Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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sit I~s c- I : 17_ MAYNNiNG, S. C., WEDNESDAY, MAY2718.NO23 VOLS I. __i__________ GIFifIN AM) ILLLMAN, A TART COR:RESQPONDENCE BETWEEN TWO OFFICIALS. Gover;or Tillmnrn C201% the Superintend ent of the State Luuntie Asylurn to Accouct. ad the Latter Defends Himt self with Somet Acerbity. COLE1mD.\. S. C, 'May 18.-The fol 1awing correspondence between Gov ernor Tillman and Dr. Griffin, which concludes with a request for the resig nation of Dr. Griffin. will be read with great interest. The letter referred to by Governor Tillman in his opening note was published in the News and Courier: COLUimA, S.;C., May 5, 1891. Dr. P. E. Griffin, Columbia, 6. C. Dear Sir: In your letter to the regents, a copy of which was handed me last week,; you complain of unfair treat ment and an ex-parte examination of witnesses by the committee. I beg to remind you that when the investigation begun no charges had been preferred against anyone, and the com mittee. including myself, looked to getting at the truth only-finding out if anything was wrong with the insti tution or its management. The devel opments were of such a nature as to provoke a more thorough inquiry along certain lines, and you were promised an opportunity to crossquestion wit nesses or bring in testimony in rebuttal. As soon as the testimony was reduced to writing a copy was furnished to the regents for their and your use, and you had the opportunity you asked. But, instead of doing this, you enterel on a discussion of tre old and new methods of treating th- insane. The Constitution imposes on me the responsibility for the fitness and effi eiency of the olicers and the employees of the Asylum. I must perform my duty, however disagreable it may ie, and yet I will give you the full oppor tunity to exonerate yourself if you can. I wri te to ask whether you still wish to crossexamine the witnesses whose tes timony condemns you, or to attempt to impeach their veracity. Yours respectfully, -- B. R. Tillman, Governor. & OFFICE S. C. LrNATIC ASYLU3I, May 5,1891. To his Excellency, B. R. Tillman, Governor-Sir: In reply to your letter just received, I beg to state that I shall have the honor to communicate with your Excellency some time this after noon or evenng, either personally or by letter. I have the honor to be very respect fully your obedient servant. P. E. Griflin, Superintendent. On the same day Dr. Griffin wrote the following: OFFICE 6. C. LUNATIC ASYLUM, May 5. 1891. To his Exceliency. B. I. Tillman, Governor-Sir: After more mature eonsideration of the subject matter of ,your letter of this morning, I am con strained to recall my hasty promise to reply this evening, and I therefore beg your Excellency's indulgence for a day or two longer. I have the honor to -be very respect fully. P. E. Griflin, Superintendent. OFFICE S. C. Lu-ATIc ASYLV31, May 8, 1891. To His Excellency, B. R Tillman, Governor-Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 5'h of May, instant, in which, referring to my answer and report to the board of regents of the Lunatic Asylum, of date f8th April last, and to the recent investigation made by the legislative committee, you inquire whether I "still wish to cross-examine the witnesses (whose testimony, as you are pleased to assert condemns me,) or to impeach their veracity." in my report to the board I :asserted that by the secret and ex parte inquisi tion ".justice had been denied me; that I had been condemned without oppor tunity of plea and of defence, without semblance of trial, without knowledge of the charge and specifications pre ferred against me, without place for confronting the accusing witnesses and without th~e right of testimony in my behalf." In your letter you concede that I was "promised an opportunity to .cross question the witnesses or bring in tes timony in rebuttal," but you preceed to say that "-as soon as the testi'nony was reduced to writing a copy was fur nished to the regents for their and your use, and you had the opportunity you asked. But instead of doing this you entered on a discussion of the old and new methods of treating the im sane." This promise,. as I stated in my re pcrt, was made to me by you, speaking for the committee as well as for your self, while I was before the committee undergoing examination, and certainly, if ginnu in good faith. authorize-d me to expect that before the mnquisition was concluded I should have the occasion tendered to me by you and the coimmit tee of presenting my defence. sow your Excellency does not 1.eed to be in formued that so soon as the com mitteet had concluded the examination of each witness as they choose to select without notice to me, without the slightest intimation of their readiness to hear me, they with swift sentence oin that same day proc-eeled to iud and publish their verdict by which I was "condemned." as you termi it. upon most serious imputations of ne-gligencet, mis feasance and incapacity in the conduct oIf my office affecting my pe-rsonal, of licial and professional reputation. In the face of thi, statement of fact, which is not denied. you say that as soon as the testimony w as riuct d to v. riting that acopy was furnished to the re gents "and that I had the opptortunity asked:" Ilow ? When y Wtxee? In my reootrt to the board I stated thatI had "aecess to some eighty pages of manuscript containing portions of the testirnony of sonme of tho~se witnesses such as t he legislative comm itte c hose to select, while, as I am informed. the larger Fortion of the testimony taken (luring the investigation has ntai been furnished the board, in.cluding what ever miay have been given by anly of thet witnesses tending to exculpate me trom the charges." This hats not been and cannot truthfully be denied. Such op portunity as has been afforded mue is very like the opportunity in other times accorded to the victim who stood ia chains be-fore the Spanish Inquisition. an d ye t was sormetimes5 allowed to speak l.efore judgment: or more aptly likt that of the culprit condemned unheard under th~e tyrannical procedure of th4 Star Chamber of England. The inquiry now directed to me b: s our Ex~ceiheney gives no _assurance that the legislative committee wvil again convene, will set aside the sen tence of condenation, will open th judgment against me, will try mec anen with opt-n doors and without prejudice hearing w itne-sses upon exammnatiot and cross.Examnination, allowing me the tices of counsel and holding them selves clear to the attainment of imn partial j udgment. The investigation uinder your guid ance has heretofore proceeded wholl: in the spirit of fault finding before Court u hich, for whatever purpose, in detiance of justice, and in breach oi their faith, have prejudiced my case. In view of all these circumstances, however anxious I may be to vindicate unself from the unjust and untruthful censures they have denounced against me. I am not willing to engage in such i tritling procedure before such a tribun al, and it is left to me to submit to the consequences which your letter in ad vance threatens against me to invite you in your own phrase "to perform your duty" whatever it may be. That as you intimate, this may be a disa greeable duty is to me the subject ol profound regret. 