Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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TRIAL OF JONES SOHARGED "WITH THE MURDER OP ABE PEARLSTINE. Intense Interest Manifested- in Court Proceedings as a Result of the Branchville Tragedy. John J. Jones was put on trial on. J3nursday morning for the murder of \ -.Abe Pearlstlne in Branchville in De .?ember, in the Court of General Ses sion, Judge R. Withers Memminger .presiding. Jones is a lawyer with offices at Branchville and Pearlstlne ?was a prominent merchant of the wane place. Marked interest was ! manifested in the case, the court .house being crowded all the time daring its continuance. The case was called at eleven o'clock, and it "waa gone into at once. It Is recalled that JoneB is alleged to have shot and killed Abe Pearltine in the postoffice lobby at Branchville, on December 15 of last year. Jones -at once came to Orangeburg, had * nlmself photographed, showing 'bruises and blood stains on his face, laid to have been inflicted by Pearls tine. He was released from custody on a $3,000 bond granted by Justice "Oary. Much speculation was in dulged In as to the trial, some think ing it would be postponed. After se eoring bond, Jones went back im mediately to Branchville, where he .remained until Thursday, when he came to court to stand trial. The case was called shortly after * 11 o'clock Thursday morning. There was brilliant array of counsel on both sides. For the defence Messrs. W?lfe & Berry, Glaze & Herbert, and Judge C P. Brunson appeared. Solicitor Hildebrand was assisted in the prose cution by Messrs. Raysor & Sum mers, Adam H. Moss and W. C. Mar tin, the" latter of Branchville. The State sought to show that the shoot ing occurred after the fisticuff had ?ended and that at the time of the shooting defendant was not in dan ger of bodily harm. The counsel for the defence took the opposite view. Upon arraignment Thursday morn ing Jones pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder. In choosing the jury the following jurors were chos -en to try the case, A. M. Whetsell, G. W. Garick. R. M. Owen, A. E. Rut land, G. B. Smoak, R. S. Winning .ham, A. D. Dempsey, J. A. Breland, E. W. Whetstone, 0. L. Crum, E. M. ? Hobinson, J. W. Whetsell. The State -objected to D. T. Evans. J. E. Gar ick, B. M. Salley, while the defense I objected to jurors D. S. Livingston, I J. A. Craig, P. M. Smoak, A. N. Avinger, S. A. Blackmon, H. S. Holl man, R. F. Ritter, W. W. Crum, A. L. Dukes, W. L. Whetsell. The counsel engaged in the trial of ?this case were for the State, Solicitor P. T. Hildebrand, Adam H. Moss, j Haysor & Summers and W. C. Mar-1 tin, for the defense, "Wolfe & Berry. Glaze & Herbert and C. P. Brunson. | The first witness for the State was Dr. J. S. Wimberly, a practicing phy sician and surgeon of Branchville. He said he heard a pistol shot over at the postoffice and he went over there. He saw*. Pearlstlne leaning on his arm on the floor of the lobby of the postoffice, holloing. He made no examination at that time, but went to drug store and came back. Jones ran out of the door after the shooting. Dr. Wim berly said he held the autopsy and that Pearlstine came to his death by a pistol ball entering his stomach and severing the abdom inal aorta or big artery. Death re sulted almost immediately. He said Pearlstine was about five feet, eight inches in heighth and weighed about 180 pounds. He testified that Pearl stine was corpulent for his heighth and was well built. He said there were no powder stains on Pearls stine's coat or body. F. W. Frederick testified that he was a surveyor and that he had made a plan or drawing of the postoffice lobby, which was illustrated to the jury. Dr. C. P. Perrydear testified that he heard the pistol shot and that he followed Dr. Wimberly over to the postoffice. He saw Jones step out ot the postoffice and that Pearlstine was nearly dead when he got there. Tie examined Pearlstine and found no weapon upon him. A ring on his finger was bloody. Pearlstine Is blind in one eye. Preston Grimes said that he saw Pearlstine lying on the floor in the Branchville postoffice the morning of j the shooting. That he and Dr. Per-' ryclear examined the pockets of the! dying man and that they found no weapon. Grimes is a clerk of tho*' Pearlstines' and testified to a finan-j cial crisis in the Pearlstine business. J. Marion Byrd, postmaster at Branchville. testified that he was in j his private