144
x~v ITi MANNING. S. C.. WE-I)NESI)AY, MAIRII;,189
A HORRIBLE STORY.
WHAT A PARTY OF CONGRESSMEN
SAW IN CUES.
Tk V SpamIsh Ca= paign Mar Ted by Slaugh
tersas Protel as Iod3n Massacrea-Th e
Inaurgent Governmeut Firmly Establish
ed Over a Greater Par. of the Island.
A few weeks ago the New York
Journal sent a commission to Cuba,
consistine of United States Senators
Money, Gallinger. Tnurston and Rep
resentatives, Cummings and Smith to
ascertain the true condition of affairs
on the island and report to the people
of the United States what they saw.
The following is an extrac: from the
report of the ccmmission:
We went to Cubaexpecting to make
allowance for exaggeraticn due to the
intense strife and bitter passion there
by engenered. We have returned
convinced by versonal examirsation
and observation of the bitter inadequa
cy of language to tell the misery and
horor of the situation. If the insur
gents have waged a war of destruction
against property the Spanish military
authorities have in the past waged
one of destru-:tion against property
and another of extermination agairst
the Cuban pecple.
If the campaign of destruction is
now less marked it is because the field
of military operations has been swept
bare. Hardly a human habitation is
visible in a rural territory co exten
sive with that of the six New England
States. A few plantations heavily
guarded by Spanish troops,yet paying
tribute to the insurgent Government,
grind out less than one-tenth the nor
mal sugar crop of the island where
three years ago luxuriant fields of
cane and tobacco stretched unbroken
for miles. The dense vegetation of a
tropical wilderness has sprung up as
rank, as wild as when Columbus dis
covered America, to be as arduously
conquored by the machete and the
plough.
From all sources, Spanish, Cuban
and foreign, whether American or
European, consuls or business houses,
the figures practically agree that half
the rural population of Cuba has dis
appeared from the face of the earth.
In the central and Western provinces,
where the effect of General Weyler's
order has been most severely felt,
there are districts from which the
whole population has been swept as if
by pestilence, and of whose people
less than one-fifth are today alive
within the limits of reconcentration.
Nor have the inhabitants of the
towns and cities escaped. There the
poorer classes have been placed nearly
on a par with the reconcentrados by
the privations due to the paralysis of
war. Disease and starvation have
everywhere done their awful work.
Spain, too, has suffered in loss of life
aswellasinpurse and prestige. Of
the 250,000 troops which she has sent
to Cuba, not more than one-half will
ever see their native land agai.
Hardly the fifth of her forces now in
the island are tcday effective.
The military hospitals are crowded.
For the forces in the field no such
thing as a medical corps is known.
They are without tents or commis
sary. The steamships to Spain take
back more invalids than cifiet the
rehtroons brought iadforevr
invalid soldier returnea one is buried
in a Cuban trench. The Spanish army
is unpaid and dircouraged; it has lost
the ean and morale indispensable to
military success. Members of the
Commission have brought back~ to the
United States machetes bought from
tne beltsof Spanish soldiers on the
streets of Havana and Matanzas.
Not a single important and success
ful operation has marked the course
of Spanish arms since the recall of
Weyler, and the wet season will begin
within six weeks, precluding further
movements of critical importance un
til Fall. Relatively the insurgents
are stronger than ever, yet lack the
strength and armament to deliver a
final blow.
Opportunity did not present itself to
penetrate the insurgent lines, but
there was no difficulty in getting in
touch with men who are not only
sympathizers with the cause of Cuban
independence, but 'who themselve s
are in constant communication with
the Insurgent Government and mili
tary leaders. From them it was learn
ed that the Cubans were confident of
being a'ble fo maintain their struggle
indefinitely, and that there was a
steady improvement of conditions
within the territory which they con
trolled practically without interfer
ence from the Spanish forces.
It was pointed out that General Go
mez had maintained himself within a
radius of fifty miles for months in a
territory from which he could easily
have been driven, had he been so weak
or the Spanish as strong as the latter
had claimed, and that the Provisional
Government at Camaguey was- seem
ingly as firmly planted as Blanco in
his palace at Havana, yet it is appar
ent that there is one large area of the
island where the insurgents exercise
permanent control
Each in turn raids across a region
several miles in extent. The tono
graphy of the country makes it plain
tznat only an overwhelming force and
tireless pursuits could suppress forces
far less numerous than the insurgents
command. Any other would perish
in the guerilla warfaie in which the
Cubans have proven such sadepts.
IMilitary termina:ion of the war by
either Spanish or Cubans is ho~eless.
Destruction, extermination and ex
haustion seems the only immediate
and unaided solution. In the mean
while American property has been
destroyed. American citizens have
been maltreated, imprisoned, wounded
and killed, and American commerce
destroyed, Theg loss to America through
the Cuban struggle is second only to
that of Cuba anu Spain. Cuba had
1,700,000, in round numbers, when
the insurrection broke out. -Remove
the Spanish troops and it is doubtful
if one million remain.
The destruction of human life t.
been terrific. Weyler's order of re
concentration was preceded, accomn
panied and followed by a slaughter of
pacificos, men, women and cnildren,
a brutal, unprovoked and merciless
as an Apache massacre. That these
murders tock placa principally at the
hands of Spanish guerilla bands, half
organized and wholly uncontrolle d,
does not lessen Spanish responsibility
Mor arming these Dan dits and turning
them loose.
