The Manning times. (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, June 21, 1899, Image 1
VOL. S WNO8
VOL. XV. 31ANNING, S. C., WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2l, 1899.
HUNDREDS KILLEI.
Horrowing Scenes of Desolation
Caused by a Cycolne.
MANY HOUSES DESTROYED.
Little Groups Seen Everywhere
Searching the RUins by the
Light of Lanterns for the
Missing Ones.
Indescribably sad are the scenes of
desolation wrought by last Monday
week's tornado that has practically
swept out of existence the prosperous
litth city of New Richmond, Wis. Out
of 500 houses and store buildings com
prising the town fully 300 were wreck
ed by the storm. or destroyed by fire.
Almost every family has one or more
members among the dead, injured or
missing, and little groups are seen
everywhere searching, by the light of
lantern or torch, for loved ones -.ho
may be buried in the piles of debris on
every hand. With frantic energy the
search has been conductcd all day and
up to 9 o'oock, 54 bodies had been
found, although the number of dead
certainly will reach 10 or more. These
have, for the most part, been taken to
the Catholic and Crongregational
churches, which, although in the very
storm's path miraculously escaped its
fury.
In these temporary morgues, the
sights are such as to touch the hardest
heart, as the grief-stricken living re
cognize,the bodies, horribly managled
and often dismembered remains of mis
sing dead ones.
The wounded find temporary asylums
in the uninjured dwellings on either
side of the path, where doctors and
nurses from nearby cities and towns are
doing heroic work without sleep or rest.
As many as possible whose chances for
recovery are considered good, are being
sent to the hospitals at St. Paul and
Minneapolis where they Nwill have bet
ter care.
The desolate view of the New Rich
mond is not one soon to be forgotten.
Along the broken fragments of their
homes the peonle wander helplessl)
striving somewhat aimlessly and hope
lessly to gather together what had been
left to them. On the east and west
limits of the city many houses were
still standing with little or no damage
and to these homes the occupants wel
comed their less fortunate neighbors
and friends, giving them such aid as was
possible and the sympathy that is so
much to stricken souls. The property
loss cannot be estimated at this time
and may never be accurately known.
It was almost total, for the insurance
agents report that no tornado insurance
was carried in the town and only a
small number of places where fire join
ed in the destruction of property, will
the business men be at all reimbursed
f )r the losses.
-CRUMBLED LIKE SHELLS.*
QA reporter who went to New Riec.
mond says:
The storm struck the town full in the
centre and in ten minutes awful de
struction had been wrought. The larg
est brick blocks crumbled lhke eggshell>
The lighter frame structures were
whisked away like so much straw ano
many houses were carried for block s
and dashed to the earth.
Five hundred buildings, the finest in
the town, were demolished and when
the storm had passed about the only
structures of any note lef t standing were
the Catholic and Baptist churches. Not
a residence was left untouched end
few people escaped without injuries.
Lumber yards went up ini the clouds,
the huge planks being split into stn-.
gles. Large iron bridge over A pple
river was blown into fraguments and the
parts distributed along the banks a halh
mile away. Two Ia-sge iron safes were
caught up and carried a distat~ee of a
block.
Within a space of a few blocks lay
dozens of bodies. Legs and arms were
missing in many eases and one bod.
was found with the head chipped off
the trunk as though it had been sever
ed with an axe.
SAll who sought refuge in ce.llams es
caped. Some cases over whom h'ouses
collapsed were entombed. To add to
the horror of the situation fires were
started here and there by overturuing!
stoves and many wounded, unable to
drag themselves out of the danger, suf
fered death by burning. Gallwan
Brothers' circus was in New Richmnond
Monday and the farmers from the sur
rounding country with their families.
had gathered to see the show. A few
minutes before the storm struek, a
large part of those who had just come
from the circus, rushed to a brick
building close at hand where they took
refuge. This building was among
those destroyed and it is diflicult to say
how many perished there.
AN AWFUL PICTURE.
r It is the average resident of New
Richmond who estimates the loss of
iife most seriously. They claim that
hundreds are missing who were buried
in the ruins, and there incinerated.
One such is C. A. Nelson, who owned
the Columbian restaurant, located on
Main street. His estimate of the loss is
four hundred dead. Ie says that when
the rain storm, which preceded the cy
clone broke, not less than twenty per
sons rushed into his place for shelter.
He is positive that not more than four
besides himself escaped. When he
heard the roar, he rushed for the rear
door, but could not open it. In an in
stant the crash came. The ruins tum
bled about his head, and left him just
space enough to crawl out. in the
shop was Mrs. Broadbank, who was
killed. Nelson found only four alive.
He could hear scream's area groans.
Since then he has seen one of the sur
vivors.
Rev. Dr. Degnan, of the Church of
the Immaculate Conception, thus de
scribes the approaching stOrm and the
immediate results:
"I was standing on the porch of my
house, which is some three blocks west
of the Omaha station, with my little
nephew. Pointing to the threatening
clouds, I said to him: 'Those clouds
are cyclonic.' That was about 6 30.
Ihen I heard a fearful sound. It was
like the panting of fifty locomotiveS on
ann upgrde.
