Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Straps and if acts. ? Col. William Youngblood, ex-thirc auditor of the treasury' under McKinley and ex-National executive commit' teeman from Alabama, says that th< nomination of President Roosevelt wil solidify the Democrats of the nation compel Bryan to support the Democratic ticket, no matter whom the Democrats nominate, and will endanger th< Republican ticket. With anybody bui Mr. Roosevelt he believes the Republicans safe. Roosevelt, he says, hai raised the Negro question, and this accounts for his unpopularity. He says nine-tenths of the Alabama Republicans are opposed to Roosevelt. ? Washington dispatch to New Yorl Times: The agricultural departmem is inquiring into the statement of Consul General Richard Guenther that ? new nlnnt has been discovered in South America which promises to supplant the sugar cane and the sugar beet Scientiflcially the plant is known as the Eupatroium rebandium, and it contains a large amount of saccharine matter and a high percentage of natural sugar properties which are easy to extract. According to Mr. Guenther, a lump the size of a pea will sufficiently sweeten, a cup of coffee, as the product made from the plant is from twenty to thirty times sweetei than cane or beet sugar. It is said tc be easily cultivated in countries having climatic conditions similar to those of the southern portion of the United States. ? San Francisco dispatch of September 29: William C. Hartridge, whe went to Caroline Islands last May, in the interest of Mrs. Catherine O'Keefe the widow of Dave D. OKeefe, has arrived on the steamer Doric. O'Keefe was known as the King of Yap. He left his wife and daughter in Savannah in the early seventies, and was wrecked on this island. Being the firs) white man the natives had ever seen the natives treated him with every possible reverence, and finally made him their king. Over a year ago, after visiting Hong Kong on business, he started to return on one of his vessels, and that was the last ever heard of him. Upon hearing of his deathl Lawyer Hartridge was sent out to see how matters stood. He found the will in Hong Kong, distributing the estate, valued at $1,500,000 In property, all ol which is productive. He left a large amount to his daughter, Mrs. J. JF, Butler of Savannah, and it is expected that the Savannah widow will claim about 50 per cent of the estate, ? Paris dispatch of October 1: According to reliable information received here, Japan has decided to send two regiments of infantry to Corea This is regarded in authoritative quarters as being a most important step, as affecting Russo-Japanese relations and as likely to accentuate the possibilities of a war crisis. Japan's decision is considered to be directly related to Russia's proposition to evacuate Manchuria October 8. It is now accepted in the highest quarters thai this evacuation is impossible of accomplishment, as China has not signed the terms on which Russia conditioned her evacuation. The advices received show that Chian inclines to continue the present Russian status in Manchuria rather than commit herself to finally signing the proposed agreement In view of these conditions, Japan's decision to send troops to Corea is regarded as being a most significant step. The advices further show thai the war spirit in Japan has materially augmented during the last fortnight. ? The heroic action of Miss Manuela Flores, the eighteen-year-old daughtei of Mariano Gomez, mayor of the city, has attracted the attention of President Diaz, and the Mexican congress will vote her a medal, says a Linares Mexico, dispatch of September 29. The high honor will be conferred on Miss Gomez in recognition of her brave and untiring services to the people of this citv during the yellow fever epidemic For several weeks, she has been acting mayor of Linares. Surrounded by the dying victims of the terrible disease with her father, the mayor, lying at home, stricken with the malady, she assumed the duties of mayor, and has directed the affairs of the city in a time of greatest distress with an ability that has won praise from the highest authorities of the Mexican government. When death entered her owr home, she remained at her post o! duty. She saw the population of th< city reduced from 15,000 people t( less than 3,000, as a result of the deatl panic due to the epidemic. When hei young lady associates were fleeing t< the mountains to escape the scourge Miss Manuela was carrying out th< plans of improving the sanitary con' dition of the city and using her ut most efforts to quell the spread of th< disease. All the other city official! were stricken and died. As the; dropped out. one by one. Miss Manuel! took their respective official duties and is now performing the work o several other officers, as well as tha of mayor. ? St. Louis Globe-Democrat: Secre tary Shaw is looking after the finan cial situation, and is prepared to re lieve any stringency which may pre sent itself. As the circulation in tin past few months has been larger thai it ever was before, there is no need t< have a stringency. The per capiti f<a almnst SSft now whill it was only $21.10 in the middle o 1896. The talk about stringencies look silly. Most of those who are shout ing for an increase in circulation ar< speculators, who want money to bi made more plentiful as a means fo them to conduct their cornering opera tions with a little more safety t< themselves. Legitimate business in terests have all the money they need. ? At Salisbury. N. C., Wednesday o last week, the corset of a mulatto wo man. neatly dressed, who was to< drunk to give her name to the po lice, saved her from an awful death She arrived from South Carolina ant was walking along a steep embank ment on the line of the Southern rail way. She fell several feet, her bod: struck the end of a cross tie in th< bridge connecting the two sections o the city. She was suspended there it an upright position for half an hour supported by a strong corset whicl had been caught by the projecting tie. Several trains passed many feet under her while the crowd looked on. 1 The railway company succeeded in . placing a rope around her waist, loos. ening the hold upon the corset and i dragging her ashore. She was ar1 rested. : <?hr Itoru'ilk (fruquirrr. 