Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

VLX.1ANIT S. C.. WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 1895. ____________ BEFORE JUDGE GOFF. THE HEARING IN TeHE CASESON THE REGISTRATION LAW. The Showing on Behalf of the State Au thoritios-The Court's Jurisdictior De nied-Elaborate Arguments by the Law. yers on Each Side. COLUMIBIA, S. C.. May 4.-Special The scene in the united States court room on Thursday was as lively a on( as has been witnessed there in many r year-including even the times when we used to have political trials ir South Carolina. There was a crowc there. Every seat was occupied, anc the available 'standing room" wa: likewise utilized. Among the auditor were several prominent citizens, in cluding several members of the loca bar, with a few from other places Leading Republican-such as Ex Judge Melton, his son Mr. L. D. Mel ton, Dr. Webster, Dr. Clayton, Mr Brayton and some others less note worthy. were interested spectators. The lawyers engaged in the litiga tion were Mr. C. A. Douglass, form erly of this city, but now of Washing ton; Mr. J. F. J. Caldwell and Dr. Sampson Pope of Newberry-thest three appearing for the complainants in the two cases brought to set aside the registration law. Attorney Gen eral Barber, Gen. Edward McCrady of Charleston, and Mr. George S. Mower of Newberry-these represent ing the State officials and the Rich land Supervisor of Registration. It was a few minutes afterl2 o'clocl when Judge Nathan Goff entered from the apartments in rear of the court room, accompanied by Clerk Hagood and Marshal Hunter, and took his seat upon the bench. Judge Gof is a very pleasant-looking gentleman. He is small of stature, quick in his move ments, erect in carriage, with a head that indicates intellect of more than ordinary character. He is quite cour teous to the lawyers, and whilst he promptly decides such points as must be summarily disposed of, he has none of the abruptness (sometimes amounting to rudeness) that was one of the most offensive qualities of tie late Judge Bond. Judge Goff comes here with the reputation of a learned lawyer, and nothing has occurred, in the proceedings lately had before him, to alter the generally-received opinion as to his intellect and his legal attain ments. The first case called was the one against the Supervisor of Registration for Richland County. It was suggest *ed by Mr. Douglass that as the other case involved substantially the same points, the two should be heard to gether. Attorney general Barber ex pressed his willingness for such an arrangement; and it was so ordered. The bill of complaint against the Supervisor of Richland County was then read by Mr. Douglass, and the bill against the Governor and other State officials was read by Dr. Pope. The answer of the Superuisor, read by the Attorney General, was as fol lows: THE STATE'S RETURN. Mr. Barber then read the following return to the bill in Green's case: United States of America, District of *South Carolina, Fourth Circuit-in - Eqguity-Lawrence P. Mills vs. .W. Brrggs Green-Bill for Injunction. To the Honorable Judges of the Cir cuit Court of the United States for the District of South Carolina: And now comes W. Briggs Green, supervisor of registration forRichland county in the State of South Carolina upon whom has been served an order of this honorable court, both as super vn~or and individually, restraining and enjoining him until the further order of this court, from the commission of any of the acts complained of in the bill in this cause, and also requiring -him to show cause before Honorable Nathan Goff, United States District Judge, at Columbia, S. C., on Thurs day, the 2d dyof May next, why the restraining order granted, should not be contiinmed or some order of like -purport and effect be then granted, enjoining and restraining him, both individually and as supervisor of reg istration, from the commission of the -acts compilained of in the said bill, un 'til the final hearing and determina tion of this cause, for cause why said order' of injunction should not be granted, says: 1. That he is supervisor of registra tion for Richland county, in the State of South Carolina, and as such is not amenable to the jurisdiction of the court for his conduct in his political capacity aforesaid; dhat the matters, facts and things alleged and com plained of in the said bill, and upon which the injunctionhas been imnprov idently granted are all matters relat ino to the political duties of the office. baLthhe submits that the bill pre sents no question arising under the Constitution or laws of the United States to give jurisdiction to this hon orable court. 3. That he submits the bill presents no case upon which the jurisdiction of the court of equity can be founded, as there are plain and adequate remedies at law for the correctin of any of the matters and things alleged, if so be that the allegations are true. 4. That he submits if the case as pre sented were one for jurisdiction, that the bill is multifarious and cannot be maintained. 5. That the bill is fatally defective, for the purposes of the motion, in his allegations, and in the verifications in this, that there is no sufficient aver ment of irreparable injury and state ment of facts supporting it, and that the material facts on which the injunc tion is sought are not positively sworn to by the complainants. I. Respondent further says, that he has no knowledge or information as to the truth of the statements contained in paragraph 2 of the bill. II. That he has no knowledge or in formation sufficient to form a belief as to the matters and things set forth in the third paragraph of the bill, and, therefore, denies~them. III. That he admits the truth of the statements in the fourth, fifth and sixth paragraphs of the bill. IV. As to the statements contained in paragraph seven of the bill, your respondent denies that the various, di vers, provisions, requirements and con ditione set out in the various and sev eral e t.'ons of the registration laws of Sou~L Oarolina were intended, and that they in effect, doabridge, impede, and destroy the suffrage of the United States- and as to all the other state ments in said paragraph, your respon dent prays the attention of this honor able court to the registration law, em braced. chapter 7 of the