Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, March 03, 1911, Image 1
l. m. GRIST8 SONS, Pubu.her., j % ^antihg Uewspapei;: 4or the {promotion of the jpoliticat, Social, gigrieulfural anil (Tommertial Interests of the jpeoplg. { TtR
ESTABLISHED 1855. YORKYILLE, S.~ C., FR I 13 A Y, MARC'M 1911. NO. 18.
' ? ...... * " ' ' ' " ' * I
"Alias
Jimmy
Valentine
CHAPTER XII.
"Gee," went on Red enthusiastically,
not appreciating the reason for Valen"
- " 1..1 tk.t I a a
line a anenee, gee, uui mai nm.i <o a
great kid! Ain't it funny how a kid
like that will g:et hold of a touRh old
tramp like me?"
"Nice child," commented Valentine.
He picked up the teleRram and handed
it to Red.
"Red, read that," he said dully, as
though discouraRed.
The other read in silence.
"Doyle! Good heaven!" he exclaimed.
"Doyle," said Valentine. "It took
him quite a while to uncover us.
didn't it?"
"But he's finally done it?got your
name and everything."
"Did you notice It wasn't signed?"
"Yes. Who do you suppose tipped
you?f
"Doyle," was Valentine's amazing
response.
"Doyle!" cried Red, starting aback.
The assistant cashier bent toward the
watchman.
"Doyle sent that, Red. Don't you
see he's not sure of me? But If I ran
away from the hank when that tele&
>
OS**.' 1
fr,:f
^BIB.
M^K:
wraHm
' " '*" v. .4<"-V
MB. CBOHI*' F4CBD VALENTIN* AND K*p.
Kram carae-^out of town for the afternoon?he'd
know he had me,"
".Never thought. I'd have ducked,"
commented Red. "And now he'll turn
me up too, I'm going." He fingered
his hat nervously.
"You're not. He don't want you, and
if you stay where you belong he won't
see you."
Red nodded his head decisively.
"I'll stay closer to the bank than an
emigrant to his tag. And you, Jimmy?"
Valentine smiled as the other lapsed
oft in his excitement into using his old I
iiamK
"'Jimmy!' How natural that sounds,
Red!" he said reminiscently.
"Excuse me. I meant 'Mr. Randall,"
" protestingly.
"No, It's all right, only don't by any
chance use it before Doyle, because
I'm going to alibi Doyle until he'll
think he's lost his eyesight."
"Alibi?" repeated Red curiously.
"I've heard o' that before."
"Alibi, that's it, Red," replied Val.
entitle. And he continued rapidly:
"You haven't forgotten the one greatest
refuge of the crook, have you?
our old friend the alibi? Something
which proves you were not where you
were when something happened. I
was never Jimmy Valentine, Red. I
was never in Sing Sing. I've been
straight all my life and can prove it.
I've been waiting fur Mr. Doyle nearly
three years, and I've got him beat,
I never did that job in Springfield,
Massachusetts. I was never there in
my life. And if# I've got to use the
crook's tools to beat it I'm justified.
I'm living straight and I'm going to,
and all the gods are with me, Red."
He took a scrapbook from a drawer
and opened it. "Look at that. For
fiye years you will find clippings of
t A.. kn II.-wl I*. Ct Da.II
rrjivn nv mvu
That man was my cousin. He went to
Alaska and never came back. My
name is also L>ee Randall, and 1 defy
Doyle to prove he ever saw me."
Valentine, out of breath owing to
the long speech he had delivered at
top speed, leaned back and gazed triumphantly
at Flanagan. The latter
stared amazedly at the assistant cashier,
trying to guess as to whether or
not he was telling the truth. Well,
there was a scrapbook. That would
afford ready means of proving Valentine's
words. Red picked up the book
and swiftly skimmed the pages. His
attention was held by one of the clippings.
He read aloud:
"St. Paul News, March 12, IStOfi.?The
speaker of the evening was Mr. Lee
Randall. His subject was"?
"Look at that other one," interrupted
Valentine, pointing. "See how they
join up with the day I came here.
And Avery has sent me something
that will make Mr. Doyle's eyes blink
like an owl."
Red laughed grimly. The telephone
hell rang.
"Avery! Did you say Avery?" asked
Red.
"Yes." picking up the receiver.
Then to the operator: "Yes. send Mr.
('renin right in. There's a friend of
his here who wants to see him." He
looked significantly across at Red.
Flanagan glanced around the room,
then at Valentine. "Say," he began.
"I'm the only one here in the room
except you. and I don't want to see
any 'Mr. Cronin.' Don't know him.
Who is he?"
"Mr. Cronin," responded Valentine.
Novelized by
FREDERIC R. TOOMBS
From the Great
Play by
PAUL ARMSTRONG
Copyright, 1910, by American
"is the man who is going to save you
and me from going back to state prison."
Valentine went on to recount to Red
how Bill Avery, after he had said
goodby to his "pals" in Albany, had
gone to the middle west and eventually
married a sedate widow of middle
age, whose son was an expert photographer,
one who operated a large studio
In St. Louis and employed men
who specialized in covering important
events for the newspapers and magazines.
"Avery!" ejaculated Red. "Avery
working?absolutely on the square?"
"Yes, that's the truth, the awful
truth," laughed Valentine whimsically.
"But you say Bill?Bill Avery is
married?" asked Red, completely overcome
at the suggestion.
"Yes, it's all true, and Bill has ]
provea a true iriena to me?10 us,
answered Valentine.
"And he's really happy?" went on :
Red doubtlngly. "Him as always had i
a stable of Allies spendin' his coin.
He's happy with one wife?"
The assistant cashier gave vent to a
burst of gayety at the astonishment
of the watchman, who probably would
have understood the process of reformation
in any one but Bill Avery.
But a few minutes elapsed after Valentine
answered the telephone call before
the door opened, and in came a
man whose iron gray hair curled be- ,
neath the rim of his high silk hat.