1t is esteL9td that 200,000O recon
centrados are now in need of contin
ued relief. This relief is being ex
tended 'with marvellous rapidity from
ican ngencies, but until full opportu
nity is given thEes people to return to
iheir country districts with strength
to labor at least partly restored. and
with tcols and seed to malce a crop,
and must be continaous and unremit
11i g. _ ____
-THE MAINE INQUIRY.
Report of the Board Arrives In Washing
logton at Las?.
The report of the Naval Board of
Ioquiry into the Maine disacter was
received in Washington at 9:35 Thurs
day night. The four naval c tlcers
who ha% e auarded it since its depart
ure from Key West, were hustled at
or ce into a carriage by an attache of
the Navy Department and driven to
the Ebbitt House.
The party consisted of Lieutenant
Commander Marix. Lieutenant John
Hood, Lieutenant CArl Jungen, Pass
ed Assistant Engineer Bowers. A T.
Marix, a nephew of the judge advo
cate. and Ship Carpenter He'.ms, of
the Maine's ill-fated crew. There was
an immense crowd waiting at the de
pot when the train pulled in. The
naval contingent avoidel the crush of
citizens by alighting at the upper end
of the platform and going out across
the tracks.
The party was met by Lieutenant
Ward, of the Navy Department, who
was the sole represeatative of Secre
tary L:ng. He informed Commander
Marix that the secretary would not re
ceive the report tonight. Lieut. Hood
carried the bulky document in a white
canvas bag slung under his arm. It
must have weighed ten or twenty
pounds without its carrying case.
That the whole party carrying the
report was armed was demonstrated
in a rather theatrical way just as they
were about to get into the carriage.
Some one ran against the end of the
mysterious canvas bag in which the
report was concealed. Q xick as a flash
Lieuterant Hood's hand went to his
hin and Lieutenant Jungen laid his
hand on the butt of a revolver that
was sticking from his side pocket. The
movements were sufficien: to prevent
further jostling.
The report, in due pracess cf law,
must first be delivered to the secretary
of the navy, and this, according to all
Drecedents, will be at the Navy De
partment. It wiU then be submitted
to President McKinley, unon whose
decision its future migrations will de
Dend.
A REIGN OF TERROR.
A Place Where Is Is Dangerous to Walk
Unless Armed.
The Charleston Critic says "a reign
of terror is on among the laborers in
the phosphate mines at Fetteressa, a
small phosphate station about eight
miles from the city, on the Savannah
road. Bloody murders and assaults
are of daily occurrences and it is not
safe for an-yone to walk about in this
neighborhood unless he is armed with
a Winchester rifls or the like. Mr.
John A. Hertz, of 105 Cannon street,
who is the contractor of the Charles
ton Mining Works, had the following
to say about the lawless condition of
affairs in that neighborhood: "Thurs
day afternoon at about 1 o'clock a ne
gro man was shot down and killed at
Fetteresa by another negro." The
particulars of the case he did not give,
he went on to say that on last Satur
day night two deadly assaults were
made upon two colored men by color
ed phosphate banc~s 02e of the men
assaulted had his throat cut from ear
to ear and may die at any moment.
T'he other assault resulted in a man
being shot in the head and will almost
surely die from it. To quote Mr.
Hertz: "Never in the history of the
phcsphate mines has there been such
a condition of affairs. These deadly
feuds between the workmen are the
direct outgrowth of whiskey. ?J-1
walk about among the laborers -A
sell them whiskey by the glass iull
and in this way the rows start. Every
day there is some tragedy enacted at
this place wich results in some one
getting badiy injured. It is not safe
far one to walk about unless he is
heavily armed. Not one tenth of
these affairs are known in the city."
Only last Thursday a man named Joe
Fishburne died at the city hospital
from a gun shot wound received from
an unknown man at this place. The
killing Thursday makes two within
two weeks and the thing is on the in
increase, so it is said.
A CONVICT SHOT TO DEA TH
Four of it e i Escape.1 and One of Them
Shot a Man.
A special dispatch to the Augusta
Chronicle from Jackson, S. C., sa
about twelve o'clock Wednesday four
conviets escaped from the chaingang,
near Hawthorne. Mr. Ready, who was
guarding, was nccked down, his arms
taken away from him. Mr. Rsady
was not seriously hurt. One of the
cenvicts attempted to shoot him, but
another prevented him doing so.
While the convicts were making for
the swamp Mr. Hampton Beaufort,
one of the most vrominent young
men of Hawthorne saw them, and
suspicioned that they had escaped
from their gang and started in pursuit.
Mr. Beaufort was approaching last
when one of the convicts turned and
shot him in the face with buckshot,
one shot lodged in his side. From re
ports Mr. Beaufort is seriously hurt.
News from there )aie Wednesday
evening says that the doctors pro
nounc. d his wcunads fatal but he
wounded the negro in thelegs after he
was shot. It was not long before
there was a large cro wd gathered and
began to seek the convicts. T wo of
them were found and arrested and the
life of one was not spared long. John
Jackson the ring leader in all of the
mischief, was shot into mince meat.
Two of the convicts have not been
found. One that was arrested said
they were trying to make Augusta be
fore night._ _____
The Official Becord.
Chaplain Chadwick, of the Maine,
as completed his mortuary report,
wich shows that 257 men and t wo
cfiers perished in the catastrophe,
six sdccumbed to their in juries in the
Sanamro hospital in Havana, one
died on the Spanish transport Colon;
171 bc dies have been recovered from
the wreck, of which 61 have been
identified ; 16 have been buried in the
Colon ce metery, and 11 at Key West.
This is the official repcrt, made pub
lic, after careful correction, for the
first time.
Democratic Committee.
Chairman D. H. Tompkins has is
sued a call for the Democratic state
executive committee to meet in Colum
ia on Apr~il 8.
