The Camden chronicle. (Camden, S.C.) 1888-1981, July 10, 1925, Image 1
Chronicle
. . ' UULL-.i-. J LJi. J - I _ I..IJ1
CAMDEN, ^OUTH CAROUNA, FRIDAY, JULY 10, 1925.
? ? I I I ll II .11
NUMBER 15.
VOLUME XXXVII.
WHITE MEN TO PRISON
juries Convict* and Judge Town wend
imposes Chain Gang Sentences.
Cases of violators of the prohibi
tion law occupied the first four days
of the court here this week with
Judge W, H. Townsend presiding. In
the presentment of th^ grand jury the
request was made that sentences be
'imposed instead of fines and the trial
judge tried to carry out this request
with both whites and blacks and sev
eral white men were sent to the chain
gang. '?
Only one murder case came Ijefore
the court this session. W. Li Stokes,
L. Hunnieutt and S. P. Watkin*,
officers, charged with the slaying of
Ken McKnight when he resisted ar
rest. The jury promptly acquitted
the officers. Murphy McKnight who
was with his brother at the. time he
wa$, killed and who participated in
resisting and assaulting the officers,
plead guilty to all charges preferred
and drew a sentence of not less than
three nor more than six years."
Other cases coming before the court
.vere :
Murdoch Graham, charged with
housebreaking and larceny, plead guil
ty and was sentenced to serve six
months. . ' ^
Eugene Reed, larceny and receiv
ing stolen goods, plead guilty and
received a sentence of three months.
Lester Sims, a white man, plead
guilty to a charge of bigamy and
was sentenced to serve one year and
'9*2* as due of $5QQ.
Dan Deas, a small negro youth,
before the court on a charge of lar
eny and receiving stolen goods, was
sentenced by Judge Townsend 44ta. be
? ommitted to the custody of G. G.
Alexander, Esq., for one year." The
case was nol prossed.
.John Williams, plead guilty to vio
ation of prohibition law and rcceiv-i
"J a sentence <rf six months |vith
three suspended.
Clarence Galloway, white man,
>iead guilty to violation of the pro
hibition law and was sentenced to
-erve nine months with six months I
suspended.
Doctor Martin, a negro, was found J
guilty on a prohibition charge.
T. M. Thigpert, a white man, plead
guilty and was sentenced to serve
'our months with three suspended on
a prohibition violation charge.
Maxey Cassiday, white, plead guil*
*ty to violation of t?ie prohibition law
and was sentenced to six months, with
four suspended.
Frank Harrison plead guilty to a
prohibition charge and was sentenced
to serve six* months with four sus
pended. Sentence suspended until
October l^t. ?
John Thompson plead guilty to a
harge of prohibition violation and
received a sentence** of four months
?vith three suspended.
Robert Davis plead guilty to a
<-harge of prohibition violation and
coeived a sentence-of six months
?vith four suspended.
Reuben Coleman, negro, and Henry
Watts, white man, were up for manu
facturing whiskey. Watts was tried
twice, the first trial resulting in a
m atrial. The second jury convicted
fiim with recommendation and he
a sentence of one year with
months suspended. The negro
P'cad guilty to 'his part and drew a
Mntonce of six months with five sus
pended. Judge Townsend told the
fiegro he was lighter on him because
white pian lead him into trouble.
That it was all right for him to foN
"W a white man provided he chose
" right kind of a white man.
W. M. Outlaw, a white maa, was
: >uud guilty of violating the prohi
bition law for personal use. He drew
fine of $250 or sentence of three
months with two suspended.
Richard Davis plead guilty to car
breaking arid larceny and drew a
-'?ntence of one year.
l^wis Thomas, negro, was cOnvict
"1 of a charge of breach of trust
'Hd was sentenced to serve not less
'nan one nor rflore than two years.
A motion for a new*trial in the
H?e of Sam Gary, convicted one year
???<> on a charge of assault with in
>nt to rape and sentenced to serve
twenty years, was argued Wednesday
morning by Attorney M. L. Smith
n the grounds of after discovered
? ?idonce. The new trial was granted.
In the case of J. R. Horton, charg
with the murder of young Shaw,
?rtfument will be presented Friday
morning to determine which county
the caw shall be tried in. Norton
fchot Shaw in Lancaster county last
October but he lingered until las?