1 YORK VILLE, S. C.: i J FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2,1903. t We have no apologies to make for s giving so much space to the unveiling ceremonies at Brattonsville yesterday. ' While we are not willing to assert such as a fact, we agree with Con gressman Finley that it is not unreai sonable to argue that if it had not been s for the defeat of Huck, there would have been no battle of King's Moun> tain, and we feel quite sure that if there had been no battle of King's i Mountain there would have been no 1 Yorktown. Northern histories do not emphasize anything of the kind; but whether he will admit it or not every > intelligent historian recognizes this a i fact. Therefore the people of York , county have good reason to claim that i their heroic ancestors were the hon! ored instruments of Almighty God in s bringing about the independence of the United States of America. The time i was in this country when our educated : people generally were fully cognizant , of these facts, and the proceedings of r "yesterday should go a long way toward restoring knowledge of the priceless " heritage that is justly theirs. ) % + m THE TRIAL OF TILLMAN. 1 1 Case of the State Is Being Developed Gradually But Steadily. 1 Tuesday. > The last issue of The Enquirer con tained a summary of the Tillman trial ! from Its commencement up to the hour of going to press on Tuesday afternoon, the synopsis concluding with the ' effort of the defense to draw from Mr. A. E. Gonzales testimony to the effect that his brother harbored deep malice against Colonel Tillman. Several 1 witnesses were examined during the . afternoon. W. B. Gause, a member of the leg, islature from Florence county, was i asked If he had heard Mr. Tillman say anything about Mr. Gonzales's editorials, to which witness replied that I when some one asked Col. Tillman s where he was stopping he replied: " 'I don't know that I am stopping : anywhere. I stuck those editorials of the State in my pocket, and told my I wife I might stop at the penitentiary 1 before I left there.' 1 On-cross examination the witness : said he did not take the remark seriously. The defense objected to all the tes. timony relating to the carrying of a i pistol by the defendant prior to the shooting unless it could be shown that : there was a connection between the : carrying at that time and the shooting. The court admitted the testimony with the provision that if it was not developed that it was competent the jury , would be Instructed to disregard it. Dr. S. T. B. Lancaster, a member or the legislature from Spartanburg, tes. tifled that he saw a pistol in Mr. Till( man's pocket on the day previous to the shooting. Two boys. C. V. Zim. merman and Francis Smith, swore that ' they saw a pistol in Tillman's hip 1 pocket on January 13, two days before 1 the shooting. The testimony was adi mitted, the court saying that if it developed, in the light of further testi\ mony, that this was improper the jury ' would be instructed accordingly. ( H. S. Dowling of Bamberg, who was a second lieutenant in the Second ' South Carolina regiment, commanded 1 by J. H. Tillman, said he saw Tilman at the jail after the shooting, when he i expressed his regrets that he (Tillman) was in trouble. Tillman asked, he said, if he (witness) knew where he " had hit Mr. Gonzales. The witness left the jail, and, upon ascertaining . where the bullet had struck, he went back to the jail and informed Tillman, | who, witness said, replied that "if he ' hit where he i imed, Gonzales sure was i a dead man." ) Wednesday. 1 Files of the Columbia State, with r their alleged mischief makiag editorials, were introduced in evidence on * Tuesday by the prosecution, and the , defense gave intimation of its inten2 tion to refer to the papers also. There ^ was some testimony as to some of the editorials on Wednesday; but none of them were read as evidence. i The greater part of Wednesday was g consumed in argument for and against the admission of the dying .declaraf tions of the deceased. The defense i fought hard igainst this admission; but the court at length ruled that ' these declarations were competent. Mr. Gonzales had talked to several t people after he was shot and there were a number of material witnesses as to what he said. The testimony - that he knew at the time that he was - fatally wounded was conclusive. Dr. . Mcintosh had told him that he would not live. Dr. J. W. Kabcock, superintendent of e the state hospital, was the first to tes1 tify to the dying declarations of the _ deceased. He and several others were present when they were made. Mr. 1 Robert Lathan took the statement e down in shorthand and Dr. Babcock -1 ? ^ aAam T'Urt dn/ilfmotiAriP tt'Ofb ? mailt? Utiles. l lie uniaianuiw .. v.v IV the effect that Gonzales knew he was 3 dying; that Tillman had killed him; - that he had sent no message to Tille man; that after the publication of the editorials he was not expecting any more strife. The fact that no message i* had been sent was developed by Mr. - August Kohn,? who asked the dying j man <|uestion.s on that specific point. A sensational feature of Wednes" day's proceedings was the testimony of Mr. James A. Hoyt, Jr., assistant edif tor of the State and a devoted friend and admirer of the late Mr. Gonzales. Mr. Hoyt was put up by the prosecu> tion to tell what he saw of Mr. Gon. zales after the shooting and the defense cross-examined him closely in order to show the bias of the deceased * and of himself against the deceased. - Mr. Hoyt admitted in reply to direct . questions that he considered Tillman a