Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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WAR SI Saved the J3ank of C 3Vtaraiiclin<j About the year 1855 Charlotte, X. C., was oDly beginning to he consider ed as a point of future importance. No more stores, or other buildings, incumbered the earth than would have been expected iu a country seat of any large thriving county, such as old Mecklenburg, the birthplace of the "Hornet's Nest.'' Then, or shortly afterwards, was established the Hank of Charlotte, which coutiuued in busi ness until near the end of the great civil war, when it had on hand some $40,000 in specie. "When the peerless Lee surrendered and the federal armies woro swarming over the southland the officers of this bank became very uneasy about that coin in their possession, and they se creted it somewhere in the neighbor hood of Charlotte. It wus not long before Johnston surrendered: Stone inan captured Salisbury (40 miles north of Charlotte,) while a detach ment of his corps was going down the south side of the Catawba river to destroy the railroad bridge at Nation Ford, 20 miles southwest of Charlotte, and 3 miles from Fort Mill, S. C. The bank officers became alarmed for their tieasure and i'or themselves, because they doubted not that they would bo tortured into a betrayal of the hiding place of the money or be killed if they did not reveal it when Stonemau's men should take the towD. The specie?mostly silver?had beer? p ?c'<< d in four strong boxes, hut v I t o should they put the boxes? }.i ter consultation they turned over ?heir funds to Hon. J. Harvey Wilson (one of the directors;, with a request to take what steps he might deem beat for the concealment thereof. Mr. Wilson accepted the responsible trust, but it was uncertain where to go, how to go, or whom he could get to assist him. His nephew, Captain W-, had the previous day returned from the surrender wornout and broken in -health. To his nephew he went with his troubles. The captain was sick and could ill bear a cross country ride, but, after repeated importunities, he agreed to assist his uncle in the un welcome employment. After night fall these two mcu placed the four boxes in Captain SV-'s buggy and went toward Fort Fort Mill, S. C, in the dark, cold and rain. Let it be remembered that such a journey, undertaken at such a lime, was not. only uncomfortable, but at tended with danger. Many straggling soldiers were returning from the front discontented, morose and of ten desper ate, bands of marauders uuder guise of soldiers plundered defenseless homes and any of th?s? might be very well pleased to oapture suoh a booty, besides it was not impossible that they might meet some of Stonemau's men. However, all things considered it was probably safer to undertake such an enterprise at night than in daylight. After a toilsome journey over bad ' roads, in the dark and rain, they ar rived at a point about 1 mi.a above Fort Mill, 17 miles from their starting point. Here they stopped. Mr. Wil son remained with the buggy while the captain should go to his father's old home for a tool to bury the money. The latter did not want to arouse any one lest his mission should be detect ed. Finding nothing outside, he slipped into the mansion, got the tiro shovel and returucd to his uncle. The boxes were then taken to a lonely spot and buried in the edge of a branch, after which our travelers sought rest in the old mansion at, about 2 o'clock a. m. Next morning the captain, fearing that the work dene in the dark was incomplete, rode by a circuitous route to the place of concealment. Looking around to be sure he was not observed, he built over the spot au irregular brush heap of such boughs and bushes as was con venient and returned to the house by a. different circuit, Mr. Wilson started homo on a line Horse belonging to the captain, bit had aoi gone far before he was stopped by some men claiming to belong to Ferguson's brigade, a part of Wheel er's command who had been recruit ing their horses in Georgia. These men wanted to take Mr. Wilson's lorse, and would have done so had he not ridden forward to interview Gen. ITerguson about the matter. They soon got back to the old mansion, where Mr. Wilson rode into the yard. Some of the men followed and insisted on