The Camden chronicle. (Camden, S.C.) 1888-1981, June 27, 1930, Image 1
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^ ^ ^ mden sotjth carolina friday "*" , ^ ' ?day
number 14
State TaKes Lives
of Two Murderers
(By Burroughs, Prince, in Tuesday's
Columbia Record.)
- Paul Johnston and Ray Coleman are
dead. v" <
The young men gave their lives to
the state of South Carolina this
morning between** the hours of six
' and seven o'cleok >n the electric chair
in payment for killing Earl Belue,
Spartanburg payroll clerk,
Coleman preceded Johnson to the
chair and was pronounced dead at,
6.28 o'clock. Johnson died at 6:62
-Tftockv
The 30-year-old brothers-in-law
met death in Spartan-like manner and
showed no emotion as they prepared,
to die for tb.eir crime. Both , men
made calm statements, Coleman declaring
that he wits innocent, "between
my God, my wife and my baby".
Johnson warned his hearers of the.
"danger of sin" and said he hoped
he would meet everyone in Hleaven.
Iyong before the appointed time for
the electrocutions, approximately 100
people stood outside the penitentiary
walls awaiting admission. About
half that number were admitted and
crowded into the small death Cham-1
ber to witness the close of the final
chapter in a case that has claimed
rte attention of the state of South
Carolina since the conviction of Johns
(mo and Coleman in Spartanburg in
April, 1929.
h the curious witnesses gathered
around the big oaken chair in the
death chamber, Johnson and Ooleman
were just a few feet away in "'their
death cells receiving consolation from
R?v. Dean Crain, prison chaplain,
and Rev. T. Im Bhryeon, of Pendleton,
who has been a constant companion
of the families of the men since the
. murder of Belue because of his
friendship to Rev. L. W. Johnson, of
Simpsonville, father of Paul Johnson
and father-in-law of Coleman.
At 6:14 o'clock, J. N. Pear man,
r. superintendent of the 'pentteqtiaryr
announced that final preparations for
the double execution had been made
and signaled to the guards to bring
Coleman to the chamber/
The rattling of the heavy chains
locked on the door of Coleman's cell
%
could be heard in the room in which
a pregnant silence prevailed and
Coleman began his death march. He
entered the chamber at 6:19 o'clock,
wearing a clean white shirt open at
the collar, a blue pair of trousers
and bedroom shoes. His head was
cleanly shaven which showed a striking
contrast to the full head of bright
red hair that yesterday gave him a
striking appearance. The big man
looked about the room.
As he sat in the chair and watched
the guards place the electrodes, about
his arms and legs, his countenance,
Pale but calm, showed no emotion.
Capt. 01 in Sanders was standing a
few feet away with a small belt at
( his back and Col. Pearman slowly
approached the condemned man. The
usual question, "What have you to
^y'", was asked Coleman by Col.
Pearman.
AH I have to say is that I am
"mocent between my God, my wife,
^ my baby", Coleman answered as
Crain was uttering words of
"isolation in his ear, ' "Pray for
pray *or me," he pleaded, and
* the death mask was placed over
shaven head, he continued a cqp?t
muttering of "Have mercy on
.have mercy on me." Rev. Crain
him that God would save
14 soul and as the minister wMl
**h>g his last plea to Coleman to
nav? faith in Christ," the little bell
45 sounded by Capt. Sanders and
tift1** ^atthew J. Wallace, execuner*
turned the, switch that sent
electric current surging through
Pieman's body.
volt, WaS 6:21 ?'clock- the 2,300
w of electricity entered Coleman's
irui' lunye<i against the straps I
right arm of the big oaken
for'r &nappe<* against the powerful
the?u? currcn^ flooded throtigh
Was ?nR< 'or tlwo "rinutes *nd
? reload ftt 6:23 o'clock. Colehi*
kljS?U' went *nto Eternity and
PriJ^y feU limp" "Dr- P- E
^ and ^ J ysi^.an* examined the,body
lr^lduZV men Carrie<1 *** ***** to
- Sam w
U or*r** * new bolt
barter 0f , chair- Por nwljr
r chAir W0r^j2
(Continued on Lut Fags) ?
uarKson f uneral
Held In Columbia
Funeral services for William a?
Hendentoii .treet, ?t 10 oWoek Tue.
Pwn?10 *' with the R?v- Henry D
fn fcr1^,,0' '"e Tr inity Xuyrch;
rhurchyTd. ,nterment w"? '? theMr.
Clarkeon was a World war vet
eran and was 'promoted to the rank of
major before L left the service h!
