Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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DUNOVANTEL Kai?road ^President I Escape "V ID mortal fear of his life, and with tho hope that io New York he may escape the pursuit of thcss who have Bfforn to kill him, William T. Eld ridge, president of the Cane Belt rail road has announeed that on July 1, he .will leave the State of Texas forever and resign his position, at the same time abandoning all the interests in bis native State w'Hoh have made bim wealthy and prominent in many commercial and industrial enter prises. He has been shot at three times from ambush, aud is now slowly re covering from the last attack, which was made on June 6 of this year, the same day on which he was eleoted to the presidency of the railroad. A bul let from it Winoheaterv rifle entered bis righi shoulder, passed downward and through his lungs, and left his body to shatter his left hand. His recovery has been regarded as little short of miraculous. Mr. Eldridge now lies under guard in the house of Ino physician, Dr. W. II. Eokhardt, in Houston. It is an nouneed that a guard of his friends will accompany him across the Rod River when he starts North. In the city of Houston there is to-day also a sister of Captain William Dunovant, whom Eldridge killed two years ago, and this woman before her bremer died in her arms swore with uplifted hand at his bedside that his death should be avenged. The story of the vendetta whioh has raised a Duoovant party and an Aldridge party in three counties of Texas, is as dramatio as any ever told. The final act of the feud may take place in this city. Though Mr. Eldridge is under in dictment in Fort Bend County for the killing of Captain Dunovant, it is an nounced by his friends that his bail of 025,000 will be forfeited to the .treasurer of the County and that when the man leaves the State of Texas he will never return to it. For two years the Eldridge-Dunovant feud and the failure to try Eldridge have been considered a grave soandal in the Texas counties of Fort Bend, Colo rado and Harris. While the State has been ringing with its discussion little has been allowed to reach the North. Captain William Dunovant was a progressive, praotical plantation own er, who waB the first man prominent ly to seize the advantage of the fer tile soil of Southern Texas and start development on a scale which at the time was regarded as absurdly extra vagant. He owned 20,000 coree in Colorado County, which included Eagle Lake and the village of that name, about fifty miles from Houston. When the South first showed signs of Teoovery from the blasting effeoto of I the Civil War, Captain Dunovant I plunged into the cultivation and de S velopment of his vast plantation, I with methods which made his neigh I bore open their eyes wide, j He built a pumping station at Eagle I Lake to irrigate his land and was 'the I first to rsifle rico, whioh ho insisted 1 was a product eminently adapted to I the soil of that region, one of the' g richest in the world. Those who I began by laughing stopped tb wonder B *t his success, asd it wss not long be H fore the whole Southland was ringing ? with praise -of the pioneer who bad ? added another great agriculture! re ? source to a country just emerging ? from impoverishment. I He ?aised sugar cane, cotton, corn, ?ramie, alfalfa and other preduots and ? added manufactories to his agricol B taral interest? nntil he became proa 1 perons to a marked degree. Promotern lof immigration held him up as an ex? Himple of what a live man could do ia ?Texas farming and rails o \? agente ?published pamjphiets' for distribution gin the North showing the prosperity ?of his immense plantation and its ?diversified crops. I There lived in Boothera Texas, the ?on -of a Confederate aray officer, who died soon after th3 war, 1 saving Jus family in poverty. This son, Wil lam T. Eldridge, Captain Dunpvant took to hie plantains thro? ^u friend* "hipfor the father, who hud been a :ompan ion in arms. Th er boy was nearly grown, but without education, Captain Dunovant; educated him? lothcd him and took him . in to his fen family. He made him foreman, IHen overseer of his great plantation, ?ad declared to hts friends that he oved him like a son. i Eldridge developed rapidly. He ?oani? an admirable administrator |ad a careful financier. His progress [slighted the old mao. He left al? post the entire management of the lan talion tb tho young* man while he ?egan vork on a project1 herbad bad J mind for a lotig time, nothing leas IM?V the building' of S railroad, CB laich the products of. the Dunovant fetation could be shipped; direct DRIDGE FEUD. ilees to ?STew York to "engeance. I from Eagle Lake to mill, faotory and the coast. In due time the Cane Belt railroad was completed from Sealy, OD the Gulf, Coloia<?o aud Santa Fe railroad, to Eagle Lake, now almost a oity. It wa5 about twenty-five miles long and had locomotives and freight oars enough to carry the Dunovant cotton to the ship's side at Galveston or New Orleans; tho sugar cane to the refinery at Sugarland; rice to the Gulf coast and other producto to the main line of the great Atchison sys tem. Eldridge developed into as good a railroad man as he had proved au agriculturist, and now, more than ever before, he was the old man's right bower. After tho panicky times of 1893 4, Captain Dunovant found himself pinched for money. Always ahead of his age, he had engaged in so many enterprises that, though all were pros pering, it took a great deal of money to keep them afloat. The Linooln Trust company, of St. Louis, had oar* ried many of Dunovant's enterprises and for the benefit of this concern tho railroad was permitted to go into the hands of a reoeiver. It was a blow to the warm hearted, impetuous plan tation owner, who had seen the com pletion of his ambitions almost within his grasp, hut ho took it bravely. Ho succeeded in having Eldridge made receiver of the road, and then he be gan to repair his fortunes. Crops continued abundant, the oot ton thrived, the sugar cane wac pro* . lifio, the rioe did well, the railroad showed large earnings. Captain Dun ovant began to get on his feet again and to see his way out of the finan* eial embarrassments. When the pres ent period of prosperity set in right after the dose of the Spanish war things looked bright. Captain Dunc* vant began to arrange for the recovery of bia railroad. But he was not the only one who wanted this prosperous little spur of track tapping a fertile belt and pass ing through a country growing more sud mere productive every day. The great Atahison system cast eovetoas eyes upon it. It was capable of ex tension to the coast, they believed, and would form a feeder for their Gulf and Colorado branch. Dunovant felt secure in his belief that as soon as he could command the required capi tal he would come into possession of che road. He had practically arranged all the financial details when to his surprise he learned that the reoeiver had made a sudden sale to the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe.; The news came like a thunderclap to the old man. It ohanged him from a lovable, generous, Jovial friend to the most bitter enemy that William T. Eldridge or any other man oould have on earth. He met Eldridge on the street in Eagle Lake, where both lived, and denounced him to his face na an ingrate. He told Eldridge he would kill him for an,act of treachery and he warned him that whenever they met on a equal footing to prepare io defend himself, for the signal for shooting would he sight. He begged Eldridge to get a revolver and earry it constantly. Strange as it, may teem-and it jet Deems strange in Tesas--Eldridge nev er earned a "gud." For months he continued to go unarmed, and Captain Dunovant traveled up and down the Bute, breaking out in the most fiery denunciations of, Eldridge at an in grate and toward whenever nie name wat mentioned. The old.man tent message after message to Um through friends imploring him to get a pistol and earry it. With all his anger and his b?at Dunovant would never shoot a man who did