The Dillon herald. (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, October 28, 1909, Image 1
iDiflori Heratd.
ESTABUSHED IN 1895. DJLLON. SOUTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1909. VOL. 15, NO. 39
SUNDAY NIGHT TRAGEDY
AT MILL VILLAGE.
[, .
Young Stanley Hamilton
Scoots Elihu Blackwell to
death. Tragedy the Result
of an Altercation
Over Hamilton's Attentions
to a Young Lady.
Coroner's Jury Says Justi
fiable Homicide.
The mill village was the scene
^ of another tragedy Sunday night
/ when young Stanley Hamilton
shot and almost instantly killed
?4 Elihu Blackwell, a young white
jf man about 28 years of age. The
killing followed an altercation between
the principals over the attention
Hamilton was paying to a
L young lady of the mill village.
Hamilton is but 18 years of age
and is the son ot Ira Hamilton who
owns a valuable farm near the
Dillon mill village. He wore knee
pants last year and is scarecely
> * more than a boy. The victim of
the tragedy was ?8 years old,
married and the father of three
small children.
jl "v itoiuuuiiy at 111^ <JlMUUt;i
inquest held Monday afternoon
tended to show that young1 Hamilton
was returning fromjthe home
of the young lady in question
; - where he had been a visitor that
evening. He had been paying the
young lady some attention and es'
corted her from church Sunday
afternoon. There is another
[ young man in the mill village by
i the name of Dave Blanton who
mk had been paying the young lady
W. some attention also. Blanton is a
K kinsman of the dead man and
iHfc there had been a previous diffi.
I culty between Hamilton and BlanJf^Vton
over the affections of the
ju young lady. Sunday night when
Hamilton was returning home he
p Jwas accosted by Blanton. Some
/ words were exchanged but the
ttv- differences between the two von no1
F men were settled .without a cil)n(*\
cu1ty. Just about this time BlackA
wen came up and sought a quarrel
with Hamilton in defence of his
kinsman, Blanton. There was
V. much eursing: and when young:
k Hamilton moved off into the midk
'die of the street Dlackwell began
Ev to thr^w rcn.1 fv Vt him. At this
1$ ''filled his pisaaay
Much interest was t*
hibition as was shown i\ a* "1S as"
|V anoe of about .'100 pooplcots entered
IS awarding of prizes. Mr.^ the large
1 tured 011 the selection , .
rom the heart
' Jurv (lives Verdict ^kwell turned
lj Lanaagip-'' ^ street -ibout a
Ij^^P^^ards when he fell upon
?<=es, pulled his pistol and
nIC * several shots in the direction
of Hamilton. Then lie staggered
bock to the spot where he had
been shot and died. He told some
companions he was mortally
wounded and was dying but he
made no statement concerning the
k difficulty.
The weapon used was a 22. cal
jure pisioi anu ueatn resuiiw wiui]
in 30 minutes after the shooting.
{ tfBlackwell ,*ras a son of the old
iptpflbaan BfecJkw*>ll who was killed bv
| train ira&r Maple Swamp trestle
' B. several years ago. He, has severL|
al sisters living on the mill village.
? The family moved here from
^ [ North Carolina. He was not an
J employee of the mill, but worked
k: fctodd jobs around town,
jp.. Hamilton lives with his father
ji ' v^\is known as a peaceable, hard.
egtabliSWJndustrious boy.
f agitated by 9teL Jury returned a
jj\ noons of the Elfiable homicide,
pony of Elyin If , rocks
were
kV put ?n a plant Hr
Several local hu^d man s body.
A . ready become intd^lences of hav\k.
i*?* *n<* svjb^frib.veral times.
ft,' thought that the reT_
money will be raiaet
#) 1 $1.50 a year*
FORGED JEFF
DAVIS' IRJWS.