1 have the honor to be very respe et fully your obedient servant. P. E. Gritlin, Superintendent. CoLtmui, May 9, 1891. Dr. P. E. Griffin, Columbia, S. C.-Sir: I find your letter of yesterday awaiting me on my return from Pendleton. I beg once more to impress on your mind the tollowing facts: 1. The committee appointed by the General Assembly were charged with the duty not of investigating the su perintendent of the Asylum but of the institution as a whole. 2. Their preliminary report called to my attention certain facts in reference to the management of the institution upon which I alone as Governor have the power to act, for I alone under the Constitution am given the power to ap point its officers and employees, and even the Legislature cannot remove such persons as are thus appointed. 3. This being so, I alone am the judge to decide whether the charges contained in the report of the investigating com mittee are true and, if so, what is my duty. There is no need to bring the in vestigating committee back here to hear your defence,if you desire to make any, for I can hear the testimony of I your witnesses and have offered to ac cord. you the privilege of cross-exami nation of those witnesses who testitied before the committee, and this can be had in public and with counsel if you wish it. The witnesses are all either in the asylum or in the city, and the testi mony already given by them can be read in their and your presence. 4. The examination by the commit tee was made in secret to prevent col lusion among witnesses andI to guard against intimidation. All of the em ployees of the asylum had been ap pointed by yourself or the regents with out color of law, and many witnesses testified unwillingly, seeming to fear the l ss of place. 5. All your fine wr ting about "the Spanish Inquisition" and the "Star Chamber of England" may appeal to the sympathy of certain people, but you are misiaken when you say "the iaves tigation under your (my) guidance has heretofore proceeded only in the spirit of fault-finding before a Court which, for whatever pur pose in defiance of jus tice and in breach of their faith, have prejudged my case in Court." In jus tice to investigating committee anu to myself it must be stated that we tried to arrive at the exact truth and nothing more. There has not been and is not now the least animus or personal feel ing. The committee acting as a grand jury, have framed an indictment and sent in the testimony. Both were furn ished you and I naturally expected you would ask an opportunity to disprove the charges, but instead you wrote a labored defence addressed to the re gents, but intended solely to influence public opinion. The regents ha:1 noth ing to do with the matter, and their flattering endorsement of your official conduct cannot disprove facts and may prove a boomerang for themselves. G. Without touching on other mat ters brought out in the testimony, numerous witnesses testify that the man, 3Iilne, whom you characterize as a "crank" and who Dr. Corbett says is "morally insane," by which I understand he has a depraved nature which would not hesitate to gratify any passion or appetite, this man, for months, has been permitted to have a key which would open the doors of any of the femal3 wards or any room in those wards. He had such a key before he was allowed to go to North Carolina last year, how long is not known, and he obtained another which he says you gave him, when he returned last fall, It was so notorious that he had these keys, while he had a similar key to the male wards and thus go in and out of any ward in the building at any time, but none of the old employees seemed to think it worth while to tell you: as they all thought you knew it and permitted it. If these witnesses have testified the truth, to say nothing of the testimony about the infrequency of your visits to other wards, it shows your knowledge of what was going on in the institu tion to be very slight. It proved that you have been grossly negligent and culpably careless in watchimg over the unfortunate female patients entrusted to your care. ;There is nothing to show that Milne ever used or abused his op portunities, but the mind revolts at and the imiagination is sickened by the thought of what could have happened and w~hat may have haprened. Without taking these things for granted and removing you promptly, I submitt ed tbe testimony to the regents and to yourself. You did not ask me to redeem my promise, but addressed your reply to the regents; and when I offered again to give you a hearing you accused me of "-fault-finding" and un fairness; charged the committee with having prejudiced your case, and add: "It is oiily left for me to submit to the consequences which your letter in ad vance threa'ened against me." This is mere~ tritling, and you know it. 1 promised you a fair trial and am ready to give it to you, when, how and where you will, provided it is speedy. The law, as I have already said, allows me no option in judging your case my self, and, while you may feel a con tempt for "such a tribunal," the people, whose servant I am, must judge be tween us. I Leg to remind you in conclusion that I was informed by a mutual frieud last De.cembe-r "that it was your pur pose to re-sign ini the spring, but if you were to be~ hu-tiud out you would do so then." My reply was I knew no rea son why you should be removed at all and certainly no discourtesy would be shown you or your friends, and some newspap'ers caiarge that you are being persecuted, and that the investigation of the Asylum was instituted for the purpose of making room for some of my political adherents. I can only regret, as things have turned out, that for your own sake yoti have not iesigned before the stormr burst. I shall be glad if you can prove LIthat these things are not true, and wilt add that while I have necessarily beer on the lookout for your successor 1 have not found a man to my liking. It ii the most important ollice in the- state adc 1 wvouldl be the last man to allow jpolitical motives to iniluence my choice Yours respectfully, B. R., Tillman, Governor. r.COLL.