The Manning times. (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, May 08, 1895, Image 1

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VOL. X. IANNiNG,4 S. C,~ WEDNESDAY, MAY 1.4 1895. THE EW. EF1ELD TRAGEDYl THE EVIDENCE GIVEN BEFORE THE CORON ER'S JURY. Wounds Given ta the Dead MIan's Body In dicate a Third, Unknown. Partiipafnt Cause of the Feud Jones Visited In Jail and Talked With. EDGEFZELD C. H., April 25.-The tragedy which occurred in Edgefield yesterday morning, causing the death of Mr. John C. Swearingen.a brother in-law of Senator Tiflman, at the handsof. his brother-in-law, Mr. Ben L. Jones, which was the outcome of a bitter family fued of years standing, was a, most lamentable affair. This cannot be fully realized until one visits the picturesque section of hilly Edgefield, wherein the residences of the deceased and the slaver command a masrnificent view of t'he surround ing country for many miles; two homes within sight of one another, yet with a oulf made by human blood and a'worla of suffering yawning be tween-them. At one home today lay the dead body of the slain man, rid dled with bullet holes. Around it were kathered a sobbing widow, a blind son and two young daughters, who idolized their parent. Outside, preparations for a funeral were in pro gress. Many friends of the deceased with abrow-giatked faces were about. At th otber home, so near, was the lone sister of the slain man; she who is thelwife of the slayer. Who shall say that the agony here is not equal if not-greater than in'the other home? Weage talking of the sad tragedy on every ide-.and all express regret. The fetid which culiminated in the killin' is of lho- standing. It dates back fthe oposition of the deceased to Jones marrying his sister. The im mediate cause of the killing was cer tain atgbtoU -the part of SweAringen on Mondar last in Augusta. Some time ago Swearingen was arrested at the instance. of Luther Jones, and it was shown,'it is said, that Swearingen cut fepce rails and.put them in a road used bjthe'Joques so as to ruin one of Luther horses. . Swearingen was found guilty and sentenced to pay a fine of $69or serve six months on the county.gaing. He, however, vigor ously protested that he had placed the rails ou his land in a safe and proper mann - . Monday $Wearingen came to Augusta in search of a negro, Jim Davis, who had worked for the Jones family, but had moved to Augusta di rectly aftei, the occurrence. Davis when found swore before a magistrate that Swearingen was not to blame, that the rails had been scattered by Luther Jones and Walter and Robert Samuels and that afterwards these parties collected the rails, poured kero sene on them and burned them. Swearingen took the negro back tc Edgefiel'.withhim, as he said to vin dicate himself. The rest is explained in what was said sit the fatal meeting. Mr. Jones, it is said,, came originall from Texas. He sbme-fears ago killed a negro in Edgefield county, was tried and acqui Mr.Sw gri''I's funeral was held this afternoo'r and the remains were interred in the churchyard near the old some of Senator Tmnan, five miles from his late home. As to the positions ofkiaen w*hen the shoot mng occ ctit might be said, tha1 Sweari '~' -standing in the stori door, a oteright. Jones, th4 younge inside near the counter on tef -dside, considerably be hind Swearagen. Mr. Ben Jonessa on the (ps'ement in front facing Swearingen. Swearingen after bemns hit stepped ' behind the right hant counter, waiked .some nine feet, turn ed, camie back ind fell dead onhis -face in Vhe-.corner near the show win dow. e:pos'tions indicate that the shot referredto below in the windov~ sill came iro~m young Jones and als< that the bullet in the brain came fron hispisto Thisismerely a supposition however' bsed ~on'. the- relative posi tions cf. tAe~ men 'and the consequen directidni& Whether the lad did an' shooting or niot and where the blam< rests for the-starting of the affair ar unsettle tions which a jury .o Mr. Jones' copntry-mea .will have.:ti decid1e. 'L. - Immediatel~y after Trial Justice I. G.- Bell, w o was acting as coroner had the ~~dbody placed on a stretch er and removed to the court house, h summoned a jury and the inquest b4 gan, Dr. Devore hastily iBaking tb medical sexamnination-too hasfily, a will beseeni below.- The evidence at duced at the inquest thus held was a follows- V. Dr. C. P. 'Devore said: I am practicing physicisin of Edgefield cour tv. I e amdth edbd John C. Swearingen ;death was cause by a ganishot wound entering at tF upper Thrgin of the right ear an Spenetrajtig the :.poster~Ior portion(c the raig '4nd a smal-l glancin sh~t o:. breast. irot sufficient t produceairf injury. In my opio the gunshot wound in the head woul have produced death. I found a fies wound dyer th.e eye not caused by gunshots -- W. B. 'Sheppard, who was in ti store said: I was in the store, but ha gone down into the cellar before ti shooting took place and was in the ce lar when. the shooting took plac< Jim Carter, Hugh Anderson and Li ther Jones were in the store.I thoug] there might be a difficulty in the stor and went down into the cellar. Sa Mr. Ben Jones come up; did not het him say anything. Luther Jones an Mr. Swearingen were having son pretty hot words. Mr. Swearimge was standing in the front door. James Carter, a clerk in the stoi and an eye-witness, said: I saw 31 Swearingenl in the front door. I sa Mr. Ben Jones walk up. Mr. Swea ingen and Mr. Luther Jones were tal. ing. Luther Jones said to Mr. Swea gen: "I suppose you say that I buri those rails." Mr. Swearmngen said: don't care to be bothered with voi you are beneath my notice." Albo that time Mr. Ben Jones walked u He said: "I am here; if you want talk to.anybody, talk to me." Luth Jones hadno more to say. Mr. Swet ingen threatened to pull a pistol something. Mr. Jones said:"P her if you want to.' Who fired flu is hard to say. I think Mr. Sweari gen pulled his pistol first. The firu then began. I know that Mr. Swes ingen fired. I was sitting there on t. counter and stayed there till the whc thing was over. Mr. Swearengen fir only one time. C. H. Anderson