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Abbeville Press and Banner j *rso ABBEVILLE, S. C., WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 1916. established a year. ' _ ' ' . 1s44 VOTERS 10 CHOOSE" DELEGATES SOON county Conventions assemble in various county seats on may 1. Columbia, April 10.?Special: In with the Drimarv law passed by the General Assembly at its session in 1915 the Democratic voters of South Carolina will meet in their respective club places on or before the fourth Saturday in April and elect delegates to the county conventions, which assemble in the various county seats on the first Monday on May. The clubs will elect officers and one delegate to the County Convention for every twenty-five voters or majority fraction thereof, based upon the number of votes polled in the first primary of 1914. The clubs will also elect a member to represent them on the county Democratic executive committee. . The rules governing the Democratic party as drawn up at the State Convention in 1914 were enacted into law at the session of the General Assembly in 1915. This puts it beyond the power of the coming State Convention to amend or modify the existing provisions of the present rules and regulations of the party. However, it does not preclude adopting additional rules and regulations which are not in conflict with the : statute law. Principal Feature*. The principal features of the law governing organization of the clubs for the primaries every two years provide that each voter must sign las full name on the club rolls. The posonal enrollment provision is considered one of the strongest safe guards of the primary, and although its adoption created strong opposition, it is now an accepted principle of the party and its wisdom was justified in its workings two years ago. ! The county convention will meet ; at noon on the first Monday in May at the various county seats and or- i ganize, elect the county chairman, choose delegates to the State Conven- ! tion and elect a member of the State j Democratic executive committee. The ; county conventions will also transact soch other matters as might be of i interest to the various counties. Each county is entitled to twice as many delegates as it has representa- 1 tion in the General Asembly. 1 The Democratic State Convention ; -will meet in the hall of the House of < Representatives at noon on Wednes- i day, May 17. It will be called to order by John Gary Evans, chairman | of Ike State Democratic executive : committee. The Convention will be ; composed of 336 delegates. Business of Convention. The main business before the Con- , ention will be the election of four , delegates at laree to the National Democratic Convention in St. Louis, . the election of a member of the Na- J tion&F Democratic executive commit- , tee, a position now held by United States Senator B. R. Tillman, the J election of a State chairman, now j heM by former Governor John Gary Evans, and the making of such rules ] and regulations governing the party primaries and the conduct *of the campaign as it may see fit. The delegates from the various Congressional districts will caucus during the day and elect two delegates from each district to the St. Lotris Convention. This will give South Carolina 18 votes in the national Democratic gathering. The fight to abolish the county-tocounty canvass of the candidates will be one of the main struggles to come before the State Convention. If the canvass is -not abolished there is every reason that it will be safeguarded and amended. i Complexion of "Big Four." The complexion of the "Big Four" to St. Louis is beginning to attract some attention. It is customary to send the two United States Senators and the Governor. The names of Sen ators Tillman and Smith, Governor' Manning, former Governor John Gary Evans, State Warehouse Commissioner John L. McLaurin, former Governor Cole L. Blease, Christie Benet, Senator Allan Johnstone, Congressman Lever, R. Goodwyn Rhett?, of Charleston, president of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States; Solicitor Robert A. Cooper, | former Governor M. F. Ansel, are among those mentioned for the delegates at large to the National Democratic Convention. South Carolina will undoubtedly instract for President Woodrow Wilson and his administration will be heartily endorsed by the Palmetto Democrats. As this was one of the original Wilson States the South Carolina Democrats will be given a place of honor at St. Louis. With the