\BIA, May 18, 1891 Dr P . Grilln, Superintendent Columbia. S. C.-Sir: I have waitee patiently to see whether you woulC make any reply to my letter of Maj 9th, or ask for a trial. None has come -Iand I am forced to conclude that you d< not wish such a trial. 1, therefore write toask that you senrd in your restig nation as superintendent of the Luna tic Asylum. Respectfully, ji. R. Tillman. Governor. Ti:e foll owing is Dr. Griflin's reply: OFFICE SOUTH CAROLINA LUNATIC) ASYLUM COLUMIA. S. C., May 20th, 1891. S To His Excellency, B. R. Tillman, Gov ernor: Sin: I have the honor to acknowl edge the receipt of your letter of the 18th inst., in which you ask me to ten der my resignation of the office of Su perintendent of the South Carolina L'i natic Asylum. This came to me while I was engaged in preparation of my reply to your com munication of the 9th inst., which had been duly received. It contained no in timation of any public exigency requir ing any especial haste, while the urgent and extraordinary demands upon me at the asylum during the Centennial week made it impossible for me to give to this matter aue and adequate con sideration. With this explanation I trust your Excellency will acquit me of any im putation of discourtesy to you or of any indifference to the statements pre sented in your letter of the 9th inst. A reply in detail to all the statement will be only a reiteration ot what has already been presented to you and to the pub lic, but there is one assertion to which I deem it my duty to call special atten tion. In section 4 of your letter it is stated that "all of the employes at the asylum had been appointed either by yourself or by the Regents without col or of law." Now, your Excellency must surely know that section 168i of the General Statutes enacts that -The Regents of the Lunatic Asylum shall form a body corporate in deed and in law, for all the purposes of the said institution, with all the powers incident to coporations, and that they are hereby authorized and empowered to make and establish all rules, regulations and by-laws for the government of the institution." The by-laws now in force, of which you have a copy, distinctly gives to the su perintendent the right to appoint and to discharge, with the consent of the Regents,all employees and subordinate officers, with the single exception of treasurer. If it be true that under a strict construction of the Constitution all the officers and employees of the lunatic asylum should be selected and appointed and subject to removal by the Goyernor, at his own will and pleasure, it only furnishes another rea son why the fundamental law under which we have been forced to live by a convention alien to the people should be reformed; for it is out of the ques tion that this institution can be suc cessfully conducted by agencies over which the Board of Regents and the superintendent have no control. In your communication of the 9th inst., there is only one other point that I deem it necessary to consider. The charges against me seem to be reduced to two specifications. First,the infre quency of my visits to certain wards, and second, my permitting one of the male patients to have a key which gave access to the female department. In reply to the first I can only repeat what has Lteen already published, that I re ceive early every morning written re ports from seven watches which show the condition of every ward at each hour of the night; that the matrons and supervisers make daily written and verbal reDorts of their respective de partments; that my assistant physician after the morning inspection gives me written and verbal reports of the con dition of the patients; that I am in daily consultation with them in regard to the treatment of the patients, visit ing those that need special attention; and that the by-laws wisely leave to the discretion of the superintendent the frequency or times of his visits of in spection. In referring to the second charge you state that "the man Milne, whom you characterized as a 'crank," and who Dr. Corbett says 'is morally insane;' by which I understand that he has a de praved nature which would not hesi tate to gratify any passion or appetite -this man was permitted for months to have a key which would open the doors to any of the female wards." In reply to this I beg to repeat my denial that Milne was permitted to have the key, or that he is morally insane in the meaning of having no sense of right and wrong, or of yielding to the blind impulse of brutal passion. On the con trary, during his confinement here, his deportment towards women has been uniformly proper, respectful and defer ential. It has been proven that in point of fact he was never on the wards except when employed in painting, and then always in the presence of the at tendant or of another painter hired to assist. It is also well known that the exterior doors are secured by inside boils which no key can operate. I feel confident that a calm and impartial consideration would show that there were really no "opportunities" which would cause "the mind to revolt or the imagination to sicken." As this charge is mainly supported by D~r. Corbett's characterization of Milne I beg to call your Excellency's attention to the ac companying letter to show how far you misunderstood or misconstrued his meaning. In yotir letter requesting my resigna tion it is stailed that you are "forced to conclude that you do not wish such a trial." The only trial offered me is one by the Governor. The by-laws of the Institution give the Regents the right to elect the Superintendent to hold his office at the pleasure of the Bioard. The Constitutio~n gives the Governor the power to appoint the Su perintendent "with the advice and con sent of the Sanate. I hold that these are the only two courts competent to try me. By the first I have been exon erated after thorough examination of the testimony; a trial by the Senate has not been offered. After mature consideration of the whole matter 1 feel constrained to de cline to tender my resignation while there are charges against me. 1 trust your Excellency will pardon the suggestion that there remain but three solutions of this unpleasant coni troversy: A withdrawal of the charges, or impeachment before the Senate of the State, or summary dismissal from oflice by the Governor. 