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T(0L. x11. MANNING, S. C.ARC 24, 1897. NO.____ 35. THE ASSESSM1ENT ACT. TEXT OF AN IMPORTANT NEW TAXA TION LAW. In Immediate EftcL-Was introduced by Mr. J. P. Thomas. Jr . of Richland. and May Add Milious to Taxable Proleb-rty. An act to provide for the !eturn and assessment of property for tax tion. Be it enacted by the general assem bly of the State o South Carolina: See 1. It shall be the duty of all persons who are required by law to make returns of personal property to make full returns of all real estate and improvements thereon between the tirst day of Januar y and the 12ma day of February, 1898, and the same time in every fourth year thereaf rer. Pro vided, That for that portion of the township of Fc rer e , in the e unty of Florence, lying within the limits of the city of Florence. like returns shall also be made between the 1st day of March and the 15th day of March, 1897. Sec. 2. It shall be the duty of the county auditor and township boards of commissioners on or before the first Tuesday of March in each year to diligently seek for and disc:ver all property, both real and personal, in his county, subject to taxation and not previously returned or listed with him; and it shall be his duty to list the same with taxation, giving the valuation thereof, with the name of the owner or person to whom it is taxable. Sec. 3. It shall be the duty of the county auditor on or before the first Tuesday of March in each year to lay before the township boards of com missioners and the special boards of assessors the returns of all property, both real and personal, made to him, tcgether with a list of all property, both real and personal, which he can discover has not been previously re turned or listed for taxation, as re quired by law, stating in the c)lumns of remarks upon each return and list what he believes ought to be the val uation of the property returned or listed. Sec. 4. The township boards of c m missioners and -soccial boards of as sessors shall meet annually on the first Tuesday in March, or as soon thereafter as practicable, at some con venient place or places,for the purvose of performing the duties devolved up on them.,- It shall be their duty to cirefully consider the returns and lists laid before them by the county auditor, and if necessary to compare the same with the tax returns and tax duplicates for the previous year or years. They shall diligently seek for and discover aU property, both real and personal, in their respective tax districts not previously returned by the owner or agents thereof, or not listed for taxation by the county audi tor; and thereupon it shall be their duty to list the same for taxation in tn. nfbte of the owner or person to whom it is taxable. It shall thereupon be their Turther duty to fairly and im partially assess the value of all prop erty, both real and personal, in their respective tax districts, entering upon the returns and lists furnished them, and they shall have the right in per formingTheir duties hereunder to in crease but not to lower the valuation of any property; real or personal, as fixed by the county auditor or as re turned by any person; and it shall not be deemed material whether the re turn so increased was intentioaally or unintentionally false, or whether the property whose value is so raised was intentionally or unintentionally re turned at less than its fair cash value by-the county auditor and upon the lists made out by them,the valuations fixed by them; said returns and lists, -with said valuations, to be by them laid before the county auditor on or before the third Taesday in March in each year, except that for the torn ship of Florence, in the c~unty of Florence, for the year 1897, t ae same to be laid before the county auaitor on or before the 31st ofMarch. Pro vided, however, that real estate shall be valued and assessed by said boards only in these years whien real estate is by the law required to be returned, except that said boards may, in any year, value and assess any real estate and improvements thereon which they may ascertain or discover have not previously been returned or assessed for taxation. Whenever the valuation and assessment of any property is fix ed by said boards at a sum greater than the amount returned by the owner or his agent, or whenever any property is valued and asseseed for taxation which has not been previous ly returned or assessed it shall be the duty of the county auditor on or be fore the fourth Monday in March of the year in which the valuation and asssment is made to give to tne own er or agent of such property wr~.tten notice thereof, which notice may be served upon such owner or his agent personally, or by mailing the same tc such person or his agent at his last known place of residence; and such owner or his agent, if he objects to such valuation and assessment, shal. have the right of appeal to the county board of comnmissioners, sitting on the county board of equalization, which appeals shall be heard by said county board. That account of the county auditor for the necessary stationery and postage to enable him to give the notices herein required, shall be a va lid claim against Lfne county and shal. be paid as other county claims are paid. Nothing in this act contained shialli be construed as interfering with the duty of the county auditor of ad ding fifty per cent. to the value of personal property as a penalty as pro vided in sections 279, 295, and 297 of the revised statutes of 1St93, nor with the duties of the county auditor as prescribed in section 29u of the revis ed statutes of 18. Sec. 5. The county boards of com mnissioners,while actmng as the county boards of equalization, shall meet on the fourth 'ruesday in March in eaeb year, and at such other times as the hairman or a majority of the board shall aiirict. at the oflice of the county auditor, who shall act as their clerk. The county auditor shall thereupor lay before them the returns of proper ty made to him and all property listed by him and by the board of townshij commissioners and special boards o1 assessors. EKch member, having taker aa oath, bef ore some officer duly qual