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XVI. M~ANNING, S. C. WEDNESDAY, ATUGUST . 10O2 THEY STICK TO IT The Exicutive Con-mittee Do Not Regr t Askirg M'LAURIN TO RESIGN. They Were Not Misk d atd Th Consider the Suggestion as a Refiection on Their intellig'nce The following correspondence plains itself: On the 9th of August I issued a sent to each member of the State De ceratie executive committee who vot for the resolution condemning Sensi MoLaurin the following circular leti referring to an interview with W. Mayfield, published in the State: "It is charged in the public prii that twelve of the executive commits who voted for the resolutions conden: ing Senator McLaurin had been hea to express regret for their part in t performance the day after the meeti and claimed as an excuse for their c duct that they had been misled.' "Will you be pleased to inform n by return mail, if you have express any such regret? "Have you ever stated that you we misled in the matter?" To this letter I have received t following answers from the members the committee: JOHN G RICHARDS, OF KERSHAW. "I have your communication of A gust 9, in which you call my attenti to the charge in the public prints tI twelve of the State Democratic exec tive committee, who voted for the re: lution condemning McLaurin, "h been heard to express reg.et for the part in the p,:rformance the day afi the meeting, and slaimed as an exet for their conc net that they had be misled." And in which you also a me the questions: 'Will you be pleas to -inform me by return mail if y have expressed any such regret "Have you ever stated that you we misled in the matter?' "In reply I will say that I have nei regretted my 'part in the performano and was not 'misled,' nor have I e made such a statement to any one. "I int oduced the resolution af mature deliberation and went to Coiu bia to attend the meeting of the o0 mittee with the firm determination take ench action. There was no i tempt on the part of any one to m lead. [ submitted the resolution several members of the committee a to other prominent Democrats w were not memters before the meoti and it was with the practically unar mous endorsement of these South C, olina Democrats that the resoluti was adopted. "It was not thought for a mome that Senator McLaurin wou:d resis for we know that the same lack self- respect has caused him to retain I seat in the United States Senate wits full knowledge of the fact that he a not in sympathy and accord with t: National Demoqracy and with the peoi who gave him his commission, wet cause him to diacegard any action ti the committee might take. "The purpose of the resolution a to stamp condemnation upon his fo: head with the oacial seal of the pai that the world might know how Son Carolinians regard aid deal with the who betray a sacred trust. "Allow me to say in this connecti that the charge that the commiti transserdzd its autho:ity and attem; ed to usurp the rights of the people simply ridiculcus. Any private citiz has the right to ask the resignation an official whenever, in his judgmei the conduct of the official warrants au action. it is a self-evident propositi then, that the executive committee the party have a much greater right. "And if Senator Mr.cLaurin had tt dered his resiignation in compliar with the request of the committee expressed in the resolution and ente2 the Irimary that would have been dered immediately, the rights of t people would have remained inviola and the opportunity 'given them to cord their will a year earlier uni present conditions. So we see that charge is untrue and made with evident attempt to deceive. Respe fully, J. G. RIcHARDs, Ja THOMAS H. KETCEINS, OF FAIRFIELJ "Have been away from home: several days and on my return fi yours of the 9th. "in reply would say I have rnever I or expressed any regret for the way votec on the "MrcL aurin resolutiox and under the same clrcumstan would vote the same way now. "I have never stated that I was m led in the matter, because I was n Furthermore, I was not 'coerced tricked' in the matter. I voted del: era-ely and with my eyes open. "I1 said then that I did not think was the right time to take action the matter, but if brought equarely would certainly vote for thze retoluti< Yours very respectfully, "Thomas H. Ketchins. W. W. WILLIAMS, OF AIKEN. "Your circular letter of August duly received. ' From my knowledge of the pers o of the State committee I am surpri: that such reports abould attract att tion nevertheless, I will answer y inquiries in inverted order. As I ann have been for a long time thorou ly convinced of MdcLaurin's disioya to the Democratic party, I simply my duty as I saw it; the only regre' have is that he did not see fit to ace the advice of the committee and vaci "Thanking you for your acitivity behalf of the committee, yours resp< fully, "W. W. Williams. W. D.. EVANS, OF MAELBO0. "In reply to your circular letter 9th mnst. say that I was not misled voting for the resolution of censure Senator McLaurin, and feel and hi expressed no repet at my part in performance. Yours respectfully, W. D. Evars. W. 0. TATUM, OF QRANGEBURG. "Yours of 9th to hand, in which; ask if 1 had been heard to express gret at my part of the perioimance the State executive meeting on the 2 of July in respect to the rosolui condemning the Hon John.L McLa'i I crta ny madce o such sts"nment; to - the contrary. ; inva always held that we were simply doirg our duty to the party tI't had rlr d us an tLe watch es tower to look out ;or dtwer. Resp. c =uiy. "W. 0. Tatum." J. A M DEIuIOTT, OF [HORRY. "Yours of August 9, sta:i:g it was charged in the 1 ubie prints that twelve of the members of the S:ste Democrat ic executive