Fort Mill times. (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, September 19, 1907, Image 1
THE FORT MILL TIM I S
. 16TII. YEAR. FORT MILL, S. C., THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1907. ~ NO 25
THE SAD ENDING
Of a Honeymoon Trip of Two
Young New Yorkers.
v
/
DEATH TAKES BRIEVE
To Watery Grave and the Young
Groom In Disconsolate?The Young
Hride Knocked From the l?eek of
Friend'** Yateh and Drowned?Her
Young Husband Tried to Kcmcuc
Her, Hut He Had to Ik' Rescued.
Swept off the deck of a yatch while
dining with her husband, Mrs. Margerlta
Croft, on her honeymoon, Wednesday
met death near Greenwich
Point, close to Philadelphia, and the
life of her husband, John Croft, was
saved only through the frantic efforts
of friends.
Croft is said to be the head of a
big advertising agency In New York,
but his exact nddress cannot be learn
ed, as his nervous state Is such that
he will answer no questions concerning
himself.
A few days ago C. F. N. Rennett, a
wealthy advertising ngeut of Philadelphia,
inviting Mr. Croft and his
twenty-one-year-old bride to take a
trip with him to the Jamestown Exposition.
The invitation was accepted and
the party set forth on the schooner
rigged yatch "Bennett" which is
equipped with motor |tower. No "accident
marked the voyage to Hampton
Roads, and the youug couple,
piloted by their Philadelphia friends,
enjoyed themselves hugely inx the
maze of exhibits.
After a few days spent wandering
aronnd the grounds and visiting the
surburbs, the party decided to return
to Philadelphia. The bride and
groom left the KYiionlUnn
gret, but when splendid weather favored
the beginning of the voyage
they were content.
I^ate Wednesday the Bennett using
only her sails for purpose? of propulsion.
skimmed up the De'nware River
to Greenwich Point. Just ns the
crew were rounding her into the proper
channel a tremendous squall
struck the vessel.
On the deck at the time, chatting
and planning for the future they believed
would be happy, were the newly
married couple. With their hosts
they sat at table and ate and drank
amid jesting and criticisms of the big
fair. When the great gush of wind
struck the vessel, without a single
premonttary roar, the sail bellied out,
the hooin was swept alamt in an instant,
and Mrs. Croft, with her husband
looking into her eyes and laughing.
was tossed into the water, which
had become turbulent under the influence
of the violent wind.
Everybody but Croft sat. still,
stunned and bewildered. The husband
sprang to his feet, and. scorning
the danger of being struck by the
boom as it swung back after its
hinges had caused reaction, leaped
over the rail at the point where his
bride had dissapeared. For many
minutes the unfortunate man, crazed
by grief, struggled like a maniac.
Tho crew put the vessel about and
"J V/lUll, **I1U IIMIKIU UKltlUHl
the men who tried to pull him to the
deck.
Rut the crew wns too strong for
Croft, and he was dragged aboard,
while not n trace of his young wife
could he found. The Bennett sailed
around the spot many times, the hnscrylng
madly for "Margerita" and the
crew hallowing constantly. But the
search was futile. Mr9. Croft, on the
eve of what she l>elieved would he a
career of happiness, had died.
Thursday night\the Bennett was
still cruising about, and two police
tugs were called, the hluecoats using
hooks and nets vith whwich to dray
the bottom on the stream.
Croft, stifling his sobs, gritted his
teeth and said in desperation.
"I am going to stay here until 1
find Margerita if it takes ali year."
Doctors were called to attend the
New Yorker, but the tremendous
nervous strain under which he is laboring
has sufficed to keep him up
physically, although it is believed
when he realizes fully the loss he has
suffered his mind may be affected, at
least teni|)orarily. The grief of the
man has touched the heart of scores,
and boatmen who never heard of
Croft are out aiding In the searoji
for the body.
MAIUtlRD THK WRONG TWIN.
Woman Who Was Tricked Into Ceremony
Now Wants Divorce.
Following the filing of her suit
for divorce from Calvin Thomaa, Mrs.
Ada Thomaa, of Chrlsman. III., aays
that ahe was tricked Into contracting
a marriage with the defendant, who
closely reaembles hla twin brother,
Alvln Thomaa. Mrs. Thomas says:
that after a courtship of "three
months ahe made an aprpolntment to
meet Alvln at Paris, 111., and they
were to go to Charleston and lie married.
