The Clinton chronicle. (Clinton, S.C.) 1901-current, November 20, 1924, Image 1
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THE CHRONICLE
Strives To Be a aeon News
paper. Complete, Newsy
and Reliable.
VOLUME XXIV
CLINTON, S. Cl THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1924
TWO MEN GET
REPRIEVE
Governor Says Action Necessary To
Make Thorough Probe of Case.
Reprieves Until Dec. 5.
Columbia, Nov* 15.
tiai
‘■Mortimer. N.
King and Frank Harrell, under sen
tence to die at the state penitentiary
here next Friday for the murder of
Major Samuel H. Me Leary, today
were reprieve! by Governor Thomas
G. McLeod until Friday, December
5. The governor issued a statement
in which he asserted that the re-
GOVERNORS CLOSE
SERIOUS PROGRAM
prieve was granted by him in order , _
t* allow .dditi9Mi.tit.wJor ,Cfcamb«r of Commarce
gation and consideration of the cases.
. “It has been impossible,” the gov
ernor said, “for J attom'eys who are
earnestly representing these unfor
tunate men to present .the cases to
me until yesterday, and I have just
received a transcript of th$ testi
mony in the case.
“I feel that I must and I will give
to this case every consideration; and
in order to do so, in order to inves
tigate the various angles presented,
more time will be needed. Engage
ments at the governor^’ conference,
nmde some time ago, will take me
away from my office for the greater
rt 'of next week. The -reprieve,
ted as of the day set for the exe-
ion of the sentence, allows two
ks, exclusive of next week, for
investigation and consideration of the
case.
“The allowing of the reprieve does
not presage the granting of clemency
as asked, but the enforcement of law
and the lives of two men are at
Stake, and as in all o'l er cases, I
must make the fullest and most com
plete investigation of all the facts
available to me.”
Major Me Leary yas slain on the
Raleigh-Columhia highway on the
afternoon of July 2, about 12 miles
south of Cheraw, S. C., after he had
given King and Harrell a “lift” in
his automobile. About a week later
the War Department instituted a
search for him which extended over
the* Southeastern states, resulting in
Chief Executives Discuss Accidents At
Grsde Crossings and Deplore
Recklessness.
Jacksonville, Nov^ 18.—Governors
who attended the sixteenth annual
ference here yesterday and today
were tonight aboard the St. Johns
river steamer, Osceola, bound for San
ford, having completed the discussions
before them and adjourned during the
noon hour. They are the guests on
the trip of Governor Carey Hardee
and the people of Florida. The party
will disband at Miami Saturday.
Just prior to their departure from
Jacksonville the governors were the
of Jim At hi, >me ne,r TO
Canton, N. C., and later of Harrell "l«Hwnthin th*
With his brother near Nashville, Tenn
where he had fled. '
Leading a party of anpy officers,
state officers and a newspaper man
to the spot where the murder occur
red, King identified a heap of bpnes
as those of Major McLeary. It was
brought out at the trial in Chester
field, S. C., in which county the mur
der was committed, that Harrell had
signalled when the army officer’s car
had reached a lonely spot, at which
King drew his pistol and ordered Ma
jor McLeary to halt the vehicle. Both
King and Harrell, it was : testified,
drove the major ahead of them into
the woods, Harrell returning to shut
off the engine and to watch for pass-
ersby. After robbing the major, ac
cording to the evidence, King shot
and killed him.
Both were convicted of murder
/without recommendation to mercy and
were sentenced by Judge C. C. Feath, 1
erstone to death by electrocution at
the state penitentiary here op Novem
ber 21.
For several weeks the governor has
been receiving communications from
citizens writing pro and con in re-
! gard to commutation of Harrell's sen
tence. Friday, a petition signed by
800 citizens tf Chesterfield county
and 11 members of the trial jury, was
presented by defense attorneys, ask
ing commutation of both sentences to
life imprisonment.