ccmmittee had expressed regret at casting their vote on Mc sY Laurin reeolu-ion. I am not one of that number, I will also state I was not misled and don't see how any mem ber of the committee could have been misled, as the resolution was read twice. Yours respectfully, J. A. McDermott." - D. J. GRIFFITH OF LEXINGTON. "No, I have rot, "D. J. Griffith." . B. R TILI.MAN, NATIONAL EXECUTIVE ed CMIIITEEMAN. or "No. B. R. Tallman." :er THOS MARTIN, OF BEAUFORT. D. "Your circular favor of the 9th inst [ts received. ee "I am not one of the members of the n- committee claiming to have been 'mis rd led.' he "It is a sorry thirg in a mattcr of this og kind for a committeeman to be either n- 'led' or 'misled.' "I would not allow, either. I did not Le, believe in fu'l ection of executive com ed mittee, although sustaining the resolu tion, because a change had been re ire fused. I condemned Senator McLarin's actions in the Uaited States Senate, but he have nothing against the man nor do I of believe the committee had a right to ask his resignation, but eer:aitly had the right to cord-ma his actions, which I .u- fully sustained I have never said I have 3n been 'misled' nor will I allow one to so at state. My actions have always been, and u- will always be, independent. Yours o- very truly, "Thos. Martin." ad T. Y. WILLIAMS, OF LANCASTER sir "I am in receipt of your inquiry of er the 9th inst. I have neither experi .se enced nor expressed regret for having en voted for the resolution adopted by the sk executive committee condemning the ed course of Senator McLaurin and ex ? pressing the opinion that he should re * sign, nor was I in any way misled by re the resolution. I lost the little faith I had in the Senator when he voted for er the Paris treaty, and was one of those , who favored and voted for the resolu 'r tion, condemning his course, in the Sen ate intrduce d in the House by Mr Mo er Master, of Richland, at the last session n- of the Legislature. No. I am not one of n- the twelve who expressed regrets to Mr to Mayfield. Yours very truely, t T. Y. Williams." La to D. H. TRAILER, OFFLORENCE. id "Your circular letter received, asking ho if I had expressed myself as being mial ng ed and regretted voting for the resolu Li- tido against Mr McLaurin. Ibeg to say r- I do not regret voting for the resolu on tion, neither have I expressed myself in such a manner. But I did say on nt several occasions that I saw no good to n, come out Qf resolutions at this particu of lar time. As the executive commitee, is if I understand it correctly, was called a only to arrange a primary in the 7th as distri-. But as wiser heads thought ie different and introduced it I ceuld not de do otherwise than vote for them. Very .ld respectfuliy, at "D. H. Traxler." as T. J. CVNNINGHAM, OF CHESTER. e- "Your favor of the 9th received. I ty have to say in reply that I gave my h hear.y endoisement of the resolutions se before they were presented, and have hal no regrets for voting for them. I on was not mieled and would have given ee my endorsement to stronger resoluticuns yt- condemning M-Laurin's political course. is Very respectfully, en T. J. Cunni::gham." of A. W. JONES, OF ABBEVILLE. "eyigto your circular letter of chte at nt, to both of your questions SI answer no. Yours very truly. of "A. W. Jones." WILIE JONES, OF RICHLAND. e "No, indeed. Wilie Jones." as R.D. LEE, oh SUMITER. ed "I beg to acknowledge the receipt of yr- a copy of your circular letter addressed he to the State Democratic executive comn re, mittee. In reply I have to say that in re my opinion Senator McLaurin by his ler course in Congress has not been faith he ful to the trust reposed in him by the an Democratic party of South Carolina. it- Accordingiy, long before the meeting of the committee, I had freely express >. ed the opinion that he ought to resign. tor The ret olutions introduced at the meet d ing, whilist unexpected to me were voted for without hesitation. I thought ad then I was right and am of the same I opinien still. Having no regrets for " my action, I have expressed none. ea Yours respectfully, R. D. Lee." I have received r o answers from the is- following named members of the comn yt. mittee: G. Dancan Bellinger, El. T. La or fitte, S. G. Miles, Cole L. Biease and *b- J. C. Wilborn... My answer to my own question is it that I have neither entertained nor ex in pressed any regret for my vote on the up resolution. To say that I was misled in n. voting for the resolution would be tanta ..mount to an admission that I was a aim pleton. D. H. Magill Greenwood S. 0. August 9, 1901. Col. Neal Pardoned. iThe State says Col. Win. A. Neal, n- the former saperintendent of the State u penitentiary who was convicted in June am in the court of general eessions for h.Richland ceunty, of failure to turn over ity withisa 30 days to bia successor public iid funds in his hands and was sentenlced i to serve four months in the county jail pt ar~d pay a fine of *1,0030, has been par te. doned. The pardon was not a surprise in to the general public in view of the re et markably surong petitions and letters that the governor has been receiving for the pat week. When Col. Neal was informed of the action of the gov ofernor he wept like a child. Soon atfter in wards, the man whose case has attracted of the attentIon of the people of the State ave so much during the past few mnonths, the took the train fo.r Anderson and went to his family circle, declaring that he has now to start out upon life anew and show the vworld that te could yet be a ou man, though he had gone through re- enough to kill an ordinary mortal. at Thus ends a case that has excited uni 5th versal comment, and one which has ion commanded the