taking the horse. Captain Wilson, seeing his uncles' trouble, came out and took hold of one rein of the bri dle, while a westerner was holding the aller. Altercation followed in which the -v'otain threatened to shoot. Tho T;chuc trs told him that suoh a course would n'y provo fatal to him is he /was hopelessly outnumbered. Just then Captain RobertFullwood, ? neighvor, came upon the scene, XJRIES. Charlotte's Oold From : Yankee?. steadying by a good walkiag stick his footsteps, tottering under the load of three score and ten years, and inquir ed the nature of the trouble. This old man, full of righteous indignation, seized the bridle and exclaimed : "I know this young man: his father ha? been my lifelong friend. I love my country and 1 love her laws: you can't cheat me out of many days, aud I am ready to die right here and now be fore you shall rcb him of his horse." This bold act and speech of the aged farmer rather staggered the mob, but they would probably have taken the horse had there not been another ami opportune entrance on the stage. Capt. .Jolm Mills, formerly a South Carolinian and a friend of the young captain's family, rode up at the head of his company of Alabamans, inquir ed what was the trouble, called his men to 'attention," told the would be robbers to disperse before he would arrest them and have them shot un less they abandoned their prey. They sullenly departed vowing *cn geanee. Shortly afterwards the young captaiii saw smoke aud learned that the railroad bridge was burned by about three hundred of Stoncman'a command, who would retreat up the river. He hastened to Gen. Ferguson and offered to lead his command to a place where they could cross the river and capture the whole federal outfit, but tbe general decliucd to act. That night our two travelers re turned to Charlotte worn out and sick. The kitchen at the old homestead was set on tire, but extinguished, though the gin house, with 120 bales of cot ton, 2,000 bushels of cotton seed and all the machinery in it were burned to the ground. Was it "vengeanoe?" About three months afterwards the hidden treasure was exhumed and re stored to the bank. Some parties have of late years dug about the ok homestead (supposedly) for this mon ey, being ignorant of its recovery. This sketch shows some of the diffi culties attending our people's efforts to save property and money; and it at least proved costly to the young cap tain, who sustained his part of the loss of the gin house and contents without receiving any remuneration for his trouble and risk.?Samuel F. Massey, in Sunny South. IN PURSUIT OF JEFF. DAVIS. Letters Written by Gen. Palmer in 1S65. [Columbia State.] Spartanburg, S. C, July 29.?Capt. John W. Carlisle today showed your correspondent an interesting letter, bearing on the end of the War Be tween the States, and the pursuit of the 1'nion army for President Davis, of the Southern Confederacy. In April, 1805, Gen. Palmer, of the Uniou army, came to Spartanburg with a command and he occupied the Simpson ?obo house during his short stay in this city. After his departure the letter was found in the house addressed to "Brevet Brigade General Brown, commanding cavalry (Brown's and Miller's brigades), Hendersonvillo, Asheville or elsewhere via Columbia and Howard's Gap." The date of this letter is April 29, 1865. It is an interesting paper and the writer dis p'-: s a remarkable familiarity with the State, places, geography and dis tances for a stranger in the enemy's country. Through the courtesy of Capt. Carlisle the letter \: reproduced as follows : Headquarters Cavalry Division, Dis trict of K Tenn., MooresborO, miles west of Shelby, 16 miles from Kuthcrfordton, on road from Ruth erdfordton to Yorkville, 11 miles K. of Island Ford of Broad River, April 29, '65, 7 p. m. Gcueral : I have received Lieut. Conway's dispatch with a copy of a letter from Gen. Tillson containing instructions of Gen. Stoneman, in accordance with which I shall move with this brigade via Island Ford of Broad River, and Greenville, to Pen dleton, S. C, a distance of about 80 miles. I shall expect to reach Pen dleton on Monday night or Tuesday morning and shall roly upon connect ing with you at that point at the same time. President Davis and his escort (Dibberill's division of two brigades