The herald and news. (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, March 13, 1906, Image 1
VOL XLIII. NO. 21. NEWBERRY. S. C. 1UESDAY, MARCFIH 13. 1908. TWICE A WEEK, $1.50 A YEAR
THE DEAD CHIEF
OF THE ASHLEY CLAN
JOHN MARION ASHLEY LEADER
OF FAMOUS FAMILY CL4N.
The Coroner's Inquest-Policeman
White Will Plead Self Defense
for the Kiling of the Giant
Ashley.
Lewis G. Wood, Jr., in the State.
Honea Path, March 9.-John Mar
ion Ashley, leader of the famous clan
>f Ashley, lies dead here today. He
has gone to his last sleep, but his
memory lingers, for his cohorts are
gathered and are still loyal. He was
killed yesterday by Chief of Police
White of this town in a case of self
defense, if ever that maltreated term
of the law can be employed in South
Carolina courts.
The streets of this pretty little town
were thronged with people this morn
ing. Upstairs, over the Citizen's
Bank, the physicians were conducting
the autopsy on the body of John Mar
ion Ashley, while on the streets below
moved scores of his relatives. When
I was in Abbeville last month for the
expe6ted trial for the lynching of
Allen Penleton I thought that there
must be 50 Ashleys living in this see
tion, but now that I am here at Honea
Path, I am convinced that there must
be fully twice that number within but
a few miles. There are many differ
ent families, but they all seem to be
connected in some way or other.
There is no race suicide among the
Ashleys, for John Marion Ashley
leaves about 13 children, while Jesse
and Citizen Josh each have about as
many. While related and intermar
ried, all of the families are not law
Iess, for it seems that Jesse Ashley
and his children are more law -abid
ing than the others. The same char
acteristic manners and cunning seem
-however to pervade all, for Cal Ash
ley, a son of Jesse, interrupted me
today while I was "picking" Bob
Moor, with the remark, "I wouldn't
say n1thin' unless I had to."
,It seems strange that in a civilized
community; such conditions as are
"known here can exist~: Honea Path is
a peaceful, thrifty 'and law-abiding
community, and it is said that almost
every one of the disturbances which
occur can be traced to the Ashleys.
There must, as has been said, be 100
of' this. name. When sober and at
home, the Ashleys do -'iot seem to be
bad citizens, but when liquor' gets in
its work, Hlonea Path is the goal and
a general "cutting loose"' is in order.
John Marion Ashley was essentially
the strong and .dominating leader of
the clan.
A gentleman- said today that the
fact that the Ashleys surrounded
Honea Path on all sides was what in
terfered materially with th~e idea of
forming a new county with the town
as the -county seat. "Now, half are
in Anderson, half are in Abbeville,
but if all were in one county, what
could we do with them?'" he asked.
The Pendleton Case.
It is of course remembered that
some of the Ashleys and connections
and friends were implicated in the
lynching of Allen Pendleton, in Sep
tember of last year. John Marion
Ashley was accused of being the ring
leader. He died yesterday and his
guilt-if real-may never be proven.
If it is, one may well think of retri
butive justice when one remembers
the negro dragged to a swamp, a trace
chain about his neck and shot to
pieces like a dog.
Thursday's Tragedy.
From the best' information and
from the testimony at the coroner's
inquest, it seems that Josh Moore,
(who, by the way, is one- of the men
under indictment for the Pendleton
lynching), John Marion Ashley, Jim
Bob Ashley (the dead man's son), Jap
Ashley and Charlie McClain were
coming from a livery stable yesterday
afternoon and turned the corner of
the street near Holliday & Trayn
ham's store. The Ashley faction de
ny that John Marion had been drink
ing, yet it is freely said that he had
been. He had come into town about
noon, with a number of his clan, all
benton nioving the lustrouns pleas
ures of the Barkoot Carnival com
pany 's shows.
Just in front of the store, Police
man White met the man. He (White)
had with him Charley Moore, a negro,
and asked Ashley why he had hit the
negro. From the testimony of Char
ley MeClain and Bob Moore at the
coroner s inquest a short colloquy en
sued, at the end of which White ad
vised Ashlev to leave town as he was
drunk. The officer seemed more bent
on getting him out of Honea Path
than on having trouble.