attention of the courts :-in. a considerable degree. INOT ONE CAN STAY, Fifteen HMu s of Riot, Arscn anc Blocdshedsr. THE AWFUL VENGEANCE Wrecked or Negroes Because ci the Terr bia CrIma of One of them In Kling a Young Lady. A dispatch from Pierce City, Mo. says for nearly fifteen hcurs, ending about noon Tuesday, Aug. 20, that town of 3,000 people has been in the hands of a mob of armed whites, deter mined to drive every ncgro from its precincts. In addition to the lynching of Wil liam Gcdiey, accused of the want'on murder of Miss Gazelle'Wild, and the shooting to death of his grandfather, French Godley, the mob cremated Peter Hampton., an aged negro, in his home, set the torch to the houses of five blacks an-i with the aid of state militia rifles, stolen from the local company's arsenal, drove dozsns of ne groes from town. Afternoon the excitement died down, the mob gradually dispersing, more from lack of negroes upon whom tc wreak their hatred than for any other cause. Many of the negroes who fl-d from the city are hiding in the sur rounding woods, while others have gone greater distances in seeking aafe ty. Every negro has left the town ex cept a few railway porters known to bo respectable, but these must alec leave. The citizens of Pierce City say that as negroes have committed sev eral crimes in the last ten years none shall live there in the future, the same feeling already existing at Monnett, four milen east of PLerce City, and of the Frisco passenger division. It may be necessary for the road to change all porters in Springfied hereafter. It is now believed that the man, Wil liam God.ey, lynched, was not the real culprit. & negro named Starks, under arrest at Tulsa, I. T.. across the border from here, tallies exactly with the de scription of the assailant. He is held there awaiting identification. Unless the man is brought back here, it is be lieved there will be no further trouble. If returned here he will surely be lynched. Another suspect, Joe Lark is under arrest in Springfield, Mo. Eugene Barrett, also, known as Car ter, in a confession while a rope was aroand his neck, accused Joe Lark, a Frisco railroad porter, of being impl. cated in the crime, and Lark was ar rested today at Springfield. This af ternoon Lark gave a detailed state ment as to his whereabouts Sunday and he is not baiievei to be guilty. It is not likely that either suspect will be taken to Pierce City while the ex citement runs high. Some persons here think Barrett told any story in order to save his life. The funeral of Miss Wild took place today, anel was witnessed by several thousand people. BENT ON BLOODSHED. Pierce City is near the junction of four railroads and trains from all di rections brought in large numbers of armed men bent on bloodshed if neces sary. When the mob went to the sece tion of the city occupied by the ne groes, some one in the cabins opened fire, but no one was hurt. The mob then destroyed the five houses, but the financial loss is small. Reckless firing broke several plate glass windows and a train was fired into. None of the passengers were hurt. O UN STORES SOLD our. The rifles taken from the Pierce City military company, it is expeted, will all be returned. Members of the com pany themselves were out hun ting foi the escaping negroes with rifles and this suggested the idea of taking all the guns. The local hardware stores sold out their arms early, but several applications fror. regroes were refused. The mob was car posed of a thousand 01 more and no m~isks; were worn. Thirty negro families were driven from theia houses. (UT HER THROAT. New eletaents in the killing on Sun day afterncon of Miss Wild developed today. It appears she statr:ed home from church alone., her brother linger ing behind. About one mile from town the brother found her with hex throat cut lying lifeless near a cul vert, under which her assailant had attempted to drag her. Evidence c-f s terrible struggle was shown. A cop. percolored negro was seen sitting~ on he bridge a short distance away,e short time before the tragedy occurred. It is supposed that the negro spirang upon her when she was passing and ut her throat. Monday bloodhounds were taken to the scene iand the gil's bloody hand kerchief was laid before themn. They immediately caught the trail and rar at full speed to the home of Joe Lark, where, on being admitted, they rushed into his bedroom and sprang upon the bed. It is believed the man under ar rest at Tulsa who bearded with Lark, the Springlield suspect, slept upon thi~ bed. A Dreadful Crime. The governor has been notified of murder near Dawkins or Blair's, it 'aifield ecunty, or. the Asheville divis ion of the Southern, and has been aske to offer a reward for the e apture of thi slayer. The ltrter to himisc from Mag. istrate Jno. D. Blair and he says negro named Sa-n Farrow shot an< killed his wife this week, then shot hi~ father and another woman. The tw( latter are badly wounded. A posse o cnstables chased the murderer al night, but the fellow meade his escap~ in a beat on the Broad river. Farrov is a black negro, about 5 feet 10 ioche! high and weighs 150 pounds. H1e i slightly crippled in right leg and .hi right foot is turned ovar on t be rign side so that he walks on the sicie of hi foot-- He has been acting as a fiagmax for the Southern railway hero, and eni~ came home on Tuesday. He brough a Winchester rifle along with him fo the purpose he accomplished, and fic< as .soon a hi crime was committed. WHEN THE ERTH .RCCKED. Thousands 'locked to the Altar for Prayer. "Tbtre is romething uncanny about an earthquake shook," said a gentle man who had experienced seismic dis turb nccs and the terror caused by them. "The sensation" he