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VOL. XIX. MANNLNG, S. C., WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 1905. NO. 44 THE LIQUOR LAW Attacked at a Farmers' Meeting by John L. McLaurin. SMITH PROTESTED. The President of the Souih Carolina Southern Gotton Association Object ed to Politics Being Brought in a Farmers Rally. Several Fine Speeches Made. Tuesday of last week was cotton growers' day in Dillon. The 500 sturdy sons of the soil who gathered there to hear the distinguished gen tlemen who had been invited to make addresses before the etunty conven tion and exchange ideas on the cul ture of cotton and other crOps pecu liar to the South, representing every section of the old Swamp Fox County, but the bulk.of the crowd came from the upper end of the county, or what is known in local parlance as "new county territory." The gatherir g was unique in that the crowd assem bled at the big school auditorium and was composed of men of every walk in life-bankers, merchants, farmers, manufacturers, and professional men -with here and there a politician. The committee on entertainment had selected well and it seldom falls to the lot of a town as small of Dillon to have such a galaxy of distinguished orators within its borders in a single day. There was Ex Senator Me Laurin and Col. Knox Livingstone, of Bennettsville; the Hon. F. H Hyatt and Col. Y. H. Weston, of Columbia; the Hon. Richard I Manning and the Hon. E D. Smith, of Sumter; R, P. Hamer, of Hamer, and Congressman J. E. Ellerbe, of Seller's. Esch of these gentlemen came with something to tell and they told it so well that those who listened went away bene fitied. Tne addresses were remarka ble for their force and logic and depth and breadth of thought and the audience showed its appreciation for each individual effort by frc quent cutbursts of applause. County chairman Stackbouse presided and the meeting was opened with a very elo quent and touching prayer by the Rev. J. D. Croul. HAMER AND MANNING SPEAK. The iirst speaker introduced was the Hon. . P. Hamer, who felt high ly complimented in being asked by his home people to speak on such an important subject. Mr. Hamer said that this is distinctively a commercial age ard every class of people was or ganized except the farmer and par. ticularly the "ctton totr" He held that thorough organ'zition would enable the strong to help the weak and that there should be a fixei price at which to sell cotton, that is, a price for those with obligations and a price for those in urgent need of mon ey. Mr. Hamer strongly advcca.ted the ware house system and pointed out that with the c~operation of the cotton and oil mills, ware houses could be successfully and economically run. Mr. Hamer is a practical man and his talk being along practical lines was well received. His remarks were greeted with prolonged applause. The Hon. R. L. Manning, who was next introduced, urged the necessity of thorough organization among the farmers. Mr. Manning's speech was spirited and at times eloquent. His earnestness appealed to the audience and he was fre q1i ntly interrupted with applause. He believed in the bonded ware house and urged the farmer to hold his cotton and borrow money whenever the price was so low that it did not pay him to sell. Mr. Manning made a good impression on his audience and at the conclusion of his remarks was followed by the Hon. John L. McLaurin. Just here a gen-| uine sensation was sprung, which| created a furor in the au4ience. THE DISPENSAEY INTEODUOCED. Mr. McLaurin had been speaking but a few minutes and had paused after an eloquent and touching de scription of the horrors of the recon struction period. when a young man walked rapidly across the front of the stage andi banded him the following note: "Senator: At cur committee meet ing yesterday we decided we were all of one accord on the cotton q'iestion, having read much on the subject and having many able speakers who will follow you here today. For that reason we dicded that we would re mind you that the burning question of the hour with us is. and will be for the immediate future, dispensary or no dispensary, and if you have no serious objections would like to hear your views on the subject. What do you think of the dispensary law as it is written on the statue books of this State, as it has been, is, and probably will be, as long as it is a law executed by those in authority.' "Wade Stackhouse, "W. T. Bethea, "Won. Mt. Hamer, "E. L. Moore, "E. R. Earner." As Mr. McLaurin read the note a half amused smile played over his features. Then turning to the audi ece, with a dramatic wave of his and, he said that his record in the Senate was evidence sufficient that he had~ never been afraid to express his views on any q aestion, and although e had co'me lhere prepared to talk ab~ut cotton he would at the request of the committee state his views on the most corrupt institution that ever cursed a State. This announcement was greeted with shouts of applause. ELAURIN APPLAU7DED. Instantly the doorways and wir dows became crowded and men leaned forward in their seats to catch every word that fell from his lips. Although a delightful~ breezC was sweeping the vast auditorium the Ex Senator di vested himself of his collar and tie, which he q letly laid on the table beside him. Twice the chairman called time on him but the last time e was told that his time was up. uMesr Weston and Hyatt sprang tC