The herald and news. (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, September 28, 1909, Image 1
10
TWC A.EK,7.501YA
NEICRY a. C. ar
VOL XLVI NO. 77 NEWBERRY, S. (.. TUES DAY. SEPTEMBER 28. 1909
FARNU AUQUITIED
OF BRIBERY CHARGE
STATE LOSBS THE PIRST OF
THE DISPENSARY CASES.
Jurors Didn't Believe the Money
Was Given for Corrupt Pur
poses.
News and Courier.
Columbia, pt. 24-James S.
Farnum has been acquitted of the
charge of bribing Joseph B. Wylie,
when the latter was a State dispen
sarv director.
Upon the back of the typewritten
sheets of indictment No. 53 of the
now famous "graft cases" are the
following words: "Not guilty. W. L.
Caughman, Foreman." To the de
fend.ant these few words spell free
dom-relief from that suspense which
the trial upon so serious a charge
necessarily brought with it. To the
world at large these words also mean
tha.t te State has failed in the first
of the trials that have set the coun
try wild with expectation.
Six, hours it took the Richland
County jury to decide that Farnum
was Aot guilty. With the .elear cut
words of Judge Memminger ringing
in their ears the jurors filed one by
one froml the C,urt room shortly af
ter ten o'clock this morning and a
little after 4 o'clock their decision
was announced. It was a dramatic
moment hi the Court room. The de
fendant grasped the hands of the in
dividual jurors and expressed his
appreciation of their verdict.
The general impression had been
that a liistrial would result. -
Mr. Cochran stated to-night that
th3 verdict was expected under the
estimoya and that the attorneys for
the defence did not think that. 'any
other verdict could have been ren
dered uader the circumstances.
CoL Nelson, immediately after the
jury't -deeision was announced, made
the la.c>aie reply to a question as to
what .e thought about it: "All
right," and his expression showed
his pleasure.
The defendant had a brilliant ar
ray of counsel, Mr. Erenst F. Coch
ran conducted the war against the in
diciment and other technical features
of the case with much skill. Mr. P.
H. *Neson, of this city, w-as strong
on the cross-examinlationl of witness
es. Mr. Ben Hagood's argument for
the defence before the jury was a
feture. A,ttorney T. Moultrie Mor
decai, of Charleston, while nzot ae
tually taking part in the trial, was
in continuous consultation with his
associates. He sat next to the de
fendant during the trial and gave
advice at various times.
Attorney General's Opinon.
Attorney General Lyon. when asked
coner-ing the trial shortly after t-he
vedi; had been rendered by the
gry -aid: "'I have nothning to say.
the tesUion in the case speaks for
itself.'' N:>t taiking otficially. the
A;tora-v General. however, intimated
ha.t th~ tirs: defeat wou:d not affect
the~ 4": of :he State hn reference
to t:th- ather indict men :s in the al
hea~ pressed for an official state
met . e Attorney General said: "I1
hav i>ard it rumored that the jury
deeind to bring in a verdie.t against
di defendant because they would
not conciet on the testimony of an
acompice. If this rule is to he fol
lowed. it will always be a practicable
itpo.iiity to ever conviet onie of
briber., for testimny mvt such ea:se5
mt esnari:y come! from an ae
Jurors Interviewed.
O:'.=>t the ju:vymen. in speaking of
th~ d lleration. said: \\We went to
the ,.on : 10:1-> o'clock this morn
nz. Ali of us wereC dieeply iterested
n't'e -Mal anid the testimony. and it
as a observation that every man
in te~ room was a serious thinking
man, who. knew his responsibility and
intede'd to do his duty as he saw it.
WVhe we were all in the room and
had time to learn the opinion of each
as t what verdiet should be render
ed. i *eveloped that eleven werefo
aquital and one for conviction. For
five ong hours we argued with tlus
man. We believed that money had
(Cntinuned on Page T wo.)
I. *
THE IDLER.
I ** * ** * * * * * * * * *.
The Idler: Some time ago you sug
gested that the city of Newberry get
a herd of Angora goats to keep down
the grass on the sidewalks. It may
interest you to know that at- one
time-and not so long ago, either
goats performed this very work in
Newberry. I don't know whether
they were Angoras or not'. The oth
er day I ran across an issue of the
Evening Telegram-Newberrv's then
daily-which was published in 1904.