centinued, "caused by the quivering and rocking o:f the earth fills every fibre of a person with awe. I saw this forcibly illustrat ed at the time Charleston was wrecked. That earthquake shock was preceptible throughou t Georgia, being especially noticeabic in the middle part of the Stare. "The n;ght of the earthquake there was a Me;;hodist carpmeetanf in pro gress at Eiuff Spriegs, near Zebuion. There wss a great c:cwd at tie meet ing, and the people didn't seem to be in a very religios frame of mind. The prosher dolivered an eloquent ser mon on death and the judgment, and at its close converts were invited to the altar. But the people didut take kind ly to the invitation, and only three or four went up to be prayed for. The minister begged the people to come for ward, but his app eals fell on deaf ears. Back some distance from the s -and the young people were chatting as uncon cernedly ats if the issues of time and eternity had not been presented them. "The minister seemed to be discour aged by the coldness of his hearers, and was on the point of closing the service. Bat just as he was about to say 'Let us pray,' stie first slight shock was felt. In an instant everybody under the stand became as still as death itself. Faces blanched and eyes were opened wide in terror. No one at first seemed to realiz 3 what had caused the earth to rook as if in a spasm. With the coming of the next shock, however, some realized what it meant, and the cry of 'earth quake' was heard. "Hardly had the dread word been uttered when there was a rush to the mourners bench. I never saw such a stampede in my life. In less time shan it takes to write the altar was our :rounded by hundreds who were dazed withe terror and crying on the Lord for mercy. A third shock came while those frightened were at the altar, and it came near throwing some of them into convulsions. "The minister was the only one who seemed not to be frightened, and he began praying in tones that had a quieting effect upon the people. But it was hours before calm was restored and fear banished. The quivering of the earth had something so uncanny about it that the people were ready to believe that the end of time was at hand. - "I shall never forget that scene of 1,000 persons, who had been deaf to the appeals of the preacher, fleeing in terror to the altar when they felt the earth begin to reck." Mortality Statistics. The census bureau Thursday made pudic the mortality statistics for the year 19J0. W. A King, chief of the vital statistics aivision, says: "The most important feature of the result presentea. is found in the decrease in the general death rate in the registra tio:n area of 1.8 per 1,000 population, a d screase of nearly 10 per cent. and the decrease in die rates from the par ticular diseases to which the general decrease is due. "The effect of the advances made in medical science and sanitation and in. the preventive and restrictive measures enforced by the health authorities is stil more s;.rikingly shown in the com parauive rate for the registration citi's of tae couintry taken together. In 1890 the death rate in' 271 registration cinies of 5,000 or more population was 21 per 1,000J; in 1900 the rate was 18.6 per 1,000 in 341 cities of 8,000 popula tion and upward, a reduction of 2.4 per 1,000. The decrease in the general death rste, arnd in the rates due to diseases most frequent in the early years of life, on one hand, and the increase in the rates to those diseases occuring generally at advanced ages, on the other, mean also inoreased longevity. --The average age at death in 1890 was 31.1 yeara, in 1900 it was 35 2 years. The total naumcer of deaths re ported in 1900 was 1,039,094; in 1890 it was 841,410." The total deaths in the southern States for 1900 are as follows: Ala bema 25,69i9; Florida 6,482; Georgia 26,341; Kentucky 27,031, Louisiana 20.955; Marylana 20,422; Mississippi 20,251; Missouri 38,084; North Caro lina 21,068; South Carolina 17,166; Tennessee 3Q,572; Texas 34,160; Vir ginia 25,252. Portland, Ore., with a death rate of 9.5 rner 1,000, shows the lowest mor tality, and 8hreveport, La , with 45 5, the frighest. Three Killed. A terrible tragedy was enacted at Cherokee Falls Wednesday, by which Ed. Walker, Bud L-pscomb and King Lindsay, all negroes, lost their iives. They were working in a rock quarry operated by a Mr. Fortune for the Cherokee Falls Mianufacturing com pany and were drilling a hole in the solid granite when a terriace explosion occurred, causing their death. The cause of the explosion is unaccounted for. The jury characterized it as "of some unknown substance." Coroner Vincent made a rigid examination into the case. No one is blamed. Ruin and Suicide. A man whose identity is shrouded in mystery shot himself in the head at the Presbyterian hospital at New York Friday morning and dropped aead across the corpse of Anna Boesick who died last night from a criminal opera tion. The stranger identified the re mains of the wcman and intimated that he was the cause of her ruin. Last night the doctor was arrested in con nection with the affair. The midwi~te is being sought. Work of a Fool. The drowning of a young lady in Lake Royer, Maryland, on Sunday last, through the criminal carelessness of her beating companion has called forth a storm of indignation and a demand for some legal restraint, which shall make even a fool hesitate from indulg ig in the deadly pastime of "rocking Ithe boat." FILLED WITH LEAD. A H..