc
the price they would bid on thos?
ships, and no doubt we are today pay
ing a million dollars bonus or a mil
lion and a half dollars clear pi oG
over and above a reasonable sum foi
their construction.
But the question of armor to put or
these ships was under investigation
by the Naval Committee, and sll w<
could do in this body as to the reduc
tion that should te Had was to put i
off and forbid any contract being lei
out lor armor piate until an invesu
gation by the Secretary of the Navy
The Secretary of the Navy made tha
investigation. It is here. It is fu'
and complete. The Naval Committer
has had this matter under considera
tion during the whole year; we hav<
paid more attention to it than an^
and all else before us; and notwith
standing our ignorance (and I can
fesa we are still ignorant,) we hav
learned enough to know that thes
two companies, instead of competinj
with each other in the manufactur
of armor, sre to day in collusion am
have formed a trust; that they fix thi
price absolutely, without any regan
to justice, without any regard to th
liberal manner in which the Govern
ment has treated them in the pasl
without any regard to the fact tha
the price they have received, amount
ing to about $15,000,000 for plats
they have already manufactured, ba
paid them back fourfold for the e*
penditure they paid out, and that the
hare had large dividends on acoun
of the investment besides.
The theory advanced in this bod
as we heard it discussed here in regar
to the monopolies in the District c
Columbia in the matter of e'tctii
lighting and gas is that Congrass ci
regulate monopolies here, hold thei
down and make them put their pric:
at whatever we please; that weca
control monopolies. I say hei
that the evidence is overwhelming i
this electric-light business and everi
thing else, that instead of our control
ing monopolies, monopolies have lb
Senate in their breeches pockets.
Mr. President, I grow so indignar
when I trace the history of this iniqui
ous business that I am apt to say hars
words, but God knows 1 believe ever
utterance I have mado here is true.
would hate to believe or even to insinu_*
ate that thc?e peonle have their paid
r agents in this Chamber. I would
bate to suppose or susrsct
. Mr. Haw.i07. Mr. President
- The Presiding Otficer. Does the
Senator form South Carolina field to
the Senator from Connecticui?
Mr Haw ley. Does the Senator dare
E to say that, or even dare to insinuate
it?
The Presiding Uincer. uoes toe
Senator from South Carolina yield?
'* Mr. Tillman. I dare say that as far
s as I can see and understand the situation
here I can explain it upon no
other ground except that there must
i- be men here who are the agents of
i- these trusts.
r Mr- Hawley. I say that is a dis!,
graceful slander, unworthy of any
i gentleman.
The Presiding Officer. The Senator
- from South Carolina will proceed,
a Mr. Cullom. And in order.
Mr. Tillman. I might say that none
but the called jaae winces.
Mr. Hawley. If the Senator applies
, that to me I have a very sufficient an?
swer.
1 The Presiding Offier. The Senator
1 from Connecticut must address the
s Chair and be recognized before he can
interrupt a Senator on the floor.
> Mr. Hawley. I beg pardon of the
t Chair.
f The Presiding Officer. Does the
i Senator from South Carolina yield to
) the Senator from Connecticut?
> Mr. Hawley. If the Senator adt
dresses 8ny language of that kind to
me, I have a sufficient answer.
[ The Presiding Officsr. The Senator
* j x 1. ?*:i u**
must not prcceeu i j speau. uuui no ia
recognized by the Chair.
- Mr. Hawley. I accept the rebuke,
j Mr. Tillman. I said I would feel
; ashamed to even insinuate that there
i were men here who are so lost to their
? duties to the men who sent them here
and to the States they represent as to
i be e uilty of this, but I am bound to
i put two together. I am compelled,
> as an honest man, to speak what I be
lieve to be true, and so help me Gcd,
unless this b8 true, then I can not explain
it upon any other hypothesis.
Mr. President, to go on with the
Question as to the Government going
; into business, who conducts this vast
- and complex machine of handling the
) mails, a business ramifying into the
remotest corners of this country, coveri
ing every State and county and ham?
Jet, a monopoly created by the Govern:
ment and made self-sustaining almost
in spite of the facts brought out here
t and notorious to everybody that every ;
thing else has gone down in the last
twenty years except the compensation
i of these corporations for transy jrtiag
i the mails? The cost of manufacturing
steel rails is one-half what it was fifteen
years ago, when these contracts
were begun, or ten years ago. Everything
now, almost, is reduced by reason
of the shrinkage in the volume of
money; yet the armor-plate trust,
created by the money of the Govern
ment, acknowledged by the Secretary
of the Navy to be a trust, is to have its
hands thrust deep into the coffer3 of
the Treasury, into the pockets of the
people, and when I get up here and
try to expose their iniquities and proclaim
my belief that there is dishonesty
in it?fraud, peculation?I am
twiited. I do not want to say anything
harsh. God knows I have got enough
vitriol in me now, and I could let out
a heap of it. I will try to go on with
the question.
