University of South Carolina Libraries
SCORES FELDER Gov. Blease Has a Letter Exposing That Gentleman to the Glare. TRIED TO CHEAT STATE The Letter Claims That Felder Offered to Form a Conspiracy With H. II. Fvans by Which the State Would 1m? Defrauded Out of a liaw Sum of Money. A letter which Gov. Please says wan written by Thomas B. Felder of Atlanta offering to frame up a $500,000 (leal with H. 11. Evans, former member of the State dispensary ?>oard of control, now under indictment for conspiracy to defraud, was given out Saturday by Gov. Blease as "his first grain of sand" on the dispensary investigation situation. The following is the letter: "Dear Hub: 1 have just returned from Peoria, 111. I have framed up our company in such a way that we will he able to make all the mono> out of it by the time your term as commissioner expires as we will reasonably need and you can then retire. 1 want you to think seriously of the plan which I submit and make an appointment as soon as possible, either here or elsewhere, and 1 can discuss with you more fully and satisfactorily the details. The plan is sufficiently feasible to justify our taking your associates in on the ground floor. It is this: The capital stock of our company at present is $100,000, owned by you and 1. It is all paid for and I have the actual custody of the stock. Hull, the general manager of Clark Brothers & Co., wants an interest and we may need him, but not at present. If we can get for October, November and December large orders from Carolina, i can issue $500,000 of preferred sto' k of the company, sell it to parties who have already acreed to purchase: we can divide the proceeds from the sale of the preferred and then do one or two things -sell thw common and let some new company run it or run it ourselves. Meantime we will have in hand $250,000 eacn, less such oil ma a a II'O I.-..? ? ??v 1*1 cxj na>f IU pay to others to secure business in the meantime. "Now, Hub, I want you to give this matter your serious consideration and cooperation. If you will do It I will make you a fortune and that very quickly. Write me when and where you will meet me upon (W receipt of this. We have very little P time 'to pull the scheme together.' Have been working on the plan several months and now have it perfected. I have a hrother-ln-law in Indiana, a millionaire, who assisted me in working out the plans and will assist me in selling the preferred stock as soon as we can n-.ake a good showing. He has. as all other very rich men, accumulated bis fortune by the manipulation of stocks. There is enough in the plan to justify us in pnying more for business than any one else can afford, as you will perceive. Then, too, as Clark Brothers & Co. are the largest distillers in the I'nited States, no one can be criticised for giving them large orders. Whatever is done must be speedily done. Can you get your associates to meet us here in Atlanta or in Augusta right away? Now, Hub. don't dilly-dally about this, for after months of labor my plans are mature and wo can make a killing." This letter was signed "T. 11." The letter was dated "Atlanta, C!a., October 2. 190r?." T. 11. Folder yesterday when told of I lie letter that had been given out by (lov. llloase said that "It was a forgery." lie denied ever visiting Peoria. 111., and said that the letter had been "faked" up by the governor of South Carolina. 11. 11. Evans, when asked as to the letter, declared vehemently that he bad received the letter in question and many others and that T. R. Folder had tried "to frame up" with several of the members of the dispensary board of control. (lov. ltlease announced the letter bad l>een obtained after months of bard work, lie said he knew the letter had been written telling of such a deal to II. II. Evans and that it was not until a few days ago that he was able to secure the original manuscript. "II. II. Evans told me that this letter was from T. H. Felder. ' This statement was made by flow Ideas- . Gov. Hlease declares that there is no doubt but that the letter is in the same handwriting as that of T. 1?. Folder. He placed the letter by several letters from T. 15. Feldei and he said that the handwriting was the same. (inv. ltlease said thn' thoriginal iett< r was locked up in one of the vault - of a bank in Columbia. Gov. Mease said that eev ral other persons had read the letter and declared the handwritln to lie I lie same as the letters signed by T. I'. Felder. At the conclusion of the letter the following signed by A. \Y. Todd, II. M. MeCown and I.. M. Overstreot appears: "y*e, the undersigned, have read the original of the above letter and certify that this is an exact copy thereof." R. M. McCown, SOME GOOD JOBS MANY GOOD PLACES FOR THE FAITHFUL DEMOCRATS Will bo Distributed Wlien Congress Meets In Kxtra Session First of Next Month. With the near approach of the assembling of the sixty-second congress the gathering of the ofllce seekers has given the hotel lobbies at Washington an appearance of old times. While the extension of the civil service in late years has greatly reduced . the number of ofllcial positions to be distributed among the faithful, the new Democratic house will still have at its disposal f?00 or more jobs, many of them of excellent salary propositions. The two best positions are those of clerk of the house and sergeantat-arms. They pay $5,000 each a year. The doorkeeper's place pays $4,500, and is next best on the list, these being 1>ig jobs, and a few more of the $5,000 and $5,500 class are filled by party caucus. There are more good positions under the clerk of the house than in any other branch. The journal clerk draws $4,000, the chief clerk $4.000. the reading clerk $3,000, tally clerk $5,000, parliamentary clerk $5,000, printing clerk $2,500, disbursing clerk. $2,500. lile clerk $2.750, enrolling clerk $3,000. In audition, there are more than iif.'y minor clerks under the clerk of the house drawing anywhere from $750 a year to $2,250. There is another set of employes under the sergeant-at-arms. The deputy makes $2,500 a year, the cashier $3,000, and nine or ten more who make $712 a year up to $2,500. The house postmastership is a comfortable berth. It pays $3,000 annually, and there is an assistant who gets $2,000. Also there are twelve messengers to distribute the mail and receive for their work $1,200 a year each. Tli/\ In ? -* ? i iic iuikt-oi iiiiniuer 01 employes in any one branch works under the doorkeeper. There are no less than seventy-two of them. The assistant doorkeeper pets $2,500 a year, while the assistants and others In that department get paid from $750 a year up to $2,250. The superitendent of the house document room draws $2,500 a year, and his chief assistant $1,800. There are about ten other assistants who are paid $1,200 to $1,400 for their services. In all there are about sixty jobs in the house folding room. These employee fold and send out the speeches of the individual congressmen. The superintendent of the folding corps gets $2,500 a year, and the others are paid from $G00 to $2,000 a year. The other house employes include ten cloak room attendants, who get about $1,000 a year each, and there are twice that many pages who are on the rolls at $75 a month during sessions. ? Workmen Find Skeleton. Workmen installing a heating system at Alvah S. Ilrainerd's house, near Hazardville, Mass., found a keg in an old-fashioned chimney containing a human skeleton. The remains were those of a child. Nothing was left but the bones and a few ashes. The Pralnerd family is at a loss to explain the mystery. * Causes Sensation. A sensation has been caused in London financial circles by the suicide of it. I\ Carnegie, manager of tlie Lombard Street branch of Parrs Hank, Limited, who shot himself at his residence Friday. The affairs of the institution are said to be in perfect order. * secretary of state, and A. \V. Todd is a member of the house. 11. TL Evans, when asked last night why he gave the much-desired letter to Gov. Please, refused to make a statement, stating that he was not being cross-examined. "Why certainly," he said, "Tom Felder wrote me several letters offering to 'frame up' a big deal, lie came to Newberry with Hull and 1 told them to put their proposition in Writing. The letter that Gov. Please der which I turned down. I swear on gave out is the proposition of Fela million stacks of Pibles that Tom Felder wrote me that letter and if you will come tip to Xewherrv I will tell you some !iot stuff nhnut other deals that they tried to frame up. It is a bona fide letter and I swear it. I can prove by living witnesses that Tom Folder wrote the letter. You don't know half the inside business and if you will come up here I will tell you all about it. (Iov. l'.le. <e declared that he had many letters which would cause sensations and that they will be given out at the proper time. "Have you any information as to the acts of the mom hers of the old State dispensary winding-up commission that would show unfair dealings?" he was asked. "Not so far. I know they are all honorable men. i have heard rumors about them," was the reply. "Will