club meetings only two weeks off general apathy on the part, of the people is the outstanding fea+r"-i n-f +J10 crpnArnl situation. The indifference has never been more noticeable, and it seems now as if the organization of the clubs and the conventions will be purely formal affairs and there will be an entire avoidance of anything like factional contests or partisan proceedings. COX FOR CORONER. ) J. C. Cox is an announced candidate for the office of Coroner. Mr. Cox is a man of intelligence and experience in legal matters and would make a first class officer. GERMANS PRESS * FRENCH HARD FRENCH LINES STAND SAVAGE Li DRIVES; ONLY 500 YARDS I YIELDED. Washington, April 10.?In a desperate struggle for possession Dead to Man:s hill the French lines were pen- nc etrated last night for a distance of fo about 5UU yards in tne vicinity u? m the height. Paris anounced this to- la day in reporting a battle which raged hi in the Verdun region along a thir- sp tee?i-mile front north of the strong-,jo hold. | C< Elsewhere the French lines stood of the test of the savage attacks of the nv Germans who are bringing notably di heavy forces to bear in an effort to m breaK the new French line west of fa the Meuse, just straightened out by di the abandonment of the Bethincourt hi salient. Last night's battle front ran from re Hill No. 304 west of the Meuse and S< on across the river to Fort Douau-1 a mont, northeast of the fortress. The m results on the east bank of the river j a were favorable to the French, Paris! ca asserts, the Germans winning no ap-jyx preciable advantage. ' j R. The British are preparing for a ' a new advance in Mesopotamia where ar the relief force on the Tigris is grad- j th ually approaching closer to Kut-el- . f0 Amar and General Townsend's beleaguered garrison, according to the wi British official report. Improved to weather and a cessation of the rise ar of the Tigris are reported, making ye conditions more favorable for the a operations. ar be Germans Are Successful pe On a Front of 500 Yards be Paris, April 10?The Germans con- ?* tinued their attacks last night in the re Verdun region east and west of the Meuse, over a front tftirteen miies long, from Hill No. 304 to Fort Douaumont. is The war office announcement to- M day says that in the fighting west of hi the river for possession of Dead bs Man's hill, the Germans were re- y? puised except for a front of 500 th yards near Hill No. 295. East of the ty river the German assaults gained no bs appreciable results. I of The statement follows: co ''West of the river Meuse bombardments continued violently last ot night. It was particularly directed G< against Hill No. 304. The attack J. delivered by the enemy yesterday w< evening against Le Mort Homme sh (Dead Man's Hill), and which was m, generally speaking, repulsed, with _ important losses to our adversaries, made it possible for the Germans to j penetrate our advanced trench at I Hill No. 295 along a front of about I 500 yards. We took about 100 pris- I oners. I_ * ?.ast of the Meuse there was very spirited lighting last night in the little wood of Fontaine St. Martin, east of Bacherauville. We have made progress in the communicating trenches of the enemy south of the vil- r, lage of Douaumont. to "In the Woevre district there has been bombardment of the villages in V. the foot hills of the Meuse heights. , "It has been confirmed that the day of April 9 in the region of Verdun was marked by the first general offensive movement in which the forces of the enemy attacked over a nf mnre than 20 kilometres, dc (13 miles.) Our adversaries, who ve have not achieved any result com- C< mensurate to their effort, suffered be losses, the extent of which are evi- Pc denccd by the bodies piled up in|^a front of our lines. "There has been no occurrence of ^ importance on the remainder of the front." ANARCHISTS HAD PLAN TO KILL. ALL THE CROWNHEADS OF W EUROPE. tr Fi Chicago, April 7.?Existence of of an international anarchistic plot to jj8 assassinate all rulers of Europe has fu been discovered here according to a formal statement issued today by n -- - " j -i-t_ _ij.?. Maclay tioyne, staie s anumcji iw . Cook county. The information given to the state's ]jf attorney is expected to be turned! gS over to federal authorities. W( The prosecutor said his informant W( intimated that secret meetings had re been held in New York at or about th the time of the Chicago meeting. Qi According to the state's attorney the plot was known to anarchists in . various cities in America as well as in Europe. One man from each city was believed to have been delegated to the work of asssassination. so Mr. Hoyne said a written statement c] had been made to him by an anar- jn chist baring the details of the alleged a plot. se Officials said the headquarters of w the band of conspirators was in the T1 down town district here and that w there were branches in other cities. gI According to Mr. Hoyne's informant the Mundelein banquet poisoning was planned by the group which sought the death of the European rulers. APRIL BLIZZARD. 