The Barnwell people. (Barnwell, S.C.) 1884-1925, July 18, 1895, Image 1
•V
APPEAL TO UNCLE SAM.
THE NEGROES ADOPT AN ADDRESS
TO THE PEOPLE.
TImBmbH of Wed next ay’ii State Confer
ence—Seem to be Very Anxloua as to the
Outlook For the Future.
Columbia, 8. C., July 11.—The
State conference of negroes, which
was called by the Ministerial Union
to consider the Constitutional conven
tion outlook so far as the black race is
ooneerned, assembled at noon yester
day in the State Senate chamber.
There were about seventy-five repre
sentative negroes from the various
sections of the State present. Among
them were many of the leading negro
preachers of the State, George Wash
ington Murray, Bishop Salter and oth
ers.
The conference was called to order
at noon by the Rev. E. H. Coit,,pf
this city, as president of the Ministe
rial Union. The proceedings were
opened with prayer by the Rev. I. L.
Miller, of Orangeburg.. On y motion of
the Rev. R. E. Hart, of this city, the
Rev. E. H. Coit, of this <yty, was elect
ed temporary chairman, and Judge of
Probate Green, of Georgetown county,
was elected secretarv.
. The call of the roll by counties was
then commenced. When Aiken coun
ty was. reached it was seen that so
much time would be consumed that
Murray suggested that they have the
chainnan of each delegation hand in
the names of those who were delegates,
and that the roll be made up in that
way. This was agreed to. He also
suggested that inasmuch as the
“mighty Irby committee with all its
powerful engines of election” and
Conservatives had met with closed
doors, they, the weak and helpless,
should meet with closed doors too.
This was agreed to. A session was then
held lasting until 2:30 p. m. The con
ference reassembled at 4 p. m. and was
in session until about 10:30 o’clock
last night before any results were
made knawn. At that hour the fol
lowing address was sent to the repre
sentatives of the press:
THE ADDRESS.
To the People of the United States:
As a part of the constituent elements
from which our National government
draws its life blood in time of peace,
and -from whose life blood it exacts
tribute in time of war, under the broad
reciprocal relations that should exist
adiong all the people of one common
country, that should be elastic, offen
sive or defensive weapons for every
American citizen, however humble, at
htnne or abroad, in order that the
theory of government handed down by
JLhfi.fathers might be fully realized and
• 1 «*» «-r
ie latners might be fully rea
enjoyed by every individual on every
inch of national territory, we submit
that a small, but desperate minority of
\- the population has declared its pur
pose to perpetuate its power by un
lawfully trampling under feet all the
i rights and franchises granted us by the
' Federal Constitution as a tneans of
protecting life, liberty and property.
We have used every means in de
fense of our constitutional rights and
franchises known to law-abiding citi
zens in this State, without effect and as
a last resort are forced to call upon the
strong arm of the national government
for a defense of rights granted and
gdaranteed by itself., ^ '
. As the army and navy are held as a
reserve force to uphold local authori
ties in every State, the Federal gov
ernment, in order not to be imposed
upon and to support anarchy under
the pretense of suppressing it, should
see to it that a republican form of gov
ernment, which we understand to oea
government instituted by the sovereign
will of a maiority of the constitution
ally qualified voters, actually exists in
evenr State.
We humbly crave your iniluence
with the constituted authorities of the
natio^, i n or der that their consciences
and arms might be strengthened in ef
forts to have the Constitution and
laws of the nation upheld, so that each
American citizen might have the equal
protection of the law, without which,
constitutional guarantees are mere
mockeries, and life itself a burden to
the people of the State.
We assure the fair-minded white
people of this State that we are willing
to use every means within our power
to aid in the overthrow of the small
but designing clique now in possession
of the government, which has busied
itself in the reorganization of the courts
and militia for the purpose of perpetu
ating its power and which has been
so emboldened with success in former
revolutionary steps as to declare, un
der cover of the unconstitutional reg
istration laws, its determination to
hold a convention of its own making
and likihg, and disfranchise the vast
majority of the voting population re-
gaixlless of constitutional prohibitions.
