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The Camden Chronicle volume xxxviii. camde^, south carolina. friday, may 9a io? v '' 1 1,1 1 "? 1 ' " ? ' number ?. v TKOt'HLE IN "GKKCHELAND" Hum War HcmuHh in Many Sei*qt-en, Three Deaths, Several Arrests. >\ (Charlotte Observer, May 18 After six weeks of maneuvering from headquarters of the eighth federal prohibition district here, war broke between the two strongest bootleg factions of South Carolina and yesterday the government was probing the death of two bootleg kings and a subordinate, victims of the first clash in an open feud in the "Hell Hole" sector of Berkeley county. Death rode through the moonshine sector when leaders of the clans, en* raged by information furnished federal agent against each otheiv> met in a pitched battle hear Monch's Corner and the first blood was shed in what authorities believe to be the opening of a long and desperate war. In the wake of the shooting five men were lodged in a Charleston jail yesterday, warrants were out for others and a coroner's jury was 'being called to probe the death of Sam J. McKnight, known in the "Hell Hole vicinity as king of the McKnight clan; Jervie Mitohum, lieutenant in the same gang, and Benjamin Ville Ponteaux, leader of the rival gang. As the history of the feud came to light yesterday dry officers were ^ exultant, characterizing the affray as the death knell of illicit traffic in "the dirtiest hole on the seaboard." Those arrested were Jeremiah Wright, Percy Wright, Jesse Murray, Thaddeus Villomteaux and James Anderson. Bad blood existing for years between the moonshirie factions of "Hell Hole," which covers almost half of Berkeley county, came ito a head on April 29 .when an unnamed informer called at the 'prohibition headquarters at Charleston and volunteered information and maps of distilleries in that district. Agents Poppenheim and Young, federal officers at Charleston, accompanied the informer on the morning of April 8<h to the vicinity of "Hell Hole," with the result that nine distilleries consisting of six stills, 3Q gallons of whiskey, 19,000 gallons of beer and $7,000 worth 'of material were captured. The property was reported to be owned and controlled by the McKnight brothers. By that time the war was ott.; On May 1 G. D. McKnight came to the Charleston office and told J. H. Shaffer, deputy administrator, and Agent Seabrook that he "wouldn't have them think that the McKnights made all i the liquor in South Carolina." ' In proof he made a hurriedly sketched map of other distilleries of the neighborhood. Agent Seabrook later' repaired to Florence and returned with State Constables Coleman and Lawrence as reinforcements in the impending conquest of "Hell Hole," The constables led the attack. They paid the McKnights a call and secured ample information for another' haul of considerable proportions. On the same day. ViHe Ponteaux, destined to fall before the McKnight assault a few days later, called at the Charleston office and aslced the agents to meet him on the following morning. , The agents agreed that at the hour set for the meeting found their visitor with "the two Anderson boys," also familiar to' South Carolina authorities. The outlaw* trio led the way to the McKnight slector where the agents added *a truclc, a touring car and 101 gallons to their monthly report blank. The party went then to the residence of Gene Bgs?-whore they took 185 gallons of whiskey; thence to Sam Aey wood'sv home where they made a master stroke, capturing 1,893 gallons of whiskey and 1,300 pounds of sugar. Prom the Hey wood farm they went to three other residences, enhancing the day's work with each call. v?' ... - ' -r in the meantime things were happening at Charleston. While the agents were stffl fcuay with the McKnight Taids, the elder McKnight himself, in company with one Jimmie Hill, was at the prohibition headQuarters "With a request for officers b> conduct an invasion into the enemy territory. McKnight was told that the agent* were all busy, the exact nature of iheir business being withheld for qfe v?ous reasons. He was invited to call again the next morning, however. The visitor declared