The herald and news. (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, August 15, 1913, Image 1
A
f The Herald and News
YOLCME LI., >"OTBER 6NEWBERRY, S. C., FRIDAY, AUGUST 15, 1913. TWICE A WEEK, |1.?0 A YEA &
I NEGRO LYNCHED AT
' LAURENS ON MONDAY
SHOT-RIDDLED BODY STRUNG TO
TRESTLE.
Victim of JIol> Attacks Young Woman
,?P at Lonely Spot as She was Driviner
to Laurens.
Laurens, Aug. 11.?Disregarding
Jg the declaration of the solicitor that
W a speedy trial would be given, a mob
of 2,000 men tonight at 10.30 o'clock
lynched Richard Puckett, a young
I negro, charged with at' vmpted crimf
inal assault. V
ttflk After overpowering the sheriff and
& his deludes the mob broke down two
i doors, one to a steel cage, and securJm
ing the negro carried him to a railway
trestle near the passenger station,
where he was strung up to a
I beam/ Several hundred shots were
m fired into his body. The mob then dish
persed. At midnight many were arriving
in town from all sections of
the Piedmont. Just before he was
V * killed the negro denied his guilt. Sher
iff John V. Owings said tonight that
f the negro had confessed to him durI
\ ing the afternoon. The confession, it
^ J is said, was not made known to the
attacking crowd.
K Attacks Tounsr Woman.
W At a lonely spot on the road to
^r,. Laurens from Madden the negro this
f , naming at 11 o'clock attacked a well
known young woman of the county.
W He dragged her from the buggy as she
was driving to Laurens. The negro
was crouching under some bushes and
, after she had passed he ran and ordered
her to halt. She called to her
brothers, who were following in anL
ether buggy. The negro fled. She
A drove on to Laurens and stopped at
jjtf " the home of R. A. Cooper, solicitor of
th\s?circuit. Xo general alarm was
given, but a search was begun by the
|V officers. Solicitor Cooper aided in the
dninor inct hpvorid the nlace
B scaivu. uviu^ juuv >/>/, ?? t
of attack the officers found several
negroe^ at a house. Richard Puckett
I walked away from the house and Solicitor
Cooper directed that he be
held. When taken before the young
woman she could not positively idenWw
tify him. The negro was carried to
Laurens and placed in jail under a
W heavy guard..
At 7 o'clock tonight bloodhounds
from the State penitentiary were
brought to Laurens and placed on
the trail. The dogs trailed the negro
from the scene of the crime to the
house where he was found by the officers.
_ 1 Is
(During tne auernoon several uuudred
men from all sections of the
county arrived in Laurens. As night
came 011 the crowd increased until it
was estimated that there were fully
2,000 persons crowded into the public
square. Realizing that the crowd was
"bent on violence several deputies were
sworn in by Sheriff Owings and
placed within the jail.
Advance on Jail.
At 9 o'clock about 50 men advanced
on the jail. Sheriff Owings refused
to give up the prisoner. The
crowd broke down a wooden door in
the rear and proceeded to the second
floor, where the negro was confined in
o etaoi novo. Thp rinnr Was soon bat
CL VIAQ V* * ?V ?- w " - ? ?
ft tered down. The sheriff and his depfeW;
uties were overpowered.
J: , Taking the negro from tfie jail the
H mob proceeded to the union passenger
H k station. A rope was tied to one of
11^ the beams on the Charleston &
18! Western Carolina railway trestle to
ft the south, about 12 feet from the
ft ground, and the negro was hanged.
He denied several times that he was
IP \ guilty of the crime.
(Many Shots Are Fired.
When the engro had been strung up
several hundred shots were fire *rom
the crowd of 2.000. The mob then
dispersed and proceeded to their
homes. At midnight many from adjoining
counties were arriving in the
This is the first lynching to occur in
Laurens county within the past 15
years and it is the first time that a
negro was ever taken from the jail.
Just before the mob attacked the
jail Solicitor Cooper made a speech
urging that the people let the law
take its course. He promised to secure
a speedy trial for the negro.
Severeal other well known citizens of
h Laurens spoke to the crowd without
B The boGy was left tonight swinging
V to the beam of the trestle and the in:
W quest will very probably be held toll
Laurens is Quiet.
