Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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VOLUME XXIX CLINTON, S. C., THURSDAY, JULY 25,1929 NUMBER 30 f HOLD UURENS FARMER ON CHARGE OF MURDERING WIFE Lawrence Bolt Put Under Arrest and Placed In Jafl Following: Lengthy Probe. Investigation In Hickory Tavern Section Reaches Culmination As Officers Secure Many Affidavits. Laurens, July 23.—Chargred with the murder of his wife, Lawrence Bolt, 48, farmer of the Hickory Tavern sec tion of Laurens county, about eight miles west of the county seat, was ar rested today at the home of his moth er about four mtfes from Laurens and was lodged in the Laurens county jail .to await trial at the next term of gen eral sessions court. Tlie arrest was the culmination of an investigation which was inaugurat ed soon after the body of 'Mrs. Anna (Tumblin) Bolt, 44, was found on the porch of the Bolt home early on the morning of June 24. On tlie floor nekr the body were two pools of blood and between them was a pistol. One bullet, fired range so close that the cloth ing had been scorched and aparently set on fire, had entered^ the chest about two inches above the heart, gone through the lung and come out of the back. At the time of the tragedy, only Mrs. Bolt and her husband were about the house and Mr. Bolt’s account of the tragedy was that his wife had been very nervous; • that she had threatened to kill herself and that on the morning of June 24, after an early breakfast, he had started from the house and had walked a short distance away when he heard the report of a gun and, turning, saw his wife in a stooping position on the front porch. Mr. Bolt, according to records in the case, says that his wife, after the shot was fired, said, “I told you I’d do it,” no other words being spoken. When neighbors, summoned, to the house, arrived, the woman was still breath ing but died in a few minutes. The verdict of the corofter’s jury was to the effect that the woman Came to her death by unknown parties, and it recommended that further in vestigation of the tragedy be made. The investigation has been pushed ac tively by L. C. Johnson, detective from Governor Richards’ office, Sheriff C. L. Owens and Rwral Policeman George L. Ridgeway. Today a woman from another coun ty, 33 years of age, whose name was withheld by the authorities for the time being, was in the office of Solicit or Homer S. Blackwell with the offi cers who have been making the inves tigation. She signed an affidavit that her husband, a World war veteran, with an insurance' policy for $10,000 had died in 1923 and that she received monthly from the government $85. She said she was a distant relative of Lawrence Bolt, the man charged with murder, and had been acquainted with him a number of years and had visited the Bolt home fn Laurens county fre quently. From October, 1928 to 1929, the affidavit sets forth, she stayed at the Bolt home a greater portion of the time and that in January, 1929, she began having illicit relations with him. The wife of Lawrence Bolt, ac cording to the affidavit, found out what was going on June 18, 1929, and Mrs. Bolt and the widow had some words and that afternoon, the Widow left the Bolt home. Lawrence Bolt, the widow’s affidavit set^ forth, told her that he loved her and was always kind and considerate. She said'in her affi davit that she had not seen Lawrence Bolt since June 18. Mrs. Bolt met her death June 24. A number of affidavits have been secured by the officers conducting the investigations into the tragedy, prac tically all of them setting forth that Mrs. Bolt was an energetic and hard- vmrking woman aud that this year she had worked in the field in assisting her husband in making a crop. The home had been a happy one until re cent months, affidavits say. Mr. and Mrs. Bolt had been married about 22 years and had one son, about 20 years of age, who had moved away. Mrs. Bolt married Mr. Bolt when she was about 16 years of age. The case has attracted considerable attention in this county and its devel opments have been followed closely. Plans Going Forward For Farmers Week Notices have been mailed out to the farmers of this county regarding Farmers Week, which will be held for the third time at demson college during the week of August 5. Farm ers week has steadily grown in popu larity among the fanners of tha state, during the several years it has been held as an annual event at Clemson. Farmers Week at Clemson offers an unequalled chance to study first hand the latest