Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, April 08, 1875, Image 2
Scraps audi .facts.
Two things in this world that should
not be trifled with?A woman's opiuiou and
the business end of a wasp.
Wolf scalps are received in payment of!
taxes in Missouri, at the rate of five dollars a
scalp. The legislative committee appointed
the other day, to burn the scalps accumulated
in the last two years, destroyed about $6000 i
worth.
Here is a simple rule to detect counterfeit
fifty cent notes: On the counterfeit the
lock of hair in the corner of Dexter's fore- '
head touches the hair at each end, while in
me gcuuiuu it is a " ^ snapeu lock, and i
touches only at the lower end.
A late official report puts the total num-!
her of granges in the United States at 22,547, '
the largest number being in the Middle and !
Western States. The membership is 1,800,- j
000,and there is an investment of ?17,000,000 !
in business enterprises of various kinds.
The fish of Lake Erie, imprisoned by |
the ice, have been dying because they had too j
much water and not enough air. Now, the '
fowls on Lake Huron are starving because j
they have too much air, and cannot get at the ;
fish through the ice. There seems to be a pre- i
dicament for the fish in either case.
George Smith has found in his Assyri- |
an tablets a history of the creation and the |
fall of man, essentially the same as that of
Genesis, but longer and fuller. It gives es- j
pecially a more particular account of Satan ;
and of his history before the creation of the \
world.
A Swiss boatman recently pulled a
would-be suicide out of Lake Geneva. An
hour or two after the boatman discovered the
same man hanging by the neck to a tree, but
did not interfere this time. The magistrate
suinmoued him to answer why he did not
prevent the suicide, and he replied that he
supposed the gentleman had only huDg himself
up to dry.
Pinchback has returned to New Orleans.
On hia Pflrmrvtmn fKoK*r Uia
v/?? 1119 i wuvj/biuu vjj uio |;ai tioau^i uv i
made a speech in which he said that be proposed
to continue the tight for a seat in the
Senate during the next four years, if not
granted his rights before the expiration of
that time. The prospect of having Mr.
Pinchback's case before the country during
the next four years is exceedingly depressing.
A traveler says that, while passing
through Jackson county, Ga., the other day,
an incident came under his observation which
justly deserves meution. He stopped where
the head of the family was engaged in blacksmithing,
his "striker" being his better-half.
His older daughter was busy ploughing in a
field, and two younger girls were piling up
the brush. The girls are jewels that would
adorn any household.
Mr. William Walter Phelps, an ex-Republican
Congressman from New Jersey, has
been interviewed on the political situation.
He expresses the belief that Grant is in
the field as a candidate for renoraination, and
that failing in this he will press one of his
lavontes, probably Conkling, tor the position.
Still, he thinks the success of Grant's purpose
impossible, and ouly regards the third term as
a remote contingency.
There is food for thought in this paragraph
from the Boston Herald,: "Those people
who think it impossible for President Grant to
get a nomination for a third term have not
looked at the figures. There will be 369 votes
in the convention. Of these the 16 Southern
States will have 138. Grant could get all
these to-day, and 48 more would give him
a majority. He would undoubtedly be the
strongest candidate on the first ballot, were
the convention to be held next week."
The celebrated contest for the possession
of the Hot Springs of Arkansas and laud
adjacent, which has been in controversy since
1812, has been decided in the United States
Court of Claims against Rector, Gaines, and
others, claiming the property, in favor of the
Government, it being held that the four sections
in question constitute a Government reserve,
under the act of 1832, and it will require
another act of Congress to restore it to
the public domain. The property is valued
at about 34,000,000.
The question whether, under the fourteenth
amendment of the federal constitution,
n n 1 a n nt fiinn T ^r\ i Cf n t Ao
a VVUIUrtU VtliU ISA UiU6CU Ui LilU UUIICU UtalCC
and of a State, is a voter in the State, notwithstanding
the constitution and laws of the
State confine the right of suffrage to men
aloue, has been disposed of by the United
States Supreme Court at Washington, in the
St. Louis case of Miner versus Iloppersatt.
The court elaborately discusses the question
aud arrives uanimously at the conclusion
that the constitution the of United States does
not confer the right of suffrage upon any one,
and that the constitutions of the several States,
which commit that trust to men alone, are not
necessarily void.
Beecher, who is characterized as "the
greatest preacher in the world," began his testimony
on Wednesday of last week, by taking
the oath with uplifted hand, saying that "he
had conscieucious scruples against swearing
on the Bible." What does this mean ? Does
it mean that he considers his obligation to
ici i luc li um, luc wnuic Liuiu, auu UUtllUlg ,
but the truth, less binding than if he had
kissed the Good Book, or is the great preacher
in reality a sceptic, and, consequently, in
his case a hypocrite ? From readiug his testimony
in the trial one would infer that he
would kiss anything animate or inanimate, especially
the former. At auy rate, his refusal
to take the oath in the usual way will not add
weight to his testimony.
Among the incidents of the tornado
which passed through the Southern States
recently, was the destruction in Georgia, of a
house, one inmate of which was a little child
who was blown into a cupboard. Of all the
furniture iu the house, that was the only
piece not broken into kindling wood. A ginhouse
wheel weighing four hundred pounds
was carried half a mile. In McDuffie county
the face of every person who came in actual j
contact with the cloud was blackened. The |
house of Mrs. Watson, in that county, was in j
the direct centre of the track. The storm ap- ,
proached within one hundred yards, destroy- j
ing every tree in its wake. There it jumped !
over her house and came again to the earth I
twenty-five steps the other side and recom- \
menced its work of demolition.
