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i *- " ^ ^ ^ ^ ISSUED SEMI-WEEKt^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ l. m. grist & sons, Publishers, 1 % dfamilt) Dcicspaper: 4[or the ^promotion of (he fjolifiral, Social, Kjritulturat, and Commercial Interests ef the people. ESTABLISHED 1855. YORKVILLE, S. O., WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17, 1900. 3STO. 5. THE CRUC OF PHII By REV. CHAR] Author of "In His Steps : What Wo Hardy's Se Synopsis of Previous Installment In order that new readers^of The E: QUIRER may Degin WHO vuu luuun |||K 11 stallment oi this story, and understand just the same as though they had read all from the beginning, we here give synopsis of that portion of it which hi already been published: Philip Strong, a minister, receives two call one to a college town, where he may live quiet, scholarly life, to his liking, the other a manfacturlng town where there is plenty work to do among the laboring classes. I accepts the more active tield. Philip disco ers that a number of his wealthy parishione have property rented for saloons and gamblij houses. He interviews one of them and advised that he had better not stir up tl matter. The next Sunday he preaches up< the subject, and Mr. Winter, one of his mo prominent parishioners, having property ren ed for such purposes, rises from his seat at walks out or the church. The next mornir Winter calls on the minister and resents whi he calls an insult to himself, then, threate ing to withdraw his support from the churc * retires in nign auageon. im- wnuuu great excitement, and the next Sunday a larj crowd attends Philip's church, expecting sensational sermon; but Philip disappoin them, preaching on a different subject entirel Philip attacks the saloons and preachi against them to a large congregation. Hecal upon his people to join with him in an 11 tempt to exterminate them. Later he !eav< his house to visit a sick child, and a man o the opposite side of the street tires two shot i him. Philip has been severely thougli n mortally wounded. His assussln is arrest* ? and, at Philip's request, is brought before iiii Philip assures him that lie bears him no will and prays for him. Philip preaches < the Sunday question and makes new enemit Coming home one evening, he finds his wi in a faint on the fioor, a knife stuck into tl desk and two anonymous scrawls, one a dressed "To the Preacher," the other "To tl Preacher's Wife." They were warnings i leave the town. The minister's wife begs hi husbund to leave the field for another, but ii stead he prepares to continue the war again the devil there and in his own fashion. Phil astonishes his parishioners by proposing move their church edifice into the teneme: district. He speaks to the laboring men their hall and unintentionally influences the against the rich by holding up the selflshne of many rich people. When he goes home, 1 is informed that a mob is threatening A1 Winter at his residence. CHAPTER IX. When Philip reuehed the residence < L rt P/Min/1 K {m onlf of nn < Air. > V i II LCI , UC IVUIiU uiluocu c*v vu< In the inidst of a mob of howling, a: gry men, who surged over the law and tramped the light snow that wi falling into a muddy mass over tl walks and up the veranda steps, large electric lamp out in the street I front of the house threw a light ov< the strange scene. Philip wedged his way in among tl men, crying out his name and askir for room to be made so that he coul see Mr. Winter. The crowd, under tl impulse which sometimes moves e: cited bodies of men, yielded to his r quest. There were cries of "Let hi: have a minister if he wants onel "Kooin here for the priest!" "Give th preacher a chance to do some prayin where It's needed mighty bad!" and s on. Philip found a way opened fo him as he struggled toward the housi and tie hurried forward, fearing som great trouble, but hardly prepared fc what he saw wheu he finally reaelie the steps of the veranda. Half a dozen men had the mill owut In their grasp, having evidently draj ged him out of his dining room. Hi coat was half torn off, as if there ha been a struggle. Marks of bloody fii ctvs stained his collar. His face wa white, aud his eyes tilled with the feu of death. Withiu. upou the tloor, la his wife, who had fainted. A sou an a daughter, his two grown up childrei clung terrified to one of the servaut who Uueeled half fainting herself I the side of the mill owner's wife, table overturned aud fragments of late diuner scattered over the sid board autl ou the tloor. a broken plat the print of a muddy foot ou the whii tiling before the open tire?the who picture Hashed upou Philip like a scet out of the lV'tich revolution, aud I almost rubbed his eyes to kuow if I was awake aud iu America iu tl nineteenth century. lie was intense! practical, however, aud the nature < his duty never for a moment escapt him. He at once