developments in grood farm ing. Subjects in which the farmer is vitally interested, such as fertilizers, crop production, dairying, poultry, and other livestock, control of insect pests, and practically all otKer phases of farming are thoroughly covered in the courses and demonstrations given at Farmers Week. In addition, various contests, addresses by nationally fa mous men, stage entertainment, and music by the Panls Island Marine band, furnish unexcelled entertain ment for the week. - Farmers attending will go on Mon day and return on Friday or Saturday. Board at the college will cost $1.50 per day, which will be the only ex pense connected with the stay there. S. S. Workers Hold Meeting V ' Laurens, July 21.—Twenty-two Sun day schools were represented at the annual meeting of the Laurens asso- ciational Sunday school convention, held Friday with Bethany church. Young’s township. The general theme of the discussion for the day was the true functioning of the Sunday school, and various phases of the subject were interestingly discussed by laymen and ministers and school officials. Before adjourning to meet next year with the ford, W. P. Culbertson of Cross Hill, was re-elected president of the con vention, and C. A. Power of Laurens, was continued as secretary. The folk of Bethany were given a vote of thanks for the' true hospitality showed in entertaining the conven tion for the day. Re-Appointed On County Board R. E. Babb, well known Laurens at torney, and W. W. Harris, newspaper publisher of Clinton, have been re appointed as members of the Laurens county board of education, it is an nounced from Columbia. The third member of the board. Miss Kate V. Wofford, serves by virtue of her of fice. Mr. Babb, who has been a mem ber of the board for twenty-five or thirty years, he couldn’t remember how long, has been serving as chair man during most of that time. Mr. Harris has been a member for several years. Alexander Let Egg^, President of the International Harvester Com pany, who has become Chairman of President Hoover's Federal Farm Board. LOSERS IN FIRE RESUME BUSINESS YOUNG PEOPLE HERE TUESDAY Annual Meeting of County B. Y. P. U. Held With First Baptist Church With Large Enrollment. The annual meeting of the Laurens County B. Y. P. U., held with the First Baptist church of this city on Tuesday, drew a large representation of young people from every section of the county. The meeting began in the morning, with a mid-day recess for lunch, and the program concluded in the afternoon. The opening devotional was led by Miss Marguerite Cain of Chestnut Ridge. The welcome address to the convention was made by Clinton and the response by Waterloo. The principal address of the day was delivered by Dr. A. B. Langston and was a strong and timely message which was greatly enjoyed. Miss Evel3m Owings of Gray Court* spoke on “The Real Purpose of the B. Y. P. U.”; Rev. P. D. Bragg spoke on “The Relation of the B. Y. P. U. to the Church”; and “Solving the' Prob lems of the B. Y. P. U.” was discussed by the Rev. Edward Long of this city. Dr. Wm. Weston To Address Chamber AnnnMTwoindnf made throyg])^ Winn, that Dr. Wil^ President C. F liam Weston of Columbia, will be a guest of the Chamber of Commerce at its regular meeting on the evening of August 13th and will address the membership at that time. Dr. Weston is managing director of the South Carolina^ Natural Resources commission and recently gave to the world the confirmed belief that the fruits and vegetables of this state have an extremely high iodine con tent. Dr. Weston will be heard here with unusual interest and invitations have been extended to a number of prominent visitors from over the county to be present to hear his pre sentation of the work he is now di recting. Sufferers In Traynham Building Fire Get Temporary Locations and Dispose of Damaged Stocks. Laurens, July 20.—Although con ditions have not returned to normal among merchants and others affected by the big fire in the Traynham build ing on the night of July 5, temporary quarters have been secured in most in stances and business is being trans acted as usual. A. C. Todd, who with other members of the Todd family owned the burned building, said yesterday that plans for re-building were going forward as rapidly as possible but that definite plans could not be announced until a more thorough study was given the situation. The aftermath of the fire has been marked by reduction sales of damaged merchandise. The Rogers grocery store was the first firm to get moved and they opened with a sale Tuesday in the Todd store next to the Laurens Drug company.