blackguard and a coward. The wit^ ness was requested to put on the s clothes that the deceased wore at the f time of the shooting, ostensibly to 1 show the position of the wounds. The witness was naturally very much af fected by the emotion thus caused, 1 and was able to control his feelings only with difficulty. Another member of the staff of the State had been required to put on the coat previously. Yesterday's Proceedings. The proceedings of yesterday were uneventful. By agreement the conclusion of Mr. Kohn's testimony was postponed until today. Then the prosecution began to read the editorials from the State newspaper, which are claimed to have justified the shooting. The reading took up the greater part of the day. The editorial read included one commenting on The Enquirer's statement of the difficulty between Tillman and DeCamp at Gaffney, and another commenting on Tillman's utterances in the speech he delivered at Yorkville, as the same was reported in The Enquirer. Today's Proceedings. By Telegraph to the Enquirer: Lexington, October 2.?The Tillman trial proceeded today and, as usual, the lawyers contested every point and little progress was made. The chief feature of the testimony was that of Dr. E. L. Adams of Columbia, who was an officer in Tillman's regiment during the Spanish war. He said that he had suggested to Tillman during the political campaign in 1902, that he ought to go to the State office and attack Gonzales on account of his editorials. Witness offered to accompany him in order to see fair play; but Tillman i^d said that he would not go at that time, but that later he would see Gonzales and the "God Damnest tragedy that ever South Carolina heard of would occur." The idea of the defence was to show with the other witnesses that Tillman had enmity towards Gonzales; but none of them said that they ever heard. Gonzales make any personal statement as to Tillman. This morning's session of the Tillman trial was the most interesting that has yet been held. The testimony is just now touching upon the circumstances of the killing. Besides this there have been several some what dramatic scenes, and certain testimony as to threats made by Tillman against Mr. Gonzales, not hitherto published. The most exciting scene that has yet occurred was the cross examination of Mr. August Kohn by Messrs. Croft and Nelson. These attorneys tried to make Mr. Kohn say that he knew that there was bad blood between Mr. Gonzales and Mr. Tillman. Mr. Kohn stated he did not know. Col. Croft asked if he did not know so from editorials in the State. Mr. Kohn said Mr. Gonzales may have had no personal feeling. Mr. Croft was very aggressive, shouting in a loud voice insisting that Mr. Kohn should answer whether or not he knew of bad blood. Messrs. Croft and Nelson spent a half hour or more framing every conceivable question to Mr. Kohn. Throughout the hot examination, Mr. Kohn was imperturable and answered every time as originally. The most important testimony of the morning was that given by Dr. E. L. Adams and Mr. C. J. Terrell, editor of the Johnston Monitor, as to the threats Tillman made against Gonzales. Mr. Terrell stated that once in Edgefield, he heard Tillman say he was going to- Columbia and shoot Gonzales doyifcidike a dog. Mr. Terrell remonstrated and told Tillman to go and have a square fight. Tillman said. "No. I am not going to give him any more show than a maddog." Mr. Terrell also heard similar remarks on two other occasions, which he stated. Dr. Adams said he was talking to Tillman in Columbia, near the end of the gubernatorial campaign. Several were trying to get Tillman to go to the State office and fight Gonzales. Tillman, after saying he was afraid he would not get fair play, said: "You boys need not worry, for by God I'll snap out his life with this," taking a pistol from a grip. On another occasion, he heard Tillman, after some one had been reading editorials in the State to him, in which the words "mock theatrical" were used, said, "He ? n * ? tV-1 AO tnlno 1' 1 f h& may UtUl It a lliwa L11VUL1 iVU.? ?. mm ? wishes; but I will make it the God damnest tragedy that ever occurred in South Carolina." Dr. Adams was in Colonel Tillman's regiment in the Spanish war, and voted for him for governor. When court took its recess for dinner, Senator Brown of Darlington, was on the stand. Senator Brown was with Tillman when the shooting occurred. Zach McGhee. ROCK HILL HAPPENINGS. Boll Weevil Has Arrived?The Appointment of Mr. Jenkins?Bell Telephone?Livest Man In Town. Correspondence of the Yorkville Enquirer. Rock Hlll, October 2.?The "sensation" of the week has been and is the notorious Mexican boll weevil. The destructive propensities of this insect are of such a nature as to warrant all farmers being in dread of its appearance. Specimens have been exhibited on our streets by Mr. W. C. Wherry, who brought them with him from Texas, and on comparison with specimens discovered by Mr. Jno. A. Neely and Mr. John H. Steele on their plantations, have been found very similar. Now comes Mr. W. J. Caveny with specimens secured from a field of cotton near the Highland Park mill and Mr. J. W. Bynum is certain that they are the dreaded boll weevil. Grave fears are felt that this precocious creature is in our midst already, and if such is really the case stern measures should be resorted to to stamp it out effectively. Much gratification is being generally felt in our city at the appointment of Mr. J. H. B. Jenkins as a state dispensary constable. Mr. Jenkins has made an excellent impression while connected with the police force, and universal regret was expressed a.i mo resignation, and a successful career in his new field of duty is practically assured. The benefit to a city of an organization like our Commercial club has been demonstrated time and again. Through their active instrumentality a new train has been established between Rock Hill and Columbia. It commences operation