The Manning times. (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, March 07, 1906, Image 1
VOL. XX.. MANNING, S. C., WEDNESDAY. MARCH 7, 1906. NO. 23
HA'Y IRIAL.
The Crowd Applauds One of the
Lady Witnesses
WHILE ON THE STAND
0 1. of the Zonasdl. Attacks the
Characters of Two of the
Actresses Who Testified, But
Failed to Shake Their
Tustimony.
A dispatch from G: ffSy to The
State says when the detense had Ex
hausted its aff.irts to have the Hasty
caae continued, the selection of a jury
was entered upon. Eaich side of the
cm exhausted its challenges, but
there were yet six names in the box
when the jury was c->mpleted. There
was one witness diszqualided on ac
Count of pri judice, which he did not
try to conceal. One was sick. There
have been some dramatic periods in
the trial of George Hasty for the
murder cf Miilan Bannets in this city
on the 15tn day of last Dem mber.
The prisoner is nob being tried for the
murder of Abbott Davien, the actor.
for it was declde to n ke separate
trials of the t'- irdic -ants. The
prosecution hwl urought out some
very damaging ev.dence and the de
fense has failed to shake the wit
nesses.
The sympathy of the people of the
city of Ga.ffrey was- shown Thursday
when the court room was filled with
. applauss after one of Col. Johnson's
unsuccessful attempts to badger the
witnes, Miss Varnie Sheridan, who
was to have been married to Milan
ennet. The little woman refused to
be scared by Col. Johnston's attitudes
or by tne evidence against her moral
characte-, which he indicated that
he would7produce. The little woman
stood th'e ordeal in a very remarka
ble manner and is admitted to have
made a fine witness. Her testimony
was unshaken and the attempts t
weaken her evidence by comparing it
with what she had said at the inquest,
resulted in her statements on the
stand being strengthened rather than
otherwise. Once when Solicitor Sease
was examining her he told her to tell
all she knew of a certain part of the
cfiee, "and don% let's have any play
acting," said Cl. Johnston. At this
Mr. Sease seemed to be a little vexed
and he declred vehemently that his
witness was not acting but telling the
t:uth. , -
At andther time Col. Johnstone was
trying ti break down the witnes;
with reference to the position oi
George Hasty's au-s when he was
trying to t rce hin.stir into Miss Sier
idan's rcoma hrocuga tne trans.om, in
order to illustrate, he called .Hasty
over to him. "Ctme here, George,"
he said and as the s-.llow youth, who
had shot toedeath the young man to
whom she : was to be married, ap
proached the witness a tremoir ran
over her fiame and she said to the
court stencgrapher brckenly, "I can
not touch tnis man." But she was
not required to do. She was game ali
the way through the terrible inquiry
at the hands of Col. JJunstone and
gave just as good as was sent-. After
the first demounstrationl of appiause
Judge Memminger declared that he
woud clear the room upon a repati
tion being tried, but there were fr
quent suppressed sigrs of approval
when Miss Sneridan wonud with ease
parry a thrust from the gifted attor
ney.
Col. Johnstone asked questions
which are hardly per missible in print
and the young woman never flinched.
If the charges were true her candor
and frankness stamp her as a very
clever actress. If they were untrue
she is an artistic aclress jaist the,
same, for she never showed by wino
ig that she suff.ered. Many who weni;
into the court room pr'3judiced against
her came away impressed witrn her
womanlines. I; has been the claim or
the defense that Hasty was struck to
the knees before he fired the fatal
shots. Tue evidence shows that the
ball which killed~ Bennett took a
course and raged along the face of the
seventh rib for an inch and a half.
The defence .somewhat "rattled"
the witness who gave this testimony,
Dr. Allen, by asking him if he had
not had a bet up on the outcome of
the trial, but Dr. Allen stated that as
-soon as he realized that he was to to
an important witness he took down
the bet which had been offered with
Gunter, with whom he frequently
make wagers In a friendly way. The
defense may produce evidence to bes
mirch the young woman's chastity
or reputation,~ but even that would
not entirely wipe out the manner in
which she testiied as to the sequence
of events and there are many people
here who believe that the defense
could not blacken her character. That
remains to be seen. She denied with
out any stege, airs but in a level and
open manner the accusations that she
and Bennett had relations to each
other which are not countenanced ex
cept by martial rites and the case in
point was alleged to have happened at
Ga toia, N. C. Sae is ac.used, in
Col. Johnston's questioning, of having
been seen in GaffnOy lying on the bec
in Bennett's arms the dlay before the
hom~cide. Tuese are sa-i accusationl:
to make against a woman unless the3
can be proved.
0o1. Johnston's questions suggested
that he would try to bring cut ths1
qne of the yourg women was seen rid
ing horseback in a-n immodest manne:
jat Gstnlia. Before the witness cam'
o the stand she identified a pictur
~of Miss Bisuop, which the witness hac
taken the atternoonl of the nide e
Gastoia and there wasinothing~ im
modest about Miss iBishop's costumi
or attitude
Bast's almost defiant attitude ha
changd somewhat. He is of the meic
Sdramatic kind. He Is a cotton mul
opeative, it is said, arzd the whol
amil appear to be people of a n
high order 0: mentat?. Tr "e Do
in besiriess hrre any or-ger T :e Tm
revoked the license of the hei aa't
is being run in aoot bEr ns=. L h
not appear to be P paoe which saicul
have been shunned b; these acter pcc
ple and once inside the- sranzer fel
somethig itke a homeliks atmospher
in t! e place.