was in the stor He was another eye-witness. He se Mr. Carter and W. Sheppard. N~ Swearengenl came in the front door. saw Ben Jones walk up from acr< the steet Mr. Swearingen stood the door a short while and Luke Jones savs: "I suppose you said I burned those rails. If you say so you are a liar." About that time Mr. Ben Jones walked up and Mr. Swearingen says to Luther Jones: "You are beneath my notice." Mr. Ben Jones spoke to him and said: "I am here to take his place." Swearingen threw his hands on his hips and Mr. Ben Jones says, "pull it," and repeated it a time or two, and about that time firing began. I believe Mr. Ben Jones killed Mr. Swearingen. When the firing began I was on the counter, but don't know who fired first. Saw both pistols in their hands. After the inquest had been adjourn ed and the jury had ren dered a verdict that Swearingen had come to his death by gunshot wounds inflicted by B. L. Jones, it was found upon a further examination of the dead body that there were several other wounds, two being in the back. This developed the fact that six bullets had been fired other than than the one fir ed by Mr. Swearingen, and a new phase of the case was presented. The facts indicated that Mr. Jones' young son had been a party to the shooting It was to investgate this feature of the case that Acting Corner L. G. Bell re assembled the jury and proceeded with a further investigation today. The proceedings were held in the county court house. Dr. Devore this morning testified as follows: The wound described yester day to the jury was not correctly de cribed. It entered the front of the body about one inch below the upper end of the sternum and passed along just beneath the skin to the point of the right shoul der and lodged just under the skin. where it was cut out. In addition to these two wounds, I found one on rear of *body entering three inches to to left of the spinal column. passing entirely through the body and lodged just under the skin about three quart ers of an inch below the lower end of sternum., I found another wound, the ball entering about three inches to the rear of the axillary space, passing for ward into the throatic calvity. I cut out two balls: two balls remain in the body. The ball in the spinal column I think entered between the tenth and eleventh ribs. The balls extracted are of same calibre. Mr. D. T. Grice saw a pistol, a small Smith & Wesson, in Jones' hand af ter the shooting and told Mr. Jones to surrender it to the sheriff. He did not see any pistol in Luther Jones' hand. Mr. Carter testified when recalled that Luther Jones was a little in his rear. If Luther had a pistol he did not see it. Luther did not change his position during the shooting. . Mr. Anderson, when recalled, said the firing was over in fifteen seconds he supposed. I did not have my eyes on Luther Jones. I was watching Ben Jones and Mr. Swearingen. I did not see any one shoot after Mr. Swear ingen turned to ro behind the counter. I saw where a >al hit the window frame. A man outside could not have placed the ball there. The ball which went through the shoe box must have been fired from within two or three feet of the store. At this juncture, owing to the fact that several of the witnesses could not be'secured in time, the acting coroner adjourned the inquest till tomorrow morning. Public opinion here is very much divided on this case. Jones has employed to defend him Messrs. Simup kins and Sheppard Bros. Mr. J. 'W. Thurmond has been engaged to- assist the solicitor in the prosection of Mr. Jones. It is hard to tell what the outcome willbe. Again there are some who seem to think that the family -feud has not yet been buried, for there are brave and determined men on both sides. It is certainly to be hoped Sthat the p resent lamentable tragedy will end the matter. Jones' young son will very likely be sent up for trial, but that will like ly be all. It has been discovered thai Mr. Jones' pistolis not in evidence, nor does any one know where it is. Mr. Jones stated to the sheriff that il Shad been handed to a friend immedia Stely after the stooting. Now it has been proven that six bullets, other 'than the one fired by -the deceased were fired. If Mr. Jones' pistol .wa a five-shooter the lad would come int4 ,the case in a serious light. No -pisto -was on the lad so far as the-evidene ashows, or so far as any one that I car find knows. -I calledat the jail to see Mr. Jones SHe is a handsome, distinguished look~ 1-ing man. I never saw a cooler or mor determined-looking man. As far a appearences went he gave not the shi ghtest outward concern about th L-the tragedy. His son was sitting nex fto him and both were in the jailer's of dfice. The boy is a counterpart of hi efather as far as determined appearane does. Mr. Jones was most courteous f Ie said he had walked across the stree to the jail and delivered himself to th ~,sheriff. He said he did not care t< ,talk of the case as his attorneys hai dinstructed him not to do so. He thank hed me for the offer to publish an: astatemeut he might make. He talke< pleasantly about many matters of get .eeral interest and really made one for dget that he was charged with so ser .eious an offense. E. J. WATSON. Its siver Lining. PARIS, April 23.--The Journal De Deaspblishes a report of an intei view with Mr. Sone Arasuke, Japanes 'aminister to France, upon the results Sthe Chino-Japanese wvar. The mini ter declared that European trade woul be unable to withstand the competito: of Japan. This, however, he said, wi purely a pecuniary queston and coul be modified in accordance -'with th2 -accordance with the adoption by Eui -opean counties of a bimetal ic standar or the retention of the existing stand Sard. Japan, he said, does not proje< any conquests. Her one ambition itto advance in the path of progress an -Idevelop the trade and industries of th ~countras she has recently acquirec The fear of Spain that Japan will el tcroach upon the Phillippine Island; the mimister said, are groundles: erJapan is perfectly satisfied with ti rpossessioni of Formosa. A Ship on Fire. ll NORFOLK. April 24.