Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Vo(l. x. M ANNING;. S. C.. WEDNESDAY, JULY 1(b 189.___ O 0 TILLMAN INTERVIEWEI) BY A WELL-KNOWN COLORED BAP TIST PREACHER. As Usual He Says What lII' llas to Say in a Plain. Unequiroeal Mamwr--What lie Thinks About the Negro in l'olitirs. GREENvILLE, S. C. J uly 4.-The following contribution which was publishe! in the News a few days ago. is from a well-known colored Baptist preacher who once lived in Greenville and had charge of a large congrega tion here: I stopped over at Trenton last Tues day about two hours wa:iting for a train to take me to Edgetield court house. Knowing ti at ex-Governor Tillman lived within the corporate limits of the town. 1 decided to g.o up and walk around his place, and if I could muster up enough courage to goto his residence and have a talk. The Senator lives in a large mansion in a fine oak grove about dve minutes walk from the depot. The stately mansion is surrounded by live or six servant houses (built before the war). two laage vegetable gardens contain ing every variety of vegetables, and a beautiful flower garden in front. 1 approached the place with fear and trembling thinking he might drive me away unless I was hunting work. He was sitting in the front porch reading a newspaper-Columbia Register, I think "Good evening, Governor." "Good evening, sir. Come in." As I onened the gate hesaid: "Hold on; who are you, and where do you come from." "I am a traveling colored man, and simply want to take a look at your place and have a talk with you if you do not mind talking to me." "Well, if you are not after chickens you can look around; niggers love chickens. What do you want to talk about-religion, politics, education, farming or what?" "I will take all in, sir." By this time I had reached the front steps. I was not invited to come any further, and there I stood up for one hour. He was in a good humor and seemed to be pleased. "What paper isthat you got in your hand?" "The News and Courier. I have The State in my pocket also." "Did the News and Courier publish my speech ?" "Yes, sir; it is in this paper. Why. don't you take the News and Cou rier?" "Yes, but my mail has not come in yet." "Do you take The State?" "No. I used to read it when I was in Columbia. What does it say about me today?" "Nothing, sir. They are giving it to Governor Evans this time. "How do you like The State,Gover nor?" "I have always given Gonzales credit for being honest and straight forward and a man with a backbone and principle, though he is my ene Mrs. Tillman came out and endorsed what the Governor said about The State. "How about the News and Cou rier?" "The News and Courier has flunked and dodged so much that I have no confidence in it and rely on nothing its tsuppots you, and I thought you would lik it." "I don't want its support." Here Mrs. Tillman spoke again: "No Carroll; the News and Courier hates my husband. You are mistaken if you think it is friendly. It hates Governor Evans worse, because of his uncle, General Mart Gary." "Well, Governor, I want to talk other things. I am a negro and a~m interestedin that race. I am not in politics and never was, but I favored your move ind8S90. I did not vote for you, but I wanted you elected. You have done us some good. You divided the white people and put them to fighting each other and we were let '--alone. In 1890) the majority of the ngoes either voted for you and your tikt or did not vote at all. I am sor ry you are elected Senator, and wish you was Governor." "Why?" said he. "Because you could keep up strife and we would be at peace." "How do you niggers like Governor Evans?" "We are afraid of him, and look for the worst under his administration." "Well, you are mistaken. He has no more against the negroes than I have, and I have no malice for them, but think the majority of them are ignorant and not fit to vote. They can be bought and sold like cattle,and will do whatever their bosses tell them when it comes to voting. I have godfeeling for them, and believe the Cnttutional convention will be the best for them and us. I want peace er can have it with such a majority of negro votes that dissatisfied whit4 men can buy up and use at will. There are too many negroes here anyhow. Why don't some of you nigger preach ers take some of them away ?" "Well, they are moving out of the State every year. They are going North. Do you want all of them to go?" "No, not all, but some of thenm. "Well, Governor, you have more influence than any white man in South Carolina among the white peo ple. You can do a great deal of good for the negro. Will you be a delegate to the conventionC "I don't know, but suppose I will. My friends all over the State want me to be." "What do you niggers want us to do, anyway ?" "Give us justice before the law. Treat white and black the same in the eyes of the law and as citizens of the commonwealth." "I did that when I was Governor. I pardoned many poor devils out of the penitentiary that I was satisfied did not have a fair trial and were improp erly convicted. A negro killed a white man in Greenville county about his wife and he was convicted of man slaughter and sent to the penitentiary. I pardoned him at once, and I was abused for it by the white people." '"How about lynching ?" "I am ready to help lynch any white man that will rape a colored woman today~as well as I am to lynch a negro for raping a colored woman." "Don't you think ex-Senator Hamp ton is one: ir not the best, friends the negro has?" '-Wade Hampton is a hypocrite,and let me tell you above all things in the world T hate hvpocrisy. It is most as bad as stealing. "I can't believe that (en. Hampton ever killed a negro or wanted them killed." "lie accepted the results, which was just as bad, and held office which was the fruit of intimidation, fraud and such violence. i did my share of it in 187t." "Don't you feel that you have done w rong: ".No. We had it to do. We could stand it no longer. I confess I have never killed a niger, but I shot at one in Hamburg and tried to kill him, but missed him." "Well, what are you going to do in tYe convention. The negroes are alarmed. You are the cause of it. The Till-man-1Hemnhill. Evans and Barn well conference did it. Up to that time the negroes were at ease. I have never voted but once in my life, and do not care to vote now, but I would like to have the priviletre to do so." -'Do you know anything about the Mississippi plan " "Not intelligently. sir." "Well, you must pay a heavy poll tax and be able to read the Constitu tion of the United States and under stand it." "Who is to be the judge:" "The Supervisor." "And what if he be partisan, preju diced or color-blind: "That's another thing: but the Uni ted States will not allow us to make a law for the negroes and not have the same law for white people." 