^eek when he died in Kerchaw county.
Sfc . ; . _ _ 'jrl-' 71 1 ; D8K I ' H
CORONER HOLDS HORTON
Charged With Firing Sliot That Took
Life of William J. Shaw
hrrshaW,-' July 4.? r.At the inques'.
held here today over the body of Wil
liam J. Shaw, young Lancaster county
farmer, whcr was shot last November
and who died yesterday, the coroner's
jury brought in a verdict that death
resulted from gun skot wounds receiv
ed at the hands of James K. Horton,
prominent Lancaster farmer.
This case promises to We one of the
hardest fought in Lancaster county's
history, both parties having wide fam
ily connections in the two counties and
able iegal talent has been secured on
both sides. The defense has retained
Claud N. Sapp of the Columbia bar,
J. Cope Massey of Kershaw and Wil
liams & Stewart of Lancaster as its
attorneys. Mendel L. Smith and E. I).
Blakeney of the Camden bar will as
sist the prosecution. At the inquest
held here this mbvning before Coroner
Russell of Kershaw ^ounty, Attorney
Smith questioned the witnesses, the
testimony being taken down by Men
del L. Smith, Jr. The defense at
torneys did not question any of the
witnesses. Mr. Horton has surrender
ed to Sheriff Hunter of Lancaster and
is awaiting bond.
Mr. Hall Dead
Mr. J. A. Hall, aged 09 years, died
at his home near Cassatt Wednesday
and was buried Thursday at High
Hill True Light church on Thursday,
funeral being conducted by Rev. Mr.
' Watfcins. Mr. Hall is survived by ft/.t
third wife and several children.
?The coroner of Kershaw county held
the inquest and Horton was placed
in the Kershaw county jail. E. I).'
?Blakeney and M. L. Smith of Camden,
will assist in the prosecution, while
.Claud N. Sapp, of Columbia, J. Cope
land Massey of Kershaw, and Wil
liams & Stewart, of Lancaster, will
represent the defendant.
According to announcement made
yesterday by Clerk of Court James :
H. Clyburn there will be no sessions!
of criminal court next week. All i
jurors summoned for second Week j
duty are exempted, states Mr. Cly
burn, and will not be expected to
appear.
Grand Jury Presentment '
To His Honor, Judge W. H. Town
send, Presiding Judge Summer Term
of Court:
We beg to make herewith our pre
sentment. We have paused on all
bills handed us by the solicitor.
We find through careful obsci ra
tion,- and from reports that the roads
throughout the county are in as good,
or better condition than' they have
eveTr been. Our officials are to be
congratulated on the fine work they
are doing along this line. There have
been several new roads opened up,
an(^ several cross country roads work
ed, and widened. We find that the
chain gang is being well kept, every
thing is sanitary, and the prisoners
are well cared for.' We would like,
however, to4 recommend that a kitchen
be arranged immediately, as the one
they have at the gang is entirely in=_
adequate for the use of the gang. ?
We find that the jail 'is in good
condition, with the exception of one
or two little leaks, which we recom
mend that have attention. The jail
is being well kept, and the sheriff,
and jailer, are to be congratulated
on the splendid sanitary comjitions
we find there. The Court House is
in good shape. The leaks heretofore,
have all been stopped, and the gen
eral appearance in and around the
building is very. neat. We would
recommend, however, that the county
officials be provided with window
awnings, where needed, as the morn;
ing and evening sun is very unplea
sant to those who hav? to stay in
the offices. We think too, that pro
viding the building with such awn
ings would add much to the appear
ance of the court house, and would
not cost much, when the comfort
and looks are taken into considera
tion. ' .
We have visited all the county of
fices and beg to say that each office
presents a very neat appearance, and
would indicate that the officers are
doing their duty.
We have been in ^communication
through out foreman and the county
treasurer, with the comptroller gen
erals office, and the annual audit
from that office will be made within
the next few days, and the findings
will be incorporated in our next re
port.
We would like to recommend that
in the prohibition cases, where the
defendants^are found guilty, that the
presiding judge give them both a
sentence and a fine. There is but
one way to stop the illegal sale of
whiskey, and that ia to punish to
hurt4. ,
We bqg to thank you, the prenid
Ingfc judge, and 'other court official*
for the many consideration* shown us
this term, all of which we do most
respectfully submit.