of Wheeler's oavalry, probably 1,500 to 2,500 in all) has about two day's the start of us, having positively left Yorkville yesterday morning and tak en the Union ville road. I think they will go either through Lauronsville or Abbeville, preferably the former to Belton, Anderson and across the river to Carne8ville, Ga.?and thenco across through or north of Atlanta to avoid Wilson's cavalry. It is possible that Ferguson's and Duke's cavalry may join them, hut we shall learn in our march across South Carolina. I have the most undoubted information that J. K. Johnston's army surrendered on the 2t?th inst., Hampton's cavalry command was probably not included in the surrend er, lie was expected with his com mand at Charlotte ycBterday, 28th inst. I was much surprised to learn from Lieut. Conway's dispatch that you intended to return to Asheville to comply with Gee. Gtoneujac'a in structions. You were probably not aware that at ilendcrsonville you were on the direct road via Flat Kock to Helton and Anderson. If you have discover ed this before reaching Asheville, you can go on to Pendleton via Pickeos ville and be governed by circumstanc es in case President Davis' party should come within striking distance before I can join you. If, however, you have returned to Asheville and have not restarted from there before this reaches you. you will march up the French Broad, ar being apparently the best route foi forage as well as tl shortest, aud across the Blue Hidg ' near Caesar's Head on the road to Pickensville. If, however, Pendleton can be reached by : a nearer route or you can take a gay west of Caesar's Head if that will be 1 the best route. i Send a courier party to commuai- i cate with me Monday near Greenville. < Let them take especial care that the dispatch is not japtured. 1 The reason I do not march direct to Anderson is because, as Davis has i two days the start, it is necessary for < us to take a straight course on a long- 1 cr diagonal or we cannot possibly in- i tercept. From Pendleton we shall, if < necessary, march to Carnesville, Ga. < Dibberill has a number of wagons < and four pieces of artillery. > You will please have the enclosed dispatch sent to Asheville to be left i with Col. Kirk if he is there, or if he 1 is not with some reliable person who 1 will be sure to deliver it to Gen. Till- ? son en bis arrivai at Asheville. I am ' general, your obedient servant. { Wm. J. Palmer, ' Brev. Brig. Gen. Com. < Brev. Brig. Gen. Brown, 1 Com. Brigades. ' THE NIUkIT BEFORE THE BATTLE t OF THE WILDERNESS. 1 _ i Our regiment was enoamped a few f miles away at the close of a day's ' march to get there. I had charge of * the guard that was placed around the ' camp that night. At 2 o'olook when the relief went on duty one guard was * missing. He had deserted and made 1 his way to Georgia, hia native State. ' He wIb afterwards oaptured and sent * backjto Virginia, where he was tried ' by oourtmartial and the desertion be- c ing, as you might say, in the presenco 1 of the enemy, he was sentenced to be ' shot. The army to which we belonged 1 was then on the Darby Town road, 6 J miles south of Richmond. The exe- 1 eution was set for a day near to oome. * His coffin, a large, red box, was sit- 1 ting beside an old tobacco house on 1 Darby Town road. This young man * had been raised in the same Bettle- 1 ment with me. I had gine to school with him before tho war commenced. ' So I visited him in prison, where he ' was confined, with a ball attached to 1 his person with a heavy chain. This j was on Sunday evening. The day of j the execution was to be the same 1 week on Wednesday, I think^ T?I re- 1 member he was sitting with '^gjjjjPface ' buried in his hands, weeping and j moaning. While I detested a ooward, i one who dared to leave when so near a 1 battle, my sympathies overoame me. j I went immediately back to camp and , prepared an application for his pardon. ? In person I carried the application to colonel, brigadier and headquarters. Applications of this kind had to be aoted on by the president of the Con federacy, I think. At any rate, the application delayed the execution of my former friend and in the mean time the attack on Petersburg called us on -the south side of the James river and then on to Far m ville and to Appomattox Court