"He won't have to leave until he
wants to," put in- Jim Bob. It has
not been fully developed for what
cause, but just here, White attempt
ed to strike thes peaker. At this mo
ment the shooting began.
Some of the most reliable and sub
stantial citizens of Honea Path, who
will be witnesses later on, say that
John Marion Ashley reached over Jim
Bob Ashley-there seemed to be a
small crowd congregated-and shot
downwards at White. This must have
been the shot which grazed his hand
at the intersection of the forefinger
and thumb, and which split his billy.
These gentlemen say that as Ash
ley reached over, White stuck his
hand around Jim Bob and shot the
older Ashley twice.
The Ashley stories differ from this.
McClain testified that when White
tried to strike Jim Bob, the latter
knocked the billy from his hand, and
that as John Marion caught hold of
his son the policeman fired and that
White ran to the store door and shot
twice as the other man lay on his
back. Josh Moore testified practi
cally the same.
This testimony maintains that two
shots were fired at Ashley as he lay
on the ground, but how this can be is
hard to see as there are but two bul
let holes in the corpse and if so-what
made him fall? Josh Ashley said to
day that his cousin made a dying
statement to this effect.
The "Citizen'" seemed very much
broken up by the event. As he stond
in the wagon yard outside the little
red brick- jail, where the inquest was
being held, the glow of the sunshine
beneath his wool hat gave his ruddy
and healthy face the look of a man of
45 instead of ,57, as he told me he
was. These Ashleys are a sturdy
stock, living close to the soil and out
in the open. John Marion Ashley was
a physical giant, for he weigzhed over
275 pounds and stood over six feet in
his knit socks. His eyebrows and1
moustache were white and his hair
was very, very gray. This, coupled
with his ruddy face, gav'e him a pe
culiar appearance. He towered above
other men.
But this is a #igression.
Fired After, He Fer.i
After Ashley fell, it is said- by
some witnesses, that he, stru~ggling,
turned and fired over his body. -This
may have been the shot which struck
Bill Ricketts, an innocent bystander,.
and cut one of the latehets from his
shoe. Bill wore the same shoes to
day and was quite 'a-hero as he sat on
a bench on the street with the foot
stuck prominently in view.
The witnesses at the 'coroner's in
quest say that White shot as he stood
in Holliday & Traynham 's store, but
an eye witness told me that the po
liceman stood with his back against
the store wall, probably expecting a
further attack, and that Policeman
Haynes, who ran up, got him inside
and the door was then closed.
Once inside, White went to the back
door, but as he opened it, someone
shot at him. The bullet hole is in the
door. Who fired this shot cannot be
definitely stated, but it is said that a
close kinsman of the mortally wound
ed man was the one, and that he ran
from the front of the store to the
back.
It is said White wanted to come
out of the store and face the music,
but that he was persuaded to go into a
closet. He remained in the store un
til the Palmetto Riflemen, 40 strong,
with Capt. P. K. McCully, Jr., in com
mand, arrived and escorted him to the
special train. He is now in the An
derson county jail, but will undoubt
edly be bailed out very soon. He is
from Ninety Six and bears the highest
reputation here for courage an:d re
spectability. He is well thought of
by everyno..-everynme ave the Ash
VV
levs and their followers. These latter
claim that he has long been their en.
emv. and Charlie McClain ,went so
.far today as to testify that he had
"heard White say that he vould kill
J. W. Ashley. John M. Ashley, John
MeGaha, Ed Johnston and Ed. Banis
ter and laugh to look at them die."
This sounds rather woolly. John Me
Gaha was a.ringleader. so it is said,
in the fusillade, one August night
last. year, when some members of the
clan of Ashley came in to have a good
time -at the expense of the citizens'
nerves. On this occasion White en
deavored to quell the imarauders.
A Dying Statement.
After the chief of the clan was
shot, bystanders ran to him, among
them Bob Moore, to whom the wound
ed man said: "I am shot and I'm go
ing to die." He was carried upstairs
to the office of Dr. Payne and soon his
relatives arrived. He lived about four
hours-the shooting was at 5:30
o'clock. in the afternoon-and he was
in a more or less comatose condition
throughout. At Josh Ashley's re
quest, a notary who was present, ask
ed why,White had shot him and the
dying man said: "For no cause what
ever and -kept on shooting." The
statement is unsigned and unsealed.