Th-se sbtaw pnople stopp d th-or
b3cause it was near Cris.3 =-.
:hey were saving up for that gkir
festival. Tue ht1 is -ll on e s c
ord floor and the rmcn occup:O t
Mss Sheridian is nlked on e1:e s d
>y a hallwAy. Ta-re -s a pC1 : r:-u, d
.the entire rear of the bailji. g a;a i
vas from this porca that same 0
tricd to gain actess to their reo= b
,ore she called Bonneir, viO c
sleeping, c-:uving a ro .m remorec
from hei's by the bath :o -m. T::z
unly damagirg thing b:u-g't t ut S
ar is tuat there was anoiver man In
the room with Bennett when shxecaL.
ed and he is not here to testiy in the
case.
S me time since Mr. Hervev had
anartucle in Tae S'.ate intimatiV
stat Miss Sheridan's conduct after
-he trial was suspiciou; He is want
ed here as a witness, but it was ad
mited that be had ,ivad h-.re und r
an assumed name in his corre- pon
dence. On account of. thne alc.nce
of this witness and for other reasons
Mr. Johnson had asked for a contir
uance of the case, but the judge de
c!ded that the case must go on
Elervy, at the time of tue tragedy.
was a telegraph operator and it is
stated that he furnished to the press
of the country an article c-ntaining
certain facts that, if proven to be
true, would mitigate in favor of Hasty.
Miss Bishop, one of the memeers o:
the troupe, testified F:iday. H r tet
Simony was a corroboration of that of
Miss Sheridan, who testted Tnuro
day, to the eff c. that the killing was
without provocation. Attempts wtre
made. by the defense to prove that the
characters of the two lady witnes-cs
were not what they should be, but the
court ruled that while questions pet
taining to this matter coulo be ask-d,
they need not be answered.
Miss Bishop, in her own defense,
aked that she be allowed to answer
and that nothing be left in doubt. A
smnsational feature was the intrcduc
-ion of a manakin to s*iow the prog
ress of the fatal bullet. Tue ap
perrance of the grewsome otl gt,threw
Miss Sneridan into nystedicsand i;h;
was led from the c.urt-r'oom. Th
defense began its tes.imony late in
the day. Is established the tbeory
tht self-defense was to be the pol-cl
of its evidence.. A renewed. attempt
was maie also to impeach the charac
tr of the two l.dies of thr theatrical
empany.
At the opening of the court FrIday
the defense asked to put onze of their
witnesses, one Strickland, of Gosto
na, on the stand, as he bad just left
the bedside of a s ch ckili The de
fense wanted to prove the conduct of
isses Sneridan and Bitcp by this
witness, who is an agent Aor some reai
estate men. The quest..lens were & KcO
m, but the court would not allow
him to answer.
Dr. Nesbitt was next colled. He
test:fiA do holdirg a posh-sortem,
and with the aid of the ma~iken &s
cribed the range of builet after it had
entered the booy. He alho tes~iileo
tat he did not see any weapon on
the person of Mr. Bennett wuen. he
examined him. He also idente
the coat and vest worn by the aeceas
e. 'After ciaminirg two witnesses
Dr. Nesbitt and John Speccr, the
state rested.
During recess the jury ws taken to
the scene of the tragdy .In t~he af
tern..;on the defense put UP several
witnesses to prove the chiareczrr of
the two young ladies, Misses Soerid~a.
nd BWshop, but it was ruled cu:, the
judge sayirng: "It appears to me
onat you are trying theso two vson-n.
ad not the prisoner." Wil1 ann Ar
ehr Hsty and their two mives were
pu on the stand.
Toey tried to prove that the two
dead men had Grorgs down and that
he shot In self-usfeusie, and that tae
Misses Sheridan and Bishop were n-:t
eye-witnesses.
Miss May Bishop, one of the inno
cent causes of the eragedy and one of
the eye- winesses cf the shooting,
was next csiI'd by the state. She
made aar excellent witness and wue
another match for Coloni 1 J.-hnstone.
Miss B~shop testified to toe sho :t
ig. At the time that Hasty ann Mr.
Bennet left the room she was sitticg
at the dining table. Sne tried to get
Mr. Davinson not to go out in the
ball, but he went any way. She got
up and started to the dcor. Just as
she got there she heard two pistol
shots in quick succession, and saw
Mr. Daviasonl grapple with Hasty,
caking hold of his right band anc
forcing it and the pisurl egainst tni
wall, While Davidson hati hold c1
him he jerked locse and shot Mr. Ben
nett. Her testimony was inentici
with her testimony at the it quest. Ii
the cross-examination she as.ed Mr
Johstone to help her, and she woulh
illustrate bow the shooting ccarrE d
Mr. Johnstene took hold of her arm
and she je-ked losse as Htsty hat
done, illustrating the shooting 1~
ivid manner.
Crooks Cauahr.1
A broadway house was raided I!
IAtlanta on Friday and nine preten da
beggers were taken into cu:,tody.: Tni
room occup;ed by tw.ocf e meuI, C
H. Clark and Tuomas Nowman
s ached and a satchel was O:sc~vetE(
containing a cinplete sa5a-ram5
outfit. Ciark is apparently the leade
of ts gang, and iewas p~-ced u- da
a 3000 cnd i'po court pencm.,
turder invsigaUof of the . mrt .