theIr feet simultaneously and gener ously offered him five minutes eac' of 'their tire. His arraignment of Till man and the dispensary was severe and occasionally s)me staunch sup. Dorter of the institution wouid arise and q iietly walk out of the hall. Mr. McLaurin argued strongly that the people could not hope to escape from the dispensary through legisla. tive action and that therefore the policy should be to vote it out by counties. The prot st of the election in Pickens county, he declared, was merely a ruse of politicians to prevent the effect that the prohibition victory there would otherwise have in coun ties where elections are pending. The Er Senator was unsparing in his ar raignment of Senator Tillman's course and at times he showed considerable feeling in his references to the chief dispensary champion. The speech has been the talk of the day in Dillon. While Mr. McLaurin in his speech made no statement of his personal political plans and did not c.mmit himself in any way, there are many who believe that he expect, to be active and aggressive in the fight against the dispensary and in favor of prohibition by counties. They say that this will inevitably place Mr. McLaurin in the fLrefront, as representing the sharpest antagon :sm to the Tillman dispensary idea and that he will naturally make his firht by becoming a candidate for the Unicea States Senate in 1906. At the conclusion of his speech Mr. cLaurin was loudly chee.ed and sev eral gentlemen sprang upon the rostrum and grasped his hand. It was clear that he had the audienoe with him, although there was a large ;prinklirg of strong dispensary advo ates in the crowd. THREE MORE SPEECHES. The next speaker was Mr. F H. Weston, of Columbia, who discussed ;he Cotton Growers' Association from ;he banker's p->int of view. Mr. Weston is a strong and vigorous peaker and easily-held the attention f the audience. He advocated the uilding of bonded ware houses and old the farmers that they would have io difficulty in borrowing almtst up to he limit on their cotton if it was properly housed. He referred elo uently to the period :f reconstruc ,on and pointed out the independence f the Southerner of today. He was :requently interrupted with applause wd loudly cheered at the conclusioa )f his talk. Mr. F. H. Hyatt caught the audi mee with a series of original anec lotes. He begged pardon for branch g c ff on good reads, but just coud 2't alk before such an audience without elling his hearers of the manifold dvantages of good roads. He advised anters to make their farms attrac ive and keep the boys at home and wound up with a strong argument for he diversification of crops. Congressman J. E. Ellerbe was in iroduced and briefly reviewed the work of the Association thus far. He ,aid he felt that a great deal had been recomplished, but that the work had )niy begun. He referred to the re :ent rise In the price of cotton as an ndication thac the South had at last saught the ear of Wall street specu ators. If so much had been accom lished in such a short time the pos ibilties of success could not be exag gerated. Mr. Ellerbe was received with prolonged applause. PREsIDENT' sMITH'S CONDEMNATION. Several speakers followed McLaurin efore Mr. E. D. Smith, president of he Scuth Carolina division of the Southern Cotton association, and the ast speaker, was introduced. Another sensation was at once sprung. Ad-1 rancing to that part of the stage: where Mr. MrcLaurin was seated,1 Eesident Smith made fiery denuncia iion and condemnation of the effort1 o inject politics at the meetings held. 2nder the auspices of the Southern Jotton Association. He informed the audience and the committee that they were met here not to discu's politics, tough he did not question their right to grant any privileges they might :are to indulge. "Oae thing only has salled us together today, the benefit of Southern farmers, and as your president I do not intend that this purpose shall be side tracked even for the miserable, damnable dispen sary." Just here a curious phase of "meet ings" was evidenced. It was clear, while Mr. McLaurin was speaking, that the splendily representative au dience was entirely in sympathy with him. There was no mistaking the loud, ringing applause tha~t constant ly interrupted him and the great In terest manifested in all he had to say. It was equally clear and unmistakable as to the d.rret purpose of Mr. Smiths remarks and for whom they were In tended, and this same audience gave him loud and lone continued cheering and applause. A GOOD SPEAKER. Col. Norment, who reported the meeting for Tihe State says Mr. Smith is a remarkable speaker and he could be hea:d in every community in South Carolina with great benefit. Lack of space prevents anything like even a synopsis of this fine speech which was listened to with the closest attention for about one hour. He gave so-ne interesting details concerning his work, of Its disccuragements and its successes and sho wd some dangers threatening the association. He went into the depths of his subj -ct, show ing the great pricciples involved and gave figures showing that the work "had put more money into the pock ets of Southern farmers" than idle critics would ever understand. Three strong points in closing were empha sized amid the undivided attention of the undiminished audience. Those were, first, that cotton was the cur rency of the south: second, that there was no substitute for this