The ?SAe Thirteenth infa.Hry "f
firrht.m /r',"" iS.d- saw m"<h
Mfi,ln3ti^?^^-y. <*??
Horn in Wateree, hd was the son
HevJ^dnrtr ?*' Clarkson and Emily
IwT u C,arkSon- He attended the
of ?rta ^outh Carolina school
of arts and sciences from which he
was ifraduated in 1906. Two years latsL
l?Waft {rom th* uni^r.
the h^r 001 and was admitted; to
Besides being founder, secretary
and treasurer of the Perpetual Building
and Loan Association, Mr. Clarkson
was reading clerk of the senate,
a position he had held for four years
He was also a member of the Columbia
library^ board of directors. The
institution was closed from 10 to 12
oclock Tuesday morning in recognition
of the service he rendered it.
Surviving him are three sisters,
Mrs. Fowles of Columbia, Mrs. A. K.
Ball of_ Eastover, and Mrs. Richard
E. Babcock of Washington; four
brothers, N. H. Clarkson and Alex G.
Clarkson, both of Columbia; J. S. H.
Clarkson of Lugoff and R. B. ClarkState
?f Ijexin8'ton-?^Wednesday's
Junior Base Ball Series Starts '
On Tuesday, June 24th, the Junior
Base Ball League of Wateree and
Hermitage mills played the first
game of the elimination series for
, Camden. Wateree won by a score of
three to one. There will be three
games in all. The winner of two of
these will then play the Juni<^
League team of Bethune, for the
championship of Kershaw County. To
the winner of this game goes the
chance to win the upper South Carolina
championship whicK will be
played against the winning?team
from Greenville county at a later
date.
To Remodel and
Enlarge Building
Gus
Beleos, managing partner in
the Home Furnishing Company, this
week gave the contract to Lewis
Gardner, local contractor, for the remodeling
of his store buildiing on
Main Street, according to-.plans made
by R. W. Mitchnm, local architect.
A total of $5,500 will be spent on
the building with an additional $600
for plumbing and lighting fixtures,
and work will-.commence as soon as
the immense stock of furniture can
be moved. An auction sale is now in
progress and is drawing good crowds,
with sales reported as fair.
A handsome new front will adorn
the building ' and in addition to
remodeling the store, including the
three stories, will be extended back
to a depth of forty feet, giving the
company a great deal more floor
space.
Gettys Announces
For Representative
The Chronicle this week carries
the announcement of Mr. J. Team
Gettys as a candidate for the house
of representatives from Kershaw
County. Mr. Gettys had been undecided
for a long time, but finally
yielded to the wishes of friends from
all parts of the county who have
been urging him to make the ra<je.
Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church .
Rev. M. B. Gunter, pastor, Sunday
school Sunday morning at 10 o'clock;
B. Y. P. U. Sunday evening at 7:30
Workers Council Tuesday evening
July 1st at 8:00 o'clock.
Special Sunday School Service
'Mr. L. C. Shaw, superintendent of
the Ljrttleton Street Methodist Sunday
School, has announced that on
next Sunday morning n special service
will be held, the occasion observed
being "Sunday School Day." The
program Is in charge of the Ladies'
Bible Class and Mrs. Bennie Marshall,
class president, has arranged
an attractive service which includes
special music by Mrs. James Gandy,
hymns sung by the Sunday School,
musical numbers by the different departments,
a solo by Mr. Ben P. DeLoache.
Jr., and an origirial poem by
Mrs. N. C. Arnett, whose subject will
be "Who Shall be Greatest in His
KingdomT" AH members of the Sunday
School ax* urged to be prevent
*no visitors win be cordially wricowed.
The service wffl begin promptly
at tea o'clock, June 2Pth.
Negro Lynched by
Union County Mob
Union, S. C., June S41.?.Mob violence,
aroused by an attack upon two
young white women, including a criminal
assault upon one, reared its
head here today and left in its wake
the bullet-riddled body of Dan Jenkins,
Heaufort, S. C., negro, who was
shot to death after he had been identified
as the alleged attacker.
Jenkins, object of a county-wide
search since the attack was rqported
late yesterday, was captured four
miles south of here shortly before 3
p. m. today. He was marched down
the road leading to**Santuc by a mob
that halted when an automobile met
them, bringing the young women, sisters-in-law,
one 16, the other *23 and
married, whom the negro was accused
of molesting.
The women ,it is said, {identified the
man as their attacker. Jenkins was
then placed upon a low embankment
and shots fired into his body until it
dropped into a ditch beside the road.
He died instantly, his head smashed
with bullets.