Aivln's ardor had cooled, however,
so he sent his twin brother.
Mrs. Thomaa did not realize the deception
until some time later when
the aaw the twins together. After
living with the wrong twin tvro years
tjfoe sited for djvorce.
RATHER BE WHIPPED
Than Stand Trial for Insulting a
Lancaster Lady.
A Rook'Agent Admits Making Improper
Proposals to a Lady and Is
Beaten.
A special dispatch from Lancaster
to the News and Courier says <1 young
white man named \V. C. Gardner,
said to be fron Adamsvllle, Ga., was
arrested in Gaffney and carried to
Lancaster by Constable James T.
Hunter, of Lancaster, to answer to
the charge of making .improper proposals
to and placing his hands on a
young marrled^lady of that place,
| Mrss. E. A. Thomnson. Tho nifonun ic I
said to have occurred at Mr. Thompson's
home, he being absent at the 1
time.
Gardner, who is a book-agent, went
to the home to try to sell some 1>ooUs.
Upon Mr. Thompson's return a day or
two later his wife told him of Gardner's
conduct, and the indignant husband
forthwith set out to find Gardner,
who in the meantime had left
town. Learning that he had gone to
Rock Hill Mr. Thompson went to
Rock Ilill Monday in Bearch of him.
Gardner had just left town, however,
going orl the train toward Yorkville.
Resuming his jourpey Mr. Thompson
found out that Gardenr was on
the same train as himself nnd Just
before reaching Newport he discovered
him in the baggage car. He attacked
Gardner, knocking him down
with his fist; his pistol and knife having
been taken from him shortly before
by parties, who knew that trouble
was brewing.
He tried to take Gardner off the
train, getting him as far as the car
door, when Gardner's coat, giving
way, caused both men to fall, Thompson
fallng off the train, his face striking
a crosstie, making several ugly
cuts and bruises on his forehead,
nose and cheeks. Gardner fell inside
the door, and thus remaining on the
train, made his escape. He was
caught, however, as stated, at Gaffney.
After being in jail sometime Gardner
confessed that he made improper
proposals to Mrs. Thompson and ^
that he placed his hands on her. He i
offered to strip and allow Mr. Thomp- t
son, the husband, to administer one 1
hundred lashes on his bare back, provided
he be given his liberty. But the 1
proposition was not accepted. i
Mr. Thompson tried to kill Gardner 1
when the latter was taken off the r
train at Lancaster Wednesday. He r
presented his revolver at Gardner's t
breast and pulled the trigger, but t
Constable Hunter, who had charge of i
the prisoner, quickly seized the weapon,
the falling hammer striking his i
finger and that preventing an explo- i
sion. I
NKIIVKI) HIM RIGHT.
t
Knrle's Neighbors Pelt Him With i
I
Very Stale Kggs. (
The New York American says Ferdinand
Pinney Karle, who discarded '
his wife because he wished to marry '
his "affinity," Miss Julia Kutner, 5
left Monroe, N. Y.. Wednesday night
amid a shower of rotten eggs. Three '
of these landed on him as he reached
the railroad station, and the townspeople
who had gathered to see him
off cheered lustily as each missile
found its mark.
Earle says that he left Monroe to 1
transact some business in New York, '
where he will be for the next few
days at his mother's apartments up- 1
town. The townsiKH>ple, however, declare
that he left because he had 1
heard of a meeting they were to 1
hold to plan to run him out of town. 1
A number of posters had already
iieen printed, warning him to leave
town within twenty-four hourfe, and 1
i woman had made fifty white caps
for a committee which whs to visit
him. 1
Earle denies any knowledge of 1
these doings. i
Earle made no demonstration until 1
he was safely aboard his train. Then
he turned, and shaking his fist at the 1
mob ctirsed them under his breath.
"They are a lot of cowards," he
said as the train pulled out. "and not
one of them would dare to insult me
alone."
WKECK NKAH THYON.
Passenger Train Derailed and Twelve
People Injured.
The Southern railway has received
a renort iuinrinnrine that a local uas
scnger train was derailed near Tryon,
N. C., Wednesday night, and twelve
persons were slightly injured. The
tender of the engine, mail ea'r and
haggage and express car were turned
over, and three coaches left the track.
The cause is not known.
