The Manning times. (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, October 13, 1897, Image 1
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>Uukkiff MnN N .. \ NS)Y OT Ei 3 67 o 2
BARD FATE OF A CONVICT.
FOR TWENTY LONG YEARS HE WAR
UNDER GROUND.
Strange and Awfal Stcry of a Man Who
Was Sent to the Mines When He Was
Only Elevcn Tcars cf .ge.
Ryder Hillard is the Rip Van Win
kle of Atlanta. j,t at present, says
the Journal. After spending twenty
two years of his life in prison,
eighteen of wiich was spent under
ground, he has come forth into the
sunlight, a middle aced man with
everything to learn over again. His
is a strange, wierd story. of ycuthful
crime and painful penalty. In the
year 1573 he and three other boys
were caught in the act of setting fire
to a store building and arrested by
the police. Hillard 'as a boy, of 9
years then, and his ccmpanions were
all under 15. The plot had been form
ed for the older boys to fire the build
ing while Hillard was to assist in
watching an alley. They paid him a
few cents to keep guard, but he was
not sharp enough to elude the vigi
lance of the police. They stole a
march on him, captured him before
he could give the alarm, and the
other three were caught red handed
in the act of incendiarism.
The boys were all bound over to su
perior court and sent to j dl. The
trials were put off from time to time
so that it was two years before they
were carried before ccurt. On trial
they were all convicted and on ac
ccunt of their extreme youth were
sent up for life. Hillard was then a
boy of 11 3 ears of age, small for his
age and as black as the ace of spades.
He had been all his life a street waif
and there was nobody to take any
particular interest in his welfare. He
was sent to Bade coal mines alone
with other prisoners, and on account.
of his diminutive size, he was not put
to work in the mines, but was given
jcbs about the superintendent's house
for two years. He did all sorts of
chores, looked after his master's horse
and made himself quite useful. But
all that didn't save him from the in
exorable enforcement of the law.
When 13 years of age he was sent
down into the mines with his pick
and shove' and set to work with the
other life convicts. According to his
statement he never saw tbe sunlight
for 18 long weary years. He was as
much lost to sigt as if he had been
encased in a coffin and buried instead
of clad in the stripes and confirmed
in the bowels of the earth. At first
the boy had a hard time of it. Being
so small the big, rough miners, all
under life sentences for various horri
ble crimes, treated him very badly.
But he kept up a cheerful heart,- and
bore all their tyranny in such an un
complaining manner that they became
attached to "the kid" as he became
known.
Ryder says that twelve tons is the
regular task of a miner, and if he is
physically able to dig that much he
must do so or a whipping awaits him
at the end of the long gloomy day. If
he gets any more than the task he is
promised pay at the rate of $1 a ton
extra for it. Ryder says he strove
hard to make his task, and after he
reached the point where he could get
out the regular task, he tried to make
something extra, as he had not lost
the desire for earning money. At
last one day he managed to take out
13 tons, and was paid $1 extra. But
that was the last time he received any
extra compensation. He found that
it was the rule that when a convict
took out more than the regulation
task, his task was raised to that limit
without extra compensation, and as
he had taken out 13 tons he was re
quired to take out 13 after that as long
as he remain in the mines.
Ryder says, in his broken lingo, that
the miners were forced to get up and
get their breakfast at 4 o'clock, and
then, since the mine has been extend
ed so far they were made to mar ch 12
or 13 miles along the tunnels and ram
ifications of the mines, and by 5:30 or
6 o'clock they were hard at work, and
kept at it until 7 o'clock in the morn
ing. Morning and evening were only
relative terms to them, for it was al
ways dark, save where the fitful glare
of the lanterns glimmered dimly alorng
those vast subterranean passages.
They only knew that night had come
by the order to knock off, and they
were only advised that another sun
was about to rise upon the bright world
outside by the rough command to rise
from their couches and get their
breakfast. He says that sometimes in
his dreams at first, he would fancy
that he was again playing about the
streets and alleys of Atlanta, but when
he would awake and feel the shackles
anid open his eyes in the dark
cavern, he would lie there and cry un
til it seemed sometimes as if his heart
would break.
But gradually his impressions of
lifs in the open~ air became blurred
and indistinct, and he lost all count of
time. There was no winter nor sum
mer there, and it was about as hot one
time of the year, and about as cold at
one season, as it was at another. Fi
nally he gre w to be a stout,heavy built
young fellow, and could take out his
share of coal with as much a . e as
any of the others. One oy one his
three companions died and passed out
of the circumscribed sphere of their
existence, and at last he felt himself
all alone in tnat dark dungeon. Sx ne
times, he says, there would be a cave
in. if the obstruction was not too
bad the bosses would set the other
convicts at work resurrecting the
bodies of their dead comrades. If the
cave-in was a bad one he says that
they would sometimes leave the bodies
where they lay entombed in these
murky recesses.
Hilliiard was such a faithful worker
and gave such little trouble that -inal
ly he was recommanded to Governor
Atkinson as a fit subject for executive
clemency, and his pardon was signed
and forwarded to the superintendent.
Hilliard says that his old comrades
wept as they bade him good-bye. He
had been virtually brought up among
them, and they had grown very fond
of him in their cheerless and monoto
nous existence there. At first he could
not real ze 'what had happened. Then
it dawned on him that he was free.
His shackles were removed and he
could hardly wait to change his stipes
for a new suit, for fear that it should
turn out to be but a dream after all.
At last he was cleaned up and dressed
in a plain suit of clothes and carried
outside. His sensation cannot be
imagined by one who has lived all his
life in the light of day.
The sunlight was so trying on his
eyes, long accustomed to darkness,
that he could not see and the glare
cansed hMm great pain. It ws nece
sary to procure him a nair of dark
glasses, and even with these he could
not go abroad in the August sun, for
it was during the latter part of August
that he was released. He was given
transportation to Atlanta, but he had
long forgotten all the usages of out
door life, and he was as ignorant as a
child of how to conduct himself. Ar
rivet in the city he asked a policeman
the way to Decaturstreet, for that was
about the locality he could remember.