On what do I base these charges?
Here is the conclusion of the Secretary
of the Navy, as to his belief that there
is a trust in the manufacture of armor,
wnich I will ask the Secretary to read.
The Presiding Officer. The Secretary
will read as indicated.
waa/I am #/%! ) r\ ttt O
I luo ucuicitti v icau no iv/uund.
During the debate ia the Senate
> upon the armor question at the last
> cession of Congress, one question disj
cussed was whether there was an un[
derstandingor agreement among ar
mor manufacturers throughout the
t world to keep up prices. This was one
i of the questions I inquired about upon
i my recent trip to England and France.
If there be any such understanding it
r is of course impossible to prove it un
less some one of those to whom tne
. secret has been confided should betray
his trust. My impression is that there
is and has been for some time at the
- least a friendly understanding among
, armor contractors both in Europe and
t America as to the prices to be charged
, for armor. This impression I find
3 prevails abroad, certainly among some
i of the parsons who have inquired into
l the subject.
, Without undertaking in any man>
ner to justify such combinations,
5 there are reasons that would natural
- ijr muuuu aiuiur tuuuaubuio ?r^*v?w
- among themselves as to the prices to
t be charged to th?;? own government,
f and also with armor makers abroad as
to the pric23 at which armor is to be
i furnished to countries which do not
t manufactuie it.
3 Mr. Tiliman. Here we have the
- representative of the Government in
t We conirol of the Navy Department,
t the man chargrd last winter by this
Congress with the duty of investigat.
ing this question, and who has done
t itlully and thoroughly,proclaiming
j his I: Brief in a combination, and yet
b he has acted so libsrally that after ar
riving at such a conclusion he allows
b ihem 50 per cent profit in order to
j make the price $400." .
What other business in this country,
- except that of those conducted by
e trusts and monopolies, now earns 50
e por cent, or 30 t ir cent, or 20 per cent,
r or 10 per cent? Why are thes9 mile
lionaires to be.'given 50 par.rsnt profit
i after we have created the factories and
b presented them to them? Why, I ask,
[1 unless, as I riid, it b j because they
e have their "friends" in this Chambar?
But there is another phase of this
armor business that is even blacker
it than this. In 1894 a big compliment
was made through the newspapers, a
is furore croated as to frauds in armor
? plale. The charges wera that the
! Carnegies were not complying with
y their contract even at the high price
it we were paying them, $650 a ton; that
they ware putting off on us spongy
y material, rotten material, antempered
d material, as armor plite at that price.
>f The Naval Committee at the other end
ic of the Capitol got a resolution through
n that body instructing i's committee to
n investigate these questions. They sent
:s for the manufacturers themselves,
a They did not go out in the highways
e and byways and look up this informer
n or that spy, and men who had been
j- turned off by the company; but they
1- for the supenntendant and the manaie
ger of the Carnegie Works and the
others connected with tne manufacit
ture of those plates and asked them
t- questions, took their own admissions,
h brought in no other testimony except
y that which Carnegie's men themselves
1 made; and what did they report?
Ilere are the charges made against the
company, which were admitted by
the agents of the company who appeared
as witnesses before the com- (
mittee. I want the Secretary to read
it.
The Presiding Officer. The Secrstarv
will read as requested.
Mr. Tillman. Now, gentlemen,
those of you who do not feel so thinskined,
who know you are honest,
who feel that you are the agent only of i
the S'ate which you represent, please
listen.
The Secretary read as follows:
THE CHARGES AGAINST THE COMPANY.
First. The plates did not receive the t
uniform treatment required by the
specifications of the contracts- In c
many cases the treatment was irregu- c
lar and in other cases it was practical- c
ly inefficient. The specifications of i:
the contract of February 28, 1893, re- a
quired that each plat3 should fca an- p
nealed, oil tempered, and again an- t
nealed, the last process being an an- s
nealing one. t
Second. False reports of the treat- a
ment of the plates were systematically u
made by the government inspectors, ti
This was in violation of paragraph 05 v
of the circular concerning armor plate e
appurtenances,dated January 16,1893, 1(
which was made a part of the con- s
tract. Paragraph 95 says: ii
"The contractor shall state for each
article in writing the exact treatment c
it has received/' 0
The specifications of the contract of 0
November 20, 1890, paragraph 164, 0
says: 0
"A written statement of work and d
contractor's tests to be commenced and tl
in nroe-ress each dav must be furnished a
to the chief inspector." p
Third. No bolts received the double si
treatment provided for in the specifi- ii
cations of either contract. A. report of e
a double treatnieut, however, was tl
made to the government insp:store. t<
Fourth. Specimens taken from the v
plates both before and after treatment u
to ascertain the tensile strength of t(
each plate were stretched without the ii
knowledge of the government inspec- tl
tors, so as to increase their apparent tl
tensile strengtn when actually tested, tl
Fifth. False specimens taken from ii
other plates were substituted for the b
specimens selected by the government a
luopcubuio. u
Sixth. The testing machine was re- ft!
peatedly manipulated by order of the ii
superintendent of the armor plate mill n
so as to increase the apparent tensile tl
strength of the specimens. These e
specimens were juggled in measure- si
ment so as to increase their apparent o
ductility.