emphatically that wo.ld u?d MP on *. follow .ing morning for the simple reason that he would have every "grandfather, son and grandson" in* jail by that time. Developments Friday included the arrest of James Anderson for the possession x>? whiskey and the discovery that the contraband had been "planted" on his property by enemies. His arrest was the result of information furnished by a member of the McKnight clique. During the day Ville Ponteaux told agents that he had - been informed Tnat he couldn't get officers to aid' in, his exploits this side of Washington. The cTimax was precipitated on the following day .when, member* of the Ville Pontefeux gang told officers that there was work to be done on their farms. In company with the agents they went to the Ville Ponteaux home where they found that ,G. D. McKnight, Sam McKnight, Hughie McKnight and Jervie Mitchum had carried the fight to the firesides, cursed and abused the leader's wife and administered a beating to his younger brother. The agents prevented an immediate reckoning, persuading the angry moonshiners to swear out warrants and let the law take its course. . The McKnight following, however, anticipated the move and lay in ambush until the enemy, armed to the teeth, appeared along the road in an automobile. In the battle that followed Sam McKnight and Mitchum were killed and Ville Ponteaux fatally wounded, later dying in a Charleston hospital. Warrants were out yesterday for the arrest of G. D. McKnight, Billy Cumbahee, Sam Heywood and Gene Best, whom authorities believe will join their colleagues at the Charleston jail shortly." Hints of a conspiracy are eipbodied in an investigation now being conducted, which federal authorities believe will clear the vicinity of bootlegging evil fox some years to corns.' mm. BETHUNE HAS CLEAN UP Prizes Offered For Making Neighbor Town Cleanly At the suggestion of the Bethuno 'Home Demonstration Club, Clean-up Week was observed In Bethune May 10 to May IB. Many noticeable improvements were made and the cooperation of the town council and the public at large made the clean-up contest quite a success. Cash prizes, contributed partly by the town council and partly by public subscription were offered to the | cleanest and most sanitary store, and j to the best kept yard. These prizes were awarded at the meeting of the i home demonstration club on Tuesday j afternoon, May 18th, and on this day Bethune presented a spic and span ! appearance. Tin cans and loose papers had been removed and every yard thoroughly cleaned. The meeting was held at the school house and an interesting talk on vegetable gardens was given by Mrs. S. 0. Plowden, district agent in hoftie demonstration work. Mr. M. G. King, mayor of Bethune, gave a short talk congratulating the success of cleanup week after which the prizes were awarded. The first prize for the best kept storte was awarded to the Bethune Candy Kitchen and the second to Oliver's general merchandise store. The first prize in the yard contest was awarded to Mrs. D. J. Clyburn, the second going to Mrs. W, E. Davis. .Honorable mention was also made of Mrs. A. B. McLaurin, Mrs. S. B. Padgett, Mrs. B. F. Bolton and Mrs. M. B. King. The Bethune club undgr the leadership of their president, Mrs. B. F. Bolton, is doing splendid work, which it hopes to continue- throughout the year.' Recovered His Ford A Ford coupe belonging to Dr. A. W. Humphries was stolen from its parking place near the DeKalb Pharmacy on the night of April &th and Dr. Humphries has just succeeded in legating the car. It was driven to a Satch of woods on the farm of Mr, . Z. Barfield south of Camden, and there by pieces was dismantled ano the various parts sold, the chassis and body alone remaining intac; Zeland Barfield, a youth, of around 19 years, has been arrested and placed in the county jail to answer for the theft. Major King, young white man of about 21 years, is in jail in Biahopville on another charge, and is also accused of the theft of Dr. Humphries' car. D*., Humphries thinks that he has v about gotten all of the missing parts gathered together and will be able to get his car in running shape again. 