greatest prouct of the world and that the limited area foir its crowth was con fined to the south, and thirdly, iis combination gave us a great monopoly. Mr. Smith made a telling speech and he must have been grati fied at the reteption given him. In the af ternoon the speakers were carried to the handsome rooms of the Commercial club where "things" were done up in style. Champagne, fine cigars and camaraderie made pleas ant moments go rapidly by and gave finishing touches to a hospitable welcome to a fine town and to a fine ople. A HOT TIMF. Thousands Slept in the Parks of New York Last Week. The Heat Was so Iatense That the People Had to Desert Their Homes to Get Air. While it was pretty hot through out South Carolina last week we did not suffer here as the pe ple did in New York and other large cities of the North. There were hundreds of deaths from the heat in all of the larger cities, and there would have been more had not the people deserted their homes and took to the public parks. Here is a New York picture: t "Cme and sleep on the garss in the 1 parks," was the invitation Manhat- I tan sent out Wednesday uight, and the people respordad by thousands, says The New York Sun of Wednes a day. From the little triangle south d of Cooper Union to the slopes of River side park and in all the down-town 1 small parks the grass, the benches and the band stands were populous. The "Keep off the grass" signs were called a in. a "They won't be put out again this summer, either, if I can help it," said t t Park Commissioner Pallas. He sent a letter to Police Commissioner Me Adoo in the afternoon offering the parks within his jurisdiction in the 1 orougbs of Manhattan, and Rich- 1 mond to the weary and overheated. amnd this order from Commissioner HeAdoo was read in all the station iousesWednesday night. "By direction of Park Commissioner Pallas you will permit the public to walk, sleep and lounge on the grass )r benches in all the parks within rour precincts, day and night during he hot spell, if they so desire." It did not take long for the news to e et about. By 9 o'clock p. m., Mul >erry Bend park, in the Italian quar ,er, looked like the beach at Coney n sland on a hot day. There were ver two thousand women and chil iren there, with a fair percentage of en. The sleepers took to the grass f mtil there wasn't an available spot. 9 rhen they filled up the band stand. Everybody in the park wore as lit e clothing as the law allowed. A iirt and a pair of trousera iufficed for he men, while most of the c'ildren dept under the stars in their birthday t ress. There were over 5.000 who ,ought relief at the William H. Sew rd pa.rk, at Est Broadway and Jet erson street. Oaty the benches at Lutery park were overcrowded. Few r. *ught comfort on the grass. a The permission appealed mightily e o dwellers along the North river. In D Witt Clinton park early in the wvening were at least 4,000 persons, h nost of them women and children. L large numb-r of them had made Lrrangements to spend the night cut e f doors and had bro'ight pillows and lankets. Coverings were unanimous y voted to be unnecessary b On the bank sloping down to ther iver from Riverside drive space was t a premium in the early evening. here was a breeze off the river and eather conditions were quite coin ~ortable. It was not observable that nany intended to spend the night ~ ~here. the bank being too steer in nost places to insure tranquil rest. Severtheless, in the lata evening the ank was quise as crowded as earlier. r Those who went into Central parka to keep cool were surprised when the olice failed to turn them out at mid ight. They hadn't yet heard of the ew order. Many of them, upon learn ng that they might stay there allb night if they chose, we.-tt home and c ot pillows. Through the side streets eading to the park entrances could be I -een many Bohemians and Italians!r !rom the Easst Side making for the park with pillows tucked under their1 rms. In some spots whole families were a stretched out on the grass side by side. The favorite spots seemed to be places where there was an incline or mbankment. Many who are nightly omeless and generally sleep in areas. nd on doorsteps went into the park when the police found them in theirr sual. haunts and told them of the ew order. Morningside and Mount Morris parks, in Harlem, were both crowded At Jefferson park, 112th street and 1 E ast river, Harlem, Italians were cele- 1 brating the fete of Our Lady of Mount Carrel and hundreds of them slept in the park after the celebration was over. In the three Tenderloin parks the 1 men d sarted the benches for the grass, but the few women sleepers stuck to the benches. In Madison square, where there were more women than both the others, the men kept to the west side of the park, giving1 up the east side to the women and not disturbing them in the least. In the big parks in the Bronx, es pecially Pelham bay and Bronx parks, hundreds of people have been sleeping under the trees nightly. In Pelham bay park last night a large part of the Italian ppuation of Williams bridge, learning of the new order, took bed clothing, pillows and, in some cases, cots, and slept beneath the trees. There was a similar condi tion in Bronx park. The only inter ference from the police came when the sleeperscamped too close to the b::tan ical gardens or the zoo. Seaside park, Coney Island, was a large dormitory. Thousands of people came from the city