Glaringly bright yellow kid gloves
adorned his hands. His frock coat, of ;
the latest make, was a bit worn on 1
the edges, and it was for that reason
that the secondhand dealer had made
a reduction in price to Mr. Cronin.
The newcomer laid a handsome gold
headed Indian bamboo walking stick
across a chair, took off his gloves and
faced Valentine and Red.
"Mr. Randall?" he said.
"Yes, Mr. Cronin."
' Cronin be blowed." cried Red. start
ing forward. "It's Bill Avery. How
about you. old pal?"
Avery, pleased at the enthusiastic
welcome and at the sight of both of
his old friends, shook hands with each.
Then he drew back and looked from
one to the other. "Think of us three
bein' left alone together "ke this in a
real bank," he said significantly, and
his two hearers could not restrain
laughter at the thought of what the
circumstances would have meant to
them in days now put behind them.
"Did you get the picture?" asked
Avery of Valentine. "You told me to
send it, but I wanted to see you. That
double negative is a wonder."
Valentine looked understanding^ at
him. He rose from his chair, picked
up the telegram from his desk and
extended It to Avery.
"Yes; it's all right," he said. "And
it came just in time. Today is the
day I'll need it," pointing to the telegram.
"Read that!"
Avery read the message. The pallor
of unnerving fear came upon him.
His head dropped forward and he
glanced apprehensively about him.
His hand trembled as he laid the paper
on the desk. He sank hopelessly
into a chair. "Doyle," the old man
choked?"Doyle! He said he'd slough
me, and now he'll do It?or else he'll
make me pay blackmail. You never
can tell how much a copper wants for
keepln' quiet."
"Oh, don't get blue," encouraged
Valentine. "He doesn't want you fellows.
It's me that he is after." He
ovaminoit a Inrpp nhntncrnnh whioh
Avery had sent him, It showed the
tables and guests at a large banquet
In a luxuriously appointed restaurant.
"Yes, I think this saves me," he remarked,
He held it before Red, asking,
"What's this?"
"Flashlight of a banquet."
"Who is this on the right of the
toastmaster?" pointing at a face in
the picture.
"You."
"Pipe the date," went on the assistant
cashier, "Feb. 6, 1906. Do you
remember where I was on that date?"
He gazed curiously at Red. Avery
watched the proceedings with rare Interest.
The watchman became thoughtful.
At last a puzzled wrinkle marked his
forehead. "Why?wh\ ?you?were?in
?Sing Sing?prison?on?that?date,"
he replied confusedly.
Valentine and Avery laughed In their
superior knowledge,
"No, no," protested Valentine, "this
photograph proves 1 was at a banquet
In St. Paul. I'll beat Doyle and
I'll make him like it."
"You can't," was Avery's pessimistic
comment.
"You said we couldn't go square,
any of us, and we all have," was Valentine's
rejoinder. "And If we can
beat the thing inside of us that calls
we can beat one man that hunts."
A clerk knocked at the door and entered
to ascertain if he should now
bring in a travful of cash which Valentine
was to count. He was ordered
to do so at once, and Avery's face became
a study as the young man soon
re-entered with a tray on which new
banknotes of large denominations were
piled among glistening rows of gold
coin.
"Great snakes, what a chance!" exclaimed
the one time thief, looking
from Valentine to the watchman.
"This is no place for me. oh, just for
one grab and the quick getaway!"
He mopped his wrinkled brow. "I'm
sweating like a polar bear on the
Fourth of July."
"Haven't got it out of your blood
yet, eh?" asked Valentine.
"Not the craving for real money. I
learned to let the wheat in the grain
elevator alone after a month or two,
hut coarse money like that?wow!"
The old man stared fascinatedly at
the enticing tray.
"Well, we watched each other for
awhile," commented Red, pointing to
his chief.
"And ain't neither of you ever
snatched even one- bundle?" asked
Avery incredulously.
"No."
"Well, you better get me out of
here. I'm going to have lockjaw In
both hands in a minute." He reached
for his hat and stick.
"No, you're not," put in Valentine.
"Come on, Red," he said, walking to
the vault room door. "I'm going to
prove to Bill that he's honest. He's
going to watch that money till we
fnmp hark."
Avery cried out in protest, hut Red
followed his superior, and the time
worn thief, who had confessed to his
friends the weakness that he well
knew yet lurked within him, was left
alone in the banking office before a
tray containing $63,000 in cash. Within
reach was the door leading into the
open hallway through which it was
but a few seconds' dash to the busy
street, where a man would immecHately
be lost to view in the passing
throng.
"It's a dirty trick," muttered the old
man, starting after the others. A shaft
of yellow light reflected from one of
the golden coins caught his eye, drove
into his very brain, into the thin red
blood that coursed through his hard- ,
ening veins. He stopped. He turned
full around and slowly, with hands
eagerly outstretched, tiptoed back to
the table bearing the precious burden.
His brows narrowed down over his
pale gray eyes, his fingers, long talons
in their curved fixedness, began to
nervously twitch. Then Avery jerked
himself away of a sudden. He straightened
himself up and started toward the
vault room door to summon Valentine. 1
But even as he did so his glance roved 1
back to the alluring tray. He was
drawn to it as the nerveless rabbit
that succumbs to the insidious charm
of the oscillating head of the hungry
python. i
He stepped to the tray. He seized
two packages of hundred dollar bills,
thrust them Into his pockets, then ,
clutched two more. The fever had
him. His eyes shone with the fire of
gone days and gone nights. His poi- !
soned blood sang through his veins, i
Then he stopped once more. He raised
his head.
"And have the coppers after me
again," he murmured thoughtfully. He
laid down a package. "And 'double
cross' a pal that put me straight. Not
me, not me!" He replaced the re- (
mainder of the money. "And coin that
comes crooked never was any good." !
Avery stood before the tray of money.
Now he looked at the tempting
fortune with the sure knowledge that 1
he had conquered?that he had faced
his greatest test and had not been <
found wanting,
The thought of how narrowly he
had escaped committing the meanest
crime of his career came over him,
and he realized that he had been on
the verge of plunging himself into the
death dealing life from which Yftjen- j
tine had rescued him. Ungovernable
rage possessed him at his Insane lapse
Into the self that he had cast from
him. He swung his fist at the neatly
stacked piles of gold pieces.
