Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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I The Camden Chronicle B VOLUME 47 CAMDEN, SOUTH CAROLINA, FRIDAY. AUGUST 9, 1935 NUMBER 20 I Nine Meet Death; IT ruck-T rain Crashj One of the worst tragedies In KerL|h>w county since the Cleveland ,cbooI Are occurred Just outside the cjty limits Suturday when nine persona were fatally Injured in a traiutruck collision. j. Van Baker and eight others from the Boonetown or sometimes called the Lock hart section of the county were en route to Camden on their usual week end shopping tour, Murdoch Baker was driving the truck coming south on the Camden-Charlotte highway when the south-bound Seaboard passenger train No. 191 loomed In front of him at the grade crossing, i Not a member of the truck party was left to tell the tale, but eye-witnesses gtate that the driver swerved to the right and followed the edge of the railroad a short distance when the truck struck an embankment turned ; to the left side and threw its load of human freight beneath the train. Many of the bodies were horribly mangled, making identification difficult for some hours. Friends and relatives viewed the dead at the mortuary and the injured at the hospital and the list as complied were as follows: J. Van Baker, Sr., 56; Mrs. J. V. Baker, 55; Steve Baker, 35; Mrs. Steve Baker, 30; Samuel Baker, 22; J. Van Baker, Jr., 19; Murdoch Baker, 21; Clay lord Jordon, 18 and Herbert Jordon, 1"?. Six of the party were killed outright while J. Van Baker, Sr., Samuel Baker and Steve Baker were carried to the Camden hospital where they were at once pronounced critically injured. J. Van Baker, Sr., and Samuel Baker died a few hours later, but Sieve Baker lingered until about eleven o'clock. The scene of the wreck was a most gruesome one, with heads, legs and arms and other parts of the .bodies strewn for a distance of more than a pndred yards. Word reached town fuickly and soon the bodies were renoved, but not until hundreds had inhered to view the catastrophe. The train was stopped immediately for an investigation and it was delayed here for around one hour. In tharge of the train was Conductor Bob Goodwin, with Engineer L. O. McKeen at the throttle. All Saturday afternoon and far into the night crowds milled around the scene of the wreck and at the Komegay Funeral Home. Many were lympathizing relatives, friends and neighbors, while the majority were the morbidly curious, who always gather at such times. A rumor was current that a baby of Mr. and Mrs. St^ve Baker was lost I iu the wreck, and that it had boon ' either ground to pieces or lodged under the train und carried on. A check up on thin proved Incorrect as the baby had been left at home. . Funeral aervlcea were held for the seven members of the lhiker family at Bethany Baptist church, near Westville Sunday morning ut 11 o'clock, und It was hard to estimate the crowd ?some placing the number at 4,000 ? while more conservative estimates placed it at 2,500. Some six hundred cars surrounded the burial place, and many had to parlt their cars a long distance from the large grave. The funeral procession of seven hearses left the Kornegay Funeral Home about ten o'clock. Mr Korne* gay was assisted by the Dunbar Funeral Home, of Columbia, and the Brown Funeral Home, of Hartsville. Seven hearseB in one funeral procession has never been seen here before and is probably a record for South Carolina. A grave 21 feet long and 7 feet 10 inchs wide was dug, with an inclined entrance at one end so that the caskets could be placed in line. All were identically the same?the mother and father were placed In the far end with the three unmarried boys next and the married son and daughter-in-law in the other end. Funeral services were in charge of Rev. J. D. Gulledge, assisted by Rev. L. M. Faile and Rev. R. R. Tucker. The services were of short duration, each paying a short tribute to the deceased. The funeral for the two Jordon boys was held from Providence church in the afternoon at five o'clock and likewise drew a large crowd. J. Van Baker was a well known farmer and a leader in his community. He took an active interest in church work and other matters and was looked upon as one of the county's good citizens. He has a host of friends in all sections who regret the terrible misfortune which has come into his family. Surviving Mr. Baker are the following children: Mrs. Earley Anderson, Alex Baker, Mrs. Polly Hall, Mrs. Mae Hayes, Carlyle Baker, Simon Baker, Miss I-ou Jane Baker. Mr. and Mrs. Steve Baker left surviving:* Bernice Theola Baker, Janie Belle Baker and Ella Mae Baker. Gaylord Jordan and Herbert Jordan were the sons of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Jordan, all good citizens of that secI tion. The ill-fated truck is said to