with the intentIon of sleeping on the beach. Between five thousand and ten thousand of them, according to an estimate of Capt. Doo ley, did so. Hundreds of others, learning that the park grass was available for beds, preferred it. A large number of the sleepers were women, and nearly all brought shawls, quilts or capes on which to rest their heads. Capt. Doo ley had extra men patrolinig the beach and park as a protection against p'c'. Ipockets. At midnight trains from the Icity were still coming in packed to the Idoors and the number of sleepers was ontatly Inreasting. UNSAFE BOILER On the American Gunboat Ben= nington Exploded Friday. THIRTY-NINE DEAD. apt. Lucien Young, in Command. Was Ashore at the Time. The Vessel is Almost a Complete Loss, and it Was Necessary to Beach Her. Thirty-nine members of the crew f the United States gunboat Benning mn were killed and nearly 100 sailors ere in jured, some fatally, at 10 o'clock ?riday rorencon by a boiier explosion ;hat disabled the vessel, in San Diego iarbor, Cal. Fif seen sailors are miss rg. There werb more than 250 men .board the war ship when the acci lent occured and many men were iuried or forced to jump into the sea >y the terrific explosion, which lifted art of the deck and compelled the ieaching of the ship. Tae Bennington at the time of the ,cident was lying in the stream, just ff the Commercial wharf, at H street. !he war ship had received orders frcm he navy department at Washirgtou o sail Friday morning for Port Hart ord to meet the monitor Wyoming ,nd convey the monitor to Mare Is mid navy yard, San Francisco. Steam ras up and everything was in readi ess for the departure of the Ben ington, when the starboard forward oiler exploded with a deafening roar. .ae explosion was terrific People tanding on shore saw a huge cloud of team rise above the Bennington. :olumns of water were forced high 3to the air. A dezen or fifteen men were blown verboard by the force of the terrific xplosion. Capt. Wentworth, who ras looking at the Bennington when e disaster occurred, says he saw hu ian bodies hurled over a hundred feet pward! The air was clouded with noke, which enveloped the ship. 7hen the haze cleared away only a w men ccu'd be seen on the decks, hile a number were noundering in ie water. A boat was lowered from ae vessel's side and most of the men i the water were picked up and taken board. Oa board the Bennington were pre ted terrible scenes. The force of ae explosion had torn a great hole in ae starboard side of the ship and the ssel was already commencing to list. . section of the upper (leck was car ed away from stem to stern. Blood ad wreckage were distributed over the tire ship, the after cabin and that srt of the ship adjacent to the ex loded boiler resembling a charnel oue. The shock of the explosion penetrat I every section of the ship, blood and .hes being found as far as the stern rthe captain's cabin. Great damage as cone in all parts of the vessel. The oiler which exploded it is stated, was ~garded as unsafe. Commander Young iated that during a recent return -om Honolulu the steam pressure was ept reduced in that particular one. At the time of the accident C.)m iander L.?elen Young and Surgeon F. Peck were on shore. The two of cers, as soon as they learned of the isaster, hurried to the water front. ommaoder Young. as soon as he ached the ship, gave orders that the ir tight compartments be closed .to revent the listing ship fromt sinking rid that the magazines be flboded >avert farther explosions. He then ached the ship at high tide. The ferryboat Romona, which was rossing the bay at the time of the cident, changed its course and hur led to the aid of the stricken war nip. The Government launch Gen. )e Russey, and a large number of other Luches and water craft which were bout at the time, also rushed to the ssistance of the Bennington. By the time the Simona reached he Bennington many of the sailors of he Benningtoni, who had jamped into e bay to esc'.p3 the Ec),lding steam, ad been rescued by sms~ll craft. The emoval of the munded from the hip was conducted in perfect order. he crews of the Dc R asey and the ther boats aided in picking up the vounded sailors and transferring them o shore. The bodies of many of the en taken from the wrecked interior f the ship were mutilated almost be ond rec ignition. The faces of many were covered with blood and ashes. some of the bodies may never be iden ified. Temporary qu ters ashore were ar aged for the wounded and sixty itizens volunteered and hurried in aunches to the relief of those on the hip. Some of the volunteers were mable to stand the sickening sight which met their gaze on the Benning ~on. As fast as the wounded cuid e removed they were hurried in am ulances, carriages, wagons and autc - nobiles to hospitals. For a long time he hot steam prevented access to the pace between decks where most of he dead bodies lay, and it was not ntil late in the af ternoon that the ast were removed from the boiler ooms. Several bodies were so tightly wedged in by a bulkhead that the woodwork bad to be hewed away to tree them. When the explosion occurred, the angineer was inspecting the b'ilers. He was not seriously injured. Otticers .nd men wao were able to assist in the rescue acted in a brave and col ected manner. Pumps were manned to ceen the water from the upper compartments, the magazine was tlooded and men fought their way through the steam into the darkened