The death house in the state peni
tentiary late today was the scene of
a little drama when the reprieve was
transmitted to penitentiary authori
ties by State Detective Hart. B. E.
Evans, captain of the guard, entered
the death house and announced:
“King and Harrell, the governor has
reprieved you until December, 5.”
“Gee, that’s good,” exejaimed Har
rell. “I’m sure glad of it.”
The only other occupant of the
chamber of the condemned, Edmund
D. Bigham, convicted of slaying five
members of his family, listened with
intercs to the announcement^ it is
said. King and Harrell were visibly
cheered by the temporary respite.
atff
Governor
named yesterday as chairman of the
executive committee, declared today
that it would be the aim of the com
mittee between*now and the next
meeting to create more interest in
the conference and bring about at
tendance of every governor in the
United States. He said, too, that the
committee would strive to arrange
for a meeting next year that would
lead more to an actual business ses
sion and pay less attention to social
functions and" entertainment features.
This expression followed the read
ing of papers by Governor Branch of
Indiana, and Governor Cox of Massa
chusetts, relating to automobile acci
dents at railroad crossings, responsi
bility for them and compensation for
the victims of automobile accidents
on the highways.
Governor Cox placed before the
conference the provisions of an act
introduced in the legislature of his
state which he said is now under con
sideration. It presented, he stated,
some carefully worked out features
which he briefly sketched:
That ,nq car should be registered
unless the applicant has taken out
a liability policy with $5,000 and $10,-
000, for personal injuries or death and
$1,000 limit for. property damage aris
ing out of suck ownership, operation,
maintenance or use of the automobile
upon the highways of the state, or,
Filed a bond executed by a surety
CREMATED BODY
FOUNDINFURNACE
Charred Body of Minister's Wife Dis
covered in Basement. Clue
Still Missing.
Columbus, Ohio, Nov. 18.—Police
tonight admitted they were without
a clue to the mysterious cremation of
Mrs. Eddie Sheatsley, 50 years old,
wife of the Rev. C. V. Sheatsley, pas
tor of Christ Lutheran church of Bex
ley; a suburb, whose charred body was
found in the heating furnace in the
basement of their home. County
Prosecutor King, with Police Lieut.
Shelienbarger, spent the entire day
questioning members of the family
and witnesses.
The tragedy last night was declar-
TTkrtda-inppdqirtg fgneheon. ^ —: ___L 1 ■ ' disrnm
r ernor E. L. Trinkle, of Virginia, Unwilling to accept the coroner’s The^ Bfue Sox were sdhdfful^fl To" t
P. C. FRESHMEN
UNDEFEATED
-JL ‘
Blue Stocking and Furman First
Year Teams Still Undefeated
. In State.* .
The freshman championship is still
dangling in the balance and even
when the season is over there might
still be some doubt as to winners.
INHERITANCE TAX
BUSINESS OF STATE
Denny of Deleware Talks At Meeting
of Governors’ Conference
in Florida. *
Jacksonville, Fla., Nov. 17.—The es
tate or inheritance tax is one which
should be levied by the state govern-
mehts and it is to the interest of the
So far only two teams are serious state governments to arrive at some
contenders for the state honors with' understanding with the federal gov-
each other. Furman has not been de
feated in the state yet,, neither hair
P. C. The Blue Sox tied Carolina
after making more first downs and
gaining twice the ground. Against
the Clemson Cubs, Coach McMillian’s
men were confronted with very little
trouble and easily piled up forty one
New Manager For
Clinton Oil Mill
above limits, or.
He has a deposit with a state of
ficial of $6,000 cash or securities out
of which demands up to $5,000 for
death or peAon&l injuries, and up to
$1,000 for property damage may be
satisfied. Heavy penalties would be
provided for operation of an automo-
oile without insurance or forging evi
dence of such insurance or bond.
He deplored the reckless manner in
which human lives are being snuffed
out daily by irresponsible drivers, ad
ding that it is a serious matter for
the head of the family as he goes
about his daily duties to be crushed
under wheels of an automobile driven
by some reckless and irresponsible
person.