8ENT TO LONG SLEEP Nevada's Method of Doing Away With Convicted Murderers States Prison, Carson City, Nev., May 21,?Nevada forfeited the life of a murderer today by lethal gas? the commonwealth's form of capital punishment. * Stanko Jukich, 28, copper miner of Ruth, Nevada, paid the extreme penalty for the slaying last year of Jennie Madck, his 16 year<eld sweetheart. She had refused to carry out a marriage pact arranged between Jukich, herself and her parents. The rspark of life vanished quickly from the body of the condemned man. Four nods of the head, stretched over a period of two and one half minutes, told a graphic story of the effectiveness of the hydrocyanic acid sprayed into the concrete death vault in which Jukich sat strapped to a chair. No torture of the body marked his passing, in the opinion of spectators. If there was any pain, Jukioh did not betray it. His face remained calm, a faint smile playing around his lips. It seemed as though he simply lulled into a de^p and restful sleep. The charge of acid was pumped into the chamber at 10:56 a.m., turning Into gas immediately in ~ the temperature of 80 degrees. As the grayish fumes curled around his head, Jukich inhaled deeply >and leaned forward. Thirty seconds later he was unconscious. Just two and one half minutes from the 'time prison physicians said that llfb was extinct. Eyeballs rolling into tlie sockets conveyed a message to the professional men that a corpse was within the room. Jukich walked unfaltering to his doom. As he neared the death house he sang out cheerily, "Good-bye, boys, i haven't lost my nerve. I'll save a place' for you there." He was bound to a chair inside and the door was closed and sealed. A slight hissing sound warned him that the gas was entering the room and he glanced up startled. At the same time, he caught. sight of A woman newspaper correspondent peering in from the window and rewarded her :with a smile and the words "good-bye, girlie." With his next breath he went into a coma and shortly after was dead. Despite precautions and efforts # to hermetically seal the execution chamber fumes from the deadly gas escaped to spread an invisible but threatening blanket around the building. It failed, however, to provb a deterrent to the ' 40-odd spectators who crowded about the three observation windows. ' A few experienced a smarting of the eyes. One hour and thirty miputes after Jukich had entered" the death cell, his body was removed and taken to the priso.i morgue. A second cousin claimed ,it and it will be buried Sunday at Carson City. It was the second time in the history of the state that lethal gas had been used to blot out the life of a criminal.- This method of execution was legalized in 1021. Gave Convicts Chicken Dinner. "In a coihmuhicartion addressed to The Chronicle the guards and, prisoners request this paper to publicly extend thanks to Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Johnson for providing a chicken dinner for them.on Sunday, May 28rd. Mr. Johnson is the caipp superintendent and the prisoners and guards hrere deeply appreciative of their thoughtfulness and hospitality. ' v Negro Appointed Assistant J ' 7* " The Philadelphia Record, of April ?7, carried a picture of E. Washington Rhodes, a negro member of the Philadelphia bar, who had just been appointed assistant United States distrlct attorney at Philadelphia. Rhodes is a nephew of Rev. J. W. Boykin, well-known pastor of Mt. Mcriah Baptist church of Camden, and is the first of his race to occupy such a position. He was appointed upon the recommendation of Senator George Wharton Pepper, of Pennsylvania, who in making the appointment said "I have been for several years urging a practical recognition of the colored people of the city and on this vacancj occurring, took steps to put'this idei into effect." It will J$e recalled tha in the Republican primary ii Pennsylvania last Tuesday both Sen ator Pepper and Governor Piucho - were -overwhelmingly defeated fo I United States senator by Congress ] man Vare. BETHUNE NEWS NOTES Item* of Interest us Gathered By Out Regular Correspondent * Bethupe, S. May 26.?The commencement exercises of the Bethune