Tonight his body lay in an undertaking
establishment around which
a cordon of National Guardsmen had
been thrown to prevent fiirther violence
and to frustrate rumored plans
of the mob to burn the body. Although
talk persisted for some time
that an effort would be made to secure
the body, officers in charge declared
the feeling had quieted1 down
and that they feared no further demonstration.
The National Guard, mobilized under
orders of Governor John G. Richards,
arrived on the scene 30 minutes
too late to prevent mob violence.
The soldiers, under command of
Lieut. Harry M. Arthur, were held
under orders tonight, however.
Sheriff J. C. Greer, who with his
deputies had assisted in the search
for the Negro after the attack?had
' been Veported, was unable, to cope
with the maddened mob. Although
more than 1,000 men weje estimated
to have been searching in various sections
for Jenkins, many of them were
miles away from the scene of the
lynching when the Negro was shot.
The young married woman told officers
the Negro had assaulted her
after accosting ^he two of them on
the highway and ordering them into
the nearby woods. He displayed a
pistol and threatened to kill them if
they resisted or made outcry.
The younger woman jerked away,
she said, leaving <part of her torn
clothes in his hand. She ran to
spread the alarm and attracted the
attention of ope of her brothers.
As the youth rushed to the scene,
the Negro fired at him, he said, and
he, being unarmed, fell to the groynd
and faked death. The Negro, becoming
frightened, made his escape
as other male members of the family
began to arrive. 1,
Jenkins was employed as a laborer
by a highway1 construction company
working near here, but had been dismissed
yesterday.
An inquest into his death was ordered
held. v
J. Austin Latimer, secretary to the
governor, arrived too late to intervene
before the prisoner had been killed.
Livestock Pays 4-H Boys
Spartanburg, June 21.?Ten small
purebred Jersey herds have been developed
in Spartanburg county since
1925 as a result of 4-H club work,
according to Dan Lewis, assistant
state boys' club agent.
An outstanding example of thia is
,that of C. McMillan and Woodrow
McMillan, sons of L. R. McMillan, of
CampobelloT" They joined the 4-H
calf club in 1926, ^ purchasing two
purebred JerSey heifers. The next
year these boys purchased another
heifer jointly. The boys have bred
to good bulls, developing their pasture,
and have been reasonably successful
in producing hedfer calves.
Mr. McMillan says that during the
12 months ending March 31, 1930,
they sold $900 worth of registered
cattle from this herd and now have
on hand five registered females. Mr.
McMillan grows* cotton as a cash
crop, but he and his boys have demonstrated
that a few cattle well kept
is a profitable investment.
To Build Residence
Dr. R. E. Stevenson this week sold
to .Miss Maude Gardner, a lot on
Hampton street measuring 60 by 160
feet. It is Mis* Gadrner's intention
1 at an aaiiy-^dttla to iteTi hvw
room br*A bungalow on this lot
Legion Assembly To
He Held in Columbia
Columbia, June 20.?Members of
the American legion and the Legion
Auxiliary who will gather in
Columbia Tuesday, Wednesday and
Thursday, July 22, 23 and 24 for the
annual convention of the state departments
of the two organizations will
find that the Capital City has made
unusual preparation* for their amusement,
entertainment and enjoy-*
ment while they -are not engaged in
the business incident u? the cunveution.
The Ugion and the Auxiliary conventions
will not officially open until
Wednesday,,. J 'f but the various
activities in c * with the anj
nual meeting o. irand Vulture
of the Kerty .ght, which will
open at ? o'clock Tuesday, July 21
promises to be of sufficient interest
to attract all I/egionnairv* and members
of the Auxiliary.
Contrary to the usual procedure,
the convention will not be concluded
with the election of officers Thursday
at the session which begins at 10 o'clock
a. m. A golf tournament will
be played over the Ridgewood Country
Club Course Thursday afternoon
to decide the championship of the
Legion in South Carolina, and in the
evening the concluding dance of the
convention will be held at the Elks
Club.
) The principal speaker for the conI
vention will be Colonel W. J. Donovan,
now assistant United States at,
tomey general, formerly commander
j of the 166fch Infantry, Rainbow Div|
ision, during the World War,
Sessions of the'convention will be
held at Columbia Theater and the
Auxiliary sessions wlil be held at Satterlee
Hall, one block distant. Registration
w^ll be on the north portico
of the State House, where coffee,'
cold drinks and sandwiches will be
served continuously.^
* (Feature* of the entertainment pro/gram
inchide boxing matches which
will be participated in by representatives
of the colleges in the state,
a baseball game at Dreyfuss Field,
owned by the Pittsburg Pirates, free
moving pictures at all theaters, A
garden party at the governor's mansion,
four dances at the Jefferson
Hotel and the Elks Home, and first
class vaudeville. There will be no
charge for any of the entertainment
or amusement features, other than
presentation of paid up membership
cards for 1930.