In London it is proposed that the own-!
ers ot ail vehicles which piy in tne puDiic i
streets shall be compelled to have the wheels j
of their vehicles bound with India rubber ;
tires. At first this has a sound of something j
wildly impossible. Popular notions of India j
rubber at once suggest that it would use a set,
of tires a day. People can scarcely conceive ;
of an article familiar for its yielding softness, i
enduring for any time the friction which des- j
troys the pavements ; and the notion of ex- |
peuse, founded on the presumed instability of
such tires, is the great objection urged to the ;
innovation. But the fabricators of India rubber
answer that they can make tires which
will outlast iron. India rubber tires are said 1
practically, to be doing effective service in !
Berlin, and the experiment of this change '
has too much possibility in it not to be well
and widely tried.
It is stated from Washington that the
Secretary of the Treasury has already begun j
in good earnest his preparation for the resumption
of silver payments. He is required to
do so by act of Congress, and, therefore, the [
Secretary himself, is not to be regarded as j |
subject to criticism for his action in this mat-1
ter. In buying 82,500,000 of silver bullion;
and setting the mints in full activity, he is '
simply carrying out an act of legislation first j
suggested by the President and then adopted ;
by Congress. But what is likely to be the j i
result? The New York Bulletin answers
thus, as it has been answered before, by say-! (
ing that silver coin intended to circulate on
a par with paper currency, can, in fact, have
no other circulation ; and yet, with the price |1
of gold over 110, the silver will be worth;
more than the paper; and the difference will'
be sufficient to afford a handsome profit to
bullion dealers on buying it up. The new
coin, therefore, as fast as it appears, under
such a condition of the gold premium, will
disappear from circulation and go out of the
country in the ordinary way of export. Yet,
meantime, the fractional currency will be destroyed
as fast as the silver is put in circulation.
We shall thus be getting rid of the
most necessary form of circulation without
having any certainty that we can permanently
replace it by another.
lite ^otluille t?uqutm\
YO RK VIL L E, S C.:
THURSDAY MORNING, APRIL 8, 1875.
flow to Order the Enquirer.?Write the name
of the subscriber very plainly, give post-oltice,
countv and State in full, and semi the amount of
the subscription by draft or post-oHiee money
order, or enclose the money in a registered letter.
Postage.?The Kxocihkk is delivered free of
postage to all subscribers residing in York county
who receive the paper at post-ollices within the
county; and to all other subscribers the postage
is paid by the publisher. Our subscribers, no
matter where they receive the paper, are not liable
for postage, it being prepaid at the post-ollice
here, without additional charge to the subscriber.
Watch the Figures.?1Thedatcon tho4'addrcsslabel"
shows the time to which the subscription is
paid. If subscribersdo not wish their papers discontinued,
the date must be kept in advance.
Cash.?It must be distinctly understood that
our terms for subscription, advertising and jobwork,
are cash in advance
SOUTH CAROLINA NEWS.
? The Greenville gas works are to be re-established.
? There are eleven candidates for the shrievalty
of Kershaw county.
? The Rock Hill Fire Company will attend
the celebration of the Mecklenburg Centennial
in a body.
? Strawberries and green peas have appeared
in the Charleston market, and several
shipments have been made to New York.
? President Grant has re-appointed David
T. Corbin United States attorney for the District
of South Carolina.
? Joe Crews has purchased the material of
the Columbia Union, and will establish a
Radical newspaper at Laurens Courthouse.
? The United States Circuit Court commenced
its sitting in Charleston on Monday
last. Chief Justice Waite will arrive in
Charleston on the first Monday of May.
? Mr. Jas. Xesbitt, an old citizen of Spartanburg
county, died at Rome, Georgia, last
week, from a cold contracted during a Western
trip.
? Gov. Chamberlain has been invited by
the faculty and students of the law department
of Yale College to deliver the aunual
oration.
? A negro girl, about nine years old, while
at work on the plantation of Mr. S. W. McNeel,
near McConnellsville,on Wednesday of
last week, was so severeley burned that she
died.
? Judge Mackey has issued an order to
Coroner Ruff, of Fairfield, to take charge of
the Sheriff's office of that county. This has
been done in consequence of the abseuce of
Sheriff Duval, whom it is rumored has left
the county, in consequence of having appropriated
funds belonging to his office.
? The election commissioners of Lancaster
county have concluded not to order a new
election for county commissioners of that
county; but should there be any objection
raised to the persons elected 011 the 16th ultimo
serving, to have the matter settled in the
courts.
vAiimir /t 1 i)Ai iv t VTIVC
iMMVUl tAAVUIilii
? The dwelling house of C. G. Hicks, of
Cleveland county, was destroyed by tire last
week.
? One hundred and fifty barrels of eggs
were shipped from Hickory duriug last
month.
? J. W. Hardin's Store, in Rutherford county,
was burnt on the night of the 14th ultimo.
The fire is supposed to have been caused by
rats nibbling matches.
? A shooting affray took place in Charlotte,
last Saturday, between a carpenter named
Rufus S. Kistler and a painter named John
Garvin, in which the former received a wound
which, it is thought, will prove fatal. Garvin
was committed to jail.
? In Iredell county, one day last week, a
negro, seated on the back of a work ox, was
riding leisurely from his work, one end of a
chain being fastened to the ox's horn, and the
other end thrown round the negro's neck.
The ox took fright, threw the negro off, and he
was choked to death.
? Judge Kerr has been invited to deliver
the address on the occasion of the centennial
celebration at Charlotte. Gen. Joseph K.
Johnston has accepted the invitation to act as
chief marshal, and his assistants are to be
chosen from those who fought on both sides in
the late war.
?Says the Winston Sentinel: Bill Jefferson,
of Yadkin, consulted a fortune-teller, some
time ago, who told him that his wife was uot
all she should be, whereupon he went home
and gave her a terrible beating, for all of
which Judge Cloud sent him to jail for three
months.