Seventh. Various specimens selected n
by the government inspectors were n
retreated without their knowledge b3- t;
fore they were submitted to test. t<
Eighth. Plates selected by the Gov- si
eminent inspectors for ballistic test f<
were re treated with the intention of b
improving their ballistic resistance, b
without the knowledge of the Govern- li
ment inspectors. In one case, at lepst, si
the conclusion is almost irresistible
that the bottom of another plate was d
substituted for the top half of plate A a
619 after it had bsen selected by the si
Government and while awaiting ship tl
ment to Indian Head. Upon this bal- d
listic test a group of plates containing t<
348 tons, valued at about $180,000, wore h
to be accepted or rejected. In three e
cases, at least, the plates selected by the h
Government inspectors were re-treat- b
ed in this manner without their knowl- e
edge. Those ballistic plates represent
ed 779 tons of armor, valued at over i)
$11,000. The groups reoresented by h
these three plates had all been submitted
for premium of $30 per ton if A
they passed a more severe test than
rfmiired for accentance.
fcinth. In violation of the specifi- n
cations of the contract, pipes or shrinking
cavities, erroneously called blow- b
holes, in the plates wera plugged by
the contractors and the defects con- p
cealed from the Government inspect- c
ors. These cavities, in some cases, di- n
mmished the resistance and value of a
the plate. n
Tenth. The inspector's stamp was ^
either duplicated or stolen, and used ^
without the knowledge of the Govern- ,?
ment inspactors. -n
Eleventh. The Government in- 0
spector in inspecting bolt? was de- ^
ceived by means of false templets or a
gauges. t
Mr. Tillman. Mr. President, those e
were the charges, and the testimony c
is there to show that every word of p
them was admitted and coafessed be s
fore a committee of the House of Hap d
resentatives, and that House, without; u
a division?because even the Republicans
over theia dared not face their n
constituents for reelection and fight d
the investigation?passed a resolution v
to have certain plates taken off the s
vessels of the Navy and have them d
put through the necessary test to show d
the frauds and prove them. Mr. Car- a
neige was fined by the Secretary of p
the Navy and. by some hokus-pokur. jc
this glorious President of ours, who, I e
flrd hft t.hnnlrpid props out of DOWer ill I C
two days from now, remitted that fine, a
The thieves were caught; they con- e
fessed that they had robbed the Gov- t<
ernment; the House of Represents.- ii
tives sent to you a resolution to have t
certain plates tested upDn your new C
flavy to prove the frauds which had c
been practiced upon the Government, s
That resoultion came over here and s
went to sleep and died without action, e
and Mr. Carneige sports his steam s
yacht and floats back to Scotland to t
his game preserve, and writes gold- e
bug literature to tell the American t
people how they ought to behave t
themselves. He can come to Con- r
gress and come to the President, and s
get such recognition as he has had.
Why should he not sport steam yachts }
and live in palaces? Why not? He i
can conduct private business; yes; oh, f
yes; but we can not. We can not s
compete with him, b3cause there is c
too much red tape here, too much
eight-hour law, too much this, too ?
much t'other created here by political i
influences to stop the wheels of an 1
honest Administration and to rob the 1
people and make millionaires at the 1
expense of the jaupers, who are grow- c
ing more and more numerous every c
day. Then, when I get up here and c
bring these facts to the attention of ?
the Senate and ask the Senators if 1
they do not propose to convict them- t
selves in the eyes of the people of be- {
ing in collusion with these men, of :
being only their greedy and paid
agents, a Senator gets up here with ?
his thin skin and undertakes to twit J
me with being insulting and slander- 1
ousl f
Why was not that resolution passed '
here and these plates taken otF? Why? ;
Why? Here is a list of the ships of 1
our new Navy?our boasted new '
Navy, the one we love so, and that 1
we pet so. This is only a partial list j
[CONTINUKL> ON PAGE FUUR.J
riainn uttiiit t a Trro
SUM MW LA wo.
JUT THEM OUT AND KEEP THEM FOR
REFERENCE.
lutne More oir the Acts of General Interest
Passed at tli o Ijitei Seeslon of the General
AaaonAly.
k.n Act to authorize the deposit of
money in proceedings in the Courts
of this State as security in lieu of
bonds and undertakings.