office by his desk on the i morning of Dor. 15. He heard a noise in the office by tho carrier's window. He thought, it was the ru ral carriers. The clerk said it was a fight. He hurried to the scene and found Pearlstine and Jones in the corner of tho postoffice lobby fight ing. He askeil Pearlstine not to fight in the office as his wife was in his! office. Pearlstino stopped fighting. | Said he didn't know anything about' the beginning of the trouble. .Tones! was in the corner, with his bands up,! protoctins: himself. Tie didn't sec-1 Jones strike any blows. He didn't watch Jones after parting them. Pearlstine walked off slowly withj him. apologizing for fighting. He heard the report of a pistol and Pearlstine said he was shot. He sup ported Pearlstine until he caught hold of delivery window, then he went to his wife, who was crying in the postoffice. When he looked out again Pearlstine was lyincr on the floor. Said after the difficulty had ceased in the corner he could not discern anything on the part ot Pearlstine to renew the difficulty. Pearlstine was a muscular man. Jones and Pearlstine were about four( feet apart when the shooting took place. Jones backed out of the front door< He noticed blood on Jones forehead. Jones was bareheaded when seen. The affair took place between 9:45 and 10 a. m. ' Earl Smoak, a clerk in the post office, said he was sitting at the general delivery window and he told che postmaster there was a fight go ing on in the postoffice lobby. He (couldn't see the fight, and didn't know who it was. He walked around ! to the postmaster's door and he saw Pearl3tiae talking with the postmas jter and Jones -walking off. Just be fore Jones got to the postoffice door he pulled a pistol and fired. Pearl stine ssid he was shot. Jones and Pearlstlne were eight or ten feet I apart when the shot was fired. Pearl stine was not looking at Jones when Jones shot.. Said he ^as nearer *o Jones than to Pearlstine when the shot was fired. Jones took pistol out of his pocket. Pearlstine came in the postoffice first, then Jones came In. He heard Pearlstine tell Jones three times to read a paper. When he went out of the postoffice into the lobby Pearlstine was striking Jones. All of the affair happened very quickly and In a short time. He noticed blood on Jones' face. Clifton Dukes was the last witness for the State. He said he was at the money order window to get a money order when Pearlstine came in the pqstotBce. Then Jones came in. Pearlstine showed Jones a let ter and asked him three times to read it- The third time Pearlstine struck Jon?3 in the face with his fist. Jones didn't read the paper, but pushed it off. Pearlstine was between himself and Jones, he said, and he didn't see Jones strike Pearlstlne. The postmaster came out and sep arated them. No one was knock?d on the floor during the scuffle. After parting, Jones walked toward the front door, and Pearlstine was apo' ogizing to postmaster for fighting in his wife's presence, as she was in the postoffice. Pearlstine picked his hat up from the floor and was walking slowly along with the post master and reached the general de livery window when the pistol fired. Pearlstlne was looking toward the postmaster and could not see Jones. Pearlstine cried, "He has killed me. Goodbye, goodbye." Jones was about nine feet from Pearlstlne when be fired. There was no difficulty going on at the *ime of the shooting and nothing was said at that time. He said he had known Pearlstine all hia life and that he was blind in one eye. On cross examination Mr. Dukes said Pearlstine spoke first and strack Jones. Jones bad his head ducked down and Pearlstine striking at him when postmaster separated them. All happened In a short while and Jonea had blood on his face. Said Peari stlne was reading when Jones came in. iW. P. Appleby was the first wit ness for the defence. He testified that he heaid the shot and went out in that direction and saw Jones with a pistol in his hands. Jones told him he had shot Pearlstine and thnt please go to the postoffice and get his hat for him. Said he found Jones' hat in corner of the lobby and Pearlstine was lying on the floor still breathing, but couldn't speak. J. W. Sheriff, a lumber man, testi fied that he was in the postoffice writ ing a letter when Pearlstine and Jones came in. He heard Peai'lstine ask Jones to read a letter seven I times and saw Pearlstine strike Jones. He didn't remember Jon'js having said