The Camden chronicle. (Camden, S.C.) 1888-1981, May 30, 1924, Image 1
Chronicle
NUMBER 9
CAMDEN, SOUTH CAROLINA, FRIDAY, MAY 30, 1924
VOLUME XXXVI
autoist kills two people
Spceda On and Claim* Ignorance
When Placed Vnder Arrest.
Kingstree, May 26.~The running
down and mortally wounding of Mr*.
W. H. Koon and her daughter, Mary,
and the injury of her son, Isaac, by a
big Nash sedan, alleged to have been
driven by Mr. Jake Weinberg, of Lake
City, occurred on the Kingstree
Santee highway about nine miles
from Kingstree last night at about
8:15 o'clock,
Mr. and Mrs. Koon and children
were on their way to Greeleyville to
attend the commencement exercises
of the Greelyville school and took the
wrong road, coming within nine miles
of Kingstree, where they got direc
tions from parties in the road as to
the w*y to Greeleyville.
While turning his car around Mr.
Koon's car skidded into the ditch and
it was necessary for Mrs. Koon and
the children to get out in order that
the car might be gotten into the road
again. Mr.< Koon had driven his car
up the road a short distance and was
returning for the family when the
big car, alleged to have been driven
by Mr. Weinberg, came along at a
great speed, it was estimated by wit
nesses of the tragedy, when it struck
Mrs. Koon and the two children, mor
tally wounding "Mrs. Koon and her
daughter, Mary, and severely bruis
ing her son, Isaac. They were
attempting to cross the road to the
car in which Mr. Koon was making
the trip from Lanes, where Mr. Koon
is principal of the Lan^s school.
As soon as possible after the ac
cident Mrs. Koon and the children
were- given surgical attention but it
was found that their wounds were too
severe in the case of Mrs. Koon and
her daughter, Mary, to save their
lives. .
The big car after running ovei
Mrs. Koon and the children did not
stop but continued on its way at a
high rate of speed.
Sheriff H. SJ Gamble, of Williams
burg county, was notified of the
tragedy shortly after its happening
and began an investigation to ascer
tain who was the driver of the car.
This afternoon he arrested -lake,
Weinberg, of Lake City.
When questioned Weinberg denied
any knowledge of having struck any
?>erson on t^e" highway but admitted
having been to Charleston and re
turning over this route at about that
hour Sunday night. One window was
broken in the car on the right side
and the left lamp was not burning,
it was stated.
In the car with Weinberg was his
wife and a Mrs. Libbert, a connect.on
of tho Weinbergs, and Mrs. Libbei ?
younger sisters. Mrs. Libbert was
placed on the stand admitted that
they parsed a group , of peop e a
about the place the tragedy took
place and that on passing them Mr.
Weinberg swerved his car from
side of the road to the other with
such force that the window was
broken but stated that he did n f
know that anyone had been struck
she thinking, she stated, that the>
wore being held up and had bJ
fired upon, the shot passing through
the window and that she uige
berg to speed ahead. She also stated
that Weinberg had told hei t
reaching hake City that he believed
that he had injured somc one bSck at
the point where she thought they
were being held up. Other witnesses
testified to seeing the Weinbeig .
being-driven near the scene of t.i
tragedy at a high rate of speed.
At the conclusion of the inquest
the coroner's jury rendered the ver
dict that Mrs. W. R. Koon and Mary
Koon came to their deaths by being
-truck down and mortally wound* by
one Nash sedan being recklessly: an
carelessly driven by one Jake Wein
berg on Sunday night, . a> ,
on the Kingstree-Santee highway
about nine miles from Kingstree a
about 8:15 o'clock.
Removed to Penitentiary.
Columbia, May 27. ? Feeling, said
to have been aroused in Williams
burg county following the death of
Mrs. W. R. Koon and her three-year
old daughter, Mary, who were struck
by a speeding automobile on the
Kingstree-Greeleyville highway Sun
day^nigUt, was the cause of the trans
fer of Jake L. Weinberg, of Lake
City, to the State penitentiary here, ,
Governor McLeod stated late today.
Considerable indignation exists in
Kings tree, according to the Governor,
not over the death of the *oman?nd
child, which is regarded as accidental,
tot ere r the eonduct of Weinberg
/ "
after the fatal occurrence.