-The Britis tst teamship Bunbeth. Capt. MacKenzi -- from Galveston to Liverpool. has ju gg arrived and reports that at 6 o cloc .r-last evening she sighted a vessel net ee Hatteras on fire. which p)roved to be e sailing vessel, with foremst and yai dd standing, but which soon went by tI board, heaving the vessel a mass . .flames. It was impossible for any hi s ing being to remain on board. It :r thought that the otticers and crew we I saved by a schooner near-by. TI as name of the vessel could not be asce WfHAT TH E DOCTORS DID. A MOST SUCCESSFUL MEETING OF THE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. Interesting Papers Read by several Doc tors--The Death Rate Among Negroes. Officers Elected---Those Who Were Present. COLUMBIA, April 26.-The State Med ical Association adjourned yesterday afternoon after one of its best and most profitable meetings. Theattend ance during the entire session has bma larger than usual and all express themselves as much pleased with the results of the meetings. Quite a num ber of practical matters were discussed and the members generally participat ed in the debates. The session opened yesterday morn ing at 10 o'clock and one of the first things taken up was the matter of in creasing the annual dues from -3 to 1,5, but the physicians decided that it was best to let well enough alone-which was .3. Dr. P. G. DeSaussure of Charleston, read two excellent palers. The first was on "Puerpal Fever," which was illustrated by a number of interesting cases and Dr. DeSaussure then took up the question "The Future of the Negro in the United States." In addition to a medical review of the matter, lie show ed that he had made a careful research and gave some interesting facts and figures from the records of the Charles ton health department. The statistics extend from 1860 to 1887 and show that during that time the average colored population of Charleston was 28.730 and for the same time there were 8,932 deaths, 6.309 birthsand thisdid not in elude 900 still births. The same period forabout the same proportion of whites showed 3,.;95 deaths and 3,854 births. From 1587 to 1S94 showed the deaths of 9,604 among the negroes. The discussion that followed the reading of the paper brought about statements from Dr. Evans of Flor ence, Dr. Kollock or Charleston, Dr. Kennerly of Edoefield, Dr. Porcher of Charleston and1r. Patterson of Barn well. The general drift of their re marks was that there was a very large proportion of the death rate among the negroes due to syphilis and con sumption. These physicians further argued that prior to the emancipation of the negro these diseases were prac tically unknown among the colored people. Some of the statements of the physicians were of the most startling nature as to the growth of these dis eases among the colored people. Dr. Simon Baruch, the eminent New York physician, who was pres ent as the society's guest, read a most interesting paper on dyspepsia. He spent considerable time in reviewing the various classes of this trouble which he insisted is now to be regard ed as only a symptom of disease. He outlined in detail his course of treat ment of the various troubles that came under this class and gave the attend ing physicians some valuable sugges tions as to gastric trouble. His paper provoked a great deal of discussion and altogether was one of the most in terestino of the session. Dr. darl Von Rock of Asheville. was extended the courtesies of the floor and participated in the general debates. An invitation was received from President Woodrow to visit the South Carolina College and inspect the vari~ ous classrooms, laboratories, infirmary and other buildings at the college. This kind invitation was received with thanks. Dr. Manning Simons read a very in. teresting and instructive paper or "Floating Kidney," a subject only re cently explored by Edibold Johinstor of Richmond, and Dr. Rabb Morris, of New York. His paper stated that ac cording to Edibold, in 500 cases exam ied by him in gynaecological clinic one out of every six cases was comphi cated with "Iloating kidney.". Dr. Simons explained his technique in op eration for such cases and stated thal in nephrotomy the fatality was only about 5 per cent. The afternoon session convened witli Dr. McKie, president, in the chair. After preliminaries, Dr. C. M. Ree! read a paper on "Movable Kidney, somewhat similar to that of Dr. Sim ons, at the morning session, but witi difference in detail of operative proce dure. Dr. Dean of Spartanburg, read th< report on obsterics, after which Dr. Edward F. Parker, of Charleston, ex hibited a number of very unique ana tomical specimens. Those of especia interest beinaoa spina bipidic monstros -ity, a craniaf bone of a negro of on< Sand one-eighth inches thickness and Ispecimen of bone development afte: - resection. Discussion was engaged ni sby Drs. Porcher, Rees, Baruch, Moore ollock and others. The nominating committee repor-te< tas follows, otlicers for the ensumns Syear: President-Dr. J. L. Napier. t Vice Presidents-First, Dr-. T. TI . Earle: second, D~r. T. A. Crawford - third, Dr. W. J. Gar-ner. Corresponding Secretary-] r. E. .1 -Parker. - Recording Secretary-Dr. W. 1 . Porcher. Treasurer-Dr. C. M. Rees. Delegates to American Medical As sociation-Drs. T. J. McKie, L. C. Stc s phens, T. A. Crawfor-d, J. A. Mood - B W. Taylor. J.- F. Culpepper-, Jana E L. Pope, C. P. Osteen. G. TI. Swanm - dale, R. G. Witherspoon, \V. G I Houseal. 1 Invitations for next meetimg wer a received from Spartaniburg and Barti I well. Spartanburg carrir-d the da: aid the association will meet there o: -the fourth Wednesday of April. 18;% On motion of Dr. (Garner, seconde -by Dr. Lowvman, a resolution< t thanks was extended to the Columbi s Medical Society for their uniforr d courtesy and magnificent hospitahit accorded the association. The assoc - ation then adjourned... '~The following physicians attende ~'the sessions of the association. -N. Y. Alford, Sumter. e Thos. P. Bailey, Georgetown. S. B. Baker, Sumter. J. R. Bratton, York. b. R. Andr-al Bratton. York. .F. W. P. Butler, Edgefield. tt T. A. Crawford, York. k J. R. Culbertson, Laurens. rr E. F. Darby, Sumiter. a P. G. DeSa'ussure. Charleston. d W. HI. Dial, Laurens. ee T. M. Dubose, Columbia. ff F. M. Dwight, Sumter. -'-James Evans. Florence. is John Forrest, Charleston. 