1Ihave the honor to be, very respect fully, your obedient servant, I". E. GRIFFiN, Superintendent. TH'lE 31ILNE CASE. Enclosed in the letter was the follow ing: OFFICE Sor-ru CAn oLINA LUNA-rIC ASYLU3I, COLrMBIA, S. C., May 20th, 1891.) Dr. P. E. Grillin, Supt. S. C. L. Asylum, Columbia, S. C. DEAn Sin: I regret to note in the published correspondence between Gov ernor Tiliman and yourself that his Excellency, in quoting me as to the moral insanity of Mr. Milne, makes an application which I think will not be sustained by my testimony-certainly not by what 1 meant to convey. An explanation may not be amiss, for it is due the Governor that he be prevented, under a misapprehension, from doing injustice to any one; it is due to myself that my position be not misconstrued. Moral insanity is quite a different condition from moral depravity, and the one cannot be inferred from the oher. It is well also, to consider that there are various degrees and tenden cies of this affliction. I still hold my expressed opinion of Mr. Milne, and it is not inconsistent with these views to say that iti no sense and at no time has the safety of the fe male patients been endangered by the liberty you allowed him. There was nothin , in his history or reputation that would have caused the slightest uneasiness in that particular. Very truly yours, L. G. CORBETT. THE GOVERNOR'S ACTION. The above was received by the Gov ernor at his office at 1.52 o'clock. Gov ernor Tillman received it from the hand of his orderly, and, after barely glancing over it, saw that his request had not been complied with, and, laying it aside, he turned to his desk, picked up his pen and wrote the following: Dr. P. E. Griffin, Superintendent, Co lumbia, S. C. SIR: Your letter of to-day is received. As you leave me no alternative, I here by notify you that you are removed as Superintendent of the State Lunatic Asylum, and order you to turn over the office, etc., to Dr. Thompson. w ho will assume temporary contro!. of t he institution. Yours respectfully, B. R. TILLMAN, Governor. Upon completing this letter the Gov ernor then wrote the following, and after having them copied, enclosed them in envelopes and ordered them to be taken to the Asylum: Dr. J. L. Thompson-Sir: Dr. r. E. Griflin has been removed as superin tendent of the Lunatic Asylum. You will take charge of the office and as same the duties of superintendent until his successor has been appointed. Yours respectfully, B. R. TILLMAN, Governor. THE THIRD PARTY CONVENTION. Determined Opposition to the Formation of a Third Party. CINCINNATI, May 18.-The arrival to lay of delegates to the National Union Convention were numerous. Between Four or five hundred came in from Kan as, 100 from Kentucky and a good sized ontingent from Illinois, Iowa, Wiscon )in and Tennessee. Fully 1,000 mem bers of various Alliances and labor or ;anizations are here, and every train dds its quota to the throng. Five of the eight representatives in Congress From Kansas, Messrs. Otis, lover, Simp son, Baker and Davis are here. The Reform Press Association held a meetingat the Emory Hotel for the pur pose of forming a national organization, d arranging for an interchange of iews service. A conference was held between dele ;ates from New York and Boston, and hose of the Southern States looking ;oward the reaching of an understand ng that will enable the Northern and Southern wings to worK harmoniously )n the floor of the convention. Those >pposed to the formation of a third par y, however, are determined to carry heir point. Whether the representatives of the ranger and labor organiztions that!are athered here are to bring into existence third political party, or whether deli iate action is to be postponed until next =pring, when the policies of the two old arties shall have been more fully de veloped, are issues that will have to be ought out on tne floor of the conven ion when it assembles tomorrow. There s no question but that tonight the thit d arty men are running things to suit :hemselves. The Illinois, Iowa, Ne )raska, Minnesota and several other lelegations, however, will not get here antil the morning, and while they are :ounted upon to support the third party movement, the delegates of the atter are averse to counting their :hickens before they are hatched. "As goes Kansas, so will go the convention," as been a popular expression ever smne the first contingent of delegates put in m appearence,and the representatives of he Grasshopper State, after a caucus ~hat lasted several hours, decided late onight to support the organization of third party through thick and thin. An Exciting Scene. TA LLAHASSEE, Fla., May 1.-On the ueventy-seventh ballot last night the vote was: Call 52, Mays 44, Bloxhami l. When the name or Saulsbury of itrus County was called he sent to the lerk's desk and had read a copy of a petition from Hernando County ad iressed to A. S. Mann, Representative rom that County. asking him to vote for Call. He said that this petition had been sent to Mann by registered letter, mn that Mann had refused to take it From the postoffice, and that the citizens >f Hernando County had asked him to ave the petition read in the caucus. enator Kirk of Hernando replied to Saulsbury, and, becoming excited, de aonced a number of Call's friends and supporters, directing his epititets chief y at Frank Clarke of Polk County. Clarke replied to him, and Kirk, again taking theifloor and advancing towards ,he centre of the hall, called Clarke a iar. Clarke jumped from his seat, rshed at Kirk and dealt him a power ul blow behind the ear, which sent him sprawling over the press table, He held Kirk down with his left hand and was lealing him some hard blows with his ight, when the two were separated by irporter. Considerable disorder en sued. Finally quiet was restored, the coll call concluded and the caucus ad journed. Advice from thie Gallows,. Cr ATTANOOGA, Tenn., May 15.-Reu ben Ioore, a negro, 21 years old, was anged to-day at Trenton, Ga., at 1:45 p. m, for the murder of Henry Slade, a colored companion at Rising Fawn, Ga., on July 11, 1890. The hanging was public and was vie wed by 2,000 people. It was well advertised and the gallowsi was located so as to provide good points of observation for the crowd. The ne gro mada a long rambling address. ad vising the rising generation to avoid craps and whiskey, and to obey their parents. Hie held the noose in his hand while speaking and several times show ed it to the crowd, saying "whiskey brought me to this." He aujusted the rope around his neck and with the cry, "Oh Lord, take care of my soul" on his lips, he was dropped through the scaffold eight feet. is neck was not broken~ and death resulted from strangulation ini ten minutes after the drop fell. struck by a Stone and Killed. CINCINNATI, May 20.-Rev, HI. .J Hamilton, of Homestead, Penn., a dele gate to the Baptist Convention which is being held in this city, was fatally in jured about two o'clock this morning. While passing a building in course of erection near the corner of Walnut and Fourth streets, a large stone fell from the third story, striking him squarely on the head. He was removed to the city hospital where he died. Murdered for an Inheritance. LONDON, May 16.