BLOWN UP BY A MINE
TH!S WAS THE FATE OF THE BAT
TLESHIP MAINE
The E-.ird of E quitry U.e3 N-t F*2a tbe
Relp-1sibI ty-Tke Sitrst 12 Vcry 50
.as-ActiveP;oparatfnsZit War BeIvg
Pashed-Gi ext ExcitemeL- In Wasbingt- 2
The Court of irquiry appointed to
investigate the cause of the Maine
disaster has reported that the loss of
the battleship was due to an outside
explosion. The state department, by
direction of the President. has cabled
United States Minister Wocdford at
Madrid to notify the Spanish govern
ment of this conclusion. The Spanish
government has cabled cifl-ially to
Washington that. the Spanish naval
commission holds the disaster to the
Meine to be of internal origin.
Tne commission finds that the Maine
was blown up by an explosion from
the outside, but is unable to fix the
responsibility for the explosion. The
court does not exDress an opinion as
to the character of the explosive, but
the testimony goes to show that it
was a powerful submsrilne mine, the
exact characte- of which is not deter
mined by the testimony, though the
belief was expressed that it was a ifloat
ing submarise mine. There were
two explosions, the court finds the
first from the outside, and that et ol
one of the smaller magazines. It was
this result, expressed in detail and
with the peecision of a court deeply
conscious of its responsibility, togeth
er with the evidence on which it was
based, that occupied the 'attention of
the cabinet throughout its extendtd
sessions of the morning and afternoon.
The government of Spain, it can be
stated :ositively, is nct disposed to
turn back the torpedo flotilla now pro
ceeding from the Canaries and would
be disinclined to consider a suggestion
from this government tending to inter
fera wita the disposition by Spain of
her own naval forces. War prepara
tion on an unprecedented scale is be
ing hurried to completion by the war
and navy department-, and the coun
try practically is on awar footing.
The foregoing gives the record of
one of the most ev..tful days the na
tional capital has seen sinca the close
of the civil war. It was a day of pro
foundly important action, of the deep
est anxiety coupled with naval and
military activity, one step following
another in rapid succession. Repre
sentative men of the administration,
public men in all branches of official
and congressional life, no less than
the public in general, share in the ten
sion to which the situation has been
waught. There was no effort among
the highest officials, nor indeed was it
possible from what was clearly ap
parent in the developments of the day,
to minimize the situation. -
Hardly less suggestive than the ap
proach of the torpedo flotilla, was tne
information received today by the
highest military authorities that the
Spanish government had hurried to
completion extensive fortifications on
the island of Puerto Rco,. lying just
off Cuba, and the only Spanish pos
session in this hemisphere other than
Cuba. The exact character of those
new defenses has been made known
here, and they are being given weight
with the military authorities as show
ing the disposition of Spain.
The order issued by the navy de
partment during the day covered
every branch of naval armament.
T'he "flying squaoron"~ was definitely
stablishel with Commodore W. S .
Behley in - command. The squadron
is to consist of exactly five ships.
hose of the squadron will be the
rack armored cruiser Brooklyn, the
battleships Massachusetts and Texas
and the cruisers Columbia and Min
eapolis. Other ships which are,
now or hereafter, at Hamptoa Roads,
will not be of the fling squadron, but
will belong to the Norta a.tlantic st a
tion under Captain Sampson. The
fying Equadron is to be a small com
pact flees of the best ships in the navy,
for quick service at any point along
the atlantic.
At the same tinie the North Atlantic
station, under Captain Sampson, is to
be further augmented. The cruiser
incinnati, which left Port Antonio
three days ago under sealed orders is
to report at Key West and become a
part of Captain Sampson's fleet. The
gunboat Wilmington, also en route
from Port Antonio, will likewise re
port to Captain Sampson at Key West
as will the gunboat Vicksburg, now at
ampton R oads. The following ves
sets compose the North Atlantic squad
on: New York, Iowa, Indiana, Mian
tonomoh, Fern, Puritan, Terror, Mar
lehead, Montgomery, Castine, Nash ;
ille. Helena, Wilmington, Vesuvius
torpedo boats, Foote, Dupont, Erics
son, Cushing, Porter. Winslow; tugs,
[eyden and damoset,
Late Friday the battleship Texas was
rdered from Hampton Roads to the
New York navy yard to repair her ma
hinery for hoisting ammunition and
uns. Favorable answers were received
rom the New York naval militia of
heir readiness on short notice to sup
ply.oficers and~men to man the single
arret monitors now called into ser
ice. Orders were issued Friday to
ave all the warships painted black, a
:olor that is better adapted to hostili
ties because the vessels will not atfford
as good a target.
r'ne President and cabinet advisers
held two extended sessions Friday,
one at 10:30 a. m. and another at 3:30)
p. in., at which the Maine report was
considered in detail. Members of tne
cabinet stated after the meeting that
never since the wrecking of the
Musine hae -the situation seemed so
ritical.
A N or chern Oom primot
The Springfield, Mass., Republi
can pays the South the following
cpiment: "'he South is receiv
ing high praise from the Northern
press for the unanimity with which
its Senators and Representatives voted
for the $50,000,000 appropriation for
national defense. The South is the
most interesting part of this country.
It has more inherent poetry and ro
mance than all the rest ot the land
put together; its history contains the
-ost impressive drama of modern
times, and it has produced statesmen
and soldiers as great as any in the
English-speaking worla since William
the Cot quaeror."
Mighty warships.