C'ark and Newman were alsfr reasur
ed by the Berti~ltn expert at the fed
eral prisen and photographed. Sevel
of the men were sent to the srock .d
and held for the higher court. Tr.
other three will meet a simuniar fate
ISome of the men are curiously mais.
Ied and said they were professions
bcgger. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
A Sensation in Marion.
A special fromn MrrIon save form:e
County Superir.tenderit of E 'ucatio
R aymond Berry. urder $2,400 bar
for emnb zz'ir g school funas, f.uiltd t
apar at his trial set for Wened
1Additional warrants having bo
sworn out against him on Tuerd e
) ue of that night for pares unknomv
BATTLE BELINS
Senator Tillman Opens Greatest
Fight in Senate's tiistory.
WILL BE TO A FINISH.
Senator Aldrich Gives Notice of a Ba!
tie R..yal Agatust the Hepburn
Rate Bill in the Presence
of Crowded Galeries in
the Senate.
Lst week in the Senate chamber
the ring was pitched for the great.
baztle between the American people
and the railroad-. Tne follbwing de
szription of the opening of the battle,
which was written for the New YoLk
American by Julian Hawthorne, will
be read with interest. The public,
says Hawthorne, was present to the
czxent of the gallery accommodaticns,
and ,earlv ev-ry Sanator was at his
desk Nothing was one, however,
ou:ther than that tbe combatants
bowed to each other, and put on cheir
gloves; the seconds conferred as to the
rules tnat shculd govern the combat,
a-nd arrangments were made for the
printing and dissemination of the rec
ords cf the prir.cipsls up to this time.
I. is dn :erstoud that the fight is
to be to a finish, and will end with a
knockout fcr one party or the other.
No more important event has come
up for decisicn in the national prize
rirg during recent times.
In other language, Senator Tillman,
in charge of the Dolliver Hepburn
railroad rate bill, made the formal
s'atement that the bill had b:en re
commendtd by the committee for pas
ssge without amendment, and that he
himself, as soon as he had sufficiently
digested the subject, would present
nis:rep rt upon It in writing.
LayiEg bis left band on the pile of
p; pers and volumes on his desk, he
adoed that he wished ten thcusand
ca.pits of the reports cf testimony and
information gathered by the commit
tee to be printed for the better in
struc.icn of those interested, In which
proposal he was supported by Foraker
and Allison, and, there being no ob
j -etion, it was so ordered.
ALDRICH'S NOTICE OF BATTLE.
Senat.'r Aldrich thea arose verv
serious and with less color than usual
in nis face, though whether owing to
emotion or to insufficient breakfast
did not appear. He observed that in
the ordinary course of things the bill
wculd have emerged from committee
with amendments, and that he believ
ed that ali S.-nators except Foraker,
who objected to any legislation at all.
,eired the bill to be amended. Er
c pt. for these amendments no obstruc
ion to irr.mtdiate consideration of
the bill wculd be cff red on his side.
Mr. McCumber annourced that he
had a sub~titute for the entire bill,
wrich he sent to the desk, and will
~peak cn later; and then other busi
ness supervened and the galleries were
oft with their mouths open.
One of the first things that Till
man said lest week, when asked about
the bill, was that he did not regard it
as a partisan measure. In this be
-hwv~ed his sound -arse, and the Amer
ican pcople will be found in hearty
accord with his attitude.
Any senator or Representative who
tries to play politics with the rate
bill will make the mistake of his
career. Tce people are-in earnest;
they want to be protected against the
tranny, aggression and insolence of
h e railroads. Trey know that rob
beries and outrages have been ano
';aily are c:mmitaed against the pro
perty and rights of individnals by
railroads. They want to ha.ve these
wror gs righted, and they are not to
oc deterred frm having them right
ed by any special pleas about constitu
tionial limitations or legal technicall
ties...
THE PEOPLE's POCK.ETS PTCXEI..
They know that their peakets are
being pickrd, and they will resent any
suggestion tbat It can be legal to
pi-:k them. Nar will they accept a
remedy which is remedial to the eye
ooly, and by means of delays and com
-oleations turns out to be no practical
remedy at all.
SomethiDg must be done;it must be
:done at once, arnd it must be so done
a~s to be effetive foir the endxin view.
Toat is the ultimatum.
Democrat or R :publican, House,
Senator or Execuative, may take the
cre2dit of iti when it is..~one-that is
quite imiaterial to the people. But
-noeysr opposes Its doing-still more,
aof*ever temporarily prevents its
doing-is never likely to find any ad
equate compensation, either personal
or political, for that- ht. Moreover,
the act itself -would be futile.
Should the bill, owircg to the ma
chinations of the railroad gang, fail
or be 6masculated in this session, it
mil nefobnly' be the cause of woe to its
.,dversaries, but it will be brought up
tg ain in a form, and with an empha
xiwhich i; ligely to make its adver
-s rles regret that they did not agree
si h the people while they were in
the way with them.
IThe American spirit is not dead,
thougu it is buried deep under preoc
Cu ps tion, selfishness and heedeless
ness, la co nes to life when the provo
eston is ade.quate; and tne provec;.
':on toc-i,.yv is quite as al-qua~te as it
was w'-en sahe tnlrteen Colonies rose
agains King George.