next Sunday and will be a grea^ convenience to the people of this city and the surrounding country generally. Leaving Rock Hill at 6.40 a. m., it reaches Columbia at 10 a. m., thus giving ample opportunity for the transaction of any business, as it leaves Columbia at 5.30 p. m., reaching here at 8.45 p. m. The Bell Telephone company has applied to our council for a city franchise?that is what it practically amounts to. Final action is deferred til the next meeting of council, which takes place Monday, October 5th. There is some interest aroused and the outcome is being carefully scrutinized by our representative citizens. Mr. J. Edgar Poag, our live and hustling real estate broker, has introduced a novel innovation into his practice. He had several carriages hired which carried his prospective buyers to see the properties, he has for sale lust Saturday and as a result "v.nKlL-1 oo lf?" 1 rilnono r\4> property have been disposed of. "Eddie" is the livest chap in the city. Kind Words of Appreciations. Editor Yorkville Enquirer: It seems that your enterprise in reporting the proceedings in the Tillman trial on Tuesday, the day of publication of your paper, should not go unpraised. The writer has lived in several counties in this state, but up to this time has failed to observe anything like a desire to keep the people in touch with the latest happenings as you have manifested. In other words it is so seldom that a country paper or county weekly or semi-weekly furnishes the news to its readers twenty hours ahead of the dailies. We see no reason why such regard for your subscribers should not be properly appreciated and accordingly reciprocated. Frank P McCain. Yorkville, S. C., Sept. 29, 1903. LOCAL AFFAIRS. NEW ADVERTISEMENTS. H. A. C. Walker, Supt.?Announces the second appearance of W. Powell Hale, impersonator, at the graded school nevt Tuesday evening. C. E. Spencer, Attorney?Offers a few lots and tracts of land for sale. Sam M. Grist?Has a bargain to offer in a No. 2 Smith Premier typewriter. It Is a bargain. Beard & Carroll?Call on parties owing them on account to pay up at once as the business must be settled up without delay. T. W. Boyd, Supervisor?Will on October 13th, let a contract conjointly with tlie supervisor of Cherokee, to build a bridge over King's creek. Kindley-Belk Bros. Co., Gastonia? Announce their fall opening of millinery to take place on Wednesday evening, Oct. 7, and invite every body to visit the store. See tne aa. on the fourth page. J. C. Myers?Wants to buy young mules, 3 to 6 years old, tomorrow and Monday at Glenn, and Allison's. Probate Judge McCorkle?Gives notice that James L. Moss has applied for letters of administration on the estate of James Burris, deceased. M. C. Willis, Mayor?Gives notice that the water rent for quarter ending October 1 ist due. Penalties attached after October 10th. York Cotton Mills Store?Calls attention to its special offerings in ladies' shirt waists, trunks, crockery, etc., today and tomorow, and repeats its clothing and hat offers or last week. Strauss-Smith Co.?Publishes some thoughts for the consumption of the prospective sewing machine buyers. C. P. Lowrance & Co.?Tell you to eat Ralston's barley food for breakfast. Riddle & Carroll?Say that when people think of flour they naturally think of them. T. W. Speck, The Jeweler?Says a "lucky curve"-pen is an inexpensive luxury at nrst ana .men a netcooiij. Foushee Cash Store?Talks about a big lot of millinery goods which it is now showing to its customers. J. Q. Wray?Has received his fall and winter clothing and says they are snappy goods. First National Bank?Solicits your deposits. whether large or small and promises the best of attention. NOTE AND COMMENT. A Yorkville dealer was lucky enough to get some advantage from the jump of cotton to thirteen cents in New York on Tuesday. He figured it out to his own satisfaction in advance and shipped his cotton to New York in plenty of time to sell at the best price of the day. But it must be remembered that the same trick is not always equally successful. Sometimes there is too much cotton in New York on "delivery day," and when such is the case the bottom falls out of prices. ABOUT PEOPLE. Miss Jessie Comer is on a visit to relatives and friends at Winnsboro. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas P. McDill of Charlotte, visited friends in Yorkville this week. Mr. Charles Williamson of Guthriesville, is with the Strauss-Smith Co. for the fall months. Mrs. L. W. Perrin of Abbeville, is in Yorkville on a visit to her mother, Mrs. Belle McCaw. Congressman Finley left for Washington yesterday going from Brattonsville via Rock Hill. Cadet John R. Dickson left Wednesday for Charleston to resume his studies at the Citadel academy. Mr. C. E. Spencer's family returned to Yorkville yesterday evening after a stay of several weeks at Blowing Rock. j Mrs. James W. Betts and two children of Lesslie, are visiting relatives in and near Yorkville, the guests of Miss Kate RatchfofS. Mrs. M. E. Hall?of Richmond, and Mrs. Provence of Ensley, Ala., who have been visiting the family of Rev. W. E. Hurt for sometime past, left this week for their respective homes. "Uncle Robin" Love passed mrougn Yorkvllle yesterday on his way to the home of his son, Mr. R. J. Love, on Clark's Fork, after spending several weeks with the family of Mr. J. W. Love, near Yorkville. Mrs. Maggie E. Camp returned to Yorkville on Wednesday after spending several months with her sisters, Mesdames S. J. and J. E. Elam at Gypsey. She is arranging to establish her home in Richmond, Va? and will remove to that city shortly. Prof. R. J. Herndon directed the Springstein band at Brattonsville yesterday. Prof. Herndon has had the teaching of this band from the beginning and its performance yesterday was generally commented upon as being highly creditable. The following D. A. R.'s of the King's Mountain chapter, Including Mrs. R. M. Bratton, were