But when he reached that street he
was unable to recognize any of the
landmarks. Everything was so
changed that he was at a loss.
Finally he was accosted by a woman
who became interested in him, and to
her he told his story. She took him
home with her to her cabin cn Butler
street, and kent him for a day or two.
But he had grown sick at heart. He
had not a relative nor friend in the
whole wide world, and he did not
know how lo do anything. At last he
made an Effort to get back to the
mines, but was told that he would not
be received there as they only worked
convicts. His new friend interested
herself in him, and finally he secured
work in a coal yard and is now em
ployed there in loading wagons and
trucks, his instincts directing him to
the kind of vocation that came near
est to the employment in which he
had been engaged for 22 years. He
was compelled to learn how to talk
ordinary street language again, as his
dialect was unintelligible when he
first left the mines. He still has trou
ble with his eyes on bright da3 s, and
his vision is very dim in the middle of
the day, but he is hard at work, quiet
and obedient, and his long schooling
in the mines has humbled him until
there is not a better hand in the yards
where he is employed.
COTTON MARKET COMBINATION.
Some Words of Wisdom from the state
Abont Them.
Complaints come from many to ins
and cities of the State that combina
tions exist in their cotton markets by
which the price of the staple is de
pressed, to the injury at once of the
farmers and the merchants. The lat
ter feel as strongly on the suj-.ct as
the former, for when the raisers of
cotton find that they cannot get full
prices in such a town they take their
cotton, whenever possible, to another
where the bidding is free-and thus
their trade is lost to the community
where the offense is given.
It is to the interest of everybody ex
cept the mills and the cotton buyers
that full prices shall be secured. The
higher the price in any market the
more money there is to spend in pur
chases of goods, and the more cotton
is attracted to it; and of course the
larger the sales of cotton the larger
still the aggregate of purchases. So
the farmers and merchants are to
gether in this matter, and it is natu
ral that the latter should resent any
combination which may contract their
market for selling and buying. That
is the reason the merchants of New
berry have resolved to put a cotton
buyer of their ovn in the field, to en
sure the farmers against imposition
and themselves against loss of trade.
It would pay them indeee,.4e b4
ton at the price for which they could
sell it, for their profits would accrue
on the increased sales of goods.
We do not positively know whether,
the price of cotton in Columbia is as
high as it ought to be, and therefore
we make no charges. But we do kno 6
that the receipts have not increased as;
they should have done in consequence
of the establishment of three cotton
mills, with their extra demand, and
we are sure they would have increas
ed very largely if the scale of prices
had increased in consfiaence of the
expe::ted mill comnpetion. We are in
formed that cotton is being shipped
by the thousand bales to Wilmington
from a point in this caunty only a few
miles from Columbia.
Therefore we advise our merchints:
to look into this matter and find out
for themselves if anything is wrong
ina the cotton market here; and if they
do find that there is not full competi
tion we suggest the Newberry plan
for their consideration.
The prosperity of the cotton mills
of Columbia is dear to Tne State; it
has had a good deal to do with their
establishment. But they can afford to
pay as good prices for cotton as any
mills in the South. So with the cot
ton bayers unconnected with the local
mills. We wish them profit in their
business. Nevertheless, it is to the in
terest of this community generally
that cotton shall sell here at the top
of the market and that the receipts
shall be increased.
Let the merchants examine into the
methods and prices of our cotton mar
ket.-State.
Declines to be Fooled.
In response to a telegram from the
Journal of Atlanta as to the attitude
of the Cuban janta towards the ne w
Spanish cabinet, Thomas Estrada Pal
ma, head of the Cuban revolutionary
bureau, telegraphs that paper as fol
lows: Inasmuch as the Cubans are
now more than ever firmly resolved
to accept nothing short of absolute in
dependence, the offer of the new
Spanish ministry to grant autonomy
an have no effect in terminating tne
war. We are satisfied that the hoaur
of our complete freedomn is a t hand,
and this offer only confirms us in the
belief that Spain knows that she has
lost Cuba. We care not whether there
is a liberal or a conservative ministry.
We cid not listen to Canovas when
he offered autonomy ; we will not lis
ten to Sagasta. We have constituted
ourselves a nation, and will be ac
knowledged as such by Spain, wheth
er under a liberal er a conservative
ministry, or under a Republican or
Carlist regime, before we lay down
our arms. We are confident of speedy
success. We are fuily prepared for
the most aggressive campaign of the
war.
Spain played her best cards first and
lost. What CJampos and Weyler, with
more than forty generals and over
200,000 men, failed to do, no other
general can acco-nplish. I reilect the
unanimous opinion of all our generals
and our government when ? say that
the only solution is our independence.
(Signed.) Thomas Estrada Palma.
Afraid of Reaction.
The New York Pcst, the staunchest
of Republican journals, warns the
Hanna brawlers who are working the
prosperity boom so tremendously just
now, of tne dangers taat the boonmer
ang argument may produce next year
upon the congressional elections, when
with good crops abroad, the price of
wheat declines, wooi does not rise as5
it should, and there are strikes and
men everywhei-e out+ ne mployent
THE PRICE OF COTTON.
MR A. B. SHEPPERSON SUBMITS AN
EXPLAN ATION
Why the Great Stapie Does Not Keep Cc m
pany with the Sharp Advance in Whea*,
Corr. Frcvisions and Other Commo
dities.
Mr. Alfred B. Shrpperson writes as
follows, concerning the prices of cot
ton, in the Textile American -
In view of the fact that the supply
of cotton in the markets and mills of
the world has for several months been
smaller than for several years, many
persons have been surprised that the
great staple has not kept company
with the sharp advance which has cc
curred in wheat, corn, provisions,
etc., or responded to the better feeling
and moderate advance in this country
in cotton goods. Not only has cotton
failed to advance, but since the first
week in September it has actually de
clined, in New York 1j cents a pound.