Very respectfully,
G. A. MOSELEY,
Foreman Grand Jury Kershaw County
Camden, 8. C., July fth, \926.
TRAGEDY, AT BISIIOPVHXE
Tillman Fluid* Shut by Henry Gatlin
at Gatlin Hume
Bishopville, Jyly 8r ? Tillman Field),
about 2(i, was shot and almost in
stantly killed this morning about 9
o'clock by Henry Gatlin, who surren
dered authorities. The tragedy,
which has been the chief topic of con
versation here today was enacted at
the edge of Mr. Gatlin's front yard.
Henry Gatlin is a member of the
Lee county board of commissioners,
and. one of the county's best cititens.
Mr. Fields was the only son of J. J.
Fields, who is also one of the county's
most substantial citizens. . Both men
lived in the Stokes bridge section.
Coroner Baker empaneled a jury im
mediately and after viewing the body
permitted it to be moved to the home
of his parents.
Evidence at the inquest was sub
stantially to the effect that, Mr.
Fields, who had been drinking pre?
vious.to today, had gone to the nearby
store of J. T. Smith ear|y in the
morning and told several men that
he was going to kill all of his ene
mies. He was persuaded off and
quieted. letter fye returned and told
Mr, Smith that he was going to kill
Henry Gatlin and wanted him to
come to his funeral. Mr. Fields had
gone to Mr. Gatlin's house earlier in
the' morning. He returned later, after
Mr. Gatlin had returned from a trip
to Hartsville. Mr. Gatlin put his pis
tol in his pocket and went out. Ho
invited Mr. Fields in, whereupon Mr.
' Fields told him that he had come to
kill him, and as he attempted to
raise his pistol, Mr. Gatlin testified,
he shot him. He used' a 38 caliber
pistol, shooting three timeft. Two
bullets entered Fields' head. It *is
said that two pistols were found on
the front seat of Field's car. It is
also . said that [there had been some
previous trouble between the two men.
Mr. Gatlin immediately surrendered
to the sheriff. The verdict the
coroner's jury was that JMeWs cijme
to his death from pistol^|
flicted by Henry Gatlin.
Shaw Dies Long After Attack
Kershaw, July 3. ? William J. Shaw
young farmer of the Fork Hill section
of Lancaster county a few miles north
of this place, died this afternoon
after lingering since last November
when he. was shot, it is alleged, by
James R. Horton, on whose place Mr.
Shaw was a tenant. Mr. Hortort ban
been out on bond since the shooting,
pending the result of Mr. Shaw's in
juries. Mr. Shaw made a brave fight
for life against terrible odds and
everything that surgeons and devot
ed friends and relatives could do was
done but he slowly succumbed to his
injury. He was 25,years of age and
is survived by?his widow and two
children.
Lightning, Kills Two Boys
Abbeville, July 7. ? A single bolt
of lightning was fatal late Monday
afternoon to two boys, Dick Wilson,
grandson of W. A. Wilson, and Wel
ton Thompson, son of W. W. Thomp
son, of Lowndesville. The little Wil
son boy. lived three 'hours after he
was struck, but the Thompson boy
was almost instantly killed.
' One of the youths was playing
under the house and other was in the
kitchen. It is thought that the bolt,
which first entered a barber shop and
destroyed a hair cutting machine, fol-,
lowed the wires to the house.
Dies After Boxing
Chester, July 3. ? James Ingram,
negro, is dead as the Vesult, it is
alleged, of boxing with another negro
Ira Stinson, at Portlawn, Chester
county. The negroes were both box
ing in fun, when Ingram suddenly
fell and he was taken to a physician's
office, where he passed away ia a few
minutes. Coroner J. Henry Gladden's
inquest jury's verdict was that In
gram came to his death accidentally
at the hands of Ira Stinson. Death
is believed to have been due to heart
failure.