anything. Pearlstine struck Jones ten or twelve times. The blows were very hard. Jones was very bloodj. Jones didn't strike any blows. He saw the postmaster come out, and Pearlstine waj beat ing Jones ilien, until parted by the postmaster. As soon as Jones uot out of corner he walked toward the front door. Pearlstine was walking in same direction and was thre* r'eps from Jones, when Jones turned !md fired. The postmaster was a iitcle behind Pearlstine a1- that time. .All took place in a short length of time. They were Cdcing each otho- when the shot was fired. He didn't see any effort on the part of Pearlstino to strike Jones after the postmaster parted them, but he didn't know what was in their hearts. He didn't hear anything said by Pearlstiiv.j or the postmaster to attract Jon?s at tention, ifr.-ir Tones starte! out of postoffice. Jones wheeled around and shot Pearistir.e. He di! ;'t knr-w whether or not Pearlstine saw .Tones, but they wer*1 facing each ofcuer. He didn't see aiy weapon on Pearlstine. Dr. M. Cr. Salley, physician testi fied that h<? attended Joues iZtii. the shooting and used a stitch to close up a cut over the eye. Ev i'-tee was plain that Jones had receiver live licks, wliicn appeared to be fist wounds. Ho didn't consider Jones' wounds serious, but the hlows wers revere. I Marion Browning, chief of police at Branch rulj. 6? id bp took .Tone.: I into custody luicen minutes after the shooting and brought him to Orange | burg. He ^aid he was in the same I condition when his picture was tak en in Oranaeourg as he was when he took him into custody. O. B. Rosen ger, a local photographer, testified that be mede a picture of Jones in his wounded condition, the morning lot the shootinsr. The picture was introduced as a diagram. Dr. J. D. S. Fairey, a physician, said that J^nes had been under his treatment for past eight months. He was very li'TVous and suffered from stomach trouble and chronic dyspep sia. He said from observation Pearl stine was a strong, robust man, weighing about 1 ft0 pounds. He said he heard of Pearlstine getting into difficulties in Branchville and that ne was at times a disturbance maker. P. P. Bethea, a merchant: J. B. Williams, mayor of Branchville: A. A. Hamilton, president of Bank ol Branchville; Rev. Alan McFarlen, pastor of Methodist church In Branchvilla last year and Henry Strickland, testified as to Jones' rep utation for peace and quiet. They said it was good. E. H. Bawls, who runs a news paper fil'Hrahchville, said Pearlstine came into his office one night before this shooting and showed him a let ter he had received from an Orange burg firm of lawyers concerning a claim his store owed. Pearlstine showed a receipt he had received from Jones. " L. H. Fairey, vice president of the Bank of Branchville, the first wit ness sworn for the defense on Fri day morning, testified that as far as he knew and from what he heard the reputations of Jones and Pearlstine were good, but he had heard of Pearlstine being in a few rows. W. W. Connolly testified that he had a conversation with Pearlstine1 the Saturday night before the kill ing. He said Pearlstine told him Jones was a dirty puppy and that he was a man that had caused him a heap of trouble. He also told the witness that if Jones didn't le,t his business alone, he intended whipping him. He said the conversation took place on Pearlstine's steps. , fT. E. Fairey said that Pearlstlne told him that he made one Pink Thompson beat Jones. He said Pearlstine told him'this at a barber shop. Thompson was a heavier man than Jon*^, the witness testified. On the cross examination, it was brought out that Fairey had been in courts before charged of stealing a watch and of being connected with the kill ing of one Reeves, but that the grand jury threw out the indictments. J. W. Kinsey, who lives at Smoaks, but does business at Branchville, tes tified that during last August Pearl Btine told him that Jones would have to get out of Branchville. J. J. Jones, the defendant in the case, was the last witness for the defense. He said he was about 32 years old, was born at Smoaks Cross Roads and resided at Branchville during the past three years. He is %.n attorney and interested in a fur niture business at Branchville. He read law under' C. P. Brunson, ot this city, and Griffin & Padgett, of, Walterboro. He is married, but has no children. He knew Pearlstine all of his life. He was reared about eight miles from Branchville, in