you sign the measure authorizing an investigation of the dispensary?" i "I have not yet decided." was the answer. V PROVE FALSE j Mrs. and Miss Hall Accused of Smuggling Valuable Nicklace. BAGGAGE IS SEARCHED Tl>p Tip (liven Custom House Officials Turns Out to be Untrue?Oter Zealous Customs Authorities Find Minor Undervaluation of Clothing. The Victims are Very Indignant. The wife and daughter of Joseph Hull of Savannah, Ga., one of the wealthiest and most influential men in the South, were required to disrobe in their stateroom aboard the steamship Lusitania at New York on Friday while a customs inspectress, acting on a mysterious tip, subsequently found to be false, made a vain search for a diamond necklace thought to have been purchased abroad. The search proving futile, Mrs. Hull and the daughter. Miss Eliza Lamar Hull, were allowed to proceed to their hotel, where another daughter. Miss Nina Hull, convalescing from an attack of typhoid fever, had preceded them without having been subjected to search. The necklace rumor dismissed, customs inspectors searched the fam 11 y baggage, and, charging undervaluation in the case of Mrs. llull and Miss Eliza llull, seized the articles in question. Mother and daughter claimed they had acted in good faith, but their explanations were not considered satisfactory to Collector Loeb and the articles were seized. They consist entirely of wearing apparel and will he held until "the home value," that is the foreign cost, plus duty, is paid. Joseph Hull, the husband and father, was on the pier to creet his wife and daughter, as was a son, Daniel, a cotton broker in this city. All were indignant at the proceedings and threaten to carry the mutter to the courts if necessary. "We were made to take off even our stockings," said Mrs. Hull. "Every stitch of our clothing was searched and even our hair <ua nrvt escape. I consider this treatment an outrage and I had no idea such a thing could happen on American soil." It was explained for the family that the report concerning the necklace had probably come from Savannah, where there was jealousy over the fact that the Hulls were fortunate enough to afTord luxuries and finery. As to the undervaluation charges. Daniel Hull said: "My sister Eliza was the only one of the three who had previously been abroad, so I and my father sent wireless to be very cautious and particular in making their declarations. As to the alleged undervaluation, tintotal can be no more than $l.r>0 and that was due to ignorance of my mother and sister and was done with no malicious intent." "My sister Eliza has a diamond necklace which she purchased five years ago in Savannah. A customs inspector there heard of this and got me imsiiiKen impression tli.it she bought the trinket In Paris and was bringing it with her on this trip. Of course she had no such jewels." It was pointed out at the law department of the custom house tonight that federal authorities have full power to search passengers suspected of having dutiable articles concealed about them, and it was added that there lias never been a suit brought as tlie result of such a search. Joseph Hull came 011 here from Savannah to meet his returning wife and daughter. Ho is president of tlie Merchants' National bank of that city, chairman of the board of directors of the Savannah Trust company, a director of the Central railroad and president of the Prairie Phosphate company. He is crodit?d with having made many millions out of phosphate properties. * Divorce in Six Months. Nevada's popularity as a place for quick action In divorce cases was increased Friday night. The legislature let down the bars further, i'.otn bouses passed a bill making a resilience of six months the only requirement in divorce actions. The privilege of leaving tlie state "when necessary" will lie accorded all who e .1 :1111 i.:h II. ..ir l?.w.~ .1 ? .. ' n??ivIIVI' I- lit' rt*. Siiiridcs After Five Trials. At Hartford. Conn., Mrs. Sarah F.. Ashbell tried four times to kill h< rself, and on her fifth trial was successful. Thursday, she tried lianting and her htisNnnd sat up all night to keep watch over lu-r. While h deed. Mrs A Mi hell drank carbolic acid, and the husband woke to find her dead. They Xre Safe. Viieri an citizens held as prisoners of \i;ir t>) Mexican auth i tic., at C.ias C.randes. who have b -n reported in danger of execution, are safe and assured of fair treatment, according to telegraphic advices received by the state department from Amercian eonaeiar officers in Me tco. * LIST YOUR LAND IP YOU HAVE ANY YOU WISH TcJ SELL TO SETTLERS. Mnny I/ottors From the North and West arc Flooding the Ofllce of Secretary Watson for Information. The department of agriculture is receiving hundreds of letters from investors and business men in the west and north relative to the farm lands of this state and as a result a revise list of lands for sale will be issued. Commissioner Watson has made the following statement which shows the tide of immigration is turning southward: Watson's Statement. "In view of the provisions of Section 6. of the act creating this department and in view of the hundreds of inquiring prospective purchasers of agricultural lands?farm people in other states of the south, in the east, middle west, and even m the northwest, the department has determined to immediately issue a? complete a revised list of available properties as can be collected. We are now prepared to furnish to all land owners, real estate concerns and real estate agents, blanks upon which to list properties with the department for publication in the 1P1 1 land list and enter upon the land list hooks of the department, the keeping of such books being required by law. The blanks referred to clearly designate the information desiren and should he promptly filled and sent to the commissioner of agriculture without delay. It is my purpose to issue the published land list immediately and a post card from any one asking for blanks, indicating the number of pieces of properties it is desired to list, will bring to him necessary number of blanks "It has been utterly impossible to adequately answer all of tlie specific inquiries that have been received during tlie past few months without a great deal of extra work and hence this list is to he issued at the earliest possible moment." In accordance with the terms of Section 6, of the act creating this department. information is wanted from land owners desiring their lands to he advertised through the department on the following points: 1. Location?Stating fully portion of county, distance from railroad line and centers of population. 2. Number of Acres?State wheth er capable of being divided into small tracts. Also state what proportion is cleared and what woodland, and the character of the woods. 3. Nature of the Soil?State fully also for what the soil is best suited. naming the crops and setting forth the average yield per acre for the different crops, together with the average amount of fertilizers used in past experience. 4. The Lay of the Land?Stale whether level or rolling, and indlcte drainage facilities. r>. Water Supply?State whether creeks or branches are on the property and average depth at which water is secured in wells. C?. Give a rought plat of land, if possible. (Th is may he done on the back of the descriptive sheet on ' | spare ror tnat purpose.) 7. Prices at which you will sell the land, in hulk or broken into small farms, and terms upon which you sell. The prices quoted must ho lived up to for a period 01* three months from the date of list ins. S. Lands for Settlement Purposes Quote terms for tracts of not less than 1,000 acres and up to 40,00.? acres, or more. The larger the tract the easier handled. In giving the information asked for. fill the blank spaces under number corresponding to the questions o.i accompanying sheet. Tracts of land which the timber has been freshly cut, which would he suitable for farming operations, stork raising and fruit growing, particularly such as can he divided into tracts of 100 acres or less, are particularly desired. If your lands are in the hands of a real estate agent, note the fact in tilling the accompanying sheet, and give the address of the agent. Prospective purchasers will he asked to communicate direct with owners or agents. E. ,T. Watson, Commissioner. * Lobbed Mrs. Itryan. Mrs. William Jennings Itryan was robbed at the Majectis Theatre New York of a handsome seal hand hair. containing $75 and valuable souvenirs collected by her and her husband in their recent travels, last Saturtday afternoon. Mrs. Stephen It. Ayres, wife of the Congressman, whose truests Mr. and Mrs. 1 tryn were in the Itronx, m: do the fact public. * liesciieil Alive. At Kinis.i- Cit - for '. < i) miniit' ' Thtm lay Krnest. ltoldinger, a lalntr er, was buried mid r c.:bt feet of, dirt in a well, bu be v,;n r mied ; allve and physician* say he suffered no serious injury, lie was at tli-? ( bottom of a sixteen-foot well when the wall caved In. Workmen h aid bis cries and dug him out. He was unconscious. THE PRESS MEN Ye Editors Will Visit the City ol New York Very Early