" ail to t;e boy. 'There is the cy
e IU the southwest was a great
-hizki. black cloud, cone-Jha ped, I 1ie
apex in the earth, the funn;cl in the
sky. Already far ahead (f the centre.
the air was full of tlying splinters,
boards, feathers, bedding, and every
thine. I told them to run and warn
the people in the houses between us
and the track. Froin all sides the peo
ple were running, cry ing for assistance.
I took them and some people fron the
parish school house and hurried them
into the cellar of ny house. They
begged for absolution and I knelt down
and gave it to them. Even as I prayed
the great black cloud of destruction
was upon the village. Out of tie gen -
eral and terrific war I could hear the
crashing and hissing sound as house
af'er house colapsed. I went out and
was stru k twice by pieces of flying
plank.
"Then the storm was gone. It struck
and destroyed all the residences lying
between it and the Omaha tracks. The
depot was right i:i its path. As it
crossed the track there it %iwent right up
the main street of the town. destroy
ing every building in the business cen
tre. I immediately began the work of
rescue.
"It was aiful. God keep we from
seeing the like again. Faerywhere
moans, shrieks and calls for help were
beard. The wounded cried out for
prayers. I gave them absolution
while assisting in the work of rescue,
Catholies and Protestants pray ed for
thC:."
ANUOHER TORNADO
Wipes Out the Town of Herman
Nebraska.
A tornado struck the towu of Her
man, in Washington county, Tuesday
esening and v.iped the place out of
existence. Herman is a place of about
300 inhabitants, in the extreme north
ern part of Washington county. It is
on the Chicago, St. Paul, 31inneapolin
and Omaha railway.
The tornado wrought fearful destruc
tion. A conductor on the evening train
from Sioux City passed through the
place aot long after the stoim and he
says not a building is left standing in
town. He counted twelve dead bodies
lying in the streets.
The fatilities will undoubtedly run
up to a hundred if not higher.! A
special train has left Blair, the county
seat, ten miles distant, for the scene of
the disaster, carrying surgeons and all
needed supplies. Wires are all down
north of Herman and it is not known
how much further north the storm
went, but reports are coming in to the
effect that a large portion of country
north of Herman is laid waste. The
entire eastern portion of Nebraska
was swept by a terrific wind and elec.
tric storm Tuesday night.
The streets of Omaha are flooded and
the play of lightning is fearful.
Additional details are dribbling in
concerning the tornado at Herman.
Advice received by the Bee up to 11
o'clock Tuesday night state that every
dwelling house in town is destroyed,
except the public school and a dwell
ing, both of which are on the outskirts.
The force of the wind was terrific, as
scarcely one piece of many structures
destroied was left intact. The scene
in the streets of the once thriving and
beautiful little town is one of destruc
tion. Wrecked buildings and broken
furniture are strewn all around, while
dead bodies lie in many places, the
corpses badly disfigured and some of
them hardly recognizable. The moans
ot' the injured mingle with the calls of
rescuers as they pursue their humani
tarian task in the darkness by the flick
ering gleams of lanterns.
Thec relief train from Blair arrived
about one hour after the storm and the
work of picking up the wounded was
tegun. Willing hands did what they
could to h:elp the injured, and in the
course of auo four tihe train pu!!ed out
fur lair with 95 injured on board.
P iey w- re taken to Biair, as there is
absolutely no place left at Herman at
which t rtatme~nt can be adminiatered.
All the citizens of Blair have thrown
open their heuses to the wounded dN
the unf o:unates are being cared for by
competent surgeons. 31any of the in
jured will die, but some of them re
eived but slight injuries. It is im
possible at this hour, owing to the con
t-i.lon, to ascertati. tle uuber of dead,
but twelve are known to have been
killed and the list will ru'i very much
higher.
Supcrintendent Jayne. of the (.naha
road, was at Tekamiah when he heard
of thle disaster and left at once for Hecr
men on a handcar, taking two physi
ians along with him to assist in sue
coring the injured.
An Erroneous Idea.
An old fadioned idea prevails in
many families that a very light supper,
such as a glass of milk and a slice of
br-ad. is necessary to prevent night
mare. Bat later experience has proven
that most growing children requite a
plentiful repast before retiring of light
nourishing food. Hunger, at whatever
hour, of the day or night it comes, is
the demand of nature for sustenance,
and should be gratified. No sleep is
the result of a too empty stomach in
many children, and for all such aa
ample meal is necessary at supper time.
We have known restless children, who
were in the habit of disturbing the
househoid during the night, restored to
quiet and peaceful slumber with a crack
er and a dri-ik of milk given them on
awaken ing in the night. And the rule
of "'nothing to eat between meals" laid
down absolutely for all members of her
household by some mothers is a mistake
when applied to the growing school
children who come in from school "al
mosn starved to death." Their hunger
shoulid be satisfied in spite of theories.
Discussing the Dispensary.
The tem ocrance society of the First
Congregational church, Washington,
D. C.. lheldi a symnposiumi one night this
week upon the ''dispensary system of
treating the liquor problenm.' The
Post reports that "among the good
points o'f the dispensary system were
'"entioned the overthrow of the politi
cal influence of the saloon, the cessa
tion of treating, the separation fr'om the
places where liquor is sold from lunches
and games, the publicity obtained
through requiring every purchaser to
sign his name, the prohibition of
drinking on the premises, and the fact
the dispensaries are closed on Sundays,
hidys, and at nigh'.t'
TILLMANS REPLY
To the Penitentiary Investigating
Committee.