In the presence of the largest crowd
ever assembled on a similar occasion,
the first-class battleships Kearsarge
and Kentucky were launched at the
plant of the Newport News shipouild
ing and Dry Dock Company Thurs
day morning. Fully thirty thousand
nperson witnessed the anching.
HEADING THIS WAY.
The Coming of the Spanish Torptdo Boats
Considred Almost Hostile.
Advices reached Washington eacly
Thursday that the Spanish torpedo
boats hsd sailed from the Canaries for
Porto Rico, and from this moment the
most energetic warlike measures fol
lowed one anotber in constant succes
sion. The movement of this ileet had
been witched with the keentst inter
est, as it was felt to involve serious
nossibilities which might compel the
United Slates government to protest
against the movement as of a hostile
character. Immediately upon the re
ceipt of the official dispatch from one
of our naval attaches abroad, briefly
announcing the sailinZ of the fleet,
the fact was made known to the Presi
dent, and an earnest conference was
held between him atd Secretary Ling
and Assistant Secretary Roosevelt.
The seriousness of the movement was
fully considered, and the President
was advised thit naval strategis's re
garded it as essential that tbis torpedo
fleet should not be allowed to reach
Western waters. What, if any, con
clusion was reached, is not known.
Later in the day the Spanish minister,
Senor Polony Bernabe, called at the
State Department andspent sometime
with Juoge Diy. It was naturally in
ferred that the approach of the Span
ish flotilla wss one c i the subjects re
ferred to. Whether, however, there
was any suggestiou against this move
was not disclosed by either Judge Day
or the Spanish minister, both of whom
maintained the strictest reticence re
gardicg their conference.
STATE PRESS ASSOCIATION.
The City of Greenville P.epnve i to We!
come it In .Jl)y.
A dispatch from Greenville to the
News and Courier says: The meeting
of the State Press Asscciation is the
sensation of Greenville. Wednesday
the local committee met and elected
James T. Williams, chairman, and
W. G. Sirrine, secretary. The fol
lowing' committees were appointed:
On Reception-James T. Williams,
W. L. Mauldin. Dr. A. P. Montague,
M. F. Ansel. W. E. Beattie, P. T.
Hayne, L. W. Parker, Charles McAl
lister, James H. Maxwell, D. C. Dur
ham, A. B. Carpenter and A. G. Fur
man.
On Banquet-R. E. Allen, William
Goldsmith, Jr., H. Endel, Dr. C. B.
Earle. Wvn. G. Sirrine and J. H.
Havnes.
On Finance-W. E Beattie, S. C.
Clyde, A. G. Gower, C. R. Jordan, A.
G. Farman, Frank Hzmmond. P. T.
Hayne and D. C. Durham, Jas. H.
Morman.
The Convention will meet in Beat
tie's Hall on July 5, at 8:30. Ad
dresses of welcome will be made by
Mayor James T. Williams, Col. Hoyt
and Col Orr. Responses will be made
by Mr. Aull. president, and by J. C.
Garlington. On Thursday the Ass
ciation will go to Paris Mountain.
The same night they will be entertain
ed with a banquet. During the meet
ing a number of subjEcts will be dis
cussed. An address will be made by
George B. Cromet, of Newberry, dur
ing the meeting.
SEND IN THE DOCUMENTS.
The Confederate Rotls and The Work of
Completing Them.
The followirng in regard to the Con
federate rolls ot the State wa~s issued
I'hursday:
The general assembly, at the recent
session, provided for the completion
of the Confederate rolls.
The undersigned proposes to bring
the work to a close by Oct. 1 next,
when he will proceed to consolidate
the returns and report the results to
the general assembly of 1899.
Pending the closing of the record,
another appeal is made to all the Con
federates to whom Gen. Farley en
rusted -rolls for revision to return
them promptly to this ofice-revised
or not revisea,
This State has done its part in the
elf art to prciect the record of its sol
iery in the war between the States.
If the record shall, by October next,
be found incomplete, the responsibili
ty for historic ingatitude and injus
ice to a portion of our Confederate
rank and file, will fall upon those
who have neglected the obvious duty
of sending in the rolls of their respec
ive commands.
In addition to the Con federate rolls,
the rolls of the State reserves ara call
ed for, and of all other military
odies who served the State, 1861l-65.
The contribution of historic war
ata is invited.
The papers of this State are ru' est
ed to extend this notice.
JoHN~ P. TuboMns.
etoring Uot~ou.
The most practical plan that has yet
een suggested for giving relief to the
otton growers, to protect their crops
from being sacrificed, has recently
een inaugurated in North Carolina,
by establishmng a bounded ware house,
where cotton may be stored something
on the samte principle as distillers de
osit their products. in this way the
planters can store their crops at a less
cs: and with better protection than
he old plan, and hold it until ready
o selI, in the meantime receiving a
iberal. advance on its value at a low
ate of interest.
Wil Abandon thle Wreck.
The r avy department has arranged
for the pracficai withdrawal of all its
aval officers at Havana and the
abandonment of the wreck of the ill
fated battleship Maine. Capt. C. D.
Sigsbee, and other oilicers of the
Mine, who have been at Havana with
the wreck, will return soon. Al
though it ls not finally settled, it is
more than prob~able that the iFern also
will return tothe United States as
son as it is cetermined that nothing
more is to be gained by her presence
here. __________
Riddled With Bullets.
A dispatch from Manltrie, Ga., says
Jim Alien, a negro, under arrest for
n attempted rape on Mrs. Ingalls,
Wednesday confesoei his guilt.
Sheruff Fisher tried to escape with him
to Macon fir safe keeping, but a crow d
of about 2U men took himn abcut 3
o'clock Wed neoday afternoon and rid
dlWd hinm with baliets.