General Stat ute of 1882, and submits that its pro per construction is a question for the court. V. That as to the statements con tamed in the eighth paragraph of the bill, your respondent says, that he ad mits that on the 24th of December, 1894, the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina did pass an - act entitled "An act to provide for call ing a constitutional convention, to provide'the number and qualification of members of the convention, their compensations, etc., and to provide for the election of the same, and to de fine and prescribe the qualifications of the electors, the manner of the election and of declaring the results." That section four of said act is as follows: "Every male citizen of the United States and of this State, of the age of 21 years, not laboring under the disa bilities named in the Constitution of this State. and duly qualified to vote under the ex/isting laws of the State, and duly registered as now required by law or who having been entitled to register as a voter at the time of the general registration of electors of this state, which took place in the year of our Lord, 1882. or at any time subse quent thereto, failed to register at such time as required by law, or has be come a citizen of this State and who shall register as hereinafter provided in such cases, shall be entitled to vote for delegates to said convention." That section six of last mentioned article is materially misquoted in the seventh paragraph of said bill, in that the most vital point affecting this ac tion is omitted, and that said section is as follows: "That. on the first Mon day in March, in the year of our Lord, 1895, the supervisor of each county shall, at the county seat thereof, open his books of registration, and shall hold the same open for 10 consecutive calendar days thereafter, except Sun days, between the hours of 10 o'clock in the forenoon and 4 o'clock in the afternoon, except in Charleston, Beau fort and Richland counties, where the said books shall be kept open from 10 o'clock in the forenoon until 6 o'clock in the afternoon during which time any elector then or theretofore at any time entitled to register as a qualified voter, or who has become a citizen of this State, shall be, during the time herein fixed for such registration, and also on the days now fixed by law for registration, entitled to register as such as hereinafter provided: and any elec tor having been. heretofore duly regis tered, or having since changed his residence, or having lost his certificate, shall be entitled to have the same transferred or renewed as now provid ed by law." That section seven of the last-named act is correctly quoted by the complainant; that he denies that the time allowed for the registra tration of electors is unreasonably short, or that the provisions of section eight of last-named act are burden some, harrassing, unreasonable or un necessary, and that they result in a practical denial of the right of electors to vote: that as to all the other matters and things stated in the seventh para graph of the bill, your respondent says he is advised and avers, that no sections or provisions of the registra tion laws of South Carolina therein referred to, or of the Constitutional convention act of 1894, violating or contravene in any particular whatso ever, either of the Constitutions of the United States, or of the State of South Carolina, and respectfully submits that the proper construction of all of said acts is a question for the court. VI. That 'as to the matters and things stated in the ninth pararaph of the bill, your respondent submits that a p roper construction of the sec tion and articles of the Constitution of the United States referred to in said paragraph is a question for the court;. that he denies so much of the para graph of the bill as avere and charges "that said reo'istration laws are not rea sonable, 'niorm, or impartial regula tions of the elective franchise; but, on the contrary, their purpose and effect is directly and indirectly' to abriage and imnpedIe the constitutional right of the citizen to vote, to embarrass, ren der burdensome the exercise of the elective franchise and, under pretense of regulating, to utterly destroy the suffrage of the complainants, or other citizens of the State. VII. That as to all the matters and things set forth in the tenth prgrph of the bil], your respondent calls at tention of the court to the act of the General Assembly of 1894, known as the Constitutional Convention Act, and respectfully submits that its pro per construction is a question for the court. VIII. That as to the matters stated| in the eleventh paragraph of the bill, he admits that he is supervisor of reg istration for Richland county, and is now exercising th, duties of his office, and purposes to continue to do so, but he denies that the registration law, or any part thereof, is unconstitution al. 1X. That as to the matters and| things stated in the twelfth paragraph of the bill, your respondent says that the supervisors of registration are re quired by law to open the registration books on the first Mondays of May. June and July, 1895, for the registra tion of electors, but your respondent denies that such registration will be void and illegal4 or that the laws providing for this are unconstitution al. X. That as to the allegations of the thirteenth paragraph of tihe bill, your respondent says that he has no knowl edge or information as to whether the complainant has heretofore registered as an elector, or has endeavored to do so, or whether he has ever voted at any Federal or State election, but de nies that the registration laws are un constitutional. that the rules, regula tions and restrictions, described by them are unreasonable, unnecessary| or burdensome. XI. That as to the matters and things set forth in the fourteenth para graph of the bill, respondent says, that the time allowed by law, within which the complainants and others like circumstanced with them can ap ply for registration and obtain registra tion certificates, has not yet expired. nor is about to expire, but that by sec tion six of the Constitutional Conven tion Act heretofore referred to, any and all electors in the State of South Carolina not now registered have three days, towit. the first Mondays in| May, June