I LATIMER ALSO MAKES REPLY
A New Light Thrown on Some of
the Things Brought Out
Before the Com
mittee.
The investigation ofthe manaement
of the atfairs of the State penitentiary
by former Superintendent W. A. Neal
was resunred in Columbia on Tuesday
of last wet k. There were only three
members cf the committee on hand
Chairman Stevenson and Senators Liv
ngston and Hay. Mr. Patton was ex
peeted in the afternioon. The other
members was kept away by sickness.
The committee went to work at a lively
r'ace and some facts about $200 worth
of cotton seed meal and the hosiery
mill cotiracts were developed. The
wituesses examnned were ex-Capt. of
the Guard Westfield and ex- Bookkeeper
Burriss. The feature of the day was
the introduction of letters written by
the chairman to prominent men whose
names had been connected with the in
vestigation, aud the replies thereto sent
by Senator Tillwan. It was also de
veloped that Representatixe John Ash
ley of Anderson had stabled his horse at
the penitentiary during the 1S98 session
of the leislature free of charge.
Col. Neal was not pre sent, but his
attorneys, Col. P. I1. Neison and Julius
E. Boggs, Esq., wtre there to look out
after his interests. Penitentiary Di
rectors Canningham, Tatum and Sand
ers were i,!esent also.
The conmittee got to work in the
supreme court room, it being more
spacious and cooler than the com
mittee room upstairs heretofore used.
After a preliminary conference in pri
vate the body was publicly called to or
der by Chairman Stevenson at about
12:30 o'clock.
Capt. Westfield was sworn as the first
wifness and asked by Mr. Stevenson if
he knew whether one of the members
of the legislature during the sessioa of
189S had not had his horse stabled at
the penitentiai. le said Joshua
Ashley of Anderson had brought his
horse there and kept it there. He
would say, in justice to Mr. Ashley,
that that gentleman had frequently fur
nished the penitentiary with teams to
and from the convict camp in his coun
ty, and had saved the State prison much
more than the cost of the feed and care
of his horse.
SENATOR TILLMAN S REPLY.
Mr. Stevenson here explained that
he had written letters to the several
prominent men whose names had been
connected with penitentiary transac
tions. He read this letter to Senator
Tillman.
Cheraw, May 20, 1899.
Hon. B. R. Tillman.
Dear Sir:-In the investigation of
the penitentiary management there ap
pears on the brick book one carload of
brick charged to you an~ton the corn
missary book certain grocery accounts
for 1S94, and it is charged by the offi
cers that you ran a farm while governor
with convicts, and the penitentiary got
no benefit from it, and also that certain
furniture was presented to you by the
management. The committee's experi
ence in the past in finding receipts for
accounts, etc., which appear to be un
p'aid and are not so entered, requires
that we give every party against whomI
such charges and insinuations are made
an opportunity to be heard, and I write
to say that we will meet at the State
house in Columbia June 13, 1899, at 12
o'clock. in., and will be glad to have
your statements as to these matters if
3ou desire to be heard.
Very truly yours,
WV. F. Stevenson,
Chairman Investigating Corn.
The reply of the senior memiber was
read as follows:
Treo tor, S. C., May 26, 1899.
lHon. W. F. Stcvcnson, Cheraw, S. C.
Deair Sir:-I have your letter of May
20th. I hardly think it worth my while
to appear before your committee to an
swer the trivial matters brought out in
the Neal investigation. I do not see in
what way Col. Neal's dereliction or
misconduct, or his transactions in re
gard to the bricks and bookcase, etc.,
effect mc. I am in the dark as to the
exact nature of one of these matters, to
wit: 'The account on the commissary
book," and would be glad to know the
nature of that account, items and dates.
I will state for your information that
I. have no recollection whatever of ever
having obtained any groceries or any
thing else that could be charged on a
book of that kind from the peniten
tiary, except an occasional mess of
vegetables, which were sent to me by
Col. Neal as a compliment, I suppose,
and I am sure I paid for anything else
I got.
In regard to my running a farm with
convicts, I will state that I never ran a
farm while in Columbia at all, in the
eommon sense of the term. I rented
five or six acres of land which I sowed
in oats in the fall with my carriage
horses and then sowed in peas after the
oats were cut for pea hay. There was
a little patch at the executive mansion
which was similarly treated, and the
convicts who kept the yard and grounds
clean helped to gather in this hay as
well as that out on the rented land the
last year I was at the mansion. and Col.
Neal would never take any pay. The
labor of curing and hauling five acres of
oats and pea hay one year you can esti
mate so as to see about the extent of
the account, if it is still open. The
matter was so trivial I attached no im
portance to it then or now. You may
consider it in a different light.