present yesterday at the unveiling of the monument commemorating Huck's defeat: Mesdames B. N. Moore, regent; S. M. McNeel, D. E. Finley, R. T. Stephenson, R. J. Herndon, G. H. O'Leary, C. G. Parish, Mason Bratton, Misses Jennie Hart and Daisy Gist. Hon. G. W. Gage was a guest of Mr. and Mrs. R. M. Bratton at Brattonsville, on yesterday. He has been suffering a great deal pince his arm was broken sometime ago, but was looking quite well. He said that he is much better now than he exepected to be a few weeks back; but is suffering some from dyspepsia, a malady with which he has not been troubled before. It has been arranged that he will not go on the bench again until next year. WITHIN THE TOWN. ? Western Union linemen were in Yorkville Wednesday putting in a commercial wire that connects with the leading towns on the Carolina and North-Western rialroad. Heretofore the railroad and commercial business have been done over the same wire. ? Because the fire alarm sounded so much like the striking of the town clock last Wednesday morning, a great many people were confused as to exactly what it meant. Mayor Willis on Wednesday instructed Mr. T. W. Speck, the watchmaker, to change the striking of the clock so there would be innffot' intpi'vnis hettt-pen the strokes. ? Superintendent Walker of the Graded schools, announces that W. Powell Hale, the impersonator, will give an entertainment in the Graded school auditorium next Tuesday night. Mr. Hale will be remembered as the artist who appeared at the same place last spring and so delighted his hearers. The surplus proceeds, if any, are to be devoted to the benefit of the Graded school library. ? The residence of Mr. W. A. Moore and the Yorkville postofflce located therein, narrowly escaped destruction by fire Tuesday night. The catastrophe was averted only by the good work of the fire department. During Tuesday evening, Miss Maggie Moore, the postmaster, discovered evidences of fire about the building. There was a strong smell of smoke: but notwithstanding a careful search, she was unable to locate any flame. The situation continued for an hour or two, when there developed a roaring sound, indicating that the fire was making fierce progress. At length Miss Moore sent for Mr. O. E. Grist, chief of the fire department, who took up the investigation and continued it for quite a while without result. About 2 o'clock, on Wednesday morning, however, the fire was discovered in the ceiling over the postofflce. The headway had been such as to suggest quite a serious situation, and Mr. Grist decided to call out the fire department. Dr. A. Y. Cartwright, captain, and other members responding promptly. Precautions were taken to handle the fire to the best advantage. A part of the flooring was removed directly I over the flames, and within a short time all danger was over. There was but little excitement, and the damage on account of water was comparatively small. Much of the mail matter In the postofflce was water soaked considerably; but nothing was destroyed. The total loss probably amounts to several hundred dollar s, but it is fully covered by insurance. BATTLE OF HUCK'S DEFEAT. At Brattonsville on yesterday, the King's Mountain Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, unveiled a monument to the American patriots, who 123 years ago, there defeated the bloody monster Huck and his horde of British and Tory marauders. The occasion was one of deep patriotic interest, not only thn?o vuhn hart thu nleasure Of Dar ticipating in the exercises and the delightful hospitalities that were sq gracefully and beautifully extended;but to all the people of the county and state who feel pride in the heroic valor of the sturdy old apostles of liberty, who laid the foundations of American liberty. While the glorious event which this monument is intended to commemorate is the common heritage of all the people of this section, for reasons that seemed fully justifiable to the King's Mountain Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the general public was not invited to the unveiling exercises. Participation was confined to the members of the chapter, descendants of Col. Wm. Bratton, and other heroes of the battle, and a few outsiders. They came by special invitation from the country immediately surrounding, from Yorkville, Rock Hill and Chester, numbered about two hundred in all, and all were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. R. M. Bratton. The guests began to arrive at about 11 o'clock, and were not a little surprised to note the extensive preparations that had been made to ensure their pleasant reception. Over the entrance to the spacious locust and elm shaded lawn, was strewn a long ban ner, bounded with the colors of the D. A. R. and bearing the legend "Welcome." American flags floated from fence posts, and the fine old country home of Mr. and Mrs. Bratton was tastefully decorated both inside and out. Seats were arranged in all the shadiest places about the lawn, and as the arriving guests were received by the host and hostess, assisted by members of the D. A. R., they were not only bidden, but made to feel at home. The Springstein brass band from Chester, which had been especially engaged for the occasion, furnished music throughout the day. The exercises of the day were commenced at 12 o'clock, and were opened with prayer by Rev. J. K. Hall, pastor of Bethesda, after which the orator of the day was Introduced by W. B. McCaw, Esq., as follows: The descendants of seventy-five patriots of the American Revolution, whose names shall be published at the close of these exercises, have assembled here today under the auspices of the King's Mountain Chapter Daughters of the American, Revolution to commemorate in granite and bronze their appreciation of the deeds of heroism, valor and self-sacrifice of their sires that for more than one hundred and twenty-three years found its only monument in the hearts of a