-THlE PEOPLE ARE RSEADY TO RISE.
iOur people has all due respect-am
ple respect-for vested inserests and
for fair play. It may for along time
b hk-wed by intricacies of law
e~nd iosf special privilege, but
o2 is hea:s a hint of subjection to a
movi'yed oliiarchy it will rise in a
0menace as fr)m'able as the plague,
aod as immikigable as death.
a M reover, this issue, like many
cot ere, is cot one that will be forgot
from It by other IFsues. It Is a vital
issue to the welfare of them all, and
will press upon all more intolerably
day by day. To delay justics is to
inflame resentment and the consE
quences of that resentment, if unap
peased, may well appal the most bra
z:n tblef that ever wore broadcloth
and cut cff cLupons.
It is well that Aldrich and Foraker.
md their acxompclices in and out of
C,-Tgress, should be p'aced in a p -si
tion %here their character and pur
pose mut be revealed by thei word.
and acts.
They thought to gain a strat-gic
point by thrusting the bill into Till
man's hands, because Tillman has
oeen represented as an extremist, a
danger.us man, unfl to be ent:us'Ed
with a measure Eff:cting the welfare
of the wbole people. But, in truth.
the SC uh Carolinian is a statesman
whcse c;libre has not yet been meas
ured. He can be fierce and passion
ate, but be holds himself in his own
control. H c 'n go forward at need
like a cyclone, but he can also meas
ure his steps and see ahead.
His honrsty is above all shadow of
suspicion; and of how many of bis c..l
le gues can so much be said? He is as
imple, and as dangerous, as a twc
edged sword. He is not educated in
ti e hair Fplittings of the law, but he
is thoroughly grounded In justice and
equity.
BEST CUSTODIAN OF THE BILL.
He hates wrong, loves right, and.
fears no min; and these attributes,
togceth'er wi-.h an ample intellectual
odowment, render him, perhap', the
very best custodian of the bill that
its best friends-or the best friendl
uf a just and adequate measure, rath
er--could have picked out. If Mr.
Aldrich thought otherwise, he made
a mistake.
But the Hepburn bill in its present
shape is not a just and ad, quate
meaeure, and the more it is studied,
the more probable does It seem that
If it be suffleiently amended to fu'fi'
thi real object of railroad legislation
there will hardly be a clause of it
left.
Perhaps no one feels this more sen
sibly than Mr. Tillman. And certain
ly In that cse no one cculd be more
icxible than Mr. Tillman In insist
ig that the requisite alterations,
even though they result in an entire
ly new bill, shall be made.
In its final form, be what it may, it
will go back from the Senate to the
House and thence to the President.
What will the President do with it?
Should he venture to defeat, or to
leave unsupported, a truly good meab
ure for relief from railroad oppression,
nothing is more certain than that
public obloquy will overtake him.
Much will be urged on him abcut
'giving the railroads a square deal"
and not alienating investment of cap
ital in railway enterprise but there is
no danger of our being ief t railroad.
less, or of railroad millionaires being
driven to the poorhouse.
Lat him keep his eye single upon
the rights and needs of the people,
and, in the long run-not such a very
long run, either--every limb and o:
gan of the body corporate will par
take of the benefits.
STORY CF A LXTTZE
Whch Went Around the World in
Six atonths.
Henry M. Fleidner, of Anderson, S
0., received a letter Sunday from
0ape Town, Atrica. BACk of the
receipt of the letter is an Interesting
story. Last Augcnst, while living in
Preenvile, Mr. Fieldoer read a news
paper article telling of the efficiency
of the postal system of the world,
working in harmony with each other
and determined to test the matter for
himself.
He a'ddressed a letter to himself at
Cape Town, Africa. The envelope
bore the request to be forwarded- to
Sidney, New South Wales, if not db
ivered at Cape Town, and if not de
tivered at Sidney to be returned to
Greenille.
Toe letter was mailed on train No.
11 at Greenville o.2 August 1.6. and
s arted on its long journey . It was
receved at Cape Town on September
28, and was for warded from there to
Sidney, reaching tne latter place on
October 19. Nit being claimed at
Siney it was started back to.- Greer
llle. It reached Seattle, Washington
February 24', and was forwarded from
Greenvule to Mr. Fleidner's addrezs
in Anderson, reaching him on Febru
ary 25.
T..e letter had been traveling a lit.
?le over six months, and had been to
a number cf difbrent places. Tne en
velop bore several p:>stoffice stamps
which were illegible, but was still in
tact and in good shape. The cost of
carrying the letter on its long journey
was only 15 cents.
Mr. Fidner has the satis'action of
knowing that the postal system of the
world is a pretty effieient institutin.
He also has the satisfaction of know
ing that there is nobody by the name
of Henry M. Fleidner at Cape Town,
South Africa, or at Sianey, Ne a S~zuth
Wales.
Sets the Pace.
A dispatch from Washington says
Senator Tillman, since he has been
brought prominently forward in the
rate legislationl fight has made one
announcement that has been well re
ceived in the Senate and even in the
House. It is to the elfset that there
is no necessity for him ta visit the
White House for conference with the
President. "The Senate now has
charge of this matter," he says, "and
will be able to perfect it without as
sistance. The president has perform
ed his duties In the case in making
recommendations to Congress and in
expressing his vIews as to what he
thinks ousht to be done." The idea
of Senator Tlllman is voiced most
heartily by the Senate.
Saueors Eescued.
After a night of horror on the deck
of their vessel with death almost stAr
ing them in the face for hours, the
crew of the* four-masted schooner
George M. Grant from Branswick,
Ga., to Perth Ambert, N. J., lumber
e~n, which went ashore at Cape
Henry, were rescued Wednesday a.
m. by the Norfolk with the ship
wreeked men. The indications are
that the vessl will be a total loss.