not have an equal chance in. tn enoounter with him. Meanwhile Eldridge wee made a di rector and general manager of tho Cane Belt railroad, now a part of the Atohi sen system. When the San Antonio and Arkan sas Pass railroad train pulled into Simonton at noon on August ll, 1802, Eidridgo alighted. Across the road from the station stood Captain Dono van t. There was a flash of fire, a re port and the old man fell, tte was in his shirt sleeves. His friends ssld that he didn't have a revolver with him that day. At any rate one shot wai fired, and the captain, quiok on the trigger as he had always heen, made no return. When they picked him np it was found that the bullet had entered bis hack. Eldridge was arrested within a few minutes after the shooting and a re volver wan taken from him. ' lt. was the first time he was known to carry one. He was indicted by the grand jury and released on $25,000 bail, i Captain Dunovant was taken to the home of his sister, who tenderly nursed him during the few days h s i lingered before he died. Miss Duno, vant was a gentle, kindly soul, noted for her charities and her feminine graces. She was fifty years old. At her brother's deathbed she raised her right hand and took a*solemn oath that his death should be avenged. From that moment the whole nature I of the wemen seemed to ehange. This little woman, who had never handled firearms, began making such inquiries among her friends as these : "l's it possible for a woman of my age to broome proficient with a re* volver or shotgun? "What is the best way for me to acquire praotice with firearms and what exercise should I praotice to obtain a steady arm and a steady eye? "Would it be possible for me to hire a man or men to seek out a man sud shoot him down?" Some of her friends thought her mind had been affected by the shoot ing of feer brother and the oath of vengeance sho took at his bedside. She engaged an attorney and asked him these questions and many moro. She oallcd upon him no many times and sought so muoh information ou tho same line that he dreaded to see her enter tho office. The people of three counties talked about it. They are discussing the sister's oath of vengeanoo to-day. A few months after the shooting of Captain Dunovant, Eldridge spent several hours one evening on the piaz za of the hotel at Eagle Lake talking with Mr. Woerhide, of the Lincoln Trust Company of St. Louis, and left him at 10 o'olook to go to his own residence, which was next door. As Eldridge reached the top step he fell sprawling, and as he did so a man in the darkness aoross the street fired at him. His fall saved him. The buokshot splintered the wood of the house wall and broke a window, but the railroad man was unharmed. An arrest was made and the Colorado County grand jury found an indict ment, but on the trial the suspeot was acquitted. I The second time Eldridge was shot at waa when he was walking cs the streets of Eagle Lake one evening. The bullet went wide. From director and general manager of the railroad Mr, Eldridge was made vice president and general manager, and his reputation as a praotioal rail road man spread through the south west. He began to be considered one of the best railroad executives the South had produeed. His friends pre dicted a great future for him on some big trunk line. These friends consti tuted what was and is known as the "Eldridge party." They were strong and influential and they commanded muoh wealth. The "D uno vant party," which waf greater in - imbers, was almost equal ly strong in influence and means Bitter quarrels between the two par ties have been agitating the State foi nearly two years. The spirit of th? frail spinster, who had sworn t< avenge her brother's death served t< keep the feud alive even if there h ac been no other ?nd graver issue. Bm the failure to bring Eldridge to tria during the many months succeeding the killing in Simonton constituted a scandal which the conservative mot of Texas regard as a blot on the fail name of the State. It was on Jnne 6 last that the third attempt on