^ The Cohen company, whose stock was damaged by smoke and water, did not have ^ move, but a big fire sale was started Friday, fea tured by one of the largest crowds ever seen at a sale in tjiis city. This store is announcing a continuation of the sale this week. J. H. Inman, pro prietor of the R. W. Willis furniture store, moved his damaged stock to his own store building adjoining the Todd Motor company and is reported to have disposed of his damaged goods in a sale which began, as soon as his insurance was adjusted. Mr. Inman is announcing this week the arrival of new goods and the continued sale of the remaining damaged stock. Put nam’s drug store has opened ‘ in the Douglas Gray building on East Main street next t6 Hunter Bros., and it now offering his damaged stock at reduced prices. Dr. T. C. McGee, whose dental equipment svu-vived the fire without much damage, moved the day after the fire into the offices formerly oc cupied by Dr. Clifton Jones over the Laurens Music store. J'he Laurens- ville Herald, weekly newspaper, whose plant was put out of commission, has not announced its plans for the fu ture. nut.hithfrt^ Marble Champion COUNTY CROP OUTLOOK GOOD Charles ‘Sbany" .Albany, lA w(Ni_the nivUe champiooslup si the United States in the natNM^ tonmament at Ocean Oty,. 14. REYNOLDS CASE TO JURY SOON of Boy Scouts. The Scouts had a room on the second floor of the building loaned to them by Mr. Todd and used as an assembly hall. The hall was not overly crowded with equipment, but what it contained was rendered useless by smoke and water. The rec ords of the organization, however, were in the office of Scout Executive Lea in Newberry and consequently missed destruction. Insurance losses, it is understood. Young American On Trial for Man slaughter In English Court. Result of Auto Mishap. London, England, July 23. — The British crown nested its case late to day against Richard Joshua Reynolds, rich 23-year-old American on trial for manslaughter at the Old Bailey, fa mous London court. The charge grew out of the death of Arthur Graham, an Englishman, in an automobile and motorcycle crash on the Bath road near Oumham last May. Young Reynolds, son of the late founder of the Reynolds Tobacco com pany, came to England last spring on a yachting holiday. His home is Win ston-Salem, N. C. Reynolds is the head of the Reynolds Airways com pany, Inc., former owners of Curtiss field. Crown witnesses today identified Reynolds and testified he, was drunk on the night his automobile is alleged to have crashed into the rear of a mo torcycle ridden by Graham, causing fatal injuries to the Englishman. Tonight the men and women of the jury inspected the alleged death car. Tomorrow the defense will tell its side of the story and the case is like ly to reach the jury late tomorrow. If convicted, Reynolds will be lihble to several years’ imprisonment. Reynolds again was permitted bail Inspection Shows Crops Pro gressing: Satisfactorily With Active Fight Being Waged Against Weevil Infestation. -1*^”^ when court adjourned he returned mentioned was the local organization Residence Hi Glrftve * Btid road, St. John’s Wood, Tomorrow he is expected to take the witness stand at Old Bailey, un der the direction of his legal staff headed by Norman Birkett, King’s counsel. Reynolds entered a plea of not guilty when the trial started yes terday. Jitney-Jungle Coming Here Laurens, July 21.—Midsummer finds the general crop prospects goo<>, de spite the fact that weevil infestation exists to some extent pretty generally over the county. An official inspection of the weevil situation was made last week by/'C. B. Cannon, farm ^agent, and 0. D. Lewis, Clemson college stu dent, who have found a concerted ac tion among the farmers to combat the inroads of the cotton pest. Twenty-three aero dusting ma chines, the largest number oumed by any county in the state, are now in operation, while scores of smaller ma chines are being employed in the scientific fight. Wherever poisoning was done in the earlier stages, the * infestation now runs as low as 3 1-2 per cent, while in sections that did not use control methods, the percent age is ranging higher, though not necessarily alarming, in view of the organised effort that is being made to check the weevil. The cotton plant is healthy, has been well cultivated and is fruiting well as a rule. The fields are free of grass, and with another month of fa vorable