SWEPT BY WIN31.
One Hundred and Fifty Persons
Are Reported Killed.
MANY ARE MGROES.
Several Blocks ci Buildirgs Comaletely
Demolished, After Which the
Wreckage Took Fire. Great
Damage to '?ires ard
Other Property.
A dispatch from Mobile says a pri
vate lorg distance message recivad
from Meridian, Miss.,-at 9 40 p. m..
says the f1ie is raging in the devastat
ed district. The work o? the resxen!
s going bravely on, but owing to all
ights being cut lanterns and candles
are being used ard the work is neces
sary slow. It i thought that 150
bodies are In the wreckage. Tire union
depot is one of the tuildings bloan
away. The telegraph wir a are still
down between Meridian, M-bile and
othEr points.
A large rumber of persons are
known to be killed and many are m:ss
ing and unaccounted for at midnight.
Among those known to be dead are:
Mrs. Ela Singleton and granddaugh
rer, Mackey Slaughter, Claude Wil
liams, P. T. McInnis, conductor on
the Mobile and Ohio railroad; Wil
tiam R. Nelson, f )rmerly city mar
shall. Among the wounded are;
Charles Emire, W. .T. Wcoiide, T.
H. Brown, Ernest Bennett, Frank
Wocdruff, Will Yarbrough and W. C.
Mrrison.
Information has reached Mobile by
telephone, all telegraph wires bei- g
d)wn, that a destructive tornado vis
ited M-ridian, Miss., at 6 30 o'clock
last evening, killi:g 21 white persons
and over a hundred negroes and dam -
ging property to the extent of 81,
500,000. There were also scor..s :eri
>usly fr jared by being caught in the
wreckage of hcuses. The tornado
caught the city on the southwest ane
traveled to the northeast, expen- -in
tself in two su'urbs where many nE
groes were killed and injured, a whole
enement district being wiped out.
Two large wholesale stores, several
smaller ones, part of the principal
iotel, the electric lighting plant and
,ll the small property between the
obile and O.io railroad and the busi
ess part of the city was badly dam
ged. Twenty men were caught in
De restaurant and several wexe killed.
wo stories of the Y. M. C. A. tul
Lng were wrecked and other buildings
juffered in the upper stories. The
iegro tenement district north of tne
:ity was demolished and the debria
-ught fire, threatening a new dangec
ut the local department, with the
ielp of hundreds of cit'z ns, cera reame
tis after a ihard light. They 'wee
asisted by torrential rain. .following
~he tornado. The city Is in darknEss
nd the full cxtent of the disaster will
not be known until daylight. The
mown path of the storm was aboutI
00 feet wide and one mile in length.
A long distance message to Th~e
tem from Meridian, Miss., says a cy
lone accompanied by heavy rain
truck that city this evening at 6.30
'clock. The st rm centre was in the
iuthern portion of thre city and part
culerly hea-y along Front stree%
ne of the principal business streets of
he town. 2Nearly every house ron
ront street is reported to have been
demoished. The Armour Packing
plant ir:;m which tlhig message was re
eived by long distance, is the only
uildipg . lef t standing and the roof
ot this is gone.
Fire broke out in the ruins and de
spite the heavy rain, the flhmes were
urning tiercsly when this report was
fled. A L.umber of bodils are report
d to be in the ru:ns andc taC ro.:cuers~
are working by- cn~d-le light. The city;
is In total darkness, the electric
lighting plant having been put out
f business. The cyclone did seveore
amage at other plints adjacent to
eridian and all trains eatcrirg Mer
idan are delayed indefinitely. Taie
The Western Union Telegraph comp
any reported having lost 15 miles of
wire and the Pascal Telegraph com
pany also suffared great damage.
Tne wires are down between Atlan
ta, Blrlmgham, Memphis and other
points' and it is impossible to secuie
communcatiCn with the stricken
city. A long distance message to The
Item from J. D. Breaux, service man
of the Cumbera~nd Telephone compa
ny at Meridian, Miss., gives ccmnplete
details of the cyclone that struck
Merdan at 6 30 o'clock Friday even
ing as follows.
During a neavy rain storm at 6.30
o'clock a storm clcud developed in the
south and moved on thescity, strIking
Frnt street, the business centre,
with full force. The wind was prot
ably blowing 75 miles an hour. The
cyclone passed over in about two min
utes and during that perIod three or
fur whole squares were devasted. A
conservative estimate places the num
er of buildings blown down at be
twaen 30 and 40.
Among the heaviest losers are the
Meyrr & Neville Blardware company;
oin L ie & C,., v'holesale dry goods
and groceries; Joseph H. Moore,
wholesale dry geoos and groceris; the
New 0.-eleans and Northwestern rail
rod freigiit depot and other buil
dings, the names of 4/hich are not
obtanable at this bcur. The Mobile
and Ohio depot is safe as welil as the
Southern hotel, bui'tte Grand Ave
nue hotel was copsidernably damaged,
the guests in the latter building es
capng, and no one was injured.
From the busneSs centre the cy
cloie jumped to East End, where a
number cf residences were blwn
down and others badly damaged. Mr.
Breaux stat-es that the number of lives
ot is small. probably not more than
three or four persons. One of the
victims, a man named Johnson, Is
hemmed In by the wreckage and at
10 o'clock Friday night he was reach
ed bo the rescers to whom he spoke
and begged them to hurry and extri
cae him.