-rrowing Crime Committed Near Cheraw. TR:ED TO MURDER VICTIM. One of the Most Estimable Young Ladies of McFarkrn, North Carolin?, Lies at Death's Door. A dispatch from Wadesborro, N. C., to The State says a horrid crime met a terrible and swift punishment near Mo Farlan, about 12 miles from that place Wednesday. Miss Lena Keith, a highly respected and prominent young woman of the community was assaulted and probably fatally injured by a r:egro named Luke Hough. The latter was captured soon after his crime, dragged to the scene and swung to a limb, after which the body was literally shot to pieces. Miss Kieth, who'is about 20 years of aga lives with her brother on a farm about one mile from McFarlan Shortly after dinner Wednesday Mr. Keith left home, going to town, leaving his sister at the house. He had Dot been gone long before a negro walked into the house and asked where he was. Miss Keith was frightened at his appearance and tried to deceive him by saying that her brother was at the barn, and would soon return. The negro said he knew Mr. Keith was not at the barn and seizing a chair, he struck-the young woman a terrible blow over the head shattering the chair and rendering her unctnsoious. After he had accomplished his purpose, the negro tried to cut her throat, evidently sirg a dull knife, as he only made a long scar. After regaining conscious ness, Miss Keith managed to make her way to the home of a neighbor, about 400 yards distant. Just as she reached the house she again lost consciousness, falling in a faint in the yard, and it was some minutes before she was able to tell what had happened. She finally recovered sufficiently to give a fair de scription of her assailant. By this time a large crowd had gath ered from the surrounding country. Bloodhounds had been telegraphed for aind money was quickly raised to charter a special train to carry them to the scene. The knife which the negro tried to use on Miss Keith's throat was left on the premises, and was recognized by one of those present as belonging to a negro named Luke Hough, who worked on a nearby farm. The crowd immediately set out in search of him, a:ad when found he was trying to wash blood off his clothes. He was immediately seized, and ad mitted his guilt. Pending a decision as to what mode of punishment should be meted out to him, he was taken to Me Farlan and looked in the guard house, while a mob of more than 250 sur r-unded the building. The ringleaders held a consultation and decided that Rough should be hanged. The door of the prison was burst open, a rope thrown around the negro's neck and he was dragged and kicked to the scene of his crime, about a mile distant. There the rope was thrown over a limb, and as the body cleared the ground volley after volley was fired into it, the negro being literally shot to pieces. The victim of the assault is one of the most highly cateemed young ladies in her section. She is so badly injured that it is not thought poasible that she can recover. The wounds on hear head and chest are thought to be mortal. A Dearth of Children. A remarkably outspoken letter on the lack of children in New England families is printed from the Hon. David Mills, minister of justice of Canada at Ottawa. Writing so a friend Mr. Mills says: "The New England people are upon the soil, but not of it. They obviously dislike farming as much as their women do having chil dren, and were it not for the incapable among them, and the foreigners who have taken up their residence among them, there, would be neitcer children born nor fields cultivated If left to themselves, the existence of a descen dant of the Pilgrim Fathers would be as rare as the great auk, and the race is sure to share the fate of the dodo. There must ba a very serious problem for the United States statesmen. Stop the foreign immigration and the United States would not increase in population and after a time their numbers would begin to diminish. There is obviously something wrong with a people who, under conditions so favorable, have such small families. The United States woman does not realizs her du ties to God and her country, and thinks more of her own pleasure than she does of the responsibilities which the Crea tor has imposed upon her." Death in Court Room. A desperate shooting affray occured a' Reynolds. Miss., Wednesday afternoon in which four mon were wounded, three of them fatally. It is thought that circumstances leading up to the diffi culty as related by Senator Earl Brewer and Hon. J. G. McGowan, lawyers from Water Valley, who were retained in the case, are as follows: Otto John son ns being tried before Justices Shelby and Warner on a charge of seduction. The evidence was all in and the justices lhad retired to make up their verdiot. More than 100 men were present in the room at this time when suddenly a shot was fired, supposedly b: Otto Johnson. Intantly other shots were fired,. fully half a hundred in all and when the smoke cleared away Otto Johnson had three bullets through the body, Len Smith, who testified against Johnson, one through the breast and the father of L an Smith one through the arm. Otto Johnson, Len Smith and J. W. Dawson are probably fatally wounded. Eight or ten had narrow escapes. All tne parties to the diffi culty are farmers. He Went to Sleep. At Rapidan Landing, La., Friday night the boiler of a pump boat owned by Loisel & Israel exploded, killing two negroes and injuring 14. The pupma, a negro, fell asleep and the boler i wetdrresulnting in the explo THE COTTON CROP. Nearly Every State Has Marketed its First Bale. The week was charaterized by ex cessive rainfall over the central portion of the belt that did some physical in jury to cotton, and by a continuation of the drought over Texas, but this area has been materially reduced in extent by recent heavy rainfall over the south eastern and central portions of the State. Cotton is opening over the en tire belt, and nearly