"Curse you, curse you!" he cried In
frenzy. The tray and Its contents
crashed to the floor and the money j
scattered in all directions.
Valentine and Red hearing the noise,
came rushing in from the vault room.
They saw the floor littered with banknotes
and coins. And crouching forlornly
in a chair was the figure of old
Bill Avery. His hands were pressed
over his eyes, and he sobbed in the
agony that gripped the soul which had ;
been restored to hiin.
(To Be Continued.)
WILD BOAR ON BANK NOTE.
How It Came to Bo Used on Ten Yon
Bill of the Japanese Bank.
Only those well versed In the history
of Jupan have any idea of the
reason why the wild boar Is used as
a decoration on the back of the ten
yen note of the Japan bank. The
story dates from the early dawn of the
country's history, from the beginning
of the period which may be said to
be historical in contrast with that
part which is wholly mythological,
and has to do with the era of the
Empress Shotoku, 789 A. D.
It seems that after this empress
had deposed the Emperor Junnln In
76f. that the man who had been most
useful to her in her deposition was a
certain Dokyo. Dokyo became, with
the favor of the empress, the most
powerful man In the empire, and although
he was a monk there Is no
doubt but that all the while he was
in the service of the empress as her
most trusted retainer he was planning
to seize for himself the Imperial
throne.
Through a follower of his own he
had it suggested to the empress that
the god of war, Hachlman, had told
him in a dream that if the empress
would secure the throne to him after
her decease, that the empire would
enjoy forever after years of unbroken
peace. The empress, however, replied
that she was powerless to do
ku. i omiui to consult the oracle
of th?- g?m1 before giving her answer.
Her majesty thereupon sent Wake
iu? Klyomaro, whose picture adorns
all the old notes of the Hank of Japan.
and Instructed hint to procure
an answer from the god on this question.
Before setting out on his mission.
however, Kiyomaro was approached
by Dokyo. who told him that
the empress was favorably inclined toward
the project of setting him on the
throne and that if he would see that
a favorable answer was sent back he
should have many favors showered
upon him in the next reign.
The reply of Kiyomaro was not at
all to the liking of Dokyo. who
banished Kiyomaro, after mutilating
him in a horrible manner. During
his banishment lie was one day walking
in the mountains, when he found
that he had completely lost the way.
He was in a very difficult position,
when suddenly he saw a herd of wild
boars directly in front of him. seemingly
making off in a straight path
through the mountains. He at once
set out to follow them, and after
much hard climbing Kiyomaro found
himself on a main road in front of a
teiiinle. Hut looking for his guides.
he found Hint they had vanished. He
at once fell on his knees in prayer
to the Rods, and went on his way rejoicing.
This great favor was vouchsafed to
Klyt^uro because he had refused to
be a pari>" H1*' vrime of placing
upon the heavenly descended throne
of emperors who were in no way capable
of occupying the throne once held
by the celestial spirits.?Japan Advertiser.
ittisccUancous grading. ,
AS TO RURAL SCHOOLS. <
. i
Prof. W. K. Tate Delivers Address at 1
the State University.
"Rural School Process In South |
Carolina" was the timely subject of (
Prof. W. K. Tate's address at the University
of South Carolina on Thursday |
night, February 23rd. Prof. Tate Is j
an educational engineer, and as such Is
doing a great work, especially for the
country sections of our state. He Is a I
man of broad sympathies and clear j
vision. His plans are bounded by com- (
mon sense, and he Is devoted to the ?
Vilcrhnat Intornoto of tho nPnnlp Uifl f
address was listened to with profound J
attention, and awakened the quickest t
response In the audience. It Is a slg- ?
nal fact that South Carolina has such *
a union of co-operative agencies for t
progress as the demonstration farm 1
movement, hy Mr. Ira Williams, the I
public health, by Doctors C. F. Wil- ^
llams and LaBruce Ward, the school g
improvement league hy Miss Rudd, e
high school development, by Prof. W. *
H. Hand, and the rural school work,
hy Prof. W. K. Tate, the state super- j
visor of elementary rural schools. 8
Prof. Tate's address was in part as c
follows: I
Rural School Progress.
The census of 1910 has brought viv- t
idly before the nation some facts which g
we had already surmised. It has told g
the story of steady emigration from s
the country and the congestion of pop- )
ulation in the larger towns and cities j
of the United States. The price of r
staple food products has steadily risen j
and there has been a marked decrease t
In the exports of agricultural products |
to foreign countries. The nations of v
Europe are turning to the Argentine j
republic and to other sections of the j
world as their sources of food sup- c
plies. The increase in our exports of r
manufactured products has barely neu- i
tralized this diminution, and were it t
not for the cotton of the south the bal- 8
ance of trade would soon be strongly g
against us. t
The last census shows that many g
fine agricultural sections of the United a
States have lost in population during ?
the past decade in spite of the unpre- c
cedented prosperity which has attend- g
ed the efforts of the intelligent farmer, t
We have become alarmed at this growing
tendency, and the best thought of
the nation is now turned toward a solution
of the country life problem.
We have realized the fact that this 8
problem is an economic and a social t
one, and is not to be solved by politi- e
cal expedients. We are realizing that *
it is time for us to stop disslnatlng the J
capital which nature has given us and *
to conserve our national resources as a J
perpetual asset to us and to our poster- '
ity. The conservation movement is *
one phase of the remedy for the econ- *
omic ills of rural life. c
We have realized also that the inher- c
ent rights of the farmer have often t
been disregarded. The larger and 8
more powerful combinations of capital r
have always been able to secure the v
ear of legislation and the unorganized c
farmers have heen compelled to con- 8
tent themselves with high sounding ^
phrases and empty promises. With the ?
growth of rural intelligence, however, *
mer has in many states at last received
belated attention from the lawmaker.
Social Problems of the Country.