Be it enacted by the General Assemily
of the State of South Carolina:
Section 1. That whenever in any
ivil or criminal proceedings in any
e .u. L * *U;. *r\
ii luo v/uuna ui tma outiu a uuuu, toognizance
or undertaking is authorzed
or required to be given, it shall
,nd may be lawful for the party or
larties authorized or required to give
he same to depost in lieu thereof a
um of money, in lawful money ol
he United States of America equal in
mount to the bond, recognizance or
mde; taking so required or authorised
o b9 given; and such sum of money,
rhen deposited as in this Act providd,
shall be held and taken as equivajnt
in all respects to the giving of
uch bond, recognizance or undertak
ogSection
2. Whenever such bond, reognizance
or undertaking is requited
r authorized to be given m any ci vil
r criminal proceedings in the Courts
f Common Pleas or General Sessions
f this State, the said sum of money
eposited in lieu thereof shall bo paid to
b.e clerk of the Court o f Common Pleas
nd General Sessions in wnich said
rcceading is pending; and whenever
uch bond, recognizance or underfcikig
is authorized or required to be givn
in the Supreme Courl; of this State,
:ie said sum of money shall be paid
:> the clerk of the Supreme Court, and
whenever such bond, recognizance of
ndertakiner is authorized or required
> be given in any civil proceedigs
in the Probate Courts of this State,
:ie said sum of money shall be paid l.o
:ie Judge of the Court of Probate for
:te county in which the said proceed3g
is pending; and whenever such
ond, recognizance or undertakin g is
uthorized or required i;o be given :.n
ny civil or criminal proceeding; in a
[agistrate's Court or other Court of
lferior jurisdiction, Much sum of
aoney shall be paid to the cleric of
tie Court of Common Pleas and Genral
sessions for the county in which
uch Magistrate's Court or other Cou rt
f inferior jurisdiction uhall be.
Section 3. Whenever any sum of
lonev is so deposited in lieuof a bond,
ecognizance or undertaking the p?,ry
depositing the same shall be entitl ed
) a receipt therefor, stating that the
ime has b?en deposited, and is held
jr the same purpose as would ha7e
een specified and conditioned in the
ond. recognizance or undertaking in
ieu whereof the the sum of money is
[i deposited.
Section 4. The pariy or parties *so
epositing a sum of money in lieu of
bond, recognizance or undertakirg,
ball be entitled upon application to
no respective Courts" wherein such
??nnaif<5 hnirA hnon mfldfl. and SublfJfit
wrwv"M w y u ?
) the order of which such funds fira
eld, to receive back the same whtmver
the purpose for which the same
ave been received and deposited have
een accomplished and the parties are
utitled to repayment thereof.
Section 5. All acts and psj*ts of acts
^consistent herewith or contradictory
oreof are hereby repsaled.
Approved the 17th day of February,
l. D. 1897.
An act to prohibit trusts ana combination
and provide penalti<!3.
Be it enacted by the General Assemly
of the State of South Carolina:
Section 1. That from and after the
assage of this act, all arrangement'!,
ontracts, agreements, trusli or combiations
between two or more persons
s individuals, firms or corporations,
lade with a view to lesson, or which
ands to lesson, full and frue companion
in the importation or sale of artiles
imported into this Stats, or in the
aanufacture or sale of articles of doaestic
growth or of domestic raw maerial,
and all arrangements, contracts
grcements,trusts or combinations beween
persons or corporations design
d or which tend to advance, reduce
r control the price or the cost to the
iroduceror to the consumer of any
uch product or article, are hereby
cclared to be cgainst public policy,
:nlawful and void.
Section 2. Whenever complaint is
aade upon sufficient affidavit orafliavits
shoving a prima fasie case of
iolation of the provisions of the first
ection of this act by any corporation,
ome3P.c or foreign, it shall be the
uty of the Attorney General to begin
n action against such domestic cor
'oration to forfeit its charter, and in
ase such violation shall be establishd
the court shall adjudge the charter
il ou^u uui ^'uiaiivu bvs vv * vi.
nd such corporation shall ba dissolvd,
and its chart9r shall cease and dopamine
;ind in the case of such showQg
as to a foreign corporation an acion
shall be begun by the Attorney
General in said court against such
orporation to determine the truth of
uch charge; and in cese such oharge
hall be considered established, the
tfectof the judgment of the Court
hall b a to deny to such corporation
he recognition of its corporate existnce
in any court of law or equity in
his State. But nothing in tnis secion
shall be construed to effect auy
ight of action then existing against
uch corporation.
Section 3. Any violation of the provision
of this Act shall ba deemed and
s hereby declared to be destructive of
uH and free competition and a conpiracy
against trade, and any person
parsons who may engage in any I
uch conspiracy,or who shall, as prin:ipal,
manager, director or agent, or
u any other capacity, knowingly c*r*
y out any of the stipulations, pur3S2S,
prices, rate3 or orders made in
urtheranea of such conspiracy, shall
>q convlclion be punisht 1 by a line
if not less than onehnndreJ dollatj
>r more than live thousand dollars,
md by imprisonment in the Peniteniary
not ler.3 than six months or more
hau ten yeai\j, or in the judgment of
'ie Court by either such fine or such
nprisonment.