A conference was held today be
tween Sheriff Gamble, of Williams
burg and Governor McLcod in" which
the sheriff made a report of the
affair.
Weinberg is a resident of Lake
Funeral of Victims.
K IngstreV, May 27,? -This morning
at 6 o'clock the 'funeral procession of
Mrs. W. R. Koon and little three
year-old daughter, Mary, who were
killed *in an automobitlrwccident Sun
day evening, left Kingstree to meet
the remainder of the family in Shan
don, the funeral taking place this
afternoon at 2 o'clock at Chappejls,
in Newberry county. '
The caskets holding the bodies of
mother and child were borne to their
resting place by a hearse while a
number of friendsAfi^m Lanes, where
Mr. Koon is principal of the school,
accompanied the stricken father and
children in automobiles to the
funeral.
Besides five-year-old Isaacb, who is
still in the hospital here recovering
from severe bruises, Mrs. Koon leav%s
bsides her husband, three children,
who were not with their parents at
the time of the accident. The entire
community is shocked and saddened
by this terrible tra'gedy.
Funeral of Mr. Clarkson.
Alexander Garden Clarkson, promi
nent planter of lower Richland
county, was buried yesterday after
noon in Trinity churchyard. ? Funeral
services were conducted from the res
idence of Mrs. James H. Fowles,
daughter of Mr. Clarkson, 813 Hen
derson street, at noon. The Rev.
Herbert F. Schroeter, rector of the
Church of the Good Shepherd and
of Zion church, was in charge.
Mr. Clarkson had large holdings of
land between Eastover and Wateree
and lived in Lower Richland all of his
life. For 'the greater part of his
years he had been a member of Zion
Episcopal church at Eastover. Mr.
Clarkson had many pleasing and fine
traits of character and his many
friends will learn with much rggret
of his death.
He is survived by his wife: by five
sons, N. H. Clarkson and William An
derson Clarkson of Columbia and A.
G. Clarkson, Jr., J, S. H. Clarkson and
R. B. Clarkson of Camden; and three
daughters, Mrs. James H. Fowles of
Columbia, Mrs. J. K. Ball of Eastover
and Mrs. Richard E. Babcock of
Washington. ? Thursday's State.
Enrollment Books Open.;
The enrollment book for the Cam
deiV precinct is now open at The
Chronicle office, and those desiring
to vote in the August primary will
have to sign their name ? giving
their full name, age, occupation and
address before they are entitled to
participate in the primary. Don't
put it off but come in at your earliest
convenience and register your name.
The other books are also now open
at the respective prtacinets through
out the county. u. ,
His Mother Dead.
Constable W. L. Hunnicutt was
called to Clemson College last week
to attend the funeral of his mother,
Mrs. Nancy Hunnicutt, wife of J. J.
Hunnicutt, who died near that place
on Thursday. She wa? G5 years of
oge and is survived by the following
children: O. A. Hunnicutt, Clyde Hun
nicutt, of Georgia; J. B. Hunnicutt, of
Anderson; C. L. Hunnicutt, Cliff Hun
nicutt, of Senaca; P. J. Hunnicutt and
Mrs. Leila Barker, of Calhoun, and
W. L. Hunnicutt, of Camden. The
burial was at Hepzibah church, near
*?4*mson College.
Donations to Relief Fund.
Donations to the Tornado Relief
Fund for the past week were as fol
lows:
Camden Presbyterian Sunday
School 20.82
Henry Savage 10.00
Previously reported 1,353.70
Totnl ? $1,384.52
-j
Forty-five Dead From Tornado.
Atlanta, May 28. ? The total of
known deaths from the tornado which
swept through the South Monday
night and yesterday, was set today
at forty-flve, including Mississippi,
22; Alabama, 19; and Oklohoma, 4.
Tom Dupre, negro, wanted in Ben- 1
nettsville, for the killing of Rural Po
liceman Burdin ff. Hatcher, May 17,
was arrested Sunday night. The ne
gro is alleged to have shot the police
i man when the latter undertook to
search M* home for fnoonshme.
COTTON CONDITION REPORT
Ah Compiled by J. W. Jay & Co., .New
York Commission Merchants.