* Little less serious, declared Govern
or Branch, was the question of grade
crossing disasters. He had about con
cluded, he said, £o recommend to the
legislature of his state that authority
be given the public service commis
sion to designate certain crossings as
dangerous as a step designed to les
sen the number of such accidents. At
f.uch designated crossings vehicular
traffic would be required to stop.
At a safety conference recently held
in his state, Governor Branch told the
conference, 132 representatives of rail
lines, automobile associations and
other interested organizations discuss
ed every angle of the “prevent and
save” movement. They afterwards
adopted resolutions which he propos
ed to make the basis %r recommenda
tions to the legislature.
The resolutions were placed in the
record of proceedings at the confer
ence and will be distributed to all
governors.
UNION SERVICE
THANKSGIVING
Clinton People to Hear Dr. B. R.
Tumipseed, President of
Lander College.
Following an established custom, a
Thanksgiving union service will be
held next Thursday at ten o’clock, to
which the public is cordially invited.
The services this year will be held in
the First Baptist church, and-the Rev.
B. R. Turnipseed, D. D., president of
Lander College of Greenwood, has ac
cepted an invitation to deliver the
annual Thanksgiving sermon. Dr.
Turnipseed is one of the most popular
speakers in the state and will doubt
less be heard by a large congrega-
version of the affair, Prosecutor King
said a complete investigation would
fce made. Each member of the family
was questioned during the afternoon.
Clarence, a son of Mr. Sheatsley,
twice questioned as to why he did
not-'report the finding of his mother’s
body in the furnace shortly after 3
o’clock. Testimony showed -that his
elder brother and both sisters came
home more than an hour earlier than
the father, but that the younger boy
did not report his findings to them.
Milton, the older boy, related that
he attended classes at Capitol Uni
versity during the rtiorning and that
all members of the family were pres
ent for dinner at 12 o’clock. He and
the two girls left home about 12:15
p. m., leaving Clarence, his father
and mother alone in the house.
Testimony established that the min
ister left home about 1:30 p. m., and
Clarence said he left about fifteen
minutes later. Milton returned home
about 3:15 p. m., and smelled a pecu
liar odor before he had entered the
house. He did not investigate, think
ing it was rabbit pelt burning, he
said. ~ ~ ~
Not until his sisters returned from
school about 4:30 p. m., and were at
tracted to the furnace by the odor did
Milton investigate, he said. He ac
companied them to the basement and
opened the furnace door a trifle but
hurriedly closed it when a volume of
smoke and fumes poured forth, he
aaid. . % .. ...
Questioned olosely as. to why, he did
not investigate further when he open
ed the furnace door, Milton said he
though perhaps a rabbit pelt had been
thrown in with the garbage.
Police said no member of the fam
ily was considered as a suspect.
Another angle was injected into the
case when Clarence testified that he
had missed a bottle of acid which
usually was kept in the medicine
closet. Questioning of other members
of the family failed to throw any
light on the matter.
Each of' the witnesses was psked
concerning a certain stucent in the
university, who now is ill in a local
hospital. The minister told the police
he visited hen yesterday while on his
regWiar iwund of mercy.
Officials are unanimous in their be
lief that the woman could
ended her own life in the furnace,
which is the usual type. The door is J
about fourteen inches square and is
two feet from the floor.
When the body was found the back
was toward the opening with feet
and head on either side of the door,
the coroner reported.
Officials tomorrow will consult au
thorities on the length of time Acces
sary to reduce the body to the state
in which it was found.
x were
meet the Wofford “Pupa” last Sat
urday, and after a large crowd had
assembled to see the match the
“Pups” failed to show up.* The only
remaining game on the schedule is
with the Newberry Papoosds in New
berry next Friday. They are slated
to win from Newberry and were fav
ored to win from the “Pups” also.
Coach McMillian’s men are in fine
shape for any contest that might
arise and they are eager to prove
that are state champiohs.