The situation admits of ready expla
nation. From July 1 to September 1,
middling cotton has been selling at
about S cents in New York, rarely fall
ing more than 18 of a cent below this
price, and going several times 1 4 to
5 16 cents above it. In the meantime
cotton goods were generally extremely
dull and the prices about as low as
ever recorded. Print cloths sold for
weeks at 2 7 163. per yard, with cotton
at Sc. per pound, and they sold at the
same price and not any lower in
March, 1895. when middling cotton
sold in New York for 5 9 16 cents per
pound, being the lowest price for near
ly fifty years. Between July 1 and
September 1, and for some time pre
vious, the price of cotton was conid
erably above the parity of yarns and
goods. Those mills which were under
contract for goods or yarns and un
provided with the cotton from which
to manufacture them were compelled
to buy cotton at the relatively high
prices, but they did not buy beyond;
actual requirements. Many of our
mills ran on short time and some of
them actually suspended operations
because they cound not be kept run
ning at a profit. The cotton crop of
1895 96 was a small one, being only
about 7.150,000 bales, and the crcp of
1896 97 was only a moderate one and
hence without large consumption any
where, the stocks of cotton in the
markets and mills had become by July
1 comparatively snail, and it was evi
dent that the supplies would grow
smaller each week until our new crop
began to be marketed. In the mean
time, the indications pointed to a con
siderably larger cotton crop than the
previous season and some extravagant
ly large estimates of its sz 3 were quite
extensively published. Weather c )ndi
tions in Texas during August and in
other sections in September have
caused cotton to mature and open iap
idly and hence the receipts have been
very liberal and on a scale which has
convinced many persons that the crop
will be a very large one. As a matter
of fact. the September receipts cannot
be safely taken asa criterion by which
to estimate the extent of a crop, as the
September receipts of some of the larg
est crops have been very moderate.
Large receipts in September indicate
early maturing.of crop and only this.
Tne favorable crop accounts previous
to September 1 and the liberal receipts
since then have censed American and
E aropean spinners to buy as sparing
ly as poisible in the hope of low prices
when stocks increased. The course of
the market has j istified taeir expecia
tions. Io fact, this was the only out
come of the situation unless somne seri
ous disaster to the crop should occur
revious to September 10, and none1
has happened.- Cotton was too high
f or goods, and as goods could not be1
forced up to the parity of cotton, the
price of tne raw material h ad to decline.
Tha market for spot cotton here during
the week ending September 3 was pure
ly artificial. O a bigaust 30 the price
was advance d ;'16 of .a cent, while the
saes for the day were only 2) bales.
The next day there was a decline of
1 4c. on sales of 37 bales, and by Seu
tember 3 the price had decl:ined 3 8:
additional, making a decline from
Tuesday to Friday of 5 S:. per pound.
Since then prices nave steadily declin
ed, losing 7-83. more up to this date
(September 23), when middling cotton
closed at 6 3 4c., against 8 1 43. on
August 30.
While it is true that the visible and
invisible supply of cotton was less at
the beginning of the ne wseasonaon the
1st inst.,,than for the past seven years,,
t is to be noted that the spinners in~
Europe are not more prosperous than
they have been in this country. L it
est advices fram Manchester are that
a reduction in wages of mill operat
ives or resort to "'short hours' are be
ing seriously considered in vie w of the
dujness and unprofitableness of busi
ness. Oar mills are fairly well at
work no r, but there have been no re
cent advances in goods, and prices are
barely maintained. Print cioths are
weaker; stocks accumulating. Tnere
seems no disposition at the South to
hold cotton for nigher prXen, but, on
the contrary, the weaaness of the
market here and in Eirope is id no
small measure due to free Ar~r ings of
cotton by Soutnern dealers at constant
ly lo wer prices.
Probably the prevalence of yellow
fever at New Orleans and Mo oile, and
the possible contingency of the prac
tical closing of tnese places as cotton
markets in the near future, may have
been one reason for the free offerings
of cotton by Soathern dealers, to
wich I have referred.
At this particular time there seems
to exist an earnest desir-e on the part
or tae South to part, with its cotton
quickly, and witnoat regard to de
clining prices, coinciderat with an in
disposition on the part of Americaa
and Earopean spinners to buy, except
for tQeir immediate wants. Despite
the printing of daily journals all over
the country of an unsigned piece of
advice to the public, "to bay cotton
and hold it; it is the only cheap thing
lef"-it is evident that tne speculative
public has generally failed to take the
advice, and tnose venturesome people
who did buy '-cotton futures" sold out
so quickly upon every decline that
teir investments proved a positive
source of weakness to a market al
ready contending wita legiiate
causes for depression.
Since September L. my advices indi
cate that tfle general condition of ie
crop has undoubtedly deteriorated and
the outlook is for a smaller yield than
seemed probable at that time. The in
jury may be exaggeraated, as all inji
ries to a cotton crop usuially are, oat
the occurrence of unusually early
frost would undoubtedLy reduce tne
yield far more than the shedding and
are now being made.
Cotton is not dear at present prices.
it has not been so low since May. 1895,
the season of the great depression in
cotton. I think that spinners can now
rnanufacture it at a fair pr oit. It may
go lower, and the prospects for an im
mediate improvement are not encour
aging, but from its present price it
would jamp leaps and bounds should
unusualiy early frosts occur. The
spinner who buysat present -i::es and
in case of further decline. follows the
market do vu, will probably not have
cause t:, re ret such action, for he
rill have obtained his supplies of a
raw material (which loses nothing of
its value by being keon) at a price far
below the average for many years.