ied to administer the same, fail and impartially to equalize the val of the real and personal propry 0 thcir county, according to the provis ions oi law, the board shail immedi ately proceed to equalize 'he -ralua tions iixed by the board of townshij ommisiners, so that each piece n property shall be entered on the tax list at its true value Tney shall hear all grievances and appeals from the valuations and assessments fixed by the township boards of commissioners and special boards of assessors, and act upon the same. For the purpose of performing their duties said board shall observe the following rule: First. They shall raise the valaation of such tracts and lots of real proper ty or ar:icles of personal property, as in their opinion have been returned or assessed below their true value. to such price or sum as they may believe to be the true value thereof, and due notice shall be given to the owner or agent of such property. Second. They shall reduce tue val vations of such tracts and lots of real property and articles of personal pro perty, as in their opinon have been returned or assessed above their true value, as c)mpared with the average valuation of the property of such county, having due regard to the rel ative situation, quility of soil, im provement and natural and artificial advantages possessed by each tract or lot of real property. Third. They shall not reduce the aggregate value of real and personal property below the aggregate value thereof as returned to tne county au ditor. The auditor shall keep an ac curate journal or icord of the pro ceedings and orders of said board. Any person whose property has been or may be assessed above its true value who cannot secure relief from said board shall have the right to ap peal to the comptroller general, to whom shall be forwarded all testimo ny relative to each alleged grievance and who shall act therer oma. Sec. U. The said returns and lists of taxable property, with the valuations fixed as hereinbefore provided shall thereupon be adopted by the county auditor for the purposes of taxation for the ensuing year, and shall be per manently entered oa record by him upon the tax books of his county. It shall be the duty of the county auditor to mare up and complete the tax books of his county on or before the 13th dy of Jane, as provided in section 285 of the revised statutes of 1893. Nothing in this act contained shall be construed as interfering with the provisions of sections 299 and 314 of the revised statutes of 1893. Sec. 7. Each member of the town ship board of commissioners and of the special boards of assessors shall re ceive for his services in performing the duties devolved upon him by this act two dollars for each day actually employed, not exceeding three days: Provided, that in those townships or tax districts in which is situxted an incorporated town or city of 1,000 and less than 5,000 inhabitants they shall be paid for not exceeding five days; and in those townships or tax districts in which there is an incorporated city or town of 5,000 and less than 10,000 inhabitants they shall be paid for not exceeding 10 days; and in those to wn ships or tax districts in which there is an incorporate.d town or city of 10,000 inhabitants or more they shall be paid for not exceeding 20 day: Provided further, that no per dien shall be paid unless accompanied by the affidavit of such member giving the number of days actually employed. and by the certificate of the county auditor to the effect that such member has fully per formed all the duties required by this act. Sec. 8. Nothing in this act shall be construed to affect the p~wers and duties of the county auditor of Char leston and of the special boards of assessors of the city of Charleston as defined in section 311 of the revised statutes of 1893 and in any act or acts amending said section tnat may be passed at the present session of the general assembly. Sec. 9. That from and after the pas sage of this act the governor shall ap point, upon the recommendation of the senator and the members of the house of representatives from the re snective counties, three discreet elec tors in each incorporated city and town in this State having a popula tion of not less than 500 inhabitants, who shall be known as the board of assessors of such cities and towns, whose term of office shall be cotermi nal with that of the governor by whom such assessors shall have been appointed and until their successors have been appointed and qualified. The duties heretofore devolve upon the township board of commissioners as assessors shall be devolved upon the board of assessors herein provided for within the limits of their respect ive cities and to wns. Provided, That noihing ccontained in this section shall be construed as affecting the special boards of assess ors in the cities of Charleston and Columbia. Sec. 10. All acts and parts of acts inconsistent with this ac: are nereby repealed Sec. 11. Tnis act shall go into effect immediately after its passage. He Feli Qnalckly. COLUM1BIA, S. C.. March 18.-When Governor Ellerbe reorganized the constabulary a few days ago he an nounced that he would use his official broadaxe to chop off the head of the very first appointee who got drunk. Under such circumstances he little dreamed that he would have to use his axe in less than a week.- But he did. all the same. One of the members of the new force got cn a spree after getting his commission. It was promptly reported to Governor Eller be and yesterday he chopped the offend er's official head off without a word. Another man will be selected to fill the place. The man was one of the -members of the former force who had been retained. Governor Ellerbe says that he expects to take similar action in every case of such character that is brought to his attention and the con stables may as well understand it. State. An Heiress Kidnaped. S-r. Louis. March 17.