grateful people. Leonidas and his Spartans at Thermopylae had registered no more solemn I k J I'. EljpP?, rumioo in whinh f!ol William and Martha Bratton were living at the time of the battle]. vow to repel the invader or to die than did this devoted band?the first and only organized resistance to British power and invasion in South Carolina, since the fall of Charleston in May A. D. 1780. That, these patriots had resolved to conquer or to die, is fully evidenced by the fact-that setting out from their place of refuge in North Carolina with one hundred and thirty-three men? there were only seventy-five actual participants in the battle we now commemorate, on the American side. No one who did not prefer death to surrender to Briton or Tory was wanted in that band. Opposed to these seventy-five heroes, whose names constitute a heritage without price to their descendants was a detachment of British horse, numbering 400 and a large body of Tories. How complete was the success of the patriots and how heroically they deported themselves in battle will constitute the story of their glory which will be told to you by the orator of the day^ whom I now have the pleasure of presenting?the Hon. David Edward Finley?our congressman. As Mr. Finley arose, on the conclusion of Mr. McCaw's remarks, there was applause. Mr. Finley delivered a carefully prepared historical address as follows: The Story of the Battle. Madam Regent, Members of King's Mountain Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution, Ladies and Gentlemen: As a general proposition, all great wars are fought to settle some great question. The American Revolution was fought to secure to the American people liberty and independence. His torians generally state that the great question, the settlement of which eventuated in the war, was "Taxation without Representation." Technically speaking, this is not true; and, as a matter of fact, the taxation of the American colonies by Great Britain without their consent was only one of the incidents to the exercise of sovereignty by the Mother County and was simply an object lesson, and in the matter of the tax on tea was so intended by the British parliament. What the great mass of the American people objected to, was British sovereignty, and themselves being held as colonists of the British crown. Many of them to escape persecution and oppression, civil and religious, had emigrated to America, and here for generations they had enjoyed this liberty, and at the time of the Revolution the thirteen colonies in point of population, wealth and progress, had reached the point where they could not brook the insolent exercise of authority by the British government, for the reason that they wished political freedom and felt strong enough to set 1 up for themselves In the family of nations and maintain their position. The sentiment for independence and entire separation from the mother country was particularly strong in South Carolina?more so than in any other of the colonies. In the early progress of the war, March 24th, 1776, South Carolina, acting through her representatives, dissolved all relations with England, established a constitution and became a free and independent state. Under this constitution It was treason and rebellion to aid or abet the British government.. From 1719, when the colonists overthrew the Proprietary government and became a royal province, down to the Revolution, South Carolina had been favored In every way by the British crown, and now that it was the first to throw off the British yoke, she became particularly obnoxious* to Great Britain, and great efforts were made throughout the war to conquer the state. During the years 1775, '76, '77, '78 and '79, the Whig forces were uniformly successful. Early in 1780 all this was changed. On the 12th of May, Charleston surrendered to the British. After the fall of Charleston, all open opposition to the British in South Carolina ceased for a few weeks. The British, in order to make secure their conquest, stationed bodies of troops in different sections of the state; and, while the patriots could no longer reasonably hope for success, the spirit of liberty burned with quenchless flame in the breast of the Whigs in this section of South Carolina. This flame was fanned by the wanton cruelty of the British, and particularly by the acts of the bloody Tarleton at Waxhaw (Buford's massacre,) in Lancaster county, where, on May 29th, he had put to the sword several hundred Virginiahs after resistance had ceased and quarter was asked. After this last act of murder and slaughter by Tarleton, the Whigs found a new rallying cry, "Remember Tarleton." I recollect very well some years ago when I was traveling in the upper section of Lancaster county, I came to an humble monument enclosed by a rude stone fence, and out of curiosity I stopped and examined the monument. It was dedicated to the memory of Colonel Buford and his four hundred Virginians, the majority of whom were slaughtered at that place by Tarleton in cold blood and after resistance had ceased. On the monument are Inscribed the words quoted. The counties, (districts then), of Fairfield, Chester, Lancaster and York, were largely populated by Whigs, and to their imperishable honor, history truthfully records that during all the dark days of the Revolution they never took the oath of allegiance to the British, or were paroled prisoners. While opposition in other parts of the state had ceased, this could not be the case in this section. After the surrender of Charleston, the British boasted that the conquest of South Carolina was complete. But they did not know the spirit which actuated and the love of liberty that controlled the Whigs in the counties of Fairfield, Chester, Lancaster and York. On the 24th of May, 1780, Captain John McClure, with a party of Whigs attacked and defeated a band of Tories under Captain Houseman at Beckhamville in Chester county. On the 