'But making laws and enforcing them after they are made is another thing." No reply. "Let me tell you something. We will carry this election even if all the angels in hell, the devil, all the nig gers and Conservatives combine against us. We are compelled to car ry it, and if the negroes give us any trouble they will receive no consider ation in the Constitution whatever." "It is best for you and your side to do the right, because you will have to reap what you sow in the future. I believe in the Providence of God. You were born t- torment the white peo ple for their suis against the negroes and for not doing what they promised in 1S76, and if you fail to do right there will be trouble ahead for you all." "Why, I did as much and said as much as any other white man in 1S76. And another thing, you niggers have been living under the government for thirteen years that was made by the same crowd that want power now and you were not allowed to vote and you did not try. ,Why are you so alarmed now?" "Because Governor E vans has been somewhat bitter in his talks." "Well, he is young and talks a good deal, but he is all right." Here Mrs. Tillman spoke again: "Yes, Governor Evans is a gentle man and why don't you call on him?" 1 am afraid of him. I called on Gov ernor Tillman in 1S91, and he looked so mad and vicious that I went out. As we walked in he said, What do you want I did not know what to say, and went out." "Why, that is his natural look, but at heart my husband is pure." "But he is not converted and, is a member of no church, and is therefore dan'erous." "W hy he is going to be a Presby terian soon That is my church and he will go with me." Governor Tillman: "I thought you said just now that you believed I was good at heart?" "I meant that you were true to prin ciple and wanted to do what you be lieved to be right, but you know you are a politican and may change at any time." I am afraid that you want to get into plitics now. You would make a godone. Was you in that nigger prechers' convention in Columbia?'' "No, sir; I was in Florida. I never was in but one conventcn of the kind and do not expect to attend an other. That was in October, 1$90, I made a speech endorsing you. I was all alone in the fight and my life was threatened. I thought you were right. "Well, I was not fighting for the negroes, but I did as well for them as any one else. I was trying to put those fellows out of office who were not serving the people, but them selves" "Will there be any negr'oes in the convention ?" "Yes. for Beaufort and Georgetown counties, they will come along with Reformers from the same counties. "No others:" "No." "Do you believe in educating ne groes?" "I do, but I don't see the good it does. I favor having a law to allow a man to have his school tax to go to the school he wants it. If he wants to help negro schools let him do it." "Well good evening. I am going to Edgefield to preach. Col. Dargan is down at the hotel on his way to the same place. What do you think of him :" "Who, John Dar'gan, of Sumter:" "Yes, sir." "Well I think he is a fool." "He may walk around here, as lie asked me wvhere you lived." "He woulden't have the audacity to come to my place. Say, go around here and ask these negroes on my place what they think of me. I raised some of them and they would not leave." On my way back from Edgefid I called on some of the colored people. "What you think of Mr. Tillmnan " 'Ah Lord:' said one. The next was his mail bor. "How do you like Mr. Tillman ?" 'Putty wvell. But 0. lie can cuss so: He cuss all de time." "Cuss who?" "Everybody." The last wa' his foreman. who has lived with the Senator for twenty-five years. Hie has about seven chrildren. "What do you get for wages?" "Nuttin' much, $9.50 a month." "How do you like him?" "lie treate's me all right and he don't give me orders, but pays de money cash." Notes.-As I expect the Senator to see this interviewv. I want to say that it is correct. I have another interesting interview from another source to come later and more about Senator Tillman. I believe he has no ill feeling for the negroes and would like to let them alone, but lie is afraid that the dissatisfied faction will use the negro to put his administration out of power, an d lie is working harder against white people than negroes. Lie A. Lincoln. "If freeing the slaves will sae the Union and stop the war, I am willing to do it." So the freedom or the slaves was a "war measure." So with Governor Tilliman. If disfran his admistration safe and sure he is willing to do that or anyting else. HIe is a man brains, will, courage. com mon sense an extraordinary politican. I expect to ride a fence rail and keep both feet off the ground and get on as high a fence as possible and give no advice. R. C_ nnolL. Ridge Spring, S. C. BOLD BREAK OF BURGLARS. Daring Escape of Federal Priconers from Ludlow Street Jail. NEW YoRK, July 4.