In regard to the brick, 1 will say that
Col. Neal, at his own suggestion. once
while at Rock Hill, offered to ship me a
carload et briek if 1 would pay the
freight, saying that they would cost
him very little, and he would make me
a present of them. I accepted the offer,
and when Col. Lipscomb sent in a bill
1 sent it to Col. Neal with a letter in
cuiring wnether Ipscomb had any
richts in the matter. Hie replied no,
that it was a mistake, and there the
matter dropped. Neal also presented
me with a plain pine bookcase with
glass doors, worth about $5. I will say
tat sotly afe T entered the execu
tive office I let Col. Neal have a cane
mill and ecpper evaporator which cost
$700. leaving it to him to determine the
price. le only paid me $100, and I,
therefore, did not feel that in accepting
the small gifts that I did that it was
an imposition on him. I never dreamed
that the articles were not charged to
his account and settled for. Since I
have discoverd that the State is the
loser I, of course, am willing to pay for
each and all of these things.
There is one other item of which no
mention has yet been made that I have
seen, though I have not followed the
testimony closely. He shipped me a
small lot of oats one time from some
where and would never send me any
bill, although I wrote for it twice.
1 make these statements for your in
formation and satiafaction and leave it
to yur own discretion as to what use
you will make of them, I am
Yours respectfully
B. R. Tillman.
Mr. Stevenson then wrote Senator
Tillman as follows:
Jheraw, S. C., May 30th, 1899.
Hon. B. R. Tillman.
Dear Sii:-Your letter to hand. We
have not attempted or desire to give
undue prominence to circumstances re
lative to prominent men in the State in
this matter, but as there has been con
siderable newspaper comment, the
opiuion of the committee was that be
fore we closed up we should give every
man against whom any immutation was
made a channe to be heard. Hence I
wrote to all of those in that situation,
deeming it but fair to them. If you
mean by saying that I can make such
use of your letter as I see fit; that the
committee can use it as your statement
of the matter in which your name is
nitioned, I will sy for myself that it
will be just as eatisfactory as a sworn
statemeut, provided Col. Neal does not
object, and surely he cannot do so.
The commissary account with you ran
all through your administration, but
the account is balanced up to the last
year. The book shows charged to you
in groceries, etc., largely horse feed, I
think, a balance of about $57 for the
last year you were governor. This was
never published as an asset of the peni
tentiary. Neither was Gov. Evans' ac
count, which is about $175, still open.
I will get you an itemized statement if
you desire it when we meet.
Most truly,
W. F. Stevenson.
Senator Tillman's final letter reads
thus:
Trenton, May 31, 1899.
Hon. W. F. Stevenson, Cheraw.
Dear Sir:-I have your letter of May
30th. Whatever may have been
the committee's intention or purpose,
several newspapers have criticized it
because of the apparent "undue promi
nence" given in the investigation to
small matters involving prominent men.
Of course I can understand that the
committee is not responsible for the
action of the newspaper reporters, who
seize on these insignificant matters for
exploitation. The committee's report
when made up and published will dis
close its attitude and show whether
there is anything political in the inves
tigation. You are at perfect liberty to
use my statement written to you in any
way you please. I hardly think it
would require the sanction of an oath
to give any additional weight.
I repeat what I said about getting
hings from the penitentiary, and I
think you will find you are mistaken,
because I am sure I got nothing while
ol. Talbert was superintendent what
ever, and very little while Col. Neal
was in charge. I would be glad to have
n itemized copy of the account.
Yours truly,
B. R. Tillman.
EX-GOV. EVANS IS SILENT.
Mr. Stevenson also placed in evi
dence the following letter to which he
said he had received no reply:
Cheraw, May 20, 1899.
Hon. John G. Evans.
D)ear Sir:-'-In investigating Col.
Neal's management of the penitentiary
the officers of that institution charge
that you got groceries from them while
governor for which you did not pay,
and ran a farm with convict labor which
you paid nothing for. Our experience
with the affairs of the penitentiary is
such as to cause us to desire to hear
from the apparent debtor before decid
ing that anything there was not paid
for, and if you have any statement to
make regarding these matters we would
be glad to hear from you or any one in
your behalf in Columbia on June 13th,
199. We meet at the State house at
12 o'clock m. on that day. There was
an interview with a "near relative" of
yours published relative to the matter,
but you will understand that for the
committee to take notice of the matter
it will have to come before them as evi
dence. Hoping to see you at the meet
ing, I am Most truly,
WV. F. Stevenson,
Chairman of Committee.
Mr. Stevenson said he would put
these letters in evidence. If the coun
sel wished Senator Tillman summoned
as a witness for examination the comn
mittee would issue a subpoena for his
appearance, and so with other cases.
Capt. Westfield, when asked, said be
could prepare the itemized account of
the Tillmnan matter and would furnish
the book if needed. He said the book
would show the whole account, it was
not a question of memory.
TIIE LATIMER CAME.
This letter to Congressman Latimer
was likewise read:
Cheraw, May 20, 1899.
lon. A. C. Latimer.
Dear Sir:-In the investigation of the
penitentiary it has been stated that you
got certain furniture from the institu
tion, and from your card in the ipapers
I suppose you desire to set yourself
right in the matter. Of course the
committee cannot base a report on a
card in the newspapers, so that I write
to say we will be glad to have our state
ment made to the committee and be
come part of its records, and will af
ford you that opportunty on June 13,
1899, i1 Columbia, where we will meet
at 12 ('clock m. at the State house.
Ioping to see you there, I am
Most truly yours,
WX. F. Stevenson,
Chairman Penitentiary Investigating
Committee.