In the issue of May 19. 1904, appears
this paragraph:
"Friend :treet is the cleanest street
in town. Nor is its creditable clean
liness entirely due to the efforts of
the town authorities. For severa-l
dav, this street has been the stamp
ing ground for a company of sad
faced, bearded ,billy-goats, who hav
ing doubtless read in the Evening
Telegram an account of the street
workers' strike, ate out with the truly
charitable intent of aiding the city
fathers in this, their time of trouble.
The water sprinkler first got. in its
good work on the dust, and then the
devoted goats appear. Beginning at
one corner they spread across the
street and slowly eat their way ,0o
the next, .consuming scraps of paper,
tin cans, old shoes. barrel staves, and
other ornament of a like nature which
usually aid so much in beautifying
our modern streetis. Everything dis
appears before the hungry goats, and
the thoroughfare is clean."
So you see, Mr. Idler, actual ex
perienee right here in Newberry has
proved that your suggestion is a good
one. And not only will the goats
keep down tihe ,grass, but it seems
they will keep the streets clean gen
erally. So, you see, you might en
large your suggestion to the effect
that the city get, some goats, not only
to keep the grass down, but to aid
the work of keeping the paved streets
clean. K. A.
The above has been handed to me.
Now. this is 'a little remarkable. I do
have some recollection that there
was a daily paper in Newberry some
years ago called the Evening 'ele
gram. but I had almost forgotten
about it. As I recal it the Evening
Telegram was a pret'ty good paper
and the business men ought to be
ashamed of themselves for not giving
it sufficient support to keep it alive.
it was a good paper for it contained
some suggestdons away back there
tha.t I am making now. But t'hose
eoats must have been daisies. Friend
street needs them today and some of
the vacant lots need them much more.
The street working force has not
struck, because there are not a suffi
ient number of them to go on a
strike.
Well, they are actually cutting the
grass and now that I see some of the
force back in the city we may expect
some permanent work. If~ the grass
and tin cans shouid get too bad, I
commend to the miayor tdiis extract
fron the Evening Telegram.
By the way. I am told that that
drain pipe in Caldwell street has
been cleaned out and that. the health
oicer was out that way on Wednes
day. I told you it would be donel
and on behalf of the citizens who live
on that side I desire to thank these
officials for their promptness. I thank
;ou also for myself, for I assure
you it is a great pleasure to have my
Isuggestions acted on so promptly.
You know, I mean that, for I do
not make any suiggesticn that is not
I ood for~ the communlity. I have
reached that point in life where I
have absolutely no sehtish purpose to
serve and. therefore, I can see with
an impartial and unbiased eye those
thigs that would ieally help the
commnity.
The above was written for Friday's
-iper but fo)r somne reaMon my~ stuff was
held up. I zuess it w:s just as well.
Smnebody told me the other day
:hat the (College street uear the new
bridge wa.s in a1 feai f'ul condition.
T:e chamber of commerce and the
mechnts o-ht to look into thil.
You know it is important to have
good -oads leading into town. They
were working this road a short time
ago and were macadaniizing it with
,grass and weeds that the grass bri
gade had cut from the streets. Now,
I don't k-now this to be true of my
own knowledge, but I heard a reli
able and truthful man say so a few
days ago. If it works good a patent
will Abe Applied ifor on 'this char
acter of road material. I will file
the application myself.
I notice that the Observer says
that the Grenwood Journal has too
much idle curiosity. Whe-n you come
to think about it we all have too
much idle curiosity. If we would go
along and attend to our own business
and let other people do the same we
would save a world of trouble for
ourselves and other people, too, and
many a heartache.
I was a little curious to know what
it was that the Grenwood Journal
had asked but then that is an ex
hibition of idle curiosity for I know
it could not concern me in the least.
-o
It is really a great deiight to an
old man to see the hundreds of happy
children wending their way to
school. It has the appearance of life
in the old land yet. They are so
happy and have so much vitality that
they make an old man feel young.