Laurens, Aug. 12.?The body " of
| Richard Puckett, the confessed assailI
ant of a young Laurens woman, who
was executed late last night in the
I presence of 2,000 citizens, was cut
; down by the officers this morning
! and turned over to the undertaker.
| The negro was buried by the county
I this afternoon.
During the morning hundreds of
people, both white and black, visited
the scene of the lynching and viewed
the black-bullet riddled form dangling
from the end of a 12-foot rope.
The coroner was on hand, but it was
was decided officially that an inquest
was unnecessary. Of course, the events
of yesterday and the final outcome of
the issue were topics of more or less
comment during the day, but the city
or>r?r> ocenmpH normal condition after
nearly 12 hours of excitement, the
like of which has not been witnessed
in the town of Laurens during the
present generation.
Death of Mrs Vf. A. IteSwain.
Mrs. McSwain, the wife of Mr. W.
A. McSwain, died after a brief illness
at her home in this city on Tuesday
morning at three o'clock. She was
buried at Rosemout cemetery Wednes
day afternoon, service at tne nouse at
four o'clock, conducted by her pastor,
the Rev. E. D. Kerr, of the Presbyteran
church. The following were the
pallbearers: Dr. 0. B. Mayer, J. X.
McCaughrin, J. H. Summer, "W. F.
Ewart, W. H. Hunt, W. A. Hill.
Mrs. McSwain formerly lived at
Cross Hill and before her marriage
was a Miss Lee. Her mother, Mrs. Lee,
survives her. Beside her husband and
mother, Mrs. McSwain is survived by
five children, foi^r boys and one girl.
Her death has cast a gloom over the
city, as the family have many friends
here. Mrs. McSwain was a devoted
and consistent member of the Presby
| terian church, and a thoroughly good
woman. Xo death has caused more universal
sorrow in the community. Mr.
McSwain is a well known business
man of the city. The sympathy of
all will go out to him in his great
sorrow, as every heart is deeply touched
by the grief that is his today.
H. K BLATTS IS DEAD.
' dewberry Man is Stricken While
Working in Wilmington.
Wilmington', X. C., Aug. 11.?A few
j minutes after drinking a glass of rei
freshment this afternoon, H. K. Blats,
j linotype operator on The Evening
i Dispatch, was stricken by an attack
of acute indigestion while operating
his machine and died an hour later.
He was 36 years old and a native of
Newberry, S. C. He leaves a wife and
one child, also his father, W. H. Blats
of Newberry, who was visiting here,
and two brothers, J. A. Blats of Columbia
and W. E. Blats, who lives in
the west. Mr. Blats had worked in
Columbia, Charleston and had been
here 11 years.
xne ^ews in aenwctfj.
There is sincere and general regret
in Newberry at the news of the death
of H. K. Blats at his home in Wilmington
Monday afternoon. He is a
native of this city and lived here until
a few years ago, serving at one
time as a member of the city council.
His father, William H. Blats, is a Confederate
veteran and a man very highly
esteemed.
Poisoned by Salmon.
Orangeburg Times and Democrat.
Mrs. J. W. Caddin of this city, had
a very startling experience Thursday
morning. Mrs. Caddin opened a can
of salmon and before emptying them
out ate a little. But upon emptying
the can she discovered a lizard in the
bottom. She threw the salmon out,
and the chickens that ate it died very
soon afterwards. Mrs. Caddin immediately
summoned a physician,
and had it not been for his prompt
arrival she would have been seriously
ill as a result of the poison.
All By That >*ame Smart.
I "
| Exchange.
James M. Mcintosh, one of tlie
| leading bankers of Indianapolis, and
I a lifelong republican, says that he
| considered Mr. McAdoo the greatest
j secretary of the treasury the country
had ever had; that McAdoo acted
where others talked, and that with
the passaco of the Glass currency bill
and the innovations which Secretary
McAdoo has made in the policy of
the tieasury department, financial
panics would hereafter be practically
impossible in the United States.
Venezuela's army is sent to rapture
Castro. Horrors! Suppose he's
' armed?
GOVERNOR SUGGESTS
j A FINANCIAL PLAN
I
STATE SEEDS MONEY.?SATE I>!