Mr. Latimer's reply was also submit
ted as folbws:
Belton, May 22, 1S99.
Mr. WV. F. Stevenson, Cheraw.
Dear Sir:-Your letter to hand offer
ing me an opportunity to testify before
your committee on the 13th day of
June. I have no statement to mahe
except that already made and it seems
to me rather expensive and a waste of
time to make that trip simply to restate
what I have already published over my
signature. This statement has not
been denied nor in my opinicn it will
not be denied. I restate it to you on a
separate slip that you may use it and if
it is contradicted in the least I w:ll
then appear before your committee and
make oath to the same
Yours very respectfully,
A. C. Latimer.
The statement reads as follows:
Mrs. Latimer and I were on a visit to
Col. Neal. The colonel had a book
case; my wife inquired where he got it.
He (Col. Neal) stated it was made at
the penitentiary. Mrs. Latimer said
she wanted one just like it and asked
Col. Neal if he would not have one
made for her just like his. I said wait;
I want to know what it will cost first;
after figuring Col. Neal said thirteen
dollars, that his cost twelve and a half.
I said, "All right, make it then."
Some two months after that the case
was shipped to Mrs. Latimer; the
freight was seven dollars. When I re
turned home Mrs. Latimer hal the case
in my sitting room with books in it and
invited me to see it. I asked if Mr.
Neal sent the bill. Mrs. Latimer said
"no." I wrote the next day to Col.
Neal for the bill. He did not reply to
this letter. Some time after this I was
in Columbia. I asked Col. Neal how
much I owed him for the book case. He
replied, "not one cent;" that he had
made a present of the case to Mrs. Lati
mer, and I said no more. I thought of
course he had paid for it. I did not
know until I saw Mr. Westfield's state
ment before your committee that the
case was not settled for. The above
facts I swear to be true.
Very respectfully,
A. C. Latimer.
Mr. Stevenson stated that he had re
ceived no reply to the letter sent ex
Gov. Evans.
McKINLEY WORRIED.
The Philippine Situation Causes the
President Grave Concern.
Events of the past week in the Philp
pines have caused the administration
more uneasiness than they care to ad
mit. The President and his advisers,
in reading over the dispatch of Gen.
Otis that the Filipinos were threaten
ing to attack Manila, forcing him to
make the first movement, made no at
tempt to conceal from each other the
conviction that affairs had reached the
critical stage. Scanning between the
lines of thi's brief cable of Gen. Otis it
is impossible to avoid the conviction
that the "advance" of Wednesday
would not have been made except from
the necessity of meeting promptly the
advance of the Filipinos, who have
changed places with our forces, and are
now the attacking party. It has come
out that several of the cities and towns
lying around Manila have been occupi
ed at least four times by our forces and
abandoned. It is this which disarms
the natives of fear at our approach and
emboldens even the non-combattants to
fire from doors and windows at our sol
diers in their succesaive retreats from
"advances."
A further very important point is the
doubt whether the Filipinos will permit
a cessation of hostilities during the
rainy season. Heretofore this has been
supposed to be purely a matter for us to
determine. But the natives have be
come so bold, aggressive, defiant and
confident that they are looked for
now to take this into their own hands
The heat and the storm have no terrors
for them, and it will be no more than
pastime for them to keep our wornout
men on the stretch during the three
months' appalling period which lies
before them.
Appreciation in some degree of the
circumstances cenfronting the adminis
tration is exhibited in the order to
throw heavy reinforcements into the
Philippines with the least possible de
lay. There is still, however, the hesi
tation to bow to the inevitable and call
for additional enlistments. The regu
lar army as at present constituted is t>
be subject to a heavy drain, so heavy.
indeed, it has been deemed incumbent
to issue an official explanation tha.t our
Western and Northwestern frontiers
will be left sufficiently guarded against
possible Indian or other disturbances.
It is not belived this explanation will
be altogether satisfactory to those con
cerned.
It is the part of wisdom to send two
negro regiments of the regular army in
in the first batch of reinforcements.
They have already had the benefit and
the experience of tropical service, they
have proved themselves efficient and
adventurous soldiers, and the dangers
to them of the climate are minimized.
According to the present official out
givings the army of Gen. Otis is to be
increased to 35,000 men. This will
not be nearly enough and it would be
much the best for the administration to
admit it frankly, and at once. The
desperate fighting of Wednesday, the
overwhelming force of the enemy and
the possession of field pieces show
abundant resources in men, arms and
ammunition. It is significant also that
the army had all it could do to main
tain itself with the assistance of the
shells of the monitors and gunboats.
Aguinalde probably has as many men
under hia command as Otis. It is felt
that at this moment Aguinaldo appears
to be stronger and more dominant with
his people than ever. His voice from
frst to last has been for war, and the
only alternative, independence. The
occurrences of the past and the condi
tions of the present indicate strength,
enthusiasm and determination behind
him. ______
EFour Drowned.
News has just been received that the
town of iBrackett, about 120 miles west
of San Antonio, Tex., is under 10 feet
of water. Four persons are missing
and are supposed to have been drowned.
A water spout over that place has in
undated the country for miles around.
The Southern Pacific tracks for a num
ber of miles west of Cline station are
washed away and several bridges are
wrecked. Many cattle have perished
in the water. Rations are being issued
to the people from Fort Clark.