Vick Company Inspect Farms
Greensboro, Jlily 6. ? Leaving here
today, <3. A. Russell, of the Vick
Chemical company, this city, is mak
ing a trip to inspect mint farms in
northern states, Michigan, Indiana
and New York. These experimental
farms are owned by the Vick com
pany and are given over to the cul
tivation of mentha arvensis, a Jap
anese mint plant. The Vick people
have three such farms in this state
and others in various parts of the
FORECASTS BIG YIELD
Government Reports Estimate of]
14,339,000 Hales
Washington, July 2, A cotton crop
of 1 4,380,000 equivalent 500- pound
bales was forecast today by the de
partment of agriculture as this year's j
probable production.
Should favorable conditions pre
vail from now until time of picking
and the quantity forecast today ma
terialise, the crop would be the third
largest in cotton histgry. It would
exceed last year's crop by almost
three-quarters of a million bales.
The prospective bumper crop is
the result of an exceedingly large
acreage, probably the largest eVer
planted, and the favorable condition
generally of the growing plants.
There were 40,448,000 acres in cul
tivation June 25. That is 3,807,000
acres more than in cultivation n
y?%r ago. The increased acreage is
due to the planting of considerable
new land, substitution of cotton on
land Uged last year for various other
crops and the planting of land that
was 'idle last year. In every state
except Virginian*' Missouri and Ari
zona the area^^xceeded last year's.
The eondition of the growing plants
was- better than a year ago every
where except in Texas. The aver
age condition was 75.0 per cent of
a normal. This is 4.7 points above
the June 25 condition last year and
'1.0 points above the 10-year June 25
average.
In the last month the crop as -a
whofe (fcctfrted 0.7 points a s com
pared with a 10-year average im
provement of 2.0 points. In Texas
the decline was six points, whereas
the usual improvement there is about
three points. Rain is badly needed
for cotton there.
The area in cultivation June 25
(in thousands of acres) and the con
dition of the crop on that date by
states follows:
Virginia, acreage 00 and condition
83 per cent of a normal; North Caro
lina, 2.183 and 77; South Carolina
1,740 and 70; Georgia 3,564 and 76;
Florida 115 and 84; Alabama 3,425;
and 70; Mississippi 3,424 and 88;
Louisiana 1,016 and 81; Texas 18,237
and 64; Arkansas 3,649 and 87; Ten
nessee 1,210 and 85; Missouri 503^
and 00; Oklahoma 4,867.- and 88;
California 170 and 06; Arizona 163
and 02; New Mexico 130 and 88;
all other states 38 and 04; about
150,000 acres in Lower California
(Old Mexico) are not included in
California figures, nor in the United
States total.
The acreage in all other states in
cludes: Illinois 8,000; Kentucky,
28,000, and Arkansas 2,000.
The acreage in Arizona of Pima
Egyptian long staple is estimated at
40,000 acres, compared with 8,000
acres in 1024.
Child Hygiene Truck To Visit County
The Child Hygiene truck of the
South Carolina Board of Health will
be in Kershaw county the week of
July 13th. The truck will be at the
following points in the county:
Monday afternoon ? Wateree Mill.
Tuesday morning ? DeKalb.
Tuesday afternoon ? Westville. ?
Wednesday morning ? Timrod.
Wednesday afternoon ? Shamrock.
Thursday morning ? Rabon's Cross
Roads.
Thursday afternoon ? Blaney.
Friday, all ? day ? Camden (Rest
Room, opera house).
Babies and children up to school
J' ' :
age will be weighed and measured
and examined. Any child out in the
county who needs to be seen by a
specialist will be referred to the
Camden clinic. Bring your babies
and young children to the clinic
nearest your home on the day set.
Caddy Killed by Lightning
Columbia, July 4. ? Davis Mont
gomery, 18 year old negro, was killed
by lightning while caddying on the
links of the Ridgewood Country club
late today. Montgomerv w*s caddy
for U. R. Brooks, who was playing
in a foursome with Eddie Jenkins.
R. H. Richey and Chris C. Habenich*
A purse of $75 was raised among
golfers at the club to pay the funeral
expenses of Montgomery, who had
been a caddy at Ridgewood for five
years.
J. N. Farmer, a well known citizen
of Tpwnville, was struck by an auto
mobile last week, and fatally injured.
Warren Whitfield, driver of the car,
was exonerated by the coroner's jury.