5$ H Malone, N. Y., April 7.?Northern se New York is in the grip of an April w blizzard. Five inches of snow fell is during the night. It was still snow- ai ing today, with a strong northwest sh wind causing drifts. m IEW CANDIDATES IN IDE RDNNi \TEST ADDITIONS TO LINE-U) N 8TH CIRCUIT AND 3RD CON GRESSIONAL DISTRICT. A. H. Dagnall, Esq., a leading at rney of the Anderson bar, is an >unced in this paper as a candidat r Congress. Mr. Dagnall is ; an of parts. He is a first clas wyer. He has made a success ii s profession. He is a good publi eaker, and he knows how to tell ; ke. He graduated from Woffon )llege, we believe. He is a soi Rev. R. R. Dagnall, one of th ost beloved ministers of the Metho st church, in his day. A grea any people of the county knew hi ther, and a good many know can date Dagnall. and those who kno\ m are his friends. Mr. Homer S. Blackwell, of Lau ns, is announced as a candidate fo )licitor. Mr. Blackwell has bee; member of the Laurens bar for imber of years, and has enjoyei good practice there. He was edu ted at Erskine College, where h aduated. He is a son of Thoma Rlo^lmrAH nf TillP West. He i young man of ability and promis id in due time will make known t e people of the county his reason r asking their votes. Mr. T. Frank McCord, of Green ood, is also a candidate for Solici r. Mr. McCord is a young mar id has been at the bar only a fe^ sars, but in that time he has takei good stand. He is an industriou id painstaking lawyer. He reall :longs to Abbeville county. Hi iople for several generations hav slonged to the substantial citizen ' this county. He still has man; latives here, though most of ther ere taken by Greenwood count; Ken it was formed. Mr. B. V. Chapman, of Newberrs another candidate for Solicitoi r. Chapman is also a young mar it he stands high at the Newberr; tr, where he has practiced for som sars. He is at present a member o e legislature from Newberry coun , having been elected on the firs illot by a good majority over som ' the strongest men in Newberr; unty. From these candidates and th her candidates announced, Messrs so. T. Magill, of Greenwood, am Howard Moore, of Abbeville, i juld appear that the eighth circui ould be able to select a first clas an for Solicitor. About and Arou DOTE IN COLUMBIA. Dote Smith went to Columbia las ?ek to appear before the pardoi iard in behalf of Ben Ashwortli hile in Columbia Dote called 01 jvernor Manning, and was ver cor ally received and made to feel a me. OPENS COURT. Chief Justice Eugene B. Gary wen iwa to Columbia Monday to cor ne the Spring term of the Suprem jurt. Among the cases which wil t heard are two of considerable im irtance: the McCormick Count; se, and The Paris Mountain Wate jmpany case. These two case ill be heard by the Court en banc. AN ATTRACTIVE VISITOR. Vonnodv nf the Du lUias iuax jr , eSt schools, was one of the attrac /e visitors to Abbeville during th eld's Day exercises. Miss Kenne r handles the primary departmen the Due West Graded School am is proved one of the most success il teachers of the county. rO ATLANTA IN AUTOMOBILE. Dr. and Mrs. J. Irwin Gilmer am ;tle daughter, Dorothy, Miss Mai iret McCord and Mr. Guy Gillelam 4 Ll *? loo ent over to Auania one u?,y eek, took in the sights of the cit; turning the next day. They mad e trip through the country in Mi illeland's car. 