University of South Carolina Libraries
PAGE TEN THE CLINTON CHRONICLE, CLINTON, SOUTH CAROLINA THURSDAY. JANUARY SI, 1924, h JEFF CHANDLER TO DIE IN CHAIR brother. If there is anything tell me.” “My children/' Chandler said and he hesitated. “Captain, I have been thinking about them. My brother wanted to know if I wanted him to bring them here. I want to see them and then ... .<1 don't want to see them here.” “Jeff, that!a a question you’ll ha to decide for yourself. I’ll tell you my personal beliefs, what I’d do. It won’t do them any good; it will only open old wounds. If they were to come here and to see you here they’d only have a lifelong memory. I don’t think I would.” “You’re right^ Mr. Evans; I’ve been thinking about it .... I would like to see them .... but these bars . . .” “Good night, Jeff; if there’s any thing I can do, if there’s anything within my power ask me. Good night.” “Good night, captnin.' And the negro, in the next cell, also condemned to die, echoed the “good night;” the door clanged me- tallkly.-tQL-Captain Eyana. InrVipd thft Will Be Electrocuted Tomorrow Un less Some Unexpected Turn Develops—McLeod Com pletes Review of Case. Columbia, S. C., Jan. 29th.—T. Jeff Chandler of Greenville, slayer of his wife and mother-in-law, will die in the electric chair at the state peni tentiary Friday, February 1, Gov. Thomas G. McLeod having announced yesterday afternoon his decision to decline clemency in the case. So is exhausted—unless, of course, the governor should alter his decision— Chandler’s last opportunity of life and in the due course of unhindered * t events the law will exact of him the penalty prescril^ed for the murder of Mrs. Rosie K. Bramlett. The governor in announcing his de cision did not make public the re sults of his exhaustive inquiry into the case; these findings, he said, will be contained in a detailed statement to V mftjrle latec^-thi». week. ...Jiis “My investigation of the case of Jeff Chandler has been concluded. As I aee it now, I can not exercise clem ency.” Chandler, at the request of the gov ernor, was last night informed by penitentiary authorities of Mr. Mc Leod’s decision not to interfere in the case and the execution of the sentence, Capt. B. E. Evans of the penitentiary guard carrying the in formation to the doomed man. Called from his home by the gov ernor Captain Evans made his way to the penitentiary, across the elec tric lighted prison yard and into the somewhat dimly illuminated corrid ors of the death house. In the near darkness of the double barred cell he could see the bulking shadow that was Chandler on his bed. “Jeff,” the captain called, “Are you asleep ? ” “No, sir, captain,” the prisoner an swered and he sat up on the side of the bed. “Jeff, I am sorry to have to come back again tonight on such a mission, but ti»e governor—the governor’s sec retary—has asked me to tell you that he has decided to turn down your pe tition. You understand?” “Yes,” and in the silence of the death bouse there could be heard only the sharp gasp as Chandler caught hia breath. In the cell beside him a negro listened, but said nothing, j “4 don’t think the governor if he had known the condition I was in would have done it,” Chandler said. “I don’t think if the jury had known everything they would have give me this sentence. But I am ready to go.” “Yes, Jeff, there’s many things that happen at a man’s hearthstone that no one else knows but himself and it may be that if everything could be known that you would’nt be here. I have found you different from the others I have known in my experi ence with prisoners, and I have told everybody with v&om I have come in contact about your case so. I have told them that you are different You have never given me any trou ble. I am glad that you’re ready.” _ “Yes, Captain, I haven’t but one judge to meet now, and I am not afraid to meet Him. ... I have tried not to make any trouble for you, I am not a member of the church, but all my life I have tried to live right and to be a peacemaker.” * “No, Jeff, you haven’t made any trouble; you’re different from the other men I’ve seen here. And re member, that though all of us hold on to life as long as we can, that it is not perhaps the worst punish ment after all to die. It is worse to be shut up in a place like this and to know that all your life you never get out” • “Yes, Mr. Evans, it’s not pleasant to stay always locked up ... in a place like this . . . with bars .... I had ten years of it you know—all my married life.” “I’ve been thinking about that Mr. Evans. My people were Baptists and I was brought up that way and I think the Baptists are nearer right. And I don’t know . . “I