It assigns as its reason for such un
constitutional and revolutionary steps
that a Constitution must be made to
prevent what they are pleased to call
“negro domination” and to establish
“white supremacy,” which means, re
duced to its essense, the supremacy of
the faction now in control.
As the facts of history ihemselves
prove, we deny that there has ever
been a desire or attempt on our part to
dominate the government. With the
large body of us voting, most of whom
are illiterate and poor, there i» not as
much danger of our control of gbvern-
ment as there is of the laboring classes
in Massachusetts, New York or Penn
sylvania, who with unlimited suffrage,
contrasted with Tillmanite following,
do not control.
.While ws are entitled to participa
tion in the government commensurate
with our w^lth and intelligence,
representation is onlv a secondary
consideration compared with our right
to retain our right of suffrage, which
, cannot be annulled by any constitu
tional means.
Under our theory of self-government
in order that evenr man may possess
the means within his person to protect
life, liberty and possessions, the gov
erning power is divided into as many
fractional parts as there are male
adults, to each of whom is deeded an
equal portion, designed to be used in a
representative capacity and the ballot
made its instrument.
As under ouV form of government
all officers and administrators of the
law designed to be the creatures of the
governed, and are therelore the ser
vants of all, to whom they must look
for return to all continuation in office,
which iqeans protection for all, the
danger to the governed in such a form
of government does not exist half so
much in poverty or illiteracy as the
accomulations of vast fortunes by the
few, the influence of which may be
used to swerve the servants of the peo
ple to administer the government or
law in the interests of a few to the
detriment of thquiany. Besides, if
there is to be a pm’ileged class gov
ernment, restricted to persons possess
ing a certain amount of property or
education, what reasons are tnere for
not further restricting the governing
class to a few college professors or
millionaires^
By making the officers of the law,
who shall be the servants of all, thef
dependent creatures of a class onlv;
you make them the willing or unwill
ing tools of that class alone, and they
will be bound to construe and admin
ister the law to please members there
of only,, in which system it is apparent
that the class shorn of power is with
out even as much protection as slaves
whose masters' ballots protect them.
Such a form of govertiinertt we had
in a limited degree before the late war,
when the free negroes, the unprivi
leged class, had to nave guardians by
whom many were deprived of freedom
and property. Any form of government
(if we may dignify it by such a term)
which forces a class of people to con
tribute to its existence without a voice,
whose contributions in the hands of
the privileged class are used as en
gines of oppression is worse than that
among savages, wlrere all men are at
least equal. By nature’s God and the
Constitution of the United States we
-h*ve-been made free men and guar
dians of our own rights, and our bal
lots given as peaceful weapons of de
fense, and no honest and loyal citizen
is willing to deprive us of them, and
we shall light the Mesh, the devil and
all his imps through every court and
K wer in the nation before we shall
robbed of our rights by'anarchistic
nullifiers.
A privileged class government pro
duces on the one hand a class of
cringing suppliant cowards, glad even
for the poor privilege of life fora short
time, and on the other a class of arro-
nt, cruel and heartless murderers,
use conscious of wrongfully ob
tained power, whose members fear
nothing from their creatures, The offi
cers of the law who construe and ad
minister it as suits the will of their
masters.
the rights of all, in which they would
get the support of every honest man
in the State, regardless of race or poli
ties.
We further submit that we
ready to ioin with any number of the
liberal wnite men of the State, and to
aid them in making a Constitution
broad enough to cover the rights of
every man, however rich or poor, and
will only vote exclusively for delegates
of our own race and party, when such
members fail or refuse to co-operate.
To the men of our race, we announce
that no legal constitution can be made
with our united opposition. We must
organize to continue to raise the means
to prosecute the fight now pending in
the Federal courts for the preservation
of constitutional liberty to a final ter
mination, and to make such a show
ing in the approaching election as will
enable us to move Congress to action
through petitions.
