Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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y -yvy-g. ; >, ■, r .:.f \ 4.-4j i1ii HE CLINTON CHRONK * .-if- .y V” ■■'.■ ■ &■••« ' fAV^r v' • . \ V'^v.^->‘ ** > • • / • - • . mystery shrouds t> DRUGGISTS DEATH w*iy No Tangible Theory of Death of Dr. PS^i R. T. Season of Woodraff, Ar- - ^ > rived At. Body Foand Float- ing Down Hirer. A baffling mystery snrrounds the •death of Dr. R. T. Reason, a promi nent druggist and business man of Woodruff, whose body was diacover- ed at 2il6 o'clock yesterday after- •nean < flog ting face downward in the Enoree river about 800 yards below the Enoree Power Company’s dam at Van Patton’s Shoals, seven miles west of Woodruff.. In the opinion of physicians who performed ai* autopsy last night, his death was caused neither by drowning nor by heart failnre, though no marks indicating foul play or violence could be found on the body. A piece of his shirt was found hanging on a snag near the body, however, and two pockets in his trousers were turned inside out. His coat was found lying en the bank of the river in a position indicating that it had been hurriedly removed, and all of the papers that rhdd been hF-the pockets were lying in a pile on the ground. A pole that he had evidently been fishing with was found lying with one end in the water and in such a position as to in dicate that he had dropped it sud ■derly. In one of his trouser pockets a watch which had stopped at 1;42 o’clock was found, and in another there was 40 cents in change. It was not known whether he had been carry ing any other money in the other pockets or not. • Dr. Season, accompanied by three friends, Wright A. Godfrey, Ryan R. &r. the testimony rendered a verdict as follows: **We the coroner’s. jury in the inquest over the body of Dr. R. T. Season, find that he came to his death by or from causes unknown.’’ The jury was composed of E. V. Lan- ford, foreman, W. W. Swink, W. E. HcAbee, J. M. Camell, J. F. Brock man, W. T. Smith, J. L. Green, W. A. Gillespie, J. B. Drummond, John H. Quinn, B. M. Lanford and T. D. Tram mell. Although scores of people gathered in Woodruff last night to discuss the mystery, few of them had theories to account for the death. Coroner John S. Turner and Sheriff Sam K. Miller, who both went to the scene of the tragedy soon after its occurrence, were reticent in expressing themsel ves as to their theories of the death. The sheriff announced, however, that a further investigation will be made if any additional facts come to light, but that as the case now stands, it is impossible to proceed with sny syste matic or organised method that offers the slightest hope of throwing light on the mystery. Dr. Besson has been a citizen of Woodruff for about 20 years, and for the ^ greater part of that time had operated a drag business. Recently, however, he sold this in order to en ter the insurance field. He was high ly respected and regarded as one of his town’s leading citisens. Funeral services were held Sunday afternoon at 4:80 o’clock at the residence, and his body was buried in the church yard of the First Baptist church, Rev. Riley, conducting the ceremonies. He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Annie Season; two daughters. Miss Lucia and Miss Geniel Beason, both of Wbodraff, and two sons, Giles, a stu dent -of Clemson College, and Ralph YOUNG MAN BY FALL OF TR1 Tom Benjamin In Critical Condition At Hays Hospital Following Severe Injuries Received Yesterday. Tom Benjamin, aged twenty-two, an employee of the Muriel Lumber Company at Garlington, below Renno, was painfully and probably fatally hurt yesierday by the fall of a tree while engaged in the cutting of tim ber. A tree had just be*w cut down and half lodged against another tree in falling. Still another tree was sawed to release the hanging tree and it fell in an unexpected direction. It struck Benjamin on the head, crush ing his skull, broke bis left shoulder, arid crashed his right hip. Medical aid was immediately sum moned and Drs. Taylor and Hays got him to the train and rushed him here to Dr. Hays hospital for operation. His condition last night was reported as critical with little or no hope held out for his recovery. Mr. Benjamin is known here by a number of friends all whom will learn with regret of his untimely accident. • . • j utJiiL ua wieuuMJH vsvucbc, »uu tvaipii •Leorard-and J. H. Person^ had gone, of Woodtuff Hls :tp the river on a fishing trip, arriv- ing there, according to testimony fciven at an inquest held in Woodraff Slit night, at "about 1 o’clock yester day afternoon. Mr. Godfrey, Mr. Leonard and Mr. Parsons began flsh- ihg near the power house, while Dr. Beacon at once moved down stream tb find a pole and a likely looking pool in the stream, it was testified, the party began to separate after Editor Clinton Chronicle: In the last issue of your excellent paper you carried a communication Ashing