Preparations are being made for
5,000 veterans and members of the
Auxiliary.
Statewide Intensive Drive on W<e?vil
Clemson College, June 22.?The
following telegram, sent to all county
agents, sounds the call for an intensive
statewide boll weevil fight by
everybody as all interests; are concerned.
"Reports from all counties of the
state show the cotton crpp in great
danger. This faVorable boll weevil
weather continuing, unless intensive
campaign for boll weevil control is
immediately undertaken, the state
will lose heavily. Please devote all
your time to aiding and urging the
farmers to use sweetened poison
where no other means are available
and especially where cotton is small.
Dust with machine where cotton ia
large. All the people, merchants,
business men, bankers, should interest
themselves in this threatening situation.
Would suggest that those
who are' fortunate enough to own
dusting machines will lend them to
their less fortunate neighbors when
they are not in use by owners.
"This will be a patriotic service.
W. W. LONG,
Director of Extension."
Furniture Auction
Now Being Held
The Home Furnishing company is
selling out their fifty thousand dollar
stock of furniture >and rugs at
public auction in preparation for the
remodeling and extension of their
building. Sales are being held each
day at 4 o'clock in the afternoon and
8 o'clock at night. - At each sale *
nice piece of furniture is given away
and at one of the sales they are going
give away a new bedroom suite.
1BYou may select any suite or articla
in the store and it will be pert nt
and sold at once. ~ if'
Their display has attracted many
people to the store. Chair* are Arranged
for your comfort and electric
fane have been installed to keep yon
cool. Many peple have found the
ale very instructive and entertaining.
I I ......
Killer of Williams
Makes Confession
Following closely on the heels of
the confession nujde by Mrs. Carrie
S. Howell Monday morning that E.
Hart Williams, who was shot to death
by her husband last Wednesday morning,
had never attacked her, as she
had previously charged, and that she
had pointed him out to her husband
in order to save her own life, O. E. S.
Howell lute Monday afternoon signed
a statement declaring that his wife's
-confession was true.
Chief of 1'olice J. M. Bar wick and
Chief J. W. Richardson of the govi
ernor's staff showed Howell his wife's
confession Monday Kfiernoon and
asked him if there was any statement
he would like to make. Howell,
after reading the confession:;'ovy;r,
considering the matter for a few minutes,
and then told the officers that
it was true and that he would sign
an affidavit to that effect. Mr. Jennings
was called to the jail and the
statement was made and sworn to
there.
Monday morning Mrs. Howell made
a complete confession of the .entire
affair to Chief Barwick. She told
him that her husband was very jealous
of her and was always accusing
her of intimacy with some man. Finally
he demanded that she point out
the man and to save her own liffc
| she picked out Williams. Howell
lemptied his revolver, into Williams,
causing almost instant death. In her
confession Mrs. Howell declared that
Bhe did not know Williams had never
seen him before the day of the shooting.
Howell and his wife were in the
county jail today awaiting trial in
general sessions court, which convenes
here with Judge John S. Wilson,
of Sumter, presiding, July 7th.
The confessed killer has beeri unable
to obtain a lawyer so far. If he does
not secure legal counsel when his
case is called lor trial the court will
appoirvt an attorney to represent him. I
?Tuesday's Sumter Item.
Made Prompt Payment
Mr. W. R. Hough, of this city, agent
for the Equitable Life Assurance
Company, on Tuesday presented
to Mrs. Maggie B. Hay, widow of the
'ldte Dr. J. T. Hay, a check for $3,000
ma life-insurance policy. The Eogit&
lii /Record of being firstto
pay beneficiaries, and it was the first
of the checks to be paid to the ben1
eficinry of the late physician.
1#
False Fire Alarm
i Causes Useless Run
l ?
f A false fire alarm in the early
j hours of Tuesday morning sent in
from a box on Kirkwood Heights
near the Kirkwood Hotel, caused the
firemen a long useless run, and1 also
arqused many citizens who responded
to the fire siren. Just why anyone
would want to cause this unnecessary
commotion at an early hour
is hard to understand. City council,
I through its chief of police, is. offering
a reward of $50 for evidence to
convict the guilty parties of this offense
or any succeeding offense of
this nature, so those desiring to have
fun of this kind had best lay off the
alarm boxes. If they catch you it
will be "just too. bad."