Eldridge's life was made, an attempt that nearly proved suc cessful. | On that day he had attend ed a meeting of the hoard of diuctovt of she Cane Belt railroad at Sealy, and they unanimously elected him president of the road. He returnee to Iris home at Eagle Lake. As lu stepped from the train at the statioi he was surrounded by friends, whit congratulated him upon his elevation; Leaving them he started to walt across the street, when from a second story window of the McCarty building opposite tho barro! ' of G Winchestei protruded and a single shot was fired with unerring aim. The rifle ball entered Eldridge't right shoulder and ploughed down ward, passing through his lungs. Th? bullet passed ont below the ribs or the left side and orashed through hil left hand. He sank to the ground and it was thought he was dying. A special train with surgeons and trained n'irses was hurriedly made ni at Houston and the track, waa cleared for it. It arrived at Eagle Lake it record tints, and all care and attentioi were bestowed on the railroad presi dent. Af -er Eldridge fell search was mach of the room in the McCarty house ant a rifle was found there. Miss Dune vant was not In Eagle Lake at tin time, but a brother-in-law of Captait Dunovant, W. E. Calhoun, was in tbi town that day. Bliss Dunovant mad? this announcement. \ "Cal didn't do that shooting, but h< ought to have done it long ago. Ii he did kill Eldridge I'd be proud o: him." ' \ ? \ 1 Miss D a novant is now at her hom? in Houston sitting, behind drawi blinds planning who knows what. New York Herald: OAQTO-aiA, Beattie ^^^^^^^^^ * IN ??R DEPARTMENT OF SMALL ARTICLES You'll find everything necessary to make your wardrofcd complete, and everything that's NEW, HOSIERY, GLOVES, BELTS, HANDKERCHIEFS, NECKWEAR, UNDERWEAR, MITTS, FANS, COMBS, TOILET POWDERS, ETC., ETC. Altogether the best selected Stock of Colored MInsliiTS and Lawns And other Thin Goods fer your Summer dresses. A complete line of Oxfords For men, women and children. J\zEilliiiery To please everybody. See ns for your Summer wants. Lesser & Co. Great Mid-Summer Clearance Sale. BEGINNING JUNE 8th we place on sale different lots of Summer Good? from our various departments that are all strictly new, pretty and up to-date etyles. These are now reduced to the end of the season's prices, which meanB one-half and more off of regular rates. The qualities and exclusive styles of these goods justify higher prices, but we mean to close them out while the demand is more active, and at lower prices than such Goods were ever marked before. Everything quoted here is of special value, and *?orth almost double the price asked. Great Mid-Summer Clearance Sale of Notions. 1 lot Infants' Embroidered Lawn Caps, value 50c, for this sale. 35c 1 lot Ladies' Parasols, pearl and silver handles, value $1.25, this Bale.. 98c 1 lot Ladies' Parasols, fancy handles, for this sale.48c 1 lot Ladies' Gauze TJndervests, bleached and unbleached, this sale... 4c 1 lot Ladies' Bleached Gause Vests, tape neck and sleeves, this sale... 8c 1 lot Ladies' Corsets, all shapes and styles, value 35c, this sale.24c 10 dozen Ladies' Corsets, girdle and deep hip effects, value 75c, this sale.' 40c 10 dozen Ladies' Tape Girdles reduced for this sale to. 45c 25 dozen O^en and Shut Fans, just received, for this sale at.5c and 10o 100 boxes line Toilet Soaps, three oakes in box, this sale.. =.. 10c 100 doz. Pure Linen Windew Shades, fringed and dadoed, this sale. 24c 10 doz. Beady Hemmed White Quilts, value 91.00, this sale.85o 1 lot Lace Window Curtains, an extra good value, this sale.'.. 48c Great Mid-Summer Clearance Sale in Dry Goode Department. 