J. W. Jay & Co., cotton commission
merchant#, sends a report on the con
dition of the cotton crop throughout
tho growing belt covering a period up
to and including May 16th, ahd makes
the following report on S6uth Caro
lina, which, in nearly every instance,
applies to the entire cotton belt: The
report says that) the indicated yield
with normal weather henceforth is
11,276,000 bales for 1924:
Ten days to fully three weeks late.
Cultivation fair to poor. Stands fair
to poor. Weather unfavorable. Too
much rain and low temperatures.
Warm, dry weather needed. Corres
pondents now anticipate scarcity of
labor in scattered localities, Plenty
of mules. Complaints of weevil in
some coumiea. Planters will carry
on vigorous campain to restrict their
activity this season. 90 per cent
planted. 18 per cent to be replanted.
Outlook at this time not encouraging.
The 1924-25 cotton crop starts off
poorly. The season averages over
two weeks late, a great deal of cotton
is not up and much planting and re
planting remains to be done. In con
sequence cultivation and chopping are
badly delayed. It has been quite diffi
cult for farmers to get a stand by
reason of slow seed germination, due
to unseasonably low temperatures
and in many places too wet.
The present indications are for an
increased area bver that picked . Ia3t
year of 4&. per cent, i Weather and
labor conditions during the next few!
weeks will decide, while labor condi
tions are better than last year, therei
is no surplus above ordinary needs
and fears are expressed that should
there be need for extensive field work,
there will be a pronounced shortage
of labor for that purpose. While
correspondents generally make men
tion of the boll weevil being present,
it is too- early for much damage from
that source. 1
Using the tj. S. Government par i
yield for 1923, viz. 208 lbs. .(1924 1
figures which will probably be slight- j
ly less, not as yet published), the
yield indicated by the acreage and
percent condition shown in this sur
vey is 11,275,000 bales (linters ex
cluded). This indicated yield is based
J upon average weather henceforth and
the planting of the estimated 39,100,
000 acres less 1 per cent allowance
for abandonment. * |
The prospective carryover^ Amer- -
ican Cotton on July 31, 1924 fs around
1,800,000 bales which "quantity in- ,
eludes foreign and American mills
stocks visible; farm reserves; linters
etc. In fact every known bale of
American cottpn of every kind, every
where, (excepting the Orient).
New crop cotton can hardly be ex
pected to reach the mills before the
last half of September and the re
serves of raw cotton have gradually
been reduced until the supply no
longer exists sufficient for the mills
to continue even at their present re
duced rate of operation. .* Perfect)
growing weather throughout the
coming season and a minimum of in
sect damage is essential for the wel
fare of the cotton trade.
Pastor Accepts Call.
Rev. John P. Graham, of Piedmont,
S. C., has accepted the call to tho
pastorate of the Camden Baptist
church extended him two weeks ago.
Mr. Graham is a native of Marion,
Alabama, educated at the John B.
Stetson University of Florida and is
no stranger to Camden for beside*
having visited here t\yice recently and
preached to congregations who were
delighted with him, he visited Cam
den several years ago during an in
terim of pastorates and being a per
sonal friend of Rev. and Mrs. A. E.
Crane was entertained in the home of
Mrs. Sallie E. Goodale, a name in
dellibly linked with the Camden Bap
tttfc church.
Attention, 'Ex-Service Men.
The adjusted compensation bill has
Just been passed by congress and in
formation is given out that applica-.
tion blanks are in the hands of the
printers and as soon as possible these
blanks will be distributed through J
American Legion Posts , throughout
the United States.
This Post wants all ex-service men
to feel at liberty to call on any of
its officers for help in makfcng out
these applications. ? V
As soon as we receive application
blanks-we will punish for conven
ience of those interested.
John Whitaker, Jr.. Commander,
Leroy Belle Post No. YC
TRA(iKl)y OF THE ROAD.
? ?
Prominent Charlotte Man Killed Kn
route to ViHit His Sinter Here.
Kdward L, Keesler, a prominent
business man of Charlotte, N. C., was
instantly killed about ten miles north
of Camden, on the Camden-Charlotte
highway Saturday afternoon about G
o'clock when his touring car turned
over, pinning him and his wife be*
neath. Mr1? Keesler was crushed by
the steering wheel and died almost
instantly. Mrs. Keesler suffered only
bruises about the face and was not
seriously hurt.