Eetow /.ero in Kausa,.
A special from Topeka, Kansas,
says. The severe blizzard which is
sweeping over the West has probably
destroyed the fruit crop of Kansas.
Tne cold is intense and at many points
in Western Kansas the mercury has
resererl belonazeo.
IMPORTANT MATTERS.
SEVERAL OPINIONS FROM THE AT
TORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE.
Certain A(tt are Constru:d-)ucstiojns as
to Pay cf Suprvisorr. Fees of County
Treasurers ana Other Matters-Of Inter
est to M avy.
At the request of the comotroller
general several legal opinions of much
concern to certain county and city
officials were recently issued from the
office of the attorney general. Tbese
opinions. although prepared in certain
srecific cases. are general in their ap
plication, and are given in full below.
Here they are:
CITY ASSESSORS' DUTIES.
Dear Sir: In your zommunication of
recent date you ask the qxestion if the
chairman of the boards of assessors of
cities and towns is a rrember of the
county board of equalization.
The act approved March 2, 1897,
provices for the appointment by the
governor of three electors to act as a
board of assesnrs in cities and towns
of more than 500 inhabitints. It fur
ther provides that the duties hereto
fore devolved upon the township
board of commissiorers, as assessors,
shal' be devolved upon the board of
asiessors within the limits nf their re
spective towns and cities. It does not
express.y constitule the chairman of
the special board a member of the
county board o' equalization, but all
the cities of the township board of
cmmissioners within t e limits of the
city or town, for which the board is
appointed, are devolved upon the
special board, and one of these duties
is to act as members of the county
board of equalizatioa. By implication
then the chairman of the board is
made a member of the county board
of equalization.
I am, therefore, of the opinion that
the chairmen of the boards of assess
ors for cities and to .vns are members
of the'countv boards of. qualization.
Yours very truly,
C. P. 'l vnsend,
Assistant Attorney General.
SUPERVISORS' PAY.
Dear Sir: Your letter, with that of
Mr. Timmerman enclosed, relating to
pay of supervisors of registration, had
attention. -
The question submitted is whether
Mr. Timmerman is entitled to compen
sation as a member of the o1d board
of registration for the month of Jan
uary, 1898
Section 7 of the registration act cf
1898 provides: "The compensation of
each and every member of the board
of registration to be appointed under
section - of this act shall be $250 for
the year 1896 and $225 for the year
1897, and until the supervisors of reg
istration to be appointed under sectirn
4 have been appointed and shall qual
ify."
As to the pay of the board of regis
tration to be appointed under section
4, it provides that the compensation
shall oe $200 for each election year
and $100 for each year payable quar
terly.
It seems to me that the act is plain
and needs no const;ruction. The mem
bers of the old board are to be paid
$225 for the year 1897 and the time
elapsing after ward until the appoint
ment of the members of the new
board. Then the salary is to be paid
quarterly, which would preclude the
idea of any monthly payment of the
same. Besides, under section 8, no
duties are required to be performed by
the old board after the first day of
January, 1898.
I am, therefore, of the opinion that
Mr. Timmerman is not entitled to
compensation as a member of the old
board ef registration for the month of
January, 1898. Very respectfully,
C. P. Townsend,
Assistant Attorney General.
TREASURER'S FEES.
Dear Sir: The letter of Mr. L. E.
Parler, submitted to this office asaing
if county treasurers are entitled to $1
for issuing tax executions in addition
to commissions allowed by law, has
had due consideration.
Section 3i8 of revised statutes pro -
vides: "The treasurer for any tax
warrant issued shall have from each
defaulter $1." The se t fixing compen
sation of county treasurers allows
commissions on taxes collected up to
armaximum amount. This commission
is taken out of the taxes. The cost for
issuing the warrant comes out of the
defaulting taxpayer, and is the com
pensation allowed for this - specific
work.
I am of the opinion that Mr. Parler,
as county treasurer, is entitled to the
fee of $1 for issuing any execution,
when collected from the defaulting
taxpayer, in addition to his commis
sion allowed by la w.
Yours very truly,
C. P. To wnsend,
Assistant Attorney General.
THE 5TATE LOSES,
Judge 8l1monton Decides the Phos~phate
oase Against Ho~r.
Judge Simrno2~o rendered his decis
oa Tuesday in the case brought by
the State against tae FArmers Mining
company for $12.000 royalty on a lot
of rock which the prescribea royalty
had never been paid. The judge deci
ded that the State has not a prior claima
on the lot of 5,000 tons of reck at the
mines, save insofar as the royalty in~
this particular lot is concerned. The
Bank of Charleston loaned the com
pany $5,000 on this lot of rock, and
Judge dimonton is of the opinion that
the State cannot clia and more of it
that tne royalty on it. The claim of
the attorney general that so much of
the rock as is necessary to r-eimburse
the State for the large qpantities of
rock which were tmed and sold with
out the royalty having been paid,
could be se:zed by the State, is denied
by the court- The State wilt thus lose
considerable money for having allow
ed the company to dispo;se of its pro
duct without having paid the pre
scribed royalty before the reek was
shipped.
A Gallar.t Des d.
E:osign R asc-ce S-pear of the Mont
gomnery, now lying in the harbor of
Key \Vest, jumped overboard late the
other night in resp-onse to the crs
- Man over board-* lHe was in fuli
uniform, bit af r a few minutes found
the luckless sailor, who was unable to
swim, and vwas being rapidly borne
away from the ship. After a hnrd
struggle young Spear brought the al
most lifeless man back to tne Mont
gomery, and both men were hauled in
more dead than alive. It took sev
m~ral hours to reive thenplucky oflicer.