We have realized that the country
life problem is very largely a social
one, that the country must be robbed a
of its isolation before it will become j
attractive to cultured men and women.
The good roads movement, the rural
free delivery, the parcels post, the ru- '
ral telephone, the automobile, and oth- t
er socializing agencies are answering
the gregarious instinct which has dri- ,
ven so many people to the city.
The state, the nation, and private 1
philanthropy have recently focused p
themselves on an effort to improve the t1
agricultural methods of the country
and the productivity of the farm. The v
agricultural college has awakened to a
broader conception of its mission, and ,]
through its extension courses, is bringing
the expert knowledge of the expert- K
ment station to the farmer In th? field, s
The farm demonstration work hap glv- s
en us a new vision of the possibilities s
of common sense whatjtaplied te agricultural
Instruction. TW school room, 1
the press, and even the pulpit have t
united to dignify the farmer's vocation g
and to Improve his standard of living. .
We are beginning to realize that the 11
most important factor of all in the so- f
lution of the rural problems is the c
country school. Although we still have
with us the political demagogue who
rides Into office by an insincere pro- 1
testation of affection for the common n
school, but who is Ignorant of its j.
needs and opposed to its adequate
support, the great body of our citizen- n
ship realize that the improvement of f
the rural school is the final test by n
which our civic greatness is to be
measured. In South Carolina alone
during the past five years 11,000 white l1
children have been transferred from 1<
country schools to town schools. Great t
sections of our state have been depleted
of their white population, and 1
some of our most fertile lands have h
been turned over to negro tenants t
without that white supervision which
is necessary to the greatest productivity.
We are beginning to realize that 1
in nine cases out of ten this emigra- 0
tion from the country to the city has 0
been a search for satisfactory school
facilities. In this realization we are 1
not alone?our problem is not a peculiar
one. The whole United States is ,J
working with us, and we should con- r
tlnually keep in touch with the experl- r
ence of others as a guide In our own n
development. t
Present Movements.
There are several well defined movements
toward better rural schools now
In progress In the United States.
The first of these movements Is toward
better supervision of the rural schools.
In the last twenty-five years the cities
of the United States have almost without
exception developed good school
systems. This result has been attained
largely because these cities have
provided trained and adequate supervision.
The country schools have been
almost without supervision. (
Better Supervision.
There has been a rather wide spread
belief that the county superintendent
of education is merely an official to ap- x
prove pay warrants, to keep books, and
to make annual reports. We have assumed
that the rural school could take
care of itself. At last, however, we are
realizing that ihese schools with their
lack of classification, and their irregular
attendance need a supervision
of the very highest order, and dozens
of states in recent years have made
the county superintendency an educational
position and not a political one.
This has always been followed by a
marked advance in rural school efficiency
and can not long be delayed In
any progressive state. We are gradually
learning that the county superintendent
of education should not be paid
the wages of a cheap clerk, but that
his work requires training and skill of
a high order which can only be obtain- <
iwl throiio-h n rltk/t tin 1rtimiitu>rti( wtn
Bettor Support. c
We are beginning to realize that the h
welfare of the city la firmly hound up v
with that of the rural community and I'
that all of the wealth of the state I
should contribute to the support of the a
most humble rural school in the most
remote section. The cities and the s
great industrial corporation which s
constitute so large a part of the visible n
wealth of the state have been built up I
by the small contributions of the rural "
sections, and a sense of obligation and g
sound economic foresight both demand
that they should have a part in the do- r
VClonment of the more backward sec- I
tions. a
The local school district is beginning
to realize that local effort on its
part in special taxation will bear ,
ibundant fruit in more satisfactory
community life and Increased land
values. The most marked progress
ivhlch has characterized South Caro- (]
ina during the past two years has
been the increase In school districts 1
evylng special taxes. The legislature f
n the year 1910 raised the limit of spe- v
;ial levy from four to eight mills,
rhere are still, however, more than s
1,000 school districts in South Carolina
vhlch depend solely on the county fund p
for school support. ,,
Better Buildings.
mere is a constant improvement in .
he character of the rural school buildings.
In many sections of the country
:he old box car type of building has t
>assed away and has been replaced by n
t beautiful structure thoroughly
idapted to school purposes and ap- "
sealing to the pride and aesthetic taste a
if a cultured community. The influ- t
;nce of one such building frequently ,
ipreads over a whole county and tends
:o lift all school architecture in the '
:ounty to a higher level. While there tl
ire still thousands of miserable hovels p
n South Carolina which are used for
jublic schools, we are developing these a
txji which will eventually bring us to n
i better day. While we still have thoulands
of schools devoid of all appll- ,
mces for instruction, there is a marked
endency to better school equipment. n
Consolidation of Schools. tl
We are beginning to realize that it is b
mpossible for one teacher to teach in n
i satisfactory manner all the subjects v
if the elementary school course. It is
mpossible for her to have thirty or K
orty recitations per day and give to ii
he students a good quality of instruc- ^
iqn. We are realizing also that the .
loclai element plays a large part in
ichool interests, and that the laraer tl
ichool attracts the pupil and furnishes b
iim incentives for study not possible
n the one teacher rural school. The
nore progressive sections of the United n
States have learned to consolidate v
hese small schools into schools em- f,
>loylng three or more teachers in
vhich gradation and classification of 1
tupils are possible. In order to facil- d
tate the consolidation of schools such tl
immunities frequently transport the e:
nore distant pupils by wagon, and thus t?
nsure regularity and punctuality in at- V
ehdance and freedom from the hard- e
ihlps of inclement weather, which are c
mch an obstacle to rural school at- p
endance. While these consolidated n
ichools with the conveyance of pupils si
ire somewhat more expensive than the d
ichool of the old type, the cost per
lay's attendance is not much higher A
md the results have always Justified J
he expense. 1(
A Better Course of Study.