don’t know 1 , Jeff, whether any particular church matters so much and think that things could be ar ranged. It would be a consolation to your family for you to join the church and publicly confess.” “When will Mr. Crain be here again?” “I*ve tried to get him tonight and I shall ask him to come tomorrow.” (The “Mr. Crain is the Rev. J. Dean Crain, pastor of the Second Baptist church.) Chandler had not amved and he sat there still on the bed, his head buried in his He may have sobbed. "Jeff,” Captain Evans said to him, **1 he tanked to leave. “Is there I can do for you. Any , telegrams, letters I can fpr you? The governor noti- ^^^■BHHBBp|<Chandler’s attor- jmy) and I suppose he will tell your | Phene 4M Phene 400 Secretary of State Died Wednesday Night W. Banks Dove, Who Had Been Con netted With That Office for Fifteen Years. Columbia, Jan. 24.—W. Banks Dove, secretary of state, died at his night at ~11 o’clock. From the death house there came no sound. A prisoner in the main cell building—ignorant of the tragedy just enacted so near him—coughed and hummed a bar or so from some ribald tune. Chandler was tried and convicted in Greenville March, 1922, of the murder of his mother-in-law, Mrs. Rosie K. Bramlett, this charge grow ing out of his killing of his wife and her mother in their home in Green ville February 25, 1922. Mrs. Chand ler, his wife, who it was charged dur ing the trial was unfaithful and un fit t<J^ rear her children, was seated in a chair when Chandler opened fire upon her with a .32 caliber revolver. There had been some little talk be tween the two concerning “a man at the picture show,” other members of the family present at the time testi fied, but neither had spoken in angry tones. Two of the bullets took effect and the wife was dead. Mrs. Bram lett, the mother-in-law, who had been in another room, started to enter and Chandler turned his fire against her also. Struck by three bullets, she fell and a few seconds later Was dead. Chandler having, as he himself told officers, “ended it all,” left the room, going downstairs, where he was ar rested. In the room were left behind Mr. and Mrs. Chandler’s two children and a number of other relatives Neighbors entering the house shortly Afterwards found Chandler’s little girl clinging hopelessly to her dead mother’s bloody breast. Insanity was the major plea set up by Chandler in his defense during the trial and it was the sole basis of the petition presented to the gover nor, upon which he was asked to com mute the Greenville man’s sentence to life imprisonment. Under the au tomatic resentencing act, Chandler’s appeal having been turned down by the supreme court October 3, he would have died in the electric chair December 7. Three days before this date so set for his electrocution at torneys and friends of the doomed man appeared before the governor with their plea for executive clem ency. To permit thorough investiga tion of the case Governor McLeod al lowed a reprieve until January 4. This date was nearly reached, how ever, and it became apparent that the inquiry would not be completed in time and the governor according ly extended the reprieve until Janu ary 18. A third reprieve was then later allowed postponing the electro cution until February 1. The report of an exhaustive inves tigation, made into Chandler’s san ity by Dr. C. F. Williams, superin tendent of the State hospital, and other state psychiastrista, has been in the governor's hands for a week, but of the alienista’s findings no an nouncement has been made. of resfect for the late secretary of state. The late secretary was born' at Halseville, Fairfield county, Febru ary 28, 1889, the son of Richard Cal vin and Nancy Elizabeth Dove, both of whom were of Scotch-Irisb an cestry. He was the eldest of six children. He was graduated from Catawba college with an A B degree after an illness extending over two months. Mr. Dove was suddenly stricken while he was going up the front steps at his residence one day last Novem ber. He was later carried to the Baptist hospital, where he hovered between life and death for several ~ ’ . 4 weeks. The secretary of state rail- lied, however, and his condition was so much improved that he returned to his home. A sudden turn for the worst came during the last few days, and his life was despaired of three days ago. When informed of Mr. Dove’s death last night, Gov. Thomas G. McLeod •' JAS. W. CALDWELL afud tha^thfrAhythlnF^R the"way^oST MagaSn^ ^ Ai»o your favorite Daily Paper#**, »»»»♦ 44 »»♦ 4f> » and M. A. from the same institution 20 years later. He married -Miss Carrie E. Rowe at Newton, N. C., June 26, 1896. He was a lifelong, active Demo crat but never held a really politi cal position until he was appointed assistant secretary of state in 1908 by Secretary R. M. McCown. In 1916 he was elected to the office of secretary of state and after that time was re-elected for three other terms. In the elections of 1918 and 1920 the late secretary had no op position. ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦■I 11111 tHfrl l Southern Choir and Choral Competition CONVERSE COLLEGE AUDITORIUM SPARTANBURG, S. C. Saturday, April 1924^ Under Control and Management of Spartanburg Music Festival Association This competition is open to all Churches and Sunday School Choirs, Men’s and Women’s Choral Clubs, Graded and High School Cho ruses, and Schoolboy and Schoolgirl Soloists in the South At lantic States. 10 Silver Cups—$175 In Gold Banners, Silver and Bronse Medals and Season Tickets to Spar tanburg Music festival, will be Awarded to Prize Winners ENTRIES CLOSE MARCH 15th, 1924 Write at once for booklet giving full particulars to— PROF. FREDERICK W. WODELL Director Spartanburg Musk Festival SPARTANBURG,-T». CT" Political Pot Begins To Boil In Laurens C. M. Babb Throws His Hat In the Ring Again for Mayor. Laurens, S. C., Jan. 25.—The city political pot gave distinct signs of boiling yesterday when C. M. Babb, former mayor of the city, announced that he would be in the race this spring for the two year term just being rounded out by Dr. W. H. Dial. Dr. W. H. Dial, although he has made no advertised announcement, has stated publicly that he will bo a candidate to suceeed himself. No other aspirants for the mayoralty of fice have as yet given any indications of their aspirations. News along the aldermanic line is very quiet. None of the present al dermen have made announcements of their plans, but it is generally under stood that all of them will pffer for re-election. The election will take place in March. FRESH SHIPMENT Sophie Mae roceived V SADLER-OWENS PHARMACY UJ ’i ■> DEPARTMENT STORE (HOT HUSTLER) ALWAYS ON THE JOB ::: NOW IN FUEL BLAST Closes Saturday Night, February 2nd Our Anniversary Sale will close Saturday night, February 2nd. We have sold lots of merchandise during this Sale and have lots yet to sell Don’t miss these bargains a& the prices made on every article in the store is less than the manufacturer’s cost Re member the Sale Closes Saturday night, February 2nd—Don’t be too late. ► ► ► ► ► ► ► - H|» One large lot Ladies’ and Chil dren’s Shoes sold up to $5.00 pair, little off in style;" Anniversary Sale price. One lot Men’s Pants, hard finish, assorted colors, good assortment sizes.....*. One lot Men’s and Young Men’s Suits formerly sold for $14.95. Anniversary Sale price :... $7.99 VI m One lot Men’s and Young Men’s all-Wool Suits, good styles, made by the best manufacturers, formeriy sold up to $24.50. Anniversary Sale $16.95 price. One lote Men’s W. L. Douglas Shoes formerly sold up to $8.00, good assortment of sizes, black and tan, English and bhicher last. Anniversary Sale price $3.99 One lot Ladies’ Silk Dresses, Crepes, Crepe Knit, Messalines and Taffetas, formerly sold up to $14.95. Anniver sary Sale price $6.95 One lot Ladies’ Glove Silk Hose, ■ f • assorted patterns made by the well known Mohawk Hosiery Co. Formerly sold for $1.98, Anniversary Sale price.... One lot Men’s Knit Union Suits, good quality winter weight, formerly sold for $1.25. Qf* Anniversary Sale price.... v«IC One lot Men’s all-Wool Pants formerly sold up to $3.48. An niversary Sale price $2.45 One lot Men’s Dress Shirts with or without collar, tan, white and assorted stripes sold up to $1.25. ’ Anniversary Sale price l!rC 86-inch unbleached medium weight, but good quality, yard Sheeting 10 c One table Crockery, China, Tin and enamel Ware in our Bar gain Basement, formerly sold for 48c, Anniversary 36c Sale price. Matting Art Squares 9x12 form erly sold for $6.00, in our Bar gain Basement An- ff»o qq niversary Sale price.... Sr One lot Dress Gingham Checks, Plaids and Solid Colors, in our Bargain Basement Anni- | j versary Sale price llC One table Crockery, Enamel, Tin and Aluminum Ware form erly sold up to 15c, in our Bar gain Basement Anniver Q sary Sale price OC One lot all-Wool Serges 36 inch es wide formerly sold up to $1.25 yard. Anniver- rQ sary Sale price 39 C One lot Aluminum Ware in our Bargain Basement, formerly sold up to $1.25, Anniver- 7Q sary Sale price..... .77..... 19C Our entire stock-of Silks con sisting of Canton Crepe, Crepe- de-Chine, Taffeta, Messaline, Silk Pongee, and Crepe Knit greatly reduced for this Anni versary Sale— 98c “ dop ' 1 ■ ■ A. A ^ AA.A.A. ft. * -ft A A. A A A A A A AAAA** a ^ V a. ^ ^ a £♦♦«***♦♦♦**♦ \ V