advanced and sa calmly: "What does all this mean? Why th attack on Mr. Winter?" The moment Mr. Winter saw Phil aud heard his voice he cried out. tret bling: "Is that you, Mr. Stron; Thank God! Save me! They are goii to kill me!" "Who talks of killing or taking h man life contrary to law?" exclaim* Philip, coming up closer and placit ' his hand on Mr. Winter's arm. "Me what are you doing?" For a moment the crowd fell back little from the mill owner, and one the men who had been foremost iu tl u-ith cmnit ro?!tnnt ! UIWI11V IV1UIVVI null oviaiv .v.?rwM .. though in a sullen manner: "M Strong, this is not a case for your i terference. This man lias caused tl , dentil of one of his employees, and I deserves hanging!" "And hanging lie will get!" yelled a other. A great cry arose. In the mid of it all Mr. Winter shrieked out 1 innocence. "It is all a mistake! Th do not know! Mr. Strong, tell the they do not know!" The crowd closed around Mr. Wint again. Philip knew enough about m to know that the mill owner was genuine danger. Most of his assa ants were the foreign element in t V mills. Many of them were under t influence of liquor. The situation w critical. Mr. Winter clung to Phil with the frantic clutch of a man w sees only one way of escape and cliu to that with inad eagerness. Phil turned around and faced the mob. I raised his voice, hoping to gain a lies ing and reason with it. but lie might well have raised his voice against tornado. Sonic one threw a hand! of mud and snow toward the prison* In an instant every hand reached f IFIXION ! JP STRONG. \ w th ac LES M. SHELDON, ev uld Jesus Do?," "Malcom Kirk," "Robert a ven Days," Etc. rs the nearest mrssile. and a shower of lu stones, muddy snowballs and limbs torn from the trees on the lawn was e. it rained upon the house. Most of the ?v a windows in the lower story were bro18 ken. All this time Philip was eagerly 10 remonstrating with the few men who a had their hands on Mr. Winter. He Jo thought if he could only plead with le them to let tne man go tie couiu sup v- with him around the end of .the veranda through n side door and take him so is through the house to a place of safety. 0 He also knew that every minute was ? ?t precious, as the police might arrive at " ['j any moment and change the situation. is But in spite of his pleas the mill owner was gradually pushed and dragged a h, down off the veranda toward the gate. 0D ?? The men tried to get Philip out of the ?? *e sti a way. . ts (]0D't want to harm you, sir. ss Better get out of danger," said the jj? same man wlio had spoken before. Philin for answer threw one arm J" about Mr. Winter, saying: "If you kill m' ot him, you will kill rue with him. You tn jJ1 shall never do this great sin against an ^ ui innocent uian. In the name of God, I 0D ^ call on every soul here to"? se ie But his words were drowned in the w noise that followed. The mob was in- of w sane with fury. Twice Mr. Winter ex to was dragged olf his feet by those down ^ f,!! en the walk; twice Philip|faised him j11' "If yoii kill him, you will kill me." to his feet, feeling sure that if the 0fl g. crowd once threw him down they co m would trample him to death. Once W( " some one threw a rope over the wretch- ^ - Until lio >ind Mr Win e tru 1UUU 3 I1VUU. l^viw MV ..... ou g ter were struck again and again. Their W( o clothes were torn into tatters. Mr. th ir Winter was faint and reeling. Only a i, his great terror made his clutch on ha e Philip like that of a drowulng man. th r At last tlie crowd had dragged the af d two outside the gate into the street. 1 Here they paused awhile, and Philip th :r again spoke to the mob. nc ;- "Men. made in God's image, listen to at Is me! Do not take innocent life. If you at d kill him. you kill me also, for I will bo i- never leave his side alive, and I will ne is not permit such murder if I can pre- at ir vent it." tet y "Kill them both?the bloody coward pa d and the priest!" yelled a voice. "They his a, both belong to the same church." thi s, "Yes. hang 'em! Ilaug 'em both!" A an ,y tempest of cries went up. Philip tow- as A erod up like a giant. In the light of afi a the street lamp he looked out over the ha e- great sea of passionate, brutal faces. Q0 e, crazed with drink and riot, aud a great W( te wave of compassionate feeling swept ou le over him. Those nearest never forgot 0v ie that look. It was .Christlike in its fa, ie yearning love for lost children. Ilis tin ie lips moved iu prayer. he ie Aud just then the outer circle of the hi! [y crowd seemed agitated. It had surged sjt jf up nearer the light with the evident In- j0i tention of hanging the mill owner on to id one of the crosspieees of a telegraph an pole near by. The rope had again been gp is thrown over his head. Philip stood pe with one arm about Mr. Wiuter and re) iP with the other stretched out in en- \ ii- treaty, when he lmard a pistol