have struck the second coach of the train and strange to say was not badly damaged. The Vacation Bible School Our Vacation Bible school closed *ith a success, that greatly pleased all who participated In it. From a beginning ol something like sixty-flvo Pupils, it closed with .that number almost doubled. There was a daily increase and the children begged to have it continued. We wish to publically at knowledge the kindly inter' est shown by the following business houses, in their contributions for the refreshments given the children each da> This Bible school was held In ?ur church, but we extended the In-! Nation to all the children of other] ^churches who wanted to avail themwives oi the privileges, and we are ?'ad that it was a community Bible school. \Vt* wish to mention the following: Mr. Villepigue?Camden Ice Company, it. w. Marshall, the two Home Stores, the two Atlantic and Pacihc stores, and the Rogers store. All the children and young people are loud in their praises for "the way it conducted. The following faculty were faithful each day: Miss Ellie kmp, Miss oiive Nettles, Mrs. Lenora r_fo*na<U\ Mrs. Ethel Merritt, Miss fcrtrude X.emp, Miss Sadie Frietag. Amos Cooper and the play period conducted by Miss Gertrude kmp. Mrs. Jennie Reasonover head* ^ tbe committee on refreshments and ' w&s ably assisted by Ml? Helen F^itaker, Mrs. Selden Williams and K. Graham. We greatly ap Bervi<je8 of these friends, I which our Vacation Bible * 001 would have been Impossible. j I ^ v Ml ^ Grace Church Services v Player and sermon at Episcopal church will be SunAugust llth at 11:16 o'clock con by lhp *tor, Rev. F. H. Craif 8inging Convention To Meet The Lee County Singing convention will meet with Horeb Baptist church, near Dalzell (in its 122nd session) on Sunday. August 11th at 2:30 p. m. We extend to all singerB a cordial invitation to meet with us and take part in the exercises. From Camden and vicinity take highway No. 521 and turn to the left below Hill Crest school. A special feature of the convention will be a song, "Somewhere the Llllies Bloom," by a quartette from Florence county led by Mr. Fred Mclaughlin, who will also render a Hawiian selection without musical instruments or the human voice. A warm welcome to all.?L. A. Moore, President. Baptismal 8ervice at Mt. Plsgah There will be services at the Mount Pisgah Baptist church this coming Lord's day as follows: Bible school at 10 a. m.; church worship at 11 a. m.; B. T. U. at 8 p. m. The ordinance of Baptism win be administered to seventeen during the morning worship. A large congregation is anticipated to witness the ceremony. We are rejoicing over the large number received into the fellowship of our church during the recent meeting. The public is most cordially invited to worship with us.?Luther Knight, pastor. First Bale At Orangsburg Orangeburg, Aug. 6.?Orangeburg county's first bale of the 1935 cotton crop, grown by A. T. Whetsell of the Bowman section, was sold at public auction here today and was bid in by the Orange cotton mills for 14.10 cents per pound. The bale, ginned yesterday, weighed 668 pounds and was graded strict middling. It reached the market 22 days earlier than last year's first bale. Driver Of Truck Is Held To Hlame Murdoch linker, driver of the truck that crashed into a Seaboard Air Lino train bore Saturday with the loss of nine Jives, was blamed for the tragedy hy a coroner's Jury Tuesday night after the completion or un luqucst. The Jury reported that Iiaker and his eight companions in the truck came to their deaths through the driver's negligence. Jiesides the youth, the victims were his parents, J. Van baker and his wife, his brothers, Samuel, J. v., Jr., and Steven, the latter's wife and two sons of a neighbor, Qaylord and Herbert Jordan. Several eye-witnesses told of see* j ing the truck heading for the crossing, known locally as Lusty bend, as the train approached and of seeing the driver make a desperate last minute effort to avoid a collision by"\ swinging short to the right. Most of them agreed that the truck struck the second car of the train. Three members of the train crew testified that the engine bell was ringing and the whistle blowing as the locomotive neared 1 he crossing. They were Engineer L. O. McKeen, Conductor R. W. Goodwin and baggage Master C, E. Withers. Lily Register, corroborated their testimony of the warning given by the train and similar evidence was given by Charles Truesdale. Other witnesses were C. T. Thigpon and W. C. Horton, both store keepers of the vicinity, who said they saw the truck witli its human cargo Hiuack into the side of the train, bringing instant death to five of its occupants and injuring the other so 'severely that they died within a few hours. Conductor Goodwin told the jury, of which W. T. Traxler was foreman, that