in Jane. WILL TRAVEl BY WATER Tills Trip Preferred to Kill tor Fooshe's State Outing?State Press Association Meets in Columbia? Kxecutive Conmiittee Passes on Plans for Annual Convention. In order to suit the convenience of Governor Wood row Wilson, who will be the chief guest of honor, the dates of the annual convention of the South Carolina Press association in Columbia this year were changed from May .10 and .11 and June 1, to May 31 and June 1 and 2, at a meeting of the executive committee, held Thursday afternoon in President August Kohn's office. Governor Wilson deli\ers Juno 1 at noon, t he ban aulaureate address at tho University of North Carolina, in Chapel Hill, ami speaks on the evening of June 2 to the editors of t It is State, in the Columbia theatre. After his address Dr. Wilson will be complimented with a reception in Fliun hall, at tho University cf South Carolina, on which occasion the former Columbian will be greeted in person by many who knew Woodrow Wilson the boy during his fathers residence here as a professor in Columbia seminary. Sentiment being strongly in favor of a trip to New York by water, the committee regretfully declined an invitation strongly urged upon it to have the editors, before or after their meeting in Columbia, take a "Seeing South Carolina trip," of two days, including visits to the Winnsboro granite quarries, to Winnsboro itself, t?) Chester, to Winthrop College and to the Great Falls hydro-eleetrie plant of the Southern Power company. It was deemed impracticable for the association to undertake both outings this year. The "Seeing South Carolina" trip was urged by a delegation headed by Mr. J. Frank Fooshe, editor of the Winnsboro News and Herald, and including besides Col. Jas. Q Davis, the Winnsboro hanker; Manager J. C. Thorn of the Winnsboro Granite corporation, Rion, and Dr. D. U. Johnson, president of Winthrop College, Rock Hill. It was said, among other tilings, that the Winnsboro nuarrv is the l:iri?<?st r>nm moreln 1 nr? dertaking In the utilization of monumental granite in the world and the only plant of the kind in the United States the product of which has an international distribution. The mechanical plant alone represents an investment of about $3 00.000. Mr. Fooshe said that few ot the editors of the State had any adequate idea of the magnitude of the Southern Power company's operations. Mr. Fooshe credited Col. Davis with being the originator of the Southern Power company. Dr. Johnson said Winthrop earnestly desired an opportunity of entertaining the newspaper folk and he would particularly like to give the editors a dinner, in the great new dining hall of the college, which comfortably seats 1,200 persons. Fifty dollars will cover the necessary expenses of the New York trip. The usual rate of $32 from Charleston to New York and return, this including transportation, meals and berths, has been cut in half for the editors by the Clyde Steamship company, and for $1.r?0 per person each group of four people in the party will have, at the Woodward hotel in New* York, a suite of two bed rooms, a sitting room and a bath room. A club breakfast will cost 7."> cents. The visitors will take their luncheons and dinners wherever they like, paying for them what they please* The party will sail on the first Clyde boat leaving Charleston northbound after the adjournment of the convention, which will end on the night of June 2. Half ratts have been secured for the editors from a sightseeing automobile company of NewYork. The committee informally expressed its appreciation of the efforts Of Messrs. l-\ lt.'irroii f'.rii.r /> f Greenwood. Frank H. Gary of Ahhnvillo and Howard I'.. Carlisle of Spartanburg fo put just libel laws upon the statute books of tbo State. Mr. drier save much of bis time and attention to preparing the bill and Mr. Gary in the house and Senator Carlisle had it passed. Governor Please lias said he will veto this measure. The addresses and essays l?y members were planned, but announ men! will not be made until the refary, Mr. It. L. Freeman, hears from the persons so invited. It was (1 hied to invite as peri. 1 nue-r.8 this year \! rs. John \Y. Holmes of I'.arnwell and Charles Petty of Spartanhur". vet-r u editors, who w.