IIs it the best? Taste and see. Best
in taste, best in results. No nauseat
ing dose, but so pleasant and natural in
effects that you forget you have taken
medicine-Life for the Liver and Kid
A SEVERE BATTLE.
The Fighting Raged from Day
light Until Dark.
ARTILLERY ON BOTH SIDES.
American Under Great Disadvan
tages but Fought Splendid
ly. L'ss Estimated at
Sixty Men on Our
Side.
A dispatch from Manila says Gen.
Lawton unexpectedly stirred up one of
the liveliest engagements of the war
south of Las Pinas Tuesday morning
upon which occasion American field
guns were engaged in the first artillery
duel against a Filipino battery con
cealed in the jungle. Companies F
and I of the Twenty first infantry were
nearly surrounded by a large body of
insurgents, but the Americans cut their
way out with heavy loss.
The United States turret ship Mo
nadnock and the gunboats Helena and
Zeafiro trained their batteries on Ba
koor and the rebel trenches near Las
Pinas all the morning. Bakoor was
once on fire and the natives stopped
the spread of the flames. During the
night an insurgent cannon was fired
three times at the Americans on the
outskirts of Las Pinas.
Gen. Lawton took a battalion of the
Fourteenth regiment and two compan
ies of the Twenty-first regiment to lo
cate the rebel battery and then two
guns of the Sixth artillery and four
mountain guns were planted against i.
at 600 yards distance. The rebels had
a large gun from which they were firing
homemade canister loaded with nails;
and two smallvi guns. Their shooting
was most accurate. The first lot of
canisters burst directly in front of
Scott's guns and another shattered the
legs of a private of the Fourteenth in
fantry. Several shots struck the edge
of the town. The country traversed
was as bad as it is possible to imagine,
being mainly lagoons, mud and water
fringed with bamboos.
As soon as the fighting opened the
Americans were attacked by hidden
riflemen on all sides, even the amigos,
or "friendly" natives in the houses of
the town shooting into their rear. The
companies of the Twenty-first regiment,
skirmishing along the beach with amigo
guides, found, apparently, a handful
of rebels, who retreated. The men of
the Twenty-first followed and suddenly
the rebels opened a terrific fire on the
troops from the sides and rear. The
soldiers withdrew to the water's edge,
finding what shelter they could and
were picked off rapidly. After their
ammunition was nearly exhausted the
companies of the Twenty-first retreated
but Gen. Lawton dashed down and
rallied the men.
Gen. Lawton ceased fighting until
reenforcements could be brought up.
Two battalions of the Fourth regiment
and one battalion of the Ninth regi
ment were hurried to the front and in
the afternoon the battle was resumed.
The Monadnock anchored elose to
the shore and her heavy guns pounded
the rebels continuously, while the
smaller warships, steaming along the
shre, poured bullets from the rapid
fire guns at the enemy. The Filipino
force engaged appears to have been the
largest and best organized body of men
which has met our troops.
WVnen the battle was resumed at 1
o'clock with the reenforcemenlts, our
battery having silencedt the enemy's
guns, the Americans wadiog waist
icep in the mud of the salt fiats, slow
ly and pouring steady volleys of mus
ketry at the rebels, drove their oprpou
nts oeyond the river. When the two
armies lay facing each other across the
deep stream, the enemy, practically
out of sight while the men in blue and
khaki lay in the mud and bushes, many
of them without shelter, for three hours
without a mionjent's cessation in the
firing. poured bullets at the enemy as
fast as they could load. The thous
nd rifles blended into a contiuu
roar was vastly different f rom the in
termittent skirmishlike rattle of most
of the engagements.
One battalion after another Gen.
Lawton summoned the reserves from
Las Pinas until only enough troops
were left in the town to prevent the
Filipinos from attacking the Ameri
cans in the rear, whichi was feared, as
they were creeping around our left
through the woods, delivering a flank
ing fire, which put a great strain upon
the endurance of the Americans who
were floundering in the mud across the
river, while on the right the Filipino
sharpshooters hidden in the trees, were
peppering ou; men. But. thanks to
th~ poor markmanship of the rebels,
the loss was not as great as if the Fili
pinos had shot straight.
The fighting continued hotly all day
long. Gen. Lawton called out the
whole force of 3,000 men and at 5
o'clock he was only able to push the
insurgents back 500 yards to the Zapote
river, where they are entrenched. The
insurgents resisted desperately and
aggressively. They attempted to turn
the left flank of the American troops.
T1he American loss is conservatively
estimated at sixty. The Americans
lost fifty men killed and wounded. The
F'illipino loss is put at four hundred
killed and wou::ded.
On Wednesday the Filipinos retreat
ed several miles South to the strongly
fortified town of linus, where the next
battle is likely to be fought. Several
hundred women and children came into
the American lines for refuge; the road
from Bacoor was covered all day long
with processions of them, on foot and in
arts, driving animals and carrying
goods on their heads.
Gen. Lvatun, with his staff and a
troop of the Fourth cavalry, started to
ascertain the nature of the insurgents
position. ie rode five miles along the
coast to Bacoor without discovering the
enemy. He found the town full. of
white flags. But there were no solaiers
ther. The women and children whio
had fed to the woods during the bom
bardment were camping in the ruins of
their homes. The shells had almost
knocked the town to pieces. The big
charch was wrecked and many build
ings were ruined. Even the trees anid
shrubbery were torn as by a hailstorm.
n. Oti cabld a follows: Sue
cess Lawton's troops Cavite province
greater than reported Wednesday.