F'ollowing are the injured: O. M.
Drage, of Spartanburg, foot hurt;
Je:-se R. Ihby, of Aaheville, knee
I hurt; M. O. Nance, of Packolet, ankle
; hurt; P. O. Hunter, of Abbeville, side
ihurt; Isaac Young, a negro, of Annison.
Ala., hurt internally: W. J.
i Croker, of Pacolet, hip hurt; Preston
| Smith, a negro, of Union, slightly
.hurt, about the head; Ben Jenkins, a
negro, knee skinned; H. G. Dalton, of
Spartanburg, hand brulred; Henry
Simpson, a negro, of Columbia;
hurt Internally; E. D. Cook, of Packolet,
arm bruised; Lula Kennedy, a
negro, of Ashevtlle, leg bruised.
4
BURGLAR KILLS
The Wife of a Naval Officer at
Her Home.
WENT THERE TO ROB
And Was Fired On by the Lady?
The Shots Went Wild and the
IturKlar Overpowered the Lady,
Took Her Pistol From Her and
Sliot Her Through the Heart, Killing
Her Instantly.
Mrs. Mary Lawless Rorschach, wife
of Lieut. Frank Rorscharch, U. S. N.,
and sister of Joseph T. Lawless, former
secretary of the commonwealth
of Virginia, was murdered in her
home. No. 832 Park avenue, Park
View, Portsmouth, Va., by an unknown
burglar about three o'clock on
Tuesday morning of last week.
Mrs. Rorscharch was shot through
the heart with her own pistol, takeu
rrom her by the burglar after she had
llred twice upon him through an open
ioor leading into the kitchen, where
he was cornered.
The murderer escaped, dropping
the pistol as he fled through the wood
house door in the rear of the kitchen
Bloodhounds carried to the house
Trom the Portsmouth jail shortly after
the alarm was sounded, secured a
scent and ran from the house. The
scent was soon lost, however, and the
hounds were unable to pick up the
'rail.
Mrs. Rorschach was living with her
.wo children, the elder seven and the
rounger five years old. Her husjand
recently was promoted and
.ransferred from the battleship Kenucky
to the cruiser Tennessee and is
vith Admiral Evans* fleet off Provncetown.
Mass.
The two shots fired by Mrs. Rors;hach
wakened her elder boy, Frank. (
Fr. She cried to him that somebody
lad taken her pistol and shot her.
She told him to go for help.
The boy rushed for assistance but
vhen he returned with nei^i?n? K
nother was dead. An effort was made
0 inform Lieut Rorschach by wireess
telegraph of the tragedy.
The Rorschach home is immediatey
in the rear of the naval hospital
voods in Portsmouth and near a
umber mill to which negroes freluently
pass. A newsboy who lives
learby saw a negro shortly after the
ragedy running rapidly by his home
owards a small foot bridge. The
negro was taking off his coat.
While Mrs. Rorschach had a lamp
n her hand the burglar evidently was
n the kitchen in the dark. Roth
Millets fired by the woman was
round in the wali of the kitchen.
Mrs. Rorschach, with her money
led in a roll and hanging around her
neck, had run down stairs by the
i?ack steps. She was standing in an
jntryway Just at the foot of the steps
when she fired. The lamp which she
tiad held was found at her feet unbroken,
though the lamp shade was
ihattered.
The pistol had been placed close to
Vtrs. Rorschach left bpeast over her
night dress and discharged. it was
1 five-shooter and only three chambers
were emnfv These were the
wo fired by Mrs. Rorschach and the
me fired by the burglar upon her.
Her money and Jewelry were un:ouched.
The victim's youngest child. Lawless,
slept through the excitement.
Mrs. Rorschach was very handsome.
She was about 36 years old
and one of the most accomplished
musicians in Virginia.
Lieut. Rorschach was formerly of
Kansas, but was appointed to the
navy from Virginia.
Thomas Archer, a mulatto, claiming
to be in the employ of the Merchants'
and Miners' Transportation
company, was arrested in Portsmouth
as a suspect. The negro denied any
knowledge of the crime. Policeman
Llllott, at 4 o'clock Tuesday morning.
4 3 minutes after the murder, saw
a negro enter the house of Archer at
1028 Glasgow street, Portsmouth.
Archer when arrested was in bed.