every State has marketed a "first" kale, but in Texas only is picking general. There is an in creased area affected by rust, and shed ding has been noted throughout the belt, nevertheless there has been more than the seasonal improvement in con dition and the general prospects indi cate average yields or better, with a total crop of 11,000,000 bales or more, rather than fewer, with fairly favor able weather conditions during the re mainder of the sesson. In North Carolina the past week was remarkable for heavy rains from the 12th to the 14th, and consequently light showers until the clcse. Cotton in some places improved somewhat, and in very favorable localities, with a good autumn, nearly a full crop may be made, but throughout the Jarger por tion of the State the crop has not made much progres'; cotton plants are very weedy and long jointed on stiff lands, small on sandy land, and generally are not forming bolls well on either; blooms are still reported; shedding of squares and bolls is increasing. In South Carolina on sandy lands, cotton has taken on rust extensively, is shedding freely, and is losing color, but on clay lands a further improvement is indicated during the week, especially for early cotton, which is heavily fruited. Young cotton is growing too much weed and is not fruiting esatis factorily. Early cotton is beginning to open over practically the whole State, although picking will not be general for some time. The first bale of the season was marketed at Charleston on the 17i1. First bales were marketed usually in August, in previous years, as follows: 1900, on the 6th; 1899, on the 4th; 1898, on the 9th;1897, on the 2nd; 1896, on July 28h; 1893, on August 20th; 1894, on 15th. Bea island cotton continues to improve and is fruiting, but remains undersized. In Georgia the excessive rainfall of the latter portion cf the week, with high winds, damaged corn and cotton in nearly all sections. Complaints are numerous of injury by rust, shedding and rotting of bolls in cotton in middle and south sections; in the north section the crop is progebsing well as a rule. Picking is being done in a few coun ties. In Florida the week was noted for heavy rains and high winds over the western district and portions of the northern district. Cotton and corn crops were quite seriously damaged in western counties and over the western portion of northern counties. Precivi tation was heavy over other sec:ions of the State, except the lower portion of the extreme southern district, where rain was deficient. Cotton picking has been delayed. fn Alabama the first few days were rather favorable for all crops, but the gaf storm, which moved northward over eastern Mississippi during Thurs day and Friday, caused heavy to exces sive rains and high winds over the greater portion of Alabama, the rain rail being particularly excessive in western and northern counties, where much low land was overflowed. Cotton, wieh, prior to this storm was in very promising condition, was much beaten down and the stalks twisted by the wind, in many fids bolls being shaken off; it is difsealt to estimate the dam age as yet; however, while considerable, it was much mitigated by the backward stage of the crop; despite this damage, cotton continues well fruited, and, with favorabie conditions from now on, should give a fairly good yield, though it is sheading freely, and rust is spread ing; it is beginning to open rapidly, ano, in a few fields, prematurely; sev eral "first bales" were marketed in southern and middle counties, but vry lhttle picking has bean done. In Mississippi the amount of damage to crops caused by the shifting high winds and heavy rains during the week, csanot yet be fully estimated. Crops on bottom lands have been badly damaged by ovafiow, aside from being blowu to the ground. However, as a rule, cotton continues promising over the southern portion of the State; the sunshine and winds have dried out the open cotton and picking has com mened- Complaint of rust and shed ding is general, although not serious. In many northern counties the rains came too late to be of material bene fit to either cotton or corn. in Louisiana heavey rains over the southeastern portion of the State and in some localities along the Mississippi river have been unfavorable for the cotton crop, especially in places where the ground was full of moisture from previous rains. In such places grass and weeds are making rapid growth. Dry weather continues over the west ern portion of the State, except in scat tered loc'alities; early planted cotton in this part of the State is too far ad vanced to be benmaftted, but late cotton would be greatly improved by rain. Ru st and shedding are reported from many localities over the centeral and northern portions of the State. Lie are danuaging the crop in afew places Early planted cotton is opening to a greater or less extent in all parts of the State, and picking has commenced in a few scattered localities. Some pre mature opening is reported. Boils are rotting in Madison parish. The out look ,while favorable in some sections, is for a yield below the avarage. in Tennessee cotton stood the drought remarkably well, and the rains have given it a new impetus of growth, but it is still shedding its fruit, altogether, however, the prospects are more flat tering. In Arkansas the temperature was about normal during the week. Heavy rains fell over the eastern portion of the State, while scattered sho wers oc curred throughout the central and west portions. Cotton is generally in fair to good condition, although some com plaint is made of shedding and some damage by rust. Late corn has im proved in most sections and fair yields are indicated. ITa