? The usury law passed by the Legislature
has gone into operation. Six per cent, is the
figure allowed ; but by special contract, in
writing, 8 per cent, may be taken. It is said
that in consequence of the law, money-lenders
are seeking investments iu other States. One
of the Wilmington banks has virtually transferred
its business to Mariou, S. C.
MEIiEOIEXTION.
The 7th cavalry will form a part of the
Black Hills expedition, instead of the 11th,
as has been stated. Much indignation
has been aroused, in the North and West, at
the actiou of Judge Williams of the Chicago
criminal court, who sentenced the editor of
the Chicago Times to ten days' imprisonment
for contempt of court, in having published
articles constructively rellecting on the
character of certain members of the grand
jury. Yellow fever has reappeared at
Key West, Florida, and the troops at that
place have been removed to another locality,
beyond the reach of the disease. Robert
McKenna, a leading Republican politician of
Tennessee, has been sentenced at Memphis to
five years'imprisonment for marrying his former
wife's grand daughter, in violatiou of the
State laws. The minersin Hockiug Valley,
Ohio, have threatened violence, in consequence
of which Gov. Allen has issued his
proclamation to the local officials to use their
full authority to prevent bloodshed or the destruction
of property. General Spinner's
retirement will necessitate the counting of every
dollar in the Treasury vaults, amounting
to more than one hundred million. A
crusty bachelor's objection to ladies with beautiful
teeth is, that nine out of ten of them
would laugh ata funeral. United States
[ Treasurer Spinner has tendered his resignation,
to take effect on the 30th of June. The
President has named John C. New, of Iudi- j
ana, as Mr. Spinner's successor, and it is <
stated that Mr. New will accept the posi- i
i tion. A gang of couuterfeitors, on whose
track government detectives have been for the
| past eight years, was captured in South-West
: Virginia, last week. The note-printiug j
| bureau at Washington, announces that seven j
'out of the nine denominations of National
bank bills have been counterfeited.
The population of Texas is estimated at
1,200,000. The immigration during 1874 is !
j supposed to have been 200,000. Prof, j
| Tice, of St. Louis, predicts that from the 5th j
! of next June to tho middle of July, we may |
' prepare for cyclones, water-spouts and torna- j
does. The proprietor of Wood's Hotel,
Chicago, is held in $7,000 bail, for refusing the I
freedom of the house to a colored man. A j
girl in Houston, Texas, eleven years of age, j
has been led to the altar by a blind old organ-grinder.
The civil rights bill doesn't
worry Washington county, Indiana, much.
Thereisn'tone negro in the county. A fac- j
tory has been put in operation in Canada
in which it is proposed to manufacture
"kid gloves" from cat-fish skins. The
rivers which have been gorged with ice are
railing, and the danger 01 noons is tnougnt to
be over. In Chicago, last week, United
States Commissioner Hoyne dismissed a case
coining before him on the complaint of a negro
who had been refused accommodations at
an eating-house The Khedive of Egypt
wants to borrow ?75,000,000, at twelve per
cent, interest, payable monthly, just to get rid
of a little Hoating debt ho has of about the;
same amount Gen. R. S. Ripley, of
Charleston fame, and now residing in London,
lately forwarded to Gov. Gastou, of Massachusetts,
the battle-flag of the Fifty-fourth
Massachusetts regiment, captured during the
assault upou Fort Wagner, July 18, 1863.
EDITORIAL INKLINGS.
Recent Elections.
In the Connecticut State and Congressional
election, of the four Congressmen,
the Democrats elect three. Ingersoll, Democrat,
is claimed to be re-elected Governor.
The Republicans make some gains in the
Legislature, but probably not enough to overcome
the Democratic majority of last year.
The Democratic majority iu the State is estimated
from 3,000 to 4,000. P. T. Barnum
is elected Mayor of Bridgeport.
In the municipal election of Annapolis,
Ind., the entire Democratic ticket was elected
by 85 majority.
The city election in Cincinnati wa9 very
exciting and the vote polled was the heaviest 1
ever known. At the date of the latest dispatches
we have seen, it was believed the
Democratic ticket has been elected.
School-Houses vs. Forts.
At services in Plymouth Church, on
Sunday of last week, in asking contributions
for the American Missionary Association, Mr.
Beecher referred to its labors among the
blacks in the South as follows :
"There is only one way in which you can '
remedy the wrongs of the blacks and ameliorate
their condition, and that is by instilling
into them knowledge, piety, morality; and
when you have giveu them that you will have
no more legislation, will need no armies, and
no interference ; and to-day one school-house
is worth more than five forts to keep peace in
the South. You will certainly take care of
the emancipated citizen when you build up a
? 1 1 - ? I - A" _ X- I. _ 1 I.
nigner mannoou in mm. 1 ou iaae iung-suu- ,
jected, blubbering, ignoraut, stealing, wretched
men and try to legislate thein into power
and safety. It cannot be done. It is the
school-house and the church that is going to
do it. And this is the great work of the
American Missionary Association."
The Black Hills Excitement.
The excitement concerning the mineral
discoveries in the Black Ilills coutiuues to I
increase, and from reports contained in the i
newspapers, that entire region will be overrun
by gold-hunters long before the spring fairly
opens. In view of the apprehensions thus en- 1
tertained, an order has been issued from Gen.
Sheridan's headquarters, accompanied by a 1
communication from the Department of the I
Interior in relation to the Black Hills country.
After referring to the appointment of a
geologist to explore that region, and to the <
desire of the Government to extinguish the
i Indian title if gold exists there, the Secretary
; says that the Department of the Interior has j
j recently obtained information leading to the (
j belief that the trespassers now in the country j
j will endanger the success of any negotiations. (
j He therefore requests that the military de- ,
; partraent notify those interlopers to leave im- (
| mediately, and to iuform them that a refusal |
i to do so will lead to their expulsion by mili- |
j tary force. ,
It will be a difficult matter for the United j
; States troops to dislodge these fortune-seekers, .
i if the richness of the country is fully estab- )
j lished. Under the circumstances, the course j
of the Secretary of the Interior in endeavoring j
; to make an amicable arrangement with the ?