TERES!.
j Governor Ev-oriatcs 0:1, ;cis for
Cruel Treatment of Prisoners..
Paroles Issued.
Columbia, August 10.?The State
of South Carolina will have- to borrow
from $250,000 to $300,000 to meet
running expenses until the taxes begin
to come in, and State Treasurer
Carter has so notified the governor.
Governor Blease in reply suggested
that each office run itself until the
money conies in and save the inter!
5av? bp is readv to run the
governor's office, and asks for the
opinion of the other members.
Last year the State borrowed $500,000
at 3 1-2 per cent, and Governor
Biease said that President Wilie Jones
and Cashier J. Pope Matthews, of the
Palmetto bank, had offered to get this
$250,000 at about 5 per cent this year.
The borrowing board is composed of
the governor, State treasurer and
comptroller general.
The following letters passed between
the State treasurer and the ?ov
ernor in regard to the matter:
Treasurer's Letter.
"August 1, 1913.
"The Hon. Cole L. Blease, Governor,
Columbia, S. C.?Dear Sir: The cash
on hand for general parposes has
reached the point where it is necessary
to procure funds with which to j
meet the State's obligations as de- \
mands are made upon the treasury. ;
We have to the credit of the general
account $S4,000 at beginning of business,
August 1. I estimate the avero
n-o m/-4?+Vi1 xj ovnorr?iHirP for thp
a5^ lilV/UlUl^ VA^V/iiUiVWi V J.W* V
balance of the year to be from $110,000
to $115,000. It appears therefore ;
that we will need at least $250,000 or
possibly $300,000 to run until taxes
are available. The balance we h-ive
on hand will protibly- run us until
the middle of this month.
These facts are brought to your
attention as ch.r.-i of the borrjv
ing committee for such action as you
may deem advisable.
Yours very truly,
S. T. Carter,
* State Treasurer."
Governor's Reply.
"The Hon. S. T. Carter, State Treasurer,
Columbia, S. C.?Dear Sir: Your
letter of 'August 1, in reference to
borrowing money for the use of the
State has been received. In reply I
beg to ask what this money is needed
for, and to whom it is to be paid. It
appears to me that if it is for the use
of the State officials, that on account
of the .high rate of interest which is
now being demanded, each of us might
carry our own offices until the tax
money begins to come in, when we
can easyly be reimbursed, and save
the taxpayers of our State from paying
the exorbitant rate of interest. I
would like to have the opinion of the
other members of the committee in regard
to this matter. As governor I
stand ready and am willing to borrow
at my own expense, or discount my
State checks, in .order to run the executive
Dart of the government, with
out borrowing any money at the exorbitant
rate of interest which is now
being charged.
Very resspectfully,
Cole. L. Blease,
Governor."
, Webb Simons Paroled.
Webb Simons, white, convicted at the
April, 1910, term of court for Anderson
county of murder with recommendation
to mercy, was paroled
by the governor. The
petition was signed by eight of
the jury, endorsed by the Judge, and
over 1,000 citizens, He killed Bert
i
Mc Adams. (
| In connection with this case it will
j be interesting to note that J. C. ElliI
son, who was foreman of the jury
- which convicted Simons, is himself
| in the Penitentiary. Yesterday, when
' r,! * 1 V* a i r? f A
| Mmons went tu iea.\e iic 10 cam
! have told Ellison good-bye.
: In his reasons for paroling Webb
Simons, the Anderson county life
! termer, Governor Blease excoriated
cruel and overbearing treatment of
, suspects and prisoners by officers of
the law, saying: "The idea of and
? - - ? t
. officer when ne arrests a man, navi
ing a right to knock him, or beat
him, or otherwise mistreat him, is
: eroneous, and, the cruelty of the ofI
fic-r often makes men outlaws, and
J if the courts and juries of this counj
try would do their duty and convict
' some of these bullies and blacki
guards for cruelty it would put a
! slop to such acts."
The following is a copy of the governor's
reasons for exercising clemency
in the Simons case:
Treatment of Prisoners.
"Webb Simmons, white, convicted at
the April, 1910, term of court for Anderson
county of murder with recommendation
tor mercy and sentenced to
lifo imnrisnnmpnt in the State D6ni
tentiary.