-Three desperate postofrice burglars, Jos. Killoran Chas. Alien and Harry Russell, prisoners of the United States government, held up Keepers Edward A. Schneer and Chas. Schoen at the muzzle of three shining revolvers in Ludlow street jail, seized the keys that opened the three doors between them and liberty and made good their escape. All this occurred in broad daylight, just at 8 o'clock this morning. The streets were crowd ed. as they always are in that neigh borhood, the escaping prisoners went down Ludlow street to Broone, where the men separated and were soon lost in the most crowded section of the streets of New York. The story of the escape of these men was told by Schoen and Schucer as well as by a civil prisoner who hap pened in the office at the time and was too excited to make even an outcry. "I had just e ntered the jail," said Schneer, "to relieve Schoen, who was the night keeper. The three prisoners took their exercise in the inner court of the jail between the hours of S and 9 o'clock every morning. They are sent back to their cells when the other pris oners take exercise between 9 and 10. Just as I entered the door, the three prisoners pulled out their revolvers and covered Schoen and myself. They are big men and very fierce looking. 'Hold up your hands,' they shouted at us, 'or we'll blow your Dutch heads off.' At the same time, they yanked the bunch of keys to the three outer doors out my hands. I was frightened badly as I looked into the barrels of three loaded revolvers, but shouted as loudly as I could. Allen started to unlock the door leading from the hall where the hold-up took place, while his comrades still menaced us with their revolvers. A crowd, however, began to gather in Ludlow street as they heard the unusal noise in the jail, and Allen could not open the door quick enough. He then, with an oath, smashed the big plate glass and reached through and opened the latch. This let him into the office, with three heavily barred iron doors between him and liberty. We kept on shouting all the time, as the three desperadoes rat tled the big keys in the heavy doors. As they opened the doors, they locked them behind them, leaving us power less to follow in pursuit. The outer of the three doors they left open and left the bunch of keys in the lock as they had no time to do anything else. The crowd had reached great propor tions by this time. A number of policemen came running up and the prisoners had to make lively tracks up Ludlow street, the crowd and the po lice right on their heels." At Broome street, one block north of the Ludlow street door from which they escaped, the men separated. Rus sell keeping on, Allen going east on Broome street and Killoran taking the westerly direction. At Broome and Clinton streets a young man, Louis B. Ostran, was fast catching up with Allen, when the fugi tive turned upon his pursuer: "Now sneak, or I'll put an air hole through, your heart," he said. Ostran then gave up the chase and Allen was soon lost in the crowd. Sheriff Tamsen's warden, Henry F. Raabe, was greatly annoyed when he was asked about the escape. "It was all because I lay down and took a nap after giving the keys to the keeper this morning, he said snap pishly. "Yes, I have notified Under Sheriff Harry Sherman by telegraph: that's all. I have sent no word to the United States authorities." "Have you any idea how the men secured their revolvers?" was asked, "No, I haven't," he replied. "They were known to be desperate characters and I supposed you had them searched every day ?" "Oh, yes. That is they weresearched last when they were sent down to the postoffice building on Friday for ex amination. "Have you any idea when they se cured the pistols?" "No, I haven't. No one has visited them since that day, so far as I know." The men were dressed in very unob trusive citizens' clothes when they es caped. The men are famous criminals and since one of Tamsen's men shaved them in the prison they have had the appearance of ordinary citizens. The risoners were regarded by the United tates secret service men as a most im portant capture when they were ar rested on Amsterdam avenue on the first of last June. Their bail had been fixed at $10,000 and they were to have come up for another examination on Tuesday next. The police have sent out a general alarm. The Bridge Coliapsee. ELKHART, Ind., July 4.-A terrible accident occurred at Bristol, a small town six miles from this city, late this afternoon. During the progress of a boat race on the St. Joseph river six hnndred people were jammed on a thi'ee-span iron bridge. During the finish of an exciting race, and while the crowd was cheering tremendously, the bridge gave way. The mass of humanity was precipitated into the water forty feet below. As far as known at 'present thirtyeight persons injuries and it is feared that many of them will die. Luckily the water was five feet deep or many would have un doubtedly been drowned. Owning to excitement and rapid scattering of the injured by their friends, it will be some time before a complete list of the in jured can be obtained. Ulucky Naval Cadets. WASHINGTON, July 1.-Naval cadets who have finished their six years' course are assigned to duty in service to-day and commissioned as ensigns. with the exceptions of three men for whom, though they had successfually passed their examination, there were no vacancies in the line, and who were ineliaible for the engineer corps, to whicYi they might have been ;transfer red had~ they not been deficient on that branch. Exploded. SPEZZIA, Italy, July 4.-While the boat Aquila was undergoin~g trials to day her boiler exploded. Five men were killed and thirteen injured. The other six men aboard of her escaped injury. The vessel was badly dam CHARLESTON RENASCENT. SOUTH CAROLINA'S METROPOLIS IS GROWING RAPIDLY. Many New andl Important Enterprises I'eing Started--Charlesto' Capitalists are Now Investing at Home---Deep Water at the IBar andI a Road to the West. CIIARLEST ON, S. C., .July 1.