weather, conditions of the cot ton crop should be practically safe from further weevils. Anyway, the farmers are, feeling hopeful of a suc cessful fight to preserve a promising . crop, and they are being given every encouragement * by the county agent, who spends most of his time going over fields and conferring with the farmers, whether one or 30 plows are involved in the enterprise, whether tenant or landlord. And the spirit of co-operation is getting results, says the farm agent. Corn, peas, potatoes and other crops are also promising. Good crops of wheat and oats have been harvested, and the flour mills of the county are running on extra time. Shipment of peaches from the va rious commercial orchards of the county is ip full swing this week, ani this ipdustry will bring to the county many thousands of dollars. Writes Opinion ^ On Bond Issue were adjusted in all cases after brief! negotiations and to the general satis-1 According to information received faction of the insured and the insur-j I'®**® yesterday, Clinton is >inclLided ance companies. Change Made In High Faculty Miss Marie McMillan of Spartan burg, recently elected as a member of next year’s high school faculty,'has resigned her position on account of her approaching marriage. The va cancy has been filled by the trust^s with the election of Miss Marie Mc- jvcan of Aiken. ., ^ . New Deacons To Be Installed Ordination services for the five newly elected deacons of the First Presbyterian church, will be held next Sunday morning at the usual hour of worship and presided over by the pas tor, Dr. D. J. Woods. Those recently named by the congregation and to be installed Sunday are: Jack W. Ander son, Geo, H. Cornelson, Irby Hipp, R. C. Adair and J. Harvey Wither spoon. Union Service At Lutheran Church 5. J The LAURENS PAPER LEAVES FIELD The • Herald, Victim of Recent Fire, Suspends. Oldest Paper In County. ' Laurens, July 23.—At a meeting Monday afternoon of the stockholders of the Herald company, owners of The Laurensville Herald, weekly newspa per plant, it was agreed to dissolve the corporation and liquidate. The board of directors was empowered to wind up the affairs of the company. The Herald plant was wrecked by the fire that burned out the second floor offices in the Traynham building July 6, hence the decision to discon tinue the publication. Newspaper Is Dynamo of Sales The relation of the news paper to sales'is whal the dynamo is to mechanical force. It produces, not electrical energy, but buying action. Practically immediate, in stantaneous action. Its success is oudt on telling what happened today, It is full of life, crowded with activity. / I k Np advertising medium is as intimate with its read ers or as essential in their daily existence. It is a power plant that cnoverts sales thoughts into sales! Advertise In THE CHRONICLE ^The Paper Everybody Reads” union service next Su day evening will be held at St. John’s Lutheran church with Dr. D. J. Woods, pastor of the First Presbyterian church, occupying the pulpit. These serveies will continue through Augrust, rotating among the churches. All church people are invited to be pres- Milton Road To Be Used As Deteur It is expected that a contract for paving the Clinton-Kinard link will soon be let and work on the project begun in all probability during the month of August. It will be of interest to the people of this section, and especially Gold- ville, to know that the old link of the Milton road from Bush river bridge to Jacobs highway at a point near Hayne B. Workman’s place, is to be rebuilt and put in first-class condition as a detour route to Clinton. This will cut the distance two miles shorter than by way of Hopewell church, and will be less than two miles further than the present state highway route. Cross Anchor Hi To Present Play among the preferred selected cities ki the state for one of the new Jitney- Jungle stores. Announcement has been made that Jitney-Jangle, Inc., an im proved and patented self-service re tail grocery store system is coming into South Carolina. Representatives of the company, whose main office is located in Jackson, Miis., are now in this territory making surveys and propose to appoint franchise owners for every city in the state with a pop ulation of 1,000 or more. This chain system organized nine years ago, has rapidly spread over 12 Southern states and claims to be feeding more than a million people. Just how the franchise in this city is to be handled, and who is to head the business has not been stated, though