there were scattered light showers early in the week followed by heavy rains over limited areas towards its close. The drought remains un broken over the central, southern and southeastern portions, Cotton needs rain throughout the State, and where drought prevails is failing fast. Pick iag has become general. Young cotten is suffering from rust, and there is more or les shedding over the whole State. The present outlook is for a yield much below last year. In Oklahoma ard Indian Territory dry weather prevailed. but this was beneficial to cotton, which is doing well generally, except that the plants are shedding slightly and boll worms have done some damago. Early cotton has begun to open and picking is not general. A TURRIBLE DISASTER. Sixty People Drowned by the Sinking of a Steamer, The steamer Queen has just arrived from the north, bringing news of one of the most appailing marine disastera on the Pacific coast. The steamer Is lander, sailing from Shagway on August 14, when nearing the southwest end of Douglass Island, at 2 A. M., August 15, and running at full speed, struck a floating iceberg, and in less than twenty minutes went to the bottom of the deep channel, carrying men, women and children to watery graves. The Islander had 108 passengers and all were in bed when the vessel struck. The shock was so severe that many were thrown from their berths and the wildest excitement prevailed. Word was soon passed that the vessel was doomed and a general scramble for the life boasts ensued, many jumping over board and attempteing to swim to the shore, the distance being short. In the scramble to get into the boats many were hurled headlong into the chilly waters, which according to pas sengers arriving from the scene, seemed alive with human beings. Before all the passengers had left the vessel she gave a lunge and went down, bow first. It is known that sixty-seven lives were lost. It will be some time before their names can be definitely learned, as the purser lost his passenger list. Passengers and orow of the vessel who have arrived at Port Townsend agree that the loss of life by Thursday's disaster in Lynn Channel will amount to sixty-five, but they admit that there were probably five or more stowaways on the steamer and that the five chil dren known to have been on board the steamer were either drowned or died of exposure. So it is possible that the loss of life will reach over 70. The death of Capt Foote was very pathetic. He remained on the bridge until the steamer was foundering. When the vessel commenced to sink, and it was seen that no expedient could avail. the captain jumped into the life raft, which was already taxed. Realizing that his weight would work havoc there he exclaimed: "I see there are too many here, so good bye, boys," and swam away. He was shortly after wards seen to sink. Glenn Springs Leased. A dispatch from Glenn Springs to The State says news of interest to the whole State, especially the invalids and summer pleasure seekers, is that an agreement has been reached for the lease of the Glenn Springs hotel and water property to men who will develop both to the fullest. The contract has not yet been signed but will soon be and the lease will take effect Jan. 1st, next. The lessees are John K. Gar nett of Hampton county and T. D. Darlington of Laurens, the former a shrewd and most successful business man of large means, and the latter a huatler well known on the road, and in business at Laurens. Great improve menta will be made in the hotel for the next' season and the sale of mineral water will be pushed all over the coun try. The Glenn Springs by Messrs. Garnett & Darlington is a guarantee that it wul be put where it bejongs-at the head of tne southern mineral springs properties. A Slick Swindler. Earnesto Sapelli, steward on -board the French line steamer La Gasedane, was arraigned before Commissioner Alexander as New York Wednesday on the charge of attempting to bribe a United States officer, and was held in $2,53i0 bail for examination Thursday. The steward of tae steamship last Sunday, it is alleged, offered Boarding~ Ispector Junker $5 for the admission without first passing through the barge office of each unmarried immi grant, and $6 for families. The stew ard, it is asserted, said that he had been in the habit of paying these prices. It is alleged that the frauds date back six years and that 10,000 immigrants have in this way entered the country. Serum, Then Moquitoes. A d&spatoh from Havana says Sur geon Major Harvard says that though he will not conduct furtner yellow fever experiments with infected mosquitoes on non-immunes, he has offered to allow infected mos q itoes to bite a man prev iously inoculated with Dr. Calda's serum. If the disease does not develop, the moequitoes will be allowed to bite other men similarly protected. The moquitoes to be used are those which recently bit two men, from the effects of whiich the men died. Dr. Harvard says that Dr. Caldas has two men whom he has already inoculated who are will ing to be bitten by the mosquitoes. The matter was fully explained to them, but the explanatan did not cause them to withdraw their consent to being bitten. A Horrible Affair. A dispatch from Whitesboro, Texas, is tas the effect that the negro, Abe Wileer, charged with the murder of Mrs. Caldwell, the wife of a Grayson caunty farmer, at her home on Satur day last, was captured by a mob and burned at Nelson's ranch, two and a half miles east of Red ranch, The negro was taken to a tree and swung up in the air. Wood was piled beneath his body and a hot fire made. Then it was suggested that the man ought not to be permitted to die too quickly and he was let down to the ground