Blacksmith Tells Tale of
Confederacy's President. '
1 Claiming: that he made the
shackless with which President
Jefferson Davis of the Confederacy
was ironed while a
prisoner in Fort Monroe, Henry
Charles Arnold, the village blacksmith
of Granville Center, near
here, this week told a newspaper
man the interesting story. He
was a blacksmith then, and has
followed his trade ever since, and
he vividly remembers his experiences
with the noted prisoner,
says a Wilkesbarre special to the
Richmond Times-Dispatch.
He contradicts the story that
uavis submitted t o the irons
meekly, and tells how force had to
be used to get them on. Said
he: ' A
"I am the son of William Arnold,
and was born in New London
county, Conn., on July 4 (a
singular date), in the year 1840When
the war broke out 1 did not
hesitate in responding to the call
to arms, and I became stationed
at "Fort Monroe, where I worked
as a blacksmith. Well I remember,
toward the close of 1865,
when President Johnson issued a
statement in which he offered a
reward of $100,000 for the capI
ture of Jefferson Davis, president
of the Confederate States, and it
was certainly enjoyable news to
the occupants of the tort when it
was announced that Mr. Davis
had been captured by Col. Pitchard
of thi> Rnnrtli
I ? ...v ?. VM*. w?* iuiviii^uii cai"
vary at Mitchelville, Ga., where c
he was in the disguise of a woman N
and was going to a spxing for a
pail of wter. The dress he wore 1
was too short, with the result that c
his i(Jentify was easily discovered.^
, c
Leading up to the arrival of Mr. N
Davis at Fort Monroe, the
smith said: "Gen. Nelson MiksV
was then in charge in Washington
and it was he who issued the orders
that shackles should be placed
about the ankles of the Confederate
president, and it was Capt. 2
Tidlaw who ordered me to make t
them. Capt. Tidlaw was of the
Third Pennsylvania heavy artill- ^
ery, which never took f>art in an t
active battle.
"As the captain and myself en- 2
tered the room where Mr. Davis S
c
tiroes pnnnorl 1 ? 1 ? ?
it?? wuiiuvu iauci wi^ lying
upon an iron bed. He was reading
an Episcopal prayer book. ^
Seeing the shackles in my hand, ^
Mr. Davis said:
"My God, your're not going to
iron me?" To which Capt. Tid- S
law replied: "Yes it is orders ^
from Washington."
"Mr. Davis said: Such is unnecessary,
for you have everything
guarded, even the windows."
"But the captain replied that ^
such were the orders from Wash- ^
ington. Mr. Davis got up from
his bed. He spoke of the disgrace
he would experience if the
irons were placed on him.
"Telegraph to Washington and
see if the orders were not a mis c
take,'* i&Sd Mr. Davis.
lCapt. Tidlaw, turning to me 1
and said: "Go on with your r
work." , ^
"I got down on my knees and c
started to place the shackles, but t
Mr. Davis resisted. Several \
moments passed, during which i
the president said that it was un- \
lawful to place a man in irons. I J
told him to lie down on the floor,
and he turned to me and remark- j
ed: "Who made you spokes- ^
man?" At that instant several i
men were passing on the outside, xand
I told the captain to call them [
in, .which he did, and in* a few <
minutes Mr. Davis was lying* on y
rt'irini
NEW COUNT]
TO BE f
News is Received in Dillon v
Good News is Shouted
Citizens Express th
Bon Fires and
Fire ?
The fifteen year's fight for a
New County is about to end. The
governor has ordered an election
jpon the question of forming a
New County out of the upper por:ion
of Marion for Tuesday, December
14th. This good news
,vas flashed over the wires to Dilon
Friday afternoon and there
vas a demonstration by the citi:ens
seldom equalled in the his
:ory of the town. It has been a
lard-fought fight and now that
rictory seems almost at hand enhusiasm
runs high and "The
Mew County" is the all-absorbing
opic.