The scenes at the death bed, as the
soul was leaving the giant body, were
said to be very affecting. A number
of his family, including his wife and
Citizen Josh, were present.
After the shooting, the Ashleys
were satisfied that White was inside
the store and several threats against
his life were heard. It is said that
Jim Bob Ashley was one of those who
made the threats. Word was sent to
other members of the family and some
of those in Honea Path went home to
return with their Winchester rifles. It
was four of these armed men whom'
Sheriff Nelson R. Green saw after he
had been summoned by telephone
from Anderson. It is not certain that
there was to be an organized lynch
ing, but the probabilities are great
that one or more of the infnriated
Ashleys would have killed White,
could they have approached him. The
sheriff had a telephone conversation
with Governor Heyward and as a re
sut the Anderson troops were called
out on a special train.
There were two wounds, one in the
right breast, the bullet passing
through the body, and another almost
vertically below-the bullet passing
through the stomach atnd lodging in
the vertebrae.
The coroner's jury rendered a.sim
ple verdict in accordance with the
facts..
A Morbid Crowd.
The autopsy was being condneted
this' morning when the train arrived
in there waa tatk of nothiiig but the
homicide.- The scene was much more
grish than pathetic. An ever mov
ing croyd of morbid countrymen filed
up and down stairs to the autopsy and
stood on chairs to get a better view of
the surgeons and their grisly task of
exploring the .wounds. The jail where
the testimony was being taken was
packed -and. jammed, and countrymen
were in every imaginable spot on the
streets. Down stairs in the Citizens'
bank were the women of the clan. In
the streets the carnival was in full
progress and the music of the band
mingled with the voices of the bark
ers and the jangle of a cowbell, as a
Ifakir urged a try at his cigar babies.
Whenever a stranger, or two well
known citizens, stopped for a conver
sation, members -of the clan passed by
with curious glances and open ears or
pushed themselves in, while -others
stood about retailing information in
the lime light of publicity.
The young soldiers from Anderson
had nought to do and were kept quar
tered in a hall, except for breakfast
and dinner, until they marched to the
train this afternoon. It is said the
timely appearance of this fine looking
body of men had a very salutary effect
last night.
The Ashleys left Honea Path, with
their dead late this afternoon. The
body wrapped in a blanket was car
ried in a country wagon and it was
aid that such was the clan 's antipa
thy to Honea Path that they refused
to buy a coffin there. This, however,
proved untrue, for they did later or
der a case frmm a local dealer.
The funeral will be held tomorrow
morning froim the celebrated Keowee
church. in the lower part of this
couniv. There will be a gathering of
all the clan in Anderson and Abbe
ville. to hear the funeral sermon and
to participatei n the hymns and pray
ers.
To his children and wife John Mar
ion Ashley leaves a farm of some
worth, although there is a mortgage
on it. His life was insured to the ex
tent of several thousand dollars in
fraternal orders. Lately he made his
will and was reputed to be worth
about $12,000.
The Ashleys have engaged W. P.
Greene of Abbeville and say there will
be other counsel. Capt. H. H. Wat
kins of Bonham & Watkins of An
Iderson wil represent White.
Letter From Mr. Wm. V. King.
The following very interesting let
ter from Mr. Wm. V. King, Superin
tendent N. Y. Cotton Exchange, was
received by Mr Richard Cheatham,
Secretary of the Southern Cotton as
sociation:
Mr. Richard Cheatham, Secretary,
Southern Cotton Association,
Atlanta, Ga.
Dear Sir:-Your favor of the 19th
instant is received. Thanks for Pres
ident Jordan's cotton statistics, etc.,
which give the facts clearly and in
telligently.
In my opinion the coming planting
season will prove to be the most try
ing if not th.e most critical in the ex
perience of southern cotton growers.
Trying because so many believe
because there are many who believe
10 or 10 1-2 cents will prove so serious
a temptation to the planter that he
will put every available acre in cotton.
Tis opinion is not confined to this
section of the country alone, but is
endorsed by many of the good people
of the .south, not planters of cotton I
am glad to 'say.
It will indeed prove a critical sea
son for the planter and for the entire
south should the temptation to Over
Plant in cotton be carried out. The
years of splendid work of your asso
ciation together with that of others
who have co-operated, will be swept
away. and a condition of servitude for
the planter will be reenacted with its
consequent 6 cents or 7 cents for cot
ton.