hold. Many slightly injured sailors remained in the ship and assisted in rescung the more severely injured. Rtefuseed to Mix. Fifteen white girls sewing matress es in Pittsburg went on strike be cause a negro girl was brought in to the cIlize of the factory to work a-s a stenographer and typewriter. They resented the idea of the light work beng done in dark color. HYDE RESIGNS. He Declares 7 hat a Powerful Organi z rtion is A gainst Him. Ae Asserts that Every Time His Ac curacy Das Been Questioned It Has Been Sustained. The resignation of John Hyde, statistician and chief of the bureau of statistic of the department of agricul ture, was handed to Secretary Wilson Tuesday of last week and promptly accepted. Willett N. Hays, the as sistant secretary of agriculture, has been placed in charge of the bureau temporally and will continue to act pending the investigation of the cot ton scandal and until a competent statisticia: is found. HYDE'S LETTER. The following is the text of Mr. H5 dc's letter of resignation and Sec retary Wilson's reply thereto: Washington, D. C., July 18, 1905. Dear Mr. Secretary: During the last four years, or since I succeeded in making the crop reports of the de partment reasonably acourate and cor respondingly valuable to the agricul tural and commercial interests of the country, my administration of the of fice I have the honor to hold has been constantly under fire from one side of Dhe market or the other. Five time it has been investigated and on every oc casion I have been vindicated. In Jan uary, 1903, I was awarded $2,500 dam ages in a libel suit against a promi nent firm of cotton brokers by a jary of their own friends and fellow citi rens. These results have been very gratifying to me, but I have the ighest medical authority for the statement that the continued fight upon me has already considerably shortened my life. At the present time it is an accepted fact that a powerful )rganjiza~ton is bent upon bringing ibout my retirement, by one m- ans >r another. Now, I do not think the position I hold is worth the fight nec )ssary to its cetention, and the or ;anization in question is welcome to whatever satisfaction it can derive rom my withdrawal from the unequal truggle. If any of my friends think hat I ought not to retire under fire. [ would have them remember that here is never a time when I am not ander fire. I have the honor there 'ore to tender you herewith my res gnation of my appointment as statis ician and chief of the bureau of stat stics of this department. With much appreciation of the un form courtesy and kindness you have ;hown me and r-f the many tokens of .onfidence I have received from you, [am, Most respectfully, yours, John Hyde. MR. WILSON'S REPLY. r. John Hyde, 3tatisticlan, Department of Agricul ture. Dear Sir: I am in receipt of your resignation as statistician of this de partment. In accepting it, I cheerfully estify to the ability with which you 2ave discharged the heavy and diffI sult duties of the oce since you were irst appointed. The accuracy of your reports has been recognized by the public generally, and I am glad to be ible to testify, with regard to the sharges made against the Integrity of Ghe bureau of statistics that no facts 2ave been brought to my attention im plicating you in any way. I am fa niliar with your devotion to your work and with the uctiring efforts rcu have made to render the bureau of Ghe highest service to the growers, nanufactures and cnsumers of farm products in cur ccuaitry, and I regret at falling health should compel you to bring your work to an end. Very truly, yours, JDxIs WII.soN, Secretary. Mr. Hyde said that be felt he had east c-if an immense burden from his shoulders. He had fully Intended to resign some time d aring the com ing autumn, he said, and therefore he had only advanced his resignation by a, few weeks. Mr. Hyde spoke of how congenial the work had baen to him, nowithstanding Its laborious charac ter, and expressed regret at having to part "from the etficient clerical force in the bureau of statistics." "Their loyalty and their personal regard for myself," he said "of wikich I had evi dence today, Is extremely touching. I shall have very few recollections of my eight years work that will not be highly gratifying to me as long as 1 live. Tne secretary has always been extremely kind to me as I stated in my letter of resignation." As regards the investigation now being conducted by the district attor ney, Mr. Hyde said that he had cal culated to assist in every possible way in getting to the bottom of the case, and that even now he was out of offiee he would, if called upon, be only too happy to contribute In any way his aid in the investigation. Afcer Sixty Years. T. M. Fields, sixty-two years old, of Bloomburg, Pa., has just discover ed that his brother Abraham, who T. M Fields had believed died before he was born, is alive and well at Fort Dodge, Kansas, at the age of eighty one years. The knowledge came in a letter from Abranam Fields to the postmaster asking if there were any Fieldes besides himself alive. He ran away from home in 1841 to go west, his family never heard of him again. It was supposed he had been killed by Indians. T wo years later T. M. Fields was born. The old man in his declining years decided to write and see if any of the family survived, and his brother will now go west and see him. Hard to Play On. The experiences of George B. Cor telyou, chairman