'e Davis Furmian, Greenville. e W. J. Garner, Darlington. r- R. B. Hlannahian, FairfIield. G. w Ilenitah Spartanburg. W. G. Houseai, Newberry. 1. S. Isemar.. Georgetown. J. M. Josey, Dorlington. F. ). Kendall, Columbia. J. C. V. Keanerly, Edgefield. .J. F. Kenny. Marlboro. Cornelius Kollock, Charleston. C. W. Kollock, Charleston. S. S. Linder. Fairfield. Jos. D. Lockwood. Charleston. W. R-. Lowman. Orangeburg. Thos. 'McCoy, Laurens. C. W. MeGahan. Aiken. Thos. J. MeKie, Edgefield. F. H. McLeod, Florence. J. Rt. McMaster.' Fairfield. J. C. MeMillan. MIarion. J. A 3eldan. Barnwell. E. Miller. Florence. J. A. 'Mood. Sumter. A. A. "Moore. Kershaw. G. W. Morall. Barnwell. J. L. Napier. Marlboro. W. H. Nardin, Anderson. C. P. Osteen, Sumter. F. L. Parker, Charleston. E. L. Patterson, Barnwell. 1). S. Pope. Richland.. W. Perre Porcher, Cliarleston. C. M. Rees. Charleston. M. G. Salley. Orangeburz. P. F. Salley, Sumter. Manning Simons. Charleston. T. Grange Simons. Charleston. J. C. Spann. Sumter. L. C. Stephens. Barnwell. W. F. Strait. Barnwell. J. P. Simpson. Laurens. C. R. Tabor. Orangeburg. A. N. Talley, Richland. B. W. Taiylor, Richland. .1. L. Thompson. Richland. V. 11. Timmerman. Edgetield. W. P. Tinimerman. Edgefield. S. P. Watson, Marion. D. I{. Walker. Berkeley. Yesterdav afternoon the physicians attending the meeting spent a delight ful afternoon as the guests of the Col lege for Women. IDr. Atkinson and his family, as well f's the bright young ladies made everything as pleasant as possible for the visitors. At 10 o'clock. the Columbia Medical Society tendered ai supper to the visit ing phvsicians. The spread was given at*the Grand Central Hotel. The doc tors during their smoke had a few "short talks" by way of farewell. Dr. Kennerly had a little speech for his brethren and paid a tribute to his friend, Dr. DuBose. Dr. Taber made a bright little talk, in which his natu ral brightness shone out. Dr. Baruch closed the talking with a request that the physicians of the State stick to their organization and subscribe to and read their medical magazines. The physicians will Yeave the city on the early trains and will be welcome here whenever they return. OFFICIAL POLITICIANS. President Cleveland Goes Back on his Civil Service Record. Washington, April 24.-A strong and rigorous fight against the free ana unlimited coinage of silver independ ent of international agreement, is to be made by the administration. With that end in view oflicers of the various executive departments appointed -under the present administration are being urged to organize systematically for the purpose of conducting the contest along the lines laid down in the Presi dent's message. Many of the higher officials. who enjoy reputations at home as stump speakers, will prob ably take to the field early in the summer and others are even now en~ gaged in writing letters to their local papers or personal friends, impressing upon them the importance of sustain ing the administration in the positson it has outlined. Federal officers in the several States will be organized as a nucleus about which all who uphold the administration or rather, who are opposed to the free and unlimited coin age of silver, will be expected to rally. There are nearly 200,000 governmen1 officers, postmasters. internal revenue officers, customs officers, district attor neys and innumerable contractors scattered throughout the country. These will be expected to do the ag ressive lighting in that field and wil. e amply furnished with documentb and the necessary sinews of war fromf XWashington. Nearly all the cabine1 officers will take the stump for one o1 more speeches. Secretary Carlisle will certainly make two or more speechef in the Kentucky campaign. Secretary Morton . will deliver an address it Chicago and perhaps one in St. Louis. Secretary Herbert and Congressman Clarke will probably speak in Alabama Postmaster General Wilson is being urged to go West and speak in Ill inois and Indiana and miay find time to do so late in the summer. The President is represented as be ing thoroughily in earnest in the _pro posed crusafde against free and unh mit ed coinage of silver, and will have n< stone unturned 10 preventi the f ree sil ver sentiment from gaining headwa: and to crush it out if possible. As taril reform was the test of party fealty iu his campaign for the presidential nom ination, active support of his demanm for the repeal of the Sherman pulrchas ing clause -the test of party fealty n 194. so in 189i5 the test of party fealt. will be unconmpr'omising opposition t the free and unlimited coinage o silver by the United States independ ent of international agreement. Pei fected State organizations with tin: end ini view are now being~ formne and these organizations will be extend ed to the counties. - To lie Shot. SST. Luoos. A-pril 24.-A special frot the City of MIexico says that the Si. preme 'Court of the State of Oaxac has allirmied the sentence of deat passedl by the District Court agaim~ eight prlison~ers held for- the murder C iCount lanztano, a wealthy Italian nc bleman, killed at his hjiacienda nean tthe City of Mexico by robb1er-s over ~year ago. Three others accused C copiicity in the assassination-hav been released from euisto)dy. The cas will now go to the 1st division of th Court foi- final r-evision, after whic the prisoners will be legally shot lnothing new is discovered ini the te: timour. Another Muirder. Hofn:.A PATr, April 2.-Tril Ju! tice J-. J. Trussell held an inquest ov< the body of Josh Bigby who was kille Saturday night by Jlohn 31e~aha. an te verdict was that the deceased can to his death by a gun shot wound ii icted by . lhn 31e iaha, and that E Johnson and Jaspier Hlanna were a< eessaries before the fact. MIcGab surrendered to tihe shierill and Et JohnIson anid .Jasper H anna were a rested and sent to jail. All partat cntnected with it are white. The pa ties had beenl to Anderson and wei drinking and ligh ting all the way fr-oz town, and they h ad about reache TEN THOUSAND FAMILIES Will Soon Move from the State of Indiana to Georgia. ATLANTA, April 23.