-Not for many years has Charleston ap peared so full of hope, 1=e and energy as at the present time and few of our Southern cities, barring only Atlanta, where the preparation for the great exposition has created more than her usual activity, can show a greater number of new enterprises inaugurat ed since the first of the year Ever since the accomplishment of the 'ong expected deepening of channel leading across the bar and the safe and easy access of vessels drawing from twenty-three to twenty-five feet of wa ter. a more cheerful and confident feeling has permeated the commercial members of the entire community, until evet the most skeptical and de spondent of the pessimists. of whom a few stragglers remain, are compelled to admit that Charleston is fast regain ing her prestige and position among the more progressive cities of the growing South. Not only has the number of the new industries been greater than the ordi nary. but the nature of the enterprises the character. experience and standing of the men engaging in them, and above all the substantial encourage ment and success they have met with from the beginning, all furnish an in dex to the remarkable improvement and should supply the strongest in centives to continiued and still greater endeavors. While all this is true and more conld be said without exaggeration, it is to be regretted that a number of the wealthiest men of tie city, bondhold ers who are known to be worth from a quarter to two millions of dollars. do not interest themselves in opening up new enterprises that will tend to keep the young men at home and give employment to those who are now compelled to seek for occupation in other and more lucrative fields. Nor is it because of any lack of ability or of industry that the young men of our city fail to obtain the employment that all naturally expect to receive from those among whom they are reared and associated, for it is a fact freely and freauentiy commneted upon at the North that the young men from the South almost invariably gain merit and retain the unlimited respect confidence and good will of their Northern employers, that they are de serving, capable and successful is ful ly proved by the splendid and finely paid positions occupied in New York today by Southern men. But to return to the improvements in business circles so welcome and noticeable in Charleston, it might be as well to mention, not exactly as proof, but merely as a guarantee of good faith as it were, a few of the new enterprises alluded to in the begin ning of this correspondence. A nice lv furnished, finely equipped and well filled store was opened on historic Hayne street in January last by Messrs. Pringle Brothers for the pur pose of conducting a wholesale dry goods and notions business. The firm is composed of Mlessrs. R. A. and Walter Pringle, for many years of the firm of Messrs. Johnston, Crews & Co. Their encouragement has been ample and their success satisfactory and gratifying in the, extreme. The firm of Mlessrs. Johnston. Crews & Co. was reorganized and wvith the ad mission of MIr. L. Chalmers Waring has been doing a fine trade, thus showing there is room for all and more besides to do a good paying profitable business, if managed by careful, energetic and experienced men. The next enterprise worthy of men tion was the new telephone company gotten up by Mlessrs. Bailey & Lebby. The rapid success of this live house in the wholesale machinery and build ing suplply business is a guarantee of the success of their present venture also. One of the mor-e recent and equally romising new moves is the opening, of a model wholesale hardware house by Messrs. Daniel anid lHenry F. Miler with Mr. William B. Foster. under the name of the Miler Hardwvare Company. Th ese v-oang gentlemen have been identifieil with the whole sale hardware trade of this State and of the South for many years. Their unqualified success is beyond a perad venture and their abilityv and experi ence of the highest order. Another and very Ilattering project is the con templated opening of a wholesale boot and shoe store by four of Charleston's most successful young travelers. The managers are Messrs. Walter G. Green, Joseph B. Drake. Samuel Innes and W. .J. McLeod. Their handsome building is now in process of being remodelled and rebuilt. with a new and imposing front. The store will be fitted up with one of the most complete and elegant samplle rooms in the South, an innovation hitherto un known among the shoe houses of Charleston. The name of the new company has not been made public but aimple capital has been subscribed and the new enterprise begins life with the promise of a long and suc cessful career as the young men in terested have a large following and many friends am~ong-the shoe dealers of this city and State. The recent advance in the price of shoes has made fortunes for those lucky deal ers wvho have had futll stocks and the travelers in this line of goods have had a picnic selling shoes in every State this season. It is a noteworthy circumstance that all of the jobibing houses of Charleston in nearly every line have made money steadily, slowly perhaps. but surely, and during an acquaint ance of about fifteen years I can re call but the fewest possible number of failures. When it is considered that these jobbers all sell piincipally on credit, it is a creditable (pardon the pun) evidence of the manner in which the merchants of our State meet their maturing obligations. Besides the wholesale dealers above named to whom might be added sev eral phiosphlate conmpanies, but those quoted are sailicient for the purpose of showing the returning prosperity Charleston is now enjoying, there are many other and more important as well as elaborate improvements under way, backed by sonic of the wealth iest men of the "community. Not only are the rich men backing these move ments, but what is still better they are leading them. The building of a yille is being systematically pushed by the Security Construction Com pany. The president of this company is one of Charleston's leading and most substantial citizens and great things will soon be accomplished in this direction, as several hundred thousand dollars have already been subscribed and the early completion of the road is now no longer problem atical. This company has the key to the situation and the power and determination to remove the obstruc tions of railroad