His hats l>ore spots that looked like
blood stains and his shoes were wet,
in condition such as might have been
caused by walking in wet grass in the
rear of the Rorschach residence. Archer
says he got wet in the severe
rain that night.
Gov. Swanson offered* a reward of
$200 for the capture of the murderer
of Mrs. Rorschach, Col. Lawless,
brother of the victim. Is a member
of Gov. Swanson's staff.
Coroner Holiday found the fatal
bullet that penetrated Mrs. Rorschach's
heart.
WORKMKN OVKRCOMK
While Repairing Acid Vat an I One
of Them Killed.
A dispatch from Buffalo, N. Y..
says in repairing a wrecked acid vat
at the plant of the General Chemical
company Thursday night, five men
were overcome by fumes. One of the
men is dead and three otherr are
dying. The dead man is Arthur J.
Sweeny. Those who are not exxpected
to live are William E. Sweeney,
son of the dead man, who made a
brave, but futile, attempt to rescue
his father; William Callahan and
John Kley.
\ \
JAILED FOR ASSAULT.
_______
A White Man is Charged With a
Revolting Crime.
David M. J eftcoat, of Orangeburg
County, Gets in Serious Trouble
Over In Aiken.
A special dispatch from Aiken to
The State says David M. Jeff coat, the
white man charged with the rape of
an eight-year-old negro girl in May
last, was arrested Thursday and was
carried to Aiken and placed in jail.
Jeffcoat is a resident of Orangeburg,
just over the line, but the crime
which he is charged with was committed,
it is alleged, in Aiken county.
He was arrested by Deputies Busbee
and Cate and Sheriff Reborn.
When he was arrested JefTcoat submitted
quietly, though It was reported
he would resist arrest, and it was
rumored that he said he would kill
any man who attempted his capture.
David M. JefTcoat is a cousin of
the desperado Jeffcoat, who created
so much trouble in this country some
years ago and killed several men before
he was himself killed. David
Jeffcoat, is a powerful man. about 47
years of age, and has a wife and five
sons, two married daughters and several
grandchildren.
;He does not seem to think that his
is a very Berious predicament, but
says he will be out and back home
soon. aH he has a crop to gather and
a turpentine crop to look a,'*5r. He
owns some property on the Edisto
River, but he spends most of his
time hunting and fishing.
The crime that has been laid to his
blame is one of the most heinous in
the history of the county. It is charged
that he went to the house of a respectable
man while he was at work
in a nearby field and assaulted the
colored man's little eight-year-old
daughter, seriously injuring her.
It i D q1Ia(TO/1 V* /> w??> ?? ~ 41
? ? P,VM lie nan nurn III LtttS
act by the girl's small brother, who
reported the matter to his father.
The man then went to the house and
accosted Jeffcoat and attempted to
rescue the girl from his clutches, but
was threatened with his life.
Afterward it is said that Jeffcoat
went around to the field where the
man was working and waited at the
end of the row where he was ploughing,
and then shot him with a shotgun,
seriously wounding him.
He was arrested and carried before
a magistrate, but the charge of assault
was not brought against him, so
it is said, and he was released on ball.
His bondsman finally said he would
not stand for him any longer, but the
magistrate did not rearrest him.
When Jeffcoat learned that a
charge of assault was going to be
brought against him he was rej>oi ted
to have made the threats which are
said to have caused some fear among
the people in the section of country
around where he lived.
JAPS MOHBEI) HAILOIIK
It Is Said They Attacked the Japanese
Without Cause.
A Tokio dispatch to the New York
Herald reports that while the American
cruiser Chattanooga was at Nakodate
recently four of her men narrowly
escaped injury at the hands of
a mob. Two of the men had to
swim for it, while the other two were
rescued by the police.
Investigation by the ship's officers
showed that one of the sailors had
made an unprovoked attack upon a
Japanese storekeeper and the Japanese
storekeeper and the Japanese
were exonerated.
The dispatch also states that the
Chattanooga'H visit to Yokohama had
been marked by the usual exchange
of calls from Jaimnese officials. Shore
leave had been granted to the cruiser's
men. and there have been no untoward
occurrences.
.C'RVKAI>K ON CIGAltKTTKS.
Harriman Asked to l*se His Influence
on Hoys.
Lucy Paige Gaston, of Chicago,
President of the National Anti-Cigarette
League, has come to New York
to organize a local branch of the
league and the first movement in her
campaign will be to call on E. H.