and July. 1895, within which to apply for registration, and if the complainants and other citizens now unregistered, do not so apply. their inability to vote for delegates to the Constitutional convention will be due to their own carelessness and dire liction. Wherefore your respondent prays that the motion for the order-of injun tion may be dismissed. When he concluded reading, Judge Goff asked the complainants'attorneys. the return. They stated that they had not. The Attorney General said that it was an oversight. He handed over the original. This completed the pleadings in the 'Mills vs. Green case. THE GOVERNORS RETUIRN. The return of Governor Evans, in the case brought by Caldwell and Pope, is as follows: United States of America, District of South Carolina, Fourth Circuit-In Equity. Frederick Pratt and Samuel Prince, complainants, vs. John Gary Evans, Governor of the State of South Caro lina, and P. Butler McCoy. a com missioner of election for Richland county in said State, defendants. And now comes John Gary Evans, Governor of the State of South Caro lina, upon whom has been served an order of this honorable court, enjoin ing and restraining him from any and all action looking to the holding of a Constitutional convention, to be held on the second Tuesday of the month of September. 1S95, until the further order of the court and calling upon him the said John Gary Evans as aforesaid, to show cause, if any he can,- before the Circuit Court of the United State, to be holden at Colum bia. in said State. on Thursday. the 2d of May, A. D. 1595, at 12 o'clock noon why he should not be perpetually en joined from ordering, holding or procuring to be held in said State any election or elections, for delegates to a convention for the purpose of revis ing or chanoing the Constitution of the State of ?outh Carolina and order ing him to answer under oath to inter rogatories filed with the same bill on. or before the said 2d day of May, 1895. and for cause says: 1. That he is Governor of the State of South Carolina, and as such. is not amenable to the jurisdiction of this court for his conduct in his political capacity as Governor as aforesaid: That the matters, facts and things complained of in the said bill and upon which the injuction has been improvi dently granted are all matters relating to the political duties of his oflice for which he is amenable alone to the peo ple of the State, and to which his con duct can be questioned only in a high court of impeachment. 2. That he submits that the bill pre sents no question arising under the Constitution or laws of the United State to give jurisdiction to this honor able court.: 3. That he submits that the bill pre sents no case upon which the jurisdic tion of a court of equity can be found ed, as there are plain and adequate re medies at law, for the correction of any of the matters and things alleged, if the said allegations be true. 4. That this is in effect a suit against the State of South Carolina in viola tion of the 11th amendment of the Constitution of the United States and this honorable court, sitting as a court of equity, has no jurisdiction. 5. That he submits that if the case as presented were one for equitable jurisdiction, the bill is multifarious and cannot be maintained. 6. That should this honorable court hold the case as presented by the bill of complaint to be within its jurisdic tion, he submits that under the riles of the court he cannot be required to answer the interrogatories appended thereto until required to answer the bill itself. 7. That should this honorable court hold that the case, as presented by the bill of complaint, is within its ajuris iction, he submits that the charges in the bill, imputing criminal motives and conduct to the Governor of the State, the General Assembly. and cer tan other citizens, are scandalous and impertinent, and should not be enter tained. S. That the bill is fatally defective for the purpose of this motion in the llegation and in the verification, in this, that there is no sufficient aver ment of irreparable injury and state ment of fact supporting it, and that the material facts on which the in junction is sought are not positively sworn to. Wherefore your respondent prays tat the motion fzr a temporary in unction be denied. M'COY'S RETURN. Mr. Barboer then proceeded to read he rutur-n of McCoy, which was as follows: And now comes P. Butler McCoy, commissioner of election for Rich and county in the State of South Car lina, and says: 1. That he isan'election commissioner forthe State of South Carolina-, and as uch, is not amendable to this court, n his political capacity; that the atters facts and things alleged and :omplained of in complainant's bill and upon which the injunction has een improveidntly granted, are all atters relating to the political duties f his office. 2. That he submits that the petition ent no question arising under the onstitution or lawvs of the United States to give the jurisdiction to this onorable court. 3. That he submits that the bill pre ents no case upon which the justifica ion of a court of equity car e found d, as there are plain and adequate re edies at law for the correction of any f the matters and things allowed, if so be the allegations are true. 4. That he submits that if the case. s presented, were one for equ itable jurisdiction, that the bill is multifar ous and cannot be maintained. That hould the court hold that the case, as >resented by the bill of comiplainant's s with the jurisdiction if this hioner ble court he submits that the charges n the bill imputing criminal motives ad conduct to the governor and Gen ral Assembly, and others, are scand lous and should not be enitertained. 5. That the bill is totallyv defective for the purposes of this motion in its dlegations and the verilications ini this hat there is no sutlicient averment of rreparable injury and statement of he fact supporting it, and that the naterial facts oii which the inijunction s sought, are not p)ositiv~ely swoirn to y the complainants. And for further cause says: 1. That lhe has no knowledge or in ~ormation to form a belief as to the ruth of matters and things stated in aragraphs 1, 2, 3. and 4 of the bill, nd therefore, denies the same. 7. That he admits the act of 1882 ras icororated in the General Statu es adopted in 1SS2, and embodied in hapter, 7, title 2 of same, and as to )ther statements in the twelth para ~raphi, and also as the matter, stated in ,he thirteenth paragraph, your re pondent calls attention to section 97 f General Statutes ireferied to and r pectfully submits that its porper con truction is a question for the courts. 