the train was on schedule and was making from 00 to 60 miles an hour. G. E. Jackson estimated that the Bakers' truck was going 40 miles an hour just before the crash but some of the other witnesses asserted that its speed was not above 20 mites an hour. A. W. West and Ira Napper told of seeing the crash. Witnesses were examined by Solicitor A. F. Spigner of Columbia, John K. deLoach, Camden attorney, was present to represent the railroad. Coroner J. B. Rush arranged the inquest, which was held in the courthouse with a large crowd present. The jury was out about fifty minutes. Mr. Clyburn Dies at Orangeburg Home John Stevens Clyburn, a former resident of this county, but who has made his home for the past eighteen years in Orangeburg, died suddenly at his home on Windsor street late last Thursday night after a heart attack. He had been in failing health for more than a year. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Tom B. Clyburn, formerly of Westvllle, but now of Camden, and Is survived by his parents, his widow, who was the former Miss Willie Young, of Westville, and two children, Miss Marie Clyburn and Charles Clyburn. both iof Orangeburg. The following brothers and sisters also survive: Lewis Clyburn, of Kershaw; Henry Clyburn, of Camden; T. B. Clyburn, of Westville; Mrs. Charlton Croxton and Mrs. Robert Croxton, of Kershaw, and a wide family connection of influential citizens. The body was brought to the home of his parents on North Broad street here, and from here it was taken to Westville where the funeral services were conducted Saturday morning at 11 o'clock from Mt. Pisgah church, by Rev. R. R. Tucker, of Kershaw, and Rev Best, of Bethune. Services at the home in Orangeburg were in charge of Dr. T. G. Herbert. Hogs Go Mad Manning, Aug. 3.?Several hogs suffering with hydrophobia were killed and buried this week on the farm of M. T. Tiller, near Manning. The hogs were severely bitten a few days ago by a mad dog. They were placed In a pen and carefully watched. The dog was killed the day the hogs were bitten. , The man who cllipbed out on the tree limb and sawed It off had nothing on si Pennsylvania carpenter, John Bodine, who nailed himself in beneath a porch and had to call out the fire department to release him. Nor on t the whittling Missouri farmer who wanted to light his pipe and instead of a match absent-mindedly swiped the knife across the seat/of his pants, necessitating medical attention. J ' * " M ' i - Legion Juniors Play " In Spartanburg IMans ft?r the Southeastern regional tournament In the American Legion Junior baseball play, which will he held in Spartanburg on August 16-17, are rapidly Hearing completion. Miller C. Foster is chuirillttll ot the general committee in charge of the tourney. It has been requested by the general committee that the point be emphasized that the tournament Is purely u civic undertaking and that no element of profit enters into the undertaking for the legion, it is hoped that the general admissions to the series will liquidate the expenses of the tournament, which will amount to slightly over $500. This sum bus beon pledged in advance by members of the local Legion post and business men of the city to cover any possible deficit; however, it is believed that with good weather the tournament will more than pay for Itself. Regarding the money that has been pi dged. it may be of interest to those who are not members of the Legion to know thill such a sum hud to be pledged in advance before the Southeastern regional tournament could be awarded to this city, this is in keep ing with the policy of Legion headquarters and insures that' Legionsponsored events will not leave any bud effects behind in the shape of unpaid bills. No subscriptions or advertising soliciting will be made in connection with the tournament. The champions of four states?Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina and North Carolina?will come here for the event. Charleston has ulready been declared the South Carolina winner, while Memphis bus won the Tennessee title. It is understood that Richmond will represent Virginia, while Gastonla and Asheboro are playing a series this week for the North Carolina crown. Legion headquarters has announced that Wilton Garrison, sports editor of The Spartanburg Herald, will be official scorer for the tournament, Um-| pires will be named, it is expected, from the Piedmont and Southern League staffs. Witherspoon To Run For Laurens Senate? Laurens, Aug. 1.?The current issue of the Laurens Advertiser carries an interview with a prospective candidate for state senator from Laurens county that indicates plenty of fireworks in next year's contest. J. Harvey Witherspoon of Clinton, a brother of Representative J. D. .Witherspoon of Laurens, has the matter "under serious consideration," he