"After looking very carefully over
the petitions and into the case I am
satisfied that this man was only guilty
of manslaughter, and in reaching
this conclusion I have applied my
twenty three years experience at the
bar making a specialty of criminal
t*-/\wlr A ?-> AffinAw KanoncQ 1") a l c QT1
n UI i\. Ail UlliV^CI j ?-?.^
officer, has no right to be abusive to
his prisoner. To prove this I beg to
cite the cases of State vs Beck, I Hill;
state vs Golden, 1st S. C., State vs
C'lark, 28 S. E On the contrary, they
should treat with courtesy those whom
they are called upon to arrest. The
idea of an officer, when he arrests a
nan, having a right to knock him or
beat him or otherwise mistreat him
is erroneous, and the cruelty of the
officer often make men "outlaws; and,
if the courts and juries of this country
would do their duty and convict
some of these bullies and blackguards
for cruelty, instead of sitting back and
saying, 'Oh, well, he is an officer and
is allowed to do as he pleases over
these poor unfortunate persons,' it
would put a stop to such acts, the
officer in this case, was a bully or a
blackguard. Many such illustrations
come to the knowledge of the officers
of South Carolina, and particularly
one which destroyed the happiness of
one of the finest homes among one
of the most noble and bravest families
of the State. If the officer in that
instance had been killed instead of the
poor fellow who was murdered like a
dog, it would have been much better
for South Carolina. I presume to the
readers of history of the State it is
unnecessary to call names, but this
brutal murder, U'nder the guise of law,
win ever De a aaxiv inarK upuu musts
who participated in it.
Cowardly Murder.
"Of course, in this case, it was not
as strong and I am not comparing the
cases at all, but only refer to that one
in order to show that it has led on
and on, and by its being countenanced,
hundreds of other little cases have followed.
Some officers seem to think
that when they arrest a man they have
a right to knock him and beat him;
they seem to think that if he is charged
with a misdeamnor and he rues he
(the officer) has a right fo shoot him,
and when he shoots and kills him he
immediately cries out, in order to save
himself, 'I only shot to scare* him.' It
is cowardly murder and the men who
acquit such a man are the dirtiest
perjurers, and as long as I am govern
or, if the juries acquit such people as
these, I propose to take care of a man
who takes care of himself, against
such official tyranny and wilful abuse
of authority.
"The petition for this young man's
pardon is signed by more than a thousand
of the people of Anderson county,
in which they state that they think
V? o o cnffi-Aionf 1V
LUC UCLCUUailt uao o ^v'
punished. The signers of the petition
are among South Carolina's best citizenship;
they are those who made me
governor, and being their servant, it is
but right and proper that I should
obey their will.
Among the Petitioners.
"Among the names on the petition I
frnd the editor of the Anderson Intelligencer,
Col. V. B. Cheshire, Dr Frank
Ashmore, Col. G. M. Tolly, Dr. McCreey
Glymph, Dr. Clyde F. Ross, Judge Muldrow
and a great many others entirely
too numerous to mention, but
stronger than all of this is a seperate
petition, which reads as follows: 'We,
the undersigned memlbers of the jury,
who convicted Webb Simmons of the
murder of Bert McAdams, with recommendation
to the mercy of the
court, petition and pray that you exercise
clemency in his behalf. We think
that .he has already suffered enough
for his crime and we ask that you
parole him during good behaivior.'
"The judge who tried the case says:
'I, the undersigned, the special presiding
judge at the trial, well remember
the facts in the case and have no objection
to the board recommending a
parole to the governor, (Signed) .T.
E. McDonald, special presiding judge,
July 2/ 1913.'
"The board of pardons, in their renl'a
n a -r?r\nr\ m m nnr?Qt"ir\n hilt
yui t ill CLI\XZ IIU i. ILL 1XJL ^auuuvu, wuw
simply state: 'The Hon. E. M. Rucker
was heard in behalf of the prisoner.
Eight of the trial jurors join in the
prayer for pardon.' I presume by this
they are straddling; therefore I will
throw their straddle-leg on the side of
mercy and grant a parole during g-v>d
REQUISITION FOR J. J.