And "they say,'" a man is no older
than he feels and a woman than she
looks. Newberry ought to have room
enough now and we might get along
for a year or two without putting
up another building and the money
placed at interest would a.ccumulate
very fast. But this is none of my
business and as I don 't know any
thing about it, I guess I had better
keep out.
I -
I have wondered why our cit-y
council does not widen some of the
s.treets, where there is opportunity.
It seems to me that I have a recol
lection that some few years ago the
chamber of commerce had some com
mittees on this subject and that
nearly all of the property holders
in Friend street had agreed to widen
but. nothing has been done. The new
postoffice building is to 'be in this
street and it is the main thoroughfare
from Calhoun to the union station.
Take what you can get. And widen
where you can.
II have given so much good advice
to this city that has not been acted
~upon that sometimes I feel discour
aged, but .now and then my sugges
tions are adopted when they think
it is fa.r enough away from t-be time
'I first suggested to let some one else
have the credit.
I hear that Mayor Langford has
cleaned out the vacant lot in the rear
Iof the opera house and has fixed it
up for a wagon yard for the use of
the people who bring teams from the
ceountry. You know. The Idler sug
gested t'his plan several months ago.
I don 't know how he has fixed it or
what he has done except that I see
in the Observer and The Herald and
News that it is done. That is right.
It ought to have a shed and a water.
spout and a place to feed and then
the people who bring teams to New
berry could have no excuse for leav
ing them on the public square. He
had better go at this move gently,
however, and fence in the upper part
of the public square first by extend
ing the rock wail from the rear of
the old court house on either side up
to about the mile post and then have
that, parked and after awhile we can!
get the lower square in the same con
dition. A wagon yard in the -rear of
teopera house will be just. as cou
venient and some comforts for the
mules and horses can be made. It is.
a good move and I am glad to see
Mayor Langford t.ake it. He should
have the co-operation of -all the peo
ple both town and country.
But you know it is a mighty -hard
matter to get the co-operation of all
the peop)le in any good and progress
ive movement, even though it he for
the great benefit of the great major
i:y. It is awfully hard to please the
gre:ut majority. The only safe rule
for any public official is to do what
isright, and to do it. The fact is.
not public officials, don't. you think
so? I am still hoping to live to see
the day when the people of Newberry
will o et together for the advancement
of the community in those things
that are for the general welfare.
-0
Have you read about those people
up in Massachusetts who were hold
ing meetings recently expecting the
end of the world to come and who
actually prayed the Lord that it
would come to an end as they had
said. They are members of the Latter
Reign of the Apostolic Church. The
end of the world will come soon
enough for all of us and I expect be
fore some of us are ready to take the
journey into that other world whence
no traveler has returned. I was read
ing the other day in the Atlanta Con
stitution under "Just from Georgia"
a dialogue which was heard just. after
this meeting a-nd it ran thus:
"De worl' didn't come ter a end
on schedule time."
"No. Providence is too merciful
ter de cullud race ter let de worl'
burn up in de 'possum season.'
At any rate Providence is too mer
ciful to let man know the hour or the
day when the world shall come to an
end or when each traveler shall be
called to pass from it. It would be
a very miserable world if man could
look into the future. The present is
all that man has and he has that only
one moment. at a time and some of
us make mighty poor use of it.
-0
Now I want the people of this city
not to forget that I am still ready
to acknowledge receipts of donations
to that park. The mayor is going to
beautify the public square by remov
ing the wagon yard and I know the
civic association will help him do the
rest. The portion that is not set
apart for parking should be paved
and that should be done at once.
The Idler.
"HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY."
Used in Fifth Grade.-"Parent"
Wants to Know if There Is No
Relief.-Too Much for
Children of Tender Age.
Mr. Editor: "The History of Our
Country" by Cooper, Estill and Lem
man is a text book in use in the
fifth grade of our graded schools. A
mere glance at the subject matter,
mode of treatment and style of this
book shows that it is entirely too dif
ficult for children ten or eleven years
old. There may be a place for this
text in the schools, but that place is
not. the fifth grade.
A few extraets .taken at random
is enough to show this. What idea
can a boy ten years old gather from
these questions? And what business
has he with such ideas?