This is not an extreme picture. It
is certain to occur unless the planters
stand solidly together and for their
own protection diversify the planting,
putting in a moderate aereage only in
cotton. If the planters will not pro
tet themselves in a matter of such
vital interest, to whom can they look
forhelp? Certainly not -to.the buyer
and the consumer.
To sum ip the matter, the situation
for weal or for woe, for 7e or for 12e
.isrntirely in the hands of the planter.
In a brie~f interval of time the World
will know whether he has proven false
to himself or has had the courage and
manliness to resist the temptation
which now threatens to wrest from
him the control of the situation.
Yours truly,
Win. V. King.
WILL ABANDON STAGE.
Miss May Bishop, One of State's Wit
nesses Against Hasty, Will De
vote Life to Nursing.
Spartanburg, S. C., March 7.
Misses Verne Sheridan and May Bish
op, the members of the ''Nothing But
Money' theatrical company, who fig
ured as leading witnesses for the state
in the trial of George Hasty at Gaff
ney, have returned to their homes in
New York. They were accompanied
to the train by a large party of Gaff
ney friends who affectionately said
good bye. Miss Bishop stated to ac
quaintances that she has decided to
abandon the stage and devote her life
to nursing. She will at once enter a
training school to prepare herself for
the duties of her profession. The
plans of Miss Sheridan are not
known, but it is probable that she will
continue her career as an actress.
Sometimes a man is unable to make
both ends meet because he keeps them
adedin oppose. directions.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION.
Next Convention of National Educa
tional Association to Be Held In
San Francisco in July.
The next convention of the Nation
al Educational Association, which will
be held in San Francisco from July
7th, to July 14th, is destined to leave
pleasant recollections with all who
will attend, for the rest of their ex
istence. The people of California and
of the whole Pacific coast vie with
each other to extend to the visitors
a cordial and generous welcome and
make them wish to come again. San
Francisco has earned the reputation
for lavish hospitality and, with the
aid of leading men and women of the
coast, will strive to maintain that
reputation with the teachers.
There is perhaps no other city on
the American continent so well adap
ted for entertaining visitors, for out
door demonstration, for decorating
and illuminating at all seasons of the
year, than is San Francisco. Its cli
mate, even temperature, complete ab
sence of rain during the greater part
of the year, make it a suitable place
for large gatherings. The city has
ample accommodation to comfortably
house all who will come, as has been
demonstrated on sever,l occasions
during the past few years. The rates
for rooms and board are as reasonable
as in any city in the land, and more
reasonable than in most other places;
nor are the rates ever advanced on
any occasion. Foodstuffs of all kinds,
and the choicest, grow in California
in such abundance that it can easily
feed ten times its population, and
fruits and vegetables grow and ripen
from January 1st to December 31st.
Nine-tenths of the surplus is export
ed to the East and across the Atlantic
and Pacific.
A trip to California will be a most
valuable object lesson to the teachers
of the whole country, and furnish
them enough material- to speak about
for years to come, and will be an ed
ucation to the rising generation. Cal
ifornia is a vast empire in itself with
almost inexhaustible resources. But
for California to tell the tales of its
wonders and glories to the people
across the continent, may be taken
with considerable allowance.
Let teachers come to California,
as many as possible, let them see and
ehold and return with the knowledge
gathered personally. It is but a few
days travel and the fare is very low,
the cost of living most reasonable. In
fact the whole expense will be but
little more than going to some summer
resort or to the seaside nearer their
home, and it will prove a valuable ex
perience and a lesson to those whom
they teach.
The rates of travel are one fare for
the round.trip from all points and the
$2.00 membership fee added. The
following are the rates from the prin
cipal points including the $2.00, .with
stp-oe privileges-.and go.od for re
turn until September 15th. From St.
Iaul and Minneapolis, $91.90; Chi
cago, $64.50; Cairo and Memphis.
$61.15; New Orleans and St. Louis,
$59.50; Houston, $53.15; Omaha,
Council Bluffs, Kansas City and Dal
las, $52.00; Denver and Cheyenne.
$47.00; El Paso, $42.00: Salt Lake
City. $33.50: Ogden. $32.00.