9. That as to matters and things set YEARS OF FORGERY. SUDDEN AND STARTLING DEVELOP MENTS FOLLOWING AN ARREST. Full Confession of a Long Series of Crimes. Deeds and 3Iortgages Made to Meet Emergencies--Led on From one Fraud to Another. GREENvILI:. S. C., May 1.-There was general surprise here yesterday when it became known that Spartan Columbus Dickson. familiar known as "Lum" Dickson. had been arrested for forgery. The news spread rapidly down town and people were soon talk ing of nothing else. Astonishment was intensified as the character and extent of the crimes became known. Mr. Dickson is about fifty Years old. He was born in this county and has lived here all his life, and his family has been prominent in mercrntile and business affairs for years. Nearly ever since the war Mr. Dickson has been engaged in buying and selling real estate. lie has rarely missed a land sale, and hundreds of tracts in the city and county have passed through his hands. lie has always been a quiet. unassuming man, attending closely to his affairs and living and dressing plainly. He has not for a long time had the full confidence of business men. but no direct charges have been made against his character. There has been a feeling that he was visionary in some' of his ideas and scatterng in his enterprises. In fact some of those who have known him few or none could claim to be inti mate with him-have long expressed the belief that he was somewhat un balanced mentally. Several years ago lie laid out a tract of land just beyond the city limits which is known as the "Dickson annex." A year or two ago lie invented a cotton chopper and on this he seemed to pin his faith. It was the one subject on which he be came enthusiastic and seemed to be able to talk freely, his general man ner of speech being slow and hesitat ing and rather awkward. Five weeks ago lie went to Texas to push his cotton chopper, selling coun ty rights. He carried with him, he says. only $72 in-cash. - During his absence Carr Sudduth, a farmer who lives some distance above the city, saw an advertisement an nouncing that the farm on which lie lives and which lie supposed to be his property to be sold on next salesday under mortgage held byMiss Rosalie Turpin. Mr. Sudduth naturally hur ried to town to investigate. It was then discovered that Mr. Dickson had given a mortgage on the place which had never been satisfied and which had passed into Miss Turpin's hands. The land, containing 98 acres, was sold by the late S. J. Douthit, master, in Noveraber, 1883. and was bought by S. C. Dickson. Dickson was given time to comply but in- the meanwhile sold to Mr. Sudduth, making a deed, which was not recorded. In January, 1884 Dickson paid the cash portion of the purchase money and took a deed. oiving a mortgage for the balance, deed and mortgage being dated back to the day of sale. It was this mort gage which was subsequently bought by Miss Turpin.. Mr. Sudduth has emyloyed Mooney & Earle to repre sent his interests. Discovery of this transaction caused quiet comment and enquiry. Mrs. Dickson was called on by Mr. Sudduth and others interested. She did not understand the facts thoroughly but saw there was trouble and telegraph ed MIr. Dickson to return. As soon as he could have money enough sent him to get home on he started back, arriving here last Saturday morning. He sent for G-eo. A. Norwood, presi dent of the Greenville Savings bank, and Professor C. H. Judson,who man ages the financial affairs of Furman LUniversity, both of whom held sup posed '"securities of his on which they had lent him money,confessed that he had given them a quantity of forge ries and offered to make what restitu tion? he could. Yesterday mo-.ning M. Norwood went before Trial JusteWhitmnire and swore out three warrants against Dickson. In each of them C. H. Jud son and T. Q. Donaldson are named as witnesses and each of them charges forgery: They charged that he forged a sealed note of John B. Crane for $950: a note and mortgage of Oliver Williams, Charles Williams and Ed die Williams for $1,800; sealed note and miortgage of W. P. Roddy for $870: sealedl.note and mortgage of W. B. Ward for $510: a sealed note and mortgage for $710 of persons not named. Constable William Whitmire was given the warrants and proceeded to search streets and olhices for Dickson, at last going over to his house. Re turning fronm his unsucessful hunt, the constable met Dickson in the street and immediately informed him that lhe was under arr-est. The prisoner showed no surprise or emiotion, but walked on to the trial justice's olhice where he entered and sat down as quietly as if it was the most ordinary business matter. He said lhe had. not yet determined what lie would do, asked an opportunity to consult his friends an enquired what bail would be r-equired. He was told lhe would have to give a bond of $3, - Qu0, andl with the constable walked out. lHe saw several of his friends and talked fr-ely with them, discussing his crimes and making no attempt to deny- or conceal them. The only evidence he gave of emotion xwas whlen lie mentioned his wife a'n~d his father, the latter a very old man who lives in upper Grecenville. Speaking of them. lie broke dowvn. He seemed to have no definite plait or purpose until about :3:30 o'clock when lie asked leave to go home to see his wife. Tial Justice Whitmir-e sent him over in a buggy with the consta ble, desiring to save himn the mortili iation of walking through the street: under arr-est. After- an interview with 3h-:-. D icksoni the pri~soner was ji-iven b:ack to the jais wheire lie was iven a separate cell, usually reserved roi- women prisoners, whier-e lie is It appears firom Dicksoifs ownt state-1 ments. and from facts othier-wise ob :ained, that lhe has been systematically1 ror-ginig land papers for year-s. lie had1 several methods. Sometimes lie would :opy a genuine mortgage exactly, I makin~g it to himself. Sometimies lie wouid forge the niamne of a recal per-son i o( descriptions