shot. so ?? then another. The entire police de- sa ig partment had been summoned and had |n, finally arrived. There was a skirmish- co u- ing rattle of shots. But the crowd be- pa >d gan to scatter in the neighborhood of sp ig the police force. Then those nearer cr, ii. Philip began to run as best they could lt] away from the officers. Philip and the ji a. mill owner were dragged along with f0 of :he rest in the growing confusion until. ci, lie watching his opportunity, i'liiiip pun- t0 il- cd Mr. Winter behind one of tho large W! [r. poles by which the lights of the street U{1 n- were suspended. w tie Here, sheltered a little, but struck by (,? lie many a blow. Philip managed to shield w witli his own body the man who only as n- a little while before had come into his 1st own house and called him a liar and p, lis threatened to withdraw his church sup- Sj; ey port because of the preaching of tj, ni Christ's principles. tlj When finally the otlicers reached the w er two men. Mr. Winter was nearly dead n( en from the fright. Philip was badly rc, in bruised, but not seriously, and he help- |n il- ed Mr. Winter back to the house, while ^ he a few of the police remained on guard tp he the rest of the night. It was while re- p as covering from the effects of the night's p( lip attack that Philip little by little learn- [n ho ed of the facts that led up to the as- <rr gs sault. tl: lip There had been a growing feeling of m Ie discontent in all the mills, and it had 5; tr- finally taken shape in the Ocean mill. 01 as which was largely owned and control- E a led by Mr. Winter. -f The discontent w 'ul arose from a new tea Ie of wages sub- g. er. mitted by the company. It was nut st or satisfactory to the men, and the after- ei ion of that evening on which Philip arr id gone down to the hall a commit- 0f e of the mill men had waited on Mr. ^ inter and after a long conference geI id gone away without getting any t0 tisfaction. They could not agree on ms e proposition made by the company ge] id by their own labor organization. ref iter In the day one of the committee, pj, ider instructions, went to see Mr. tjj, Inter alone and came away from tij( e interview very much excited and fa( igry. He spent the first part of the S0I ening in a saloon, where he related sp| part of his Interview with the mill mc riier, and said that he had finally pg, eked him out of the office. Still later tjr, the evening he told several of the mj en that he was going to see Mr. Win- ^ r again, knowing that on certain ou1 euings he was in the habit of stay- (je] g down at the mill office until nearly we ,lf past D for special business. The ^ ills were undergoing repairs, and |n r. Winter was away from home are than usual. jn Phat was the last that any one saw aD( the man until, about 10 o'clock, wi, me one going home past the mill eai Ice heard a man groaning at the foot eni a new excavation at the end of the on lilding and climbing down discover- dcr the man who had been to see Mr. ow inter twice that afternoon. He had pi0 terrible gash In his head and lived jt ] ly a few minutes after he was dls- jaij vered. To the half dozen men who or nr^i. Mm In the anlnnn. where ha on. d been carried, be bad murmured the e uame of "Mr. Winter" and bad the en expired. wa A. very little adds fuel to the brain of lng en already heated with rum and ha- del 2d. The rumor spread like lightning ^ at the wealthy mill owner had killed res :e of the employees who had gone to ph e him peaceably and arrange matters r the men. He had thrown him out COr the office into one of the new mill |m] cavatlons and left him there to die to < :e a dog in a ditch. So the story ran bui I through the tenement district, and km an incredibly swift time the worst pfll 2ments in Milton were surging to- 0p( lrd Mr. Winter's house with murder toh their hearts and the means of accom- ten [shlng it in their hands. i Mr. Winter had finished his work at tin e office and gone home to sit down to the IntP luneh. as his custom was. when sm was interrupted by the mob. The sur st of the incident Is connected with ^s liat has been told. The crowd seized jje in with little ceremony, and It was Cus ly Philip's timely arrival and his siK ving of minutes until the police ar- abi red that prevented a lynching in me ilton that night. As It was Mr. Win- mo r received a scare from which It iac ok a long time to recover. He dread- ^ to go out alone at night. He kept UU( guard a special watchman and lived rai more or less terror even then. It j,y is satisfactorily proved in a few ti, ys that the man who had gone to Sptl e Mr. Winter bad never reached the po, Ice door; but. coming around the the rner of the building where the new |ng ork was being done, he had fallen off as e stonework, striking on a rock in ma ch a way as to produce a fatal sac ound. This tempered the feeling of 0nc e workmen toward Mr. Winter, but