-Ella Burden, 11 years old, heiress to $100,000, has been inexplicably missing from her home since Monday. She lived with her grand-mother. Mrs. Burden, at 5032 Mineirva street and left home Monday for the Dozier school, where she is regarded as one of the orightest Iand prettiest of the several pupils. At 3:30 o'clock in the af ternoon, the usua. jhour, she left the school for home and >went part of the way with several other grls, to a point where she usually~ I took the car for home. Nothing has b een heard of her since. Mr. Bairden has every agency possibly at work~ for ner discoverv. Hie declares the only posible theory for her disappearance is that she was kidnapped and is being - held by her captors until a sutlicienm rewardi is oifered. Ella is a beautif u. > child and well grown for her age. A M'KINLEY'S MESSAGE, STRIKES FOR HIGH TARIFFS AND MORE REVENUE. A Point Made Pla!n That the Government Hust Either Spend Much Less or Receive Much More. WAsINGTON, March 15.-Both branches of Congress assembled to day in extraordinary session in obe dience to the President's proclama'.ion convening it. After the routine busi ness cf the two Houses were gotten through the following message was read in each House: To the Con-gress of the United States: Regrettiug the necessity which has 'equired me to call you together. I feel that your assembling in extra ordinary session is indispensible be cause of the condition in which we find the revenues of the government. It is conceded that its current expendi tures are greater than its receipts, and that such a condition has existed for more than three years. Witn un limited means at our command, we are presenting the remarkable spectacle of increasing our public debt by bor rowing money to meet the ordinary outlays incident upon even an econo mical and prudent administration of the government. An examination of the subject discloses this fact in every detail, and leads inevitably to the can clusion that the c~ndition of the rev enue which allows it is unjastifiable and should be corrected. We find by the report of the secre tary of the treasury that the revenues for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1893, from all sources, were $125,865,260.22 and the expenditures for all purposes were $115,953,806.56, leaving an ex cess of receipts over expenditures of $9,914,453.66. Daring that fiscal year $40,570,467.98 were paid apan the Dub lie debt, which had been reduced since Mirch 1, 1839, $259,076.89J, and the annual interest charged decreased $lt,684,576.60. The receipts of the go rernment from all sources during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893, amounted to $461.716 56 L ani its ex penditures to $159,374,837, showinz an excess ofreceipts over expenditures of $2,311,674. Since that time thereceipts of no fis cal year, and, with few exceptions, of no month of any fiscal year, have ex ceeded the expenditures. The receipts of the government from all sources during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1894, were $372,802,498 and its expen dituras $142,605,75S, leaving a deficit -the first time since the resumption of specie payments-of $69,803,260. Not withstanding there was a decrease of $16,769,128 in the ordinary expenses of the government as compared with the previous fiscal year, its income was still not sufficient to provide for its daily necessities, and tae gold reserve in the treasury for the redemption of greenback was drawn upon to meet them. But this did not suffice, and the government then resorted to loans to replenish the reserve. in Febru ary, 1S94, $50,000,000 were issused, and in November following a second issue of $50,000,000 was deemed neces sary. The sum of $117,171,795 was realized by the sales of these bonds, but the reserve was steadily decreased until, on February 8, 1895, a third sale of $62,315,400 in bonds far $65, 116,244 was announced to congress. Tne receipts of the government for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1895, were 390,373,203 and the expenditures $433,178,426, sho wing a deficit of $13, 805,223. A further loan of $100,000, 000 was negotiated by the govern ment in February, 1896, the sale netting $111,166,246, and s welling the aggre gate of bonds issued within three years to $262,315,400. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1896, the revenues of the government from all sources amounted to $109, 475,408, while its expenditures were $431,678,615, or an excess of expendi tures over receipts of $25,2J3,245. 1a other words, the total receipts for the three fiscal years ending June 30, 1896, were insufficient by $137,811,729 to to meet the total expenditures. Nor has this condition since improved. For the first half of tne present fiscal year the receipts of the government exclusive of postal revenues were $157,057,603 and its expenditures ex clusive of postal service $195,410,000, or an excess of expenditures over re ceipts of $37,902,396. In January of this year the receipts exclusive of pos tal revenues were $24,316,991 and the expenditures exclusive of postal ser vice $30,269,389, a deficit of $5,952,395, for the month. In February of this year, the receipts, exclusive of postal revenues, were $24,400,997 and expen ditures exclusive of postal service, $28,796,056, a deficit of $4,395,059; or a total deficiency of $186,06 1,5S0 for the three years and eight months ending March 1, 1897. Not only are we without surplus in the treasury, but with an increase in the public debt, there has been a corresponding in crease in the annual interest charge from $22,823, 883 in 1892, the lowest of any since 1862, to $34,387,297 in 1896, or an increase of $11,493,414. It ma~y be urged that even if the revenue of the government had been sutlicient to meet all its ordinary ex penses during the past three years the gold reserve would still have been iL sufficient to meet the demands upon it and that bonds would necessarily have been issued for its repletion. Be tuis as it may, it is clearly manifest without denying or aflirming the cOr rectness of such a conclusion that the debt would have been decreased in at least the amount of deficiency and business confidence immeasurably strengthened throughout the country. Congress should promptly c orrect the existing conditions. Ample revenues must be supplied not only for the or dinary expenses of the government, bat for the prompt payment of liberal pensions and the liquidation of the principal and