Section 4. That puy person or perons
or captation that may ba inured
or damaged by any such arrangenent,
contract, aglament, trustor
Dmbination described in S.ction 1 of
uis Act, may suo for and recover, in
: ay Court of compatent jurisdiction,
'io full consideration or sum paid by
:dm or them for any goods, wau's,
merchandise or articles the sale of
which is controlled by such combination
or tiust. '
'Section 5. That any and all persons
may be compellable to testify in any
action or prosecution under this Act:
Provided, that such testimony shall
not be used in any other action or
prosecution against such witness or
witnesses', and such witness or witnesses
shall forever be exempt from
any prosecution for the act or acts
concerning which he or they lestify. <
Section 6. Nothing contained in this
Act shall be taken or construed to apply
to any person or persons acting in
tho discharge of official duties under
the laws of this State.
Section 7. All^cts in conllict with
this Act be, and the same are hereby,
repealed.
Approved the 25th February, A. D.
1897.
An Act to require all common carri- ,
ers to pay all loss of or damages for
loss, damage and breakerage of any (
articles shipped over their lines or <
to refuse to do so wilhin a cettain ,
time. ;
. Be it enactcd by the General A??sem- ;
bly of the State of South Carolina: i
Section 1. That from and after the
approval of this Act all common car- i
riers doing business in the State shall :
be required to pay for or refuse to pay j
for all loss, breakage or damage from ?
breakage, damage or loss of articles i
shipped over the lines of said com- ;
mon carriers within sixty days from
the time the claim for the said articles
so lost, broken or damaged shall be
made. _
Section 3. That in case tne saia
common carrier shall not pay or refuse
to pay said claim for said loss, ,
breakage or damage as set out in Section
1 of this Act within the sixty days
therain provided for, then the said
common carrier shall be liable for the
the sum of fifty dollars for each of- ,
fence as penalty, in addition to the ;
amount of said loss or damage, to be ,
collected by the claimant in any Court
having jurisdiction of the same.
Section 4. All acts or parts of acts J
, inconsistent with this Act be, and the ;
same are hereby, repealed.
Approved the 25th day of February,
A. D., 1897.
An Act to facilitate the settlement or
estates of testators.
Ba it enacted By the General & ssembly
of the State of South Carolina:
Section 1. If after the expiration of {
two years from the time when any J
legacy becomes due and payable under
any will or testament it shall be made
to appear, to the satisfaction of the ;
Judge of the Court of Probate by
whom letters testamentary were grant*
edthat the executor or executors ofsuch (
will or testament is or are unable to '
ascertain the whereabouts of any legatee
under such legament, or to ascertain
whether such legatee or devisee (
be dead or not, it shail be lawful for '
the executor or executors to pay over ,
to the Judge of Probate the amount '
of the legacy of such legatee and any ,
interest that may be legally due there- '
on, and such payment of the amount
of such legacy to the Judge of said ,
Probate Court shall be a full and complete
discbarge to the executor or executors.
The eaid amount so paid to '
the Judge of the said Court of Probate ,
shall be protected by his official bond '
and shall b3 held by such C?urt of
Probate for such legatee, subject to
the order of such Probate Court or of
any other Court of competent juris
uicuon.
Aoproved the 25th day of February,
1897..
Five Children Burned.
De8 Moines, Ia., March 25.-*Five
children of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Penrod
at Laddsdale, a mining town on
the Wap3lJo and Davis county line,
were burned to death last night.
Three vere cremated and two died a
few hours later. They are: Harry, 1
aged 10; John, aged 8; Minerva, aged
6; Ross, aged 4; Blaine, aged 3. The '
???? iU/v AU?1/)mavi fVto nl/locf
purouis Ul tULC 1/LliiUXOU fcuuiv. uuu UXUN.UH
child of the family, a son aged 12, and :
a baby in the arms of its mother, and
went to a religious meeting, having I
first put the other five children to bed.
About 9 o'clock an alarm of fira wss
given and Penrod rushed out with the
other occupants of the school house,
to find his house in flames. It was
impossible to enter the hous3, as it !
was crumbling when Penrod rsaohed
it. The children's beds were by the
window, however, and Penrci burst
nrin^Anr Q?r1 Oil f?/?0 1T1
bUO TTlUUVn V{/VU MUV? ??
pulling the 8 year and 4 year old 1
boys out, horribly burning himself in !
the attempt. The two never regained
consciousness and died in a short time. 1
The others wore burned until ODly a
few bones were lound in the debrs of 1
the house. The coroner's inquest
threw no light on the origin of the
fire.
Free Sliver RopubllcanH.