As announced briefly through
rhe Herald last week the New
bounty has won out on the quesion
of territory. Prof. Colcock,
vho was appointed by the goverlor
as referee in the matter when
he question of territory arose, reported
that be h^d found 501
[plus) square miles in the New
bounty. This is a very narrow
nargin, but it shows enough territory
to enable the New County
o come within the constitutional
imits ancf the governor has order
:d the election for Dec. 14. The
>ld county has conceded to the
STew County enough taxable prop:rty
and population t o comply
vith the constitution and the setlament
of the area question renoves
the last obstacle in the way
>f the election.
It will be noted that Prof. Col:ock
says "501 square miles plus"
vhich is taken to mean that the
Did County may contain more'
han 501 square miles, but not
tSyfloor, while I fastened the
ihaekles about his ankles.
"Mr. Davis said: "You might
is well shoot me as to put on
hose irons," but nevertheless
hey were soon on.
"About one week later Mr.
Davis complained of being sick,
several physicians were called to
ittend him. but he declined the
iervices of all with the exception
>f Dr. Craven, of New York, and
he latter ordered the irons taken
kfT urhiVVt tuQC r1r>n p K\r
\.fter the shackles were removed |
dr. Davis was transferred to anther
building, where he was
trongly guarded."
One of the men who often took
dr. Davis out for his daily exerise
was Loren Leonard, now
lead, husband of Sophia Leonard,
vho corroborated the story. Mr.
VrnoM said that after the war he
iccompanied M r . Leonard to
Jranville Center where he has
ived as the village blacksmith
ver since. t
Only a Possum.
On historic Maple near the inorporate
limits, two young lad1
es from nearby towns wore visitng
at the home of a lady friend
vhose vine clad cottage nestled
lear by this densely shaded stream;
vhose rippling water in the days
>f loner aco echoed manv dorlr
leeds where human gore stained
he rich soil on which peace and
>rotherly loved now reign supeme.
Near the wee small hours
vhen long since the low murmurng
song of the crickets had
jrought sleep to the inmates of
he home excepting Miss Les, her
jeart and thoughts were faraway
with him to whom her busy pen
vas pouring out the richest treasures
of her loving heart. The
>ther viritOF- -WIS sleeping the
deep that only tY** - 1
*n know, and & vould
now and th/
y ELECTION^
iELD DEC. 14. '
i^__? w
nth Great Rejoicing. The
through Trumpets and c
eir Joy by Kindling ir
I Sending off il]
forks. A
p<
any less. When he was making
a test survey of the lines alleged ta
to be short Prof. Colcock said he
ai
could not determine the exact
number of square miles in the ^
county without making a survey ^
of the entir county, but that he ,,
could say w hether or not Messrs. ^
Hamby and Beatty had found
enough territory to enable the
New County to comply with the
constitutional requirements.
When it was learned in Dillon f
Friday afternoon that the gover- ]j,
nor had ordered the election for
Dec. 14 the joy of the people knew
Tin hnnnrlc onrl tVio
MV WM41UO uiiu IUW UWlllv/liMl (ILIUII J^,
that followed and lasted until a .
is
very late hour manifested more ^
eloquently than words than the en- j
thusiasm of the Dillon people over <r;
the movement to establish a conn- ^
ty of their own. The opponents ^
of the movement have fought the '
New County inch by inch and jj,
thousands of dollars have been
spent by both sides in the effort .
to win but in the matter of tcrri- r,
tory the New County has won a tj.
most decisive victory as those who -s
know the situation well feel confi- j
dent that the New Countv will
prevail in the election to be held j,
on the 14th.
In the event of a New County al
victory no time will be lost in the fr
effort to get a bill before the next r
general assembly creating the m
New County and giving to the jj.
commissioners to be appointed by tr
the governor authority to erect B
the public buildings and put the at
county machinery in motion.