Several fires were started as a re
j cf the eyclone but the only one of
seriu; c nscg Ae-:c,, was that in LOe
I the ccmpretse3. All fires were ex
_ogui,-hed by 10 p. m. Mr B-eaux
r-oucts all trains entering tne city rn
t- e. Wires of the Lelegraph compa
nies are still down.
RU." ACMiAGN,
AND DIVERSI. Y CROPS IS TBE
RO iD 10 SUCCE 39 FOR
Our southern tarmers, Who Are Yow
at the Crisis in the Cot
ton Situaticn.
This is the critical year with the
S:uthern cotton f:rnmer. Tils is the
yEar that Is to decide whether he has
sel-control enough to govern himzelf,
or whether lack of self-control will
ag.iin make him a slave of the sp-cu
lato-S.
Toe issue hangs upon whetber the
cotton zc'eage is increastd b.ycnd
that of 1905. It it is increased, juic
in that proportion will prices decline.
There is nothing surer tnan that. O
if proof were .eeded, let any one ex
amine the "Statistical View of the
Cotton Situation" in the Manufactur
ers' Record of January 27tn by that
unbiased authority, Col. Alfred B
Shepperson, of N'ew York. F:omn Col.
Shepprson's article we get these in
controvertible points:
1. The visible supply of cotton is
materially larger now than a year ago.
2. Eaglish mills are likely touse less
of or cotton this year. "In view of
the very much larger supply of E ist
Indian cotton this season and the
comparatively high prices of Ameri
can cotton (now five cents per pound
above the price of a year ag )," says
Col. Shepperson, "I think Earcr-an
mills will use during the seasoa 50,
000 bales more of East LIan-n 30.:.on
than last season and 400,000 . 1.., leS
of American cotton."
3. Japanese mills will also require
let-s American cotton ihis year. Har
they use in the E ..t Indian ccston,
and they ba;o already imported a
large stock of Ame-ean coiton. Col.
Shepperson thinks the Japanese de
r.- d wil. be for 151,003 fewer bales
4. In-* vith its increased crop will
robabl send 500,000 more bales to
Eu-..pe ;an last season, and this also
means a lessened demand for our
Southern product.
5. Egypt also comes up with a ma
Lerially increased crop-a fifth warn
ing against a big Southern crop.
6. Most of the new Manchestery
mills of which we have heard so muoh
are for spinning fine yarns from Egyp
tian cotton-and so do not call for
the excepted increase from our South
ern farms.
7. All in all then, Col Shepperson as
serts that with a materialy increased
supply of our cotton on hand, "the
estimated consumption of American
coton. by the world's mi~ls this sea
son will be only 11,368,000 bales, o
0.000 bales less than last season."
In veiw of these facts, and in view
of the further fact that throughout
the South there is an unusual demand
for guano and for mules, says the
Progressive Farmer and COt to2 Piant.,
it is indeed high time for the South
ern farmers to call a halt and tak:.
their bearings.
AI~d theie is no better way for them
to work out of this diffculty than to
come together in the (Gotton Growers'
Association, and resolve that the
Suth with its laurels of victory fresh
on its brow, must not now ccmomic
flancial suicide must not increase
te . -lotton acreage beyond that of
1905.
Let crop diversification be the
watchword. There is money In corn,
in peas,. in fruits, In yegetables, In
live stock.
If we keep our cotton acreage where
it is a-id make supplies for ourselves
aid our neighbors from these other
crps, tihe South will ro an become e
richest section of our country.
It we go wild over COtton andi repeat
the blunder of 1904, tne moritgage
and the crop lien wilh again re-:urn to
hat us and to mock us for cu fully
Go to your Cotton Growers' meet
Ings, organi es.oi township anc
ctunty as directed elsswhere in this
isue, and prepare for the contest.
The Southern farmers have shown
that they have the manhood and met
le to stand adversity.
TLue next forty days will show!
whether they have the prudence andI
self-ontrol of stand prosperity. Or
ganize your township.
Slaot An Actress.
While ahe Chicago Stock Company
was playing at the theatre at Liuton
Ind., Tiaursday nighs Miss Pearl E.
Elvyn, a member of the troupe, mace
several slighting remarks about the
town wnich some of indience ap
pauded and others hissed. The. act
ress took the applause for commnenda
tion and referred again- to the town in
the same way. While the audier-ce
was indulging-in ljissing and applause
a man in the rear of.the house with an
oath, drew a revolver anci aimed it at
the actress. and fired. The bullet
struck Miss E~vyn in the leg and she
fell on tne ti or of the stage. In an
instant the house was int an uproar,
with women and children crying and
a ringing their hands, and men rusr.
ing, trying to find the person who
dd the scoting. Tae shooting broke-,
up the play.;~Miss E:vynl wasg.emoe
to a dressing' rcom aod. hey wound
prod not to be-serious,A the ball
having penetratedlcnly. the' calf of her
leg. . .. ~
He Ran Away, ,
Lieut. Arthur H. Freawater, of the
Twenty-ninth-ilnfantry,. who recently
hird o Mexicofrom hais army post in
Texas, where he was confronted witn
charges of embezzlement of campany,
funds and swindling of. enlisted men,
was droyphd from tne army roll as a
desertei-, having been absumt withcut
leaveler three. mnontas. Tne D.:par..
mencil.Justice and the State Depar.
menwill hot relax in their efforme to
secure the arrest and extradition of
Llcu: Freawater.
TAKE THE TOWXN AND THRE tTEN
TO K[LL NEGROES.