At present the Blue Sox have one
open date on their card and plans are
being made now to fill this. If a
game between the Little Hurricane
and the Blue Sox could be arranged it
would settle the championship right
now. However, this is merely a sup
position and contest of this sort could
probably not be arranged. Neverthe
less these two teams will have a
chance to fight out their claims next
year when the varsity of these two
institutions meet.
emment as regards this tax; declared
Governor William D. Denny of Dele-
ware, in a paper he read at the sec
ond session of the governor’s confer
ence, which assembled in sixteenth
session here today.
Governor Denny with Governor Clif*
ford M. Walker of Georgia, led the
THANKSGIVING
Sets Aside Last Thursday in Novem
ber and Calls on Nation to
Show Gratitude.
McLEES MEETING
IN^GREENWOOl
Well Known Evangelist Receives
* Number of Additions Into
Church.
The Rev. R. G. Me Lees, of Chatham,
Va., well known here and throughout
the Southern Presbyterian church as
the “blind evangelist,” has just clos
ed n successful two weeks’ meeting,
forth® - First Presbyterian church of
Greenwood. Accounts of the meet
ing state that Mr. McLees was heard
by the largest congregations ever
gathered together in Greenwood and
that his earnest presentation of the
Gospel truths made a profound im
pression upon all who heard him. As
fruits of the revival, 33 additions W
the church were made at last Sub-
day morning’s service. During the
two years of Mr. McLean’s pastorate,
the Greenwood church has added 204
new members.
Mr. McLees is well known in Clin
ton and is pleasantly remembered as
having conducted an evangelistic cam
paign for the First Presbyterian
church here several months ago.
„ot have J P• C. AND FURMAN
TO MEET AGAIN
Several Federal
Jurors Drawn
The following have been drawn to
serve as Federal jurors for the De
cember term of court which convenes
in Spartanburg: Week beginning ‘De
cember 9th, W. E. Griffin, Cross Hill;
J. L. Kellett, Fountain Inn. For De
cember 15th, James C. Todd, D. H.
Wilson, and W. P. Sullivan, of Lau
rens.
Next Year’s Gridiron Schedule to In
clude Game in Greenville With
Purple Hurricane.
The Presbyterian College and Fur
man University will resume athletic
relations next year, the 1925 gridiron
schedule calling for a game in Green
ville between the two teams on Octo
ber 31. These two rivals did not meet
this year and more than usual inter
est will be manifested throughout the
state in this announcement that the
strong Freshmen teams of the two
institutions, developed into varsity ag
gregations next season, will be seen
in action.
The P. C. schedule for next year has
practically been completed and to date
includes games with ^Erskine, Fhr-
man, Davidson, Newberry, Oglethorpe,
Wofford and Citadel. As is the case
this year, the P. C. and Citadel con
test will be the 1925 Thugksgiving
Day climax.
E. C. Culvem of Kershaw, Succeeds
H. L. Taylor As Head of
Local Plant.
E. C. Culvem, of Kershaw, has as- ^
sumed the management of the Clin-
ton Oil Mill, succeeding H. L Taylor, ^ spec}al offering to ^ uken
of Laurens, resigned. r. u 15 w ;n be divided between the denomina-
an experienced oil mill man and has tional on>hana2eB of the 8tate .
made a number of fnends since ar
riving in the city. He expresses him
self as well pleased with Clinton and
expects to move his family’here the
first of the year.
Ifr. Tafrlpr, the former manager,
has returned to Ms home in Lau
rens.
ON THE SICK LIST
Dr. L. Ross Lynn has been.confiTi
to his'home the past week on account
1 of illness. His friends unite in wish-1
mg for him a speedy recovery.
SYMBOLS OF SATISFACTION
. A Swede who couldn’t speak English went into a store,
pointed to a beehive on a can of honey, and grunted his
desire for that particular brand. The beehive had become
to him a symbol of satisfaction.