We are Just beginning to realize that ?
he course of study for the rural school 'S]
ihould tend to preparation for life on jr
he farm, and should not in its ideals
intlce the pupil away from the coun- ^
ry. We are learning more and more .
o use the material around us as the Q
mils for our Instruction. The good j
ountry school now opens the eyes of j
ts pupils to rural resources and ad- sj
rantages. Nature study and agricul- ip
ure Introduce him to the principles .
successful farming. The Boys' Corn
ilub and similar movements give prac- L
leal demonstration of farm methods
tnd results. By actual accomplishnent
in the field rather than by the [,
'aporings of the stump the hoy Is being .
tonvinced that the farmer is worthy to .
itand upright on his feet and look the '
vhole world in the face, proud in the
inowledge that his profession is the
tulwark of the state. n
4- =7= fl
THE LEVEE WALKER. ti
a,
k Bird Highly Regarded By the Rice ^
Planters of Texas. js
"I hadn't been long in Texas," said h
..... . 1. w- si
. northern man, "Dut. ions enougu, ucng
of a somewhat inquiring mind, to
earn that the burrowing crawfish Is a n
irollflc and ubiquitous preempter of w
he moist soil of the Texas coast V
CI
ountry. Wherever a ditch or a pud- p
lie of water with any' showing of ]i
tank to it Is found on the borders of c(
t will this industrious crawfish dig ^
Is nest and honeycomb the ground a
rith its excavations. h
"And then one day I was travelling *
lown Metagorda way, along with my ^
;un, inclined for some sport with tl
nlpe and shore birds. The train was e:
peeding along between endless
tretches of rice prairie. Gridironing fo
he fields were embankments raised si
o control the speed of water over the ?
Towing rice and to divide the fields "
nto working sections. I noticed the r<
requent rising from the levees and
anal borders of flocks of large birds, g
p
aost of them pure white, and I fell C(
o wondering what variety of bird they o
night be, and Inwardly resolved to n
;et off at the next station and secure |J
specimen or two. Then I asked a h
ellow-passenger whether he could tell b
ne what the birds were.
" 'Them birds?' said he, and he was
ilainly a native. 'Them birds is if
- ... n
evee walkers, captain, ana ir you was
hinkin' o' drappin* off some'rs along ^
he line aiul takln' a shot at 'em you C(
letter telegraft your folks to come af- g
er you with a box.' 11
"It came to me then that perhaps ft|
had better qualify that resolution s?
f mine somewhat. The native went a
n to further elucidation. h
"Th& levee walker was In reality a w
leron, and otic not uncommon in is
'exas but not seen in any large num- ti
iers in the coast country until the h
irairies were put under cultivation to h
ice. When the irrigation canals 1
nd ditches were dug in the prairies m
o supply the water necessary for rice w
ultivation, what miles and miles of t<
esting banks they offered the burrow- s?
tig crawfish for occupancy. The c<
rawfish was not slow in taking ad- at
antage of the new field, and in time l,
11 some districts it threatened havoc e:
? the levee banks. di
"Then tlie rice planters noticed that tl
lirds of a kind new to them, some of ti
hem white and some of them a bluish h
:rny, hut all long legged and of great
peed of wing, began to gather in the w
Ice fields along the levees. At first ti
he rice farmers regarded them with fii
isfavor, believing them to be still c?
nother tribe of winged destroyers of tl
ice. several of which were already fii
11 discouraging evidence, and they a
lent out against them with guns and ci
instructive devices. si
"In spite of this warfare on them e:
hesc liic? birds nersisted in hovering c<
bout the field* and In marching with vi
nueh statelincss of tread up ami clown fr
he levees in ever increasing numbers,
ifter a while then the discovery was y,
uade that the honeycombing and "i
unnelling crawfish had met with an w
obstacle somehow. tl
"In fact it was plain that the in- et
oads of the pests had received a de- 111
ided check, and then the revelation w
anie that the big levee walking bird ft
nstead of being a devourer of the in
ice crop was simply putting In its T
line crawfishing and that the num- w
er of the destructive burmwers one bl
f these birds managed to surprise o|
luring a day's walking of a levee was di
leyond belief. From that time it be- fc
ame an unwritten law of the rice ot
elt that the man behind the gun that ti
fas levelled at a levee walker had best o|
use no time in getting away from that If
articular corner of Texas and stay a<
way. t?
" 'An' seein' like it appears that w
etch is the feelltf through here.' la
aid the native who had enlightened tt;
ue in these matters, 'seems to me ef e|
was you. Captain. I wouldn't drop t?i
ft' now'lieres along the line an" go'to si
uiinin' fer none of 'em.' it
"1 said I wouldn't, and tabled my c?
esolution by unanimous vote. Hut tt
found great consolation later on w
mong the snipe and shore birds." st
COMMISSION MAKES REPLY.
ieaponae to Governor Bleaae'a Requeat
For Information.
Following Is the response of the
Ispensary winding up commission to
he recent request of Governor Blease
or information as to the manner in
i-hlch It has been discharging Its
tewardship:
The state dispensary commission
a response to your letter of February
ft, 1911. met on the 24th Instant and
uthorized the following information
o be communicated to you by me:
First. I hund you herewith copy of
he agreement between the said com-1
? - * lx Kf AnnMd An.l
tllSSIOIl clUU lilt" linn ui mrooio. auerson.
Felder, Rountree & Wilson,
ml will state that this agreement is
he only one made with that Arm,
here heing no agreement with the
idividuat members thereof and,
herefore. none with Mr. Thomas B. 1
'elder of said firm. A copy of the
greement Is hereto attached and
larked exhibit "A."