1 ?? P?.
lovely face suggested an enchant- V*
ed listener to the mystic swells ec
that floated out from the angelic re
choir in the realm of bliss far cj,
above her. Tnen without warning
or premonition that a tragedy ce
was on the eve cf fullfillment the th
old Shanghi rooster and hisexten- Bi
sive family waked up the silent jn
sleepers with their piteous squalls
for help. Like a knight errant of
old the charming Miss Les, heroic 011
soul that she is, forgot for the an
time the distant lovtr and with a sic
lamp in one hand and an iron poker f,?
in the other she rushed to the res- Uc
cue, with the intrepid Miss Pearl
close at her heels. When the lo1
coop was reached, lo, and behold! wl
a gigantic possum was in the act Lti
of murdering the hostess' speckled
pullet?one that would have ^
made President Taft lick his chops
in unfeigned admiration. With- on
out any hesitancy Miss Lo lit on- ne
to him with well aimed blows and
walloped the life out of him in vj]
short order. Like the great Cae- j
sar "She came, she saw she conquered"
and the fair Miss Pearl's '
admiration was so profound that nu
she patted her on the back and yo
said "bully for you!" Hy this ne
time the entire household had ,
reached the battle field and the
praises of the heroic slayer of the
chicken thief was sung m unmeasured
terms. Robert the young
lad of the household lugged this
trophy of a midnight hunt over to
his neighbor, and two days after, ^
Bill Blunt, an epicure of the first A
water, had a feast famous in our
South land as the par excellence Di
of good living-Possum and 'tater.
- ex
^ ^ _ ...1
rrank oethea, a very worthy
colored man who worked on M r. j ^
A. M. Bethea's place, died at McLeod's
Infi rmary last Saturday gland
the body was brought to Dil- wl
Ion Sunday. Bethoa was suffer- c
er
ing from uric acid poisoning and fu
was taken to the Infirmary for an wj
operation but he died before the Vi
ODC^wtion could He performed. th
ff]
:ear. tw
\ M
Is Latt3-Branch Kailroad to be Dis
continued?
News:
Vou cannot help your neigh Dor
ithout helping yourself, you canot
hurt your ncighbot without
urting yourself. The Atlartic
oast Line Railroad Co. in fightig
the town of Latta has publicly
Jvertised for competition. If
'illon was to be fastened by the
. C. L. to build it up at the ex:nse
of Latta then the business
orld is not slow to see advanges
to be gained by putting in
lother railroad to the happy,
-osperous town of Dillon to
tare in the handling and hauling
its freight and passengers.
!?on there is to be open a cotnletc
line from that thriving town
Dillon through the most pros%rous
section of the State of
uuth Carolina via Clio and
.ccxjii, ?-> ana uaniiet, in.C.
here is also to be added to this
ne a mail car for the benefit of
? patrons.
More than this, the railroad
0111 Bcnnettsvillc to Brownsville
making every arrangement to
tild on to Latta to aid her in her
. nigh ted state and Latta should
ive all possible encouragement
> this project and also all its finncial
aid possible, especially in
ivinj? a free riirht-of-way. This
ne and its extension on b> Maim
is the only hojie and salvation
Latta, for the Latta-Braneh
tilroad is going to be a thing of
le past here-before long, or that
the opinion of one of the best
asiness nan I have heard talk.
It has already been discussed by
le Post Office Department the
ivisability of putting Bingham
id Mallory 011 a Rural Route
otn Latta and Dunbar on Rural
oute from Clio. This would be
uch saving to the Government.
;t. it would save the entire conaet
of mail haul by the 1-atta
ranch railroad, also the receipts
the -1th class Post Ofliees would
} thrown into the presidential
offices, and the presidential
>st masters being salaried oflfis
the Government would get the
ceipts, whereas, now the 4th
iss post masters got these reipts.
This will do away with
e mail entirely on the Latta
ranch railroad?the Clio mail be?
carried from Dillon. Now
th the MeColl and Dillon road
one side and the Bennettsville
d Brownsville road on the other
le, and Brownsville, by building'
ur more miles can cut off prac:ally
all the receipts from Mal*y
on the Lattf. Branch railroad,
lat use would there be for the
itta Branch railroad?
Now, these are business facts as
ked to your correspondent by
e of the best, up-to-date busiss
men of the country.