26th of May, two days afterwards, Colonel William Bratton and Captain John McClure, with a small body of their Whigs neighbors, attacked- and routed a band of Tories at Mobley's meeting house on Little river in Fairfield .county. On the 20th of June, 1780, at Ramsour's Mill, on the South Fork of the Catawba, the Tories, under Moore and Welsh, were defeated by the Whigs under Colonel Locke. These attacks, at a time when the British were boasting of their conquest of the state, showed to them that in this section of South Carolina at least the spirit of liberty still lived, and aroused them to greater efforts in order to punish the patriots who dared resist England's rule. At this time a British post was established at Rocky Mount, in Chester county, under the command of Colonel Turnbull. To conquer the Whigs In this section, as well as to avenge the defeat of the Tories at Beckhamville, Mobley's meeting house and Ramsour's Mill, Colonel Turnbull sent out Captain Christian Huck, with four hundred British troops and about five hundred Tories, to accomplish the work. Huck made his headquarters for some time in the neighborhood of White's Mill, now Lando, in Chester county. From this point he sent out expeditions into the surrounding country, whose business it was to encourage the Tories and to subdue the Whigs. Tory bands robbed the Whigs of their property, burned their houses and even committed murder in cold blood. Durinsr this time the house of the Reverend John Simpson, pastor of Fishing Creek church, was burned; William Strong, while engaged in reading his Bible, was cruelly shot; and many other acts of wanton cruelty and deviltry were perpetrated by Tory bands. General Sumter's headquarters at this time were at Clem's Branch in Lancaster county. In York and Chester counties, the Whigs were active, and Colonel William Bratton, Colonel Edward Lacey, Captain John McClure and John Mills were engaged in arousing the Whigs to resistance. Success crowned their efforts, and in a short time 400 men, < mounted and armed, were gathered in these two counties. History states that in this number were included all the able bodied men fit for service. The purpose of the Whig leaders was to drive the Tories from this section of the state. When the Americans gathered, it was at first intended to attack the British and Tories at White's Mill (now Lando), in Chester county; but on arriving there about sundown on the 11th of July, it was found that Huck had moved his camp to Brattonsville, in York county, a distance of about < fifteen miles. It was determined to follow and attack him that night. Owing to an order's being misunderstood, some one hundred and fifty or more of the Whigs returned to the east bank i of Catawba river, and Colonels Bratton and Lacey, Captain McClure and other leaders proceeds with less than 350 men. Huck was found encamped in 1 the neighborhood of Brattonsville, near i the house of Colonel William Bratton. . From Reuben Lacey, a Tory and brother of Colonel Edward Lacey, it was learned that the British were en- < camped at James Williamson's house; , also the location of the sentinels was ascertained. On reaching this point, ' the Tories proceeded to maraud the 1 the country and plunder the Whigs. The Whigs, under the command of , Colonels Bratton and Lacey, Captain John McClure and others, reached ' Brattonsville after midnight on the ; morning of July 12th, 1780. The forces under them are variously estimated by , historians. The lowest estimate places ( the number at 75, another at 133, and another at 350. Certainly the number ' of the patriots engaged was small as , compared to that or .the British ana Tories, who numbered 900. Ramsey, Sims and Chapman, in their histories of South Carolina, state that the American forces at the battle of Williamson's plantation, or Huck's defeat, were under the command of General Sumter. This is not true, as General Sumter was not present and took no part whatever in the battle, and, as a matter of fact knew nothing whatever of the occurrence until afterwards. I presume that the error was occasioned by the fact that Colonel William Bratton and other leaders with him in the battle all recognized Colonel Sumter's authority, he being a brigadier general and the highest in command in this section of the state. The Whigs carefully laid their plans and about 4 o'clock on the morning of July 12th, the attack on the British and Tories was made. The British ' were enclosed in a lot or field around ' James Williamson's house, entered r on each side by a lane. The at tack was made on both sides of the enclosure. The British were at a disadvantage on this account, and being asleep until the Americans approached within seventy-five yards of their encampment were taken by surprise. Huck, aroused from his slumber by the roar of the American muskets and rifles, mounted his horse, rode back and forth along his lines and did all that he could to rally his men, but ail to no purpose. The Whigs, many of whom resided in the immediate neighborhood, (particularly was this true of Colonel William Bratton and the Williamsons), flighting for home, family and country, attacked the enemy, and like heroes did they sustain themselves. The battle lasted one hour, and the victory was complete. Forty of the enemy were dead; more than fifty wounded: the remainder, with the exception of a small number, who escaped, were made prisoners. Among the slain was the monster Huck, and the cruel Ferguson. The patriot loss was one killed, a man named Campbell. vlntnm/ tvoa mnaf Imnnrtont In that It was the first time since the surrender of Charleston by General Lincoln that any considerable body of British troops had met with defeat. One immediate result of the battle was the increase of the forces under General Sumter. The Whigs throughout the state became active, and notwithstanding the fact that the incapable Gates was defeated on the 15th of August at Camden by