Second. As to the agreement with I
Ir. Stevenson. The only agreement
lade with him was entered Into for <
he year 1907, under which he was to
e paid for attendance upon the
leetlngs of the commission and ad- i
Islng them in ail matters not liti- '
ated and pay his own expenses while '
i Columbia and to and from Colum- j
la for the sum of $1,500, and when I
e went elsewhere under orderH of J
he commission his expenses were to ,
e paid by the commission. At the I
rid of the year 1907, the business <
ot being completed, his services j
ere merely continued to be settled ,
ir on a satisfactory basis. He par- i
cipated in all the litigation and con- j
ucted one branch of it alone, to wit, ,
ie contest of the United States gov- ,
rnment for alleged back revenue (
ixes, the same being finally tried in (
Washington before the internal rev- ,
? J 4Ua '
nue commissioner, wno rejeticu mc j
lalm. For all of his services he was ,
aid the sums shown In the state- ,
lents which are below referred to, |
bowing all the Items of receipts and ,
Isbursements. ,
Third. As to the contract with ,
Ir. B. L. Abney. The commission on |
anuary 24th, 1906, passed the fol- ,
jwing resolution: "On motion of Mr. j
atton, Dr. Murray, chairman, was j
uthorized to employ additional coun- (
el to assist In the Fleischmann ]
nit against the state after consult- (
ig with the attorney general." In ]
ursuance of that authority and on ,
ccount of the litigation which had (
ist been instituted In the Federal (
ourt Mr. Abney was employed to as- ,
1st in the case, and subsequently ,
1 all of the cases Involving the Is- j
lies raised in the Fleischmann case. \
hese cases were finally successfully .
jrmlnated In the United States su- ]
reme court, after adverse decisions (
ad been tendered In the circuit (
ourt and In the circuit court of ap- (
eals of the United States. When ,
tie services were completed, there <
eing no definite contract made, Mr. (
bney rendered a bill on November j
0th, 1909, accompanied by a letter, ,
oples of which are hereto attached ,
nd marked exhibit "B." The com- (
fission without having a hearing ,
rom Mr. Abney fixed his fee ten.- 1
itlvely at $9,000 Instead of $10,000 ,
s rendered. Subsequently on De- <
ember 3 Mr. Abney wrote a letter (
> the commission, a copy of which ,
i hereto attached and marked ex- |
Iblt "C," which letter states his po- (
Jtion runy. un lunncr tuuoiucia- ^
on the commission acceded to his j
equest, reconsidered the matter and ,
llowed his bill for $10,000, which |
as paid in full. In settling with
ie firms and corporations who had |
laims against the state who had ,
rosecuted and participated in that ,
tlgation, the commission with the (
unsent of the attorneys representing .
lid liquor houses assessed the sum (
f $21,526.17, costs, attorneys' fees ?
nd expenses against these liquor
ouses, deducted it from their claims j
nd applied it upon these fees and (
tie other expenses of the litigation. (
his left only a small amount that .
tie state was called upon to pay as J
xpenses of that litigation.
Fourth. As to the Itemized state
lents of moneys received and dls- ,
ursed the commission begs leave to j
tate that pursuant to the provisions (
f the act creating said commission, |
nd the various acts continuing the .
ime, they have regularly rendered ,
sports to the governor of South Car- ,
Una, all of which are on file in the
overnor's office, and which were (
rlnted, and they attach a printed ,
opy of the report up to the first day j
f January. 1910, in which every Item (
?celved and every item disbursed up |
i that date is set forth the same be- ,
ig hereto attached and marked ex- |
ibit "D." This report purports to ,
e a correctly printed copy, but it is J
jbmitted as a printed copy only of ,
le correct report which was filed In .
le governor's office subject to errors, (
any. of the printer. It may be veri- ,
pd by comparison with the original ,
?port on flie in the governor's- office. ,
hey also attach hereto a printed
r?py of the report, rendered to the ,
overnor (marked exhibit "E") of (
leir doings up to January 1st, 1911,
* 4._ T? ? 1 i oi n
nil suusequeiu to ounutn.* i?,
nil ask reference thereto making the
ime statement as to Its correctness
nd the same suggestion as to its beig
compared with the original which ;
as filed in the governor's office as
i made in reference to the first mennned
printed report. They attach
ereto a statement of the transactions j
ad from the first day of January.
911. up to this date, the same being
larked exhibit "P." The commission 1
ould state as to the matter of at- I
irneys' fees that final settlement in >
far as the commission was con?rned
was made with Messrs. Abney
rd Stevenson on or about January <
<t. 1910, and that they have had no t
cpenses for counsel fees since such
ate. except such fees as accrued to
le firm of Anderson, Felder, Roun- 1
ee & Wilson under their contract >
eretoforo exhibited.
While the contract entered into (
Lli Messrs. Anderson, Felder. Roun ee
& Wilson did not obligate that v
rm to represent the state or the
mmissiop in the litigation had in ,
le Federal courts, nevertheless, that
rm assisted in the argument of the
ises in the circuit court, the circuit s
jurt of appeals and the United States
ipreme court and bore all of their ,
cpenses incident thereto, anil re>ived
no compensation for their ser- 1
ices and expenses in this particular ?:
om any source whatsoever.
Fifth. Replying to that part of I
tur letter which asks us to state s
ivhy the law has not been complied C
itli in regard to the winding up of Y
lis matter as provided In act at the e
irlicst date practicable." the com- |
lission submits that it is complying I
ith the provisions of the act re- s
rreil to as expeditiously as the best d
iterests of the state will permit, r
hat subsequently to the act from I
hich you quote the general assem- il
ly passed act In 1 908 and 1910. each Y
f which provided other and further s
utles for this commission to per- '
?rm. That the act of 191ft among v
iher things directed this commission s
? proceed to ascertain the amount K
f any claim of the state against any s
tpior dealers growing out of trans- v
nlons with the state dispensary and c
i make settlement thereof. This
oik has been pursued during the n
st year, and large amounts of money v1
irned into the treasury through the s
forts of the commission and its at- 1
rneys. This work Is necessarily s
ow and tedious, for the reason that v
is very difficult to discover frauds d
mnected with such transactions and li
icn force settlement with persons y
ho almost invariably live In other h
ates. In this connection we would \
advise you that our attorneys are now
at work on claims of this nature from
which they hope to net the state
many thousands of dollars.
Further replying, we will say that
in October, 1907, a restraining order
was granted by the circuit court of
the United States In the Garrett case,
which was the beginning of a long
series of obstructions interposed by
alleged creditors to the action of the
commission In requiring an honest
accounting by the claimants of such
transactions as were fraudulently entered
Into between them and the former
state officers. See report of attorney
general for year 1908, page 5.