CZLD COMFORTS FOR SPAIN.
r -o .t1 -f lb-- BrItish P -58 -.3 T1'
MaizE Report.
Bliow we print some extracts from
the English press on the report of the
board of inquiry in the olowing up of
the Maine.
The London Daily Mail which re
gards war between the Unitea States
snd Spain as inevitable says: "Amer
ica will naturally triumph and earn
the world's praise for ridding Cuba of
rathles4 tyranny, but she will fight at
a diswi vnotage if compelld to ight
immtdia 'ely."
Tne London Daily Graphic says:
It is the duty of both sides to obtain
an independent investigation. To
-;end assistance to the non-combatants
in Cuba is to force war. President
McKinley should either help the Sa
gasta cabinet make home rule a reali
ty or should give Spain njtics to
quit."
The London Morning ':ost says:
"The gravity of the Cub &n question
is enormously increased ty the Amer
ican report, because, even if no distinct
indictment of the Spanish government
is included. the reserve hitberto main
tained will be abandoned and Spain
will be charged by the American pa
pers with treachery and malice, while
the American people will be excited
to fever point. Spain, however, has
already borne so muc that conflict
may still be avoided, but if her object
bas only been to gain time, it may be
that she is now in a position to adopt
a more martial attitude."
The London Daily Telegraph says:
"Supposing tte American report to be
subta atiate:, there can be no question
that S5pain is primarily responsible, as
any country would be it a similar
catastrophe occurred along its coast
line. If the Spanish authorities were
ignorant of the position of the subma
rire mines, their ignorance is culpa
ble. If they were aware and omitted
to warn their guests, their pOsition is
still less defensible. Tne report adds
fuel to the flame. If the task of dip
lomatists and statesmen was arduous
before, it is ten times more difficuit
now."
The London Daily Chronicle, after
expressing a doubt whether the Span
ish inquiry has been conducted as
carefuliy as the Americaa, the report
of whose commission, it says, is "in
harmony with all the probabilities of
the case," prozeeds to review the
principal aspects of the question.
-The patience of the Washington
government," says the Daily Chroni
cle, "and the calm, pacific policy of
the President have been beyond all
praise. Had the people of the United
rStates been polled on the question,
war would have been declared before
now, not, as has been falsely suggest
ed, on account of financial and com
mercial interests, but on grounds of
humanity and because of tne intolera
ble stench of ithis open sore close to
the borders of the great republic. But
it is evident that the time for action
has arrived. President MaKinley
must take such steps as to challenge
in the most direct way Spain's right to
murder her revolted colonists any
longer. If she attempts to resist the
provisioning of starving Cubans from
American ports, war taere wid and
must be, quite apart from any treach
ery to the American warsnip. De
spite all rumors, it is quite certain
that Spain will have no alies and the
result will be the liberation of Cuba."
etaistics oL Fabi~tc dchools.
According to the latest figures
which can De obtained, the number
of pupils enrolled in the pubic schools
of the United States amounts to 14.
379,078, or nearly 20 per cent of the
nation's population. Out of 400,325
teachers employed, 130,369 are males
and 269,956 females. The average
monthly salary paid to male teachers
is $47.37; the average monthJy salary
paid to female teachers is $40.24. The
number of public school houses in the
United States is 240,968, and the value
of all the public school property ag
gregates $455,948,164. 'The cost of
public school educatiton in the United
States ner pupil is $18.92 annually.
A Bll He Th.f
The Saltkehatcbie correspondent of
the Walterboro Press and Standard
says on Saturday, 2Marchi 12, a negro
named Caesar Smiley hired with Capt.
W. T. Spencer to plow, in the after
noon be got a horse and wagon to go
over near Yemassee for his things and
mns;.ad of returning drove on do wn in
Kane's Neck. Beaufort county, and
sold the horse to another negro named
easar J. Thompson, tore the wagon
to pieces, hid some in the house, some
in and some under a low corn house.
Trail, was followed closely, things
found and brought back Monday af
ternoon.
'l LeavcHavana.
A dispatch from Key West says the
mest significant development that
followed the announcement of the
Maine report was the sudden sailing
Friday aiternoon of the lighthouse
encer Mangrove for Havana. The
Mangrove was lying gaietly at the
dock, loading buoys, den orders
:ame about 3s o'clock Friday after
oon for her to proceed with all haste
~o Hiabana and to take on board all
he America offcials in that city
with tae exception of Consal General
Auamer~ Democrat l'ae.tel.
Another Democrat was unseated by
he House last Wednesday R. T.
Lhorp was given the seat from the
Fourth Virginia distric t. Sidney 1P.
Eppes, who obtained the certificate of
election, was unseated by a s:r-ict par
y vote. Mr. Throp was given the
seat by a vote of 151 to 130. The Re
publicans, without a break, voted for
Lbrop and the Democrats and Popu
ists, with the exception of Mr. How
ard, of Mlabama, a Populist, voted for
A Father I- als Hls son.
A spfcial from Columbus, Ga..
says: Oharles Yield shot and killed
bis son? Richard at 1 o'clock Thursday
afternoou. The shooting took place
at Field's residence and was done with
a 38S -calore pistol. Field is 65 years
of age anid claims he shot bis son in
ef defense. A fter kiliirg h is son het
threw the bcdy out in the yard and.
left it there while he went to give
himself up to the sheriff.
Many L'.ves Laer in Wre.cks.