ZACHRY WAS DENIED
GOVERNOR BLEASE OFFERS REWARD
FOR ARREST.
; Case Involving Custody of Children
Further Complicated by Georgia
Supreme Court.
Atlanta, Ga., August 12.?the su|
preme court today reversed the decision
of Judge Hammond, of Augusta,
awarding the two Zachry children to
j the father, J. J. Zachry, thereby further
complicating the sensational case
in which requisition papers By Governor
Blease for Zachry were refused
hv Governor Slaton this morning.
" {
According to the ruling of the supreme
court, the decision awarding
the children to the father be reversed
and remanded to Judge Hammond's
court for further hearing. The ruling
further specifies that Judge Hammond
may exercise his discretion in awarding
the custody of the children, which
is contrary to the opinion rendered by
Judge Hammond, who held previously
that he was forced to award the
children to Zachry because of a pre
vious judgment.
The effect of the ruling will be to
put the whole matter back in the Augusta
courts, with the possibility that
Mrs. Zachry will be awarded the custody
of the two children.
i Governor Slaton based his refusal on
the fact that no State law had been
violated by Zachry in South Carolina,
and that the whole case against the
defendant grew out of the desire of
Mrs. Zachry to obtain the custody of
the two children.
I
I
j
>*ot Surprised, Says Blease.
Columbia, August 12.?Following
- +Vl o 4- TO 7* n Y> !?1Q_
Lilt; a,iiliuuuv;cilicil'. luai. \ji\j
ton, of Georgia, had refused today to
honor requisition for Julian J. Zachry,
wanted in South Carolina on several
alleged charges, Governor Blease issued
a proclamation offering a re'ward
of $250 for the arrest of Zachry.
Governor Blease, when shown a telegram
stating that Governor Slaton
had refused requisition of Governor
Blease for custody of J. J. Zachry, and
asked for a statement, said:
"I presume Governor Slaton did
what he thought was right, and I am
not surprised at this treatment from
a Governor of Georgia. It is getting
to be common. I shall issue reward for
r
Zachry's arrest. Possibly I can catch
him some time passing through this
j State, or on this side of the river, and
get him yet for what I consider a wilful
and malicious violation of our State
i laws.
"In my letter to Governor Slaton I
: stated that the attorney general and
myself had investigated the matter. If
he knows more about the laws of
South Carolina than Attorney General
Peeples and myself, of course, I have
no comment to make, and have no
hard feelings towards a man doing
what he thinks is his duty, conceding
j this to him because I suppose that
3? ~ Vin n.'mi 1 ri
UnQfcT SillUicU i;uv/Umsi.aiiv/M nvu>u
concede the same to me."
Reward Proclamation.
s The following is the proclamation of
Governor Blease:
"Whereas, Julian Zachry stands
charged in the State of South Carolina
with the crimes of kidnapping, ill
treating children, torturing, tormenting
and cruelly ill treating child, failure
to support wife and -children, and
information has been reveived at this
department that the said Julian Zachry
has fled justice.
"Now, therefore, I, Cole. L. Blease,
(TAuowinr r?f Smith f!?mlina
I ?>v, ? W uw
; governor of the State of South Carolina,
in order that justice may be done
and the majesty of the law vindicated,
do hereby offer a reward of two hundred
and fifty ($250) dollars for the
apprehension and delivery of the said
Julian Zachry to the superintendent of
the State penitentiary at Columbia,
South Carolina.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto
set my hand and caused the
great seal of the State to be affixed,
~t r^iumViio this twelfth day of Au
CL L VjUiUmwiu, .. ^
gust, A. D., one thousand nine hundred
and thirteen, and in the one hundred
and thirty-eight year of the independence
of the United States of Ameribehavior?this
man having served
three years and a half in the tuberculosis
incubator?I feel that he has
fully repaid to his State for whatever
breach of the law he may have committed.
"Parole granted during good behavior,
August 9, 1913.''
(Signed) Cole. L. Blease,
(Seal.) Governor.
By the Governor:
(Signed.) R. M. McCown, ^ |
Secretary of State.
Mrs. Zaehry Wires Slaton.
Columbia, August 12.?A denial in
tof.o of the statements made by E. D.