for a time, it was. stated, and from Bfr. J. F. Jacobs, Sr., criticizing *» | I Mr. Godfrey began to work his way down stream ahead of the others. Mr. Godfrey at length reached a point below the point where the tail rite from the dam returns to the main stream and began to look for Dr. Beason, who‘m he thought was nearby. Going around a turn in the stream, hidden from the sight of the power house and from any house in the vicinity, he was startled to find the accuracy of an interview with Mr. John D. W. Watts as carried in The Advertiser and, as he said, reprinted in The Chronicle. The question of accuracy has not been raised by the only party who should feel aggrieved, viz., Mr. Watts. So long as Mr. Watts feels satisfied wdfc the report, Me. Jacobs, who not prtSehT,'W^br* < tt*on ,plain of the newspaper. His argu- Dr.* Reason’s body floating iu a pool ment^iLany, is with the person inter- r up Stream than any of the others, did not arrive Ufitil it had been placed on the bank. AT call was made for a pullmotor from the Floyd undertak ing establishment, and efforts at re- ausication were attempted but no re- v It was stated at the inquest that no marks could be found on the bank in dicating that Dr. Beason had fallen or rolled into the water, nor could any clues pointing to a struggle near where his coat was discovered be fdund. The ground, it was stated, was. covered with grass, and the tracks of a possible assailant could not have been seen. Certain marks which might have been made by the feet of a man were found near the coat) it was testified, but it was also stated that the spot was a favorite -one-with fishermen, and that it was entirely possible that marks had been made by previous visitors. Mr. Os teen, the man living nearby, testified that he had seen no party of men in the vicinity of the power house than that with Dr. Beason luring the entire day, and that there had been fewer visitors and fishermen than on any previous day for two or three weeks. The only witnesses heard at the in quest other than the three compan ions of the dead man, and Mr. Osteen, were the two physicians who perform- eid the autopsy after the body had been carried to Woodruff. Dr. B. J. Workman told the coroner's jury that he and Dr. W. A. Woodruff had made a thorough examination of the entire body, including the lungs, the heart, the liver, and • the stomach. They were satisfied, he said, that Dr. Sea son had not beep drowned because, they found his lungs filled with air. His heart, he continued, was found to he. normal in proportions and indi cative of no diseased condition. No trouble^ he added, could be discovered in either the liver or the stomach; arid ah! * result of the \examination, he &xriNDr. Woodruff were at au ah-, solute lq»s to account for the death. The coroner’s juty after hearing D. Beason of Woodruff, and two brothers, E. A. Beason of Woodruff, and D*. J. W. Beason of Gray Court, also survive. LETTER FROM EDITOR LEE CHIU) IS BITTEN BY MAD DOG Bessie Ginn, two year old daughter of S. K. Ginn, of the Clinton Mill vil lage, was bitten several times on the face by a mad-dog last Saturday. The child was seated on the sidewalk play ing when the dog approached and in flfcted painful bites. Her screams brought help immediately and the child was rushed to Dr. Hays’ Hospi tal for medical attention and treat ment for rabies was begun. Tester day she was reported aa-'Improving* and apparently out of danger. t - The dog had wandered this far frbm its owner in Greenwood and was running about over the mill village when he attacked the child. He was killed and his head sent to Columbia for examination. Dr. Hays was noti fled that the dog was mad. In this connection, parties owning valuable dogs are urged to give them mad-dog vaccine as a preventative against hydrophobia. It may be ob tained from the State Board of Health in Columbia at the nominal cost of seventy-five cents for the treatment. It prevents rabies among people as well ar dogs. •caused by a turn in the, river. He at oriee shouted to the others, he testi fied, and began to reach with a fish ing pole for the body. His aries at tracted the attention of Mr. Parsons *ad also of F. M. Osteen, a man liv ing near the power house. . Mr. Osteen arrived on the scene before Mr. Parsons and assisted Mr. Godfrey to pull the body to the river bar’:. Mr. Parsons appeared as the other two were landing the body, while Mr. Leonard, who was further | j»cotts suggested, to discover if there were any grounds for the ^charges compained of, he might have turned to the highway commission meeting of April 8, when only Messrs. Jacobs, Stone and Pinson were present. TTiere he would have found a resolution whieh-was-calculated to allay, his viewed. Your readers will readily under* stand that it is not the place of a re porter to go to the records to find out whether or not a public official has mis-stated facts. If this were true, it would have been necessary for The Chronicle to send a man to Laurens # "N. to check up what Mr. Jacobs wrote in his communication. But, if the reporter had been so disposed to go to the records, as Mr. 7 hours after the fatal flight started doubts, quoted in part as follows: “Resolved, that in view of the pos sibility of our funds running short the completion of the highways TWO GOVERNMENT BALLONISTS Belleville, Ind., June 8.