said in answer to numerous inquiries about his making the race for the senate next summer. "If I get in the race," he is further quoted, "the people of I>aurens county may expect to see the fur fly. I will tell them about the real dictator of the county and the subdictator." As a result or a special election, authorized by act of the legislative delegation, a new board of trustees was elected. In turn the board did not- elect Mr. Witherspoon as superintendent of the Clinton schools for the coming year. He had held the position 15 years. Mr. Witherspoon, if he goes on the stump in next year's campaign, also declares, "I am going to tell the people about that election, too. There hasn't been such an irregular election In this county since 1875." Mr Witherspoon was a teacher, in the Camden graded schools a number of years ago and is said to be one of the leading high school educators in this state. Sunday the Hottest While Columbia reported a temperature of 101 on Sunday, the official weather bureau thermometer In Camden registet-ed at 103 during the day here according to Arthur Brown, who keeps the rain guage and weather, readings for the government at this place. Those who went to the sea-1 shore found no relief there as there' was no breete stirring, and those who J went to the swimming places around i Camden found the water too warm to be refreshing. , I Twin Calves Born. Arthur Brown, local representative of the Columbia Record, and also the i United Statee weather bureau reporter for Camden, tella us that he had twin calves born at hla barn Saturday night Oi& was a male and the other a female. Both little bovlnes are of nbttnal else and In good health. W' . Rotary ("tub Asked' To Back Traffic Laws No dctluito program wus carried ! out at Thursday's Kotiviy luncheon. J but general discussions of severul j mutters were entered Into t>y many Itota riant). A resolution by the Kingstxee Kuwaitis elub, unking all aervlce clubs to endorae the rigid enforcement of truffle la\vH wuh the first matter discussed. Some members thought that ! all traffic lawa should be enforced by i not only highway patrolmen but by local and county officers as well. I Others said that public seutlment i should have a lot to do with the way people drive. They should be tuught i the courtesy of the road by signaling t turns, driving on the right hand of the road, signaling sudden stops, avoiding I passing other cars on curves uinl t crest of hillb, The general opinion < is that many people are violating al- t most all courtesies of the road, Wheth- < er it be through ignorance or an ah- I solute disregard for the safety of others on the road. Dr. J. W. Corbett t thought that an extensive educational < campaign as to courtesy, considers- I t^m>f others, and knowledge of traf- < liK^Jii^s, would go a long ways to- ' wards making the highways safer t than they afc at present. Granger i Kornegay thought also that traffic of- < fleers should periodically see that all ? : automobiles were equipped with good brukes. He said that a personal In- ( vestlgatinn of a number of wrecks t showed that many cars had poor j brakes, thereby Inviting trouble, and t I endangering lives. The resolution offered by the King- i stree club was adopted and an appeal ( will be made to the Governor, High- ] way Department and other enforce- > ment agencies to see that truffle laws t arc upheld in the future. t Henry Savage asked the club to t endorse a program of beautlflcatlon l of the town of Camden and the county roads nearby. t This resolution was adopted, after ] i considerable discusBion. Mr. Savage l said that the town would benefit In < many ways If the parks, streets and road8 were planted in wistaria, dog-i" wood and other plants, and that prop- * erty values would be enhanced many times. He said that we would get more permanent home owners, especially among the tourists, and that < Camden would have more visitors In ] the spring of the year, and visitors who would linger longer, and not come j In just for races and other special \ attractions. The visitors' were: Mr. Davis, of ' Augusta; Lawrence K. Graham and ' W. L. DePass, Jr., of Camden. j Cedar Creek Boy Killed in Wreck! Bishopvllle, Aug. 5.?Charlie Smith. ] about 16 years old, was almost Jn- j stantly killed Sunday night at about i 11 o'clock, in an automobile accident about nine miles from Sumter at Has- , sards crossroad. Harvey Watson, son of Jesse Watson, cotton weigher of Bishoovilla. and driver of the ear was severely bruised. Smith and Harvey Watson had car- i ried Harrison Watson back to the XJCC camp at Wedgefleld, and were on their way home when the car turned over. Both boys were rushed to Sumter but young Smith died before reaching the hospital. Watson was brought to his home this morning and is resting easily. Charlie