-The widow and son of a mine inspector of Dortmund, who died suddenly a short time ago, have been arrested on suspicion of hav ing caused his death. The evidence in the hands of the police is said to inidi cate that Keans was murdered for the akea of an inheritance TIlE THIRD PARTY. FURTHER PROCEEDINGS OF THE CIN CINNATI CONFERENCE. The Platform Adopted-A Lucky Caroll na Darkey-Some Dramatic Stage Play The Executive Coninittee Appointed The Colored Man and Brother. CINCINiNATI, May 20.-When the Con vention met this morning a choru: from the Farmers' Alliance song bool preceeded prayer by the Rev. Gilbe Delamater, the Greenback Ex-Con gressman. Delamater was roundly ap plauded when he rose to pray. Fre quent and earnest amens from the au dience punctuated the invocation, an( then the Kansas Glee Club regale( them with a humorous ditty. Report! from committees of arrangements anc credentials now helped to kill tim( pending the exciting development. that many looked for when the plat form committee was ready to report. A collection was taken to reimburs( Chairman Power, of the arrangemeni committee, 8365 which he had expend ed and on account of which he had re ceived only $36. The report of the credentials committee showed 1,417 del egates present. The larger delegation were: Kansas 407, Ohio 317. Indian 154. Senator Peffer was then presented t< the Convention as permanent chair man. An appeal was made from the platform for funds to pay the hom fare of a colored delegate from Souti Carolina. The delegate, Savage b3 name, came forward personally and it a clever speech said that the reason sc few of the colored organizations wer represented was that the colored peoph were too poor. It was perhaps as wel: for the Convention, he added, eyeing the hats that were being passed around for his benefit, that so few colored dele, gates came. He was handed hatfuls ol small change, and retired amid greal cheering for the Colored Alliance. The proposition to adopt a unit rul was overwhelmingly defeated on the ground that every man that came t( the Convention should have a vote anc have it counted. The five minute rult for speeches was adopted. A reces was taken until 2 p. m. When the Convention reassembled E letter from L. L. Polk, which was read advising this Conference to issue an ad dress and defer action on the Thirc Party till 1892, caused a breeze, an when a motion to refer it to the com mittee on resolutions was declared car ried there was a loud demand, notabl3 from the Minnesota delegation, that the negative be put more forcibly b3 the Chair. The demand was renewet and continued from time to time during the reading of a numller of miscellane ous telegrams. Ignatius Donnelly, chairman of the committee on resolutibns, climbed upo! the rostrum at this- juncture, and amid a whirlwind of excitement announced that he was there to report that the committee platform was a unit for the organization of the Third Party. H1 gave way to Robert Schilling, of Wis consinsecretary of the committee, whc read the platform as follows: THE PLATFORM. First. That in view of the great so. cial, industrial and economical revolu tion now dawning on the civilzed world, and the new and living issue. confronting the American people, w( believe that the time has arrived foi the crystalization of the political re form forces of our country and th< formation of what should be known a, the People's party of the United State. of America. Second. That we most heartily en dorse the demands of the platforms as adopted at St. Louis, Mo., in 1889 Ocala, Fla., 1890, and Omaha, Neb., ii 1891, by the industrial organization: there represented, summarized as fol lows: (A) The right to make and issut money is a sovereign power to bf maintained by the people for the com mon benefit, hence we demand the abo lition of national banks as banks 01 issue, and as a substitute for nationa bank notes be Issued in sufficient vol ume to transact the business of thi country on a cash basis, without dam age or especial advantage to any clas. or callings, such notes to be legal ten der in payment of all debts, public and private, and such notes when demand ed by the people shall be ]oaned t< them at not more than 2 per cent pei annum on non-perishable products, as indicated in the sub-treasury plan, and also upon real estate with proper limi tation on quantity of land and amoun1 of money. (B) We demand the free and unlimi ted coinage of silver. (C) We demand the passage of laws prohibiting alien ownership of lani and that Congress take prompt actiot to devise some plan to obtain all land: now owned by alien and foreign syndi cates, and that all land held by rail roads and other corporations in exces: of such as is actually used and needet by them be reclaimed by the Govern ment and held for actual settlers only (D) IBelieving in the doctrine of equa rights to all and special privileges t< none, we demand that taxation, nation al, State or municipal, shall not be used to Imuild up one interest or class a the expense of another. (E) We demand that all revenues national, State or county, shall be li mi ted to the necessary expenses of th< Government economically and honesti: administered. (F) We demand a .iust and equitable system of graduated tax on income. (G) We demand rigid, honest an< just nationel control and supervisiol of the means of public communicatiol and transportation, and if this contro and supervision does not remove the abuses now existing we demand Gov emnent ownership of such means o: communication and transportation. (H) We demand the election of th President, Vice-President and Unmtet States Senators by the direct vcte o the people. Third. Thbat we urge united action o all progressive organizations in attend ing the Conference called for Februar' 22, 1892, by six of the leading reforn or ganizations. Fourth, That a national central corn mittee be appointed by this Con ference to be composed of a chairman, to bi elected by this body, and af three men bers from each State represented to bi named by each State delegation. Fifth. That this central cornmitte< shall represent this body, attend th< National Conference on Februrary 22 1892, and, if possible, unite with tha1 and all other reform organizations ther< assembled. If no satisfactory arrange ment can be made this committee shal call a national convention not late> than June 1, 1892, for the purpose o: nominating candidates for Presideal and Vice P'resident. Sixth. That the members of the cen tral committee for each State wher< there is no independent political 0r ganization