widespread unrest and discontent hni id seized on ?very man employed In hin e mills, and as the winter drew on we fairs reached a crisis. a < The difference between the mills and gre e men over the scale of wages could rea >t be settied. The men began to talk cot tout a strike. Philip heard of it and jjej once, with his usual frankness and ? me ldness, spoke with downright plain- . ss to the men against it. That was the little hall a week after the at- _ npt on Mr. Winter's life. Philip's rt in that night's event had added to ? reputation and his popularity with ? men. They admired his courage d his grit. Most of them were A hamed of ihe whole affair, especially ent ter they had sobered down and it ape d been proved that Mr. Winter had a \ t touched the man. So Philip was roo doomed with applause as he came to t on the little platform and looked aw er the crowded room, seeing many ble ces there that had glared at him in he e mob a week before. And yet his obs art told him lie loved these men, and has 3 reason told him that it was the J mer and the unconverted that God a 1 red. It was a terrible responsibility sm have such men count him popular, hes d lie prayed that wisdom might be eye veu him in the approaching crisis, es- wli cially as he seemed to have 6ome tud al influence. clu Ele had not spoken ten words when me me one by the door cried: "Come out- on< le! Itig crowd out here want to get 1 It was moouliglit and not very Bto id. so every one moved out of the ( II. and Philip mounted the steps of a gla orehouse near by and spoke to a car owd that tilled up the street in front " id for a long distance right and left, a r is speecli was very brief, but It was wh rtitied with telling figures, aud at the " jsc he stood and nuswered a perfect thr rrent of questions. Ilis main counsel ne: as against a strike in the present sit- I ition. He had made himself familiar crc itli the facts on both sides. Strikes, thr f argued, except in very rare cases. Lo ere demoralizing?an unhealthy, distrous method of getting justice done. "Why, just look at that strike in J restou, England, among the cotton jai tinners. There were only GGO opera- tin ves. but tnat siriKe, uerore u euuuu, ai irew out of employment over 7,800 tlu envers and other workmen who had sc )tl)ing whatever to do with the quar- Sti 1 of the 0(50 men. In the recent strike Th the cotton trade in Lancashire at wa ie end of the first 12 weeks the opera- as! res had lost in wages alone $4,500,000. ' our strikes that occurred in England yo .'tween 1870 and 1880 involved a loss an wages of more than $25,000,000. In ' 1,000 strikes Investigated lately by ' ie national bureau of labor It Is estl- ' ated that the employees lost about wr il.S00.000, while the employers lost ' llv $50,700,000. Out of 353 strikes in "l\ uglaud between 1870 and 1880 101 ho ere lost by the strikers, 71 were 1 lined and 01 compromised, but in the no rikes that were successful it took sev- tui al years to regain Ju wages the bo lount lost by the enforced idlenes the men." There were enough hard thlnklnj lslble men in the audience that nigh see the force of his argument Th ijorlty, however, were In favor of leral strike to gain their point 1 card to the scale of wages. Whe illp went home, he carried with hir i conviction that a general strike i i mills was pending. In spite of th ;t that it was the worst possible set 1 of the year for such action and 1 te of the fact that the difference d( inded by the men was a trifle coir red with their loss of wages the ver st day of idleness, there was a detei nation among the leaders that th 000 men in the mills should all g t in the course of a few days If th rnands of the men in the Ocean mil re not granted. Vhat was the surprise of every on Milton, therefore, the very next da; len it was announced that every mil the great sj*stem had shut dowi [1 not a man of the 15,000 laborer io marched to the buildings in th ly gray of the winter morning fount :rance! Statements were posted u; the doors that the mills were shu wn until further notice. The mil ners had stolen a march on the em yees. and the big strike was on; bu had been started by capital, not b; ior. and labor went to Its tenemen congregated In the saloon, sullei 1 gloomy, and as days went by am s mills showed no signs of openin; ? great army of the unemployed Iked the streets of Milton in grow ; discontent and fast accumulate )t and poverty. leanwhile the trial of the man ai ted for shooting Philip came on, an< ilip and Ills wife both appeared a tnesses In the case. The man wa ivicted and sentenced to 15 years prisonment. It has nothing specia Jo with the history of Philip Strong l may be of interest to the reader t aw that in two years' time he wa doned out and returned to Milton t< ?n his* old saloon, where he actuall; J more than once the story of his at apt on the preacher's life. 