These who wait for lower prices in
their anxiety to secure their cotton at
I the very 'bottom" may find their
plans upset by sudden and severe
frosts and be compelled to pay well
for their cotton-and experience. The
crop is far from being secured. Its
extent and its quality will largely de
pend upon the weather during the
next six or seven weeks. Frosts will
reduce the yield and frosts and rain
will in jare the quality. The prese.2t Ie
ceipts are excelent, both as to suality
and staple, and spinners need not be
afraid to bay it and put it awsy, for
there are far worse investments than
actual cotton of good grade and staple
at present prices. Those who enter
tain the idea that cotton will fall to
the low prices of the season of 1591 95
are hugging a vain delusion The
conditions are essentially ditffrent,
and 1 never expect again to see mid
dling cotton sell in New York for
5 9 16., wnic'a was the prize in N
vember, 1891, and in March, 1895. It
is well to remember that in April.
.1S95, it had advaneed nearly 112
cents, and in May advanced 3 S cents
more, making an advance of nearly 2
cents in two months.
Exactly this state of things may oc
cur again if prices are force:d to.) low
during the present depression.
Dispensary Figures.
Comnmissioner Vance takes issue
with the assertion in the State Thurs
day morning that "the sarplas in the
dispensary's treasury is made up of un
sold whiskey" and the bank: books of
the institution show that statement is
incorrect. OF course, a large part of
the dispensary's assets is represented
by the stock on hand, bat it is by no
means suffering from a lack of cash.
On the 30th of September, the dispen
sary had to its credit in cold casa in
state treasury the comfortable sum of
$69,873 21, while it also had on deposit
on that date in the Carolina National
bank $1,551.47. Daring the first six
days of October, there was paid into
the dispensary $18,107.17. Tnese cash
assets make a total of $89,531.86. Since
the 30th of September the dispensary
has paid out $33,00J in round figures,
which ridicules the $3,500.40 it has
turned over to the state treasury to fin
ancially pay up the accared profits
which went to the credit of the gen
eral fund of the state treasury at the
time the legislature declared the profits
of the dispensary afterward earned
should be devoted to edaeational par
pses. Tnat shows that tae dispensary
still has on hind as a cash balance
the tidy amoant of $56,531 LS3. All
the liquor bought by the state board
of control has been paid for, except
two or tnree carloads which have no:
yet been received. Commissioner
Vance says the cash balance on hand
is sufliient to pay for those two or
three carloads aad all the liquar
which the state board wiil bay at this
meeting. He says the cash receipts of
the dispensary last week were $22,000
and that they will at least reaan that
sun this week. He laughs at the
gloomy predictions of the State as to
the financial fature of the dispensary.
He says tne editor of Tue State has a
perfect right to indalge in such
speculations if he wants to, but that
tne outcome will prove the editor of
Tue State was incorrect in those
seculations, for the dispensary will
continue to make money.-Record.
Dishonest Bank Orucer.
William E. Breese, president, W.
H. Pnenland, cashier, and J. C. Dick.
inson, a director, of the defunct First
National Bank of Asheville, N. C.,
were arrested thera Tnursday morn
ing on indictments from the United
States court in session at Greensboro
charging them with embezs lement and
conspiracy. Thirty thousand dollars
bail was required in each case, which
was given. They have all been under
five thousand dollars bonds since July
31 for violating the national banking
act. Since then National Bank Ex
aminer Maxey has been in Ashville
and has made some startling discov
eries. One of these discoveries is ai
leged to be the fact that $950,000 of
"accmmcdation notes," singed by in
solvent persons and filled out by the
oficials, and some forged papers, are
in the bank. Some of the insolvent
notes had been rediscounted in other
banks. C. B. Leonard, the man who
is sur pa-: to have secured tue note
signers, comprising j initors, street
car motormen, plasterers, carpenters
and others of no financial standing,
has died to Mexico.
A Most Revolting orime.
An angry crowd gathered about the
court house and jill in Newport, Ky.,
Thursday, upon the announcement of
a shocking assault by eleven men upon
the young wife of a ssvitchman recent
ly marrael. The sheriff was obliged
to clear the corridors, and threats of
vengeance were made. Tuomas Glea
son and his wife started out the Alex
ander pike t> visit a friend Wednes
day night, wheri t~vo mea with reval
vers, and representing themselves to
be otlicers, separated husbitnd and
wife andl drayed thee s'hrieking wo
mana into a tield, vr~aere eleven men
assaulted her. The penaLty for this
crime in Keatacar is death. The men
were giv.aa a preliininary hearing be
fore Judge Bernnett, wao held ten of
them for tue grand jury without bail.
Te eleventh has not yet been identi
tied. U~ving to the excited state of
feeling and the inmecarity of the Ne w
port jail, the men were ordered to be
taken to Mayesv-ille for safe keeping.
Curious Acc~dent.
A ratner curious accident occarred
Tuesday morning at about S o'clock at
the South Carolina and Georgia rail
road company's yards in Charlaeton
in utc t wo colored men were near
ly dosaed. A large a woden water
tank used b the road, sudde~nly burst
calored wun. Jrmns Smu ls and Jhn
Benson. The two men were seattd
beneath the tank when the crash came
and in an instant they were tarown to
te ground by a deluge of water and
splnteredt timber. A patrol wagon
removed them to the Infirmary where
ONLY TRUE DEMICRACY
IS THAT WHICH ADHERES TO THE
CH!C-GO PLATFORM.
Henry Georga Accepts the Democratic
Nomitnation for Mayor of Greater New
Yeik at a Monster 7t'( morAtratlon Held
in His I!'Huse.
IInry George accepted the Demo
craic nomination fcr mavor of Great
er New York at Cooper Union Tues
day right. It was is the same hail
and before many of the same people
that ho accepted the nomination elev
en years ago. In 1S9G he received 63,
000 votes. The gathering was the
greotest outpouringJ of the people seen
in New York daring the present cam
paign. The doors were opened at
7:15, atd in less than tno minutes
every seat in the big hall was occu
pied and the aisles as far ss the po
lice permitted were crowded. Hun
dreds were turned away during the
next fifteen minu:es, and by 8 o'clcck
several thousand, unable to gain ed
misssion assembled cutside and held
open air meetings in the plszs, which
were addressed by local speakers.