it has been announced from the head office that Clinton has been selected for one of the stores as soon as details can be worked out. “Path Across the Hill” will be pre sented in the Florida Street school Governor Roosevelt Is Irked By 1932 Chatter at 8:15 o’clock, by the graduating ent and use their influence to make j class of the Cross Anchor high school, these services as helpful as possible. The admission will be 15 and 25 cents. „ . , /? York, July 22,—The New York building on Friday evening, July 26, | today said that Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelt was “definitely disturb- BOLL WEEVIL INFESTATION IS NOW APPROACHING CRISIS Clemson College, July 22.—The wee vil population is still on the increase in all sections of the state, according to Director S. W. Barre of the South Carolina experiment station, who has just received a report on last week’s survey. Director Barre points out that cot ton is growing and fruiting so rapid ly at this time that aquaring bias kept pace with weevil increase and warns growers that for this reason the 5 to 5Q per cent infestation reported thfc w4ek represents a much larger weevjl population per acrejthan similar per centages represented earlier in the season. With the maturing of the second generation of weevils in the eastern and central parts of the state and the first generation in the upper Pied mont, a much more rapid increase is predicted and complete infestation may be expected in some of the un poisoned fields this week. ed by recent public comment on his presidential potentiality and Sunday ; declared he was not a candidate. The governor, however, declined to say whether he would decline the nomina tion in 1932 or 1936. He explained I that the governorship is a “man’s I sized job” that takes all his time and ' prevents him from eng^agfing in “pure- 1 ly speculative matters whicb do not [concern this state.” Shot In Mouth, Spits Out Shot The crisis for the season is ap proaching in the central and eastern sections and the situation is grrowing mor^ serious in the upper Piedmont so that constant vigilance and poisoning according to schedule will be neces sary if the crop is to be saved. Kiwanis Picnic This Afternoon Laurens, July 21.—In an altercation yesterday at a road camp in Dials township between two women, one of whom was employed as a cook, Carrie Boozer stopped her antagonist by shooting her in the chin with a pis tol. The bullet lodged in the woman’s mouth and she promptly and angrily cast it out on the ground, later to be picked up by some of the witnesses to the fight. The wounded woman was taken to a hospital, and the other one brought to the county jail. Local Kiwanians, together with their wives and lady friends, will gather at Lakeside country club this afternoon for a picnic and social pro- ' gram. All members are asked to bring lunches and an old-time picnic spread will be enjoyed. The party will begin at 6:30 with President W. D. Cope land as master of ceremonies. MID-STATE CIRCl IT Mollohon ...CT. 4 0 1,000 Newberry .... 3 1 .750 CMntoii 2 i 2 .500 LyiUa ... 2 2 . .500 Laurens 2 2 .500 Moaarch ... 1 3 .250 GoMville 1 3 .250 Watts .... 1 3 JSt , % The.following by Sam W. Small in The Atlanta Constitution willl be read with interest: One of our eminent visitors, who is just now obtaining his annual rejuve nation at the Blackman health resort, out on Peachtree road, is Chief Justice Richard Cannon Watts, of the Su preme court of South Carolina. Those of us who are also taking in pep and pushability in that delectable power house are much impressed by the ge nius and geniality of this distinguish-, ed jurist whose fame far overruns the borders of the noble Palmetto com monwealth. Chief Justice Watts is a brilliant contradiction of the theory of the Oslerites that men are just genericai- ly inclined to decline in their special efficiencies after passing the median line of the scriptural three-score-years- and- ten. Those “nevermore” birds of psychic pessimism would stand re buked and abashed before this great judge who at 76 years of age, has just written a judicial opinion of 58 pages on the constitutionality of the recent road bond issue act of the South Carolina general assembly! He is 12 years younger than Jus tice Oliver Wendell Holmes, still an active justice of the United States Supreme court, and three years older than Justice Brandeis and four years older than Chief Justice Taft, of that same unparalleled tribunal. He is even two years younger than this writer. . V? '