discriminations that have so long and so ell'ectually isloated Charleston. Once this obstacle is overcome, Charleston will begin a new era of business activity. There will be no pop and fizz or boom and sizz, such as almost paralyzed Birmingham and Chattamooga, but will go onward and forward with a regular and irrisistible movement. We will soon enjoy a new city park and an elegant theatre. Ashley ,Junction is to be abolished and the South Carolina and Georgia Railroad is extending down to the wharves. A new steamship line will shortly create furtiheir competition on freight taritfs inwards and our new road will surely give us low rates out wards. We bid fair to outrun Savan nah and distance Augusta; Norfolk and Richmond will be out in the cold for the Seaboard and Southern will bow down to us with better rates. In short, we will be able to do as well by freights and prices as any of our neighbors and none be capable of do ing that which we cannot do. We shall compete favorably with Atlanta for trade as near them as Stone Moun tain and our progress and prosperity will be of the long staple. double twisted variety, with absolutely no huckleberry above or beyond our com mercial persimmon. George T. Pringle. THAT AIKEN MUDDLE. What the Comptroller General Says About the Condition of Afrairs. CoLuIA, S. C July 3.- Comp troller General Norton has returned from Aiken wh are he has recently been to make his annual settlement with the county officials, and to examine the condition of affairs in that county. The result of this'examination has been awaited with interest, in view of the grand jury of the county. Mr. Norton says that he found that are' irregularities in the office of tne county commissioners, such as letting contracts or froads bridoes, etc. He does not, however, thin- there has been any benefit accru ing to the individual members of the board. He says that it is also true that the expenses of the county show an crease of $7,000 or $S,000 over the ex penses of last year and previous years. While this is true, he: says, the county commissioners are not entirely re sponsible for it and a comparison of the expenses for the years previous to this year shows that ;he county com missioners had spent no money for the construction of roads and bridges. This part of their duty had been neg lected and finally it became a public necessity this year to begin the work. This required an expenditure which f eerzs to indicate that the present com missioners have spent more than they ought to have done. The main incre ase in the expenditures is to be found in the court expenses, owing to the in crease of the number of criminal cases and the m oney that had to be paid witnesses and Jurors. It was some thing that could not be helped. In regard to the grand jury that Supervisor Sawyer had used public funds to pay his private debts Mr. Norton says that Sawyer did pay some private debts on a claim he had against the county for money owed him. As to the charge of fogery against Sawyer, Mr. Norton says Sawyer did sign the name of Major Champion, the clerk of the board to a certificate while Champion was sick and needed the money, but he did it in the presence of the board, and with the board's consent. The Comptroller state further that, so far as his investigation went. there was no politics in the report of the grand jury. It was composed of twelve Reformers and five Censervat ives, and the special committee which investigated all these things was com posed of three Reformers and two Censervatives. While the irregulari ties are apparent. Mr. Norton says he believes that there has been no defal cation. and the irregularities have re sulted from a lack of knowledge of the law more than anything else. State. ___ ___ Stricken by~ Lightning SOCIETY HILL, July 1.--A sad catas trophe occurred in Chesterfield last Saturday afternoon near Sherrill's Mill wh'ich is on the boundary line be tween Chesterfield and Darlington counties, about eight or nine miles from here Two young men, Messrs. George Edwards, about thirty years of age, and Lon Davis t w'enty years of age, were struck and instantly killed by lightning while sitting under a shelter. The facts learn ed were as follows: The two hadstart ed to Chesterfield on some business, when they were ovcr taken by a thun der shower, and in order to be protect ed from the rain, resorted to a shelter on the place of Mr. .Joshua Edwards, who in company with his little daugh ter. were under the shied at the time of the fatal stroke and were knocked down and stunned by the lightning. but not seriously hurt. A post of the shed was struck and Messrs. Edwards and Lon D~avis. although farther away from the post than M~r. Edwards and his clild, yet they were killed in stantly. The post was only grazed and the shed was otherwisenuninjured. Mr. George Edwards a poor man resid ing in Chesterfield and left a wife and t wo children.--State. A Fat al Runaway'. P1'TTsnu-ao, July 4.-James Caussin, a glass worker of New Kensington, near here with his family consisting of his wife and children, a boy of 6 and a girl of 8 years, were out driviig near their home last night. At the top of a hill the horse became fright ened and plunged sideways over the embankment. The occupants of the buggy were hurled to the bottom of the precipice and the little girl was instantly killed. Mrs. Caussmn's back was brokcen and her son was injured internally and fatally. Mr. Caussin was badly hurt but will recover. The horse was killed and the vehicle was demol ishied. A Terrible Thxunderbirit. SToeKrOL3, Jul 4~--.-In tile town of Hlamnedd, near \Wexio. yesterday, lightning struck a buildingf in which ten persons had taken shelter, killing seven of them, and injuring the other thre s ermionsly that they will die. MARKED IMPROVEMENT. WHAT THE STATE OBSERVER SAYS OF ALL THE CROPS. The Weekly Bulletin of the State Weather and Crop Service-A Word as to the To bacco Crop of South Carolina. CuLamuIBA, July 4.