Mr. and Mrs. Keesler were enroute
to Camden to spend the, week-end
with Mrs_ J. Sumter Rhame, a sister
of Mr. Keesler.
The accident happened in front of
the residence of Captain L. L. Cly
burn and was on a straight, hard
roadway. First reports stated that
the car skidded in sand causing the
fatal turnover, but this, proved to bo
incorrect. Parties rendering first aid
and who witnessed the accident say
that the car was going at a. high rate
of speed, and it is believed that the
unfortunate man lost control of his
car. ' - ?
Mrs. Keesler was pinned under the
car and the car had to be lifted up
before she could be extracted from
beneath. The machine was a heavy
Studebaker and when parties reuched
the wreck the car was resting on' its
top and the four wheels were in the
air. Not much damage was done to
the car except the breaking of the
top and windshield.
The body of Mr. Keesler was placed
in an ambulance and brought to the
undertaking parlor of C. W. Evans,
where it was prepared for burial apd
was taken to Charlotte Sunday morn
ing.
The following account ol tno trag
edy and funeral is taken from the
Charlotte Observer of Sunday and
Monday mornings:
"Distressing news'" 6* the death of
Edward L. Keesler, prominent busi
ness man of Charlotte and nationally
known in building and loan circles,
received by relatives here, shocked
the community when it spread rap
idly among many of his friends in
the city last night. The first to hear
Of the fatal accident was Edward Y.
Keesler, only son of the victim of
the automobile turnover. r .
"According to information from
Camden, Mrs. Keesler was pinned be
neath the automobile also, but was.
not injured seriously. She was taken
to a hospital in Camden. There was
np one else in the car with "Mr. and
Mrs. Keesler. f
"Mr. and Mrs. Keesler left Char
lotte yesterday afternoon about two
o'clock to visit his sister, Mrs. J.
Sumter Rhanie, in Camden. Mr.
Keesler had returned Friday night
from Williamston, N. C., where he
had been on a fishing [trip at Sta ten's
mill pond since Tuesday. He was in
ill health when he went to William
ston Tuesday but felt much improved
upon his return.
"Information from Camden said
that persons who witnessed the acci
dent say that the automobile was
running at a high rate of speed when
it struck a sandbed, causing the
fatal turnover. This conflicts with
another report from the scene of the
tragedy which said that Mrs. Keesler
was pinned beneath the car for about
thirty minutes before a traveling
man by the name of Brown came
upon the overturned car and rescued
her. Mrs. Keesler, it is understood,
said that the steering wheel of the
automobile twisted off, causing the
accident.
"Edward L. Keesler was 63 years
old, having been born at Rock Hill,
S. C., on January 15, 1861, the son
of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel G. Keesler.
His mother before marriage, was a
Miss Caston, of Rock Hill.
"Mr. Keesler came to Charlotte in
the early eighties, while still a young
man. He married Miss Mamie Yates
of 'Charlotte. For seven years he
was a clerk in the dry^goods estab
lishment of Alexander and Harris,
and when the senior partner of the
firm, La Fayette Alexander, discon
nected himself with it, the company
became Harris and Keesler.
"Starting with the old Charlotte
Building and Loan association, Mr.
Keesler achieved great prominence in
building and loan circles, not only in
Charlotte, but in the state and
throughout the natioa. For twenty
years he had been secretary-treasurer
of the Mutual Building and Loan as
sociation of Charlotte, the position he
held at his death. He was also vice
president of the Roslyn Realty com
, pany. ..
i "Mr. Keesler organized the state
league of building and loan associa
tions more than 20 years ago. For
a number of years he was secretary
treasurer of the state organization
and was l?ter president for several
years. ^
"His prominence as a building and
loan official was not confined to the
state, as he served for one year as
president of the United States League
of Building and Loan associations,
holding this position about six or
eight years ago. Mr. Keesler took
great interest in building and loan
work throughout the country, ami at
tended many conventions of the
national. organization. Frequently he
made speeches before gatherings of
building and loan men. As a result
of his influence, the annual convention
of the United States League * of
Building and Loan associations was
held in Charlotte one year, about ten
years ago.
"Mr. Keesler was a member of St.
Peter's Episcopal church. He was a
prominent member of the Charlotte
Rotary club, and took a great interest
in civic activity. His residence was
at 212 East, Morehead street.