Mr. Farmer was seventy-two years
of age, and was a native of LavoYiia,
Gtu
HKTHUNK NEWS NOTES
Hems t?f Interest as Gathered by t)ur
Regular Correspondents
Bothum, S. July 8. - Mrs. Mark
Kipg and little son returned to their
home in Neeses Thursday, after a
five week's visit at the home of her
father, Mr. N* A. Bethune.
Messrs. Frank Clyburn and T. R,
Clyburn of New Ybrk1 visited their
sister, Mrs. Inuring- Davis last week.
Miss Gussie Ilough, who is attend
ing summer school at Winthrop Col
lege, spent the Fourth at the home
of her sister, Mrs. K. T. Fstridge.
Mr. and Mrs. Height Williamson of
Darlington were guests of Mr. and
Mrs. J. M. Forbis Sunday. They were
accompanied home by Mrs. Forbis
Sunday evening.
Mr. Alton King of Manning spent
Sunday with "his parents, Mr. and
Mrs. G. \V. King.
Mrs. L.v O. Johnson was the weel:
end guest of her mother, Mrs.. Black
well in Darliington.
Miss Vara Kllis of Hartsvillo is
the guest of Mrs. S. B. Padgett.
Miss Celeste Knott of Cope is tjie
guest of Mrs. J. D. Laffitte.
Mrs. C. O. Terry and children of
Kay City, Ga., are visiting at the
home of Mrs. Terry's parents, Mr.
and Mrs. J. A. MeCa skill,
Mr, and Mrs. CI. B. MeKinnon of
Lancaster spent Sunday and Monday
here .with relatives. They were ac
companied home, by Misses Mary
MeKinnon and Helen I 'ope Ward,
who will spent several days with
them.
Rev. .1. M. Forbis spent Monday inf
Darlington at the home of Mr. Bright
Williiamson.
Mr. Robert Bradley of Los Angeles,
Calif., who has Jjeen spending sev
eral weeks here with his sisters left
Tuesday for Georgia where he will
iviaSV his brother before returning to
his home.
M/iss Ruby Gold Pate of Jefferson
is spending some time at the home of
her uncle Mr. C. C. Pate.
Miss Sarah Lee Heustiss left last
week to attend Camp Sky-Hy on the
French Board river at Marshall, N. C.
Mrs. John McSween of Darlington
j4s- visiting her daughter, Mrs. W. E.
Davis.
Little Miss Harriett Stevens of
Lancaster is the guest of Margaret
T ruesdell.
Mrs. Loring Davis spent several
days with her parents, Mr. and Mr?.
T. B. Clyburn, in Kersha$ last week.
Miss Josey Blackwell of Darling
ton is the guest of her sister Mrs.
L. O. Johnson.
Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Best of Harts
ville Were week end visitors at the
home of thuir son, Mr. B. W. Best.
An entertainment will be given in
the high school building Wednesday
evening July 15th, consisting of read
ings and music, both vocal and in
strumental. Besides home talent there
will be musicians from Kershaw,
Camden and Chesterfield. Admission
25 and 35 ceh^s. Proceeds will go
toward furnishing the new Methodist
church.
Fletcher Poston, a white man of
this town, suffered a severe accident
Wednesday while he was at work in
Lynches creek swamp, a few miles
above here cutting timber. A large
limb from a tree tell on his left arm
crushing it from the shoulder to the
elbow and otherwise bruising him.
Surgical aid was given and he is now
doing nicely.
"Joy Ride", on Locomotive
New York, July 7. ? Charged with
stealing a $65,000 locomotive for a
joy ride and wrecking it* and an
other locomotive in a collision, Nich
olas Oper of Long Island City, today
was held in $1,000 bail for a hear
ing.
Police said Oper .admitted enter
ing the private round house of a con
struction company on the night of
July 3 while intoxicated. Finding no
watchman on duty he decided to take
a ride. Oper had never been in a
locomotive before and was hurled out
the cab window at the first sharp
curve. He was not hurt. The run
away gathered speed and racing sixty
five miles per hour, crashed into u
Long Island Railroad locomotive,
wrecking both engiues and seriously
injuring Engineer George Dimick.
Total damage is estimated at $150,
000.
1
\ ? ?
Death Lint Reaches 44
Boston, July 6.^- With the recovery
of four more bodies early today from
the ruins of the building which hous
ed the Pickwick Club night life resort,
the list of known dead from the col
lapse of the building in the early
morning of July Fourth had reached
forty-four when District Attorney
Thos. C. O'Brien opened a grand jury
investigation of the disaster to^ay
several of the victims had not been
identified.