Advertising has developed for numerous wares a kind of
universal language. You can identify them readily, and
know them good even before you try them. Each one has
become a symbol of satisfaction.
The advertisements in these columns help you buy judi
ciously by describing goods worth while. /
Read them. .
Remember the widely advertised is always the widely
tested.
, . ...
READ THE CHRONICLE ADVERTISEMENTS AND YOU
WILL PURCHASE WITH THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON
THE CLINTON CHRONICLE
“The Paper Everybody Reads”
pied the entire afternoon, session
the conference, except for a brief exe
cutive session that preceded adjourn
ment for the day and ~at which the
decision was made to increase the
executive committee to five members,
and selections made to fill these
places. Those named on the commit
tee were: Gov. W. W. Brandon of Ala
bama, Ralph O. Brewster, governor-
elect of Maine, Gov. E. Lee Trinkle
of Virginia, chairman, Govi Alex J.
Groesbeck of Michigan, and Roland
H. Hartley, governor-elect of Wash
ington.
In support of his suggestion, Gov
ernor Denny declared that th$ states
now are in an excellent strategic posi
tion to effect a definite understanding
with the federal authorities with ref
erence to levying inheritance taxes
and “thus to get a v*ry real benefit
for our states without giving up any
thing of intrinsic value.” He believ
ed that congress could be induced to
leave to the states the field of in
heritance taxes, if the states would
support a constitutional amendment
restricting further issues of tax ex-
«mpt^ securities. He pointed out that
there are now in the country more
than thirteen billion dollars of tax ex
empt securities and that they are in
creasing at the rate of about one bil
lion dollars annually, mostly in state
and municipal bonds. ,
In this connection Governor Trin
kle of Virginia warned members of
the conference against writing into
the constitution any measure to pre
vent the taxing of any class of people.
Declaring that he did not refer par
ticularly to the recently adopted con
stitutional amendment prohibiting the
levying of income taxes in Florida,
the Virginia executive gave it as his
.opinion that a measure of this charac
ter would disrupt the tax systems in
Other states.
“There are many men of wealth,*’
Governor Trinkle asserted, “who will
go to any land, anywhere, to get rid
of taxation.” He was almost con
vinced, though, that the public gen
erally was practically “persuaded ihat
any state tax that is properly spent is
a good investment.”
Governor Groesbeck of Michigan
believed that it was not so much a
matter of fonn5y of taxation that in
terested the people of the various
'tates. On the contrary, they had
just about concluded that “the more
forms of taxation, the more money
will be spent.” The more important
problem facing the state officiaDs, the
Michigan governor thought, was to
stabilize governmental expenditures,
“keep expenses within reason and if
that is done I don’t believe we will
have much trouble with the kind of
taxes to be levied.”
He was of the opinion that gross
extravagance existed in some instan
ces and that the “taxpayer really did
not get his money’s worth.”
“Place the tax burden where it can
best be borne,” pleadftd Gov. Henry
fc. Whitfied of Mississippi.
Governor Whitfield said the people
who consume the state’s resources
should pay; therefore, he favorer! an
income tax, and a similar view was
expressed by several others, although
some said their states had voted
against it.
A measure adopted by the people
of Florida in the general election,
November 4, was described by Gov.
Hardee as one which he believed
would result in bringing about ways
to reach Intangible assets, because it
gave the legislature authority to
classify property so as to get at these
holdings. The best way to reach in
tangibles, Governor Trinkle suggest
ed, was to tax them at time of issu
ance, and thus prevent the possibility j
of allowing them to he hidden away
somewhere in a safe. (
The afternoon discussions followed
those of the morning session which
rwere devoted to suggestions for the [
1 conservation of natural resources.
Seventeen governors and two gov-
ernors-elect ^ere present at the open
ing sessions of th conference, the lat
ter being Ralph Brewster of Maine
and John W. Martin of Florida.’ The
party will leave here tomorrow after
noon on a St. Johh’g river steamship
for Sanford, and from that point will
continue a trip through south and
east Florida.