; Indians, ou whose rights the white men are \ (
j encroaching, will meet with the approval of (
; all who are interested in seeing the integrity |
: of the Government treaties with the Indians (
preserved. {
Mexican Raids. I
j ? For several weeks past, the depredations ]
j of organized bands of robbers from Mexico, g
| operating on the Texan border, have been so 1
serious as to impel Governor Coke, of Texas, g
to ask protection at the hands of the General r
Government. In the absence of the President,
the Secretary of War advised Governor *
Coke that orders will be given to the military | j
authorities to take immediate steps toward the | (
protection of the people of Texas on the Mex- j f
ican frontier. I 1
In the meantime, it is stated in a dispatch J |
from Washington, that the President will de- i
clare as the policy of the Government in dis-' 1
posing of these Mexican raids and the loss of j u
American lives and property, reparation from 11
the Mexican Government in the shape of a I c
moneyed indemnity for the depredations com- c
ni it led by the subjects of that Government on j
i i?? ?.;n ,
l/IIU Xl'AUS UUIUCI. VSUl VJIVVUUiuibliv Hill in j %,
sist upon this reparation, and in order to en-1 j
force the conclusion it is admitted that the j
Secretary of War will, if no other resource is ! j
left, carry out the determination by strength-1
ening the American border line by attaching ! a
thereto another stretch of Mexican territory, j ]
It is intimated that Gen. McKenzie is to be c
transferred from Fort Sill, and take charge of j
the troops on the Texas border. Gen. Mc- , t
Kenzie is much commended for his action ;
about two years ago in putting an end to the j I
raids of the Kickapoo Indians into Texas, i I
He attacked these Indians, and pursued them j J
into the Mexican country, his action in so j t
doing creating considerable comment at that j
time, it being held that lie had exceeded his ;1
orders, as well as exercised an unwarranted j
assumption of power. The Mexican Govern- j g
ment will shortly be presented with a firm de-! t
mand on the part of our Government for due c
reparation, or take the only alternative of war \
along the border with the purpose of enforc- e
ing our demands. r
LOCAL AFFAIRS.
NEW ADVERTISEMENTS.
J. K. Curtis, Administrator, do bonis 11011?Application
for Discharge.
W. II. it J. P. Herndon?$2500?Cash?Remember?^Try?
Played.
T. M. Dohsnn it Co.?New Goods.
T.S. Jellbrys?Assignee's Sale?In Bankruptcy?
In the Matter of J. D. Johnson, Bankrupt.
J. II. Clawson?Assignee's Sales?In the Matter
of Jas. A. Smith, W. J. Collins, Thomas
Whitesidos, Samuel Anderson, Jeremiah
Moss, Miles Johnson, Stephen P. Sutton,
Bankrupts.
H. K. Roberts, Chairman of Board?To Contractors.
11. H. Glenn, S. Y. C.?Sheriff Sale.
Jefferys it Metts?Very near 100 Tons Sold.
K. L. Simmons, Esq., has tendered his resignation
as one of the Trial Justices for this
county.
ANNIVERSARY MEETING.
We acknowledge an invitation to attend
the meeting of the 56th anniversary of the
Lodge of I. 0. 0. F. at Chester, to be given
on the evening of the 26th instant.
TIIE WEATHER.
After a winter of unusual severity, spring
has fairly opened upon us. The preseut week
has been spleudid for agricultural operations,
of which, we presume, the farmers generally
have availed themselves.
THROWN FROM I11S HORSE.
Mr. Hugh Burris, an elderly gentleman,
who lives near McConnellsville, in this county,
while riding on horse-back to that place, on
Thursday last, was thrown by his horse and
his left leg and arm were broken.
GONE TO*MARKET.
Col. McCorkle, who represents the mercantile
establishment of John H. Adams, started
to the Northern markets yesterday morning
for the purpose of buying a stock of goods
for the spring trade.
ANONYMOUS LETTERS.
An inflexible rule with editors is to require
the proper names of the writers of communications
intended for publication. This requirement,
with which every one ought to be
familiar, is constantly disregarded. An article
from Cleveland county, N. C., signed
"Subscriber," is declined in consequence of
the failure of the writer to furuish us with
his proper name.
MECKLENBURG CENTENNIAL.
We have received from the Press Committee
of the North Carolina Centennial Celebration
of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence
an invitation to be present at the
celebration to take place on the 20th of May
next, in honor of the centennial anniversary
of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence.
The programme gives promise of a
grand and interesting time.
UNBAILABLE LETTERS.
The following letters are held in the postoffice
at this place for want of pre-payment of
postage: John A. Wilson, Yorkvillo : His
Excellency President U. S. Grant, Washington,
D. C.; Mrs. H. W. Dixon, Columbia, S.
C.; Mrs. S. E. Rainey, Johnsville, Arkansas;
Miss S. A. Kuykendal, Yorkville ; Jerry
Johnson, Chester; Mrs. H. J. Hetherington,
Johnsville, Ark.; Win. N. Dickey, Ladonia,
T PVRS
SALES-DAY.
The following parcels of land were sold by
the Sheriff last Monday :
Land of J. M. Lowry?1126 acres?sold
under execution, and bought by Mrs. L. E.
Lowry for $2500.
Land of F. S. Carson, deceased?40 acres?
sold by order of the Judge of Probate, and
bought by Mrs. R. Louisa Carson at $1.25
per acre.