interest of the public dept. In rraisimg revenues, duties should be so levied upon foreign pro ducts as to preserve tne home market sa far as possible to our own produc ers, to revive and increase manufac tories, to relieve and encourage agri culture, to increase our domestic and foreign commerce, to aid and develop minimg and building and to render to labor in every field of useful occupa tion the liberal wages and adequiate re wards to which skill and industry are justly entitled. The necessity of the passage of a taritf law wich shall proviue ample revenue need not be turther urged. Tne impoerative de mand of the hour is the prompt enact ment of such a measure and to this ob ject I earnestly recnmmend that con gress shall matke every endeavor. Bia fore other business is transacted, let .us first provide suflcient revenue to without the contracting or further debt, or the continued disturbances of our finances. WILLIAM MCKINLEY, President of the United States. The message occupied the undivid ed attention of the senators and of the audience in the galleries, but no dem onstration followed its conclusion. Then, on motion of Mr. Allison (Rp ) of Iowa, the senate at 3:25 p. n. ad journcd until to morrow at noon. THE NEW PENSION LAW. It is More ComplicAted Than the One it snPersed3. COLUMIA, March 19.-The latest pension law is creating more compli cations than the previous one, which it was supposed to simplify. In fact there are so many irregularities and inc msistencies in it that it is doubtful if pensioners will get their money be fore some time in August, though there is some chance of them getting it about the latter part of July. The contemplation of the law is that pen sio-ers should receive their quota in June, but in the new law the year is made 1896 instead of 1897. This is an error from carelessness and will not affect the payment in the least. but there are other things to be c nsidered. The township ooards are required to meet on May 1 aLd the County Board meets ten days late. All pensions al lowed will then have to pass the in snection of the State Board, and as there are so many of them, it will be utterly impossible to have the lists ready by June 15, as required by law. Another c )mplication; arises from the formation of new counties and the division of to wnships As it is likely that but one or two of the new coun ties will be organizad by May 1, it is not known exactly what procedare shall be taken towards organizing county boards. Comptroller General Norton is giving the subject serious study and it may result in him ignor ing the fact that new c)unties have been formed and have the towrships organize just as if they had not been cut off from the o:iginal cunty. Again, there are many townships, especially in the lower section of the State, where there are practicilly no Confederate soldiers, and if they do not organize township boards the State Board is required to do so. Thus the latter board, before acting, will have to ascertain all these facts and that means further delay. The State Board nad all its blanks printed and sent out to the various counties oefore the new law was pass ed,and these blanks had nothing about township boards. Mr. Norton hopes, ho wever, to make them answer all pur poses and save the printing of addi tional ones. The whole machinery of the pension department has to be done over by reason of the new law and while there was a great deal of kicking last year over delays, there is likely to be a mighty howl this year. Bit it can't be helped. The following is a brief synopiis ot the law: 1. The surviving soldiers and sail ors who were in the service of the Confederacy or the State during the late war between the States are to meet on a convenient day prior to May, 1897, in the several townships of this State, and after organizing by the election of a chairman and secre tary, they shall elect by a majority vote three of their members or reputa ble citizens who are not applicants for pensions, who are to constitute the examining board of pensions for each township. 2. The township boards are to elect one of their memby rs as chairman. 3. All applications for pensions are to be made to the township boards whose duty it shall be to decide to which class the applicant belongs. 4. The several township boards are to meet before the first Monday in May, 1S97, for the purpose of consid ering _applications, and within ten days thereafter the county examining board shall meet to settle all disputes and contests. 5. In selecting pensioners from among the applicants, the board shall have regard to their physical condi tion and nannial means, allowing to each applicant so selected the sum of $6, $1 and $3 per month, as they may be entitled to under tho law. 6. The members of the township boards are to serve without compensa tion. 7. The chairman of the township boards are to meet at the county seat within ten days after their own elec tion, and shall organize by electing a chairman and secretary. When or ganized they are t> elect four of their members and a regular practicing physician, who are to constituite the county examining board, whica is to meet on the first Monday in May, 1897. S. The members of the County Boards are to rc:ive $1 per day and 5 cents per mile one way,the per diem and mileage not to exceed $S each in a year. t. The pensions are to be paid not later than June 15.-Register. Charve a For Some Town Cor.UnuA, S. C., March 18.-"At the annual meeting of the South Car olina State Teachers' association a committee of three men was appointed to see what could be done toward securing a permianent home-grounds and buiiding-f or these annual meet ings. such Lomaes as the teachers of North Carolina and Georgia have. From 200 to 300 teachers from the common schools, high scaool, acade mies and colleges ot the State attend these meetings. Ihow many to wns in the State are interestedl in this movement? Taiscommnittee makes its report in June." The State yesterday rezeived the above which is given for the in formation of the p-ublic. There is scarcely any necessity of pointing out the great benetit im mny ways that will come to the town or city which has tneC nuiuber of teachers indicated to ga:her therein once a yearr. Alt basiness concerns would prodt directly from the presence of such people. Easslanu S tudenits Arrested. LONDON, March 18.