Harriman in an attempt to Induce
him to suppress smoking in his boys'
clubWhile
the first efforts of the AntiCignrette
League in New York will be
directed toward street bands and
boys in the public schools. Miss Gaston
and her colleagues will later take
up the work among girls.
Cigarette smoking is prevalent
among high school girls and many
girls in fashionable boarding schools
are addicted to the habit, Miss Gaston
asserted.
TORTURED RY ROBBERS.
An Illinois Farmer and His Wife
Brutally Treated.
At Lincoln. 111., Warren Murdy, an
aged farmer, and his wife, were tortured
for five hours Wednesday night
by three masked robbers. The men
burned the soles of Mnrdy's feet with
matches in an effort to force him to
disclose the hiding place of money
supposed to be hidden in the house.
BREAKS RECORD.
A Giant Steamer Completes Maiden
Voyage Successfully.
A M
MADE QUICKEST TIME
% '
On Record, Crossing the Atlantic
Ocean in Five Days and Fifty-Four
Minutes?The largest Steamer Ever
Built Proves Herself to Be the
Fastest and Best Steamship Afloat
Today.
A few days ago there was a local
ceieorauon or the hundredth anniversary
of that proud occasion when
Robert Fulton's 13 0-foot steamer
Clermont went putting up the Hudson
River at five miles an hour.
Thursday New Yorkers turned out
to welcome a steam craft the passengers
of which breakfasted in Queenstown.
Ireland, Sunday, and lunched
in New York Thursday. Roth experiments,
equally successful, were
epoch making in the way of propulsive
power,?the Clermont with her
side paddles and the Cunarder with
her quadruple turbines.
The voyage of the Lusitania, so
happily completed, was most important
in that it was a test of the most
modern propulsive power. This is
the view taken by her owners, who
are satisfied that the practicability of
the turbine for fast vessels has been
demonstrated and that this new departure
in Knglish shipbuilding has
been justified. ''
The fact that the Lusitania was
able to cross the Atlantic in five days
and fifty-four minutes and was aide,
on her maiden trip, nearly to equal 1
the best Trans-Atlantic record, is 1
held to be of secondary importance. '
Officials of the line said that the Lus- 1
ltania had dane all that was expected '
of her without being pushed to make 1
a record, and they were confident 1
that she would be able, when called 1
upon, to add to her achievments the '
fastest voyage across the Atlantic.
Heretofore, it was pointed out, tur- I
bines have been constructed foe mod '
erate speed, but on the Lusitania and '
her 6lster ship, the Mauretanlu, built '
with the greatests subsidy ever
paid, was staked the British hope that '
lurmne driven vessels would prove
not only the most comfortable but the
swiftest liners afloat.
From the time that the Lusitanla
sailed from Queenstown at noon Sunday,
until she came through the new
Ambrose channel and reached her
pier at the foot of West Thirteenth
street, North River, New York, at
noon Thursday, the steamer behaved
excellently, and according to the
agents, showed no defects.
The proudest man aboard, of
course, was the man on the bridge,
Capt. J. D. Watt, who said: "She is
the fastest ship yet built. We did
not try to press her on this trip because
her machinery is new and it
might endanger her. We passed
through enough rough weather to
prove that she is a good sea lioat. She
did well?better than we expected."
The Lusitania is the largest liner
ever built. The Lucania, also of the
Cunard Line and the previous record
holder, which was started to pace the
Lusitania with fifteen minutes advauce
at Queenstown, reached Sandy
Hook bar at 9 o'clock that night, 13
hours behind the new ship.
SWAM TO KHOKF.
Portuguese Risked Life so as to Stay
on American Soil.
A Portuguese stowaway aboard the
steamer Glenenn Just arrived at New
York from Huelva, was put to work
at the beginning of the trip, and was
told that at the end he would be sent
back to Europe.
When theJXghts of the New Jersey
coast were in sight on Saturday night
the Portguesse decided that he would
swim the rest of the way to America.
He was not missed from the ship until
she dropped anchor off Sar.dy
Hook. A rope was seen dangling
over the stern and a life bouy had
been cut away.
Capt. Gillings inferred that the
stowaway had taken the bouy with
him to assist in his efforts to reach
the Jersey shore.
WHAT IT COST.
Statement Just Published Lists the
Expenditures in Panama.