of the republican national committee, during the recent campaign were many and varied. With keen relish lhe tells of one that came under his notice. A country club about to give a parade was debat ing as to the number of transparencies to be had in line. It was about settled that twelve would be the proper number, when an old fellow with his troasers tucked In his boots arose and said, "I guss two will be about right. T.in't at all likely more'n two will 1ranw how to play on 'em." NOT WANTED. Members of Spartanburg Cotton Association Snub McLauri". NO CANDIDATE ASKED To Speak at the Association Meeting, and the President Says If McLaurin, Who Had Been Invited by Out siders; Apoeared, Meeting Would be Called off. A special dispatch to The Greenville News says the Spartanburg county 3otton growers recently made appoint ments for several special meetings in the county. The daze at -Cherokee Springs is July 29. These meetirgs were intended to increase the mem ership of the association and to arouse a more general interc si in the move ment. It was expected that they would be farmers meetings with no itrings to them. President E. L. krcher of the Cotton Growerb' Associ Ltion was notified Friday that some of ihe citizirs of Cherokee desired Col. Tohn L. McLaurin to make the address )a the 29th inst. It is .,aid tnat recently McLaurin 2pon learning of the meeting of the !armers, at Cnerokee Springs wrote to i friend in that section informing him )f his willingness to address the farm -rs on that day. The curly-headed or Ltor did not indicate that his speech was to be of a politicAl nature but hen President Archer of the county issociation was informed of the for nor Senator's offer he promptly told ;he recipient of the letter that owing o a previous action of the committee in invitation he could not allow Mr. EcL.urin to speak at the meeting which was called by order of the as iociation. Mr. Archer feels that in leclining the ex Senator's proposition ie is but carrying out the agreement mntered into by the officers and mem >ers of the association when it was or ;anized. He therefore declined to ex end an invitation to Mr. McLaurin. It appears that some time ago when wrrangements were being made for ihe Cherokee meeting several names )f available speakers were suggested )y members of the invitation commit ee and all were duly considered. It s said that both Senator Tillman and x-Senator McLaurin were among the >rominent ones mentioned and were ejected because not only was politics o be avowed tu' even the semblance )f it. President Archer made the follow ng statement Saturday: "These neetings were appointed for farmers. [f the people at Cherokee desire Col. dcLaurin to address them on any sub ect they have a right to invite him. 3ut if he is to be there on the 29 th n-t. the farmers' meeting will be call id off. When the committee met to onsider the appointments, the names: >f Col. McLaurin and Senator Tillman! ere mentioned. It was decided that shey would not be Invited, as no real >r probable candidates were desired at ihese meetings, which are to be held ay farmers for farmers, and noti3e is iereby served on candidates for office, mnd vote seekers, that they are not xpected to speak at these meetings [have no objection to politicians hay ng their own meetings and airing aheir grievances or boasting of their reat achievements, but they will not >e Invited to speak at the farmers' neetngs." BROWN REB3NT2D IT. le Assailed a Recent Editorial in the Barnwell Sentinel. The State says news has come to Jolumbia, via Camp Fuller, to the ef tet that Mr. Clarence L. Brown and Er. G. Marshall Moore engaged in- an atercation in Barnwell Monday. The aforesid altercation was a bloodless affair, and it is hoped that It will end with the meeting Monday. Mr. Brown is the dispensary inspec tor who suffered the misfortune to lose $2,030 recently. Mr. Moore Is the superintendent of the schools at Barnwell and is also editor of the Barnwell Sentinel, the paper which was owned by Mr. Brown before he sold it to Mr. Moore. In the edito rial columns of this paper there ap peared a paragraph commenting upnm M~r. Brown's misfortune in a way which was distasteful to the inspec tor, and he demanded a retracticn. The affair happened in the principal business part of town. Mr. Brown, pointing to the objectionable para graph, expressed his opinion in re gard thereto with a great deal of force s it is related. The witness who reports the affair says that Brown, af ter making a state ment to the effect that Moore had his band in his pocket, drew is revolver with an invitation to M-jore to do the same thing. A Mr. Moody ran up about this time and separated them. Brown put up a cash toad for $15 and forfeited his revolver to the town of Barnwell. The Barnwell Sentinel is the weekiy paper which attracted some at tention a few months ago by attacting . H. Evans, chairman of the dispen sari board, and the editor in turn was threatened with a libel suit. It is said that on account of Mr. Moore's posi tive stand on public questions he is having trouble to be reelected superin terdent of the schools. Tnere has been a deadlock in the board for 30 days. Str-onger Than Ever. General Batjanoff, commander of the Third Russian Manchurian army recently declared that the Japanese wre~ unable to advance, both on ac count of the strengthening of Rus sian positions and because they have not fully recovered from