-A dispatch to the London Times from St. Pettersourg says that over a thous and studenxts of the LUniversity and other institutions have been arrested at the very doors of the Cathedral of our L idy of Kazan. Tuere were en deavoring to attend prayers said for the soui of a gzirl student name Vt roi, wnlo, it is alleged. set lire to ber bauket and burned nerself to death in ner prisou cell to escape the insults and violence of a prison ollicial. She has been imnprisoned since Decenmer on the charge of being a political agita tor TILLMIANON M ARK HA NA. THE DISGRACE OF THE LATE PRES!I DENTIAL ELECTION. The Ohio Statesman Is Rewarded for the Wholesale Prositution of the American People-Senators Should be Elected by a Direct Vote. Senator D. R. Tillman wrote as fol lows recently to the New York World: The attitudle of the World in the last cimpaign was a disappointment to its friends who had expected tiat it would finally come out for free silver and then give Mr. Bryan a hearty support. Bat while Democrats were disap pointed that the great Democratic daily of New York city assu-med the attitude it did, the telling blows which it has dealt to trusts and monopolies and the courage and persistence with which it leads the fight against corpo rations and their high priest, Mark Hanna, must command the admira tion of every true patriot. We are making history very rapidly in this closing lustrum of the nine teenth century and the two opposing forces in American politics, the peo ple and organized capital, are alrea'dy marshalling their forces for the con test of 1900. The last election, al though it witnessed the triumph of money, is ackaowledged to have set tled nothing, and every student of current events must realize that the condition of antagonism bet ween man and money of our country is becom ing more and more aczentu ited every day. As soon as it became known that Senator Sherman would receive the portfolio of State in the Cabinet of Mr. McKinley the question of his suc I ccs1r came prominently to the front and for two months the figure of Mark Hanna has loomed portentious ly above the horizon as the man who was to take Sherman's place in the American House of Lords. There has been reports, interviews and surmises almost daily leading the people to believe that Governor Bush nell and Senator Foraker would re sist the demand for Mr. Hanna's ap pointment to fill the Senatorial va cancy. There were patriotic Ameri cans trained in the old school of our politics, both Democrats and R epubli cans, who hoped that official subser I viency would not stoop s far that the great State of Ohio might have as its representative in the Senate one wor thy to succeed John Sherman. I But the '"business methods," for the first time made familiar to the Ameri can people in the recent Presidential canvass, have been too strong. Tae news came to us witnin a week that Hanna is to be the next Senator from Ohio. Organized capital flaunts in the face of American people the com mission to a seat in the Senate wrung from a reluctant executive, and the 4th of March, which will witness the withdrawal of Sherman, will. be fol lowed swiftly by the entrance into the Senate chamber of a man who boldly and unblushingly bought the Presi dency for his friend and patroa. I say patron, for I am not ready to use a harsher term which, however, is flating in the minds of the people, nor to believe that Mr. McKinley will permit himself to become the mere puppet and tool of Hanna and the men he represents The two men are very intimately associated and one owes the other much, very much, but I shall hope to see the new President perform the duties of his high otfie in a manner that will reflect credit upon himself and the millions of true Americans who voted for him, rather than lend himself to the scheme of the conspira tors who are pressing madly onward either to defeat or revolution. The American people have done a great deal of thinking siuce the No r emnber election and tne masses have learned a great deal about the true na ture of the ismues presented in the last campaign. It is fortunate for those who have not despaired of the Republic and who believe in the capacity of men for self-government that Mart Hanna is to enter the Senate. His advent marks a further step dowvnward, a "lower deep" in the debauchery of Ameriean politics. The elec:ion to the high otlice of his Democratic pre decessor y bribery has been charged with mucn sho w of truth, and no evi dence to aisprove it ever sa w the light of day. What, with the fact that Ohio cast one vote in the recent election for every three and three-quarter inhabi tants and now sees the manmpulator of that election transplanted to the Sen ate-it is easy to see that the do wn ward course, the "easy dcscent to hell," is being rapidly trod. The business metnods" which have brought about these rerults and the reward claimed and obtained so un blushingly must mark an epoch in American nistory. The seat tilled" oy blutf, honest old Ben Wade and "Grand Old Man Allan Thurman, is to be occupied oy Mark Hanna and the question natural ly presents itself, what is the reason or thus honoring this man? Is it be cause he has oppressed and robbed la bor? That he is in fact the embodi ment of modern Repubiicanism which is more cruel than the ex-slavenolders of tne Soutn and knows no (kod bat Mammon: Let the cause be what it may. the American people have only tuiem selvsto blame for the e ndmtons in which they now lind themselves. The struggle for the control of the govern mem~ by the trusts and corporations has caused us to witness stranige sights with in recent years. The Federal patronage and the p-ossession of the veto pow er are the prizes iougnt for in the Presidential election. A seat in the Senate, which is tie fortress of the wealthy classes and fa vored interests, is becoming so valua ble thlat the election of a Senator in any Smate, North or South where money can be used, is no longer left to the peopie or their representatives. Partsan leeling runs so migh as to threaten rioting and bloodshed. Wit ness the scenes in Kentucky last sp ing, and see the situation in Ore gon now. Tnen the elections for den ator in Souta Dakota, ldahio and North Carolina are too recent to need more than an allusion. 