while a party went to Dexter, about two miles distant, to procure coal oil. This was thrown on the flames and the work com plted. SALE OF CHILDREN. Dravs Quastlons Wh!ch Confronts Officers In Philippines. SLAVERY IN THE ISLANDS. The Pract'ce Will b3 Stopped. L-beration of Many Slaves is Bang Forced on Technical Flaws. The War Department officials are de ermined to interfere with the traffic in children which has been going on in sertain parts of the Philippines, con stituting one of the gravest problems with which army ceficers in that section have to deal. Reports received at the War Depart ment state that the traffic is confined to the natives in the Department- of Mindanao and Jolo. The traffic comes as a result of the improvidence of the people, and families who have been stricken by famine do not hesitate to eek relief by the sale of their children. Major J. S. Petit, First Infantry, for merly colonel of the Thirty.first Volun teer Infantry, the commander of the Second district in that department, says, however, that he hasabout broken ap the traffic which has been going on in children of the Tirenarya, a degener ate race south of Cattabado. Kindred questions whicheonfront the military authorities in that section of the Philippine archipelago is the state )f slavery existing under the Morns, with whom our pacific relationship can anly be maintained by the most adroit and diplomatic negotiations. Major Petit says that slavery can only be abolished in one of two ways-by war or by purchase, and he adds that the - latter process would be futile. In the Third district of the department, where Major 0. J. Sweet is in com mand, the slavery question is a eon stant source of trouble on account of slaves escaping from one master to another. That officer says: "Whenever a quasion relating to slaves comes before me I simply make the owners prove their slaves beyond doubt, in which case I have nothing to to with them, but in case I can pick a faw in their title I give the alleged slaves freedom papers. Thousands of oros are held as slaves who are by right free persons." Adopting Sherman's Policy. Mr. Chamberlin in his speech in the house of commons last Thursday com-. pletely vanquished the American critics who have assailed the British for the cruel methods adopted to exoerminate the boors in South Africa. He pointed )t that he was merely calling the ef fective policy and devastation which Sherman used in South Carolina and eorgia during the civil war. Taking this Chamberlain speech and its effect the Baltimore San says that Mr. Cham berlain made pertinently reply to his ritics. "Americans are the last peo ple who ought to object to tactics of that kind. We never knew how to wage war in the most effiient way un-. til the United States showed the world how it could be done in the civil war. We have simply adopted your own tan tis, and you ought to be proud that the 'mother country' is willing to learn from your republic. Imitation is the sincerest form of .lattery, and to the best of our ability we are practicing in South Afries the -eame 'humanity' which your generals displayed in their house-burning, cattle-stealing, crop destroying expeditions in the soutn. We may not be quite as effiient as you proved, but in tame we hope to show ourselves masters of the game " More Rural Deliveries. The following letter from the general superintendent of the free delivery de partment of the United States postal service, to Senator Tillman, shows that qute soon a number of new rural de lnery routes will be established in South Carolina: Sir: I Eotnowledge receipt of yours of recent date urging the early establishment of the proposed rural free deliverj district and note your statement that your constituents are very anxious about the deliveries, and that you would appreciate any action on the part of the department which would gratfy the natural expectations of the people. In reply, I have the honor to inform you that, in accordance with your request, the services from Cottage vile anod Getsinger have been ordered into operation from October 1st, 1901, and that the other deliveries will be put into operation on November 1st. These are the earliest dates ist which the de partmeut is now establishing rural free delivery service. Hard on Sampson. 1t is quite freely intimated today that General Shafter will be called, to testify before the Sahley court of in quiry, because of the publication in the Cbicago News, of August 10th. Mal colm McDaweil, who was at the front with Shafter at Santiago, on that date, published over his signature here an article setting forth that on July 2, 198, while with Shafter, he learnen from Major Noble, of General Shafter's staff, that the French consul at San tiago had sent word to Shafter's head quarters that the Spanish fleet, on the tollowing day at 9 a. m , would make a dash out of Santiago harbor. Shafter, so Noble said, had caused the informa tion to be wig-wagged at once to Ad miral Sampeon, on board the New York. Notwithstanding this information Sam son withdre*v with the New York on the following morning, ten minutestbe fore the time set for the appearance of the Spanish fleet. A Close Call. Benjamin J1. Benjamin, an aeronaut, fell from his balloon while making an asenion at Hoboken Scheutzsn park. Failure of the parachute caused the as sident. Benjamin foil probably 300 feet into the Hackensack meadows and this probably saved his life, as he landed in mud and water, sinking up to his neck. A boatman rescued him. His injuries arose not only from shock of the fall, but from the onslaught of myriads of mosquitoes, which attacked him as he was stack in the mud and whose stings made his features unrecog nizable.