-Ex-Governor Northern in an interview today, stated that he is now beginning correspon deuce to arrange details for the trans portation of the household goods and stock belonging to the membrs of the Indiana soldier colony, that he has recently located in this State. Governor Northern has been in per sonal conference with some railroad officials and in correspondence with others, looking to the best arrange ments for the transportation of these people. The deal has been finally closed for the pu-chase of 100,000 acres of land for settlement and the parties are now only waiting for the title pa pers to begin the survey -f the lands. These papers will soon be perfected, the Governor says, and then the work will begin. The colony is the largest ever organ ized in this country and one of the grandest ever conceived in the world. It consists of more than 10,000 families and wil bring into this State upwards of 40.000 persons. One may appreciate its size when lie understands that this number of persons is about equal to a city of tle population of Macon or Au gusta and to three of our average counties. This organization is the creation of Mr. P. I Fitzgerald, editor of the American Tribune of Indianapolis. Its plan is lie result of years of thought and has been quietly worked out to a successful and marvelous issue. Briefly stated, this plan is to form a mutual colony, in which every share participates in the affairs of the com munity and has a proportionate inter est in all profits. No one cn hold more than ten shares of steck, the shares being $10 each. The holder of one share is entitled to make a loca tion of land for his home and all lands taken must be for the purpose of liv ing thereon. At the centre of the tract ofrland selected for the settlement of the colony, 1,200 acres will be laid off into streets for a city, the remainder of the land to be divided into gardens and farms. Every other lot and farm will be reserved for the general profit ex pected in the sale of land after im provements will have enhanced its value. These lands will be divided out by allotment. The colonists get their holdin-s at the original cost of the land. Thev are charged with the price of their holdings and it is expected that the profits will clear off the indebted ness within six years. There will be. therefore, no outlay by the colonist for the land he holds. Governor Northern has in hand oth er colonies of less, size, one having an option on 15,00) acres of land in lower middle Georgia. Arrangements for settlement by this colony will soon be perfected. Governor Ncrthern says: "The in quiries, as well as the actual settle ments made in this State, indicate a large increase of population a reat in flow of good people. Recent develop ments in fruit growing and stock rais ing, together with the unusual trans portation facilities found in this State are attracting attention from people at the North and West, who are seeking better conditions for such pursuits in a mild climate, among hospitable and law-abiding people." Horrors of a Mexican Jail. HoUsToN, Tex., April 2.-John H. Manly, a locomotive engineer. who recently escaped from the coal mined about eight miles from Monterey, Mexico, is in the city. He said: "I was born in Lexington, Ky., where my father was well known. Years ago I went to Mexico as an en gineer on the International road. About seven years ago we backed oui of a siding and ran over and killed Mexican peon. At the next stationr our crew were arrested and throwr into prison. We were refused inter course with friends. Then, withoui any trial, we were taken to Mine No. 9, near Monterey.' There are stil twenty or thirty Americans there. We could not communicate with the outside world. One night last Janu ary our guardgot drunk on smugled whiskey, adItook a chun~k o: coal and smashed in his head, sum moned my companions, Billy Hughe my fireman, Billy Clark the conductor and Frank Godwin and Billy Stillwel the brakemen,- all Americans. W< slipped up behind another guard ani knocked him in the head and droppet his body to the bottom of the shaft 222 feet below. Taking the pistola -off tihe dead guards, we struck for thi mountains and traveled only by night with stars as our guides, avoiding al -villages and railways. We,,walked three wearv- months, living off roots herbs and an occasional rabbit. Abou twelve years ago I saw John Reynold shot for- having killed a Mexican ii self-defense. Reynolds was from Sy -racuse, N . . and was only 16 year: old. Some of the prisoners in Min -No.-9 have been contlined twenty year and none of them ever had the sem -blance of a trial. Manley tells th is sto'y in a straight forward way and impresses one wit. the tr-uth of his statements. lie say -thait treatment accorded the prisoner is worse than i.n Siberia. The Colored Miiitia. CoLLBam, S. C., April 25. -The foi lowing military order was issued yes terdav: Special order No 12: Tihe Frst Brigade of National Guard is hereby consolidated and will hereal 1telr be k'nown as the First Regimen of Infantry, National Guards, and wil be composed of the following con imands, to wit: "Car-olina Lighdt Infanmtry, Capt. J. A Douglass Light Infantry, Capt. E. J rWeston commanding. Hunter Volunteers, Capt. Isaac Fe] guson commawnding. Governor's Riule Guards, Capt. E W. Dea-s commanding. Mishaw Rifle Guards. Capt. T. XX Smithl commnanlding. Southi Carolina \olunteers, Capt.] G. Allan commanding. Garrison Light Infantry, Capt. Jet WXilliams commanding. Beaufor-t Light Infantry. Capt. G ~-A. Reed commanding. r Sumner Rifle Guards. Capt. B. E~ d Ihouston commandinig. d Capital City Guards, Capt. .J. 1 e Nowell commanding. - Carolina Guards, Capt. J. W. Lar i conmmanding. Col. W. Ii. Robertson is hereby aj a pointed colonel of Fir-st Regimentc . National Guards and wvill be obeye -and respected accordingly.. s By or-der of the conmmander-i-chlief. -- ~ J. Gary Watts. e Adjutant and Inspector- General. 