Enemy numbering over 4,000 lost in
killed, wounded and captured more
than one-third; remainder much scat
tered. have retreated south to Imus.
their arsenal; of five pieces of artillery
three captured. Navy aided greatly on
shore bay, landing forces occasionally.
Inhabitants in that country rejoice at
deliverance and welcome with enthusi
astic demonstrations arrival of our
troops. Otis.
PENSION ABUSES.
The Iatter to'be Considered by the
Veterans.
The following ordergias been issued
from the headquartersof the South
Carolina division. U. C. V., at Cbar
leston, in regard to the pension abuses,
attention to which was drawn by the
action of Camp Hampton of this city:
General Order No. 43.
At a meeting of Camp Hampton No.
389, U. C. V., held June 2nd, the fol
lowing resolutions were adopted:
Resolved. That Comrade W. D.
Starling be appointed a committee of
one to confer with a similar committee
from other camps of the State, at the
annual reunion in July, the 2Gth, with
the object of amending the pension
laws, so as to prevent the gross imposi
tion now practiced, and make the law
what it should be, a provision for only
deserving Confederate soldiers and
their widows.
"That the adjutant of this camp be
instructed to communicate with Gen.
C. Irvine Walker, commanding South
Carolina division. United Confederate
Veterans, requesting him to call upon
every camp of Confederate veterans in
this State to appoint one delegate to
meet in convention, at Chester, on
July 26th next, to consider the injus
tice complained of in the admiaistra
tion of the pension laws, and the dis
tribution of the State appropriation
so that such legislation may be sug
gested as will correct the alleged
evil."
The division commander is not in
formed of the abuses complained of nor
of the remedies proposed.
The matter of pensions to the suffer
ers of the Confederacy is one of deepest
interest to all comrades of this division
It is, therefore, commended to the at
tention of the division, and the division
commander cheerfully calls upon each
camp to appoint one delegate, to con
fer with the delegate from Camp Hamp
ton, and suggest any action it may be
deemed wise for the division at its
convention to take to better the admin
istration of the laws, and to benefit our
worthy comrades who are deserving pen
sioners of the State. The time and
place of meeting will be announced
during the convention..
The camp will appoint this delegate
as soon as possible, and each is request
ed to study the operation of the law in
his neighborhood, and the whole sub
ject of pensioning as it exists in the
State, and be prepared to suggest any
improvements which may be found ne
essary. There is ne higher dut;y de
volving upon the Confederate veter
ans than the care of these true and no
ble sufferers.
By order C. Irvine Walker,
Commander.
James G. Homes, Adjt. Gen.
Chief Staff.
Indians Starving.
Owving to the big rush to the Yukon
gold field, wild animals that have not
been killed by the prospectors, have
led to higher groand. and in conse
uence the Indians, deprived cf their
atural food, are starving, and in many
instances ready to massacre the whites.
Today a dednite story reached civilize
tion. Caesar Francesca, Salt Lake
Uity; Robert Hitcheock, Detroit. and a
French Canadian guide, who arrived by
the Cottage City, say that while camp
iog on the upper branch of Stewart
Rier, they came into a camp of 150
ludians and were told in trade language
by their interpreter that 30 of them
had died of starvation during the win
ter owing to the whites driving deer
from the jow lands. The men supplied
the Indians with food and camped a
short distance off. The first steamer
with news direct from Glenora and the
all Canadian route, reports that suffer
ing on the trails has been terrible. The
ludson Bay Trading company has
saved hundreds of Americans from
death and starvation.
Uncle Sam Buncoed.
Congressman Lester, of Savannah, in
n interview in the Morning News, is
uoted as saying: "Spain usdoubtedly
sold us a gold brick," he said. "We
paid .20,00.,000 for the privilege of
licking the Filipinos, and now that we
lave taken the job we find that it i
not so much to our liking as we thought
it would be. The Filipinos are spoken
f as 'rebels' now. That is the greatest
joke of the age, but a very ghastly one.
The poor devils are being killed off like
flies, but it is like killing flies, for every
one you kill a dozen will come to take
his place. Of course our mission is to
civilize and Christianize them and we
are doing it nicely."
Artful Dodgers.
The princes of artful dodgers are Re
publican leaders. The Ohio convention
ae a striking difference between pre
ept and practice at its recent session.
It professed to be zealous against trusts
ad enthusiastically approved the abor
tive anti- tr.ust law of the Ohio legisla
ture, and at the same time refused to re
nominate Attorney General Monett for
fear of offending the Standard Oil com
pany and losing the usual princely con
tribution of that monopoly to the re
publican campaign fund. It will bere
mebered that this company, with
pious Brother Rockefeller at its head,
recently attempted to bribe Mr. Monett
with a half iilion dollarM.
Tried to Escape.
Carroll M. Rice, wife murderer, was
hanged at Alton, Mo.. Thursday. Just
before the black cap was adjusted and
while his legs were being pinioned, the
condemued man broke away from the
sheriff and attempted to escape. He
was captured anid quickly hatnged. Be
ore dying he addressed the 5.000 peo
pe present. saying that he hoped to
meet them ia the better world.