House where Gen. Lee had us to lay down our arms and the doomed man was liberated byforoe of circumstances. Ho is living now and has been a good citizen of Georgia ovjr since. I have seen him twice only. Once I met him near his home and another time he called to see me while visiting in Atlanta. I have never regretted my part in his behalf. There were several soldiers shot the same week that ho was to have been shot. Many old soldiers of Lee's army will remem ber the hollow square, the stake in the shape of a cross, the culprit's legs tied together, the arms resting on the cross and tied behind the soldiers sta tioned on three sides so as to see the shooting, the purp so of which was to Btop the idea of desertion that had be gun to some extent. Then 12 were stationed with guns immediately in i front of the soldier to be shot. Six guns were loaded with blanks. The whole 12 guns were aimed and fired direotly at the poor man, neither sol dier shooting knowing whether his gun had a ball in it or not. At the shoot ing the fellow's head *ould dropdown and he hung limp upon the cross dead, dead, dead. The main army was true to the Confederate cause, but a few soldiers here and there did desert, and hence these stringent, heroic measures to stamp out any little germ of sedition or disloyalty to the Con federate government. I loved Jeff Davis and the Confed eracy, and I almost hated everybody that did not think as I did. The sur render came, I came back to Georgia, and while the name of Jeff Davis and the playing of Dixie revives the en thusiasm of the wartimes, yet I have tried to be a loyal citizen, ready to defend my country, the United States of America, and to let the Lost Cause sleep, though held in cherished mem ory. And I have doubted if I could give any cause or country the loving, faithful service I did tho Confederacy, but I will not go "agin" my country, but loyally accept the inevitable.? W. M. Middlebrooks, in Atlanta Jour nal._ Negro Insanity Increasing. Physicians in this State, according to a Charleston dispatch to the New York Sun, are greatly concerned over what they believe to be the alarming increase of insanity among niggers. Years ago this disease was almost un known to the colored population ; but it appears to be spreading. Accord ing to estimates made by Dr. Babcook, Superintendent of the State Lunatic Asylum, this oondition now is worse than ever before. Many reasons are assigned; but it iz the opinion of leading pujDiCi??s that the common use of drugs and bad whisky is in a large measure re sponsible. Ten years ago the suicide }f a negro was such a rare occurrence that it attracted universal attention. Nowadays such an occurrence is un noticed. There are probably more insane ne groes in the State * institution at Co lumbia than at any other time in its history. They are sent in from all sections of South Carolina, the major ity going from towns and cities. In Charleston crazy negroes are picked ip aim'-st every day, and while many )f tb< m are released after a brief term in the hospital, a considerable number develop such violent symp toms that it is found necessary to ihip them to Columbia. It is seldom .hat the asylum negroes are cured, ind many of them die after violent mffering. The State authorities give .he colored people the most humane :reatment, yet it does not seem possi ble wholly to restore their minds. One of the oldest physicians of Jharleston told the Sun correspondent ecently that in the days of slavery it ?ras almost uncommon to find an in lane negro. The spread of the dis ease he attributes to rough living, li luor and drugs. Along the coast the jegroes are addicted to the use of opi ites, oocaine being the drug which is nost commonly used. Among the thousands of vicious negroes who work n the rook fields, opium is a popular Irug, and almost any form of "hop" ;s relished. The left arm of a black prisoner, captured recently, was fear fully lacerated by continued jabs from i hypodermic syringe. The bad liquor is sold in the blind Ligers. The polioe here believe that Bill Simmons, a negro who killed his wife and then attempted suicide sev eral days ago, was a vhtim of cocaine. He had been using the drug steadily \or days, and while under its influence tie drank a pint of corn whisky, which made him a maniac for the ?me being. Usually, when a crime of this k! id is committed the first impulse of the icgro is to escape. Simmons did not nove. He turned the pistol to his lead and fired and was trying to put Juliets in his body when the weapon vas seized by bystanders. " I was weak, nervous ?