Lord Cornwallis, the battle of Musgrove's Mill was fought on August 18th, resulting in a victory for the Americans under General Williams. Huck's defeat followed by the victory at Musgrove's Mill led up to the battle of King's Mountain, on October 7th, 1780. Without Huck's defeat the battle of Musgrove's Mill would hardly have been fought ,and without these victories, there is little likelihood that the battles of King's Mountain and Cowpens would have taken place, and without these battles, it is improbable that the war of the Revolution would have been successful. The women of the Revolution played their part in the great struggle for independence. Particularly was this true in this section of the state. History states of Mrs. Martha Bratton, the wife of Colonel William Bratton, that on the evening of the day preceding the battle a squad of Tories came to her husband's house and informed her that they wished to see her husband. When she told them that he was not at home, and she didn't know where he was, a Tory ruffian, .swore that he would make her know. And seizing a grain sickle he placed it in position around her neck, and drawing his sword, with an oath told her that If she did not tell her husband's whereabouts, he would cut off her head. In this position, with her little son John Brutton, then about six years of age, clinging to her dress, with death staring her in the face, she exhibited a courage sublime, and without excitement answered the threat to take her life by stating that she had told the simple truth and could not tell if she would, and added that she would not if she could. She was rescued by a Tory. Captain Adamson, who beat the villainous Tory with the flat of his sword and kicked him out of the house. Captain Adamson then addressed Mrs. Bratton, expressing regret at the occurrence and gave her assurances of protection. - . Shortly after this, Colonel Huck came to the house, and in an interview with Mrs. Bratton adroitly and politely endeavored, to persuade her to use her influence with her husband to give up the Whig cause, and accept a commission in the British service. She answered him that Colonel Bratton was in Sumter's army, and that she would rather see him die there, true to the cause of liberty, than to have him a traitor in the British service. As I have already stated, the bloody Huck and the cruel Ferguson were slain in battle?the former by Thomas Carroll. After the battle waa over, an incident occurred which' Was a sequel to the attack made on Mrs. Bratton the day before. Colonel Bratton, being informed of the attack on his wife, was erroneously ioiu mm ^ttpuxm Adamson was the man guilty of the outrage. He and Captain Chambers were about to put Captain Adamson, who had been captured, to death. Captain Adamson protested that he was not guilty and requested that Mrs. Bratton be sent for. This was done, and, when the facts were known, Colonel Bratton and Captain Chambers were changed from would be executioners to friends, and did all that was possible In the way of dressing the wounds he had received in a fall from his horse during the battle. Carrying him up to Colonel Bratton's house, his wounds were dressed and he was made as comfortable as circumstances would permit by the woman whose life ho had saved on the day before. We meet today to celebrate the victory gained here on July 12th, 1780. One hundred and twenty-three years have passed, but the victory then gained by the patriot fathers will animate the breast of every liberty loving citizen of our country so long as time shall last All honor to those who, without fear, and animated by a love of liberty, fought their country's battles, and made it possible for you and me to enjoy the boon of citizenship in the greatest and freest of countries. We but show our appreciation of the privileges we enjoy and only perform our duty in doing honor to their memory. To Colonel William Bratton, the patriot, fearless soldier and leader of men; to Colonel Edward Lacey, as brave as a lion and as patriotic as he was brave: to Captain John McClure, the hero of numerous battles; and to Thomas Carroll and John Williamson and all the patriot fathers whose prowess laid low Britain's pride on this field of battle?the King's Mountain Chapter of the American Revolution have erected and now dedicate this enduring monument of brass and stone to commemorate their deeds of heroism and valor. These men loved their country. Told In Poetry. Mr. Flnley's address was listened to with the closest Interest, and at its conclusion there was generous applause, upon the subsidence ol' which Mr. McCaw introduced as a "Daughter of Virginia who had chosen South Carolina as her adopted home," and who would read an original ode on the battle Mrs. Robert T. Stephenson of Yorkville. In pleasing and graceful style, and with beautiful elocutionary effect, Mrs. Stephenson rendered the following: When urgent grew our nation's need Ere yet it knew a nation's name, Or much of victory?aught of 'ame! And liberty alone seemed sweet, rhere -rose brave men to fight and bleed, I" arouse this section of our State ro show men how they might be great, Upon this Field of Huck's Defeat. The hour was dark, the end seemed near; E'en hope was gone from many a breast. Instead was left a vague unrest, \ dread of failure, dire, complete; for British troops were every where; The valiant few from home had fled, 'The state was fallen!" Sir Henry said? STo further need to risk defeat! Thank God that York's brave sons and true tVere never known to quail or quake! tfo prisoners they! nor deigned to take Protection offered by the foe! Preferring exile with the few To tame submission with disgrace, \.nd loss of freedom to their race, Ind bonds for those who-loved them so. Jpon this field of Huck's Defeat, Vnew was lit the flaming torch That blazed with fiery breath to scorch The foe that fled, The foe that bled, ^nd, bleeding, gave us vlct'ry sweet.