of actual land. Some-2 ~imes it would be inmaginar-y land and maginary ownier-s. lie var-ied this by aving land deeded. i-eally or for-gery, ~o owners ot mortgages on it, taking( hie mortgages on pretence of having ~hem marked "satislied" and then us ng- thten -a ollat-. Some of the forged notes and mort gages are works of art. They contain full and careful desriptions of land, name of signer. name of witnesses, signature to waiver of dower and sig nature of notary, all in different and appropriate handwriting. So far as is known the name of one notary-D. C. Henson-is invariably used. On some of the forged notes from imagin ary persons credits are entered on the back and even calculations of interest in pencil--as is customary-to give them a genuine appearance. In the case, for instance, of Wil liams and others, mentioned in one of the warrants, there are three copies of the mortgage for $1,800 on 235 acres of land. Professor Judson holds the real document, B. M. McGee, of the Plant er's bank, and G. A. Norwood, of the Savings bank, hold the duplicates, on which they advanced money. It is doubtful if even Professor Judson's mortgage is good as there is a report that the makers of it, who are colored people, claim to have paid it. How many forgeries there have been nobody knows-probably not even Dickson himself. As there was pres sure for payment on one forgery he would make another to secure money to pay it with. There may have been scores or hundreds of them destroyed after being used. The process has been in operation twenty-two years. So far as is known the losses repre sented by the forged papers amount to about $11,000. They may be much more. It is not unlikely that years of litigation will be required to straighten out the tangles in some cases. There is hardly a holder of a mortgage or the owner of a piece of land in the county who can feel entirely safe un til the papers have been traced up. No man can know whether his land has not been mortgaged or his name forged without his knowledge and any mortgage -which has not ece di rectly from the maker may he Dick son's work; for he forged probates and certificates of registration and transfer along with the rest. He was lying on a pallet of quilts when a representative of The Green ville News saw him last evening. He seemed to be then as uncertain and cloudy as ever. His color was good, his eyes were bright, there was no tremulousness in his hand as he grasp ed that of his visitor. He said lie was an honest hearted man who had come to trouble by one piece of crooked work. More than twenty years ago, he said, he was led into a trap and was forced to do one wrong thing to raise $1,000 which he was obliged to have. Then lie had tried a flour mill s::heme, hoping to get enough from it to square himself. Freshets came and put him another $1,000 behind. So he had gone on and on. He could see now, lie said, that he would have done bet ter and been happier if he had made a clean breast of the first bad work he did and taken the consequences. But he always had something before him -sometimes gold prospects, sometimes shoals and factory sites, at last his cot ton chopper-which he believed would enable him to clear off everything and destroy all the outstanding warrants to dishonor and ruin and t1e peniten tiary which he made from time to time to take up others. He had never in tended, he said, to wrong any man of a dollar. The proceeds of his forgeries had gone in interest. He had paicl$75, 000 in interest-10 per cent., 12 per cent., sometimes more. He had han dled big sums of money, but it all went right from his bands to his cred itors. He had not kept a dollar, was not worth a dollar on earth. And this seems to be true. So far as can he learned he has not a dollar on earth, has nothing to show for twenty years of the most skillful and elaborate forgery, for twenty year of risks such as would try the nerve of the most daring speculator, the most reckless gambler, for twenty years of living hell. He never became accustomed to danger he said-this long, awkward, plain looking, shabby man with his thick, dark hair streaked with, gray, whom nobody would have suspected of carrying with him every day the fear of absoulte ruin of fortune and character, the consciousness that he was living over a mine liable to ex plode at any moment. '-No man can ever become used to wrong doing," was the way he expressed it. He said he thought his creditors would lose $7,000, or $S,000. Of that $4. 000 would fall on Professor Judson. He did not believe Mr. Norwood, hold ing a mortgage over the Dickson an nex property, would lose everything in the long run. At the jail door VR M. Jones, of Spartanburg, was waiting. He had been called here by a note from Dickson telling him that secur5 ties given for a loan from his father's estate were forged and worthless. Mr. Jones thinks he is out $4,000 or $5,000 but hopes part it is secured. Dickson says lie has about made up his mind to make himself as comfort able as possible in jail until the next terin of court and to take what the law may give him-that wvhile not in tending wrong he knows lie has done wrong in the eyes of the law. It was learned last night that in 1888 Dicks.on was detected in a forgery by President Beattie, of the Greenville N'ational bank. He then professed much penitence and otfered to insure his life for $10,000 for the bank and :lie, apparently by- accident. This was, f course, declined, and the amount of1 his debt was char-ged oilf from the3 bank's assets. Since then lie has made, paynments from time to time so that aow the bank loses very little, and riomn its assets nothing. He has1 ~hown every pur-pose to b~e honest ~here. He has promised his friends two1 hings-that lhe will make no attempt ~o escap~e and no attempt to destroy iimself.-- News. Bloody- and Sensational. 1 LonIsvrL:, Ky., April 30.--ThereI w-as abloody shooting aff'ray.in this city1 it 10,.25 o'clock on MIadison street thisI nioring when Arch Brown was shoti ind killed by Fuller Gor-don. Gordont wvas shot by brown and Mrs. Gordon 4 wvas killed by her husband. Brown and isordon's wife were in the house at to:25 o'clock. Madison street. Gordon 'olowed them there and caught them 1 ogether. Hie attacked Browni and t shot him fatally. Brown r-eturned he fir-e and injur-ed Gordon. Gordon I heni turned his weapon on his I rife and sent a bullet through er, killing her instantly. Brown is a on of G~ovenor- Brown, of Kentucky. lhie other par'ties are all highly con uected. The stran;ge P'art or It. (.3AnA, Neb., May 3;.