"The only public office Mr, Keesler
ever held jvas as a member of the
city water commission years ago.
He was approached many times, it
is said, during his business career to
become a candidate for public office,
but declined to do so. Early in his
craeer in Charlotte, Mr. Keesler was
a first lieutenant and later captain of
the Hornets' Nest riflemen, a local
military organization,
i "Mr, Keesler is survived by his
wife, Mrs. Mamie Yates Keesler; one
son, Edward Y. Keesler, of Charlotte;
two daughters, Miss ""Mary Keesler, a
student at Agnes Scott college, and
Miss Sarah Keesler, of Charlotte; one
brother, General Samuel R. Keesler,
of Greenwood, Miss., and four sisters,
M rs, M. M. Murphy of Charlotte;
Mrs. Maggie Keesler Rhame, of Cam
den, S. C.; Mrs. Edward V. Durham,
of Charlotte and Mrs. C. K. Marshall,
of Gastonia Mrs. Rhame, whose
home he was about to visit wheli the
accident occurred, is Mr. Keesler's
oldest sister."
uut tnrougn ine porta is ox me iv u
brick residence at 212 East More
head street, Edward L. Keesler
passed Monday afternoon foi- the last
time, #to be laid to rest beneath thd
green of Elmwood cemetery.
The brief services were conducted
by Rev. G. Floyd Rogers, rector of
St. Peter's Episcopal church, of
which the deceased was a member.
Pallbearers were Rawlinson Myers,
Chase Brenizer, Dr. Robert L. Gib
bon, Hugh Murrill, Sr., J. C. Crowell,
Henry M: McAden Sterling Graydon
and C. M. Carson.
The directors of the Mutual Build*
ing and Loan association, ofu which
Mr. Keesler was secretary, and treas
urer, and also the directors of the
Mechanics Perpet?ual Building and
Loan association, attended the funer
al services as delegations. Official
representation of. the ? Charlotte
Rotary- club, of which Mr. Keesler
was a leading member, were present
in a body.
Hundreds attended the funeral ser
vices. The assemblage in the house,
on the grounds and along the street
near the residence attested to the
popularity of Edward L. Keesler
among his fellow-citizens, as did the
long lines of automobiles parked for
several blocks along both sides of
the street, waiting for the formation
of the funeral procession. Cars were
parked as closely as possible along
either side o# East Morehead street
for two blocks away from the resi
dence, and off down the block form
ing Ransom place, which enters into
Morehead street near where the
Keesler residence fronts on East
Morehead, the cars were double
parked, practically filling the street.
Scores of men, friends, business as
, sociates and others, old and young,
stood with uncovered heads on the
front porch, in the yard and along
the sidewalk in front of the house
during the services, while many
others were inside the rooms.
Many beautiful floral designs, evi
dencing the love and esteem in which
Mr. Keesler was held, were sent.
As another mark of respect to the
cmemory of Mr. Keesler, all offices at
the courthouse wer? closed foi1 one
bour Monday afternoon, between 4
and B o'clock. That, it is said, is the
first time that the offices at the
courthouse have ever been closed out
of respect to the memory of a pri
vate citizen. ~ Mr. Ke6sTerTs offices, in
the Mutual Building & Loan Asso
ciation building, were just across the
street from the courthouse, and' he
wnu; ' closely associated with the
county officials.
Among the relatives and friends
here to attend the funeral were: Mrs.
Maggie Keesler Rhame and daughter,
Miss Olive Rhame, of Camden; Dr.
J. Sumter Rhame, of Charleston; Mr.
and Mrs. C. K. Marshall, of Gastonia.
The Charlotte Observer of Sunday
paid the following editorial tribute to
Mr. Keesler: *
"Seldom has this community been
more shocked or more poignantly
grieved by the sudden death of any
citizen than it was when the dis
tressing news of the tragic passing
of Mr. Edward L. KeesTer was circu
lated about the city late Saturday
afternoon. Not many times in the
history of Charlotte has a sorrow
more nearly universal in its extent
befallen the community.
"During his 31 years of citizenship
in Charlotte, Mr. Keesler had come
into contact with a large proportion
of the city's population, through his
activities in the building and loan
field, the field in which he achieved a
conspicuous measure of success. His
pre-eminence in the building and loan
^association field, in fact, was of
national recognition years ago, for he.
served a term as president of the
National League of Building and
Loan Associations. Likewise, he had
served as president of the North
Carolina League of Building and
Loan Association*. He loved his busi
ness because it gave him a great op
portunity for service to his common-,
ity and hi* fellowman.