'here came also during those storm; les in Milton the trial of several o men who were arrested for the as lit on Mr. Winter. Philip was alsi nmoued as a witness in these cases always, he frankly testified to wha knew and saw. Several of the ac ;ed were convicted and sentenced t< >rt terms. But the mill owner, proh y fearing revenge on the part of thi n. did nut push the matter, ant st of the cases went by default fo k of prosecution. Ir. Winter's manner toward Phlll] lerweut a change after that memo ile evening when the minister stoot hit** or tl?o norll nf Ills nwn llffl ere was a fooling of genuine re 'Ot. mingled with fear, in his de tmont toward Philip. To say tha y were warm friends would be say too much. Men as widely differen the minister and the wealthy mil n do not come together on tha red ground of friendship, even whei i Is indebted to the other for hi (. A man may save another fron iging and still be unable to savi from selfishness. And Mr. Wlnte nt his way and Philip went his 01 Afferent basis, so far as commoi eting went, but no nearer in th< 1 thing, which makes heart to hear nmunion impossible. For the tlmug Mr. Winter's hostility was sub rged under his indebtedness to Phil He returned to ids own place h ( church and contributed to th< incial support. TO BE CONTINUED. No Wonder He Fled. . tall, solemn looking young mai ered the restaurant with a mild dogctic air aud seated himself a acant table near the middle of thin. It was evident that he dreade< intrude. lie wanted to get as fa ay from other people as possi . He even blushed painfully wliei gave his order, and the most casua server could have told that he wa ihful. ust as his dinner was brought to bin juxom looking woman with sevei all children entered the place. Tlr ul waiter swept the field with hi pounced down upon the tab! ere the young man had sought soli le, motioned to the mother, wh eked to the chickens, and a mo nt later they were all around tha j table. 'hat young man's face was a seria ry. )ther people entered the restauranl need at the group, smiled signifl ltly, and seated themselves, no doesn't look it, does he?" queries ileasant faced old lady in an audibl isper. She looks at least ten years olde in he," murmured a girl at th st table. Ie flew to the hatrack, tossed a hal iwn to the waiter and tried to g ough the door without opening It.~ ndon Telegraph. Tliey Saw the Point. tn American farmer near Guadalr a convinced his Mexican neighbor it oxen can do more work unde aerican yokes, so generally used 1 > republic. The American brough ,-eral modern yokes from the Unite ites and used them with success . I --li... Ma \fAvUnn ;0 curiusuy U1 uio uivailuu Liiuiiu is aroused, and they proceeded t ? questions. 'Well," said the American, "whe u lasso a steer and the lasso get jund his neck what do you do?" Turn him loose," was the reply. Why?" 'Because he's too strong for us ths ty." 'That's It," answered the Americai [is strength is in his neck, not in hi rns." Che Mexicans saw the point, an w yokes of United States manufa* re are generally used In that nelgl rhood.?Modern Mexico. 18 iHiscrllanmts grading. t WINKLER'S DISPENSARY BILL, e a It Contains Provisions That Nay Operate to Coerce Prohibition Sentiment. n Mr. Winkler, of Kershaw, introduced n his dispensary bill in the house last n Friday. The bill is generally ooncede ed to be a Tillman measure throughL" out. It is quite lengthy, embodying n very Dearly all of the machinery of the H present law except county boards ol l" control, which are to be done awa^ y with. There will be no state dispeusary fund, all profits hereafter going 6 to the towns and oouuties where there 0 arc dispensaries. Prohibition counties ? are to get no dispensary money. The " "from sunrise to sunset" requiremenl of the constitution is, of course, ree tained. jP The bill provides for a board of five members, of terras of five years each, a to receive a salary of $400 per annum 8 each and mileage as at present. They ? shall be bonded at $5,000 each. It shall be their duties to advertise P for sealed bids for liquor to be furnished the state dispensary for the period of one year, contracts to be awarded in July. Each successful bidder must give a $5,000 bond ; all liquors to be ^ shipped ' through United States government bonded warehouses. Should ^ any holder fail in his contract the board is authorized to purchase that j proportion from other successful bidders. Liquors are to be tested by the state chemist as at present, and in the bids are to be graded by age and quality. * There are to be no "case goods" unless purchased especially upon the or8 dcr of a customer or customers ; but all 8 liquors are to be put up in bottles with j the label "South Caroliua dispensary," , and the kind aud quality of the liquor, the latter denoted in grades by "X's." A nnnimiaaiftnei- ia fn hfi p|pi;tpd 1>V g XX WUIUJIWIVUWI ,M %w ~ Q the general