'They all cry with trumpet voice for the election of Senators og a direct vote of the peo The robbery of the people by still more oppresive legislation taan they now endure cannot be accomplished by legislative action, and a vote in the Senate in the equally-ballanced conditio of partie becomes moreand more a prize to be fought for and-, alas, I must say it-bought. The Re publican chairman, who is to become' Senator, has been actively at worn, securing votes in that body. I When Congress convenes in extra! sesion he will himself be a member of it, and his intimate relations with the new President will naturally give him more weight than any other man in the Senate. Thus bribery, the wholesale debauchery of the ballot, is rewarded by the highest honor and influence. Tte highest honor in the 2ift of the Suate is the priz? for the wholesale p-ostitution of the A-meri ean people. Again I say it marks an epoch in our country's history. and it remians to be seen whether the triumph of wrong over right, of fals2hood over truth, of dishonesty and corruption shall be p rmanent. I repeat that the brazen effrontery which has brought about this object lesson is fortunate for the cause of humanity and natriot ism. "The mills of the gods grind slo p. but they grind exceedingly fine." The people of great wealth who use such unscrupulous methods to ia crease their ill-gotten gains are only damming up the water. State Board of Edccatlon. ColumimA, March 18.-The follo v ing communication to County Super intendents of Education will prove of especial importance to teachers throughout the State: COLUMBIA. S. C , March 15, 1S97. Dear Sir: The State Board of E lu cation will meet at Columbia on April 2, and will examine applicants for Teachers' State cerfificates on April 3, begining at 9 o'clock a. m. At this meeting the County Boards of Elucation will be reorganized as re quired by the Act passed at the last session of the legislature. If you have any matters to submit to this board at this meeting please send them in time. The regulir exmination of appli cants for Teachers' County certificates will be held by the County Boards of Education on April 16. Decide where the County examination will be held and give ample public notice of the i time and place of both the State and County examinations. The ques~ionS for the County examination will be prepared by the State Board of Eluca tion and sent to you, by mail or ex press, in due time. Yours very truly, W. D. MAYFIELD. The meeting of the S:ate Board of Education as is seen from the above is to be a most important one, as all boards will be reorganized under the new school laws passed by the last Ligislature. The follwing is the call for the meeting of the board: Dear Sir: Please take notice that the State Board of Elucation will meet at the Governor's Mansion at 8 o'clock p. m., April 2. at the office of State Superintendent of E lucation at 9 o'clock a. m. on April 31. Among other things that will come before the Board at this meeting will be adoption of quesiions for tne regular County examination of applicants for teacn ers' certifcates. This examination will take place on the third Friday in April. Please prepare and b-ing with you some questions to be adopt ed by the Board. By order of Governor William H. Ellerbe, Chairman of the Board. Yours very truly, W. D. MAYFIELD. Very Important Dacidlon. COLUMiBIA, March. 19.-In the Su preme Court yesterday the follo wing decision was handed: "W. H. Pep pr, plaintitf, apllant, vs. Miss it lie Shearer, styling herself Mrs. Salie Pepper, defendant, respondent; af firmed. O~ainion by Ira 13. Joces, As soiate Justice." Behind this is the sad story of a woman's betrayal and the perfidioas attempt of the man ia the case to heap further igaomy and disgrace u pon his condiing vic tim. Several years ago, in Anderson Coun ty, Pdpper paid inarked attentions to the defendant in the case mentioned Under the promise of marriage he be trayed her, but her father and orother, accompanied by a prese ae: and a couple of guns, persuaded Peppe:r that it was best to right the wrong he had done, as far as possib.e, by marrying the girl. Shortly after this Pepper skipped off and went to Texas. Last year he applied to Judge Witherspoon at Anderson to annul the marriage on the ground that he had been forced into it and had not entered into the contract of his own free will and con sent. 'The Judge righteously decided against him and an appeal was taken to the Supreme Court, which has just confirmed the decision of the loiver court. It is understood that Pepper has some property in which he does not wish his wife to share and tuat is why he wants the niarriage annulled, but in this the courts hiav biosked himz. He is still in Texas, 'saa even snouid he get a divorce in that State at wi not atffct his wife's riggits to heri per sonal share of what he might o w' in this State, for Soutn Carosina reecg ni s no uivorce or any kind, no mat ter where or for what granted--Reg Ister. MrEte.xi, Tenn., Marcsh 1i.- 2 ie worig of rescuing t.he pesople in the looded district is beira~ carried on night and day and tuiis miorning halt a dozen steamiers brought to Mmphis Iover 1,000 refugees. inlC sesteam 2Oat -e ei ome horro-,i'ng stories 0o saferng nddeath. On~e wo'man who was rescued froan I ndian mound. 15 miles west o here, held mf her armas a dead iafant that~ nper shed from cold and hungr cre family of four wnen r-seaed, r-elated hat two small children wer -ro- 'wnta in sight or taeir helpiess parents. IL lands Nos. 4), :37, 350 and ;l in t1'i Misiss~sippi riser are comifztely s-a - merged andI the inhabntauts to tce nuoer of about C00 have abandoned their homes- Rain oegan to fall nere yesterday afternoon and at noon Lu day there nad been no cessation 01 the downpour. The river no-v marks 3. 