11 Oficial: d W. W. Bruce, Asst Adj. and Ins. Gen. ONLY HALF OF A CROP. THE COTTON WHICH HAS BEEN PLANTED IN THIS STATE. Interesting Weekly Bulletin of Director Bauer on the Condition of the Weather and the Crops-What He Says. COLUIBIA. S. C., April 24.-The fol lowing weekly bulletin of the condi tion of the weather and the crops throughout the State during the past week will be read by all classes with the greatest degree of interest. The re port which was issued by Director J. W. Bauer yesterday, shows that ip to date only half of a cotton crop has been planted: The week was not entirely a favor able one for growing crops, or farm ing operations. It was too cool to be good growing weather, the minimum temperature having fallen below the active growing ternnprature on four nights of the week over a large por tion of the State. In the western, northern and northeastern counties field work was interrupted by rain for several days, as the ground was too wet for cultivation, and some bottom lands already planted were flooded. The latter part of the week was more favorable. Wind following the heavy rains, baked and crusted the ground, making it hard for sprouted seed to come up. The first portion of the week to, and including Friday. was much colder than normal, the daily departure av eraged 8 degrees below fo~ five days: during the Tast two days the tempera ture was slightly in excess of the nor mal. Early in 'the week the nights were quite cald with threatened frosts, but other conditions were not favora ble for frost formation until the 19th, by which time it had become some what warmer, vet on that morning many places reported a light frost and some a heavy one, with no apparent damage resulting. The highest tem perature reported during the week was 92 degrees recorded at Cheraw on the 21st; the lowest 34 at Greenville on the 16th. The weekly mean for the State was about 60 degrees, while the normal for the same dates is approxi mately 64.2 degrees. There was rain on the first two days of the week which was quite general over the State, but varied largely in amount in different localities, being heaviest in the northern and central counties where the rainfall amounted to from 1.25 to 2.75 inches; in the southern and southeastern counties the rainfall ranged from 0,50 to 1.30 in ches. In places the'storm was accom panied by heavy hail and high winds. There was a severe tornado m New berry that did considerable damage to buildings and trees, but crops were not far enough advanced to be in jured. Where the rains were heaviest it did much damage by washing new ly plowed hillsides;bottom lands were also rendered too wet for cultivation. After the first two days, the sky was practically cloudless the rest of the week, giving somewhat more than an average of sunshine. Cotton planting has been actively pushed over the entire State as thE weather permitted, but as yet scarcely more than half of the crop has been put in the ground, considering the en tire State. In the eastern portion it i nearly completed, while just fairly be gun in the western portion. Germmna tion is slow owing to cool weather. Son planted in M~arch not yet up. The general opinion seems to be thai there will be less planted this year than last.. Corn planting is'nearly comnpleted on the uplands and the stand of tha1 that is up is good in places, fairly good. generally, and not poor any where. Some replanting necessary owing to washed lands, oirds and pos sibly poor seed used. Birds very troublesome in Orangeburg county The weather has been too cool for thi crop, which is fully two weeks late Germination has been slow. Grains are improving very much Wheat is doing very well and prom ises to be better than thought at th< first of the season. Spring oats 1ool very promising; their condition seenm to be uniform throughout the State Fall sown oats are a complete failure Sugar cane is being planted ver; largely this year. In places it is bein planted to supplement the oats fo forage, and for that purpose it is sai< to be most excellent. Sc-me suga cane damaged, owing, it is thought t< the manner in which it was packe< last fall, allowing the cane to becomi heated and killing the "eyes.". Tobacco ulants, in beds, are lookims -very fine. ~But little, if any. has beei transplanted into fields yet. .The acrec age will this year be largely increased as many farmers will cultivate experi mental~ fields of from three to fivy acres. Thais report comes from Dar Slington county, and is doubtless tru Sof much of the Pee Dee section. -Peanuts will also receive more atten tion than has been the case heretc - fore.Truck matured rapidly and heav; ishipments continue to the Norther> markets froni the coast region. Th Sinterior truck farms ar-e very; late Irishl potatoes have not attained a sai isfactory stand, but will improve ur -der thle influence of warm weather Sweet potatoes for seed continu scarce. Gardens, although late, are in goo condition. Fruit and berries will 1b tabundant crops. It is rarely the cas 1that a frost occurs in this State afte -the 20th of April. except possibly il the extreme western poi-tion, so the -danger from that source has passe leaving the crops practically assured. Cherry and apple trees are in ful bloom in Oconee. Pickens and Greei ville counties. Suicides. SANDFORD, Flat.. April 22.-Carlc S. Wilcox, who lived near hiere an owned a line orange grove before th freeze committed suicide yester-day b; shooting otf the top of his he-ad. HI f left letters to his wife showing the tle deed was deliberate. He has beel -.much depressed because of the loss c his grove. M1r. Wilcox came her from New England and today M1r Wilcox returned to her friends in the section. k Holnand Disappears. ChARLOTTE, N. C., April 24.---J. 1 o- Holland, the defaulting cashier of th Me-chants and Farmers N ationm d Bank of this city, left last night an his whereabouts are unkno enx.U had not yet been taken under arres Today United States M1arshal Alli'e swore out a warrant for him and a d scription of him was wiired in alil di rections. Today also the bank otlere SIXTY THOUSAND DOLLAF5 5H-U K 1. The M1urchants and Farmers Bank of Charlotte, the Victim. CHARLOTTE, N. C., April 22.