Col leton county. He said Pearlstine was not a friend of his, but he had noth ing against Pearlstine, only he didn't want him to bother him. He gave Pearlstine no cause to have feeling against him. Fearlstine came in his office a few months before the kill ing, he said, and cursed him, because he had written R. Pearlstine con cerning a claim of long standing. Pearlstine said, "I was writing him too much. I told him that I was not. He said, "Do you mean to dispute ray word? If you do, I will knock your teeth down your throat." Jones said he held a number of claims against the R. Fearlstine store. He thought Abe Pearlstine was manager of this store. The day before the killing, Jones said, he received n small claim against the firm, and he mailed this claim of $37.50 or wrote R. Pearlstine of the claim, early the morning of the killing. This letter was introduced in evidence and read: Jones said he went back to the post office about 9:30 on the morning of Dec. 15 to get the Bowman mail. He saw Pearlstine in the postoffice read ing a letter. He also saw J. W. Sheriff in the lobby, didn't see anyone else. Just as he got opposite Pearlstine, while going to his mail box, he saw Pearlstine looking at him piercingly. Jones said he stopped and looked in his mail box. TVhen he raised up, Pearlstine said, "Read this again, read this dog." Pearlstine then said, "Damn you, take thiis," striking Jones. He said the blow was very severe and knocked him up against the wall in the corner of the lobby. He said this lick was over the eye, disclosing a scar to the jury, which he said was the result of the lick. Jones said he couldn't dedfend him self. After the first lick, he said Pearistine closed in on him, kept on striking him in the corner, 12 or 15 limes. He begged Pearlstine to stop, but he^struck right on. Jones sale! he was holding his hands up trying to protect his face. Pearlstine; knocked him nearly blind. Pearl stine said he was going to kill him and then he managed to jerk loose. (At this point of the examinatian Jones was moved to tears.) At this time the postmaster came out and' took hold cf Pearlstine. He jerked away from Pearlstine and the jerl: placed him a little distance from them. He said he struck no blov.s, but that Pearlstine's blows had re duced him almost to Insensibility. ?He said the front door was close;'. He walked a short distance in a blinded condition. He stopped to lo cate himself and turned to see wher<j Pearlstine was. Ho said Pearlstine I was at a close distance, three or four feet; looking at him. bent his Ii-', sa?d with an oath. "I am going lo kill you." Then he fired one shoe at Pearlstine. Just as he fired tin; pistol he walked out of the office. He said his hat was knocked off and that Pearlstlne was walking toward him when h* fired. The shooting tock place very quickly after the sep aration. He said he shot Pearlstine to save his life. Jones said be didn't hear any conversation between post master Byrd and Pearlstine, and that, he was carrying a pistol in pro tection of Himself, as bo expected 1 trouble from Pearlstine. He -:aid lie went to his place of business after the shooting. He testified that his health was very bad. Jones, told >f the claim that he received payment of from Pearlstine and that the mon ey bad been remitted to the proper parties and that tho sendinsr out of this same claim asrain to Pearls'ne was through no fault cf his. Jones introduced his rheck stubb am. also the check recording the claim's pay ment to its owners. This claim misunderstanding was the result of a mistake and the State acknowl edged it as such. Jones said that all i the claims ho bold airainst the Pearl stines had been settled except one since the shooling. He said the pis tol that he had he found at the court hous? in F.arnwell, and that at that time, it was in (he same shield, and that the 3hield was cut around the trigger and at the end a.