-W. HI. Ma- 1 luier, assistant cashier of the First sationual Bank, comimitted suicide this c norning. Ill health was the cause. : CAROLINA'S CROPS. A COMPLETE SUMMARY OF THE FARMING OUTLOOK. Progress. of All Crops Throughout the State- The Effect of the Weather Condi tions on Them--Observer Bauer's Bulle tin. COLUMBIA. S. C., May 1.-The fol lowing exceedingly interesting weekly bulletin of the condition of the weather and the crops throughout the State was issued yesterday by State Observer Bauer. It is full of valuable informa tion, particularly as to the crop condi tions: The week ending yesterday was the best growing one cf the present season, and all vegetation responded to the quickening influence of the warmth -and moisture which characterized the weather. It was not entirely favorable for farm work, as latterly the heavy rains made the ground too wet for planting or working, especially on bottom lands. The rivers have kept full, and in many places again overflowed their banks, greatly delaying planting in the rice country of Georgetown coun ty, as well as generally all crops in the lower portions of the State. During the greater portion of the week, up to the 28th (Sunday), the temperature was somewhat warmer than reasonable, with daily departures of from four to six degrees above the normal in the central and western counties and about three degrees above per day along the coast. On the 29th (Monday) the temperature was much below the normal. The highest temperature for the week was reported from Allendale. and was 91 on the 24th; the lowest was 47 at Liberty, Pickens county, also on the 24th. The mean temperature of the week for the entire State was about 6S degrees, while the normal for the the same period is approximately 65.5 degrees. The clear weather gave way to warm, rainy conditions during the lat ter portion of the week, beginning on the 24th (Wednesday) and continuing the rest of the week. The rainfall was excessive over the western and northern counties, including at least two-thirds of the State, where the rain fall amounted to from about two to four inches, the latter amount reported from Statesburg. while many places in the north-central part of the State re port from three to four inches. Over the south border counties and along the lower coast the rainfall was from one to two inches. There was less than the usual amount of bright sunshine, the latter poriton of the week having been almost or entirely cloudy over the whole State. A remarkable hail storm occurred on the 24th (Wednesday) over a path of considerable width,~beginning in Sumter county and extending south ward into the central portion of Or angeburg county, and trending from that point to the southeastward well into Berkeley county. The path of the storm included Statesburg. in Sumter, Parler and Elloree, in Orange burg, and St. Stephens, in Berkeley counties. The fall of hail is described as being the heaviest ever seen in that region, falling to a depth of from one to four inches on the level, and on the follow ing morning much of the hail still re mained on the ground, especially where it had drifted. The hailstones were as large as quail's eggs and very hard. In the path of the storm much damage was done to fruit trees and to vegetation in general. The green fruit was beaten from the trees and corn and cotton that was destroyed, neces sitating replanting which the season allows. Cotton is about all planted in the eastern portion of the State and is nearing- comnpletion in other sections. From Fairfield county westward there remains from one-fourth to one third of the crop yet to plant. Cotton has attained a good stand where up and is coming up well all over the State. It is very o-eerally reported that there will be ness than the usual amount of cotton planted this year. Seaisland cotton has a good stand and is large enough to wor -. Corn has been nearly all planted, except possibly bottom lands, which continue too wet for proper prepara tion. The stand of corn that is up is reported variable, being very good From all plantings in the southern por tions cf :he State generally, while the western and northern counties report poor stands from earliest planting. ecessitating much replanting. In Newberry county, fields in which the -ats were winter-killed are being large ly planted to corn. The general opin ion seems to be that there will be miore land planted to corn than last year. Early corn is large enough to receive ts first working. Tobacco has been mueh imp~roved by he rains and tihe wet ground is in the est possible condition for transplant ng f'rom the beds to the fields, which s now being done. Grains of all kinds continue to do ~vel, being favored by the wveather-. Wheat especially has made rapidl im >rc vement lately. Oats are also grow ng wvell. Sugar cane and sorghum are receiv ng a great dealof attention, not only or the products manufactured from hem, but also for fodder to supple nent the oat crop, which will be a ~hort one, owing to the failure of wini er oats. Sugar cane, peanuts and eas will also be planted to pr-oduce attenino feed for hogs. Rice planting has made considerable >rogress, having been pushed where he condition of the ground perinitte. ut in Georgetown counity the river :s ,O( high, greatly hindering planting, ut where practicable, early planting s nearly completed. Reports from in erior points indicate that a great deal f upland rice will be cultivated. Irish potatoes ar-e seemingly doing vell and newv potatoes are now on the naket. Sweet potato slips are being lanted under very favor-able coudi ions on account of the wet ground. Fruit of all varieties, as well as ber ies, continue most promising, except hat nearly all the fig trees in the inte ior were killed during the p~ast win Hleavy shipments of truck continue rom the coast farms, str-awberriies Laing been added to the marketable roducts, also cabbages and Irish pota oes. Pastures atfor-d line gr-azzin~ he week ended with cool. lowerini reather. that will have a tendency to I heck the growth of cotton and corn,. lut win scarcely all'ect other crops. I xept -nSabl the melons. 