-The following weekly bulletin of the condition of the weather and the crop; of the State is sued yesterday by State Observer Bauer is of general interest: The past week opened with crops needing rain over a considerable por tion of the State, but particularly in Spartanburg. Greenville. Pickens, Union, Laurens. Newberry, Anderson, Abbeville and Aiken counties. There were also dry districts in other por tions of the State where the need of rain was not quite so urgent. During the week showers were numerous but very partial, some farms, or even fields. having all the rain needed, while ad joining farms or fields had little or none. Beginning with the 29th (Satur day) and continuing through to July 1st (Monday), the rains were more evenly distributed, and no portion of the State but that received some rain in that period. During the week there were washing rains in Kershaw county, where fields are becoming grassy, being too wet to work. There was also an excess of rains in portions of Florence and Barn well counties, hindering cultivation. There were local high winds doing damage, over limited areas, to trees, to cotton and corn in Chesterfield, Ker shaw and Williamsburg counties. The sunshine during the week was less than the normal, averaging only about 58 per cent. for the entire State, and ranging from 49 at Statesburg, Sun:.ter county, to 92 at McCall, Marl boro county, but it wasgenerally suili cient for the needs of the crops. On the 25th the ce was a hail storm in IMarlboro county, but it did little or no damage; on. the 26th there was a hail storm in Chesterfield county that did some damage to crops. The temperature was quite even dur ing the whole week, and on no day did the departure from the normal exceed three degrees. It was slightly above on four days and below, or normal, on three, making the average for the week as nearly seasonable as it is pos sible to determine. Thehighest temperature reported was 100 on the 25th at Blackville, and on the 26th and 27th at Loopers; the low est reported was 62 on the 29th at Bates burg. The mean temperature of the week for the State was about 80, and the normal for the same period is approx imately 80. The only existing unfavorable con dition is the continued deficiency in rainfall in portions of the State. There were showers every day during the past week in some section or other, but they were generally light, with mark ed exceptions. The rains of the latter portion of the week fell after many correspondents had mailed their re ports, and so do not appear in this week's summary but will appear in the figures of the next bulletin. The heaviest rainfall for the week is report ed from Charleston with a fall of 2.84 inches; there were ten other places with amounts from 1 to 2 inches. The average of 40 rainfall reports is 0.90, and the normal for the same period is approximately 1.29. As a result of the generally favora ble conditions, as shown by the above weather review, there continues to be a marked improvement in all crops, and farmers are well up with their work, the fields being, with a few ex ceptions, clean and well cultivated. The staple crops, cotton and corn, are small but growing well. The former being noted as the smallest for many years at this season. It is vigor ous and has a good color, and is put tng on squares freely; first blooms were generally reported during the last week of June, which is conisidera bly later than usual. In Anderson and some other of the Western group of counties its worth has hither to been greatly retarded by the dry weather, but now looks promising. Sea Island cotton growving fairly well. Old corn is being laid by all over the State, as the weather permits. It is in the silk and tassel, and, although its stalk is short, yet its color is good and promising generally. Bottom land corn is said to be in excellent condi tion everywhere and making rapid growth. ~Some corn being planted on oats stubble, but peas are receiving the preference in many places for planting stubble. Wheat thrashing is nearing comple tion with generally satisfactory yields, but nothing extraordinary. Late oats are a good crop in Sumter, Fairfield and Horry counties, and possibly gen erally so. Th'e tobacco crop was greatly im proved by the rains of the past week. In Williamsburge county some has al ready been cut, and it will soon be fit to cut in portions of Florence and Darlington counties. Peas are growing well lately. and a large crop is being planted on oats stubble. The shioivers have enabled peas to germinate quickly. Melons have made decided improve ment and are promising a large crop, but are so late that it is feared they will not ripen in time to find a remiu neative market. Advantage was taken of the showery weather to plant sweet potato slips, and the crop now promises better than at any time this year. Gardens suffered most from the di-y weather. and in por-tions of the State are practically ruined. However, it is said they can be replanted, and with favorable weather yield large crops of fall vegetables. Peaches are scarce and of poor qual ity in Hlorry county, but peachles. as well as many other varieties of fruits and berries, are generally quite plenti ful. The quality of the fruit varies in different sections, but is generally very fair. Apples are plentiful, and, though small, are of excellent 11avor. The State is remarkably free from insect pests, none having been reported the past week; the weather conditions are generally favorable, and with the crops in a satisfactory condition, the mid-summer outlook is most encour aging for farmers. Laughed at the Lash.. Jie'KSONvILLE, Fla., July 1. -Bessic Seymour, aged 20 was cruelly whipped by her father vesterday because she r fused to renbuuce lier lover-, Mr. Wheatley. Last night she tied to her lover's home and miarriage will follow as soon as the girl recovers frm the whippinge NEGROES TO GATHER. Ex-Congressman Murray Isues an Ad dre., Outlining Their Work. COLMmIA, S. C.. July 4.