school begins at 11:15 Sunday morning when the commencement sermon will be preached by the Rev. James M. Forbis of the Presbyterian church of Andrews. On Monday afternoon at six o'clock an operetta, "Crowning the Fairy Queen," and a May pole dance will be given on the school grounds. Tuesday morning the graduating exercises of the seventh grade of the grammar school will be held at eleven o'clock. Tuesday evening the graduating exercises of the high school will be held at 8:30 in the high school auditorium. The address to the class will be delivered by Superintendent of Education James H. Hope of Columbia This is the largest class in the history of the school and the first to receive state diplomas. 'Those graduating are Emily Barnes, Heyward Blackmon, Evelyn Blackmon, D. J. Clyburn, Jr., Vesta Copeland, Clara Gordon, Irene Hall, Malloy Hearon, iLillie Mae Hough, Annie Mae Huckabee, Thelma Huckabee, Kathleen Hyatt, Fred Josey, Eliza King, Ruth Kirkley, Lula Belle McKinnon, Bonnie Rea Outlaw, Lee Ernest Outlaw, Mamie Radcliffe, Lillian Robinson, Thelma, Smith, Elra Stogner, Kirkland .Watts and Lula Lee Williams. The seventh grade was entertained at the home of Miss Margie Parndtt Monday evening. Refreshments /onsisting of ice cream and, cake /vere j served. / * The teachers of the grafrnmar school entertained very charmingly (Monday afternoon.in compliment to the teachers who will not return next year. The honor guests were Misses Mae Long, Elise Hook and Mrs. Sara Powe. A delicious sweet course followed by ices was served. The color scncme of pink and blue was carried out in detail. Miniature baskets filed w'th salted nuts marked the pl^ce of each guest. Toasts were given to which witty responses were made and the time sped merrily on. Appropriate souvenirs of the occasion o r. r?rn*od the honor guests by Miss Mildred Billings. Mrs. Brooks of Prosperity was the week-end guest of her sister, Miss Mae Long. Rc<r. Mr. Scott, pastor of the Presbyterian church - in ? Chesterfield, pleached in the Presbyterian church here Sunday night. Miss Mary Benn of UniontownV; Ala., and a recent graduate of Chicora College, spent last week with Miss Carrie Yarbrough and Mrs. A. K. Mc-, Laurin. Messrs. N. A. Bethune, D. J. Cly- i burn, R. E. McCaskill alid A. K. Mc-; t Laurin motored to Rockingham, N. C., | Monday afternoon. W. E.'Davis, Jf., and little Miss Jerry Davis entertained Monday afternoon in celelyrAtion of their birthftoV rrnivcrsarirs. The color scheme of p;nk and blue was effectively Varr'ed out in the favors, decoration^ land refreshments. Ice cream and ; cake were served. Little Miss Grace rv?vl<? and Master George-Davis of B:shopvPile were outof-town guests of . the occasion. ' Miss Ola Hough, daughter of Mrs. Hough, who resides several miles above hire, died Friday n'ghfe a long illness. She was about *h5rtv-eight y^a^s <jf age. Funeral services were held at the Scotch cerael'?-rv. *hrre miles west of/this place Sa'u^day afternoon by Kev. M. B. Gunter. Dr. Longjof Columbia spent Suntr* W^h his sister. Miss Mae Long. \ nuhl'c program was given by the Palmdtto Literary Society Friday af ^ornoon nf'er which the visitors were shown through . the Home Economics . dona rtjnont whore lovely dregsror made by the pupils were on exhibition also m?ny dainty garments ,of lingerie, hand embroidered guest towels and many other k'nds of hand-work. Iced tea and sandwiches were served by the pupijs of this department under the supervision of their teacher, Miss Alberta Stuckey. Messrs. A. B. McLaurin and M. G. King gave a ffoh fry at the mill pond owne<hby them Friday afternoon in honor of the teachers of the school. Mrs. J. A. McCaskill. assisted by her daughter-in-law, 'Mrs. R. E. McCaskill, entertained Circle Number r of the Presbyterian Auxiliary , Wednesday afternoon. A sweet course 'was served. Misses Lizzie Davis and Mary Mc1 Laurin of Chicora and Louise Tiller of Due West are atr home for the i summer vacation. t Funeral of Miss Hershman > The body of Miss Leila Hershman, k whose death occurred in Pittsburg on Wednesday of last week, arrived in ? Camden Sunday mbrnTng and the fu, neral and burial occurred at the