'RESBYTERY TO MEET HERE. The Second Presbytery of the As ciate Reformed Presbyteriai lurch will hold its November meet g in Abbeville, at the local churcli bout forty-five delegates from th veral churches of this Presbyter; ill be in attendance at the meeting tie Second Presbytery include estern South Carolina and th eater part of Georgia. MR. HARRIS MANAGER. John A. Harris has been appointe r the Gulf Refining Company a anager of its business here. Mi arris will carry a full line of kerc >ne, gasoline, greases and oils an ill be glad to serve the public. H a young man of pleasing manne id good business judgment an lould make the Gulf Co. a goo anager. VERMILLION CASE I OFMUCHINTE8EST P WHETHER COLLEGE IS CHARITABLE INSTITUTION IS ISSUE IN &JEW TRIAL. A good deal of interest has been " shown in the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of Vermillion vs. s Woman's College of Due West, and n it has been stated in two or three c papers, including The Medium, that a the court had held that the college d is not a charitable institution, and is n therefore liable in tort for the e wrongful or negligent acts of its i- agents and servants. The reports t are in some respects incorrect. s The Vermillion case was tried at - Abbeville in the fall of 1914, and v at the conclusion of the testimony for the plaintiff, Judge Sease granted a non-suit on the ground r that the defendant is a charitable n institution and not liable for the * negligence of its servants.. Our d court had held in the Lindler case l" that a charitable institution was not e so liable, and the decision of s Judge Sease was based on that case. s From his decision the appeal was e taken, mainly on two grounds: First, 0 that the testimony offered showed s that the defendant was not a charitable institution; Second, that the Lindler case did not apply for the reason that the ' wrongful acts complained of were * the acts of the corporation itself, and not of its agents, and that the / nrnnmtinn should therefore be lia g ble, even though it was a charitable e corporation, tie plaintiff occupying 3 a different position from the plaintiff y in the Lindler case. n With regard to the second objecy tion, it is overruled, the court saying that it is against public policy , to hold a charitable institution liable .[ in tort for the acts of its agents, servants, trustees, or other parties. y With regard to the first ground, the e court, (Mr. Justice Gage dissenting f and holding the non-suit proper) says i- that it is unable to say from the t charter of the defendant, which is all e the evidence before the court, whethy er the defendant is a charitable ine stitution or not, and the case is sent i. back for trial on this issue. Whether d it is such a charitable institution or ? not, will be determined by the evis dence taken and the law as declared on the trial. nd Abbeville Town PROF. CHEATHAM RE-ELECTED. t At a meeting of the school trusfj tees of this school district on last . Wednesday evening, in the office of *-* " T??* T> n r^^+VioTv. ^ UY? uamoreii, rrui. a* jj? vncobaaui was re-elected as Superintendent of t the schools for another year. The other teachers will be elected very shortly. It is hoped that all the old teachers will apply for re-election. The schools are meeting with great success, and it would be unfortunate t to have a break in the working force. I 5 KNEW WHEN TO LEAVE. L Superintendent Nickles came over r from Greenwood last Friday and was s one of the Judges at the Declamation contest Friday night. He is as wise as he looks for as soon as the decisions were announced he took the train for Greenwood. He is regarded by some people in the county e as a man of dark deeds and he did - not allow the sun to rise on him in e this county. J MR. J. C. MILFORD IMPROVING. Mr. J. C. Milford has returned to his home in Greenville after spending ten days at Mayo Bros, sanitarium in Rochester, Minn. He has been d suffering from a severe stomach - trouble for several months and his d physician advised him to go to Rocht ester for examination. His many y friends in this section will be glad to e learn that he is improving and hopes . to be entirely well again in a very short while.?Honea Path Chronicle. The friends of Mr. Milford in this county will read the foregoing with pleasure. ENTERTAINING THE n CHURCH SOCIETY. r \m e Mrs. W. E. Owen entertained the ? Ladies Society of the Associate Re' formed church last Thursday afters noon at her home on Magazine street e An unusual number of ladies were present and the time was devoted to the discussion of the welfare of the church. The Society will give a birthday , party just before Easter at the home ? of Mrs. R. N. Tiddy and an egg . hunt for the children. '* Mrs. Owen served delightful rej freshments at the close of the after? noon. e r d Hugh Bowen attended the United d States Court in Greenville last week as a juryman. COMMON PLEAS COURT ADJOURNS SPRING TERM OF COURT ADJOURNED LAST FRIDAY-MANY CASES DISPOSED OF. TL - /~i ?. . + ? j. nt: v^uurt 01 common jfieas Has adjourned, all cases ready for trial having been