—The man gled bodies of Dr. C. LeRoy Mela-, singer, of the United States Weather Bureau^. Washington, and Lieut. Jas. T. Neely, of Philadelphia, who left Scott Field yesterday in the army bal loon S-3 for the ninth of a series of air test flights, were found near De ment, 111., today. The balloon had exploded and was destroyed by fire. Dement is about 150 miles north east of Scott Field. A watch on Lieut. Neely’s body had stopped at 11:15, THE CORNER STORE Only Wibout 75 trimmed hats for women and girls left on our tables. Real bargains $1.00 to $1.98. Just a few fine hand made pattern hats to go at from $2.98 to $3.98. Very fine horn and Milan straws, daintily trimmed $4.93 to $7.98 values will be sold at from $2.98 to $4.98. .The Corner Store. in provided for under the $250,000 bond issue bill, that the Laurens County* Highway Commission request * * * * until it appears that the Laurens County Highway Commission will have ample funds with which to match federal aid in that section * * * * ly ing between Old Cross Hill and Mountville.’’ Your community will no doubt be glad to leam that all matters of fin-1 0 f new gtudents will be held at the ance were cleared up by the State County Court House, Friday, July 11, Highway Engineer in the meeting this 1924, at 9 o’clock A. M. ApplicanU week and that completion of the Cal- mU8t not be less than 16 years of age. houn Highway throughout its length Scholarships are vacant in the foi ls now practically assured. lowing JJ counties: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOLARSHIP AND ENTRANCE EXAMINATIONS The examination for the award of vacant scholarships in the University of South Carolina and for admission Respectfully, ALLISON LEE, -? Editor The Laurens Advertiser. WANTS FOR RENT—First floor. apartment. Mrs. A. B. Henry, Phone 66. Itc ‘" 1 — / ‘ ' 1 — WILL RENT—My. present home and 57-acres farm and give possession August 1st or before. A. O’Daniel, tf REPAIR WORK—Let me repair your Furniture and make it look new. I do all kinds of repair work and sharpen scissors. E. L. Chandler. 6-12-5tc Abbeville Bamberg Beaufort Berkeley Calhoun Cherokee Chester Colleton Jasper Lexington Darlington M j Dillon Georgetown® 000 ’ 6 Horry York THE CORNER STORE We offer to the men, women and girls of Clintopi, who can wear slippers made on narrow lasts* $2^8 to $4.98 qualities, at from $1.00 to $1.98. The Cor ner Storg. Applicants for scholarships should write to President Melton for scholar-* ship application blanks. These should be filed with the President by July 8th. Scholarships are worth $100.00, plus free tuiti&n and fees. The next session will open September 17, 1924 For further information write to: ' PRESIDENT W. D. MELTON, University of Sooth Carolina. Columbia, S. C. ■-■i THE CORNER STORE Who will be the 20 lucky men to get one of onr suits reduced from $20.00 to $30.00?.. If have your size take them away at $12.00 to $15.00. The Corner Store. \ Brightens and Beautifies All Fine Woods ■ * * T?‘‘V- .{y, .-i ■ ‘ v " v ’ ' , v'*, • ‘ Jr ■ TV and Finishes p In every room in the house- furniture, finished woodwork and floors—there is some need or use of O-Cedar Polish to clean, polish, pro tect and beautify. * O-Cedar Polish “cleans' as it pol- ishes ,, ; it removes all traces of dust, finger-marks, dullness or smudge. O-Cedar Polish dries quickly and with just a little rubbing it brings out all the fine grain and coloring of the wood and restores the trans parent, glowing lustre of the origi nal finish. , Use O-Cedar Polish everywhere. eaar ■PoMlI Sadler-Owens Pharmacy Phone 400 " ■. Phone 400 The Hegistering Piano A L-vv/ ii L,( ’1 1 ^ ^ » - I C 1924 OULMAMSIM CO. The Gulbransen REGISTERING Piano of today is the world’s latest achievement in musical instruments. It stands absolutely alone in the artistic results it produces and the ease with which they, are obtained. It is played by music rolls and pedals, as are other instruments of its type, but there the similarity ends. The Gulbransen REGISTERS one’s exact “touch” on each note. It can be played with all the feeling, the life, the delicacy of the very finest piano music you ever listened to. Because these are facts, we are insistent that the Gulbran sen be not confused with other instruments of the same type. We challenge investigation of it as an Easy-to-Play REGISTER ING Piano that REGISTERS your exact touch, that REGISTERS your time, that REGISTERS your expression. Four Models—Nationally Priced $420 - $495 - $575 - $650 Trad. O’DANIEL & REID -V- .• i r.Vf*