Cleary, mayor of Harlem, in the hear
ing before Governor Slaton yesterday
in the Zachry requisition case, was I
made by Mrs. Zachry this morning in
a telegram to the Georgia governor.
The allegations of Mr. Cleary reflected
up on both Mrs. Zachry and her moth- 1
er, yr.? Hallihan.
Mrs. Zachry this morning sent the
following telegram to Governor Sla- m
August 12, 1913. I
Hon. John M. Slaton, Governor of
Georgia, Atlanta, Ga: Statement of E.
D. Cleary, reported in this morning's
paper, absolutely deliberate and malicious
contortion of the facts. I would
love opportunity to submit affidavits
in contradiction thereof if you deem
it necessary.
Mrs. Mary Zachry.
, }IettsOIacIien.
In the Methodist church at Whit1
mire, S. C., on Tuesday evening at
8. 30 o'clock, Mr. H. Alfred Machen. of
l Baltimore, Mr., and Miss Charlotte
i t *"i - if~ii~ _c tt*"u:i. : /
j i-ucne .ueiLS, ul vvmumie >vcie uiiit.ru
I in marriage by the Rev. 0. A. Jeffcoat.
< The already pretty church was made
| more beautiful by banks of ferns,
j palms and cut flowers artistically
arranged by the young girlhood friends .
. | of the bride.
1 Promptly at the appointed hour
j the wedding march played by Miss
I Lucy Metts, a cousin of the bride, anj
nounced the approach of the bridal
i party. Messrs Hassell and Henry Mils
: 1 ler, ushers?came first, followed by
. Miss Mary Butler Fant of Newberry,
, maid of honor, then the groom with
his best man. -|
Mr. rerry ivieus rani, 01 x^ewueiry,
. entered from the chancel door, and
. met the bride who came in with her
, uncle, Mr. McD Metis. The beautiful
I ring service of the Methodist Epis'copla
church being used.
1 The bride's gown was of soft white
crepe de chino draped with lace,
and she carried a beautiful shower
j bouquet of bride roses and ferns.
, I The maid of honor was beautiful in
her gown of pink satin with over dress
of accordian pleate dchiffon, carrying
an armful of pink roses and ferns.
After the 1st of September, Mr. and
Mrs. Machen will be at home, at 302
j North Casey street, Baltimore, Md.
Mr. and Mrs.- H. A. Machen are visiting
Mrs. Machen's aunt, Mrs. Jno.
F. Fant. for a few days at 2000 Main
'
i J - - *
' street.
?
Educational Rally. *
To People of Newberry County :
An educational rally has been planned
for the people of Newberry county
..
at Youngs Grove on August 23rd. Prof.
W. K. Tate, State supervisor of ele.
mentary rural schools, Hon. J. E.
. Swearingen, State supt., of education,
and Miss Edith Parrott, State organizer
girls tomato club have accepted
invitations to speak on this occasion.
Efforts are bing made to have one
11 lift twu, utxici apcaati o.
The school problems and situations
are understood by speakers. Would it
not be wisdom on part of every board
of trustees to tiave at least one representative
present? Would it not
be wisdom on part of parents, children,
and teachers to attend this meeting?
Will you remain at home and
thereby discourage the work? Will
you give us your presence and thereby
help the work? Meet at the Rally.
The location of Younss Grove is
known to many, but will state to the
public that grove, is one mile?south
of Prosperity. Music will be furnished
by band. Barbecue dinner and picnic
dinner will be served on grounds.
Do not forget the invitation, every
one invited; time, Saturday, August
23rd; place, Youngs Grove, Prosperity.
Thahking you in advance for your
co-operation, support in school work,
and future kindnesses, I am,
Yours truly,
Geo. D. Brown,
Co. Supt. Education.
The Arcade was forced to open up
an hour early today because of the
| large crowd gathered to get the first
i glimpse of "Pilgrims Progress,"
Fourteen people from Laurens county
came down to see it during evening.
?Adv. .
The civic asociation will meet next
Monday, August 18; h, at 9.30 oMonday,
Monday, August 18th, at 9.30 oclock
' at the residence of Mrs. E. M. Evans.
/..v -
' '- f*