9. Tae Ievaes are standing the strain much better than was expectedi, but a break is lhauie to caur at a.ny momnt An Elephant strau:;ied. BahmzE'onr, Coan., March 10. Tip, a monsar elepnt wnica has been shown turougnout the conr -Or many years nast. was nu' to d-- t y stran~guiatlon to day .~d i n brut's eet were chained tosaesam ly driven into tne ground med a block and lac-kie dre'--a rope ,tau about his5 neck, unltil he was '-a . The operation was comnpletd m teen minutes. *o2p ha der-\e vicious tenaerncies. Yetr -e wa give poion but vmilnou makd FOUR SU'RVVED. Thirty- five IPO-yte Battledl With ThIrst NEW Y-ca March D -Out of the ightytwo pers. onprisim:, the passengers and cr-.-w Of the steamer VIle de St. Nai rmwich sailea from this nort onr for Port Aux Prince. Hayo, only foir are known to iavo surviel th- disaster which befel* the craft a for. y-eight hoars le T-ese foar passed through an ex-orience sc "s has fortunately fahen to the Jot of fe ', sceing one af ter another of t irty-one others who left he iaar in the large boat r~erish" of mume to the cold or die of hun r, SOn.- su!ferinz during the seven days in w'ien they drifted help lessly, without sait or compass. pangs that dro.-e them to madness before death came to their relief. Among the sur vivors is Senor Pagado, a San Do minyan, who was compelled to wit ness he death of his wife and four children without being able to allevi ate their suIf frlags. What became of the forty-four persons besides those mentionea above can be only too well surmised, although there is a remote iossibility that one or more of the three boats in which they left the sinking steamer in the midst of a ferce March storm, off the always periious Cape Hatteras, has been picked up by a sailing vessel which has not yet made a part and made known the res cue. The other known survivors be sides Togad-o are Captain Berri, Mr. Stauts. the third engineer and the ship's djctor, Maire. Tne St. Nazaire was one of the West Indian fleet of the French Trans At lantic Steamship Company and plied between this and West Indian p~rts, commainded by Captain Jacquaman. She clearei from Ne v York for Port de France, MArch 6;h. Oa the follow inog day, according to the story told by one of the survivors, a leak was discovered, but it was not thought to be sutli-ienily serioas to warrat a re turn to port. By the middle of the se:ond day, howvever, tae leak had increased to a dangerous extent and a ortion of the cargo oa the port side of the vessel was damagei by the wa ter which had co-mencel to ooar in in great qaantties. A terriole storm arose on the nignt of the second day, and the heavy seas together with the big leak, readered the escape of the vessel from sbi9 wreck an impossibility. Realizing that the shio was doomed the captain or dered the four life boats to be lowered and into them crowded the passengers and cre w. Tne boats were soon s wept apart by the wind and waves. Tne boat which was found by the Hilda six days after the sinking of the ship is the only one of.the four that has been heard of. The Ville de St. Nazaire was valued at $300,000. Her cargo was valued at $50,000 and sh3 carriel -$5,00) in gold. The agent said he did ncl kaow whether the cargo was insured or not. Captain Jaq aanan was a wido wer and two of his daughters are said to be married and living in the south of France. Engineer Stauts and Dr. Maire hive so far recovered from the edfects of their terrible exposure as to be able to be up and around the saloons of the steamshio La Nrmandie, to which they have been taken to recuperate. Captain Berri is resting easily at the Hotel Martin. To his physician,Captain Brr said: "The supply of food and water on the small boats was exhausted the first day, and then bcgan the awful strug gle in which thirty-one out of the thirty-five persons in the boat perish ed. Mrs. Tagado and her four chil dren were among the first to succumbo. After the water gave out r. few bis cults remained. Many of the men were almost choked in s wallo wing the dry sturT, and in desperation they drank of the salt water. Tnose wno commenced to drink the brine could not stop, and in a few days they be came maniacs and died in maniacal cnvulsions. Others who resisted the tem'otation to drink the salt water culd not stand the deprivation and died from hunger. Those who remain ed had not s:.rength enough to move, aud when the boat was picked uc there wera four of the dead with the living. I did everything I could to induce the unfortunate people tO keep from drinking the salt water and to set themselves to fight ,death, but what I said had little etfect." Daring Attempt at Kidnapping. HorsTos, Tex., March 18.-The most daring attempt at crime eve' known here was frastrated this morn ing at 3 o'clock when detectives killed Walter liaghes as he was in the acl of entering the house of Frank Dann, a wealthy resident of this city. The police received information some time ago that a scheme was on foot to kid nap Dann's little daughter. The pur pose of the kidnappers was to keep th girl in captvity and demand 4l0, t00 ransom for restoring her to her o~rents. Detectives have been or -ur -a r Dunn's house for several nguard bt no developments oceurred unstil this morning, when it was dis covered that a man was attenapting to foc one of the windows of the Dan residence. One of the officers i nad vertently attr-acted the attention o0 the miarauder, who. ilnding he was dicovered, drew a revolver and tired Sicea the detective. The detectives thn opened tire and the intruder fet dead. ' ugh was a railro'ad man, bu ha -tl been working as a carpen ter He ad rented a house aa Dun- an'd under the floor of one 'o the room s had dug a cave in whici ther -idnap"ped child was to be saccetec u til thernsam was paic. At a poin: somea' distance fron at'e city Hutghe: had errue a number of tabxe where he intended to direct -that is tres at would result in uc da1 a the child. *Wn Hughes' body wai searched a~ re'olver, a keecdg utcher knf sud a baotte of cnloro ar - 1- o Mrc -E-The trial o tw re oen and' -r men was com manced a vasar;nely, on L e adodos to aa.Te priSouers ar enarget wi~ oisoning their husba~nds. o naer of their relatives in order t< oaiisurance mone.v Somae o: 'e rison ers are accoused of four c. ae 1'narders. Tne chtief prisoner is midwie, named Marie ajer, who i energe'd with supyn the poisor wit which1 the murders wecom mtted. About MG witnesses ye 'r WAS A GREAT SWELL. HOW A SHARPER CUT A WIDE SWATH IN COLUMBIA. s-veral Legislators Have Remembrances in the Shape of 1. 