disposed of by Friday afternoon. When we went to press last week the court was engaged in the trial of the case of Geo. Gilliam as administrator of Whit McBride vs Southern Railway. The case was continued through Wednesday, and resulted in a verdict for the plaintiff for $850. Mess. J. Howard Moore and Wm. N. Graydon were attorneys for the plaintiff and J. Moore Mars for the defendant. A motion for a new trial was made and refused. An appeal will be taken to the Supreme court. The next case tried was that of S. 0. Young and others vs. Mrs. Mattie Creswell and others, the same being an action for two hundred dollars damages for trespass on real estate. The verdict of the jury was iA favor of the defendant. Mess. Graydon and Graydon represented the plaintiff and W. H. Nicholson, of Greenwood, and Wm. P. Greene, the defendants. Carrie Houston won her suit against Mary Marshall for the right of way leading from her property located behind St. Jame3 A. M. E. Church to Depot street. Wm. N. Graydon was her attorney. D. H. Hill was attorney for the defendant Marshall. The court directed a verdict for the defendant in the cases of James M. Bell and Claude Lanier vs. C. & W. C. Railroad. The actions were brought for personal injuries caused Dy a run-away, cne mule tney were driving being frightened by the train of defendant. J. Frank Clinkscales was attorney for the plaintiffs and Wm. P. Greene for defendant. In the case of Connor vs. Philo Lodge K. of P., the court directed a verdict for the plaintiff in her action on a policy of- insurance for $&00. She was represented by Mess. Wm. N. Graydon and J. Frank Clinkscales. .The defendant was represented by N. J. Frederick, a negro lawyer from Columbia. Frederick was perhaps the first negro lawyer who has practiced in the courts of this county in fifty years, if in fact he is not the first one at all. He attracted a good deal of attention. He handled his case in good fashion, but had made an error in his pleadings which shut him off from the defense he sought to make in his case. This was the last case tried. Judge Wilson left for his home on Saturday. His stay in Abbeville was enjoyed by him and by the lawyers who- practiced before him. JUSTICE HUGHES FAVORED SON FOR REPUBLICAN NOMINATION Chicago, April 7.?Plans for the national Republican Convention which will open here June 7, were completed here today at a meeting of the subcommittee on arrangements with the selection of Senator Warren G. Harding of Ohio, for temporary chairman. Senator Harding was chosen for the place by an unanimous vote on the first formal ballot. Other convention officers chosen were: Temporary secretary, LaFayette B. Gleason of New York; chief clerk, D. Edward Monroe, of St. Louis; official reporter, Geo. L. Hart* of Roanoke, Va., and sergeant at arms, William F. Stone, of Baltimore. Many leaders here declared that what sentiment was in their states was in favor of Justice Hughes, although Senator Cummins, former Senator Burton, Charles W. Fairbanks, Senator Sherman, and other favorite sons had many supporters. It was the concensus of opinion that about 70 per cent of the delegate's would be uninstructed. Secretary Reynolds will open head quarters in <jnicago to receive nouce of contests about May 10. The subcommittee on arrangements will not meet again until a few days before the convention. KEEP QUIET RULE. Washington, D. C., April 8.?The campaign being begun a year ago by Southern Railway Company for the suppression of unnecessary noises, likely to disturb passengers in sleeping rnra nlaced at stations for OC cupancy during the early hours of the night, is to be extended and the "KEEP QUIET" rule is to be enforced around all passenger trains, standing at stations or while runrunnning, day or night. Signals to enginemen by word of mouth, unnecessary whistling, ringing of bells, and escape of steam near sleeping cars, loud talking by crews in and about cars and on platforms, slamming of vcstibuled trap doors, will be eliminate as far as posible. The superintendents of each division are giving personal attention to this problem in the hope of contri buting further to the comfort of passengers on Southern Railway trains. However, a fool and his mcn.