Washington, Nov. 12.—President
Coolidge has issued his annual Thanks
giving gay proclamation, setting aside
Thursday, November 27, a^ a day of
gratitude for continued prosperity
throughout the United States.
The proclamation urged that thanks
be given because the year has been
marked by a continuation of peace
whereby “our country has entered in
to a relationship of better under-
t- ^^l^jyth all other nations pf the
[earth/ amThecause atTSoBfir^e
continually had an improving state of
health,” with industrial production
large and harvests bountiful It fol
lows: . . r*
“By the President of the United States
of America. '
“A proclamation.
“We approach that season of the
year when it has been the custom for
the American people to give thanks
for the good fortune which the bounty
of Providence, through the generosity
of nature, 'has visited upon them: It
is altogether a good custom. It has
the sanction of antiquity and the ap
probation of our religious convictions.
In acknowledging the receipt of Di
vine favor, in contemplating the bless- ,
ings which have been bestowed upon
us, we shall reveal the spirituaT
strength of the nation.
“The year has been marked by a
continuation of peace whereby our ’
country has entered into a relation
ship of better understandng with all
other nations of the earth. Ways
have been revealed to us by which
we could perform very great service
through the giving of friendly coua*
sel/through the extension of financial
assistance, through,the exercise of a
spirit of neighborly kindness to less'
favored peoples. We should give
thanks for the power which has been
given into our keeping, with which we
have been able to-leader these serv
ices to the rest'of mankind.
“At home we haye continually had
an improving state of PVhhc health.
The productfon of out Yndustries has
been large and our harvests have been
bountiful. We have benj remarka
bly free from disorder and remarka
bly successful in all those pursuits
which flourish during a state of do
mestic peace. An abundant pros--
perity has overspread the land. We
shall do well to accept all these . fa
vors and bounties wrth becoming hu
mility, and dedicate them to the serv
ice the righteous cause of the Giver
of all good and perfect gifts. As the
nation has prospered let all the peo
ple show that they are worthy to
prosper, by redcdicatlng America to
the service of God a.nd man. -
“Therefore, I, Calvin Coolidge, presi-
dentof the United States of America,
hereby proclaim aiftf’flx ‘Thursday,
the twenty-seventh day of November,
as a day for national thanksgiving - .
1 recommend that the people gather
in thrir places of. worship, and at the
family aitars and offer their tnanlw
for goodness winch has been shown
to them in such a multitude of ways.
Especially I urge them to supplicate
| the Throne of Grace that they may
. gather strength from their tribula
tions, that they may gain humility
from their victories, that they may
bear without complaining the bur
dens that shall be placed upon them,
ar.d that they may be increasingly ,
worthy in all ways of the blessings
that shall come to them.
“In'witness whereof, I have here
unto set my hail’d and caused to be
affixed the great seal of the United
States.
“Lore at the city of Washington
this fifth day of November, in the
year of our Lord one thousand, nine
hundred and twenty-f^ur, and of the
independence of the United States,
the^ne hundred and forvy-ninlh.
“By the President,
“CALVIN COOUDGE (Seat)
“Charles E. Hughes,
Secretary of Stale.”
Woodruff Plays
Here Tomorrow
The Woodruff high school football
team, headed by Ja-. k Wilson, one of
P. C.’s former star, will in.ade Cl n-
ton. tomorrow afternoon to meet the
Clinton Hi in what promises to be one
of the season’s finest battles. The
team under the effective training of
Coach Wilson, has made a Tine show
ing this season and will doubtless give
the locals some stiff opposition. The
Clinton boys are in line trim and aSe
laying for the Woodruffites tomor
row. The season will close next .Fri
day, November 28, with Newberry,
and Clinton meeting on the loc$l
field. v • •••’
Mrs. Henry Young left Monday for
Enoree where she will spend some
time with her mother, Mrs. Sarah
Stroud.
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