0. U's-A Draft for a Board Bill Which Was Worthless. ComUma'i 1. March 19.-Daring the session of the Legislature a well dressed man, apparently about 40 years old, came to Columbia and reg istered at the Grand Central. He had dark hair, sprinkled with grey, whis kers of the same kind, which he part ed in the middle, wore glasses, and on first sight had quite a distinguished appearance about nim. His autograph on the hotel register alleged that his name was Galp. Mr. Golp seemed to have money, in fact he did, for he smoked good cigars and wined and dined himself sumptuously, both at the hotel and restaurants in the city. That is, he did it for a while, but be fore he left he wasn't quite so swell, though he tried his best to keep up ap pearances on the small amounts he had borrowed from conading new made friends. They and the hotel would like to renew acquaintance with Mr. Golp for a brief moment, long enough at least to introduce him to some policeman or other officer c. of th- law whom he failed to meet during his sojoura hera. Mr. Golp went away leaving sad rememberane es, a two week's unpaid board bill and sundry sm. amounts lie had "touch ed" various people for, he forgot to return. As the zentleman had apparently notbing to no but loaf around and en joy himself, it soon became noised aboit amoag legislators that he was a man of wealth and position. Mr. Golp helped along this delusion by telling about the confidential relations which existed between himself and George W. Vanderbilt and let out a gentle hint tnat the millionaire's purse strings were right in his hands. He spoke knowingly of the wondersof Vanderbilt's palace at Asheville, and his discrip ioa of the luxurious furn ishings and equipment of the mansion and tbae lavish way in which money had been spent on it, made his hear ers' eyes balge out in amazemnent and they held their mouths open in utter astonishment, for his auditors, as a rule, couated themselves mighty lucky to have a three or four room, common, ordinary plank house in which to live and rear their families. Having thus established himself as being about the only Debble lying about on the beach, Mr. i-olp proceed ed to inform everybody who cared to listen that he was in Columbia for recreation and that one ot his princi pal ways of getting a little change out of the monotony of living was to write for the newspapers. He re re seated two or three big N r gr -- pers and several Earopean jouraals, lhe said, though as far as anybody can remember he never happened to men tion the name of any of them. Iatha excess of his coai~dence, he informed people about the hotel lobby that he had been an officer in the German army, cavalry serice, and spoke very intelligently and correctly, it is said, about the Emperor's war machine. That he spoke with a German acccent lent some color to his statemera -wvi----em those who didn't suspect him of being a sharper. IFinally he became very intimate Iwith legislators and others about the Ibotel. It was "Hello, Jim," or "How is it, old man?" with his new made familiarity at last became unbearable to some legislhtors, and they "called him down." Some remarks he made to others, with no intention of of fending anybody, caused them, how ever, to threaten to knock his head off. Little things like that didn't phase him a bit, and he' continued to walk into members' roomns and engage in their conversations often to their dis gust and late into the night, but they were too considerate to ask him out. It was during inese meetings that he " touched" several members for small amounts, explaining that he had ne glected to draw enough out of tb~e bank during the day to last him. If all he got this way was aggregated into a single sum it would not amount to much, but it was not his fault. Legislators don't carry wads of green 'backs around with them at any time, but to the extent of their ability he got them. He told them what a great Legislature South Carolina had, and how he was going to write glow ing accounts of it in those domes tic and foreign journals he represent ed. This was a bait he threw out in order to catch suckers but few bit, and those who did have several weeks since realized that they had been duped. G Uolp stayed around Columbia some time after the Legislature adjiourned, and finally left, supposedly for Ash ville. He owed two weeks board and gave a draf t on the Battery Bank at Asheville for the amount. It was re turned as no good, and since that time an effort has been made to locate Mr. Goip. He was heard of in several towns in the upper part of the State, but before he could be arrested he had skipped, for he is a very slick fellow, and. will not come back to Columbia if he can help it.-Register. Deed of a Madman. Aca usn, Ga., March 18.-Wright Smnith, an old, one-legged Confeder ate soldier, had a dispute with his wife in Suinmerville, a suburb of this city, thisa'ternoon, which resulted in him silln nis two young children and :hen committing suic-:de. Smith has not livel happily with his wife, who is hi econd.' his first wife having di ed soe years ago. He went out int ty ard and seeing his two chil 'e yis second wife playing, dealt eaa of them a blow with his crutch, >raining them, then pulled a revolver from hais pocket and blew his own brains out. The oldes; child was about five and the 1youngest three years oi age. Foul Flay suspected. LIDEan', S. C., March 16.-A re port has reached here of a man named Wakecuster being found dead on the Southern Railroad, three and a half miles West of here, on the 14th. He was near the track and had a jug near him. There is suspicion of foul play - as it is thought his body was put hnere to make it appear he was struck ;a train. Coroner Jones was sum uioned and held an inquest but I have noi heard the verdict. He had a wife and one child at Piedmont factory and was moving and tihe man who was moving him has not been heard of round here since Saturday.-Regis