* f. ?isry, with a fainting sensation when wnihing." writes Jesse ChUdre&s, Esq., of Sam?el, Sullivan Co., Tenn. "Could not *?alk iny distance; always fcltT>ad after mating; felt as though something was sticking in ray throat, al ways uneasiness in stomach. Doctored with three physicians but they did not relieve rr.e. . I grew worse and used everything I could think of; was nearly ready to give up and then some one tola me (hat Dr. Pierce's medicine was good, so I began taking his 'Golden Medical Discover)*.* X have taken seven bottles of that now and am as stout as ever, and en Joying health as much as ever bcfo.e. X worked all summer and this winter as much as any one. My case was liver dis-* ease and nervous dyspepsia of wJ*'ch your medicine has cured me. In Si^tember i8a3 my weight was about ?u pounds, now it Is 195. Please accept my sincere thanks." Danger of Worry. Worry, that auarchy of the mind, deranges the physical no less than the mental function*. Under the influ ence of worry the disorganized mind and the disordered body mutually act and react, producing the gravest mala dies in etch. Worry it not suspense. Worry is not anxiety, nor regret, nor fear, nor doubt, nor resolve. All these are definite mental states. Worry is that vague, chaotic condition, that anarchy of the mind, in which hopes, fears, resolves, doubts, anxieties, regrets, anticipations, supicions are admitted ?ravening, destroying horde, under the attacks of which thought is pre cluded, action is paralyzed and integ rity of the mind itself is endangered, often destroyed. The striving of the human mind for better surroundings, higher develop ments, more perfect happiness for self and others?the "divine discon tent that leads to all great achieve ment"?that is not worry. The one is a sign of mental poise and vigor, the other a sign of mental unbalance and futility. Worry is tbc epidemic of the day? an epidemic more widespread, more insidious, more deadly than any pes tilence recorded in the history of hu man calamity. Worry is the most fatal of diseases, for it predisposes to all disease. A great authcrity has said: "Fundamentally, there is but one disease?debility." Worry pro duces debility, and through this de bility the patient is rendered vulner able to a host of ills. Worry, direct ly or indirectly, produces nervous ir ritability, indigestion, insomnia, an orexia, heart disease, diabetes, neu rasthemia, hypochondria, paralysis, insanity. Worry is the cardinal sin of the day. Worry is sin, and the wages of sin is death. Worry is a curable disease, but?he who would be cured must cure him self, must work out his own salva tion. He must engage in a civil war of the intellect, must reduoe anarchy to order. He must, in other words, achieve self-control. The first step is to become convin ced of the utter futility, the danger, the sin of worry. A thousand years of worry will not alter one little cir cumstance. On the other hand, worry is ruinous to the individual, physi cally, mentally and morally?a sin against himself and his maker. Let him who would be cured of the dis ease called worry hold these as flaming facts before his mental sight. Let him observe, resolve, act. Then, calm and resigned, await the results. For thought, resolution, action?these belong to man. Results are with God.?-Health Culture. Cures Blood Poison, Cancer, Dicers, Eczema, Carbuncles, Etc Medicine Free. If you have offensive pimples or eruptions, uloers on any part of the body, aohing bones or joints, falling hair, mucous patohes, swollen glands, skin itches and burns, sore lips or gums, eating, festive sores, sharp, gnawing pains, then you suffer from serious blood poison or the beginings of deadly cancer. You may be per manently oured by taking Botanic Blood Balm (B. B. B.) made especial ly to oure the worst blood and skin diseases. It kills the poison in the blood thereby giving a healthy blood supply to the affected pans, heals every sore or ulcer, even deadly can cer, stops all aches