their own loss at the battle of Muken. "Never during the whole war" he said "has the Russian army been so strong in evry respect as at present. The Jap. anese know this and therefoxs they wish for pace. POISONED FLOUR Shippsd To China And Results In, Number Of Deaths Will Not Only hurt Trade in That Commodity But in Others -The Story. The Washington correspondent of the Columbia Record says a report just received in the United States shows that American flour shipping interests in China are likely to receive a heavy blow soon, unless something is done to correct a report that American flour men are senaing poisoned flour there. The business of shipping flour to some sections of China, especially to Amoy and Changchau, is enormous. Last year it amounted to $353,502, and the year previous to $285.294. Not long SiLC a certain shipment of flour was sent from Hong Kong, and out of that shipment somewhere between thirty and forty people have died as a result of having eaten a poisonous mixture. All sorts of rumors have been spread broadcast, and anti foreign agitation has received a great impetus. This shipment, which was sent from Hong Kong to Amoy, was consigned to native importers and was distribut ed in the ordinary course of basiness, and to all appearances was not differ ent from many shipments which had been made before. The first trouble came at a Chinese restaurant where a man who was eating a meal became suddenly ill and In a few moments died. The keeper of the restaurant, being accused of having adulterated the flour with poison, agreed to eat some of the bread m order to show that there was nothing the matter with it. In the course of a few hours he also was dead. His wife and daughters also died from eating bread from the same nour. The story spread rapidly, and wher ever the flour had been shipped the Chinese died like so many dogs. In Changchau, a city of 1,000,000 inhab itants, the result has been to almost stop the r(ceipts of foreign flour from any port. Hundreds of small store keepers and bakers have small stocks of goods on hansd which they are un able to sell on ac3ount of the fact that the people are afraid to buy Imported bread and flour. The loss to these little merchants, while considerable, amounts, as a matter of fact, to noth ing in comparison to the enormous loss of profits which will accrue from loss of business which has taken many years to build up. Unless the present trouble can be done away with, there will be a permanent loss, for Chinese consumers will again become accis tomed to purely native food, and the ground gained there by Americans af. ter many years of effort and labor will be entirely lost. There is no explanation of the trouble, but it is probable that Chin ese merchants made an effort to smLug gle in morphia in sacks of flour and that the packages of poison were broken, and the flour was thus affect. ed. The duty on morphia is very high, while that on flour is only 5 ver cent. ad valorem. Whatever the truth about this matter my be, there is no doubt of the fact, as stated, that American interests in the flour shipping busi ness will be materially affected unless relieved soon. Fell Three Thousand Feet. Daniel Maloney, who made numer ous succesful ascensions with Prof. Montgomery's aeroplane, Tuesday fell 3,000 feet to his death at Santa Clara Col. Maloney made an ascension from the grounds of the Santa Clara Col lege. About 2.000 persons watched with interest the machine as it shot upward from the college garden, at tached to a huge balloon. At a height of 4,000 feet Maloney cut loose from the balloon and began maneuvering the aeroplane. He sailed gracefully about, then essayed a deep dip. Sud denly the machine swerved, hesitated, and then turned over. It righted it self, sank down aconsiderable distance, and turned over again. Maloney was clinging desperately to his seat, and was evidertly endeavoring to regain control of the aeroplane, but all his efforts were in vain., Again the aerop lane turned in the air, the wings came together, and the man and the machine plunged straight downward, while the horrified spectators gazed helplessly. Killed by Live Wire. Samuel James, a white carpenter, 40 years of age, unmarried, was killed Wednesday by coming in constt with a live wire at the Charleston navy yard. James was employed by the New York Continental Jewell Filtration company on the dry dock. He was on a scaffolding when he came in contact with the wire. The wire burnt him around the neck, causing death instantly. The inquest was held Thursday James was a Dative of Baltimore. He has been residing in Charleston and working at the navy yard for some time. Burned in hotel. At Wabash, Minn., six persons were. burned to death in a fire which de stroyed the Depot Hotel Wednesday morning. The dead are: Mrs.A. Hoffman and baby; Robert Johnson, expressman; Gertrude Stetsher, E becca Herman, James Hunt. There may be other bodies in the ruins The fire was caused by the explosion of a gas tank used for Illuminating. Mrs. Hoffman was owner of the Hotel. Sne and her baby and the other vic tims were burned to death In their rooms. Three hanged. At Memphis Tenn., Toots Taylor. M. Miles and Major Mills, three negrc murderers were hanged Friday. Tayloi and Mills ascended the scaffold togeth er and when their bodies had been re moved Milles was executed. Tayloi murdered Rob Gaines in August, 1904 Wife murder was the crime whici cost Miles