-re mc alter -, of th fame . \V llaee bo . in ; ST . Col. K. A. Thompson, suriivin ; niernh r of tii St e - i >11 eoj vention, will also be invitcd speeln!' . Three nit n rs were added to tli roll yexterda . M rs. \V. H. Jones of Columbia, editor of Sc hool N't-v ; MeDavid Horton of the Columbia Record, and Leon M. Green of the Columbia bureau of the Charleston WILSON A WINNER COL. IIARVKY POINTS TO UIM AS WINNING HKAI). * I Declares Tlint Only Progressive IK"in or rat tins n Chance to Carry Haulier in Triumphant Campaign. "Careful diagnosis of the present temper of the people clearly indicates that, if an election were to bo held tomorrow, a Democratic candidate regarded by the people 1? ss progressive than President Taft would be defeated, and that candidate generally recognized as being more progiessive. more liberal, more radical, if you like, than President Taft would almost as snrelv win." So declared Col. Harvey of New York, in regard to the next presidential campaign, in the concluding address at the 99th annual banquet of the Hibernian society at Savannah Friday night. Then ho said: "Let the apportionment of responsibilities he even. The West has rut nished the party, as well as the opposition, with the majority, thougn not the greatest, of its issues. Tin South is to enforce harmony and amalgamation. The Fast presents* the niau Woodrow Wilson, the highly Americanized Scotch-Irishman, descended from Ohio, horn in Virginia, developed in Maryland, married in Georgia and now delivering from political bondage th St.ito of New Jersey." These two statoi merits from the framework of Col. Harvey's address on "The Problem, the Solution and the Man." or. rehired to plain Knglish, tire chanco the Democratic party has of electing a president in 1912. Wi'h Gov. i Wilson of New Jersey as the enndldate, Col. Harvey sees the party's success. The Hibernian society banquet was the climax to an unusual celei hration of St. Patrick's day which i be:.an with a military parade, various Irish society meetings and church services. In addition to Col. idivv.i a auurcsses were made at tho i banquet l?y Michael J. Jordan of Iloston, Mass.; Congressman William (.. i Urantly of Georgia; Murphy G. Candler, railroad commissioner of Geori gia; Georgia Supreme Court Justice Joseph H. Lumpkin; tho Rev. l)r. Charles H. Strong of Savannah and Thos. W. Loyleso, editor of the Augusta (Ga.) Chronicle. * GALLMAN niGGLl) (iOVKIlNOO, lllea.se Personally Delivered Parolo to Convict. J. W. Gallman, who was paroie.d from the penitentiary by Governor lllease Thursday, came up to Jonesville Friday morning and then went to Lockhart, where his family resides. Gallman was serving a fifteen-year sentence for killing Sims Gilmore, in Jonesville, on tho lf.th of May, 1 907. Gallman says that day before yesterday afternoon, about three hours before the time for the work at tho penitentiary to close. Governor lileaso drove down In his carriage and called for him, and he was brought out to the office and the Governor asked hi in if he wanted to go home, lie told him he "sure did" and the Governor said: "Here is a parole for you." Gallman says lie hugged the Governor till ho hardly knew when to let him loose. Gallman said he never felt so good in all his life, and he wa? shaking hands with his friends and \v:is happy. indeed. He went down to l.orkhart on the mid-day train, t<> join his family, a free, happy man. * Klcclrir l*anips Cheaper. As the first direct result of tho fjoverninent's anti-trust suit against, the so-called '"Klectrlc Lamp Trttsf," i he department of justice has received intimations that the prices of all electric lutl.hs will lie reduced It:'. 1-3 tier cent all over the l'nited States. My sncii a cut in present prices, folks who huy the electric lamps will save more than $G.(H?0,000 a year. Ttu? department continues to receive word that the various pools in tho so-called trust are breaking up, in anticipation of suits. touted liy Women. One officer fatally wounded, another with a finger shot olT and a third frightened from the scene, is the result of a battle between three women on one side at I.on*-' Fork, near the Pike and Letcher County border, in Kentucky, Wednesday afternoon. * Two Killed. A s( ial from Selnta, Ala says: At .Ion. ' au'lO'li i - !. VI Hill', i WW rill Iilri'ii wire ki 1 l?*?l ;ui<l Mrs P. Knnd? is anil Mrs. K. (J. (in ?t, thoir ni<>11 is. ami ;i third child wen in,n d, y iici i ;i i. ht under a |>ilo of I n 1m r, which fell oa tin mi as tit y were walkinyt .... * News and Courier. The me in; s <if the eon n.itteo I M : V ' ' \ I. II I Knl'TI , Will1.' Ill I I. ' a ' 1 1-1 Che /ale t (,! (h.lllli I'll II 1 letIII |> Of Gaffi > and ,T. ('. Mac. of Mario:), Tho Vi lli- I III r - Wel;! Otlf t O i ('oloul i in the afternoon and w? re much plea I with the headquarter: of ti.o I assot iatlon. Manager Whistler showed them all over the hotel.