Lincoln, Neb., March 25.?A. new
political party was launched in Nebraska
today. It is composed of members
who Jaave heretofore affiliated
with the Republicans but last November
voted for W. J. Bryan for President
on the currency question alone.
The convention which met in Lincoln
this afternoon was not lagely attended.
nVini.lac Wi-incfAi? a mftmhftr r>f the
lower house of the legislature, was
made chairman. The present name
Free Silver Republicans of Nebraska
was retained. Judge D. D. Gregory
of Omaha was made the Nebraska
member of the national committee and
a State organization was effected. Six
congressional district committeemen
were also selected and arrangements
perfected for carrying on an active
campaign. Contrary to expsctations,
Mr. Bryan was not present.
Wrock Near Augusta.
Augusta, March 24.?John Evving,
fireman ol the pa?39nger train on the
South Carolina and Georgia railroad,
was killed in a collision acrors the
river from Augusta this afternoon.
Ewing was fireman on the incoming
passenger train. A shifting engine
was standing on the siding at Hamburg.
The switch was open and the
passenger engine dashed in. Evving
attempted to jump, but was crught as
the two engines clashei. E king's
lego were mashed off and ho wes
brought to the hospital here, but died
at 7 o'clock. Tnc accident happned
to the 4:30 lo:al train betwean Aiken
and Augusta. W. P. Pe'ier, of
Chariest Dn, and H. Madden, of
Augusta, prssengeu weia bally
brukzd, and Braseman li.aves was
sJ'ghtly injured.?State.
JouiualidtH Visit the President.
Washington, March 23.?President
Mclvinley to day gave a reception to
the newspaper correspondents st ilioned
in Washington and the representatives
of the local press. Although it
was a busy day in Congrtes, at least
150 representatives ot the leading
newspapers of the country were present.
AN ARMY OF EMPLOYES.
The United States Has a Mammoth Fay
Roll to Foot.
The civil service commission has
prepared a report, which has been
presented to Congress, and will be issued
in a few dajs, showing that
there are 178,717 people in the employ
of Unci? Samuel, not including those
in the military and naval service, and
that they receive as compensation for
their services annually the enormous ?
sum of $99,5S9,827. Of the total num- 1
ber of persons employed in the civil '
service 91,609 are unclassified and are ;
not subject to examinations forap l'
pointment. The total number in the '
classified service, who cannot be dis- J
charged without gocd cause and can
not be appointed without competitive
examination, is 87,108. Of the clas- 1
sified service 4,120 are examining surgeons
for pensions. The remainder 1
are divided by salaries as follows: s
$720 or less .19,745 |
1810 or less..... 8,617 i
$900 or less...... 1,666 >
$1,000 or less 10,605 1
$1,200 or less 18,179 <
$1,400 or less 6,770 ]
SI. 600 or less 4 701 <
$1,800 or less 4,701 i
$2,000 or less 1,570 1
$2,500 or les3 1,131 <
More than $2,500..... 510 '
The unclassified service consists of '
65,725 fourth-class postmasters, 8,850 j
laborers, 5,570 persons whose salaries '
average less than $300 annually, 4,230 <
clerks in second, third and fourth-class {
postofDces, 2,061 Indians and 4,818
persons.whose appointments are confirmed
by the Senate. In addition to J
these are private secretaries and confi
dential clerks, cashiers in customs '
and pcstoffices, deputy collectors of '
customs and internal revenue, deputy 1
postmasters, marshals, attorney s and '
Qcoicioyif o ffnwr? ottp amrtlnTTfiQ 1*1 t Vl P '
ubbv/i uwjr O ^ oui|iiv/jva &u ?uv
quartermaster's department of the ]
army, custodians of military reserva- <
tions, clerks in Congress in the liber- 1
ality of Congress, commissioners of <
various kinds, special agents, superin- 1
tendents of national cemeteries, etc., j
amounting in all to about 700.
The following table shows the di s
vision of the employes of the govern- 1
rnsnt under the various departments, 1
and the total compensation paid to '
each department:
Executive office, 21, $35,200. * !
Civil service commission, 62, $19,- 1
340. j
State Department, 122, $144,980.
fT?/>nni?mtt 'HanAwfman f 1 K 1 fiQ
xicaauij i/o^aibui^ut. xv.xvu.
971 227
War Department, 14 967, $9,951,599.62.
' !
Department of justic9, 704, $1,341,- ?
909. j
Pcstoffice Department, 8,465, $8,- !
326.458.38 1
Navy Department, 1,252, $1,322,- ]
399 53. . J
Positions registered under navy de- .
partment regulations, 5,063, $3,835,754.58.
1
Interior Department, 9,713, $8,081,- \
497.07. J
Pension examining surgeons, 4,120,
$638,600.
Department of agriculture, 2,211,
$1,713,565.70.
Department of labaor, 95, $127,320. ,
Commission of fish and fisheries, ,
183, $180,440.
Interstate commerce commission.