Tribute of Respect.
"Forasmuch as it hath pleased Al
mighty God in His wise providence to
take out of this world the soul of our
deceased brother,'' Mr. D. P. Haw
kins, of near Prosperity, S. C., a mem
ber of St. Luke's church council be it
Resolved 1st. That while we deep
ly feel the loss of our brother, we bow
in submission to the* will of God
knowing that He doeth all things well.
Second, That we extend our sympa
thy to the bereaved wife and children
and pray that the Holy Spirit com
fort them in their sorrow.
Third, That these resolutions be re
corded in our minute book.
Fourth, Thit a copy of these reso
lutions be sent to the bereaved family
and that the Lutheran Church Visitor,
The Herald and News and the Observ
er each be furnished with a copy for
publication.
Jf. E. Monts,
Sec.-tar St.n ue Church Council.
A SUCCESSFUL COMPANY.
First Annual Meeting Security Loan
and Investment Company
Showing Satisfactory.
The first annual meeting of the Se
curitv Loan and Investment company
was held at the office of the company
on the afternoon of March Sth. The
report of the president and the sec
retary and treasurer showed the af
fairs of the company to be in excel
lent condition. The company paid a
six per cent dividend in January, and
at ithe annual meeting carried to the
surplus account four and one-half
per cent. The stockholders were thor
oughly satisfied with the showing
made, and the old board of directors,
consisting of George S. Mower, D. C.
Heyward, John M. Kinard, 0. B.
Mayer, G. W. Summer, George Y.
Hunter, W. H. Hunt, J. L. Keitt, T.
B. Stackhouse, S. T. McCravy, and C.
D. Barksdale, was unanimously re
elected.
Mr. W. H. Hunt is president of the
company. Mr. John M. Kinard vice
president, James N. McCaughrin see
retary and treasurer.
The executive committee which
passes on all loans consists of the
president, vice president, George W.
Summer, 0. B. Mayer and Z. F.
Wright.
This company is doing a prosperous
and conservative busines.
News From Excelsior.
Excelsior, March 12.-Grain in this
section is still growing nicely.
Some few visitors were out at the
sehool house Friday afternoon to
hear the pupils speak.
We have had good rains and the
weather eontinues a little eool, how.
ever, our farmers have afready doner
a good deal of plowing and fertilizer
hauling.
Little Misses Mary: and Ruby
Wheeler of Prosperity have been
visiting Misses Alderra and Nannie.
Wheeler.
Mrs. H. S. B. Kibler, of Newberry,
has been spending several days with
her mother, who has been confined-to.
her room sick.
Mr. J. I. Sease 's little, son has been
confined to the house a few days with
a painful .ut on the foot by handling
an axe.
Mrs. J. J. Singley spent last week-.
with her mother's family in Newber
ry.
The farmer's association will meet
in the school house Saturday after
noon at two o'clock.
Mrs. J. D. Stone and children are
visiting her fatther's family. near New
berry.
Sunday was a lovely day for church
going and i the afternoon we drove
down to Bachman Chapel church and
heard a good sermon preached by the
pastor Rev. J. C. Wessinger. This.
eongregation has* made quite an im
provement o'n~their church recently
which speaks well for pastor and peo-.
pe. . . Sigma.
Advertised Letters.
Letters remaining in the postoffre
at Newberry, for week ending March
1L, 1906.
B-Susie Barnes, A. Boozer.
C-Millie Cannon, Alice Chalmers,
Forest Clemors.
D-Alice Davis. Foster Day, J. F.
Denson.
G-Ellen Giheatt, N. J1. Gilliam.
H-Lules Hair, Elizzie Henderson,
D. H. Holt.
J-Belt Jones.
M-Wm. S. Matthews, Lilly Bell
McKinzy, Miss Minnie Miller.
R-Ida Rutherford.
S-Win. Sanders, M. Sanny, Kier
Smith.
W-Geo. Walton, Henrietta Wal
lace, S. W. Williams, Ruthie Wilson,
Normal Williams, Soffie Willierton,
Lizzie Woods.
Y-Finny York, Dell Young.
Persons calling for these letters will
please say they were advertised.
C. J. Pureell,
P. M
Nowv the second attorney is won
drnif his friend who told the
inr wasone of those who ran out of