If the BennettsvMle and Brownsle
road comes on to Latta, it;
_>ks like "(rood bvo" totho T.atta I
ancli railroad, and shall I say)
ly Latta wish it God speed. If i
u are not ffoin.tr to help your I
iffhbor ffet out and let somej
dv else come in that will help.
Edd Riddle.
^ i>?
Miss David Recites.
The followinff from the Adair
>unty (Kentucky) News will be;
interest to Miss David's many
illon friends:
"Miss Edna David, teacher of
pression, and Miss Eliza Gibbs,
io is the instructor in music,
ew a large audience to the
asey-wuson chapel last Satur- j
y evening. An interesting pro- j
am had been made out, and all
io attended were well paid for
dimbing the hill." Asa read-j
, Miss^avid is easy and grace1,
and'- < an imitator cV<e ranks
th th an<l re<* KP?f!i aPPear
irtm' every night. What would y
e 3 iac me to do for itt" l)octo
,tiytop playing bridge, madam."
Les 1
p chi
... V v
REPORT OF
GRAND JURY.
To The Honorable R. C.
Watts, Presiding Judge.
We the Grand Jury of Marion
county, beg leave to submit our
final report:
We have acted upon all bills
handed us by the Solicitor, We
have also investigated all other
matters that were brought before
us that we deemed worthy of action.
We examine the jail, the
County Home, the convict camp
(ehaingang), the offices of the
county, and wish to submit the
following report:
JAIL
We find the jail well kept;
prisoners say they get plenty to
eat- We reccomend that the
walls o! the jail be calcimined and
the wood work be painted where
neccessary. We also reccomend
the sale of the old jail property to
the best advantage. This matter
has been reccomended before,
but not carried outCOURT-HOUSE
We find ne court-house seems
in a dilapidated and unsanitary
'condition. We recommend that
j the board of county commissioners
do proceed at once to have the
i walls of the entire court-house
(including all offices on the lower
floor) covered with a coat of calcimine
or some hard wall finishi
...:n i?1u-? %
mm. win in ikmen inc wans, ana
have all the woodwork painted
where neecessary; have all the
furniture in the court-house repainted
and varnished, and a new
carpet on the floor, and new furniture
placed where neecessary;
and that the Clerk of Court keep
the ecurt-house locked except
when court is being: held.
COUNTY HOME
We find the poor-house is well
kept, lands well cultivated, and
the houses are in good condition,
except that the chimneys all need
new backs and hearths, and a
piazza to each house; which we
! reccommend that the County Com-,
1 missioners do at once.
KOADS AND BRIDGES
We find the roads in fair condition
throughout the county, but
the bridges are generally in a bad
condition; and we reccommend
that the Supervisor notify the
overseers in the various portions
of the county to have this work
done as soon as possible.
CHAINGANG
The committee appointed to investigate
the chaingang commend
Mr. Martin, the County Supervisor,
for good judgment and consideration
displayed in his general
management of the chaingang.
CLERK OR COURT
We find the office of Clerk of
v^ouu Kepi in me most Dustness
like manner. We find the office
entirely satisfactory for the transaction
of the Clerk's business and
records.
AUDITOR AND TREASURER
We find these offices well kept.
We have investigated these offices
and find they are in perfect condition.
JUDGE OF PROBATE
We find this office also well kept
and the office building adequate to
meet all its needs.
MAGISTRATES
We have examined the books
of the Magistrates. Two magistrates
in the town of Marion, but
with this exception there has not
been a single magistrate in the
county who has displayed to the
grand jury his records or examination
required bv law. We nre
sent them for non performance of
this duty (except Mr. S. L. Page
who is violently sick.)
We present Mrs. Addie Cornelius
and J. W. Beacham for li"ing
in adultery. Witnessess: C. V.
Blackhait, Ulius Moore, G, G.
Green, W. J. Foxworth, C. C.
Davis, C. R. Moore and Charlie
King.
We present John Bell and Joe
Moore for high and aggravated a
r: 1 'seasoned o^tery. Witnesses: *
1 has been well pepper?T?, -Mosstn.
1 V