Lime is very cheap, so there is no ex
eue for not using the white wash brush
fel.
LESS CONSTABLES.
Gov. McSweeney Cuts the Force
Down to Thirty-Four.
BUSINESS PROPOSITION.
There Were Fifty-Nine Men Em.
ployed. Saving to the State
of Twenty Thousand Dol
lars a Year.
Gov. McSweeney is known as a friend
of the dispensary law. He has sup
ported it as possibly the best solution
of the liquor question. At the same
time he has had his own views as to the
manner of its enforcement. He has
felt that it should be enforced as other
laws are enforced.
Since he has assumed the duties of
governor he has been looking more
carefully into the law and the manner
of its enforcement. Particularly ha
he inquired into the constabulary fest
ure of the law. He has endeavored to
ascertain the cost of the constabulary
and to determine if it were not possible
to reduce expenses along this line.
After mature deliberation and a
thorough and careful canvass of the
whole situation from a business stand
point he has decided to reduce the coR
stabulary force and Wednesday after
noon notified 25 of the 59 constables
that their services would be dispensed
with after the 17th.
In taking this step, it was given out
from the governor's office Wednesday
that there were no charges against the
men dropped, nor did the governor mean
it to be understood by his action that
he considered any of the men inefficient
but carrying out his ideas of business
he believed the law could and would be
enforced just as efficiently with 34 men
as it had been with 59, and he would by
this reduction save $1,750 a month in
this one matter of expense.
In this position he has the hearty
endorsement of the State board of con
trol. The constabulary has been cost
ing the State from $50,000 to $60,000 a
year. In May the constabulary cost
$4,200 in round numbers. This one re
duction will save to the State about
$20,000 a year,
The governor confidently expects and
asks that every officer in South Caro
lina shall assist in the enforcement of
the dispensary law just as every other
law, and he hopes that every county
officer and every municipal officer,
whether he be sheriff or mayor or mag
istrate or constable shall lend his aid
and influence to the enforcement of the
dispensary law. If this is done it may
be possible to further reduce the force.
Not only so, he says, but he shall ex
pect every good and law-abiding citizen
to do his part. He hopes there will be
no frictioa or trouble in the enforce
ment of this law or any other law.
State.
A Object Lesson.
According to The Macon Telegraph
Mr. -Robert Stewart is a pretty level
headed and prosperous farmer, living
near Americus, Ga., and The Telegraph
says of Mr. Stewart, that he "claims
that it is easy to raise 150 bushels of
ground peas to the acre, and that 200
bushels of sweet potatoes is not uncom
mon with him on one acre of land.
These two crops he raises bountifully
and thus a large number of hogs are
fattened every, winter by him with
slight cost. He say s the western farm
er makes money raising meat by feed
ing corn that is raised on land that cost
$50) per acre, and forty bushels per acre
is a big terop, ;hile here in Georgia 150
bushels per acre of chufas, ground peas
or potatues can be easily made on land
worth only $10 per acre, and these last
named crojss are for feeding swine.
Mr. Stewart makes wagonloads of
bacon every year for this market, and
his splendid example has borne fruit,
so that a great many farmers here are
going into this lucrative business on a
much larger scale now since he has
demonstrated by an experience of sev
eral years that it is the most profitable
business that can be carried on in this
section."
The Pilipino's Cannon.
According to Gen. Anderson, com
manding the department of the Lakes,
the heavy losses of the American troops
in the recent engagements with the Fil
ipinos at Los Pinas and Bakoor, south
of Manila, were caused by the artillery
which Admiral Dewey presented to
Aguinaldo last winter. The batteries
in position, Gen. Anderson says, are
being operated by Spanish prisoners
who have been released by Aguinaldo
with the understanding that they en
list in the insurgent army. Gen. An
derson took the first detachment of
troops to the Philippines last fall and
was a prominent figure in the first ne
gotiations with the Filipino govern.
ment.
Luna Assassinated.
General Luna, one of the bitterest
foes of the Americans in the Philip
pines'has been assassinated by orders of
Aguinaldo, the Fillipino leader, Luna
recently found himself in opposition to
the chief's views and not only disobeyed
orders, but at one time stopped Agni
naldo's peace commissioners on the way
to Manila to treat with the Americans.
Aguinaldo ordered his death and the
orders were carried out by some of his
fanatical followers. The report of the
assassination has caused great excite
ment among the Filipinos at Manila.
Drowned inuHis Net.
John B. Taylor met a sad and un
timely death Thursday afternoon at
Pelzer. He and his brother were sein
ing in Saluda river above the dam and
he became entangled in the sein while
in very deep water, causing him to sink
from its weight, and before he could ex
tricate himself from its fatal meshes, or
before help could reach him it was too
late. His lifeless body was recovered
some time afterwards and carried by
friends to his home in Pelzer where a
grief-stricken wife and two children
dre left to mourn this terrible Lalami
ty.-State.
Eleven Burned to Death.
Eleven workmen were burned to
death Thursday in a fire that destreyed
a dwellinb house near Rybinsk, in the
government of Yaroslav, European
Russia.