At Tammany Hall's Fourth of July
celebration Saturday the occasion was
turned largely into an ,"A1 Smith for
President" demonstration. Speakers,
including Governor Richie, of Mary
land, predicted that Governor Smith,
who presided over the exercises, will
be the country's next president.
IN JAM. AT WALliALLA
Man Wan'td Here For Victimising
Numbers of People
C, Lyman, said to be a Charlotte,
N. C., man is in jail in Oconee county
and is being held there by Sheriff
\V. M. Kay on warrants sworn out in
Camden, according to information
given out by Magistrate's Constable
Hunnieutt. ?>
Last year Lyman was in Camden
where it is said he victimised certain
parties in Camden and throughout
the county totaling, quite a large sum
of money. Lyman represented .him
self as an organizer of the "Knights
of the Mystic Shrine" and the initia
tion fee was $10. each. Every new
member was sworn to the utmost
secrecy. His headquarters was in
one of the rooms of a local hotel
niid it is said he had gathered great
mrtnbers into the "shrine." All went
well until Constable Hunnieutt ap
peared near initiation time with u
warrant for Lyman for giving u
bogus check- Lyman protested that
he had no money but that if the
officer would wait until after the
initiation ceremony he would have
plenty to pay with. Mr. Hunnieutt
demanded settlement at once or to
jail hi- must go. Lyman shelled out
a roll of some several hundred and
paid the officer. In the. meantime
some of his candidates for initiation
had overheard the controversy and
became suspicious of Lyman and de
manded their initiation fee of $10.
One by qije they came forward until
Lyman hail paid out more than $500.
As soon as those , close by had been
refunded their money Lyman made
a quick getatvay. Many warrants'
were then issued for him and although
a long *und thorough search has been
made it was not until last Thursday
that Mr. Hunnieutt received word
that he was under arrest.
He not only operated in Camden
but canvassed the county and is said
to have carried nearly $2,000 out of
this community.
Lyman waR a fluent talker and
according to his way of putting it his
"order" was growing so fast and was -
so great it would soon overshadow
the Ku Klux or any oftier secret
srder.
John K. Auil is With Kail Board
Columbia, July 6.? John K. Aull, of
Columbia, formerly court stenogra
pher and more recently secretary to
United States Senator Cole L. Blease,
has been elected reporUu; for the
state railroad commission, it is an
nounced by the commission. He sue- 1
ceeds R. N. Springfield, who recently
accepted a position as secretary on
the Georgia state railroad commis
sion.
. ? Mr. Aull resigned his position a*
secretary to Senator Blease in Order
to permit of continuous residencq in
Columbia.
Girl Charged With Larceny
Raleigh, N. C., July 2. ? The lar
ceny of two cents was charged against
Miss Agnes Canbury, night manager
of the Union newstand at the union
station here, in a warrant sworn out
today by C. V. York, prominent build
ing operator, who charges she refus
ed to return the change when he gave
her 20 ' cents for the purchase of
a package of cigarettes retailing at
'18 cents.
The transaction that brought the
charge occurred last night when Mr.
'York handed over two dimes. Miss
Canbury rang them up on the cash
register and offered no change. He
detnanded two cents back, declaring
the cigarettes retailed for 18 cents.
She denied that he was entitled to
any change, listing 20 cents as the ,
price charged by the newstand.
State Hospital Crowded
Columbia, S. C? Jdly 6. ? Because
of crowded conditions at the South
Carolina State hospital here,, the
superintendent of the institution has
been directed by the board of re
gents to notify probate and circuit
judges of the state that "only acute
and violent" patients can be accept
ed at present, it was announced to
day by Dr. C. F. Williams, superin
tendent.
? Graduated in Dentistry.
Woddie Bolton, a colored youth of
Camden, who followed the trade of a
carpenter, was a recent graduate of.
Temple Dental College in Philadelphia
After leaving Camden a few years
ago he followed the trade of a hard
wood worker and paid his way '?
through coVege in thi* manner. Wod
die Belton is the son of Katie E. Bel*
ton, wbo resides on Qordon street in