Following the false alarm about
six o'clock of the same morning firemen
were called to the grocery store
of Massabeau Brothers on Main
street, where a smouldering fire had
burned a hole in the floor and had
also considerably damaged a refrigerating
machine, the property of W.
R. Watkins, who conducts a meat
market in the same building. It is
thought the fire originated from a
lighted cigarette thrown in saw duet
on the floor.
la Stabbed at Ball Game
Brice Robinson of Kershaw is in
the Lancaster county jail as the result
of a stabbing affair which occurred
at Kershaw on Saturday while
the baseball game between Kershaw
and Camden was in progress. He is
accused of stabbing a boy npmed
John Phillips. According tc> rep&rts
an argument started between a number
of young men from Kershaw and
the stubbing followed. It is said that
Camden fans had some arguments
with Kershaw fans but that the
Camden boys had no part in the
argument which led to the stabbing.
?Lancaster News.
Baptist Church Service*
The following services are announced
for the week at the First
Baptist church: Sunday school st
10 o'clock, Mr. W. G. Wilson, superintendent;
preaching st 11:15 by R*v.
James Wesberry, of Boperton, Otpr?
gin. Evening tfa'ifci at 8:30, preaching
by Bar. Mr. Wesberry. Prayer
Price Johnson Shot
by Arthur Small
Price Johnson, a young man, about
21 years old, was shot and seriously
wounded by his friend, Arthur Small,
early Sunday afternoon.
The shooting occurred at Small's
home in the Buffalo section of Kershaw
county about six miles east of
Kershaw. Johnson is also a resident
of the BufTalo section and a neighbor
of Small's. .
Small was arrested by Chief Mothcrtshed
of the Kershaw police department
and S. II. Watkins of the rural
police and brought to the jail here,
^vhero he is being held. He admitted
that he shot his friend, although the
Only reason he gave was that they
had had an argument.
Johnson was brought immediately
to the Camden hospital, where it i?
thought he has a chance of recovery
although at first it seemed his injuries
might prove fatal.
Johnson is said to bo suffering?
from a bullet wound in the chest and a
one in the stomach. It is also said
that tho injured man is suffering
from blows on the head from the butt
of a pistol.
? ** - ;
Federal Route One
Complete by Winter
The Camden Chamber of Commerce
has written the state highway department
for Information on Federal
route one which passes through this
city and has been favored with the
following reply:
"With reference to your letter of
June 18, to Mr. L. C. Moltz, we are
pleased to advise you as follows with
regard to United States Route One
between Bethune and the North Carolina
line:
"Contracts have been let for Kard\^
1
being graded preparatory to paving,
"Yon are probably aware of the
fact that traffic i? now being routed
1 from Camden via Kershaw, Jefferson
I and Chesterfield, but it is believed
that the section between Bethune and
McBee will be paved and opened to
traffic within six weeks at which time
traffic can be turned over Route 96
to Chesterfield.
"It is also estimated that United
States Route One will be paved to
Patrick within approximately four
months, then traffic will be able to
use the route all the way to Cheraw
as the grading, which is at present
in progress between Patrick and Cheraw,
is entirely on new location."
Cooking School To
Open For Two Days __
On Friday and Saturday, June 27
and 28, the Dixie Radio, incorporated,
will put on an electric cooking
school, conducted by Miss Viola M.
Decker, nationally; known economist.
( Miss Decker will use as her demonstration
model one of the latest
deluxe model Hotpoint ranges. '
The public is cordially invited to
attend these demonstrations. Com- '
fortaible seats will be provided for
everyone, and the building WiH be
thoroughly cooled with an ample
Bupply of electric fans.
Blease and Others
Speak Here Monday
Messrs. Coleman L. Blease, James
F. Byrnes and Leon W. Harris, candidates
for the United States senate,
will be in Camden Monday on their
scheduled campaign speaking date.
Senator Blease is seeking re-election
and is being opposed by . Messrs.
Byrnes and Harris.
Unique Bathing Pool.
A Chronicle man passed along the
Sumfter-Manning road recently and
observed one of the most unique
bathing resorts to be seen anywhere.
It is owned ' and operated by B. L.
Carlisle, and is known as "Sweetheart
Lake." Mr. Carlisle conceived the
idea of boring two artesian wells on
the slope of a hill and had the water
impounded with a dam. The pure
arteaiau water feeds the lake. He
has also erected tables in a shady
nook for picnic parties. Paaeeraby
are attracted by a tiny water wheel