J. H. Clawsou, Assignee, sold the following
property :
Lands of Hilariah McCall?one tract of
70 acres, bought by Mrs. Catharine A. McLure,
at $4.25 per acre; one tract of 123 acres,
bought by Dr. W. E. Erwiu, at $4.05 per
acre; one tract of 92 acres, bought by Dr.
\V. E. Erwin, at $3.10 per acre.
Lauds of J. N. McCall?86 acres?bought
by Reuben Dulin, at $6.65 per acre.
One-half interest of J. B. Marks in tract of
land near Rock Hill?about 10 acres?
hnno-lit hv .Tames Bvnum. at 82.10 Der acre.
o ~J y ' - *
circuit court.
The Court of Common Pleas and General
Sessions for York county?his Honor Judge
Mackey presiding?convened at 10 o'clock on
Monday. His Honor, on charging the grand
ury as to their duties, deemed it unnecessary
:o extend his remarks, at length?the present
ury having already served at a previous term
>f the Court, at which time they had been formally
charged. His Honor, however, was
imphatic in his condemnation of the retail
traffic in liquor, and expressed the hope that
the grand jury would reject all petitions that
night be presented for licenses to retail liquor,
blvery homicide or case of murder committed
)n this circuit in the past two and a-half years,
lis Honor attributed to the indulgence of the
mrtios concerned in liquor; while the traffic
h it leads to the commission of minor oftenjos,
such as thieving, brawls a id other disturbances
of the public peace, filling the jails
md poor-houses of the State. In a pecuniary
loint of view, his Honor argued that the rovluue
derived from the sale of retail liquor lijenses,
was small as compared with the expense
and novertv it entails upon the county.
[lis Honor urged that the County Commislioners
have the power to close every retailiquor
establishment in the county, and he
mggested that the grand jury, in their report,
ecomraend such a course.
His Honor expressed gratification at the
iction of the foremau of the grand jury in
jublicly notifying the trial justices of the
:ounty to produce their records and books
or inspection. He was happy to believe,
lowever, that these officers, as well as all the
>resent officials of the county, had properly
lischarged their duties. After his Honor
iad closed. Mr. Solicitor Mackey called his |
ittention to the statute prohibiting the sale of j
sertttin drugs aud medicines by any but li-!
:ensed pharmaceutists, whereupon the Court ;
barged the grand jury to ascertain, if in their j
>ower, whether this law is being violated in
he county, and if so, to present the guilty
)arties.
The following indictments have been dis>osed
of up to the time of our going to press:
State vs. Iiamp. Hicklin, Mary Hicklin
ind Elisha Hicklin ; assault and battery,
found guilty and sentenced to one hour in
:ouuty jail.
State vs. Charles Davis ; assault and bat- j
ery. Verdict of guilty.
State vs. Stephen Waters, John Harris and j
ienry Massey; riot, tumult, and assault and
mttery. Guilty of assault and battery as to j
lohn Harris, aucl guilty ot not as 10 ine omer
lefendants.
State vs. Frank McConnell; burglary and
arceny. Verdict not guilty.
State vs. John Rutteree; receiving stolen (
;o<k1s. Verdict guilty. Motion for a new
rial and in arrest of judgment. This is a
iase in which the defendant, John Ratteree,
vliile in the pursuit of his avocation of butchr
at Rock Hill, purchased an ox from two
legro men, who drove the animal to his lot i
about noon one day in the month of July last.
On the night of the same day the ox was
identified by Win. Thomasson as his property,
and Mr. Ratteree promptly surrendered it.
Subsequently it was shown that a negro named
| Brumfield had stolen the ox and employed
two other negroes to drive it to Rock Hill for
| sale. Brumfield was tried for this offense at
: the last term of the Court, aud sentenced to
the penitentiary, and after the conviction of
Brumfield, by instructions from the Court, an
indictment was procured against Mr. Ratteree,
charging him with purchasing stolen i
goods. There was no evidence showing that
Mr. Ratteree knew or that he had reason to
believe the ox had been stolen. The jury returned
a verdict of guilty, whereupon the de-1
fendant, by his counsel, Maj. Hamilton, made j
a motion for a new trial, on which argument [
will be heard to-day.
State vs. James W. Clack ; assault with intent
to ravish. Verdict guilty.
State vs. Laura Blalock ; assault with intent
to kill. Verdict not guilty.
State vs. .benjamin unuaers; assault wun
intent to kill. Verdict not guilty.
State vs. John Grier and George Marsh ;
grand larceny. Pleaded guilty. Grier was
sentenced to two years at hard labor in the
penitentiary, and Marsh to five months.
State vs. John Williams ; assault and battery.
Pleaded guilty.
Judge Mackey has entered upon the present
term with the evident intention of dispatching
business. The sessions have been
extended to a late hour every night, and we
learn it is contemplated by his Honor to
clear up the dockets before adjournment.
Besides the members of our owu bar, the
following legal gentlemen are in attendance
here from other towns: Messrs. Patterson,
Gaston and Hamilton, of Chester; J. S. R.
Thompson, of Spartanburg ; John C. Witherspoou
and John P. Gage of Rock Ilill.
Correspondence of the Yorkville Enquirer.
LETTER FROM CHESTER.
Chester, April 5th 1875.
The comments, in my last communication,
upon the trial of civil causes at the recent
term of the court, were not so full as the merits
of the cases deserved. This arose from
the space consumed in a statement of the
principal points in connection with the
cotton-stealing case of Whitener & Co., in
which great popular interest was manifested
during the two days of its continuance.
Farmers, who had suffered from the midnight
Hfinredations of cotton thieves, were extremely
?I
desirous of their being visited with a punishment
proportionable to the offense. While
the verdict of the jury was not iu accordance
with the judgmentof good and houest citizens
(for the opinion was generally entertained that
the entire gang should have beeu sent to the
penitentiary) yet it is hoped that the rigorous
sentence prouounced upon the leader of
the party, Anderson Whitener, will put a
stop to cotton-stealing operations in the county.