-j it is GETS IN LINE "~ STEAMBOAT LINE TO BE OR GANIZED VERY SOON. Earnest of Purpose of Charleston* Business Men to Use the Edisto River for Traffic. The Charleston Evening Post says: The announcement from Washing ton gives satisfaction that the board of engineers of the War Department has reversed its former action in disapproving of the recommendation j of Capt. E. M. Adams, corps of engi- j neers, U. S. A., in charge of the river1 and harbor work, regarding the im-1 provement of the Edisto and the Ash-1 ley rivers with the construction of aj canal, connecting these rivers and j interest wiU attend the work of the Congressmen in securing the needed money for the prosecution of the project. The scheme of the advocates of the project is the promotion of water transportation between Charleston and Orangeburg. The development of the waterway is contingent upon the communities putting the route to use and with the endorsement of the project by the board of engineers, it will now be up to Charleston and 'Orangeburg to proceed with the or ganization of the proposed steamship company, and assure the government of the use of the waterway, once it is provided. The plan is for the or ganization of a steamboat company with a capital stock of $20,000, one half of the capital stock to be hela in the two cities. With the action of the board of engineers, it is now I up to the promoters of the enter prise to get busy and organize and prepare for the construction of the necssary steamboats, as soon as the water improvement is assured. Of interest also to the trade of Charleston is the plan for a canal connecting the Santee or its tribu . taries with the Cooper river or Char leston harbor which project is now under consideration by Capt. Adams. Charleston looks to this project with much more Interest and concern than J the Edisto for the reason that the i possibilities of trade are so much larger by this route. The Edisto project will, doubtless enlarge the cotton- receipts of Charleston, ana promote the fertilizer movement, but the route, through the Pee Dee and Santee sections, connecting Charles ton with Columbia is naturally pre ferred because the waterway im provement will affect a much larger section and mean so much more In trade. A consideration of special interest to Charleston, however, in the pro posed Improvement of the Edisto and Ashley rivers is the possibilities of Charleston making closer connec tions for a source of water supply, should Goose Creek ever be discon tinued. At present,' if the Edisto river is to be used for a supply, the city will have to construct its pipes to Givhan's ferry where it owns a Bite, bought many years ago with this purpose in view. Constructing a canal, throwing the waters of the Edisto river into the Ashley will en able the engineers to establish a basis of supply, closer to the city of Charleston, a consideration of im portance, just at this time when the proposition is pending before City I Council for a report on the cost of a jnew municipal water and lighting i plant. "Lyceum." Elbert Foland and the Italian boys will be the nevt lyceum attra tion, and will be heard at the Academy of Music. This company visited Or angeburg several years ago and drew by far the largest audience of any lyceum attraction that has ever come to the city, and everybody wa3 well pleased. The company presents "A Night in Venice," a musical and lit erary fantasy, besides a fine musical prosram. There is in the company a boy soprano. He is the possessor of a very fine voice, and always makes a hit. Remember the date of this attraction, Monday night next, will be the next lyceum attraction, Jan. 1 Gth, 8 o'clock. now. He said he didn't know Peail jstine was in the postoffice when lie I went in and wouldn't have gonj in W he bad known it. The Stale in reply placed P. C. Dukes on the witness stand, who j testified to the good reputation for j peace and quiet of both Pearlstine j land Jenes. On the cross examina tion he said he knew of Pearlstine' [being in a few difficulties. Thomas L. Pearlstine. of Allen-! dale, a brother of Abe Pearlstine,.! testified as lo the claims against, the! ! R. Pearlsline company and as to let ters received from Jones in this con nect ion. W. A. D-ikes and Dr. P. X. Minus testified as to the good reputation of PearlsMne. Pink Thompson was the last wit ness in the case and he denied tell ing T. E. Fairey that Peaslstine got him to beat Jones; that Pearlstine had never told him anything about Jones and that he never had a con versation with Fairey in this respect. Judge Memminger stated that be would not limit counsel in their ad-j dresses, but they could use their discretion. Counsel agreed to three arguments on each side. T. M. Ray-1 sor opened for the Stale and he made ? a massive plea for conviction, Stat ing that there was no self-defense prove.l in the case, according to the law of self-defense. Solicitor Mildebrand and Mr. Adam H. Moss also spoke at lenght for (lie State. Judge C. P. Branson. Col. 1. 