"With no Bible, no priests, no tem
ples. and but vague notions of God,
there could be little defiuiteness or
system about the Indian 's religious
belief." Page 6.
On page ten we find this: "That
ti:e Indians made so little progress
in civilization, is due par-tly to the
extreme pride of his nature,- which ac
kniowedged no superior, and partly
to his superstitious imagination which
maide him accept fanciful explana
tionsof the phenomena of nature in
stead of cultivating his powers of
yeaoning in .dheik investigation."
Mr. Editor, look at that sentence
and then look at a child of ten or
eleven years of age. Don't laugh, it
is not a farce but a tragedy inat is
being enacted in your schools. Here
you have in one sentence, "civiliza
tion'' "superstition," "imagina
tion.'' "'elanations," "'investiga
tion," "power of reason." and
"phenomena of nature."
This is from page 289: "Calhoun!
having resigned from the vice-presi
dency appeared in Congress as a
Senamet from South ~Carolina, filljing
a vacancy caused by the resignation
of Senator Hayne. he and Webster
held another debate on the rights
and prerogatives of the Federal Gov-:
enent in relation to the rights and
a,progatives of the States that was
as famous as the previous one on the
same subject."' Here is a sen
:eneie otf about sixty words, but there
are others just as long and some even
longer.
A little further on we read: "A
brie stament of the legal ground
of tne right of secession as held by
the South is as follows." I copy
one: "'Fourteen Northern States by
passing Personal Liberty Laws had
set aside the Constitution (See Art.
4, paragraph 2 of Cons.titution, in
appendix).'' The child is not only
asked to conisder a number of legal
propositions bat he is gravely asked
to consult the Constitution of the
United States on a quetsion of inter
pretation about which the ablest men
have disagreed.
From page 484 we take this: "Fi
nally. after years of discussion in
Congress and throughout the coun-try,
a new Inter-State Commerce law was
enacted in 1906. Under this law,
which increased the number of mem
bers from five to seven, power was
vested in the Commission to fix a
maximum rate of charge for ceitain
articles, more stringent provisions
were made against rebates, private
cars and pipe lines were declared
common carriers, and railways were
forbid*n to eany co..modities
owned by themselves, except for their
own use."
In this -same connection the fifth
grade girl will find for her serious
and tearful consideration an ac
count of the "Sherman Anti-Trust
Law," the "Elkins Act" and "State
Anti-Trust Legislation.'" She will
doubtless be grateful to .the school
board which in the full discharge of
its rights and prerogatives has made
it possible for her thus early in life
to become acquainted with such light,
all absorbing and fascinating topics
as the tariff. free silver, civil service,
nullification, secession, fourteenth
and fifteenth amendments and many
others of like interest to children of
tender years.
Mr. Editor. Is there no relief? The
school is for the children. Why not
let them have books suited to their
needs? Parent.
REEDY RIVER ASSOCIATION.
A splendid Meeting.-EverYbOdYOin
Good Spirits.-Next Meeting
With Bush River.
The Reedv River Baptist aQsocia
itio.. met with Hurrica-.e church in
Laurens county. Uonvening on Fri
day and continuing through Sunday.
The association was opened with.
deotional exercises conducted by Dr.
Derieux, after the close of devotional
wor.dip the association was called to
order by ths former Moderator. On
a call of the churches it was- found
that there was not present a quornm
as it had been raining the night be
fore and the weather was still threat
eing.
A motion was adopted to have the
Introductory sermon, which was
preae ed by Dr. Derieux assistanltI
secretary of State Mosion Board,
after the sermon the meeting' ad
jor'ied for one hour and a half for
d'.uner. after enjoying one of those
splendid dinners which Hurricane
people are noted for at- expiration of
the appointed time. the association
res eth'ed for businiess, after half
hour being spent in devotional exer
.isee thie association was called to
getter fof business, it beine found
that a quorum was pr'een:. The as-I
soci:'a en the election Uf Vi
iers. w'hichi res;he:d i- to el-Tion
of W. H. Hunt. moderator- Theo.