Cam, den cemetery, services being conduct: ed by Rev. I. deL. Brayshaw. He* IJ only sister, Miss Mac Hershman, acr <*omnanied the remains to Camden * Other relatives here for the funera' fc were Mr. B. R. McCreight and chil a dren, of Lancaster, and Mr. and Mrs - R. G. McCreight and children, of Co t lumbia. Messrs. A. S. Llewellyn, W r I* DePass, James H. Bums, John S h Lindsay, G. C. Bruce and R. B. De Loache acted at pallbearers. MATRON Digs SUDDENLY IVculiurly Sad Death Occurred Sunday Mt Cumden Hospital. Mrs. Wade L. Stokes, Jr., of this city, died suddenly at the Camden hospital Sunday morning about six o'clock. The passing of Mrs; Stokes was peculiarly , sad. She came to Camden July 19th, of Just year as a happy bride and leaves a day old baby boy. Mrs. Stokes before her marriage wus Miss Bertha Kulalia Kirveu, of Sedalia, in Union county, the daughter of C. W. and Olive Humphries Kirven. She was only 21 years of age and besides her husband, parents and infant son, is survived by one sister, Miss Edith Mae Kirven, of Union, and one brother, Leroy Kirven, of Chesnee, S. C. Mr. and Mrs. Stokes hud been residing in Florence for a short time and she had returned to Camden only last week when she was taken suddenly/ill and was carried to the hospital. At the request of Mrs. Stokes the infant was named for its two giand - fathers ? William Laurens Stokes, Jr., and was given to the keeping of her mother who carried the* little one to Unitai county. Mrs. Stokes taught school at fcedar Creek in Lee county before her marriage and since coming to Camden had won many warm friends. The funeral was held from the residence of Mr. Wade L. Stokes on DeKalb street on Monday and the burial was at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, a few miles east of Camden, where an immense crowd gathered to pay a last, tribute. The services were conducted by the Rev. J. P. Graham, of Camden, assisted by the Rev. Moore,! of Union, her former pastor. Acting as pallbearers were William H. Rast,, Jr., Lane C. Shaw, J. H. Loftis, W. J.I Ammons, Hoyt Rush and J. D. Byrd. I The grave was banked with beautiful' flow.ers as a silent tribute to the de-f ceased. " . ' Z 9PENS AT BETH UN E ZD County Campaign Dates Fixed Yesterday by Committee At a meeting of the executive committee of - Kershaw County held Thursday morning with nearly a full attendance enrollment books to open on June 2nd were delivered to the enrollment committees of each voting precinct. - j A committee comprising J. H. Sowell, W. E. Davis and D. M, Kirk-! ley wore named by the chairman to ' fix the dates for the county cam- j paign and the following is the ttin-1 erfery: ? . * / Bothune, Monday, August 16. Mt. Pisgah, Tuesday, August 17. Kershaw, .Wednesday, August 18. Blane.v, Monday, August 23. Rabon s *Cross Roads, Tuesday, August 24. ' . .<* Cassatt, Wednesday, August 25. AnHoch, Thursday, August 26. Hermitage Cotton Mill, Saturday, August 28. Close at Camden, Monday, August *0. . ... A committee consisting of Chairman R H. Hilton and L. LGulon, G: E. Hmson, Tom Hortoh and J. B Sowell yera named to fix ment fdr the candidates and the following schedule of assessments will apply Sheriff $76.00 Judge of Probate .. ., 76.00 Treasurer .. .. 76.00 Auditor . . . 60.00 Road Superintendent 60.00 Senate 30.00 House of Representatives .. ,. 20.00 Directors .. .. .V. *777777^7'. 10.00 Magistrate at Camden 20.00 Magistrates, other than Camden 10.00 A resolution was passed that each dub prepare and erect its own voting booths where Australian ballots are necessary and that the executive committeemen at the respective clubs be responsible for same. Moves Road Forces Here Messrs. Wicker and Langford have r completed the grading of the OrvillcSuber-Whit mire road and brought 'heir mules to the city Saturday morning and had them shod prepare , lory to sending them to Camden . where they have a job at gradiny I nearly twelve miles of road, whiet - -will take about one year. The shoe* . ing of the mules required some littU time, but twenty mules were sent U . each of the three blacksmiths of th? f. city and in this way the work va - soon accompl Ished^Newberry Ob aorvor. I