1 A PATH OF DEATH. Ten Persons Killed. and Twent; Injured, Several Fatally. HIcTCHINS(N, Kans., May 1.-Wreck and ruin and loss of life were crowded into a brief space of time by a cyclone in the farming district, twenty miles east of this city this afternoon. Ten lives were crushed out. About 4.20 o'clock. the twisting, hurling cloud was seen to approach Patterson, a small station on the Frisco road about six miles from Burton. Those who saw it say it resembled a great mass of flying smoke and dust from a para rie lire. The air was hot as if it came from a furnace, dry, and filled with electricity. The storm struck about a mile south of Patterson. and for six teen miles in a northwesterly direc tion left death and ruin in a path 100 yards to a quarter of a mile in width. Ten persons were killed as follows: Mrs. Joseph Wear. Grace Wear, 12 years old: Herman Wear. 10 years old: a babe. William Armstrong, Mrs. Chapin, John Schmidt, Miss Schmidt, Dora Schmidt, Frank Schmidt. Others were injured, but their names could not be ascertained. The residence of Cyrus Hinkstein, Wm. White,. B. E. Friselle and A. S. Powell were de molished and many others damaged. The pupils of the Hege district school in the path of the storm were hurried out of danger by the young lady teacher and she is the heroine of the hour. A few minutes after the last pupil left the building fell. The sky was overspread with black clouds and the storm cloud as it ap proached the town wound about like the swaying form of a giant elephant. After the cyclone swept by, leiving devastation and death in its wake, the citizens went to work caring fcr the wounded and removing the dead bod ies from beneath the heaps of de bries. Rain has been falling tbrou;hout southwestern Kansasat intervals since yesterday afternoon and there was a severe hail storm in this section to night. Of the twenty injured, Mrs. Frye. Jos. Wear and Mrs. Friselle will die. Among the others injured are Jacob S. Stichey, Cyrus Henson and Mrs. William Armstrong. The first house demolished was that of Mrs. Frye, a small structure. The houses of Jake Salmisky and John Sultzbach were wrecked, but no one was killed. George Wear's flne resi dence was reduced to kindling wood. His wife and three children were killed. Two of the children escaped by going to the cellar. E. C. Cald wells house on- the west side, was des troyed. The family escaped by going to the cellar. D. E. Friselle's new $3,000 house was wiped out, leaving only the cellar, in which were his wife and three children, uninjured. Across the road was the large house of J. R. Friselle, which met the fate of all in the tornado's path. Mrs. Fri selle was fatally hurt. William Arm strong's house was torn to pieces; he was killed and his wife seriously in jured. His house was torn by the wind. The homes of Wm. White and Cyrus Henson were also destroyed and the latter was injured fatally, it is feared. The house of A. H. Par nell. Spencer Ray, J. A. Cummings and M. G. Hege were demolished, but the only person dangerously injured is Mrs. Cummings. Jacob Stinchey saw the storm and hastened from the field where he was working. He turned his horses in the barn and ran to the house, taking the family into the cellar. The storm blew away the barn, lifted the house from its foundation and landed one of the horses on Mrs. Stinchey. probably in juring her fatally. The horse was taken from the cellar harnessed and unhurt. The Schmidt family of four were all killed. From here the storm lifted and no further damage so far as heard from was done. A westbound passenger train from the Santa Fe was held at Halstead until the storm had passed. Where it crossed the track, telegraph lines, poles. wires and all were swept away. The train would certainly have been wrecked had it g-one ahead. In addition to the houses destroyed, were barns, outbuildings. orchards, etc., while the pathway~of the storm is lined with the carcasses of horses, cattle, hog's and other ani mals. The loss' will be great, as the district visited was settled by well-to do farmers. In a Fever of Excitement. JACKSONvILLE, Fla., May 2.-A ca blegram to the Times-Union from Key West, Fla., says: Private advices to this city by steamship Olivette state that Havana, where one month ago matters had an every day appearance, is today in a fever of excitement. Steamships leaving that port for Key West, Tampa, New York. Newv Or leans and Mexico are crowded with passengers. Many young- men of the best families are joining the insurgents and students are leaving college for the same purpose. Jose Maceo, re ported by a Spanish newspaper to have committed suicide, has taken the field at the head of 700 men. In a battle at Arrojo Hondo in the prov ince of Guantanamio. Maceo defeated. Col. c-sch.comanding 400 Si pan ish troops, with heavy los. It is repor-ted in Ha vania that Col. Santo Clides, a distini gnished officer of the Spanish army, has been captured by Gen. Antonio Macco and held prisonier. Maximno Gomez comanding 1.000) men, is re p~orted moving towards Camaguay. in Puterto P'ri ncipe. The spanish capital ists. knowing the true situation in Cu ba, arc shipping mioney out of the country for safety. Business, in con sequence of the spreading of the en thiusiasmn in favor of the C2ubans,'is be coming m ~ore depressed everyday. kii~ed by Rtobbers. 'iNGomEw, Ill., May 1.-It is re ported here that the Chicago and Alton passenger train due here at 10 :30 a. mn. was boarded by robbers at Carlinville, who at a place one half miie north of there attacked tlie tr-ainmen and or lered them to hold up their hands. l'he engiineer anld lireman refused and i desperate light began. Six shots wvere tired and Engiuneer Hlolmes was killed. One of the rob~ber-s was cap cured and th~e other two escaped. A posse was orPganlized andit s5tdin~ pur muit. Engineer H~ohne's body was .aken to Carlinv ilLle. e was one of :he okdest enginueers on the road. The 'obbe~rs secured t hing. hu. .l oh n ('olemian,. a negro who lives< ibaut ten muiies from here shot and ii rtanlv wounded his wife because hie did noIt make soup to suit him.t ,ieaun waus arrested and last night< yhuile. beinug brought here to be placed] ni jail, he wvas tak~en from his guards I wv masked men and riddled with but- t ets. It is said negroes participated in I A GOLD STANDARD VIEW, SECRETARY SMITH FEARFUL OFSIL VER MONOMETALLISM. The Result of Free Coinage at Sixteen to One by This Country Without Interna tional Agreement. MAcoN, Ga., April 30.