A dispatch from London says snow
artd sleet is falling in various parts of
tie Unitad Kingdom while heavy
ales are sweeping the coasts and oaus
ing vessels to seek shelter. Seven men
went down with the trawler Nelly off
Aberdeen.
From Marseilles comes the report
that the French steamer Ly-die has
SERVED HiM R:GHT.
A Negro w1hose Mcath Caused Sim to Gat
a Whipping.
Tuesday night. Walter Beard, a
young negro living on Mr. R. S.
danna's place in Bethesda township,
was taken from his brother's house
and severely beaten by certain parties
in the township, who charge him
with using some threatening language
which if he said it stamps him as a
beast. Bcard, who has the repata
tion of being a thief and braggadocio,
several days ago while spouting his
views on the war question was report
ed to have said: -1 wish war would
come. We negroes would hide in the
swamps until all the white men had
left the c >untry; then we would ki1l
from the cradle to the grave. I would
paint every stump in this county red
with the brains of their babes, and
ravish their daughters for pastime.'
This report traveled like wild-fire, and
Tuesday night two men came to his
brother's house, where Beard had fled
on hearing that the white people
were in flamed at his fiendish threats,
and commanded bim to come out, or
they would kncck the door down,
Beard was pers.aded by his brother
to go cut and see what they wanted.
The masked men secured him and
led him apart from the house, and at
a whistle signal from one of them, a
crowd of men hurried from a cluster
of bushes near by. Gathering hold of
the negro they dragged him to the
nearest woods, where they stripped
and whipped him soundly. We have
no heart to condemn the act of this
mob, because if there ever was a
scoundrel who deserved such a visit
he is the man. He ought to thank
the fates that he was not swung up
by the neck.-Rcck Hill Herald.
FORTY PERSONS DROWNED.
By t'ie Upsetting of a Bark In the PactIc
Ocean.
Upon the arrival of the Pacific Coast
Steamship Company's steamer Santa
Rosa from San Diego at San Francisco
Tuesday the news was received of an
other accident indirectly attributable
to the Alasan gold excitement which
is believed to have cost the lives of
forty passengers and s3ilors. Capt.
Alexander, of the Santa Rosa, report
ed that early Tuesday morning while
nine miles off Point Bonita, at the
mouth of the Golden Gate, he sighted
a derelict bottom up. The tug Witch
was immediately dispatched to the
point indicated and found the derelict
to be the bark Helen W. Almy, Capt.
Hogan, which sailed hence for Cop
per River with twenty-seven passen
gers and a crew of thirteen on Sunday
last. The bark lay on her starboard
side with her stern low down in the
water, her deck hamper badly wreck
ed and several plunks of her hull
washed loose by the seas which broke
over her. While there were no signs
of boats among the wreckage, it is not
believed that her passengers and crew
escaped by putting cff from the vessel
in them, as there has been a very
hea7y sea for several days past. Fur
thermore, no word has been received
from the survivors if any exist, al
though the derelict was sighted with
in ten mile3 of shore, and tully I orty
eight hours haye passed since the
wreck occurred. According to the tue
boat men there ws a pretty stiff
breeze when the Aluv sailed out of
Golden Gate on Sunday last, and by
noon it was blowing a gale. There
was a heavy sea running, and it is
supposed that some time during the
nigtst she was struck by a squall and
turned turtle.
H E CAPTURED MERRIT T.
A Confederate captain who Took the Ma'
.jor General Prisomer.
There is an ex-Confederate officer in
Knoxville, Tenn., who had the honor
during the civil war to cap ture Wesley
H. Merritt, now general commanding
the department of the South, and in
case of war with Spain, likely to be
one of our leading military officers.
Col. James C. Malone, a prominent
cavalryman, was the captor of General
Merritt. It was during the conapaign
in West Virginia in 1862, and in the
neighborhood of Cheek Mountain
where the incident occurred. Gen.
:Rast had been ordered to attack a
strong force of Federals on the moun
tain, and the First Tennessee regi
ment of Maney's brigade, "Lorin's
division, was waiting orders to ad
vance. Col. Malone was at that time
a lieutenant of the Rock City Guards,
a company which had gone out from
Nashville. While drawn up the com
pany suddenly saw, not a hundred
yards in front of them a federal en
gineering oflizer ride uo alone. His
capture was easily effected as he was
completely surprised, not having any
idea that the Confederate's were near.
He was very much discomfited at his
mishap, and grumbled excessively at
ais bad luck. He was sent to Rich
mond, with other prisoners and Cal.
Malone did not knorr his subsequent
war career.
An Alu-Round Bascal.
Several days ago a young man giv
ir~g his name as R. M. Cary was ar
rested at Richmond, Va., and sent to
jadl for sixteen months on four
charges of obtaining money under
false pretences on baa checks. A tele
gram received Tuesday from the chief
jf police of Plymouth, Ind., by the
Richmond autnorities says: "Party
of name of R. M. Cary has been circu
lating forged checks on H. E. Buck,
of this city, for the past thirty days.
You undountedly have the right may.
Letter will follow with full particu
lars." A telegram from Piakerton's
Detective Agency in Chicago says:
"Man under arrest in' your city for
passing checks on P4ymouth state
Bank is a dangerous farg-~-. wanteid
ln many cities. Piease sr-e inat he is
held. Our New York cilice will also
:ommunicate with you.
Many se11tug Liquor.
Thursday the State dispensary au
thorities sent up to the United $tates
revenue cilize and obtained a complete
ist of the people in this~ ate holding
Unitea S:ates retail liquor licenses at
this time. The list shows that :here
are 491 such licenses outstanding.