his life. Mills murderet his father-in-law. A New Swindle. The Columbia R ecord says a young white man named Spann was arrester by Policeman Forde Thursday charget with swir~dling. Tue alleged schemi was to place a Mexican dollar witt four American dollars and ask that 2 5 t.2 be given for It. It is salt tat seera victims were cangrht. THIRTY YEARS At Hard Labor in the Peniten. tiary for Attempted Assault ON A LITTLE GIRL At New Sumter About Ten Days Ago. It Took the Jury Nine Minutes to De cide the Fate of the Fiend Who Deserves to be Hung for the Crime. A special dispatch from Sumter to The State says the jary declared Jesse Nelson guilty of assault with intent to ravish after nine minutes' deliter ation, on Thursday afternoon. Judge B 0. Purdy sentenced Melson to 30 years at hard labor in the South Carolina penitentiary. The sentence to begin at the, expiration of his sen tence to the Clarendon county chain gang, which will be July 6, 1910. The case was called Thursday morn ing. The court appointed Mr. L.- D. Jennings to defend the prisoner. Maj. Marion Moise assisted Soliciter Wil son. The State had only a few wit nesses. Very little time was consum ed in examining them. The young lady and her liotle sister were very j positive in their Identification of the prisoner. They told the story of the crime In a clear, convincing manner. There was no hesitation. These were: the only eye witnesses. The young ' lady Is not yet 16 years of age and her sister but 10. Toe ground rail of the was the search for a negro of Nelson's general appearance-the clothing worn, cap, etc., when captured, the exact description given by the- young lady immediately after the assault Supervisor 0 vens told of his escape from the Clarendon county chaingi -' last Thursday. Nelson was the irst witness for-tba defense. He retold the story that he never left the railroad between there and Mayesville, except to get water at the Betts mill. He denied the attack on the young lady and said he bad never seen her until c.rried before her on Monday. Jun Taylor was sent for so that.the. jury might see the difference between the two. Mr. Jennings certainly did his duty., He reviewed-the testimony carefully. He wanted the right man punished to the amit of the law, but ask the jury to be sure and convict the right one. He spoke earnestly and forcefully. The negro received a high class service gratis. Solicitor Wilson laid bare the facts. He spoke of the proud record of old Sumter county. The citizens are'law abiding. He mentioned two or three lorrible crimes, aggravating In the extreme, but the majesty of the law was upheld and the outlaws punished. Maj. Marion Molse's speech was very aloquent. The court house was pack 3d when he began to speak and close attention was paid to his argument. .Tudge Purdy's charge to the jury was short and explicit. The jury retired at6l13 and at6.22 reached a verdict of guilty. Before passing sentence the judge said he knew the by's father and miother, and they were good old dark es.;The beginning of Nelson's trouble, ike all other boys, was when he won dared away from home, getting from cinder parental Influence. He had no doubt of the prisoner's guilt. If he had tie would set aside the verdict as would be his duty, though many people at New Sumter were his warm personal frriends. As a judge he must rise above the opinions and feelings of his fellow man. He held up the terrible punish mont the boy must receive and said thisshould serve as awarning to white and black that to do right was the Dnly safe course In life. He bad sen tenced to life Imprisonment the other day a black man for the same crime against one of his own race in the up country. He then sentenced the boy to 30 years in the penitentiary. Nelson is about 19. He was sentenc ed at on July 8, 1904, by Judge Ald rich to six years on the chaingang for assault and battery on an old coloredl woman. Poisoning Suspected. - Suspecting murder, the police are investigating the sudden death at his home in Mannington, W. Va., of J. N. Payton. He, his wife and a man whose name has not been disclosed, 3,re said to have been drinkring on Sun day night, and Mrs. Payton announced her husband's sudden demise Tuesday morning, attributing It to the drink ing of wood alcohol, to which he Is un derstood to have been addicted. The autopsy is reported to have revealed the effects of other poisons, however. A chemical analysis of the stomach of the dead man will be made. .Three of Payton's near relatives by marriage .tre said to have met mysterious deaths from poison. The Widow's Mire. A woman in one of the small Penn sylvania towns recently put two post ige stamps In the contribution box at aer church, as she could not affard to give any money. The stamps looked interesting to theO minister, so he took Ghem to a dealer and sold them for $1,000. Later, says an exchange, the. two stamps were sold toea Russian no bleman for $5,000. He Ougbt wo Kn~ow. Senator Plato of New York has :elebrated hIs 72 dirthday and he de 3ares that as he looks back over his oollltcal career he Is convinced that t has not been worth while and If he 2ad to do It over again he should nodel his career along ouha~ lines, But he won't say what changes he would make In the record. About A Man. Kate Newell stabbed and killed Rattle Greer at Starr, Anderson coun sy, on Sanday night-both colored. They were on their way home from whanch andl quarrallrd about a man_