-Secretary Hoke Smith of the Interior Depart ment was interviewed here today by a representative of the Telegraph on the financial question and defined the dif ferences of opinion on the currency question existing in the country at present. He thought that during the next twelve months a thorough dis cussion of the money question would be presented all over the country. This discussion will be limited, he thought, to the proposition of the unlimited coinage of silver at a ratio of 16 to 1. The Secretary divided the people into three classes: gold monometallists, sil ver monometallists and bimetallists. He did not think that the gold mono metallists were enough to become a factor in the campaign, but that the issue would be for and against mono metallism. He thought that the free and unlimited coinage of silver at the present ratio by this coantry alone would mean nothing more nor less than silver monometallism, for if un der that system the price of silver bul lion did not materially advance, no other metal would be presented at the mints for coinage. The real question, the Secretary thought, was whether or not the free. and unlimited coinage of silver at a ratio of 16 to 1 would advance the price of silver bullion so that it would bear the relative value to gold of 16 to 1; which is the proposed ratio. The Secretary reviewed the history of the country's currency and said that both Jefferson and Hamilton rec ognized the fact that the ratio of coin age must be fixed upon the commercial value of the metals in the market. In 1873, when free coinage was suspended by the United States, the silver in a dollar was worth more than the gold in a dollar, but since that time the demonetization of silver by other coun tries has allowed its value to drop to the price which it will bring for man ufacturing purposes.. The value of an article must be controlled by the de mand for its use and the supply to be consumed. The facts show that the demand has practically ceased while the supply has almost trebled. This is true in spite of the fact that since 1873 the United States has coined more sil ver than in the eighty years prior to . that time. "Can anyone," asked the Secretary, "study these facts without concluding that if this enormous issue by the United States was insufficient to steady the fall of silver during the past twen ty -years, unlimited coinage by the United States alone would not be suf ficient to restore its bullion value now? "It is therefore not offensive criti cism, but only a statement of logical conclusion, when I insist that unlim ited coinage of silver at the ratio of 16 to 1 means silver monometallism. Un der such a law, all the silver product of the world would turn to our mints, and then would come the silver here tofore manufactured into cheap wares. Again, silver mining would increase and the exhaustion of resources would be threatened by the exchange of sil ver dollars for bullion. "With free coinage, we would vir tually change our standard to one worth only one half the present stand ard anA he commercial value of a dol lar the world over would be only fifty cents. While commodities might, sell for twice as many dollars their real value would remain unchanged. The entire countiy would be confused, un til by accuran test, the true value of the new standard was ascertained. The result would be a cessation of trade and the cautious business man would involve himself in no con tracts. This uncertainty would create serious business troubles and the prac tical suspension of all enterprises." He could see no benefit from the change and none especially to those who worked for wages, because they were always the last to be recognized in increased wages under th~e-uise of a depreciated currency. The proprietor of an enterprise would insist that em ployees take the risk. He did not be .ueve the change would benefit the - debtor class because so many loans hiave been made on the gold basis and the debtor would be oblig'ed to go into' the market and purchase gold with which to meet his obligations. As to other debts, if there were any danger of silver monometallism, there would be no extensions possible. Reasoning' on these lines, he could see n6, benefit even if the change were brought about. One class insisted that the benefit would be in the inability of the employees to exact double wages. To these selfish employees, some bene fit might come, but it would be found that after the final adjustment to the new conditions prices would be nomi nally increased all around with no real benefit to anybody. He doubted the proposition t'hat other countries would follow the action of this coun try. If that were true, the standard would appreciate and debts contracted during the depreciation would increase as the value of silver increased and the elass sought to be benefitted would again be burdened. The Secretary thought the agitation of the question was checking the re turn of prosperity, but he hoped the conlidetee that the question would be diefeated would gievent serious injury. In conclusion. Secretary Snmith saidl: "I have no donbt that the next Presi dent of the United States will be op posed to the unlimited coinage of sil ver at 16 to 1. A Des.pondent Suicidles. CHIii.s;, Ills., April 3.-A. M. Dickson, who was terribly beaten by memibers of the Market street gang while actinlg as Rlepublican challenger nt the 24th ward, during the election ast November, committed suicide last ahtin his room 303 Chestnut street. 1le irst closed the door and all the vilidows. turned on the gas and then irank carbolic acid. He was despond mnt over his failure to secure a politic di appointment from the Republican idnmstration. Lynched. .GREENVILLE, Ala., April 29.-The - *ixthi negro was lynched in Butler ounty yesterday for the murder of ~ounlg Watts Murphy. Sheriff Bar ~ianer found his body hanging to a ree in the neighb~orhlood where the ther five were lvnched last Sundar. fe appeared to h'ahve been dead for'at east a dar. This last victim is believed o have beeni the one who struck the low that killed Murphy. ' Iis name