The Panama Canal cost the I'nited
States Government >84.449,000 up to |
December 31, 1906, according to a .
statement of the audited expenditures
just published. The largest item was ,
the >50,000,000 paid to the French .
company and the Panama Govern- (
ment for canal property, right of j
way and franchises. For material
and supplies, >3,449,000 was paid; |
for general administration, >1,124,226;
for government and sanitation. (
>4,381,089, and for construction and
engineering. >9,729,554. Other ex- ,
penses include >12,138,852 under the
head, of "plant," which includes rolling
stock, machinery, second main
track on Isthmus, building and water
works.
L . .
THE COTTON CROP.
Dr. W. W. Ray, Who Has Been Out
South West
Says It Is Much Shorter Than It Was
I<ast Season and That It Should
Sell Well.
Dr. W. W. Ray, of Richland County,
member from South Carolina, of
the Cotton Association's executive
committee, has returned from .lack
sou und gave out the following for
publication:
In responce to a call for a meeting
of the executive committee of the
Southern Cotton Assosciation. I left
Columbia on Tuesday morning, the
3rd at 7.25.
I examined, as well as I could from
the cars, the cotton and corn crops
from Columbia to Atlanta. These
crops I found to be exceedingly peor,
burnt up by the sun and rust, showed
considerable until I reached Spartanburg.
there 1 saw a few crops,
which were good, but the balance of
the way to Atlanta the crops were
away below the average, in consequence
of great drought.
I saw nothing of the crop from
Atlanta to Birmingham in consequence
of darkness. But early next
morning I began to inspect the crop
us we left Birmingham: and as far as
I could see from the train, the cotton
and corn crops throughout Alabama
and Mississippi were exceedingly poor
as a result of the same causes which
affected the crops of South Carolina
and Georgia.
I reached Jackson, Miss., on Wednesday
afternoon. The next morning
the executive committee of the
Southern Cotton Association held a
session in the Knights of Pythias ball,
in Jackson. We had a good attendance.
I was very much impressed with
the personnel of the committee, men
of high character, conservatives in
thnir vlnwo w.%# ?uu *
.fin n mi no uesire to
make false statements of the condition
of the crop.
They evinced, to my mind, the
greatest care and painstaking in coming
to their conclusions; they seemsd
to havfc gone over the ground in
their several states very carefully.
\fter comparing notes, the committee,
by a large majority, decided that
the coming crop would not he over
twelve million bales?twelve million
five hundred, at the outside.
South Carolina reported conditions
ibout 10 to 15-per cent, better than
ast year; Georgia reported about the
lame condition as South Carolina;
Vorth Carolina reported about the
mine conditions as last year; Alabama
reported conditions about 25
to 30 per cent, less than last year;
Mississippi reported the crop materiilly
less than last year, as a result of
mperfect stands, having to plant over
is many as four times, and in a great
nany instances lots of the fields had
:o be abandoned, as the cotton failed
:o come up; the same conditions prevailed
in Ixmisiana; Texas reported
.hat they will be at least one million
jales or more shorter than last year,
>n account of the ravages of the boll
veevll; also a lot of the cotton did
lot copie up.
The area in cotton was much less
han that of last year, In consequence
if the cotton not coming up; in
xraansas they reported cotton in the
?ottom lands as being In good condiion;
cotton on the hill lands was
joor, having suffered very much from
vant of rain and in consequence of
ust; Tennessee reported a reduction
'rom last year. The Indian Territory
ind Oklahoma were not represented.
The committee, by a decisive vote,
stood for fifteen cents as the mininum
price of cotton. They think that
he conditions warrant them in this
lemand. The editor of the Cotton
Fournal wrote an article In the Jourtal,
saying that fifteen cents should
!>e the price under existing circumstances.
And an article appeared in
he Manufacturers' Record commenting
upon the article aforesaid, susaining
the position taken by the Cotton
Journal.
The committee also stood for twenty
dollars per ton, as the minimum
price for cotton seed. A member of
the committee, who was a practical
Ml mill man and an oil mill owner,
said that this price was not exhorbitant,
but in fact, was a just and fair
I am satisfied that this committee
is an excellent hodv of men. acting
with the proper spirit, with no desire
lo unnecessarily advance the marketand
it. Is their firm convention and
belief that the cotton will not exceed
the estimate made, and under existing
circumstances fifteen cents is not
a large price for our cotton.