Smith is the son of C. H. Smith of the Cedar ('reek section of Lee county. Columbia To Get Office Washington, Aug. 7.?Establishment of a regional office of the Farm Credit administration at Columbia, S. C., if adequate quarters can be found by September 1, to supervise feed and crop loans In the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and ] Florida was announced today. AUT08 WANTED TODAY Dewey J. Creed requests that those who have autos and care to help tranaport the children from the underpriviledged camp at Lake Shamokln will please notify him this morning. They are requested to meet at the camp at 2 o'clock ) this Friday afternoon to bring the young people to the Halgl*r Theatre. They will also be requested . to return the children to the camp after the show Is over. It It estimated that between twenty-five and thirty cars will be? needed. Those In charge of the camp Invite visitors at any time. Dove Season Fixed By Federal Statute A. A. Richardson, chief state gumo warden, announced Saturday that tho dove season in tho Htuto hail been fixed from October 1 to Juuuary 15, eliminating September dove shooting "and tiniH preventing the killing of many immature birds." The regulation wan one of a number of federal roatrictioiiH governing * hunting in tho South announced through Mr. Richardson's office. The woodcock Reason for tho CuroIIiuih, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi And Louisiana wua set from December 1 to December 31. The quail bouhou remained unchanged, September 1 through November 30. A number of restrictions on duck hunting, including tho llxlng of tho iuuson from November 20 through December 10, have been made, the anlouncemcut atated, to curb tlie killing >r duck which for tho paat 35 yeura ins surpassed the birthrate. KestrletLons included: The ellmina* ion of sink-boxes, aneak boata, and ipen water ahootlng; shooting over jolted water or laud, or over livo lecoys. A three-shell limit on automatic diolguns, effective for the lirst time, with a prohibition against ilroarniB >ther tlmn shotguns of 10-guage or iinall caliber. Fixing of u new bag limit of tan lucks, witii the possession of more .han one day's bag illegal. Hag and lOHseHBton limits on geese and brant ixed at four. The three-shell provision bans ihootlng with a gun "tho inaga/.ine )f which has not been cut ofT, or plugged with a one-piece metal or wooden tiller incapable of removal .hrough the loading and thereof, so is to reduce the capacity of Bald gun 0 not more thuu three shells at one oading." UBe of blinds or floating craft of iny kind has been prohibited beyond 100 feet from the high water shore ine or nearest protruding growth, except in shooting sea coots of scooters. Mrs. B. T. Branham Dies At Winnsboro Mra. B. T. Branham, 42, died sudlenly at her home in Winnsboro at 1 o'clock Sunday afternoon. Mrs. Branham spent most of her ife at Blaney and was well known In that section. She Is survived by her buBband, B. r. Branham of Winnsboro; five sons, Thomas Branham, Woodrow Braniam, Corbette Branham, Ernest Branaam, and Elmer Branham, all of Winnsboro; three daughters, Lucile Hranham, Thelma Branham and Frances Branham, all of Winnsboro; and her father, T. W. Watson of . Blaney, two brothers, J. D. Watson of Blaney, Blease Watson of Winnsboro; two sisters, Mrs. J. E. Thornton, Winnsboro, and Mrs. J. M. Thornton of Blaney. Funeral services were held at 4:30 Monday afternoon from Smyrna Baptist-church, tiglh 2iHto Ncrti Blaney, conducted by the Itev. Mr. Cromer, assisted by the Rev. Mr. Broome and Mr. Fail. Interment was In the churchyard. Serving as pallbearers were Henry Jeffers, Willie Jeffers, Willie Moore, Wallace Thornton, Oscar Anderson and Talmadge Anderson. Killed Red Fox Jack Frost, salesman for the South Atlantic Paper Company, coming to Walterboro from Charleston last night, ran over a red fox In the highway four miles from Walterboro, and killed it. He thought at first it was a dog but when he stopped to investigate he was pleased to find that it was a fox. Ho is going to have the skin dressed and made into a muff or neck piece for Mrs. Frost or his little daughter.?Walterboro Press and Standard. Beaverdam Baptist Church The annual revival meeting will begin at Beaverdam Baptist church next Lord's day at 4 p. m. and will continue throughout the week, services being at 11 a. m. and 8 p. m. The pastor will hava the assistance of Rev. Connie Dabney, of Kershaw. The public Is cordially invited to attend these services.?Rev. James D. Qui* ledge, Pastor. O'Kallay Clan To Maet ' The O'Kelley clan will hold 1U annual reunion and picnic at Gum Branch church, near Hartovllle, 8. CL, on Friday, August 9, 1956. Tho preal- " dent, Dr. Theron Kelley, of Klngstree, urges all relatives to attend. Tho ; program will begin at 11 e'eloek.