Charlestonians held a gocd proportiin
of them. These uigures are exclusive
of the licenses held'. by the county dis
pensaries a ud it is said represent the
Lumber of original package and blind
tiger people in the State.
All Hands Loat.
A cablegram has been received at
Brunswick saying that a Spanish bark,
:ommnanded by Captain Juan Font,
was found drifting bottom up in tihe
MIeditmrnemn sll on board lost.
THE MAINE DISASTER
WILL BE TREATED AS AN INCIDENT
BY MCKINLEY
And No Demand Will be Made upon Spain
in ConnectioD Therewith-IntervenUon
In oubt on Humanitarian Grounds Now
Avowed Program of the Preaidett.
The President said to several of his
visitors Thursday, in discussing the
situation, that he would do every thing
consistent with the honor and dignity
of the country to avert war, and he
still believed war could be averted.
He also said that he believed the gov
ernment of Spain was as anxious for
peace as we were. but, at the same
time, he did not hesitate to admit the
gravity of the situation. The Presi
dent frankly acknowledges that he be
lieves the report of the board of inqui
ry will find that the Maine was blown
up from the outside. His program
has been definitely decided. It is his
purpose to treat the blowing up of the
Maine as an incident. The report of
the board will be sent to Congress with
a very brief message, relating the
events leading up to that point and
informing Congress that the facts con
tained in the report have been cabled
to Madrid te be laid before the 4pan
ish government by Minister Wood
ford.
No demand will be made upon
Spain, but the laying of the facts be
fore the Spanish government will bs
equivalent to calling upon Spain for
an explanation and such action as he
may deem proper. It is the purpose
of the House leaders to refer the re
port and message to the committee on
foreign affairs, without debate, and to
this purpose it is believed the Demo
crats of the House have acquiesced,
reserving the right to demand action
if a report from the committee is too
long delayed. Much will then depend
upon Spain response; but there are
those close tothe President who.believe
that from the time the report is sent
to Congress:it will drop out as a factor
in the situation.
The second part of the President's
program removes the Maine question
and involves intervention on humani
tarian grounds within a week or ten
days after the report of the board goes
to Congress. In will be intervention
to relieve the starvation in Cuba, and
upon Spain's acquiescence in or ob
jection to this act will depend peace
or war. A prominent member of the
House said that in his opinion the
next two weeks would determine
which it would be. Such information
as exists here leads those close to the
President to believe that the Spanish
government vill go to any length it
dares to prest'rve peace. The queen
regent is especially anxious to prevent
war, and it is believed the ministry
will go just as far as it can without
jeopardizing its own existence and the
survival of the present Spanish dy
nasty.
A MAMMOTH OFFICIAL FRAUD.
Govarnment Clerk Cheats People Out of
Three lHundred Thousand Dollars.
Information has reached the Gov
ernment through a number of bank.
at St. Paul, Minn., that during the
past year these and other near
by banks have been made the
victims of colossal frauds through the
suspected collusion of Government
clerks connected with the commission
having in charge the improvements
on the upper-Mississippi River. Full
details of the affair have not yet
reached the Government, but the
statements submitted by the banks in
dicate that $300,000 or more has been
procured from them through fraudu
lent time checks for services never
performed. Copies of some of these
time checks are said to be signed by
J. H. Southall, chief clerk of the
United States engineer's office at St.
Paul, and are dated at different times
during the year 1897. Others, it is
understood, are dated in 1896. How
the banks came to be imnposed upon to
the extent indicated and why the
checks have been withheld until this
time cannot be even conjectured. It
is understood that the banks will make
a claim for reimbursement, but the
law is said here to be clearly against
this contention. The Government will
begin a searching investigation at
once into the whole matter.
Cut This Oat and Save it.
We are often asked how many times
land must bs advertised against tress
passers to make it legal. Here is the
bill as amended by the recent Legisla
ture, which settles that question: "Ev
ery entry upon the lands of another
after notice from the owner or tenant
prohibiting the same, shall be a mis
demeaor, and be punished by fine not
to exceed $100 or imprisonment with
hard labor on the public works of the
County not exceeding thirty days.
Provided, that whenever any owner
or tenant of any lands shall post a
notice in four conspicuous places on
the borders of any land prohibiting
entry there, and shall publish once a
week for four consecutive weeks such
notice in any newspaper circula~ting
in the county where such lands are
situate, a proof of the posting and
publishing such notice within twelve
months prior to the entry shall be
deemed and taken as' notice conclusive
against the person making entry as
aforesaid, for hunting or fishing."
State mitc~ia Will be Ca11ed.
R epresentative Marsh, chairman of
the house committee on the militia,
called upon Secretary Alger Wednes
day and urged taat in the event of
hostilities, thae first recourse of the
government for soldiers be the state
militia, which should be invited to
volunteer for the country's defense.
Secretary Alger was much interested
in the arg.uments made by Mr. Marsh,
and, whuie not committing himself on
that soiject, seenmed to regard the
suggeoticns made b~y him as practica
ble. ___________
Or der1 dInto dervice.
Secretary L ong determined Wednes
:iy to order the double turreted moni
~ors Puritan and Terror to Key West,
where they will reinforce the Equad
con in those waters. He also aeter
nined to bring into service tne eight
single turreted manitors at League
[sland navy yard, Philadelphia, two
of which will be sent to Boston, two
to New York.
Southern BaptIa: oonvention
Preparations for the great Southern
Baptist convention, which is to be held
in Norfolk.beginninlg May 6. are rapid
ly going forward. Every effort be
ng put Zorth to make the event one of
he greatest this city has ever seen and
>ne of the greatest conventions ever
Wald by ihe Bontist denomination.