In view of the fact that all other
commodities have advanced in price
we must have a good price for our
cotton in order that we can obtain
labor and compete with prices offered
for unskilled labor in other enterprises.
We were advised that the demands
>f the Farmers' Union were similar to
those of our committee. We urge all
cotton growers to stand by us in this
fight, and we will assure them that
victory will be ours.
DR. W. W. RAY,
Member of the Executive Committee
from South Carolina.
I
WAR IN ORIENT.
Japanese and Chinese May Clash
at Aims Soon.
DISPUTE OVER ISLAND
Subjects of the Mikado Seize hand
Near the ritillippincs and Officials
Are Nervous?The Action May
Ilring Into Plag American Diplo*
macy?Chinese Troops Are on the
Move.
The Far East may again, within a
short time, be plunged into a sea of
1
uiuuu. i no probability of a serious
clash between the Chinoso and Japanese
troops Is involved in the action
of Hui, the viceroy of Manchuria, in
dispatching a force of Chinese soldiers
to K wan to, or Middle Island,
where, in the name of the Korean
government, the Japanese have assumed
control.
The territory named is the only
rich region between the Yalu river
and Manchuria on the northern side
of the Shangpi range of mountains.
It has long been the subject of dispute
between China and Corea. The
population is estimated at 600,000
Coreans and 4 00,000 Chinese.
Before the Russian war both governments
sent officials with military
forces for the protection of their respective
nationalities. At the outbreak
of the war Corea withdrew her
officials.
Several months ago Marquis I to
sent Lieut. Col. Saito with a small
force of troops to assume the administration.
This face seems just to
have become known to the Chinese
authorities who now enter a protest,
claiming sovereignty. The dispatch
of Chinese troops to the territory is
the latest move.
The announcement that several
Japanese explorers from Formosa
have raised their national flag over
a small island Immediately adjoining
the Philippines has attracted much
attention in official circles in Japan.
The Japanese insist that the island
does not belong to the Philippines,
because it is north of the twentieth
parallel. The island, which was designated
Protus or Pratas, by the old
geographers, is uninhabited. Whether
it is of possible value for naval
purposes is not disclosed.
NOW IX WAXT.
Ill Health Reduces Physician to
Poverty.
A dispatch from New York says
Dr. Alexander Fruser, who had a lucrative
practice in Providence, It. I.,
only two years ago, has been found
seriously ill and in want on the
Hrooklkyn water front.
The physician, who is 3 0 years of
age, was graduated with honors from
the University of Pennsylvania, and
soon built up a fine practice in Providence
and Riversdale, It. I. Two
years ago his wife became ill and had
to be taken to a private sanitarium.
After that the health of the physician
also began to fail and he was gradually
forced to give up his practice.
Recently he went to Brooklyn and
secured employment with a fuel company
as a clerk, but his poor health
was a handicap that could not he
overcome.
(jives up thk fk;ht.
The Only Colored .Member of the
( eorgia Assembly Quits.
An Atlanta dispatch says Representative
W. II Rogers, of Mcintosh,
the only colored member of the Oeorgia
general assembly, has tendered
his resignation to (Jovernor Smith.
It was accepted and an election for
his successor will be ordered. Rogers
gave no reasons for his resignation,
and as he had another year to serve,
it is not understood. It was thought
that Rogers' action was due in some
measure to the action of the legislature
in passing the disfranchisement
hill.
v<)i \<; (ot i-i.t; i?11<>\\N?;i>.
Bodies of I'nknown Rescued From
the Mississippi River.
A d4spatch from Muscatine, Iowa,
says:
"Clasped in each others' arms, the
bodies of a young man and a girl
were found in the Mississippi river
Thursday. There is nothing on the
bodies to establish their identity. The
police are undecided whether tho pair
grasped each other in drowning accidentally
or whether they entered
Into a suicide compact and leaped
into the river in a last embrace. '
lost both u;<;s.
Was fiiven Right Thousand hollars
Damage l>y Jury*
At Campbell court house, Virginia,
I in the circuit court, a jury has returned
a verdict against the Southern
railway, giving Willis J. Winson, colored,
$8,000 damages, he having had
both legs broken last Thanksgiving
Day on the passenger train, on which
President Spencer was killed.
/
'r