assembly. Shall be a total abstainer, shall serve for two years, . receive $3,000 per annum and qualify just as a state officer, giving a bond of $25,000. He shall appoint a f clerk and other employes of the state , dispensary. Three inspectors are to be a elected by the state board. There are ! to be no county boards of control; but ^ the county dispensers are to be ap pointed by the governor "with the 5 consent and advice of the senate." ? The dispenser is to deal with the state p board. Liquor is to be furnished him j at a cost advanced just a little over r the price at the distilleries. The state is to receive no profits save a very p small margin necessary to afford ruu. ning expenses, any balance to be de ] voted to state public schools to be ap ,m portioned by the state board of ex_ aminers. The profits are to be made u at the county dispensaries and divided t between the county, for its schools, . and town, in the ratio of 2 to 1, in the t presence of certain county and muni j cipal officers. t It will he a misdemeanor for any i state or local dispensary official to give 9 or to receive samples, or to give or a sell liquor in any way other than by o the regular routine which is identical r with that of the law now in operation. i All contraband liqnor is to be destroya ed. Violution of the last two proa visious is to receive a fine of $100. t Tbe state board is not allowed tc e purchase from any one firm offering samples to individuals of the board. .- No liquor is to be rectified or watered a at the distilleries, that expanding pro a cess taking place at the state dispen say. Tbe purchases are to be made in the presence of the chairman of the fiuance committee of the senate and ol the ways and means committee of the house. 1 There may be one dispensary iu ' every county except those in which the sale of liquor has always been pro^ hibited. Dispensary may be obtained or rejected as follows: There shall be a petition to the governor signed by one-third of the taxpaying citizens, as j attested by the supervisor of regis tra' tion of the county. On this petition the governor is authorized to order an a election. A majority vote will estahlish or reject the dispeusary. II e adopted, tbe dispensary is to be located at the place designated by the goveruor. Constables are to be appointed by the overnor and are to be paid out ol the county funds not less thau $1 or t more than $2 per day, and are to be bouded at $500. Like dispensers, they j must file applications stating age, former occupation, if any, etc., aud sup. ported by petitions. ? Each prohibition county shall maintaiu the law. Failing to do so, special ^ constables may be appointed upon nf nnt, Ipss than 50 taxoavei's, e . . Expenses of such constables to be r paid by respective counties in which e they operate. f THE ttRIP OF THE OCTOPUS. ? If the StHiidHrd Oil Company Need* More Money It Only Ha* to Say So. The following is from the New York World of January 12: . The Standard Oil company is eon,g ducting tinuueial and stock market operations of so vast a scope that it it Q in need of a greater iucome than tht lt $30,000,000 a year which it has been j paying its stockholders. How to get 5 it was easy. John I). Rockefellei in simply issued an order within the fort0 uight that the price of oil must be raised to consumers three cents pei n gallon. 8 This edict was simultaneously pub lished at every oil depot of the trust in the country. Of course the raise falls on the ?onsumer. . At the time the price of oil was rais ed the agents of the trust informed } the public that the scarcity of crudt I- oil compelled the move. They did not, however, call attentiou to tht J fact that the trust had a complete monopoly of crude oil. J. The people of the United States con sume 970,000,000 gallons of oil everj year. The increase of three ceDts a gallon will compel the people to pay the Standard Oil company $29,100,000 more in 1900 for their oil than they did in 1899. i This means that the income of the Standard Oil company will be nearly I doubled. It will be at least $58,200, 000. During the past two months the . price of kerosene oil has been raised to - consumers from 2 to 4 cents per gallon. ! The retail price is now from 11 to 14 f cents per gallon. In the poorer disr tricts consumers are charged 11 cents . per gallon. The uniform price paid r by dealers is 10 cdnts. Those dealers ! whose patrons are among the middle i and upper classes are able to charge . from 2 to 4 cents profit; but the smaller grocers say the profit of 1 cent per gallou does not pay the cost of handling. All dealers have first to pay a , license fee of $10 for the privilege of selling oil. ! At the annual meeting of the Standard Oil directors yesterday, John D. Rockefeller was again elected president. COTTON CROP MOVEMENT. Review of Its Present State?Strong Position of Farmers. The New York Times