-On Wed nesday of next week there is to assem ble in Columbia a State conference of the ne'roes of the State, in response to a cal issued some time ago by the colored ministers. The conference promises to be a very largely attended and most interesting one in many re spects. The negroes called the con ference before it was known that .Judge Gotrs decision had been revers ed by the United States Court of Ap peals, but they let the call stand. It was thought that the conference would be abandoned. The following address issued by George Washington Murray, the lead er of the negroes in the registration fight. however.shows that the negroes do not intend to abandon their tight, and that will not only be held, but will deal with questions bearing on the registration matter. It outlines further the policy to be pursued by the negroes. To the colored people and friends of honest government in South Caro lina: You must by no means be discour aged at the cruel and incomprehensi ble dissolution of the righteous decis ion of Judge Goff by the Court of Ap peals at Richmond. The appellate court has not broach ed the merits of the case as decided by Judge Goft. and we must insist on having the Federal Supreme Court pass upon the merits of our cause. Various ways are known to the le gal fraternity and others by which we can get our case squarely before the court of last resort and Conp ss it self, and we must not leave one stone unturned in our efforts to do so. In the conspiracy formed to strike down our liberty, if the Federal judges have joined the administration faction and State courts, if by so doing, even the Federal Constitution itself must be nullified as is the case in the pres ent contention, the sooner it is done and made plain to the country, the better it will be for all parties con cerned. Under the act of Congress, creating the Court of Appeals, five different classes are enumerated in which the court is denied jurisdiction, among which are all causes in which consti tutional questions are involved. The ablest lawyers in the land are at a loss to comprehend how the ap pellate court of Richmond could have assumed jurisdiction; besides there is a decision of the Supreme Court of the United States denying it jurisdiction in such matters. However in doing so, it has left us a very large margin to carry our pres ent case to the Supreme Court and to make preparations to petition Con gress for redress of grievances for which it seems we may be without a remedy in other departments of the government. How the measures are to be promul gated and accomplished depends very much upon the wisdom of the ap proaching State conference. In the conference ordered on the 10th of July at all hazards all the counties in. the State should be fully represented. To carry out our' plans every county and every precinct must be fully informed, so that each might do his full duty in the great battle now ragingt as to whether the Consti tution and the laws of the United States and a cause of liberty are to triumph, or a tyrannical despotism. Our attorneys who have done yeo man service up to date are very san guine of finally winning the battle for the right. The fight will cost us very little ad ditional to what we have already obli gated ourselves to pay, and have near ly paid, only the necessary incidental expense of traveling from one point to another in furtherance of our mn terests. The Washington firm, Messrs. Doug lass and Obear, have already receive~d $902 06, which leaves only the inci dental exp~ense. and on ly $98 of the promised fee. No matter how many more new cases may be necessary, and to carry our case through the Supremue Court, outside of incidental expenses, they will cost us nothing additional. Let every one take fresh courage and do his full duty In clinging to ~our rights is like clinging to life, for, with the destruc tion of our political right, goes our civil rights and property rights, and even our right to life itself. In this light we must have it settled once for- all as to whether it is the duty of the State or Federal court to see that the Constitution and laws of the United States are obeyed. I call upon the ministers of the Gos pel to redouble their eforts :politicians of the race to sink self out of sight in this direful moment and see only the cause of an oppressed arnd struggling race, with whose destiny their own is linked, and in the destruction of whose political rights they themselves are nonemities. Yours for the cause liberty, GEo. Vv. M1RRAY. A D~esperado Killed. HlIlsv1LLE, July 4.-News has just reached here of a terrible tragedy in Trigg county late Saturday evening. Frank Colston, a desperado residimg in that county, had a difficulty with and shot and severely wounded John H. Rhodes. a farmer of his neighborhood. Another farmer, named Hammond, who was present and who was a friend of Rhode. attempted to assist Rhodes. Coston then shot and instantly killed Hfammnoud before he could render any assistance to his wounded friend. For somen reason Colston, after wounding Rhodes. did not shoot him again, pr-obably thinking him dead. Coston did not attempt to escape nor did any one attempt to arrest him, but ie went on where he was going when the difficulty was begun. A few hours later Colston, in company with a prostitute, went to the house of anoth er farmer. The farmier ordered the desperado and the woman to leave his place. They refused to do so and at tacked the farmer, who, securing a weapon, succeeded in k illing both Col ston and the woman. He Backed out. BRIDGl~wATER, M1ass.,.July -4.--Triu' itv church was crowded with friends of iss Carrie E. Bevan and Robert Per kins. who had been irvited to attend their wedding. But the ceremony did not take place. After waiting some time for the bridegroomn, Miss Bevan and the clergynman visited his home. They were cinformned by the bride room's father, James Perkins. that is son had repented of' his pledge and was on his way to Europe. The father ave Miss Devan a note from his son 2xplaining why he could not marry A DAY OF DYNAMITE. TWO ATTEMPTS TO BLOW UP PAS SENGER TRAINS. On the Southern Pacific in Oregon the Highwaymen Disable an Engine and Rob the Mail and the Passengers. GRANT'S PASS, Ore., July 2.