That this was followed by further restraining
orders In January, 1908, and
the appolnment of receivers by the
circuit court of the United States. An
appeal to the circuit court of appeals
of the United States was necessary to
protect the rights and interest of the
state. This appeal was heard In May,
1908, with the chief Justice of the
United States presiding and the Judgment
of the circuit court of the
United States was affirmed by an
opinion filed In September, 1908, This
necessitated carrying the case to the
United States supreme court, where
it was argued in February and March,
1909, and decided In favor of the
state In April, 1909, but the mandate
was not sent down until the latter
part of May. 1909. when the commission
again became free to proceed
with its business.
The commission promptly after appointment
had the books and accounts
of the dispensary audited, an
Inventory made of the stock of goods
on hand, disposed of the goods on
hand as rapidly as the county dispensaries
would take them, and
promptly collected from the county
dispensaries therefor; and as soon as
the United States supreme court dis- *
*olved the injunction, they proceeded
to adjudicate the amounts due credittors
as rapidly as It could be done, |
having due regard to the rights of ?
the state. That amounts of such (
claims as were adjudicated to be cor- (
rect were paid. That hearings were
had and such proceedings taken as s
were necessary to unravel the net- (
work of fraud which surrounded a {
very large proportion of the said (
claims. The legislature In 1908 pass- j
cd an act directing them to continue {
their work; this was followed by a ,
further act in 1910, all of which dl- (
rected further and necessary pro- .
ceedings to be taken to conserve the j
interests of the state. Pursuant to ,
the mandate of the said acts, this ,
commission proceeded until it has t
now, with the exception of a few .
terns, concluded all matters which
were involved In winding up the af1
?? - * ??'J Tkooa onto
I tt I IS Ul 9UIU III9UIUUVII. xiicov UVM
Imposed additional duties upon this
commission, the discharge of which
In a proper manner has necessitated
:helr continued activities, and they
have been diligently endeavoring, and
to a considerable extent successfully,
thereunder to recover moneys illegally
collected from the state by various
parties who had no claims
jgainst the state when this commission
was appointed. Among these
claims of the state still pending is
i claim against the Richland Distilling
company and certain stockholders
of the said company. Since the
Irst day of January, 1911, the liability
of two of these stockholders
was settled for the sum of J34.700.
The commission is now pressing the
company and the other stockholders
for a settlement of the balance of
the amount claimed to be due the
state and are convinced that with
3ue. diligence and sufficient time they
will be able to collect largely on this
which is being pressed under
the provisions of the act of 1910.
This work as well as the endeavor to
collect other pending claims as directed
by the act of 1910 is very difIcult
and tedious, and the commission
earnestly solicits your counsel and
co-operation in order that this work
nay be facilitated and that the comuisslon
conclude its duties at the eariest
possible moment.
They would further state that while
n the discharge of their duties under i
he act of 1910 a suit for injunction
was brought against them by the
Carolina Glass company and an appeal
was also prosecuted by it from I
he decision rendered by the commis- e
don on its claim against the state,
which proceedings had the effect of c
'urther delaying the commission in 1
inlshlng their work. Both of these g
^ases have been decided in our state ,
tupreme court in favor of the comnission,
but the commission has been *
lotlffed by the attorneys of said com- ^
lany that they propose to carry the B
natter to the supreme court of the
United States. The commission are 8
lefendants and have no means of endng
these proceedings until the ap- t
peal Is determined by a proper Judg- j
nent, either of affirmance or dlsmislal.
8
The commission has endeavored to ?
furnish the Information asked for In r}
four letter, but if anything has been
jmitted. or if you desire any other
>r further information in reference t
to the acts and doings of the com- (
? * 1 ? ...l? -? 4 V* a n <Vq I r*a A f
mission 111 WIUUIII5 U \J lllf UiLU-OU wa. .
the dispensary, the chairman is Instructed
to furnish you with the same. 1
md If you do not understand any of t
he items or statements in the reports
md accounts heretofore filed in your
office, the chairman, with the commission's
accountant upon your sug- t
?estion. will go over each item there- <;
yf in detail with you. <
All of which is respectfully submitted.
W. J. Murray, 1
Chairman State Dispensary Commls- 1
sion. c
t
SHOCKED THE GUIDE. ?
y
Antics of an Irreverent Visitor at the c
National Capitol. j
A big man with a fierce, bristling ,
;ray beard and wearing a broad brim- <]
med slouch hat marched down the
naln corridor of the capltol, closely j
'allowed by n guide at a dogtrot. c
They had inspected statuary hall and j
he rotunda and looked in at the s
hamber of the supreme court, and T
he visitor had made 110 other com- 0
nent 011 the sights shown him than to r
itter an occasional grunt, snort or g
jrowl. ],
The big man paused at the end of -j
he corridor and jerked his head to- a
vard a carpeted passage. ^
"What's them burglars doing to- e
lay?" ho demanded. e
"The senate is not in session, sir," ^
aid the guide in a shocked voice. ^
After the visitor had departed the n
;uide sat down on his chair in front of
he statue of Daniel Webster and c
nopped his heated brow. ^
"That's one kinil that comes here,"
le said. "We have all kinds, but his *
tyle is the hardest to deal with, e
'ailed the senate burglars?you heard e
lim? and he kicked at everything ..
ise I showed him. That kind comes
repared to kick. They ain't got no
atriotlsm at all. and a United States tl
enator ain't no more to them than a p
loorkeeper. Why. I'm afraid to take
nen like him Into the supreme court.
Akeiy as not they'll say something o
lisrespectfu! right out loud. Do you g
ivhot thnt it n ix until when I
howed him statuary hall? He says.
Who are all these crooks?' Then he
ranted to know how much all them n
tatues cost the government and who tl
rot the rakeoff. i told him they were
riven by the states, and he said that
ras once when the states put one
iver.