"Mr. Keesler was an outstanding
(Continued on last page)
A TRIP TO THE COAST
Party of ('iqidon Men Spend* ? Week
At Murrell'H Inlet.
The editor of The Chronicle was
the gue^t last week of members of
the Tidewater Hod and Ottli Club, of
Camden, who have quite extensive
holdings at MurreU's Inlet in Cieorge
town county. In the party who left
here Monday afternoon and returned
Friday evening were: Messrs. J. I*.
Wallace, W, 0. Hay, S. H. Micklo
and H. D. Niles and every hour was
spent most pleasantly.
Quite a number of business men
last year purchased a five room cot
tage, together with eighty acres of
land with a frontage on the Inlet and
havt* equipped the plaCe ideally for a
place of recreation both in summer
and 'winter. Plenty of tlsh can be
caught in the creeks of the Inlet and
those wh6 prefer deep sea fishing can
go outside in motor boats. The
woods and marshes abound with duck
and deer and other game and the
hunting is good in winter.
Fine surf bathing can, be had on
many of the sand islands not far
from the Inlet. These islands are
alwo reached by motor boats.
The route from Camden carries one
through Bishopville, Darlington,
Florence, Marion, Gallivant's Ferry
and Conway. The roads are excellent
and where at Mars Bluff it was the
custom to cross on a ferry boat,
Marion and Florence counties have ?
recently built an excellent bridge
across I*ee Dee river, and like the 0
bridge at Camden is a toll bridge.
This section of the state is rapidly
coming to the front since the advent
of good roads, and the farmers of all
the counties through which we
passed have two money crops? one
of tobacco and another of cotton. At
Conway; the county seat of Horry
county, we were told that they weie
to ship a carload of chickens I? riday.
Last week the manager of an apiary
shipped a car load of bees?the first
from South Carolina, and it is said
he realized $20,000 on the car.
MurreU's Inlet is 26 miles from
Conway, the nearest railroad town
and from Conway to the Inlet, is a
sparsely settled section ? the tyfiber
having been cut away and for miles
and miles can be seen on each side
of the road ?, numerous . substantial
farm houses which have been- de-'
serted. - ? . ; ?
Quite a number of South Caro?
linians and some from North Caiolijia ?
have built summer homes at the Inlet
and like" Mytle Beach, a little farther
up the coast, it is becoming a popular
resort.
The lingo and customs of the low
country people especially the negroes,
was interesting to those of the party
who had never been there before.
Nobody was in a hurry around the
Inlet and the colored folks seem to
depend upon the sea and little patches
of truck for a livelihood. Quite an
extensive canning factory operated
for many years by Breslau and
Latchicotte., on the Inl^.t, utilize the
truck grown in the immediate vicin
ity. Aside from the fishing and small
trucking operations, "wuk," as tho
low country darkies call it, seems out
of stylo, tn th&t aecttori*
Part of our journey took us over
what the natives call the "King's
Road," used more than a century ago.
At a flowing well on the coast we
noticed a square, solid iron watering
trough and we are told that this
trough was used during the War Be
tween the States for boiling sea water
in order to get the salt for uso by
the inland population and that it was
hauled over this old highway in_
wagons to the inland towns.
Various parties from Camden have
been made up within the past two
years who have made visits to the
Inlet as guests of this Camden club,
I and like our party, all enjoyed tho
trip to the fullest. -A party of seven
from Cheraw, headed by Bert Latta,
an old Camden boy, also spent the
week there, making mos? congenial
company for the Camden party. It is
a grand place for an outing and we
hope it will be our g oqd fortune to
be the giiest ot -these good friend*
-?
American I?e jfion Auxiliary To Meet.
There will be a meeting of tho
American Legion Auxiliary on Wed
nesday afternoon June 4th, ,at si*
o'clock, at the home of Mrs. Jack
Whjtaker, >Tr., on Fair street. AH
members ? of the auxiliary are. re
quested to be present and bring any
en* wishing to join. All members aro
aaked to bring the does for this year.
A full 'MttttikflL'l* earnestly g