makes the following comprehensive review of the ' cotton crop movement, based on late . and accurate reports : "The movement of the cotton crop up to date shows a reduction, as compared with the crop of 1896-97, of 507-, 000 bales. The total crop that season was 8,758,000 bales. The two succeed- ' iug crops being much larger, a coraparsion with that of 1896 97 seems only reasonably fair and proper. i "On January 1, 1897, the total crop 1 in sight was 6,398,000 bales out of a i total of 8,758,000 bales, making the i 1 movement after January 1, 2,360,000 hales. Should the movement after i January 1, this year prove equal to i , that of 1896 97, this year's crop would be 8,250,000 bales, i "On January 1, 1898, the total i amount iu sight was 7,300,000 bales i out of a total crop of 11,200,000 bales, : and on January 1, 1899, 7,725,000 i bales out of a total of 11,275,000 bales, ; showing a movement after January 1, respectively, of 3,900,000 and 3,550,000 1 bales. The amount of cotton that 1 came into sight after January 1, 1898, ; was the largest ever recorded, exceeding that of 1896 97 by 1,540,000 bales. Now, while the present crop move> muni iu .1(17 (inn hulua loss than that nf ' 1896 97, if the movement for the remainder of the crop year be increased hy adding half of the above excess to it, it will bring the crop totals: Crop in sight Jauuary 1, 5,891,000 hales; : assume remaining movement equals I that of 1896 97, 2,360,000 bales, 8,251,, 000 bales; add excess as above, 770,000 hales, making a total crop of 9,021,000. "In view of the fact that the movement has been running smaller than ; that of 1896-97, the above addition oI 770,000 bales is very generous. In deed, a crop of 9,000,000 bales at the | I present moment looks very uncertain, for there is not a scintilla of evidence upon which to base a belief that the movement of this crop is otherwise j than normal. There are rumors cur- | rent, as in every other crop year past, , ; that cotton is being held back. The ( stock of cotton at ports and interior , towns contradicts these idle rumors, i for the aggregate stock at these points ( is less than last year. "At the beginning of this crop sea son, i. e., September 1, the stock at f ports and interior towns, as compared ' with the same time last year, showed an excess of 330,000 bales. Now these stocks show a decrease, as compared with last year, of 124,000 bales, making u nof loss nf 4.n4 000 hales. This, it is pointed out, does not look like holdiDg ; back cotton. "It is reported that the stock at the i enumerated towns is larger than last year. There has never been an ini stance in the history of the cotton i trade where excessive stocks at enume Ated towns did not show also at F enumerated points. Such a prear1 ranged plan on the part of planters - and factors to put all their excess holdings in unenumerated towns is utterly impossible and on its face T absurd. "In this connection it would be i well for the cotton trade the world over to consider carefully the changed conditions at the south and its rapidly increasing spinning capacity. With a very large margin of profit upon manufactured goods, and under contracts I for several months ahead, its mills are i running day and night, while those . in the north are doing almost equally s as well. These mills have secured the i larger portion of their supplies, and while some of these may show in stocks at interior towns, this cotton is practically off the market and not lor sale. The movement assuredly dem > onstrates this crop to be a short one, and while such a crop report continues, holders need not fear the final result nor be at all influenced by the mission ary efforts put forth presumably for an - interested purpose, i "One year ngo planters had the good ; sense to reduce the acreage under culi tivalion, and today they are reaping a substantial reward for their labor in ' the shape of 7 to 1\ cents for their cot ton, instead of 4$ cents, as during the s two preceding years. "The question now is asked whether planters will be foolish enough to abandon their present strong position by i increasing the acreage for next crop. > The situation, it is said, is now practically in their hands for weal or woe. A moderate reduction in acreage, with I a resultant moderate crop next year, ! will mean at least 8 cents to the plan I ter for his cotton, for Europe at the present time is dangerously short in her supplies of American cotton, while a larger acreage would be used to de press prices in the expectation of a ' large crop. "It is a matter of vital interest to every planter south whether he shall receive 5 cents or 8 cents per pound for his next crop of cotton, and it is declared that the final determination of the matter rests entirely with him." HORRIBLE TRAGEDY IN PICKENS. ^ Rev. A. M. AttawHy Becomes a Ravins Maniac, and Tries to Kill His Wife. Greenville