0. Herbert and Mr. W. C. Wolfe hade strong arguments for Jones' acquital. Mrs. Abe Pearlstine: Mrs. Sliep Pearl nine, a sister of Abe Pearl stine; Mrs. John J. Jones and a niece of Mr. Jones, were in attendance of this case. BOWMAN NEWS. Happenings In and Around That Lit tle City. Bowman, Jan. 13.?Special.?At a recent election of town council of Bowman E. ST. Mittle was elected intendent with J. J. Hutto, J. W. Inabinet, P,. E. Levey and Dr. J. T. Carter, as wardens. Mr. Florilara Myers of Birming ham, Ala., arrived at Bowman with his bride yesterday on a visit to his father's family, Mr. G. A. Myers, on R. F. D. No. 4. IMt. W. C. Crum of Orangeburg visited Bowman on business yester day. Mr. and Mrs. Fred Gates of the Cameron section spent several days this week with the family of C. J. Rast, superintendent of the Bowman High School. Mr. Gates Is holding his own quite well, having improved in health to a considerable extent of late. '' Superintendent Rast reports the High School as being in a nourishing condition, with a number of addi tions to the roll since the beginning of the new year. 'Mr. J. Lawrence Shuler is a "hust ler" at trading and selling stock. His third car load of horses and mules 'has about all been disposed of r.nd he speaks of returning West again soon for another lot. Merchants seem to be somewhat wary about the purchasing of ferti lizers this season. ? It seems that 'col lections were somewhat tardy?th<> amount sold here last year exceeded to a large degree that of any previous year. One merchant alone sold to the extent of $26,000 worth. The corn contests will be anxious ly watched this season. Many farm ers seem anxious to go into it with extra exertion determined to make a good showing even if they fail to win. Dundee. Killed a Big Alligator. Mr. H. J. Baker, who lives near Harleyville had quite a thrilling ex perience Monday afternoon, while re turning home from a hunt. Early Monday morning Mr. Baker left home and went down ln# Four Hole swamp hun'ing, and on killing three opossums and one squirrel he got in his buggy and started for home. When he got to a thick bushy place, beside the road, he ran over an alli gator's tail. He passed It a little way, then hitched his horse, got a stick and went back to the alligator, which had got in a shallow puddle of water by this time. Mr. Baker struck it across the head, punched his eyes out, then jumped on hp back and cut his throat. The alligator made a turn as if trying to bit Mr. Baker, but instead of biting him, wrenched 'Mr. Baker's back very painfully. Mr. Baker brought the alligator on home. It was nine feet long anl weighed 192 pounds. School Entertainment. The faculty and students of Pine Hill High School will give an enter tainment at the schoel house on Tuesday night, Jan. 17th, to which all are Invited. . The entertainment ?will consist of four laughable farces interspersed with music, with admis sion fee of 25 cents. This enter tainment was to have been given be fore the Christmas holidays but was postponed until the above date. Those participating have been hard at work and this promises to be one of the most interesting as well as spicy and elaborate entertainments ever given in the county. Following the en tertainment proper, oysters will he served in every style. Opening num ber at 7:30 and no delays. Proceeds will go toward enlarging the library and accessories. To Protect tho Public. Mr. John T. Wise, president of the South Carolina Optical Associa tion, appeared before the Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday and asked the endorsement of that body of a bill which he proposed to have introduced in the legislature of this State to protect the public from the itinerent spectacle peddler. The Chamber endorsed the proposition and instructed Secretary Matheny to inform the members of the legisla ture from Orangeburg of the action taken, and urge them to -llo what they could to have the bill passed. Booster Buttons. At the suggestion of Secretary Matheny the Chamber of Commerce resolved to buy a lot of booster bur tons to be sold in tho city. Mr. J. T. Wise suggested that tho motto, "Dig for Orangeburg," be put in a circle around the edge of the button, and in the centre a spade, on the handle of which place the words, "Open up the Edisto." Mr. Wise's suggestion was adopted and he and Secretary Matheny were placed on the committee to order the buttons. They will be