A few months since, the operations of a
set of cotton thieves, in the eastern portion of
the county, came suddenly to grief by removing
the leader from the scene of his rascalities
and confining him within the limits of prison
walls. The lesson taught by the disgraceful
end of these men will doubtless be attended
by a "beneficial result.
In the civil case of Thomas House vs. A.
M. McMullen, iu which the plaintiff was ably
represented by C. S. Brice, Esq., a point was
decided of the utmost importance to farmers
owning and cultivating lands along the banks
of Fishing creek. It was this, that the
wntprj nf this are and shall be consid
ered in law a good and sufficient fence. An
act of the Legislature, passed a great many
years ago, states that the requisites of a good
and sufficient fence, namely, a paling or rail
fence, five feet in height, or the waters of a
stream, which shall be declared in accordance
with a prescribed form, by a number of freeholders
owning lands on both sides of the
stream, to be a lawful fence. The counsel for
the plaintiff proved, by indisputable testimony,
that the waters of Fishing creek had been
regarded for a long period of time by planters
cultivating lands along its banks a good and
sufficient fence, and held that such being the
uniform custom of planters there residing and
cultivating lands, the presumption was "that
everything had been done that should have
been doneor in other words, that freeholders
had met, and declared, according to the
legally prescribed mode, the waters of Fishing
creek to be a good and lawful fence. This
point was sustained by the presiding judge.
The case of Thomas House vs. A. M. McMullen
was a case of demand for damages,
occasioned by stock of defendant running
upon and destroying the crops of the plaintiff.
The jury rendered a verdict of fifty dollars in
favor of the plaintiff, which was all that was
claimed ; for his object in bringing suit was
not so much to recover damages as to test the
' * - i? -c I
question wnetner or iiol me wmers ui nauing
creek shall be considered in law a good and
sufficient fence. Had this case been decided
iu favor of the defendant, a large number of
plantations on the waters of this stream, it is
said, would have been abandoned.
In a case in which the lien law was concerned,
two points were made by the presiding
judge, that merit notice. One point was that
a lien only holds good in reference to the in- i
dispensable necessaries of life. Consequently
sugar and coffee, and all articles that are not 1
absolutely essential to the support of life,
cannot, according to law, be covered by a
lien. The second point was that a lien upon
the crop only covers advances actually made.
This point was explained by the following L
illustration : That if a man made forty bales I
of cotton, and it only required ten to pay the j1
lien, though the lien covered the entire crop, j,
he had a right to sell thirty bale3, and meet j
the lien with the remaining ten. He could j
do this, though the ten hales were still in the |
field, provided he was able to prove that there i
was a sufficient aracuut of cotton in the field i <
to make this number of bales. These rulings 1
of the presiding judge were elicited from the j
facts of the case, in which Thomas Lipford '
was charged with selling cotton covered by a ; (
lien. As the testimony showed that there j i
was a sufficiency of cotton in the field to cover ! ]
the lien, it was held that the cotton sold was '
not covered by a lien.
In a suit brought upon a note based upon j(
negro property, the jury disregarded the [
decision of the State Supreme Court, and ren-!,
dared only a nominal amount in favor of the |
plaintiff. i
The storm that recently swept with such i
fury over a portion of Georgia, and a portion I
of this State, was felt to some extent in the 1
nP nilr nnnnfv Thfi P.flt.tnn '
eUSltJILI pUA tiv/u Ui ?/v?t w?.. . ,
screw belonging to Mr. Elmore Kell, was
blown down, and the roof of the gin house
belonging to Mr. \V. H. Massey, was blown off.
I am happy to state that no private residences
were prostrated, and no lives were lost. .
Mr. Win. Simpson, of our town, received
on yesterday, a telegraphic dispatch giving ^
information of the murder of Rev. Mr. Miller, ,
of Union county, on Saturday. The murder- j j
er is a colored man, who is thought to be ma-1 1
king big escape from justice in this direction.
The authorities are on the qui vive for the
villain.
The farmers have doubtless made good use ;
of this magnificent day. Very few persons !,
were in town, and very little property was
sold.
Mr. Garner Jamiesou, a good citizeu of our
county, departed this life last week.
Market renorts are as follows: Cotton,
_ _J
middliug, 15 to 151; low middling, 143 to 15;
bacon, 134 to 144 ; flour, $3.50 to $4.50 ;
lard 18, and corn meal $1.40. Qui.
STATE OFFICIALS "INTERVIEWED."
"Vidette," the special Columbia correspondent
of the Charleston News and Courier, un- j
der date of the 29th ultimo, writes as follows:
The recent events at the State capital in
connection with the funding act, the trial and
acquittal of the State treasurer, and the subsequent
election to the comptroller-general's
oflice of Senator Dunn, who bore so prominent
a part in instituting and conducting the
investigation into the operations of the funding
act, had impressed your correspondent
with the idea that the views of the different
executive officers of the State government
would not be uninteresting to the readers of
the iVewa and Courier, especially to that portion
of them who are interested as State bondholders
in the faithful execution of the funding
scheme. With a view to obtain this information,
your correspondent, on the day after
the adjournment of the General Assembly,
called upon the Governor, the State treasurer
and the new comptroller-general. The interview
with the Governor was very brief and
tt> the point. His ideas of the importance of
a faithful execution of the funding scheme are
forcibly and earnestly expressed in the message
vetoiug the act to declare the true intent
and meaning of the act to reduce the volume
of the public debt. It is scarcely necessary
to report the conversation upon that point.
With reference to the election of Senator
Dunn to the comptroller-generalship, the Governor
expressed himself as well satisfied. He
did not consider Mr. Duun's election as an affront
to him either personally or politically,
as it had been alleged it was intended to be.