Danielson, clerk; and I. M. Smith,
treasurer. After organization, was
completed. the regular order of bus
ines w-'s then taken up. The re
orts read on the various objeets
f:'rered bv the assoA:ation were good
d showed that the churches were
iake to every interest. The dis
i-ssions were of the very best order
tht it hav been the pleasure of this
writer to listen to. The whole associa
tion as well as visitors were in a
nod- imm'or. The collections were
:he be-- in years. The delegates and
ail were in a gi.ving spirit. The as
soiation got pretty well through
with its reports Saturday evening,
except two or three.
The report oni time and place of
next meeting reported Bush River
as the place, commencing Friday be
fothe third Sunidav inSetm
her and coautinuing through Sunday.
The report on nomination of ex
cutive hoard made but little change
in the board. By a rising vote of the
association, the former moderator of:
thi .aoia.tion was elected a dele
gate to the Southern Baptist conven
tion, which convenes in May with
Rev. G. A. Wright as alternate. Sun
day morning there was a large crowd
present. After the business of the
association the missionary sermon
was preached by the appointee, Rev.
C. W. Hidden. The doctor was at
his best and I don't think I ever saw
better attention given to the delivery
of a sermon. Every one who spoke
of the sermon pronounced it fine and
a grand effort on the part of Dr.
Hidden. After the sermon a good
collection was taken up for State
Missions. Then after the singing f
that grand old hymn, Blest be the
tie that binds, and the saying of the
last benediction of the association,
being pronounced by Rev. H. Fowler,
the oldest minister of the association,
the large crowd then repaire to the
church yard and partook of a sump
tuous dinner, after which good byes
were said and hearty thanks to the
people of Hurricane church and
community were tendered.
Thus closed another successful year
for Reedy River association.
ATTRACTIVE FOLDER ISSUED
Passenger Department of the Atlantic
Doast Line Advertising Home
seekers Excursion Rates to
the South.
The Passenger Traffic Department
of the Atlantie Coast Line has just
issued an attractive -32 page folder
advertising especially the very low
homeseekers excursion rates from
No,rthern cities to points in the South.
It is printed in two colors and begins
with a general review of the agricul
tural, horticultural, trucking, manu
facturing and industrial features of
the entire system and has a. short
write-up of each State through which
the Atlantic Coast Line passes, name
ly: Virginia, North Carolina, South
Carolina, eorgia, Alabama and
lorida; the section being very prop
erly called, "-The Nation's Garden
Spot." Special mention is made of
new colonies which have -recently
been and are .being formed on the At
lantie Coast Line in the several States,
each under a separate caption, due
credit bein'g given those who are mak
ing an effort to attract settlers and
in t.his and other ways, trying to build
up their respective localities..
The folder has a number of attraet
ive half-tone cuts of agricultural and
horticultural scenes and several maps
showing the location of the various
colonies referred to in the folder.
These various features are followed
by a list of representatives of the
Coast Line throughout the United
States, and a brief outline of the at
tractive schedules from the West and
from the East via that line. Then
follows a table of the cheap rates,
followed by the information that the
round trip tickets will be sold on
September '7th and 21st, October 5th
and 19th, November 2nd and 16th kn
December 7th and 21st, carrying ex
eedi:gly liberal stop-over privileges
with final return limit to reach the
original starting point within twe'avY4
gi' d.-s from' date of sale.
On thsack of -t ifTlder . .mip
a T;rK e.1 St -tc e:M vL and in
d'aIg St. Louis and New Orleans
which is likewise printed in two col
The Atlantic Coast Line deserves
much credit for this innovation and.
for its policy of a.ctivty towards pro
moting and upbuilding the rich coun
try through which it passes, and the
results obtained from the. very ex
tensive distributipn which is being
iven this folder in the North will be
uch in attracting desirable settlers
to the South. that the folder will be
issued regularly and in t-he future
probably enlarged, as new efforts and
enterprises, when knaown to the Corn-.
pany, are created.
A very unique feature of this fold
er is that the outside page cont.ained
lines for addressing and stamping the
folder which is so arranged that it
nay be mailed without being enclosed
in an envelope.
1 Copies of the folder may be ob
tained from Mr. T. Q. White, Gener
al Passenger Agent at Wilmington, N.
., who will cheerfully mail copies
to addresses of a-ny prospective set