about the size of a twenty-five cent piece. General Lee's Rirthuny. Paul McMichael Chapter. U. D. C, will celebrate the birthday this year of Gen. I?. I1.. Leo in a most befiltiii.r stylo. The exorcises will be held at half past til -co o'clock on the after noon of January 1.9th. in the Elks' Hall. One feature of the celebration will be the presentation of a gold modal to the pupil from either of the three highca' classes of the graded school who writes the best, paper on Gen. Lee. Tin? public is invited to attend these exercises. Miide Their Kcpnrt. The committee appointed by the Chamber of Commerce to visit Wash ington in the interest of the Edisto River Project made its report to that body Wednesday evening. Each member of the committee made a s''orr. talk in which it was shown fiiat they had visited Washington, had seen the Hoard of Engineers, and laid many facts before it bear ing on the project. The committee was given a vote of thanks for its splendid work. LOCAL NEWS ITEMS PICKED UP ALL OVER TOWN BY OUR REPORTERS. What Is Happening Here and There. | Local Items of Personal Interest to Our Readers. "Dig for Orangeburg" is a good motto and one that we should en deavor to live up to. When the "Booster Buttons" come every man in town should wear oue and do what the motto suggests. Branchville seems to have been ? very interested in the Jones trial as ! many of her citizens attended It. j Miss Marie Beaufort, of Augusta, Ga., is visiting Miss Minnie and Susie Dibble at the home of their parents on Amelia street. It would take two weeks or more to clear the criminal docket of our court. There were six or seven to be tried for murder alone. The hardest fight for the improve ment of the Edisto river is yet to. come, and every one should do all he can to meet and overcome It. Mr. and Mrs J. B. Hunt wishes to thank their neighbors and friends for their hospitality they rendered dur ing the illness of. their little boy. Don't be fooled by this delightful spring weather. There are several blizzards on cold storage out west, that are liable to be shipped us any time. .Miajor W. V. Izlar has returned home from the hospital in Richmond much improved. His many friends hope that he will soon be restored to complete health. Miss Ronnie Cooper, of Augusta, Ga., is on a visit to Mrs. L. Bennett. Miss Cooper was once a resident of this city, and has many friends heie who were glad to see her again. Up to December 13, according to the census report, there had been ginned 51,839 bales of cotton of last year's crop. The crop will hardly reach 00,000 bales, as many thought it would. The Chamber of Commerce ' will request the Railroad Commissioners to see that better accommodations be provided at the Southern passen ger station for incoming and out going passengers. The cold wave that was on its j way in this direction petered out be J fore it reached the Georgia line, and I we therefore escaped it. As a con sequence we have been having some most charming weather. On motion of Col. W. G. Smith the Chamber of Commerce passed a res olution at its meeting on Wednesday night extending its hearty thanks to Hon. A. F. Lever for his ardent labors and cooperation in working for the Edisto River Project. We were in hopes that with the advent of prohibition that crime would decrease in Orangeburg count ty, but so far we have seen no ef fect of the anti-whiskey law. After some years, possibly, there may be i an improvement. j In order to invent a new "fire Icing" parlor trick with which to amuse bis friends, Charles L. Mon tano, of New Orleans filled his mouth with gasoline and then ignited the fumes. How do you think a fellow like that escapes the fool killer? j 'We are glad Senator Lide opposes the legislature :oiug on all sorts of junketing trips. If the members ot the legislature want to go on these pleasure trips with their families I they should pay for them out of their own pockets and not make the ? State do so. I Mr. J. T. Wise went to Columbia ? Thursday to look after the bill he wants the legislature to pass to pro tect the public from the roving spec tacle peddlars, who go around the country selling worthless spectacles ?at high prices. Something should be done to protect the public. At the Baptist church next. Sun day the pastor, Rev. George E. Davis, will deliver the first two of a series of morning and evening sermons. In the morning Mr. Davis will speak jon "Jfir. Tnft's Religious Views." At night