Henry George's app earance before the
meeting was the signal for an outburst
of cheeriv that lasted three minutes.
Jerome ON -ill of the Central Labor
Union presided. In his address the
cnairnan mentioned the Chicago plat
form. whereupon the entire audience
rose to its feet as one man, hats and
handktrchiefs were waved in the sir
and the cheering continued for sev
eral minutes.
The secretary then read the follow
ing telegram from C. A. Wilsh, sec
retary of the national committee and
members of the committee from Iowa.
"There is no democracy save the
demnocracy of the Chicazo platform.
The local organization that refuses
to recognize majority rule as bind
ing on the democrats of this coun
try cannot be the regular democratic
organization. Whoever his the
char;e and keeping of the principles
of the Chicago platform is and must
of necessity be the regular democra
cy. In New York city that caarge
seems to rest with ' he organization
supporting Henry G orge, and as I
see the situation a: this distance, were
I in New York I should vote and
work for his election.
A tel-i-am was also read from Sen
ator Benj R. Tillman, encouraging
the movement for the election of
Henry George, and promising that he
would work and vote for the recogni
tion of the organization in the nation
al commmittee.
Charles O'Connor Hennessey, in
making the nomination of Mr. George,
said simply: "I have no speech to
make, but I nominate for mayor of
the Greater New York Henry George.'
This was followed by a frantic out
burst of cheering, and the nomination
was made by acclamation.
William M. Speer then moved that
an executive committee of five be ap
pointed by the chair, with power to
add to their number, to select the re
maining candidates on the ticket and
to carry on the campaign- The only
restriction placed upon the chatrman
in tie naming of the committee was
that the names should be acceptable
to Mr. George. Tae res;lution was
adopted.
The platform has the follo wing to
say in regard to the national platform:
" We, democrats of Greater New
York, in mass meeting assembled, do
reatlirm our adherence to the creed of
democracy as set fortn in the platform
adopted by the national convention of
the democratic party in Chicago, July
9, 1896. We declare our allegiance to
the principles enunciated in that d >cu
ment, pronouncing them the formal
expression of the spirit of true democ
racy; and we point in corroboration
of tnis belief to the fact that the mere
promulgation of the doctrines drove
from the democratic party those who
for corrupt, raercenary or ambitious
ends had striven to make it more of a
menace to the ri-ghts and liberties of
the people than the defender ."
It declares there is no regular demo
cratic candidate for mayor except
Henry George, and "sends greetings
to the gallant leader of the democratic
party, William Jennings B:-yan."
Continuing, it says: "We declare
the true purpose of government to be
the maintenance of that sacred right
of property which gives to every one
opportunity to employ his labor and
security taa he shall enjoy its fruits;
to prevent the strong from oppressing
the weak and the unscrapulous from
robbing the honest; and to do for the
equal beneflit of all such things as can
be better done by organized society
than by individuals; and we aim at
the abolition of all la ws which give to
any class of citizens advantages, either
judicial, financial, industrial or politi
cal, that are not equally shared 1y all
-others."
Municipal ownership of city rail
ways, gas and electric lighting plants,
ferries, telephones and telegraphs is
favored.
The platform demands the compul
sory reduction of the price of gas to
SLt or less per 1,u00 feet and of street
car fares to "a j ast and reasonable
point.? The platform hints at the sin
gle tax by declaring "the resumption
of diverted wealth, tarough wise,
equitable and scientitic taxation."
The platform demnands the repoal of
the Ruines excise law, and continues:
"Deploring with full hearts the mas
sacre at Hlazelton, Pa , of a score of
workingmen who were shiot down for
exercising their natural right to use
the public highways for an orderly
procession, we cdi I he attention of the
people of Newv Y.ork to the fact that
the execrable perversion of law by
whichi that bioady d-el was given a
hollo- semblance of legailty exists
equally intis city.
I We decacea' theinterference with
the pe-ople's rights by the mandatory
order of a court, issued after an ex
parte hearing, and the disrezard of
which results in the den ial to the citi
zen who has asserted his historic rights
opportunity to defend himself be ore
a jury of his peers. Whether exer
cised oy a federal or a state court, gov
ernment by iujunction is hateful, un
American andI in il-grant violation of
the principies of individual liberty
which our forefathers di .ended.
" We declare that this mars meeting~
was mae necesary by the denial to
the people of the righ t of self govern
ment by men who, having seized the
machinery of tue Democratic party or
ganizatiu, belie ved tnemselves able to
dictate to the citizms of Greater New
York not only their rulers but the very
political gation with which they
may occupy tueir thoughts. We are
here to demonstrate that what Demo
crats shall or shall not think and speak
jof is not to be determinard on the lagr
lisp race tracks nor in secret corclaves
of self constituted bosses."
It is said that Henry George wrote
the p1 atform.
While all this w.7rk wvas goig on,
Mr. George was still absent form th
hall. When he entered, accompanied
by Tom L. Johnson. the audience
again arose, with more fervor than be
fore, if that were possible, and for
several minutes there was a wild hur
ricane of cheering. A. B. Craikshank
of the United Domecracy, then form
ally tendered the nominatior' on be
half of hi; mcanzition to Mr. George.
Chart F'rederick Adam3, on behal
of the D -mureeratic Alliance, then of1
fered to Mr. (Gorge the nomination of
the organization, which he repre
sented.
James T. Ga . , ct the people's
party, and John H. Crosby, of the
Manhat an Single Tax Cu'o, also no
tilled Mr. G orge of his nomination by
their respecir.ve organiz ttions.
The rising of Mr. George was the
signal for another outburst of cheer
ing.