-Cash ier J. R. Holland of the Merchants and Farmers National Bank of Char lotte, is a defaulter to the amount of 40.000 or more. Bank Examiner Miller has been here for several days and says he will re main for at least two weeks longer. It was he who discovered the defalcation. Mr. Holland's speculations have been carried on' for eight years and he has managed till the last few days to hide them from discovery. The exact amount of them is not yet fully known. No man in Charlotte has in the past beeni held in higher regard or been more fully trusted than Mr. Holland, and the whole city was greatly sur prised and shocked to hear of his em bezzlement. He has not yet been placed under arrest, at the request of the directors of the bank, he agreeing to waive all examination in case pro ceedings are begun against him. He has never made the slightest effort to escape. Week before last Bank Examiner Miller stopped at Gastonia on his way to Charlotte. He examined the Na tional Bank there thoroughly and knew every bank with which it had an account or money loaned. He found that bank in good condition and came on to Charlotte. The first day he spent at the Merchants and Farmers Bank lie discovered, on looking over Cashier Holland's books, where he had a loan of $5,000 marked to the Gasto nia bank. He called Mr. Holland'up and asked if that was correct. He said yes. Mr. Miller made a mental note of the fact. He next proceeded to look over the cash. He found it short just $1. That was easily accounted for and paid in. That night Mr. Miller left. No one asked where he was going, it being supposed that he was through his ex aminations and had gone somewhere else on the same errand. He had gone, but only to return. He took the 10:40 train for Gastonia, runa up Mr. Jen kins, the president of t1e bank, and told him he wanted to look over his books again. Mr. Jenkins wondered wbat was up, but said little. No loan of $5,000 to the Merchants' and Farm ers' Bank was found. Mr. Miller said: "You have loaned the Merchants' and Farmers' Bank of Charlotte *5,000, of which there is no record." "No," said Mr. Jenkins, "I have not." That was the beginning of the end. Mr. Miller said nothing more, but came back to Charlotte te next day. He appeared at the Merchants' and Farmers' Bank and said to Mr. Hol land that he might have made a mis take in counting the cash the day be fore and believed he would count it again. Instead of finding it only $1 short, he found it $16,000 short. Mr. Hollond, as was his custom, had bor rowed $16,000 to put to his cash while the examiner was there, but thinking lie had finished and departed, and that he was safe at least for another year, he withdrew the $16,000 and returned it to the party from whom borrowed, Seeing that all ivas lost, lie confessed to President McAden that he was a de faulter, and the sad story of his fall became known. The Merchants' and Farmers' Bank is perfectly safe, having a sufficient re serve fund to cover all losses. A Swindle in Oranges. NEW YoRK, April 24.-Receivers of oranges and lemons have been made more alert than usual of late by the receipts at this port of goods that sug est the gold bricks swindle. When frost ruined the Floi-ida crop dealers turned to Sicily as a source of supply. The Sicilians'had lost hold on this market by the growth of the Florida trade and the chance that the call on that quarter for fruit early in the sea son would nomt be repeated seems to have impressed Fernandina Ferrell, of Palermo, that lie might as well make a clean sweep at once. It seems that the receivers place credits in foreign banks in the fruit importing season and let shippers draw on these credits on invoices. Shippers usually get $1 a box on these drafts, any balancebe ing payable after delivery. E. I. Goodsell, of 103 Park place, placed abroad a credit of $3,000. The bank i'that had it paid Ferrell $700 on papers siowing the shipment of 700 boxes of 'oranges and lemons. When the goods arrived they were found to consist of a single layer of inferior oi'anges or lemons in each box, the remainig space being filled with stones, sand and slhur. Freight, duty, insurance 1and c'ommission amounted to $1.70 - pet boxv. This fruit was not worth the freight, and Mr. Goodsell abandoned it to the Government. About 4,000 boxes of this kind of stuff have been brought to various receivers in the Scity during the past week. The Ital iani Chamber of Commerce has taken -up the grievance of victimized mer chants and has asked the Government Sto take such ac'tion as may punish the swidlers. even if it may not recover Cthe money lost, and wvhich shall pre vent r'elneition1s 0o' shipments which -can only workt ius diSi:aag to Italian trade. Given hi.4 Liberty. Rapiond Kearse, of Daniwell. is once agamn at liberty to go and do as he leaes.He has been in prison for abotit a year. having been convicted of arson 'in March. 1894. It ap~pears5 thatd Kearse' was convicted on circunm sntia evcxidence ini which foot prints were a proinzent feature. There has, since ihie trial, been strong i'eason to believe that Kearse was not the guilty par ty and~ the ~jury in the case has joied in the petition for his pardon. .Judge Noi'tion joined in the applica' ton for' the pardon. and about 1.500 people thought that Kearse ought to LIbe pardoned. Mr. I. Tobin has pe.rsis tetlv worked for the pardon of Keare, as he was satisfied that the Eman was not guilty. Kearse had been esentenced to te'n vear's imprisonmenit. a 'smooth' StLrangers. f Nzwx Yong. April 24.--The Evening e Sni has a special dispatch from Phuan . field. N. J.. which says: The directors .t of tihe First National Bank of Phlani field have ma~de pulic a the'ft of $22.' 7T. wich was stoh-ni from the vault on Mon dar . Cash ier Fruank S. Run . l von i' one: w1hin he vCent to e i os the ban.fo he day. I' wa s in I t e packagd'e'. < >n' conlta'ined '20. 