condnct an active system 0: political agit ation in their States. Additional resolutions, not part 0: the platform, were presented. The: recommended the favorable considera tion of universal suffrage; demande< that treasury notes paid soldiers b< made equivant to coin; favored ar eight-hour day, and condemned the ac tion of the World's Fair commission with reference to wages. . The name of the new party, "The People's Party of the Unite. States," elicited a magnificent outburst of ap plause, and as each plank was read the . cheering was renewed so frequently that the great hall seemed to rever - berate continuously. - When the resolutions recommending universal suffrage to favora~l1e consid eration and demanding pa, ment of bounties on a gold basis were read, the former met with rather a chilly recep tion, but the latter was roundly cheered. Schilling announced that the pension plank was left to the soldier member . on the committee with an inquiry - whether it was satisfactory, and on his . acquiescence it was adopted -unaal rmously. I Davis, of Texas, a lank six-footer in ; a light suit, who had electritied the L Convention during the Donnelly speech ) by a long weird whoop of exultation, ; was conducted to the platform, and to - the intense delight of the Convention repeated the unearthly Indian-llke trill. Then he announced himself as an Ex Confederate and declared himself for - the platform, every plank and every - resolution. An extraordinary spectacle followed. - Wadsworth, of Indiana, an Ex-Union soldier, rushed up to Ex-Confederate Davis in full view of the Convention and the two, at one time mortal foes, grasped hands. R. W. Humphrey, of Texas, organ izer of the Colored Alliance, seized with the inspiration of the moment, sud denly joined the ex-soldiers, and amid a perfect cyclone of enthusiasm a dele gate moved the adoption of the plat form as read. The Convention went wild and the delegates, mounting tables and chairs, were shouting and yelling like Co manches. A portion of the Convention, in thunderous chorus, sang to the tune of "Good-bye, my lover, good-bye," the words "Good-bye, old parties, good-bye," and then a doxology. In the forest of flags and State banners that had gath ered with their bearers around the trio, a Kansas man, on the shoulders of two colleagues stand on chairs, raised the Kansas banner and held it aloft above all the others. A tumult, surpassing in its remarka ble suddenness and vigor anything that had previously taken place in the Con vention, lasted fully a quarter of an hour, till it ceased from sheer exhaus t tion of the delegates. . Several delegates seconded the adop tion of the report, one suggesting it be by a rising vote, "Question! Question!" came from all parts of the hall. But the pent-up enthusiasm had to have i vent, and one after another of the ora tors relieved themselves, delegates from time to time calling on prominent men, Weaver, Willetts and others. "P:revious question," shouted dele gates, but it had no effect on an irre pressible Texan, who was bound to speak his piece. When he had finished the chairman's gavel fell like a trip hammaer, and order was finally restored. The platform proper, exclusive of the resolutions, was then adopted by a ris ing vote. Delegate Miller, of California, thrcw in a bone of contention by offering this resolution: - Resolved, That we favor the abolition i of the liquor traffic. The confusion became worse con founded. Fifty orators were clamor ing for recognition, but the first to suc - ceed was Schilling, of Wisconsin. He opposed the discussion of the question of prohibition at this time. Schilling declared that the resolution proposed by Miller had been fully con sidered and voted down by the com Smittee on platform. To spring it now -was plainly throwing a firebrand into the Convention, and in his opinion it Swas a deliberate attempt to cause a split -in the party. The pressure at this time for recog nition was extraordmnary. In despera tion the Chair proposed to give ten of the most vociferous delegates who were crowded about his desk clamoring for recognition one minute each, and a I hundred watches were pulled out to . make sure none of the speakers ex ceeded the sixty-second limit. - The prohibition amendment was overwhelmingly defeated. The resolutions were then adopted, with only. three dissenting votes. At this juncture J. B. Weaver re lievd Chairman Peffer, who was worn out with his fruitless efforts to pre serve order, and had, besides, to catch !the train for Washington. - Resolutions against trusts were choked off by a point of order raised by Schilling of Wisconsin, that all resolu - tions should be referred to the commit tee on resolutions without being read. Then the Convention got down to business again and the m-ntter of choosing the national committee was Staken up. - Chairman Weaver declared a wel - comc recess to enable the overheated, exhausted delegates to sit ct mnembers I of the national committee from their - respective States. .After the recess the roll of names was called for members of the national committee, the Convention adopting - the innovation of appointing three Smembers from each State, instead of aone [meunher, as the oand parties have done. Alliance Congressman .J. G. Otis, of Kansas. nominated 11. E. Tau benick, of Illinois, as chairman of the natknal executive committee. There was a great outburst of cheers when Tabeniek's name was mentioned. WV. R. Lamb, of Texas, secouded the nom iiation, saving he had watched TJaube nick's course and was satis1ied. Tiaube nick was chosen by acclamation. Loud calls for Taubenick finally brought him to the rostrum, where he made a brief, but very manly and mod - est speech, thanking the delegates. In conclusion he said they were standing on the brink of conflict between capital an.l labor and the longer the conflict was postpcned the worse it would be. "Our politicians," said he, "might as well try to stop the cyclone or move ments of the stars as to evade this - issue." A few moments of confused prepara tion for adjournment sine die ensued; then the chairman's gavel fell and the first convention of the People's party of the United States had passed into history. Th le following is the national - committee Arkansas-L B Featherstonle, Isaac Mc racken, J A Bush. alifornia-Marion Cannon, HI C Dillon, A G Ilinckley. -Connecticut-Robert Pique. Florida-W D Condon, L B3askins, J D Goss. pot Iowa-J B Weaver, M L Wheat, A J Westfield. Indiaua-C A Powers, Leroy Templeton, J D Comstock. Illinois-S N Norton, A J Str-eater, 11 E Taubenick. - Kansas-P P Elder. Levi Dumbauls, R Osborne. Kentucky-D L Graves, S C Smith, TV G Fallin. Louisiana-J J Mills, Dr Ri H Paine. Massa Pchdetts-G F Washburn. E G Brown, E M Boynton. -Michigan-Ben Colbin, Mrs S E V Em i ery, John 0 Beebel. SMinnesota-Ignatius Donnelly, C V Per Missouri-Paul .1 Dickson, J W Rogers, W 0 Atkinson. Maine-H S Hobbs, F A Howard, D W Swith. Nebraska-J H Edmondston, Wm Dy start, W H West. New York-Jacob 1 Stuler, Joel J Hoyt. Ohio-Hugh Pryer, i C 1H Cobb, 11 T Barnes. Oklahoma-Samuel Crocker, A E Light, John Hogan. Pennsylvania-R A Thompson, T R Ag new, Lewis Edwards. South Dakota-J E Hardin, H L Loucks, Fred Zeep. Texas-W R Lamfi, Thomas Maines, T H Davis. Tennessee-H P Osborne, J W J Kay, John W James. Winsonsin-Robert Schilling, Alfred Manhermer, A J Phillips. West Virginia-Luther C Shinn, George W Hamment, Thomas C Keeney. Wyoming-H B Settonstein, James A Smith, H D3 Merritt. District of Columbia-Lee Crandall, S A Bland, U J Schultio. MANY PERSONS KILLED. Destructive Work of a Missouri Cyclone. Life and Property Destroyed. MEXICo, Mo., May 20.