News, January 7. Coroner Jones, of Pickens county, who was here yesterday, gave an account of the sad and tragic death of the Rev. A. McSwain Attaway, a prominent young Methodist minister, who is a brother to the Rev. Mr. Attaway, of Traveler's Rest, and son of the Rev. John Attaway, of Williamston. His death occurred at his home, six miles west of Pickens, on Thursday, and was caused by heart failure superinduced by a violent attack of insanity. It is thought that he lost his mind by reason of the death about ten days ago of a son. Mrs. Attaway is now also insane and is being guarded. Both have been treated in the state hospital for the insaue. Mr. Altaway's death was attended by harrowing circumstances. First he went into the yard and killed his favorite dog by cutting its head off with an ax. Next he killed a hog in the mi i * - * same way. men ne went into ine house and lay down. Suddenly he was seized with a spasm and jumped out of bed and began to destroy the furniture. Then be seized bis wife's clothing near her neck between his teelh. In her terror she told her (laughter to kill bim. The daughter had a carving knife in her hand. "Get him off," the mother screamed to the child, frantic with fright, "cut his throat with the knife; it is necessary ; if you don't he will kill me and all of you." "Oh, no; mamma," replied the daughter, exhibiting remarkable courage and presence of mind ; "that needn't be done. "I'll just cut the piece of dress loose he has in bis mouth." This was done and immediately the suffering man fell and dead. Mrs. Attaway became violently insane iu a short time. The coroner thought best, in the circumstances, to hold an inquest. A verdict of death from natural cause was rendered. A Demand on the Sultan.?Says a Washington dispatch of the 11th in slant. In the diplomatic mail pouch which will go out from the state department tomorrow will be a lot of instructions to Oscar Straus, the United States minister at Constantinople, directing him to make a positive demand on the Sultan's government for the payment of $40,000 indemnity for the assassination of Frank Lentz, an American citizen. Lentz was from Pittsburg. He was an expert bicyclist, and was engaged by Outing to travel through Armenia on his wheel. While proceeding through that country he was shot and killed by Turkish soldiers. The Turkish government has acknowledged its liability ; but although pressed to do so, has not paid the indemnity demanded.Mr. Lenz was murdered in 1895. Mr. Straus will be instructed also to press for the payment of the $100,000 demanded by the United States on account of losses sustained by American educational institutions and American teachers in the Sultan's possessions during the Armenian troubles several years ago. Richest man in the world.? The romantic interest aroused by the determination of the young Viscount Belgrave to remain in the field in South Africa, though he has just inherited the richest estate in Great Britain, is increased by a recent discovery, [t appears that the 600 acres in the heart of London which constitute the chief wealth of the Duke of Westminster, came into the family as the result of a runaway love match made by an ancestor of the duke. In 1656 Sir Thomas Grosvenor fell in love with the pretty daughter of Ebury Manor, a house standing far without the city and surrounded by five large pastures. This property became the dower of the bride and gradually London grew up around it. It lay idle, however, until the first part of this century, when the great-grandfather of the new duke, conceived the idea of building up the estate with row after row of palatial houses. The young nobleman who prefers hard fighting in South Africa to the enjoyment of a great fortune at home is only 20 years. Cats for Manila.?During the siege of Manila it appears that the Spanish soldiers used the cats of the city as targets and, since its occupancy by the Americans, the "boys in brown" have also improved their marksmanship by shooting at stray felines. As a consequence Manila is almost catless, and the rats and mice have increased exceedingly. The American civil authorities have been appealed to and, through an agent in Newark, N. J., have collected 500 firstclass cats, which are to be shipped to the islands this week. The cats will occupy large crates during the'long voyage, with a separate compartment, enclosed with wire netting, for each one of the ratkillers. The cats were bought at an average price of 15 cents each. Worae OIT Than He Thonpmt. Shadbolt? Well, I'm $30 worse off than I was yesterday morning. Dingus?How's that? Shadbolt?I was held up by footpads on my way home last night and robbed. Dingus?I'm sorry for you, old man. But they didnt get the $5 I borrowed of you before you started home, anyhow. Shadbolt?That's so. I forgot that I'm $33 worse off than I was yesterday morning.?Chicago Tribune.