And '?heir Fouses Set on Fire Because
a White Brakeman Had
Been Hurt.
S :varal da: s last week Sprirgdeld,
0A 1, was thie scene of much disorder
un acc.uut of the shcoting of a white
ra: mni ramed M. M. Davis b)
P:eston Laio and Edgar Dean, cc larf d
bona of w-,Um baa teen place 1 undr
irress and br cause of threatene'
lyrebing hu- rked und!er cover of dark
Uess by -te authorities to Daytor,
where they are now safely lodged It
j. i1. Wrafn the mob learned tnat the
prisoners .ad bEen taken from Spr'og
ti M it nient to that part of towr:
known as the ''Jungle," inhabited b3
col-re-d people, and began to bur
and icot dwelling houses and saloons.
At least six dwellings were burced
an d the contents of one stlcon looteed.
A force of 75 members of Iccal militar
cmpanies are guarding the scene
.-re ne mob holds swvay.
Miyc-r Todd shortly after 9 o'clcck
a-kd that c -mpanies of the Tairo
regiment, OCaio Nitional Guard, be
caAied out. The mob soon reached
t le "Junges" and battered one house
to pices with stones and posts used
.s battering rams. A general fire
alarm was stunded. The sounding of
the gongs served to fill the street with
people and the feeling in the crowds
was tense. The mob entered Kemp
lei's saloon in East Columbia street
and quickly looted it.
Kempler and his wife fled, leaving
their three little children asleep in a
room over the saloon. The building
was riddled with bullets and stones
and it was only by men that a way
was forced through the mob and the
children rescued. After the pillaging
of the saloon drunkenness was an
added feature of the riot. At 11
r'c:ock members of the mob oroke
, ough a cordon of police ank set
ti-. to a house in the 'Jungles,"
wh:ch was qicklv burned down.
S rgeant Ureager, who had charge
L De r quad of police, was hit on the
head wvo a brick and sericusly wour
ed. A ri qipat was sent out 10 0'
clock for tMO X.adia miltary company.
At mi--.ight six houses, wnich had
been firea by the mob, were burning
de; c: ly and the police had apparent
ly lost control of the situation. Only
six members of the lccal militia res
ponded to the mayor's call and .tbe
Xsnia c-mpany, whica was expected
had not arrived.
Sneriff Almoney wired Governor
Patterson the following: "Send all
possible troops and hold others in
readiness for tomorrow." Sergeant
Creager, the policeman hit- in the
face with a brick, is In a serious c.n
diticn. The mob Is stoning and j-jer
Ing the militiamen, ut a show of
bayonets has suffered so far to keep
the rioters on the move. Tae rumor
that out of town troops are momen
tsrily expected is having a quieting
ffect on the mob.
Tne city authorities succeeded at
12 15 o'cock Wednesday in assembling
0,3mpanies B. and C. of the third reg
iment, 0. N. G., which are stationed
here. The total force numbers about
75 men. They are now on the &cene
of the fire and have pushed the mob
back both ways in Columbia street,
east from Water street and west from
Foster street. Just as the troops ar
rived one more building was fired ano
no c ffurts were made to save It, the
police, firemen and the guardsm~n
are now directing their efforts to
frcing the rioters back and saving
te property cutside of the doomeo
square.
The militia were assembled only in
the nick cf time, as the mob had been
arused to a frer z; of rage an d threat
ened to repeat the scenes of March 7,
194, when R.chard D ion was lynca
ea before the troops ctu d prevent it.
The police will make no arrests in
cnecticn with the rioting.
Davis, the braiaeman, is still alive
at a hospita], but there are no hopes
f bis rezcovery. T*wo companies of
the Tnird reglment are on duty at the
scene. A c~mpany of the Ninth baa
tallion, negro troops, is held in read
iess 12 the armory.
Tne burned district comprises less
tan a city block. The tu:ldings
were all cheap tenemnts. Wuen
the poiice and tire department were
unsue to cope with the situation,.
Myr Todd called up the acjnutant
geeral on long dista ce telephone
and asked asurtatnce. Mayor Kiefer
nad great d~fifoulty In getting the
milhm ua to respond to the call to
a~semblet at the arm' rV.
Regea Tfremseves.
A dispatch from Co!quit, Ga., to
the Atlanta Journal says the coroner
has just returned from Babcock, Ga,,
where he went in response to a tele
gram from Capt. Jackson, captain of
te convict camp at Babcock, Ga.
The coroner says that he held in
quests over the bodies.of 0. 0. Thom-.
son, whIte, and Dock Gaines, colored,
btn convicts. From what the coro
stats it seems tbat Thomson and
Gines were playirg, and Thcmson
threw a rope around Gaines' neck mn a
playful way and threw the" other end
o the rope around a piece of shafting
wile it was running and the end got
cauht and began tzo wind the negro
up. Thomson seeing it tried to get
the rope loose frem the shafting and
he was caught it it and the reasx was
both part irs lst thir livs.
Mae e d Three.
Two armed negroes entered the
store of Frank Bato, an .aged Ital
in, at Grcs0 Pu.xt, Near New Ore
eans, La , on Monday nightj an shot
him dead. tatally wounded- hs two
sons, aged 13 and 14, and then robbed
the store._. .....-.
Man~y Dr LWntd'
The storm hst week did considera,
ble damage to shiypingdon the coast
a-smiany people were drowned. The
ru Dtjniel Williatd sunk on the
Man coast~ndflvs men were drowned,
and four 'were lost on another sa~all
vessel ntfar f rm P ilvdelobia.