"You wouldn't think." said the
ruble, with a sigh, "that patriotic d
Americans could come here and be tl
o callous about the things they see. t
'hey seem to begrudge a dollar to be n
hown the place where Webster stood
rhen he made his reply to Hayne. I P
fon't know what the country's com- o
ng to. I've been a guide here twenty ](
ears, but I never thought I'd live to
iear the senate called burglars."? 1
Vashington Cor. Kansas City Star. H
GOVERNOR AND COMPTROLLER.
Slight Misunderstanding Involving tha
Nawapapara.
Columbia Record, Tuesday.
Governor Blease said, Tuesday afternoon,
that his position had been
misstated In press reports regarding
his veto of the $5,000 item in the appropriation
bill for investigations of
county offices, and he denied emphatically
that he had told the comptroller
general to go ahead and spend
this money.
The governor furnished for publication
the correspondence on the aublect
Tuesday between himself and the
comptroller general, which explains
tself:
February 28, 1911.
Hon. A. \V. Jones, Comptroller General,
City:
Dear sir: I notice by the papers
(which lie so often here lately, that I
In not notice them usually) that It
vas stated that I said for you to go
ihead In your investigations and
ipend the Ave thousand dollars which
vere provided by the act of the legisature,
and which Item was vetoed by
ne.
I hereby most positively say to you,
lot to expend that money. I made
10 such agreement, and if so underitood
by you, you were certainly bady
mistaken. I thought it was a needess
appropriation and cut It out, and
itand by It.
Very respectfully.
Cole L. Blease, Governor.
February 28, 1911.
To His Excellency, Hon. Cole L.
Blease, Governor, Columbia, S. C.
Dear Sir: Your letter of the 28th,
n refernce to the veto of the 86,000
impropriation for investigation by me,
>r under my direction, has been re:elved.
While the newspaper statement was
tomewhat inaccurate I understood you
:o suggest that I borrow such funds
is should be necessary to make needid
Investigations, and ask the leglsature
at Its next session to provide
'or the payment of the loan. I then
'ealized that the law requires me to
:onflne my expenditures to such ap-iropriations
as have been made by
aw, and then determined, as now adrtsed
by you, not to borrow such
noney in violation of law, or exceed
he appropriations placed at my disposal.
x ours respeciiuuy,
A. W. Jones,
Comptroller General.
The paragraph which caused the
governor to write as above to the
:omptroller general was as follows:
"Governor Blease vetoed the Item
n the appropriation bill authorizing
he comptroller general to. expend.
15,000 In examining county.offices, but
le has since told the comptroller' general
to go ahead and spend this
tmount, if so much should be neceslary.
Comptroller General Jones has,
lcwever, declined emphatically . to
'ollow this course, since the legislaure
sustained the governor's veto."
Comptroller General Jones did not
volunteer to the press the information
vhich the Record published in the
ssue of Monday referring to this mat- .
er but the facts as to what had
>assed between the governor and the
comptroller general, concerning what
s an official and public matter, were
iscertained by the Record of its* own.
notion, and the statement published
n this paper on Monday stands as
ubstantially correct, the governor
laving proposed, and the comptroller
general having declined, to proceed
vithout the appropriation vetoed by
ho governor.
WHEN EDISON "ARRIVED."
-fis First Invention Kept Employers
From Ruin.
Thomas Alva Edison came from
"Jashvllle, Tenn., to New York In the
early '70s to work as electrician in the
>fflces of the Franklin, Pacific and Atantic
and Atlantic and Pacific Teletraph
offices, which were located on
Broad street, near Wall. "Country
>oy" was stamped all over him. He
vore a brownish suit and his hat was
l soft butternut; his long, lanky hair
itood defiant of brush or comb.
With Mr. Edison were two young
elegraph experts named Wright and
Tohnson, the former a short man with
l deep bass voice and the latter slight t
and taller than Edison himself.
They had as an experiment room a
imall light-tight wooden cabinet, fitted
ip In the office. It was an every-day
>ccurrence for the three men to rush
>ut to escape from the smoke and
'umes which issued as the results of
heir experiments.
Edison was regarded as a "coming
nan" in telegraphy, nevertheless. His
irst successful invention showed his
lulck and facile genius. He was very
leaf and one had to speak quite loudly
o make him hear conversation; yet
lis ear detected the faintest metallic
:llck. One day, while In the midst of
lusiness, when brokers' messages, gen;ral
telegrams and press dispatches
vere on the hooks, the company was
lerved with an injunction restraining It
'rom using the Page sounder, which
vas controlled by the Western Union,
rhe keys were silenced.
Edison grinned and sat down at an
nstrument. He reached out for a sheet
if tin, used in making "manifold copes,"
and called for a stout pair of sclsors.
From one of his pockets?which
vere always bulging with wire and
ther appliances?he took a pair of
iliers. First he detached the Page
ounder from the Instrument, while an
ntensely interested crowd watched,
'hen he cut a section of the thin sheet
bout three inches wide and four or
ive inches in length. He sliced it at
ither end, making two points, through
ach or wnicn ne Dorea a note, nr
hen curved It lengthwise, doubled up
he ends and fitted them to the instrulent
precisely where the Page sounder dLjf
ad been and tapped the key. The
licking?a joyful sound?could be
eard all over the room. "He's got it!
le's got it!" was the cry, and, sure
nough, the response from the other
nd of the line. "Did you get me?"
O K! O K!" ^
Within an nour every instrument In
he room was equipped with the 1mrovlsed
sounder and business was reumed.
The Injunction was completely
bviated. In a few days, under Edion's
instructions, the factory of the
ompany was turning out hundreds of
he new model. Edison's patents now
umber nearly a thousand, but none of
hem brought him greater fame than
his.?Columbian Magazine.
tv "Cork metal" has proved to be a
eslrable substitute for aluminium in
he construction of airships. It is said
o be 40 per cent lighter than alumi,ium
and to have numerous other
roperties which should make it a rival
f the latter. It is composed very
irgely of magnesium, with small
uantities of aluminium, Iron, zinc and
odium.