On the contrary, he was satisfied that Mr.
Dunn would be a zealous and faithful officer,
and that his relations with the Executive
would be of the most pleasant character.
THE NEW COMPTROLLER.
Your correspondent next called upon
Comptroller-General Dunn, who had only
two days before entered upon the discharge
of the duties of his office. Having explained
the object of my visit, which was to get from
him an expression of his views upon the funding
act, and to ascertain if possible what would
be his official course in regard to the operations
of the treasurer under the funding act,
the following conversation ensued :
Comptroller. I have never had any objections
whatever to the funding act. On the
contrary, as you yourself know, I advocated
its passage in the Senate, and will, in my
present position as comptroller-general, do all
in ray power to carry out its provisions. All
the reports of my being opposed to the funding
scheme were circulated in the late campaign
to prejudice the cause I advocated, and
more recently to account for my investigations
into the acts of the treasurer under the
consolidation bill. But, however much I
advocated the funding act, I always felt that
the best way to inspire confidence on trie part
of those who were invited to such a compromise
as to surrender one-half of their claims,
was to exercise the utmost care and vigilance
to prevent the funding of any fraudulent securities
along with the good ones. In other
words, I want the fundiug act to be just what
the people of the State desired it to be, an
honest compromise with the just and rightful
creditors of the State.
Reporter. It has been said that your opposition
to the State treasurer and to the
Governor would lead you possibly to hamper
the administration. Would you miud stating
your views on this subject?
Comptroller. Most certainly not. I am
free to say that the only objections I shall
interpose will be to the fuuding of such coupons
as I believe to be fraudulent?that is,
not liabilities of the State. I believe that
nearly a half million of these coupons have
already been funded. So far as my relations
with the Governor are concerned, I may say
that I have had frequent talks with the Governor,
and I am satisfied that my views and
course of action will not be very divergent
from his own. I will always be found at his
side in every matter looking to reform and
economy in the affairs of the State. I am
not opposed to and will not oppose the Governor's
action. I have done what I have because
I believed it to be right to do, and I
shall in the future, as in the past, oppose any
attempt at fraud under the funding act.
Reporter. What do you mean by fraudulent
coupons? |
Comptroller. I mean this, that there are
uow outstanding over a half a million of cou- ,
pons not accounted for?coupons which were
taken from the conversion bonds before the ,
bonds ever left the treasury. It is the fund- ,
ing of these coupons that I shall oppose, be- j
cause I do not believe them to be valid obligations
of the State. So far as the ad minis- ,
tration of the affairs of the State is concerned, ]
you may say that I will not in any way impede
the progress of work in any of the departments.
i
THE STATE TREASURER.
Your correspondent then called upon the
State treasurer, with whom he bad quite a i
lengthy interview. As the treasurer took occasion
to express his views on a variety of
subjects which are not uninteresting to the i
people of the State, I don't know that I can ;
do better than to give an extended report of
the entire interview. i
Reporter. I suppose Mr. Treasurer, that i
you are glad that the session is over ?
Treasurer. I am indeed, and for many rea- I
3ons. The session has been a long and im- 1
portant one, and a peculiar one in many re- I
spects.
Reporter. In what respects do you consider <
the session important and peculiar? i
Treasurer. First, there have been several
mortal combats (politically speaking) between
the better and worse elements of the Republi- i '
can party, and in every case the good element, j <
with the aid of the Conservatives, have routed <
their opponents, horse, foot and dragoon.
You can readily perceive, therefore, that this (
has been the turning point of Republicanism i
and good government in South Caroliua. If
the Republican party had proved itself una- t
hie to shake off the deadly incubus of corruption
m?d imliemlif.v t.hat. luid hitherto rnnf.nill- ! t
Bil it in this State, its doom was certain, and :
it would have died a natural death in 1876. 1 c
It wus because of my confidence in its inlie- |
rent vitality, and in the ability of some of the ! r
meu in its ranks to correct these evils, that I
[lid not favor the bolt last fall, and I think ' r
that you and the political party that you rep- t
resent will now admit that it was providential
that the bolt did not succeed. t
Reporter. What do you think of the course e
Dfthe Conservatives in this General Assembly?
Treasurer. I think their course has been r
most disinterested and patriotic, and its effect i
most beneficial iu many ways. Their patriotism
has been seen in their intelligent and a
jniform support of the Governor in the meas- j
jres which he has adopted for the benefit of, t
OfnfA TUAIM *-w \! IHA.I 1 intofAnnraa tuifk fl
utai-o, jLiivti nitgiwvuigu mou i
-he Republican members of the Legislature, t
especially the colored members, has had a s
rery happy effect, and has removed in a great
ueasure that feeling of-dread and insecurity t
with regard to their political arid civil rights s
which the colored men have always entertain- c
;d. Their action with regard to myself in
ny trial has beeu not only just, but generous S
ind magnanimous. I have always been ac-!
;ive in political campaigns. When, there- i:
'ore, the opportunity was presented of uniting j
with a portion of the Republicans to crush a ; t
roublesome political opponent, it would have I o
jeen perfectly natural, and in accordance with '
the prevalent political morality, for them to
have taken advantage of that opportunity.
But they did not do so. They voted for the
preparation of the address in order that they
might have the case investigated, and because
of the plausible and serious nature of
the charges preferred against me. After they
had heard all that was said on both sides,
they voted agaiust the address, and, in my
judgment, acted not only justly, but very
generously, and I feel deeply grateful to them.
Reporter. How do you regard the election
of your chief prosecutor, Senator Dunn, to
the office of comptroller-general ?
Treasurer. It is but natural that I should
feel deeply offended at such an unjust and
persistent attempt on his part to prove fraud
against the State on ray part, a charge which, ^
if established, would have ruined me personally
and politically. We differ as to our duties
under the funding act. He thinks that no
detached coupons should be funded, because
they have originally been issued improperly.