500 yards 54 inch Black and Grey Brilliantine, would be cheap at 75c, reduced for this sale to.60o 400 yards 40 inch Black Fancy Goods, value 35c, this sale. 24c 600 yards 36 inch Heavy Black Taffeta Silk, value $1.50, this sale.1.00 20 pieces Silk Embroidered Satsumas, value 25c, thin gale.20o 1 niece White Pique, slhrhily soiled cn outside, value 25c, this sale.... 15o 1 iot remnants 36 inch Dotted Swiss for Curtains, this sale. 10o 1 lot remnants 40 inoh White Lawn, value 10c. 8 c 150 yards Champagne Mercerised Goode, special for this sale.223c 1 lot Mercerised Zephyrs, all colors, value 20c and 25c, this sale.15c 1 lot Cotton Voiles m remnants, value 20c, this sale.10c 1 lot Solid Colored Organdy, beautiful quality, value 10c, this sale.... 6o Special Drives in Ready-made Skirt and Waist Departments* Oar entire line of White Shirt Waists, formerly sold for $1.50 and $1.25, for this Bale........ 75c One lot Ladies' Fine Black Cheviot Skitte, made with drop Skirt and trimmed in Taffeta bands, value $2.00, special for this sale. 1.48 Great Sacrifi?e Sale Ladies and Gents Low Cat Shoes. Oar entire lise of Ladies $1.25 Slippers reduced to. 96c Oar entire line of Ladies' $1.50 Slippers reduced to..$1.25 Our entire line of Ladies' $2.00 Low Cat Shoes, all toes and leathers.. 1.50 Our catiro line of Children's SUppere to be sold.AT COST All oar Gents Low Cat Shoes will be sold regardless of cost. Big Drive in Gents* HSegligee Shirts. Oar entire line of 35c Shirts will he placed on sale at. 25c Oar entire line of 50c Shirts will be placed on sale at. 35a Oar entire line of 75c Shirts will be placed on sale at. 50c SSS* A new line of Premiums jost received, consisting of Hand-painted China and Cut Glass. Ask for Coupons. Yours for Trade, f LESSER & CO., LEADERS OF LOW PRICES. Flooring, Ceiling, Siding, Framing, Shingles, Lime, Cement, Lathes, Brick, Doors, Sash, Blinds, Mantels, Turned and Scroll Work, Devoe's Paint, Lead, Oil, Turpentine, Hard Oil, Glass, Putty, ^Etc. EVERYTHING Ki THU BUILDER. IMPORTANT ! INVESTIGATE when in need of any kind of BUILDING MATERIAL. See me. If I don't sell yon Til make the other fellow SELL VOU RIGHT. W". XJ. B?ISSBY ? ANDERSON, S. C. HF Al TH AND VITALITY I 9 LtaOTB Sba B HI ?ii- MOTT-a Si ia mmakm M waat un an rrErivuniwu PILLS Tho great remedy for nervous prostration and ali diseases ot tho generative .pans of either sex, such as Nervous Procuration, Failing or Lost Manhood, apotenev. Nightly Emissions, Youthful Errors, Mental Worry, excesslvo use _J Tobacco or Opium, which lead to Consumption and Insanity. With every i CTCD IICIHQ SS order we guarantco to euro or refund tho money. Sold at S LOO per box, Arlen Ubi Ho. $ boxes ?or eVoo. im* atorra CHBBUCAJU co., cleveland. Okla. ' FOSt SALE BY EVAM8 PHlRMAi Y, $10.00 WORTH FOR $1.00 ? We will give you a Large Bottle of Grra,y's Sarsaparillas, For 81.00 and will guarantee it to do you 810.00 worth of good. At thia season ol the year you will ?nd thia medicine to be a great benefit to you. It will renew your blood, and thereby remove from your Bystem all poisonous impurities that have been collecting for months. If th?se poisons re main you may have a spell of fever when the hot weather begins. Get a bottle to-day. ORR, GRAY & CO., Prescription Druggists* .fciiptuHv JUJIUKUJT? jaaj'jvpHjg JO min "D "K 'XJHq?Jl?S jo r3(UVU lutiojju.v; jkjt^ *a.-u:jj3j3>j \JVJ||OXXJ3 MMOJJ .... ?Ajrxqsii-os vjjaijs nsajQ pu? ajja.?BjB?! 'piUSUUlIOO OJ 8JIIO.\ 'l)v\u j?jtj .<o tto.< oj TjDitj 9W03 \\]Vi iatiotn JIIO.? puu *,>oo?( OIIJ ujfijaj 'pasvapl uuijj aiotu jeu aju pu? xno.i tu pmj ja.\.i no.< suit|jXun tuan lajiaq JJ pug j.uop no.{ ji *Xofua oj pasn jaqjuj jno/t jeqM jo 3JSUJ u noA 3\\H JJ j ? jj pun tuoo spujq .pusf i ieauo]j piotiqi joatiuj n?! -ajouinoA j?oi) jjj.w uti)? "puaq-umq,, ?lilA3UJJ 'lUJSJ? MOA OJ JJJBJ JSO'J S.LMIIJOJO.T tJJJO.>; UO fcOIUiitJ aAlKJU JIJJ J.VJ s, , - 'JJUI?Bd JO ?.3uf J<-J J8J*HO V?JXJ o?j iiojiwS uti ofl'?l "SHoji'iS ^? ol \ UIOJJ pion s?u? 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BJI> uni ?op i om-:? iJ>1 ,10 y_i P?l*l'H AJ.OIU sjitinl) jjnj , '?U? ntlj ?\ >n >j JI: Ml I9U3B9J JapjO illoX M-|> ausea vjuajiioo u-n ??J .>nuou <* a*?a uuipl tu ji.upuil ?ja-iroaa pjedaiil ?aiijuqa ?sjiiUti ..imqojua quox jo apjjj" ?lujs??\ 'uuiuaippitv .>'|l JO_?|UOJJ jiu ?'uv suojjBiJjjnpv 1" ca)i|Hqiii?od ?tn ?31118 puuu .tqaaaqj no.\ 'jauiiwuo^ om ,.j .Oatl})??] am luojjiaajtp A.iH?itj.u qiutunj oj ,i s tn isuijtj jsin oin pi auoaju a.