-A terrifie onado passed three miles Northeast of this place this atternoon in the vicinity of Bean Creek. So far as heard from fifteen iouses in the vicinity of that place were Jestroyed, some ten or twelve persons killed. an equal number fatally and a Large number badly injured. At the iouse of a farmer named Duffy. John Dorger and family were living. James Dorger. aged 6, was killed outright. Lizzie Dorger was fatally hurt and died n a few minutes. Her skull was crush d and a large piece of timber penetrated er side. Mrs. Dorger was crushed to leath by falling timbers and Mr. Dorger was fatally injured. The house was mtirely swept away. Nothing has been ieard of Duffy and it is supposed that ms body was carried away by the cy :one. Duffy's barn was blown down mnd two horses killed. At the house of Win. Staraberry, Win. Tostranger and family were visiting. rhe house was swept away. Wm. Vostranger was killed, his wife badly nured, and his little girl fatally hurt. Wm. Stranberg was also fatilly injured. At the house of Ed. Norris. Gertrude letcher, daughter of R. S. Fletcher was stantly killed, E. B. Norris was fatally njured, Caleb Norris badly hurt, and .is wife seriously so. Willie Fletcher mad his sister Kate were instantly killed mnd their bodies horribly naugled. At the same place Mrs. Emily Seal. a idow, aged 60 years, was fatally hurt, mad Mrs. Norris. was killed, F. S. Nor is was badly hurt. The house of Valentiae Erdle caught fire duing the irst gale and was completely destroyed. he immates had vacated the house and obody was hurt. The house of T. B. lall was blown down, but the tamily -scaped. A horse standing in the road tt that place was picked up by the wind, :arried half a mile and dashed to death )n the ground. The house of Boston Kunkel was swept away and Mr. Kun tel instantly killed. A farmer named todgers was also killed at that place, tso a farmer named Crane. Several arm hEds in the vicinity of the Kunkel tad Rogers farms are also believed to nave been killed. Tneir names are un own. The cyclone passed on East passing Rush Hill, one mile North, carrying lestruction everywhere. There is no loubt that great destruction of property md life has oc.curred further East. Great rees were taken up by the roots and lown off. The scene at these places is norrile in extreme. The width of the :yclone was about 300 yards. and as far is heard from about twelve miles long. A Chip of the Old Block. WASHIINGTON, May 15.-Green B. [aumi, Jr., son of the Commissioner of 'ensions, and assistant chief clerk in he Pension Bureau, has resigned and nis resignation has been accepted. For some time past rumors affecting the of ical conduct of Raum, Jr., have found ;heir way to Secretary Noble, but not intil just before his departure for St. ouis, about a week ago, did be come nto the possession of facts that would warrant him in taking official action a the matter. Hie then learned that Laum, Jr., had been a party to certain rregular and unlawful proceedings in ~onnection with three appointments to inor positions in the Pension Bureau. ?emptrary appropriation to his own ses of $72 belonging to the govern meat is also charged against him. Young .Raumn was not inclinded to meet ;he demand for his resignation, but nis father, the commissioner, request d it of him and the father himself took *is son's resignation to the Interior De partment. T1he story published is to Lhe effect that a South Carolinan named Smith advertised in the daily papers ere offering to pay $200 to any person who would procure his appointment to place in the goverment ser vice at a salary of S50 monthly. Young Rlaum, using a colored man who ha d formerly been a servant in the Raum family, but was then employed in the treasury de partment, secured Smith's appointment o a place in the Pension Bureau and received his reward less a bonus to the egro. Later on Raum connived at Smith's promotion to a $1,200 clerkship by having a pension clerk named Jack son personate Smith in a civil service examination. For this Raum is also harged with receiving pay. The South Larolinian. Pension Clerk Jackson and the negro intermuediatory have also been isissed, also another pension offce lerk in some way connected with the uove described transactian. Will They Leave us Any Gold? NEW YORK. May 16.-The exports of pecie from this city during the week tmount to $7,940,786, of which $7,836, )36 was in gold, and $104,750 in silver, f the total $7,766,941 in gold and S94, 50 in silver went to Europe, and $639, )95 in gold andS$10,000 insilver to South America. The imports of specie :mount to $79,948, of which $11,940 was n gold and $61,008 in silver. The teamer Etruria, which sailed to-day, :ook $3,250,000 in gold coin, of which 1,500,000 was consigned to Liverpool, mnd $1,500,000 to London. The steamer La Champagne took $500,000 in gold oin, consigned to Paris, and $69,750 in siver to H-avre. School Children Kilied. BISmINGIIAM, May 1.-The coping f the new Henley school building ::el :his morning on the school children as :hey were entering the old building ad ioining and killed two of them and wounded four others, some of whom niav die. The dead children are named Myers and Odom. It is supposed the workman leaned over the wail to look it the cnildren below and the bricks ave way. A Fatal Mistake. BLOOMINGTON, ll., May 15.-At Stanford, in this county, J. A. and Sam L. Riley of that place and Berry Fow er ot Monticello took drinks from a bottle which they supposed contained whiskey, but which was filled with aconite. In a short time J. A. Riley mas ad and the other two will die. A NOBLE INSTITUTION. PROGRESS OF WORK ON THE CLEM SON COLLEGE BUILDINGS. The Erection of Buildings Commenced When Completed the Institution Will Accomodate Six Hundred Students When the Corner Stone wiU be Laid. WALIALLA, S. C., May 18.