Fdty Stories.
Nw York is to have a skvscrarer
50 ntories in height, the top of wb chi
will be erected at Broadway and L b
rty street by the Singe.r Manu!sacture
ing compny.
MUCH BOOZE
Captured by the Constables in
the City of Charleston
AT I XPVSS OFFICE.
Packages Consigned to Holders of Reves -
nue Lice.ses Confiscated and Ship
ped to Columbia._ Nearly 400
Gallons of Various Kinds
of Booze in Otice.
The Charleston P st says Chief of
Constables W. B. H:met sripped to
Obmumbia Taursday mornin' a record
breakmg haul, made late Waneday
xfternoon at tne LIEfi Of the Southern
Exprews Company, on Haisll street,
where under his orders, District Chief
aolmes, in the name of the State,
took possession of nearly four hundred
gallons of liquors and wines that have
ween banked.upiat..the express office
since December.
Chief1Hammet said Thursday to a
reporter for The Evening Past that
he had consulted the Attorney Gener
al aboLt this case, and had made the
seizure of the liquor in the express -
office, c.nsigned to men in Chazleaton
noldngijevenue licenses, with Ghe ad
vice of the Attorney General along
this line of procedure. He urther.
stated that if the company wished to
contest the seizure, that the Sate
was prepared to meet them half way.
Mr. W. W. Allen, agent -of the ex
press company for Onarleston, said
that he did not know what would be
done about the matter by the compa
ny, and that he was In no position to
m.ake a statement on the sublect.
Cef Hammet came to Charleston
Wednesday for the pu pose of carry
ing out the se"zare of he atuft, and '
gave the ~directin for Its formal
weizate late Wednesday .afternoon.
There were ninety-five packages in the
lot taken, averaging from three to ten
gallons in size, and tines. conscated
oocze bundles were shipped to Colum
:da- Taurhday morning.
FQr over three months, between th&
hours of sunrise and sunset, Chief
CoitakleRlmes. has had from one
to two or tiree m6istationed at the
express cffice on RHsell street, guard
Irg the accumulating pa:kages of 11
quor that were shipped to the 'tigeri
Lir the city for the Christmas trade.
In several cases the lquor was loaded
on the Express wagons for delivery,
and sent to the addresses on the pack
ages, but they were not reedved by
the consignees, for behind the wagons
trailed constables on wheels, and the
Ligers were afraid to unload the goods
from the express wagons.
Co-nsquenty the qor was return
ed to the express offie and pied up to
await delivery. Many attempts have
cen ma-lt by the consignees to get
ae in Bo. from the ce wa ons or
the Lflljo mto their places of business,
out snese for the mos part have fall
ed and so the pacicages of whiskies,
orandies, wines, caruials and oshier
alcunolic beverages, - hava collected
until, when the salzuri was -maat
Wecnesday, close to a hlundre d pack
ages of Jiqu r nad acaumul ,.tedi at the
ffice, valued at netween $1,000 and
2.000, and stan.:lng fur twice as
muon profit to the cealers.
Tne iiqaor nas been lying for many
weeks unJ.eizen. As long as toe pack
-ge was in the possessii n ,of tl.e ex
prss comn .any cae %ntbles nave
ut heretsi ,re toucned 'any consign
ment tu a Xcohn ciger, Dat nave con
cned th, mnseves with keepwg it un
der guard, and Ia the possessio of
the carrier coampany.. Chief HEsmrmet
as taken the pueanion, back cd oy the
at cson of Atturney General Gunter,
tat the stif can be sezassaat the
very offce of the company, a'nd with
ti in vie w camae to U tarieston Wed
esday to effect tne se.zu-a.
Tne guard against tne delivery of
further ship.ments is maintaimed as
ual, Thur-.day, and a censtauie is in
:ont of the cffcc ready to follow any
suspicians package. Taursday morn
g two aegs werd se zad, after being
trown overbeard by a launch smug
ler, and stored at the headquarters
~f the cinstacles. which showed that
they were on the alert on all sides.
The seizaire made at the express of
tica is record breaking in point of s z3,
as well as in Its nature, and seems to
end the chapter of the Garistmas li
quor ssory for the presenlt.
Burned to Deatn.
Miss Maggie Swartz, whose home
was in Calamhia, was the victim of a
horrible death by fire at Killians in
Rtiland county Thursday. She was
visiting near Kdiilans at tne time and
was out watcbhing a number of men
burn of aurght of way for a tram
road. She was asked to extinguish a
tire In a turpentine b~x which caught
tire near her and in tnrowing an apron
full of sand on it, the flames shot out
and enveloped her and set fire to her
clothing. Sue ran screamtag and b -
fore she ocuid be overtaken she was
dead. The b .dy was found In under
s a short distance away, nct even
er shoes being left.
Wanted to Die.
Maria Brower, a negro woman, at
tempted to commit suicide at Green
ville by pourmng a gallon of kerosene
ol over nerself and applying a match
When fcund she was without clothing
and her body a mass of burns. Before
trying the oil method, the woman
threw herself In front of a train, but
was driven away before the locomno
tive reacaed her. She is a ocaine
fiend. __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Tnire Drowned.
Thirty men were drowned Wednes
day night by the wreck betweenl
angesund and Bergen, of the Nor
wegan c ;asting scun.0er Thor. The
dvessel's cable broke durirg a nurricane
ad she was biown ashore .and sank.
n il thre of oneo crew were saved.