142 $195,020.
Smithsonian Institution, 292, $243,
716.16.
Library of Congress, 39, $51,720. ,J
Superintendent State, War and ,
Navy building, 25, $24,920. '
Pcstoffice servics, 104,811, $38,665,- ,
025.10. 1
Government printing service, 2,852,
12,509,830.97.
Custom house service, 5,103, $6,333,027.36.
*
, 1 9QI 45 . 1
iniernai reveuua aci vitj, u,?ujl,
298,266.81. # l
Total executive civil service United 1
States, 178,717, $99,589,827 23.
An Aaaasaln Hanged. |
Centre City, Minn., March 23.? ;
A.t 1 o'clock this morning George Kelly
was hanged in the county jail for
complicity in the murder of Edward
Paul and Jacob Hayes. Kelly's nesk i
was bVoken and he was dead in 10
minutes.. Nine months ago Edward
Paul and Jacob Hayes, youths just i
entering manhood, were shot by one
or two men who attempted to hold up 1
Dr. Burnside Foster of St. Paul, who
* J *'1 * Tha fmn mftll
arrived auer uuuuiguf j.ulw ???**
were George Kelly and Robert Wilson.
Wilson was killed by a pursuing
posse of citizens the following day.
Kelly was tried in October, found
guilty and sentenced to ba hanged.
Didn't Become Law.
The Railroad Commission has received
numerous inquiries as to what
became of the law requiring all passenger
trains to stop at stations where
regular agents are kept. As a matter
of fact the bill was so amended or
emasculated as to defeat the very purpose
for which it was intended and
when it came back to the house from
' *1 ? ? Vvtt
the senate u was su uuaugcu uj
amendments that its author, Mr. Walling,
of Fairfield, didn't know his own
bill and said he would rather have
none than that one as it stood. Hence
it was never pushed and didn't become
law.
The Bermuda Cleared.
Washington, March 2o.?The Secretary
of the Tre?sury has authorised
the Collector of Custom* at Fernandina,
Fla., to issue clearance to the suspected
filibuster Bermuda now at that
port. These instruciion were issued
upon receipt of an affidavit made by
the captain of the Bermuda pledging
himself not to attempt to enter any
Cuban port, or to take on men or
arms to b3 transferred to another vessel
on the high seas, or to do any other
act in violation of the laws of the
United States.
No New Tragedy.
Washington. March 25.?New York
papers contain the statement that the
boat belonging to the wrecked steamer
St. Nazaire, which was picked up by
the steamer Creole, is the same one
from whicti Captain Berri and his
three companions were rescued by the
schooner Hilda. The Captain says he
left 0 bodies in the boat. That was the
number of corpses that lloated out of
the boat when it was hoistcJ out of
the water. It was ooat No. 3 and that
was Capt. Bcrri's boat, so that the Creole's
find disclosed no now tragedy.
Two Souls Made Happy.
Washington, March 21.?The President
has nominated Bernard Bettman
of Ohio, to be Collector of Internal
Revenue for the lirst district of Ohio;
and Chester H. Brush of Connecticut,
to be Recorder of the General land
Ollice.
A SHOCKING TRAGEDY.
SOLICITOR THURMOND SHOOTS MR.
W. G. HARRIS.
Ooe Deadly Ballet?The Well- Known Sale*
man of the Murray Drag Company?Butv
One Eye Witness.
Edgefield, March 24.?A sad and
unfortunate homicide occurred hero
at 6 o'clock this afternoon. Solicitor
Thurmond shot and killed W. G. Harris,
a drummer for The Murray Drug
company of Columbia, 8* C. Mr.
Harris is a nephew of Collector of Internal
Revenue Townes and sonof W. -i
3-. Harris, a nrnminpmt citi7#n
Edcefield county. *.:J
The trouble, it seems, arose out of
the fact that while Mr. Thurmond
was a membar of the St?te legislature
tie recommended that Governor Evans
appoint a gentleman named Glover as
magistrate instead of Harris, the old
incumbent and father of the deceased.
Since Mr. Thurmond has been solicitor
he has had nothing whatever to
io with recommending applicants for
positions of magistrates, but under
Governor Ellerbe's administration
Mr. Harris, senior, was again an sp
plicant, but Glover, who was appoint-^
id by Governor Evans, was reappointed
by Ellerbe. Mr. W. G. Harris
ieceascd, seemed to think that Solicitor
Thurmond was instrumental in
having it done and about it he accosted
Solicitor Thurmond this afternoon
it about 5 o'clock in the drug store of
W. E. Lynch.
Mr. Harris, it is said, had been
irinking and used very hot language,
rhurmond, to avoid difficulty, left
;he Lynch store and went to his of5ce.
He was there engaged at work
when Mr. Harris parsed by on the
way to his hotel, in company with
Dapt. DuBose, the prpprietor. On
feaching the doorway to Thurmond'a '..