-It may be written down as an assured fact that the life-long desire of the late Thomas G. Clemson will meet with an enlarged fulfillment. The application of scientific knowl edge to practical agriculture was with kim a subject of deep study for many years. After retiring from public life and making his home at Fort Hill, he turned his attention to farming. Being accustomed to make whatever he un dertook a subject of thought and re search, he was naturally led to inquire by what means the agriculture of the country could be improved. As the re sult of his study and investigation he deliberately announced the conclusion that there could be no permanent im provement in agriculture without a knowledge of those sciences which per tain particularly thereto. This conclu sion was frequently expressed by him, both in public and private, long years before his death. Such being the fixed belief of his life he determined to de vote the bulk of his estate to the foun dation of an institution designed to im part to the farmer boys of the State that instruction which would best fit them for their hard and practical life. The devise conveyed to the State for this purpose the Fort Hill plantation the homestead of John C. Calhoun dur ing his long and distinguished career containing over 800 acres and some $80,000 in valid stocks and bonds. Af ter paying the legacy ($15,000) to Miss Floride Lee and the expenses incident to the litigation, the net amount turned over to the State by the executor was more than $60,000. The erection of the buildings has been begun by the Board of Trustees with the funds appropriated by the last two sessions of the Legislature, but their completion on the line projected will re quire a further appropriation by the next session. The granite foundation of the main College building is now being laid. This will be a very handsome building,three storles in height. The first story is fif teen feet high in the clear. On the first floor will be the President's office, with ample closets attached;treasurer's office, with large vault; chapel, assem bly room, two school rooms. In the front is a tile vestibule, 50x25x20 feet. The second story is fourteen feet in the clear. On this floor will be the library and three school rooms. On the third floor will be the auditorium with an ante-room, the Y. M. C. A. Hall and the two literary society halls. The dormi tory and mess hall will be a mammoth building. At first it was intended to make this building to accommodate 300 students, but the applications are com ing so rapidly and in such large num bers that the board of trustees at their meeting last week doubled the capacity and it will be made to accommodate 600 persons in comfortable style. It will stand three stories high, contain one hundred and fifty rooms, dining room, hall on every floor and a kitchen. ihe. main body ot the house is 238x46 fet while the two ells are 181x46 feet. The ventilation is perfect, there being two windows in each room and a transom above all the doors. It will be provided with all modern cnveniences, heated by steam and lighted by electricity. The excavations for the foundation of this building are being made and the expectation is that it, too, will be completed by the first day of next February. The laboratory is nearing completion. It is a large two story building, giving ample space in which to fit up all mod ern appliances for chemical and an alytical work and for Iceture rooms. There is a basement underneath ten feet deep. This is a handsome build-.. ing, the finishing touches of which will be made by the last of this week. The foundations of the mechanical hall have been laid and the wails have gone up about ten feet. This is 100x40 fee t, t wo stories high, with an elil100x40) feet one story high. It is in the shape of the capital letter T. The machine shops will be on the first floor, while the eli will contain the foundry d forge. The boiler room will be 28x2'%, feet. The stack from the boiler will stand 64 feet high. The roof of the hall will be self-supporting, thus making all. the floor surface available for wood working purposes. T wo profesrs'h huses have been completed. 'They are fine L-rick resi dences, two stories high. Ten more residences for the faculty are yet to be built. One of the ten will be built specially for the k'resident and one for the Secretary and Treasurer. The re maining eight and the two already built will be occupied by other members of thefaculty. The building for the experimemtal station is completed. This is an elegant one-story frame house, nicely painted, and presents an attractive appearance. All the granite required in the build ing is being quarried on the Fort Hill planation under the supervision of Mr. Henry A. Powell as foreman. Mr. John F. Calhoun of Due WVest, the oldest living representative of the Cal oun family, was elected by the Trus tees to take charge of the garden, mess hall, etc., of the College when it is opened. Tuesday, the 28th day of July, has been fixed by the Board for laying the corner stone with impressive ceremoni es. Three orators have been selected to deliver addresses on that occasion. They are Dr. L. S. Hopkins, President of the Technological Institute, Atlanta, Ga.; Hon. G. Lamb Buist of Charles ton, and Col. L.L. Polk. President of the National Alliance. The intention is to have it completed by the first day of - February, 1892, the day fixed for open ing. On July 29th, the day after the laying of the corner stone, the Board of trus tees will meet for the purpose of elect ing a full crops of professors for the College. There will be ten departments to be filled. The length of session will be ten months, beginning on the first of Feb ruary each year. The vacations will be taken during the winter months instead of the summer. The applications of students are com ing in rapidly. At the present rate the limit, (600, will soon be reached, and all applications thereafter will probably have to be reje.:ted. Hence the import ance of filing an application at once by him who desires to become a student at Clemson. The Calhoun residence has been re painted this Spring and such repairs made as are necessary for its preserva tion. As provided in the will of Mr. Clemson, thie resideence and the library of Mr. Calhoun will be sacredly preserY ed, without change or alteration, just asi they were during the days when South Carolina's greatest statesman walked and talked, read and wrote within those walls. The parlor and sitting room, with the pictures and furniture, are kept intact as they were ween occupied., by the Calhoun family. These room are open to all visitors.-Walhalla Corier.