FINES RUN TO HIGH FIGURES j 1. " , v ??w Kecorder Put. Stiff Sontcnoi Liquor ii? ui* i a r d>"r1,!,g thy ahort P?riod Recorder j i. C. Hough has been in office fines j aggregating $680,00 have been im- 1 I posed on those convicted and pleading guilty to violation of the various city ordinances. Those who are made to feel the heavy hand of the law are those convicted of the illicit traffic in liquor. In four instances fines of $100 each have boon imposed on liquor dealers?three white men and one negro. There were six cases of speeding within the city limits. In five cases the penalty was $J5.00 and ,n ?ne ca8e IW.00. The recorder is making $16.00 the minimum fine tor speeding on Main or DeKalb street for the first offense and those before him on a second .charge will very likely get a much higher fine. The offenses included parking near hydrant, parking after- 12 o'clock/ anif Wh,t? Wfty' Acting and disorderly, ?0 lights, and. drunks Early Hineon, white, plead guilty ast Monday to a charge of transportng liquor and received a fine of $1Q0: _wo other white men in thfe car with Hinson at the time, stood trial and were acquitted, claiming they had nothing to do with the case. . 0nJ? ,of the hardest fought cases heard before the recorder in many months was that of L. M. Hall, MelTm, * ' Arthur Sharpe, white, and Jack Reed, negro, which occupied nearly four hours of the court's time 1 aV* y mdrnin* had engaged SmHK,nTS f VD* B,akeney and M. L. Smith to defend him. Sharpe took | u 1 blame and plead guilty. L. M. Hall and his son, Melvin Hall the former operating the Fountain Filling Station on -lower Broad strwi ^ den ied that'Tie or his son knew of the ?r4% .being at hl* P^ce. He was tried before a Jury composed of Hughey Tindal, E. B. Buddin, J. O. ^ McfcasWll and W. C. Nicholson, who found L. M. Hall guilty, but acquitted Meivin Hall and the negrrc ~~Jack Reed. The case will be appealed to the circuit court. Jim Haile, an old negro, who resides in the vicinity of the old court nouse, was found guilty of storing whiskey and received a fine of $100. Additional charges in the circuit / court have been made against Meivin Hall and Arthur Sharpe, who were arrested Thursday last, charged with-? transporting whiskey. Constable " Stokes and Police Officer Hilton lay in wait for them at the. Wateree *iver bridge Wednesday night and before1*' the car could be stopped the occu- ' pants made a mad get-away, break- . ing the liquor on the roadway to f amden. Pat Richardson, a negro, jumped from the car and escaped, but was later captured. Sharpe and the negro are in jail but Hall put up the necessary bond. Following an attempt at arrest a week or more ago in the northern j part of the city, in which several i Shots were fired at his car, James. Brown, young white man, was arrested in Rock Hill Monday by police in that city and officers from Camden went to Keck Hill Tuesday and brought hint to the Camden jair to"r# KdUnrr B * <*?(?? Of tf?.".eport.ng _ "qwojv Brown> companion, on tho ?| night of the attempted arrest, who is known to th^ police, made gotHt nis oscapo. * "Commodore" Twitty was confined in the city prison on a plain drunk ' charge. A fellow prisoner prized the bars loose and escaped. Twitty took advantage of the opening and left also, but later came up and paid his fifth. .The other prisoner on a similar " charge made good his escape. These stiff fines for bootleggers : and speeders seem to be having its effect, for the knowing ones'say it is~ ^ dry in Camden and the speeders have somewhat slowed down. K. ? - - ?? ? ? ?, 1 ? "Charleston" Contest Tonight In addition to their Ford display >mo^els and the other entertalnI ment features .a* the Redfea n Mot >r 'company, this week they will put <m VIs?' ? cont?8t tonight to whim thlro^ ? ll COrd?i^ and there will be no admission fee. On kSZ commencement i ii. ^ heW ,n t!; Part? of . COUT^y* attendance has not . been as large as was expected, so the & ^ .'v^n^goment. of the motor company; ' r?a*? **rangements whereby they ; Mr not witnessed the show tan avail ! SSf*. ' ?La to lheir pw i * number wsrc present durina and night and ? tl^ChykttuB Oa?>?.t wUT go doubt