Mr. Georze said:
"Fellow D mccrats, men who voted
last year for William Jennings Bryan:
I accept your nomination. From now
until election closes, I am yours. Aye,
and aft;r elcion, too. I am a Demo
crat. (Thunderous applause and cries
of "Not of the Hill stripe.")
"I cannot divide into parts the ques
tions which I as a citzen have to deal
with. For the same season that I op
pose this monstrous tariff in all its
forms, for the same reason that I
would vote where:er I could for the
utter abolition of that tari f, for that
same reason I am opposed to the in
terference with individual liberty
which you see here in New York. I
am a Democrat in the Jetfersonian
sense, because I believe in the prin.--:
oles and stand for the philosophy of
Thomas Jefferson.
"It was for that I voted at the last
election. Because the Chicago plat
form represented the idea of giving to
the great common people what be
longs to theat, tia: I stod for it, vot !
ed for it and was sorrier taun I as
ever before when it was defeated."
Mr. George thin d;L:a.:ed that he
had not sought the nomnatif; that
it was repugnant to him; but he xe
cepted it for th1 cause ot D:nzrrae:-y.
M:. George spoke for 23 minutes.
Immediately af ter the coualusion of
his speech the meing vas declared
adjurned.
Many of the audience climbed over
the press tabes to tan platform and
took turns in shaking the hand of Mr.
George,
Cl Mslae Calamity.
A heavy explosioa of gas occurred
in No. 2 scope of the Parish Coal com
pany at Plymouth Wednesday after
noon, by which three men lost their
lves. The names of 'he victims are:
Isa-c Eimand;. miner, aged 6.5, wid
ower; G orze E idy, d river, azed 23,
single; Louis Ricaarus, driver boss,
aged 32, married, wife and two chil
dren. The force of the exploston was
felt on the surface and a rescuing par
ty was at once sent into the mine, bat
taey worked under great diilicuLies,
as the practice work was down and
the ventilation poor. The place where
the men were at work was reached
about 5 o'clock and their bolies taken
out. Ti b-dy of E~ihunds was badly
burned. He evidently recoeival the
fall force of the explosion. His two
companioas had started to inake their
escape wnea taey were overcome oy
the tire-damp. The cause of the ac-:i-.
dent is as yet a myse~ery. One theory is
that thie men came unexoectedly upon
a pocket of gas and set it on ir~e with
their lamps. Another is that some
body carelessly left a door open which
sent the gas ia large volumes into the
place where the men were at work.
The company oiflcials w~ll make a
thorough investigation. About !orty
men were at work in the lower lifts
of the mine when the explosion oc
curred. They all res ched the surface,
though some of them had narrow es
capes from the after damp.
seven Girls Bu&rnt to Death.
One of the worst disasters that ever
happened in Soth Dakota was the
burning of the girl's dormitory of the
State Industrial School at Piankinton,
in which seven girls lost their lives.
The burned structure was of wood,
three stories high, and was but recent
ly completed. Thae origin of the fire
is unknown. Tne watchman sar the
llimes bursting from thle upper win
dows while he was in a building some
distance away. There was no fire
fighting apparatus at the school, and
the building being over a mile from
town, no aid could be rendered. In a
short time the entire annex was envel
oped in Ilames, and in less than twen
ty minutes from the time the fire was
seen the bailding was destroyed.
Nothing whatever -was saved. There
were about t.venty-five otner persons
in school who esQ.ped in their night
clothes with the greatest didticulty.
Searcha for the bodies was co-nmencced
as soon as possible, and la:Thur- ay
a'ternoon all had been r2co-rered and
were im-mediately buarid. E tch was
burned beyond recognihion. 'The loss
on the building is $25,u00.
New Bilding Blowa De w .
T.vo men are dead and ten ir~jared
as the result of the blowing down of a
big new hotel at L:.ndsay Park, Mica.,
Wednssday afternoon. The structure
had bien all enclosed and partly
plastered. About 4) men were at work
in and around the boallding when the
crash came. A wer buried in the
ruins. After the rescuts were cem
pktetd it was fou nd that but two' hal
Icst their lives--i erce kedli cf
C2harleyoix and an unkno. a, wh-i
still in the ruius. e badn as
44) feet long and' the :suh 0 'aa
to sway, te roof see tO rit n
trie whole i:n-ne a ra - ure c .ra-n
ed and crashe, Ih rL a - o o0ing
like a tidal war to h : no'n ed
It is asseredtaa ih -uilding was
not properly Ora Ud anda woe en
blamre Charles i sr~ i thesupervising
carpeater, wu> is no . r ott t-a.
Lee building is a total wreck~ and the
ioss will be :nany to usa'nd of dollars.
Dr. Wilia jixC pied gulyTu
day af ternoon ia the- Saai-o sir
cult cxurt at SpringJ ld,11., to the
charge of bigamy an wa givn an
indefinite senten~ce under the new la;'
in Ches'.er peiteaaizr. Tn coma
plaint was made byt es rug
brother of Miss Eau Hcrung, of B~e:
ry, Ills., his- lat- victimx von a
married last spring when he -a
other undivo-ced s ii-uno
ous citits in Ind:ana, Missouri, Ku-.i
sas, Udah ana and )exas. Mhis do
rung, witn an uncacreantaOle f aratua-&
tion, stuck to Six to thie jact. ais
a veterinary surgeon, about 1 years
old and fairly good look ing.
ie Nw Oleans Timnsemccrat
of r2cent date says.
The cvlindrcicl ta? of cotton was
or: exhibition main a d yes erday
i the oiice o r. P- ker, on Perdido
str't. The b A :fined by a
great many reO : t . ot{
the marbf hre-rt. T re vwre c-)tion
:actors, mnercha nts, : hip men,
cAton pres ine., c. ;n mil men,
screwmen, stevedores :mid many oth
ers interested in cttou who went in
there to inspict it, and of the 5O0 pec
pie, at least, whoa Mr. Parker says
sal, the cotton, not one of them in his
presence gave it a favorable opinion.