-The Southern Pacific overland northbound train was stopped last night at 10:15 o'clock by three highwaymen near Rid dles, about thirty miles south of Rose burg and thoroughly robbed. Sticks of dynamite were placed on the rail which disabled the engine by blowing off the flanges on the pony trucks and brought the train to a stop. Taking the fireman, two of the highwaymen proceeded to go through the train and every car from the express to the rear Pullman was searched. Nothing was obtained from the express car for there was no treasure on board. On the mail car better success was met with, and the Portland, Tacoma, Seattle and Victoria, B. C., registered sacks were rifled. The passengers were also searched pretty thoroughly, but what success was met with is not known. One highwayman took a hasty shot at Conductor Kearney. who was re char e of the train, but no damage in sultea. Superintendent Fields of the South ern Pacific, in an hour after learning of the hold-up, had two parties on the way to the scene of the robbery. A posse of officers was hastily made up in Roseburg and another of rough and ready mountaineers started from here. Every effort will be made to capture the robbers. The men of the party starting from here are thorougy fa miliar with every foot of ground in the neighborhood of the robbery. The train was deiayed-s:;. Lrs, hav ing been compelled to turn t around and go into Roseburg back ward. The robbers, in going through the train, passed all who had the appear ance of being workingmen, but made others hold up their hands while they went through their pockets. The Sheriff of Klamath county wason board with a prisoner. The robbers appro priated the sheriff's pistol. None of the ladies in the dar were molested dur ing the time the train was held up, one hour and forty minutes being con sumed. The robbers outside kept firing sticks of dynamite to intimidate the passen gers. After the chief robber bad se cured his booty, he ordered the engi neers to proceed north for one hour. He then shot out the headlight, and, firing five additional shots, which were sionnals to his companions, dis app in the darkness. t cannot be determined yet how much the robbers secured, but it is thought the amount is small. F. Plot ner a Western Union lineman, had $50 or $60 in his pocket, but talked the rcbbers out of searching him. He de scribes the robber who went through the car as a slender man, about six feet tali. He wore a white silk hand kerchief mask, blueoverallsand juanp er. He had large bag slung over his shoulder and carrieda common grain sack in his hand. His hands were rough and cracked. He had a deep, coarse voice, which could easily be recognized if heard again. It was too dark to see the other robbers. The ena-ine was so badly disabled that it tokthree hours to reach Riddles, four miles distant. Upon the arrival of the train here the sheriff and a posse left for the scene of the robbery. THE 31ISCREJ!.iTS MISTAKE. WASHINGTON, July 2.-Train No. 49, known as the Chicago Express, eastbound on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, ran over a dynamite cart ridge near the Monocacy bridge, thir ty-five miles west of this city on the Metropolitan branch at 11 o'clock last night. The cartridge was exploded and caused the detachment of the air brake pipe in the rear of the engine. No damage was done either to the en gine or to the cars, but a piece of the rail where the explosive had been placed was blown away. The train was immediately stopped and backed to the place where the explosineiM d but no one was found in the vicinity. Baltimore and Ohio officials believe that the intention was to wreck and rob a passenger train; if so, the mis creants made a mistake and selected for their operations a train consisting entirely of express freight cars, carry ing neither passengers nor money. Detectives have been sent to Monocacy to investigate the affair. Five arrests of suspects have been made by the detective department of the Baltimore and Ohio Company. The parties are Timothy Mc~ourt, John Flaren, .Jesse Wells, William Young and Harry Johnson. They were taken into custody during the day at points alona' the "line charged with trespassing. They were brought to this city and committed for a hear ing July 6. They are all rough look ing individuals and it is said that per sons closely resembling them were seen lurking around Monocacy prior to the explosion. The force of the explosion aroused the country for miles around. Death of 3Mrs. O'Leary. CCAOo, July 4.-Mrs. Catherine OLeary died yesterday afternoon. She was the owner of the factious cow, which in a barn in the rear of 137 DeKoren s'.reet, on the memorable night in October 1871, kicked over a lamp and started a blze which cost Chicago $190,000,000. Since the night of that historic conflagration, ~r. OLeary's life was embittered by the popular belief that the was indirectly responsible for the loss of life and the eno-mous destruction of property. She denied the storty vigorously anyt--ae committee which investigated the fire and causes made affidavit that the alle gations about herself and cow and the lamp were not true. Enraged at a Respite. DEN'roN, Md., July 4.--Marshall E. Price. white, who was recently con victed of the murder of Sallie E. Dean, the 14-year-old school girl, in Feb ruary. and sentenced to be hanged on Friday next, was taken from th.e jail here at 11 o'clock tonight and hanged to a ti-ee in the jail yard. The respite granted to Price today pending the ac tion of the Court of Appeals (which will not meet until October) so enraed the citizens of Caroline county that the action of the mob tonight is hard ly a surprise. Killed a Church. ConDova, Md., June 30.-Lightning struck the Baptist Church here today while the mnornina service was in progress. Arvall rndall, a young farmer, who had just arrived, was in stantly killed by the shock, as were .ao a 5 par o hre tanding near by.