\\ i?aiiBUti oin oi j-io.Hjui aqi uio4j 'aKnqaud .Ga.ia vaajutuuitS nun uuitoivn tiJi'W; nj UJaauoj Ajtio am pur k.u?js J>>iiu:j om tu ??JXVUIYV ".?<0 D "N a^nJ J" ?-?ain<i|Ji*n> puu?au}j?|p jsjjiani atji oiV a.\\ ?uinqa jiio jo uojjaujuiBxa piMu jvotu atij ?lt.\U| jinn unijujjpwuivi jno.t oj j .MI j BU?J puatunioa a\\ " hj.>ntj>si(i m!?.>Aja?tuauj juasaidaj oqjaci9|?apKno|ndtuacun lot'tutujj itiiuiiui .un jiu? itmStiABjjxa .<IJ papitui X|juanbaJj tia.xj KIUJ a)pjtt<l aux pixjdojj esoidaa joiunouo^ o| AJOJJIJOIQ VUOJJ; ?o?Jia A3>1SIHAA NdOO OHO UV3?-9 VNHOaVO HJLUON dO 3Qldd JITST RECEIVES"* OLD DOMINION CEMENT, AND BES? LI3s?CE. O. D. ANDER80?& REAL ESTATE FOR SALE. We offer for sale the following desirable property, sita?? ated in this and surrounding Counties. Nearly all of thees? places have good improvements on them. For full partien* ulars as to terms, location, &c, eall at my office. near city limits, Auder- j 59 acres son, S. G. 50 aores, two miles from city, in improved. House and Lot, 6 aores, near oity limits, very desirable. Half acre City Lot, front or Main Street, no improvements. 1 aore, with new dwelling, in city limits. Hi aores, near city limits, oleared, no improvements. 200 aores in Fork township, on Tug aloo River, two dwellings. 100 aoreB in Williamston township, improved, on Beaverdam creek. 400 aores in Oaklawn township, in Greenville Co., half in cultivation, 5 tenant dwellings, 50 aores of this is in bottom land, 700 aores in Hopewell township, on Six and Twenty Creek, 300 acres in cultivation, 2 good residences, 6 ten ant dwellings, 40 aeres in bottom land. 91 aor?e in Garvin township, on Three-and-Twenty Creek, good dwell ing, barn, deo. 56 mores in Macon Co., N. 0., 29 miles above vValhalla, on road to Highlands._._ 133 aores, in Pendleton township/, well improved. Berry plaoe, Varennes, 87$ acree. 437 aores, Pendleton township, test ant houses and dwelling. 145 aores, Evergreen plaoe, Savana nah township. 150 acres in Savannah township^ well timbered, no improvements. 200 aores- ia Center township, Coo nee County, 100 cleared, balance weE3 timbered, well watered, good mill site? with ample water power. 65 aores in Plokens County. 600 acres in Hopewell township.. 130 aores in Broadway township*, improved. 230 acres in Fork township, os Sen eca River, good dwellings, &o. 800 aoreB in Anderson County, oaa Savannah River. 96 aores in Lowndesville townohs^ Abbeville County. 84 aores in Corner township. 75 aores in Ooonee County. 75 aores in Piokens County. 152 aores in Rook Mills township on Seneoa River, 2 dwellings. 700 aores in Fork townships All the above are desirable Lands, and parties wanting good homes, aft low prioeB, car soleo efeoo tie above and coll for further particulars. Vvw is the time to secure yow homes for another year. JOS. J. FKETWEIX, ANDERSON, 8? CV O < b 1-3 M H OD O ? ? M Q ? OD < Sd M O inst CW Thia Establishment has been Selling IN ANDERSON for more than forty years. During all that time competitorxf have come and gone, but we have remained right here. We have always sold Cheaper than any others, and during those long years wo have not had one dis satisfied customer. Mistakes will sometimes ocour, and if at any time wa? found that a customer was dissatisfied we did not rest until we had made him satisfied. This policy, rigidly adhered to, has made us friends, true and last ing, and wo can say with pride, but without boasting, that wo have the confi dence of tho people of this section. Wo have a largor Stock of Goods this* season than wo have ever had, and wo plcdgo you our word that wc have nevcrr sold Furniture at as close a margin of profit as wc sro doing now. This iv Lproven by thc fact that wo arc selling Furniture not only all over Andersorn Tuounty but in every Town in tho Piedmont section. Como and see us. Yous? parents saved money hy buying from us, and you and your children can srwf money by buying 1 3j5,too. Wc carry EVERYTHING in the Furnituro line,, X0 F. TOLLY & SOW, Depot Street ThejOld ReliablegFurniture Dealer?