The suggestioa of this kind of cotton
bale taking the place of the square has,
of cour e, cret:d a great deal of in
teret alion local cotton people. If
en r beco t he st'l in tnis sec.
tion c. the cotr-, as oue of aie cut
ton .en sa i,1 s.erd v, it .rti not
only do :y 'ita ircal cotton facto
ries, loci bal s, local comnpresses
and scr .v;a:n, :U:, wili coe up .l1
the country conpresses, obviate the
necessity of having coantry buyers
in fact, re7olutioniz: the whole coton
business and paralyz those brascas
indicated above. It is proposed th t
the backers and p:nomoters of the
round bale buy taeir cotton direct
from the consumer in the iieid; thus
doing away with all middlemen. Tae!
cotton men here say that the systemn
would result eventually in the tru.;u
peopic dictating terms to the produ;ers
of cotton. They might give probably
a better price than any one eiss for a
yea: or two, but as soon as they got
control cf .ne staple they would dic
ta.e price an:. terms to the firmer.
Kr. Vincent of the tiru o: Vinc nt &
layfe, w:1. w-s pres'a, said tact thr
adoption of .La' kind of cotton baling
would taro uu o. basiacss all the
2U) coinpresses of tue south, and
could mean a revolution-.ot only
revolution iu a basiness sense, at oae
in whica me people of te ciuary
woad ri u i aruss against tie
ciostug up of a uasiness taa. acv gives
e i oioynent to so many wonk:ng iro
pie. The ba e is not well pres-e -
nothing li e the sa ara bale. If
adopa.1, is would do away wah t
compress, the cotton factors, sore waan,
etc. The cotton men have not muds
:ny plans yet for a cocerted action
againstL teinvaetrof tne South's great
est, interest bat will do so. Tnere
is plenty of time, they say, but son:
thing must and shall be done to avert
the threatened ruin to douthern plant
ers and the people whose interests are
identical with tnem.
"We do not knoiv," says the C.
lambia State, "that there would be
much ianentatioa by the producers of
cotton if the midalemen generally
were done away with. The staple as
has been made to support a great
many more people thaa it oagnt to
have supported. I has been
sampled, and weighed, and bought,
and sold, and resampled, and
resold, and rtsampled, and ex
ported, and resampied, and reoougat
and fiaaily manufacturei Too many
people have been msking a living out
of cotton, and the produeer has had to
pay tnein adl. If he couid. sell dive.t
to the consumer without deduction,
actual or conventional, fna would oc
more likely to get the real value of his
product. irge interests have grown
up a bout the handling of cotton. and
it would be unpleasat-and douotiess
it j iits to many people-to have t ac
---cssi'a of natdremen done :.way
wutn; but, after nai, that is tim wsy of
the world. Where a process is too ex
pensive, invention gets to -work to re
duce the cost, and tne cylindrical bale
mnachiaery is as natural a sequence of
exoensive arit wasteful metaods as the
typesetting machine is. Six cents cot
ton cannot pay the tolls that 12 cents
cotton paid. Something must give way,
somebody must go to the wall-tne
farmer or middlemnan. If the farmer
does, there is no crop; so he is a neces
sity, he must stay. fine logic of cir
cumstances forces the middieman ou t.
The cotton factor has already gone,
in this part of the country at 1east.
Other middleman bet sveen the groTer
and the manufacturer nmust go, as the
bringing of the muils to tne cotton tes
tiies. Tfne foreign consumer must roll
ali his middlemen into one in order to
meet on fairly equal terms the manu
facturer on tue-spot. The American
Cotton company, with izs cyiia-arical
bale, constitutes thie middleman-rolled
into one. It is a necessary develop
ment of the times. The only question
is whether this company, wiA its su
perior metheds of packing, and its
readiness to p .y higher prices than
the ordinary bayer ctfers, is Eikely to
monopol:z:) the cotton purchasing bus
mness and thereby control the price of
the staple to the dezriment of the pr
ducer. So far ns South Carolina is
concerned, this is impossible. Half
the cotton crop of the State is bought
b7 State millh. This cotton does not
need to be '.acked in any special way.
It is manufactured in the same neigh
borhood in whica it is grown and par
chased. There can be no sa::h monop
oly as wculd enable any one comnpany,
howvever great, to dictate the price
here. Should the American Cotton
company be the only outside buyer it
would ha;ve ins th" purchasiog fi d
agaius:. it somne 7> South Car-oita
m:lls. Whatever mnany be the case
in Texss and Louisiana, we in South
Crlaaae s-ecure fron oppr ssior.
of cm.1 es~'aise:2.of
tue ag-ccia t An'rlev Cot
ton c~a.a. weald prolyrase
a i tm St.e. to onr
'-at-s :ess favorably~ sua. -i - a
be sad: They~ :a~ ere c-"mp-t-lon
ndcmeitive price; by i-ieun'n
malc--inery which will ri. uto
the z-m'rcana Cotton conpry. We
du not kn~o- what the ptens are on
-he-maic-ery for proc cigth- Ds
onette bale; but we arepeyse
tht Yane Cit not iout~~?ra nu
coud crcunavent them. - h r z
Ie osho'l comen :th o op"0
somebadb~y would br<ing Cr n ea
pronal ol s:-oalb, ndb
prc:s so ne 1 vhat d j arel J~~ n
othe, ad tus wta ~ ua ta' ies
ca~~ape on r will dbe futIPi
or sa- a5'C
ryRnrew m-t inth ong
: rough the aec Cf a rad, to
whomz Mr Coles had inti -e tha he
wa-s locking for a wi't -ad h
agreed in Ofour.miCte to marry.--e
PRINCE OF SWINDLERS.
BEAT PEOPLE OUT OF S400,000 IN
LAST FOUR YEARS.
Forer. Worthless Check Utterer and F o
gas Dealer in Bonds and Stocks-Henry
C!'wsi and ,nhn Waiamiaker Among
-W- -c:tm,-Scm- of his Transactions.