and pains and re duces all swellings. Botanic Blood Balm cures all malignant blood trou bles, such as ulcers, eczema, scrofula, Blood Poison, cancer, eating sores, itching Bkin, pimples, boils, bone pains, swellings, rheumatism, etc. Especially advised for all obsti nate oases that have reaohed the sec ond or third stage. Costs $1 per large bottle at drug stores. To prove it eures, sample of Blood Balm sent free by writing Blood Balm Co , At lanta Ga. Describe trouble and free medical advice sent in sealed letter. S?f"Thia is ah honest offer?medicine sent at oooe, prepaid. Sold in'An derson by Orr-Gray Drug Co., Wil hite & Wilhite, and Evans Pharmacy. Misdirected Effort. During one of E. L. Hyde's evange lical trips through Pennsylvania he told a Scranton gathering that all infi dels were fools, and that he would un dertake to prove it in ten minutes. A man arose and Hyde asked if he wish ed to speak. "Mr. Hyde," was the reply, "I am a man of education and culture; I have traveled, and I know more than the average person, believer or non believer." "Do you really believe," Hyde asked, "that there is nothing in relig ion?" "Why, I've been writing and preach ing against religion this past ?0 years I" "And you say there's nothing in it?" "Absolutely nothing!" "Well, I said fd prove you a fool,' said Hyde. "I will leave it to the gathering if that man is not a fool who devote* twenty year? to preaching against something which he claims has nothing in it." Cut this out and take it to Orr Gray & Co.'s Drug Store and get a box of Chamberlain's Stomach & Liver Tablets. The best physio. They also correct disorders of the Btomacb. Price 25c. 1 The K!Eid You Htiv? Always xsought? and wl?el* can'beta in use for over 30 years, has. borne t! o signature of and Ii?3 been made under ?iia p^s, 8onal supervision sicco its infancy. Allow no one to deceive you in this. All Counterfeits, Imitations and ?? Just-as-goodM are but Experiments that trifle with and endanger the health of Infants and ?hUdren?Ibcperience against Experiment? What is CASTOR. A Oastoria is a harmless substitute for Castor Oil, Pare goric, Drops and Soothing Syrups. It is Pleasant. It contains neither Opium?' Morphine nor other Narcotic substance. Its age is its guarantee. It destroys Worms and allays Feverishness. It eures Diarrhoea and Wind Colic. It relieves Teething Troubles, cures Constipation and Flatulency. It assimilates the Food, regulates the Stomach and Bowels, giving healthy and natural sleep, The Children's Panacea?The Mother's Friend* 3ENUINE CASTOR ? A Bears the Signature of ALWAYS The Kind You Hare Always Bought In Use For Over 30 Years. TMC CKMTAVM COMPANY, TT HURRA? IWU?, MCW TORR OtTV. Why Not Give Your Bouse a Coat of You can put it on yourself?it is already mixed?and to paint your house would not cost you more _ than ------ - - - - Five or Hix Dollars!^ *OLD BY Orr^Gray & Co. Have *J ast H-eoe?" ved Two Care Fine Tennessee Vailey Red Gob Corn. PERFEOTLY SOUND. You run no risk in feeding this to your -4 <.,<.-> Will also make tho very finest meal. Come quick befo;e it is all gone. .O. 0? ANDERSON A. Well i'urtisbed Home Is not cecessari'y an expensively burnished one, as m Tt?tXY'S band some,, even sumptuous, FURNITURE is : procurable wi'iiout great outlay not that we deal in knocked-together, made-to-sell sort, ut because we aril content with n reasonable profit oil really g*^'' unities of Furnitonl Our best witness is the Goods thea4 Yours truly O F. TOLLY & SON, The Old Reliable Furniture Dealers, Ltepot St., Anderson, S. C. a. c. stsicexanbJ DENTIST. OFFICE?Front Rooms over Fare] en and Merchants Bank. Thus opposite out illuotratcs-Cpj ttnuoua Gum Teeth. The I? Plats?more cleanly than the naUH ral teeth. No bad taste or brawj from Pla^aof tble kind* 'Mi mr^ . EST \ N> *Vr\ A LONG LOOK ?H??OJ A man thinks it is when the matter of insurance suggests, itself?but oircumslfl*L ces of late have shown how life hangs by *3 thread when war, flood, hurricane and &<g suddenly overtakes you, and the only w to be sore that yonr family is protected case of calamity overtaking you is to sure in a solid Company like? Hf* The Mutual Benefit Life Ins. Oc '^3fc]?> ^ -^r^f?t ? Drop in and see us about it. M. 2dL. MATT180N, STATE AGENT, Peoples' Bink Building, f ANDERSON 8. 0.