^y is a combination you don't meet every 'day. mlZ LOSS ? J GERMAN CASUALTIES IN BATTLE OF VERDUN ARE 200,000, SAYS PARIS. J Paris, April 7.? The German losses before Verdun up to the present have reached a total of 200,000 men, one of the greatest battle losses . in the whole range of warfare, according to semi-official estimates made public here today?"the result of careful inquiry made in the highest quarters in which the .figures have been rigorously checked and verified. "Documentary and verbal testimony gathered and authenticated permit the giving of precise details concerning the losses suffered by the Germans and by us on the Verdun front," saysxthe semi-official communication given to The Associated Press. "During the period from February 21, when the battle began, to April 1, it is known that two army corps, namely the third and 18th have been withdrawn from the front having lost in the first attacks at least one-third of their force. They have reappeared since and have again suffered like losses. "The German reinforcements are practically used up as fast as they are put in line. The total effectives fU a 1 QfU AA?mo V> otto in -fVi i a Tira XT UX U1S 1DU1 WWl.JfD iiU T v ui UUB TT u; lost 17,000 men and the third corps has lost 22,000 men. "Concerning the 121st division which took possession of North Vaux about March 12, we have precise infromation. More than one-half of the seventh regiment of its reserves was put out of action by our machine guns in the ineffectual attack against the slopes of the fort. The 60th reg- % iment met similar losses, of which the total reached 60 per cent of the regiment's effectives. "The 19th German infantry had already suffered similar Iaims- in at* tacking the village ot . Vaux March 91 Its 18th company was wiped out. In entering the village houses, its first battalion was reduced 60 per -cent. I ^ l "Three regiments of the lltb Bavarian division which led the attack on the Malaneourt and the Avocourt woods on March 20 and 22 were each reduced by one-half. The same \ is true of the losses of the fourth regiment of the second division of land when engaged under similar conditions. "The foregoing are only losses during actual attack and do not include the losses of regiments in the trenches or in reserve under the fire of our cannon. Regiment Surprised. .. . "The 37th regiment of infantry which was surprised by our fire while on the march to the trenches lost about 500 men, and from this fact was so reduced that it could not, on March 10, take part in the attack on the village of Vaux, as was ordered, | in the place of the 19th regiment, which had been decimated by our machine guns. "Summarizing, during the 40 days from February 21 to April 1, the Germans had on the Verdun front from-Avocourt to Eparges exactly 239 battalions of infantry, representing a minimum of 1,076 companies each, which gives an aggregate of 1,144 companies fully reinforced, the companies varying from' 260 to 280 men. The assaulting army, therefore represented at least 295,000 infantry alone. i "Since February 21, the reinforcements have been frequent and heavy, at least 80 battalions have been sent ! to the rear to be reconstituted. Others have received their reinforcements in the field. It is therefore, nearly 450,000 infantry which have appeared upon the firing line, and " ' ?1 * lUa ntovb tms estimate is even uiiucj. mo u*<u.n. Prisoners' Statements. | "Declarations gathered from prisoners and our own observations, lead us to estimate at least one-third of ! the total engaged as the minimum losse3 of the German infantry up to April 1. It is therefore, 150,000 men who have fallen solely upon the first battle line. "But the German losses do not stop there. In a modern battle, long range guns reach behind the first line, striking lines of communication and the quarters of troops. As the range of the artillery lengthens, the zone of destruction behind the battle line increases proportionately. The German artillery, literally piled up in the woods, suffered losses comparable with those of the infantry. Finally, our heavy artillery reached supply camps and innumerable convoys in the rear. "We arrive thus, keeping within a most moderate estimate, at upward of 200,000 men as the figures of our enemy's losses before Verdun." . IMPROVEMENTS. I | The Southern Railway Company is making extensive improvements in the grounds around its passenger station. The landing at the point of exit of passengers from trains is being raised, and the grounds at the West end of the station are being blocked off for flower gardens, which will 1-ia t.pnHpH hv n onmmitt-pe nf I ladies. The walks about the station and baggage room are being built up with gravel, hauled from Pacolet. The improvements will greatly beau* tify the grounds.