Tre Nolc say that Ammet C. Gib
sor. also known as George A. Sheri
dan, who was arrested in New York
Thursday and is now a prisoner at
police headquarters, is the most accom
plished bogus check and, hotel swin
dler in the country.
Gioson, according to the police, has
succeeded, by means of forgery, bogus
checks and dealings in stock and bonds
and playing his wiles upon first-class
hotel keepers, during the last four
years, in gett:ng and spending in the
neighborhood of $100,000.
Among his victims, according to
Po ice Captain MeCluskey, are Henry
Clews and John Wanamaker.
The police had been getting com
claints from different firstclass hotels
in tuis city for many days back. Bo
gas c_.ecks were laid down by Gibson
a paymcn: of board bills. The checks
were nonored in almost every case,
t it ,vorthiessness only coming 10
:gr w,.,n he had made himself
scire. Umn laints reached headquar
ters from t-i police of cities both in
the east and the west, and the police
recognized G bson's handiwork.
Detectives were put on the Clews
case and they located Gibson at the
itel Bartholdi. Tney did not find
him in when they went to the hotel
yesierday to bag the game. He was,
however, found in the Grand hotel.
The detectives saw a tall, slim, sharp
featured man, with blue eyes, a high
fcrehead and blonde whisker:. He
was well dressed and very cool when
tue otilers inn;ted him to take a stroll
to police headgaarters, protesting that
the police has made a mistake.
At police hedgaarters he described
himself as Emmes C. Gibson, uamar
ried, 33 years old, of the Bartholdi
noi:l, and a native of this country.
He sa d he was vice president of the
Aaron S:reet Railway company of
Akron, C., a laivyer and once upon a
time judge man Onio town.
Tne specid complaint entered on
the blotter against nim was made by
the auditor of the imperial hotel. He
alleges that Gibson was a guest at the
hotel on August 6 of last year, and
presented a worthless check for $620
in payment of a $265 board bill. Gib
son "put down" the check and went
away with the balance in cash. He
was seen no more at the Imperial.
"Gibsoa had an office in the Mills
building not long ago," said Captain
McCluskey. It was handsomely ap
pointed. He talked about his connec
tion with the Akron Street Railway
company as a winning card to gain
contidence. He won over even Mr.
Henry Ciewa. In fact, his offbwe was
next to Mr. Clew's. When he had
worked himself into Mr. Ciew's good
graces, he calmly laid down with him
a check for $1,000. Mr. Clews cashed
it, only to discover how worthlesss it
was; but Gibson had gone. A padlock
was put on his office door.
"Gibson met Mr. Wanamaker in
Philadelphia some time ago, and the
dry goods man was attracted by him.
Gibson suggested a paper to be started
and run by him in the interest of Mr.
Wanamaker's store. 'Good idea,'
Mr. Wanamaker said to Gibson, and a
plant was purchased. The next thing
Mr. Wanamaker knew, Gibson had
sold the plant for several thousand
dollars and Pailadelphis has not
zuo wn him since, so far as I know.
"I have not yet got a definite idea
of the amount of Gibson's swindles. I
am told that they will foot up more
than.$100,000 in fours years, and he
operated in both the east and west.
"Among the hotels here i.t which
Gibson stopped. and presented his bo
gus checks were the Netherlands, the
Fifth Avenue and the Imperial. He
beat the hotel Netherlands out of an
$33 board bill e July 2t last. He
stopped one day at the Fifth avenue
and a check was cashed for him.
When he paid his bill he managed to
get a $3 rebate, and the Fifth avenue
saw himn no more."
Captain McCluskey enumerates
among the hotels which have suffered
from Gibson's patronaze the Parker
House, Boston; the Hollenden, Cleve
land; Tne Stratford, Pniladelphia; the
Bristol Inn , Akron, O., and the Cad
ilac and the Lincoln, Pittsburg.
A wido w in Cleveland is said to have
been defrauded out of $6,000 by Gib
son. Among the papers found on him
were papers instituted against him by
thr German A-nerican Bank of Pitts
bu~rg.
The Caban Heroine Escapes.
The b, cautiful young Cuban patriot,
Sencrita E s'angelina Cossio Cisneros,
heorine of the sensational adventare
with the Spanish governor of the Isle
of Pines, has escaped from the Casa de
Recogidas (house of scrapings), where
she had been connined for several
months on a charge of conspiracy
against the crown of Spain and of an
auempt noon the life of Governor
Brez governor of the Isle of Pines.
\.cording to the statements of the
j:ilrs or attendants, she made her
ese:.pe som'e time Wednesday night.
A. Thursdcay morning's roll call she
was miv and when search was
ma'de f .her the attendants found that
one of i e iron bars in the room in
whc sie~ had been confined had been
filed and bent outward. The bar could
not hae b enoved except by agreat
u lay of strength, andalithecircum
stne oto prove the co operation
:of oatsideis in her escape. The au
taoritis have not yet secured any
cia as :o the whereabouts~ of Senorita
E :sgelca.Se veral of the employes
ethstishczent have been arrested.
-1 Causes a Strike.
-.'. -e he kissed one of the fair
E gis lassies employed in the dust
2naatent of the New Castle,
-., tipate works, Richard Kissing
erws icaraeJi. He is a member
of he Patent Machine Tinners' Union,
wich is aiiliated with the Federation
of Labo. Stealing a kiss was not suf
dcetexcuse for- discharging a work
man, the oilicials of the union said,
and they demanded Kissinger's rein
statement. This was refused and a
trike- wras ordered. About 200 men
ad bOys are out. The company does
nrot ciann the girl objected to the kiss
is isner says the suaperintend
e: iemi wanted to get rid of
oin ndto this means of doing it.
I .e it sys he did not kiss her, but
eve &e i, she said, the offense
'as no erious enouzh to cause a sus
-ension of work. The strikers say
chy wil not return until Kissinger