I believe, as I said before, that while that
may be true, it is neither legal nor equitable
to make those who now hold such coupons
suffer for the wrong-doing of the ageots of the
State, and that it would be best for the interests
of the State and her credit that such coupons
should be funded, as the law authorizes
them to be funded. He thinks also, or did
think, that no hypothecated bonds should be
funded, although the law distinctly authorizes
this to be done. As comptroller-general
I do not know what will be his course with
regard to these things. If he has entered
upon the discharge of the duties of his office
with the determination to assist Gov. Chamberlain
in the execution of his policy, he will
find a cordial coadjutor in me, whatever may
be my personal opinion of him.
Reporter. Do you think that the Governor
will be successful in carrying out his reform
policy to the close of his term of office ?
Treasurer. I have watched the Governor's
coursesince his inauguration with the keenest M
anxiety, and I have been greatly delighted at S
his extraordinary courage, and his fidelity to
his promises in his every act. I think that
he will solve the problem of reconstruction in
South Carolina peacefully. As long as he
continues in the course he is now pursuing,
and I have not the slightest fear of his doing
otherwise, I shall regard it as an honor and a
pleasure to aid him to the best of my ability.
This terminated the interview, and your
correspondent took his leave of the treasurer
and the State capital at the same time.
ACTS OF THE LEGISLATURE.
During the late session of the Legislature,
one hundred and seventy-five acts and joint
resolutions were passed and became laws.
The Charleston News and Courier divides the
list into thirty-six acts of a public nature, fifty-six
acts of incorporation, sixty-eight acts of
a local and private nature, and fifteen acts
-1 . T_ tu<s
imposing special laxes. iu uuuiuuu, ab mo
adjournment of the legislature, four acts remained
in the Governor's possession, awaiting
his signature. Two of these since have been
approved?the act to establish polling places in
the State, and the act to amend an "Act to
reduce all acts and parts of acts relating to .]
the assessment and taxation of property into
one act and to amend the same. From the
list we select the captions of such acts as are
of general or local interest to our readers in
the State:
PUBLIC ACTS.
An act to make appropriation for the expenses
of the General Assembly.
An act providing for the specific appropriation
of revenues derived from liquor licenses.
An act to 'mend section 1 of an act entitled
"An Act for the better protection of land
owners and persons renting land to others for '
agricultural purposes," and to amend acts relating
thereto.
Joint resolution to amend Section 3, Chapter
CXI, of the General Statutes.
An act to prohibit a circus, or any otber
show traveling in connection therewith, from ?
exhibiting for gain within any county in this
State, without having first obtained a license
from the clerk of the court of said county.
An act to regulate the practice of dentistry
and protect the people against empiricism in
relation thereto iu the State of South Carolina.
Joint resolution to provide for the payment
of the officers, attaches and employes, and
contingent expenses of the present session of
the General Assembly.
Au act directing and requiring the publication
of monthly statements by the State treas11
ror
An act to repeal Chapter CXXV of the
General Statutes of South Carolina, relative
to the publication of legal notices.
Joint resolution to ratify the amendment to
the Constitution of the State of South Carolina,
relative to the terms of office of comptroller-general,
secretary ofState, treasurer, attorney-general,
adjutant and inspector-general,
and superintendent of education.
An act to facilitate and save expenses in
appeals.
An act to require all trial justices to exhibit
all original papers to the county commissioners
before or at the time said commissioners
audit their accounts, and for other purposes.
An act to declare and protect the rights of
married women and children under policies of
i-f ;
me insurance iniieu uut iui men uuicuh
An act to alter and amend the Code of
Procedure, being Title V, Part III of the
General Statutes.
An act relative to State offices and officers.
An act to empower mechanics to sell prop2rty
left with them for repairs after one year.
An act to make appropriations to meet the
Drdinary expenses of the State Government
for the fiscal year commencing November 1,
1874.
An act to amend Sec. 1, Chap. CXXXVI
Part IV, of the Revised Statutes, relative
to offenses against civil rights.
An act to amend an act entitled "Au act
to provide for the redemption of forfeited
lands upon certain conditions therein mentioned."
Au act to amend Sec. 148, Chap. CXXII
jf Title V, Part III of the General Statutes
relating to the trial of civil actions.
An act to declare certain legal holidays.
An act to repeal so much of an act entitled
'An act to provide for granting of certain
charters," as provides for the granting of
tlmtitAMa fa mitifooiT AAmnnni'OQ
/uuibcioiu iiniiiaij v/uui^uuivvj,
Au act to provide for extending the time
>f holding the delinquent land sales in the several
counties of the State for the present year.
An act to provide for the enumeration of
he inhabitants of this State.
An act to provide for the filling of any va:aucies
that may occur in certain offices.
An act for the relief of sureties upon offi:iul
bonds of certain officers.
An act to protect and encourage stock
aising in South Carolina.
An act to regulate the compensation of the
nernbers of the General Assembly, and to fix
he mileage of the same.
An act relative to contracts for supplies for
Grw
lie JUACLU live VlC|/ai wiuvuv VI wuv
irnment aud for the General Assembly.
An act regulating the manner of the paynent
of all claims against the several counties
11 the State.
An act to amend "An act to provide for the
administration of derelict estates.
Joint resolution authorizing and directing
he State treasurer to borrow a sufficient
imount for the payment of the employes of
he General Assembly, and for other purpoes.
An act to alter and amend the law in relaion
to the place of trial of civil actions and
pecial proceeding in which the State is iutersted.
An act to encourage colonization in the
itate of South Caroliua.
An act to punish persons fraudulently packng
cotton.
Joint resolution proposing an amendment "
o the Constitution of the State of South Carlina.
An act to repeal all acts and parts of acta