00 in n bil an1 d [the other' '-.76 moi m u'Itiae ils. it is beieved that the robbert.i wa~s the work of professional ithiives. a dur ing the afternoon01. a strinier cam'e in ind engage~d one of -the tlrs- in conv ersa tion. leatving UUP A6 1H1 .HAIUAIW . 3IGNIFICANT STATEMENTS OF A CAB INET OFFICIAL In International Monetary Conference Op posed as Useless-The Country Must Lean on All-Gold Stick-Silverites May Win. WASHINGTON, April 23.-Secretary Norton gave out Monday afternoon in interview on the silver question. Coming from a cabinet minister, after the cabinet council Saturday, is re garded as expressing to a great extent ,he sentiments entertained by the President. When asked if he thought inything would grow out of the pro posed international conference, Mr. Nforton replied: "I do not believe that an interna ional congress can establish perma aently a commercial ratio between gold and silver, any more tl it can establish a permanent ratio between rye and wheat. But if an internation al conference can fix the price in gold or silver, it can also fix the price of wheat or any other commodity and thereby avoid all the possible shrink age. in values, which tend to cause panics. "Has gold, used as money, an in trinsic value and is it a permanent value?" "I think the word 'intrinsic' ought not to be used. The value of gol is always relative. To illustrate: If I sell you a thousand bushels of wheat today for $570. the transaction has es tablished for the time beino- the wheat value of gold and the goTd value of wheat. Tomorrow's cables of utter failure of the wheat crop in Argenti na, Russia and Europe entirely chanoes the relation of gold to wheat and t71e thousand bushels of wheat purchased at 57 cents yesterday is worth $1.14 a bushel today. But in the meantime, there has been no 'in trinsic' value of gold, notwithstanding there has been a change in the relation of wheat to gold.' "What." asked the reporter, "should be the policy. then, of this country, if nothing is to be gained by a further discussion of this question throughthe agency of an international confer ence?" "My own judgment is," said the Secretary, "that we must sooner or later declare that the United States of America recognizes gold as the best and least fluctuating measure of value and medium of exchange which the commerce of civilization has thus far utilized." "Would not such a declaration made by either of the great parties drive away the silver men now in those parties?" "Yes," replied Mr. Morton, "it is barely possible that the financial falla cies of the Populists and other vaga rists may temporarily secure a major ity of the voters of the United States. Should such a catastrophe overtake the country, the people must learn by experience what they should have learned by diligent study and reason." It was suggested to the Secretary thatthe effort might again be made as it had been made in the past, to take~ a middle ground in the money ques tion, so as to offend as little as possi ble. Mr. Morton denounced this as an unwise policy. "The time for straddlers has pass ed," he replied. "Those who are for a sound currency on a gold basis ought to have the courage to say so -and abide by the results of their declara tion. It makes no difference to me, whether a declaration of truth, either upon the tariff or the money question, temporarily drives votes from or al lures them to us." When asked about the approaching Illinois convention and what he thought of the proposed work of that body, Mr. Morton replied in general terms as follows: "I have no hesitation in declaring myself utterly opposed to all the free coinage fallacies, all the 16 to 1 luna tics, and all of the cheap money illu sions and de~sions which Populists and other vagarists advocate." Mr. Morton further discussing the general subject, took the ground that - silver had been retired from its p lace as sound money permanently and for reasons, which to him were obvious. "Mv'own judgment is," said he "that~ silver cannot be restored to its former monetary place in the conzis. merce of the world. because the sup- -.. ly of silver has outgrown the de iand for silver in the exchanges of . civilization. The relation of supply to demand is the sole regulator of values. This axiom applies alike to salt, silver, sugar and soap. All the legislation of all the law-making bod ies on the face of the globe can neith er mitigate nor annul the operation of the inexorable law that the relation of supply to demand is the sole regu lator of value." Secretary Morton answers the ques tion recently put by Senator Stewart and others as to what sound money is. "The President's critics," said the Secretarv, " ask, 'What is sound mo ner? Any ordinary man of business may answer that qjuestion. Sound money i: that sort of currency which Ihas tlie most universal and least fluct uating purchasing power in the mar kets of all countries. That money is the 'soundest' for which through the commerce of the civilized world there is the most universal demand, and that universal demand is always based upon the universal and unfluctuating - purchasing power of that money. The p~resent epidemic of the silver fever will in due time abate. As the tern peratui-e of the 16 to 1 patients de clines, mental aberrations will disap pear and reasont once more resume its sway. Will Apologize. WASHINGTON. April 24-A state ment is published today to the effect that Secretary Greshami has received a dispatch fr'oin MIr. Taylor, United States minister at M1adrid, assuring him that Spain would accede to the de maids of the United States ini the Al lianca affair and the captain of the Code De Venadito would be punish ed for his offense in firing at an Am e-icanl vessel outside the zone. The toe of the difpatch is such that the State Department feels that its course will be absolutely vindicated by the result. A Fast Old Man, Cric.wo, April 22.-The recent ex amination of the books of the Second Baptist church of which Alonzo Snider is bookkeeper and collector, shows an apparent deticiency of $7,600. Snider, who is 60o vears ol., admits a shortage of $3.o00. ~The church will not pro secute him. Snider has been living at the r-ate of $1,800O a year. while his salary.s een k-s than $1,000.