his subject will be, "What Does ihr- Bible Teach Concerning Death?'1 A letter was read at the Chamber of Commerce meeting on Thursday 'even from che Commercial Secretary j of Charleston requesting cooperation j in the fighi against the trailing stamp nuisance. The Chamber heartily en dorsed the effort being made to se j cure the passage of a law barring 'stamp com] anics from doing business in this State. j Fifteen thousand dollars has been appropriated for the survey of the j Edisto river, but. no appropriation has been made yet for the real work of improvements. Wc have no doubt but that the appropriation will bo made if the survey pans oa; all right. In the meantime, let all pull for that appropriation. Hard work has kept ! the seh? me alive, and hard work will j eventually win out. i Paul McMichael Chapter U. D. C. ; li.ts arranged for suitable exercises in memory of Gen. Robert B. Lee, which will be held r? the Kile's hall on the afternoon of Jan. at \):?,Q io'clock. T'ie medal, which the chap ter has o(Tercd to the pupil of i'?; Orangeburg graded schnei writing best paper on Gen. Lee, wiil be presented during those exercises. ,Tlie public is cordially invited to be present. Some Lime ago a proposition was made by a company to The Times land Democrat to put on a piano eou I test. They would do the work and I take thirty-live per cent of what was [ taken in as their share of the spoil, j Wc declined the scheme with t hanks, |as we could not see how we could ! publish The Times and Democrat fur \ ninety-live cents per year. It may ! be a fine thing for the contest com pany, but not the newspaper that jputs up the boodle. PRETTY HOME WEDDING. Mr. Julius E. Grumbling and Miss Cleopatra West United. A very pretty wedding took place last Wednesday, near Spartanburg, at the residence of Mr. Boyce West, a brother of the bride, when Miss Cleopatra West became the bride of Mr. Julius E. Gramling, a prosperous and propular young farmer of this county. Misses Lees and Julia Gramling, sisters of the groom, and Messrs. Philip McCants and Frierson, of this citv, were among the attend ants at the wedding. Shortly after the wedding and congratulations, the happy coupie left fcr their future home near this city, via Southern railroad. The party reached this city at 6 iP. m. A big reception was ten dered the oride and groom at the pretty country home of the groom on Wednesday night. The reception was very largely attended and the happy couple were the recipients of many beautiful and useful presents. Dur ing the evening delightful punch and cakes were served from a prettily decorated booth at one end of the hallway of the home, by Misses Lees> Julia and Jessie Gramling. The ocr casion was a most enjoyable one. Mr. and Mrs. Gram ling have the best wishes of their numerous relatives and friends for a happy and useful life.. Cheap Board. Ne\v arrival (at breakfast in his \ boarding house): "Will one of you gentlemen tell me how much it costs to board an automobile here?" Gentleman at his left: "About thirty dollars, I think." Curate: -'But you can board a horse for twenty-five." Professor of mathematics: "And you can board a trolley for five cents." Intended to Pay. A bashful young lover walked into the house of his sweetheart bearing, a large box with the name of a prom inent florist written on the cover. "How sweet and fresh they are!" cried the young lady, opening the box. "I believe there is a little dew on them yet." "Why?er?yes," admitted the young man in great confusion, "hut it's just a little, and I'll pay it to morrow." Railroads to Advertise. A letter was read at the Chamber of Commerce meeting on Wednesday night from the Clinchfleld and Ohio Railroad Company in regard to ad vertising campaign by the railroads, the object of which is to exploit this section of the country. The Cham ber approved the plan, and promised its cooperation. <? ? ? His New Job. A San Francisco conductor who recently embraced religion, was called upon to take up the Sunday morning offering. He did very well until he came to a boy. "Young man," he said sternly, "you will have to pay half fare." Call Attention -TO OUR- - January Clearance Sale And ask you to visit us. We are busy every day. Trade has been j fine. Pienxy of real values yet are here for you. We are getting in our 1911 Spring Singhams and it will pay you to shop with us and get the new Goods to do your Spring sew ing with. We sell the good kind at only 10c.