:ffice Harris stopped. Capt. DuBose
walked on a few steps. The subject |
)f former discussion was again brought
lp by Harris, the fatter finally saying
T'U 11 Mivinri A iViof UA Al'li it 1W1A1II1I "1
-u xuuiaiuuu buau uo \xu ui uivuu / '*""3
tias acted like a "G?d d?d dog and
scoundrel," and threw his hand to his |
pocket as if to draw his pistol and > j
placed his foot on Thurmond's door- J
step. Thereupon Thurmond fired
from where he was sitting. Harris j
staggered backwards and fell upon J
the sidewalk. He got up and walked -J
a few paces, when he fell dead. The J
ball entered from the front just below J
the shirt stud and passed into the oav- 1
ity of the heart. I
A jury of inquest has been summon- 3
3d, and, after viewing the body ad- i
journed until tomorrow. Great re- I
a;ret is felt here over the occurrence.
Solicitor Thurmond was never known I
to have had any trouble before and is |
regarded by everybody as a peaceful
?nd law abiding citizen. He surraniered
himself and is now in jaiL He i
is completely overcome by his misfortune.
He has retained Messrs. Croft
& Tillman and N. G. Evans to defend
torn.?State.
verdict of the jury. - ,
Edgefield, March 25.?At the coroner's
inquest todaf, Capt. D. S. Da- i
Bose, the only eye-witness to the kill- '
ing, testified that when Will Harris. - ?:
nrhr? wo? nn thft ntrfifit denounced .
Thurmond as a dirty scoundrel, Thar
raond, from his office door, shot H*r
ris, who never spoke, but died in five
minutes.
The jury of inquest found that Will H
Harris came to hLs death by a gunshot
wound at the hands of J. William H
rhurmond. Capt. DuBose, who was H
3nly a few feet from Harris, testified A
that Harris was not armed. flH
Seven Handred Were Masaacred. 'JjflB
Constantinople,* March 25.?Fur
therand probably more accurate as- h
tails of the recent massacres of Ar- B
menians at Tokat in the Sivas district fl|
of Anatolia have been received at thfl H
Armenian patriarchate here. 'The first H
report of the affair was issued by the H
government. This declared that 15 H
Armenians and three Mussulman* H
had been killed. Little reliance was |H
placed in the report, for the officials H|
have always made it a rule to under- |H
stand the number of persons killed in
" T.afnr l'wfnwni.
mo vnauuj uuuabim
tion was received at the einbaadar^|
showing that fully 100 defencleas Armenians
had fallen victims to the fury
of the Moslems at Tokat and this num- Ml
ber it was thought was probably cor*
rect. The news received today at the
patriarchate shows that both statements
were incorrect and that the number
of victims was fully 700. Itwaa^H
stated today that these figures wuv^b
obtained from reliable persons andSH
that the number of victims is with-^O
out doubt correct.
Wood to Barn. J^H
Columbia, S. C., March 24.?
spark from an engine on the ColuolflB
bia and Greenville railroad set fire onfl
Sunday afternoon last to 400 cordsoJ^H
wood belonging to Mr. J. CaldwelJ^^B
Robertson. It was stacked near th^^H
in mai. nf Elmwood cemeterj^Hl
and was ready for shipment. Th^^H
wood had been split for sometime an^^H
was dry and inflammable. The sparlj^H
quickly ignited it and the fire burne<flH
steadily until the last vestige of fuei^^H
was consumed. The remoteness
the place kept the flames from bein^^H
discovered and likewise from doinfl^O
any greater damage. There was lito^^R
ally nothing else to burn. Mr.
ertson had sometime before sold th^^H
wood to the penitentiary and it ha^HH
been left there unlil a conveniea^^B
time to remove it. A claim for tl^^H
loss will, of course, be filod jigain^^^H
the railroad by the penitentiary
tlioritics.?State. SMI
Sharp Earthquake.
Malone, N. Y., March 23.?
about G:05 this evening there w&s^JH
heavy earthquake shock here, staflHI
ing with a sudden boom like an exp^^^J
sion, and reverberating with a grin^^^f
ing motion for some seconds.
seemed to travel from southeast BUM
northwest. People were alarmed
a moment but no damage was doi^^^H
Montreal, March 23.?A hea^^^J
shock of earthquake shook the
of this city this evening and cau^^^H
great consternation. Large buildii^^^H
shook like reeds and thire was a g^^^H
eral rush of the inmates for the do<^H9
So far no damage has oeen reporifl^B
Dispatches from various points in t^^^H
province and from eastern Ontario
port similar shocks, bat without
damage of consequence.
Cheated the Gallows.
Houston. Tex., March 24.?
Blanther, the alleged murderer^^^B
Mrs. Langfeldt. died last night in^^HH
Meridian ja'l from the effects of
on swallowed Saturday with suic^^^H