Before a final determination of the
litigation The proposed convention
may be holden and all the wicked
plans of our enemies incorporated into
a new Constitution, but if we shall
prove to the satisfaction of the Federal
Supreme Court that in its making all
the rights and franchises granted us
by the supreme Con’stitutionliave been
ignored and trampled under feet of
which we have no doubt, through
fraudulent and unconstitutional regis
tration laws,-'the new Constitution
will amount to nothing, 'and our ene
ineies will have their pains for their
hbors.
We congratulate all lovers of honest
government in this State for posses
sLon of at least one judge, in the per
son of Chief Justice Mclver, whose,
judicial ermine remains unsullied, and
grieve to feel that the time willjsoon
come when our State will be deprived
of the last of such triulmnes.
Such a government we hkve In
State today, and the ruling faction is
in favor of handing it down in all its
wickedness as a curse to generations
ijnborn, but wears unwilling to entail
stiich a legacy to future generations.
Most of our murders and all our
lynchings are immediately traceable to
such government, and under it our
State will continue to sink from bad to
worse, until it becomes such a hell that
no one can live in it -
Mkn, naturally given to error, • is
impelled to right action from only two
causes; the nope of reward or fear
of punishment; and the law ante-dat
ing the Mosaic age, that he that taketli
man's life must forfeit his own as a
penalty, has been abrogated, and the
rule in this State is that a white
man taking the life of a colored man
does not pay the penalty with hik own
which has spread to others, and is no
longer confined to the oppressed class.
Upon the slighest provocation mem
bers of the privileged class, without
fear of punishment, murder or play
the part of prowling savages or canni
bals and dignify it by calling it a
lynching, as the conscience of the State
has been so seared that it is regarded
as a virtue rather than a crime to
lynclr a fellow-being. Murders and
lynchings are noxious plants nourish
ing only under a privileged class gov
ernment, and will surely die when the
sheriff and court are made to depend
for future favors upon the suffrage of
every man.
We believe in universal suffrage,
because we believe in the right of all,
which, underour form of government,
cannot be secured without making the
political power of each man equal in
the creation of the administrators of
the law. .
The most illiterate and humblest citi
zen, possessing nothing but his life
and mpscles, has as much right to the
means of protecting his porperty,
though invisible, as the millionaire.
When deprived of our ballot, our
influence with the administartors of
the law is gone and we are^absolutely
without protection.
While all members of the privileged
class do not take advantage of our
helpless condition, many do, and it is
cruel and hope-destroying to deprive
us of the poorer to'-aid humane and
liberal men in the election of such
honest men as will, in the dispensa
tion of justice, hold the scales equally
balance*!, whether the subject weighed
is black or white. The rule adopted
by the Democratic Executive Commit
tee, debarring all colored men, regard
less of past political affiliations, from
participation in the approaching pri
maries of said party, and allowing all
white men, regardless of past political
affiliation, to participate m the same,
with the declared purpose of counting
in in the general election'* the ones
named in the primaries, is violative of
every principle of justice and honesty,
repugnant to the doctrines of civilized
government, and a practical repudia
tion of the Federal constitution.
We view with alarm .the action of
Conservatives, whom we are inclined
to regard as broad and liberal men
when they, to our exclusion and in re
pudiation of our rights, accept an
equal divison with the administration
faction and submit that' it is most un
reasonable to expect our support when
failing to secure such concessions.
We submit that the only honorable
thing for them to do, if they mean jus
tice, is to make a fair fight from prin
ciple iq every county in the State for
thH mentl
OROANIZINO FOR A FKJHT.
After remainingin session till nearly
midnght, the conference finally ad
journed. They gave to the press only
the cut and dried, specially prepared
matter desired, and withheld all infor
mation as to the proceedings. There
was a good deal of talk during the
conference, but how the members
stood on the adoption of the address is
not known.
The following 1 resolution was ad
opted:
Resolved. That a State executive
committee by the chairman of this
conference, consisting of one member
from each county to direct and man
age the convention campaign for the
State, each member of tne State com
mittee to be authorized to appoint one
representative for each precinct to
direct the campaign in his county.
That we hold ourselves in readiness to
join with the liberal white men in
every county who ask or may ask our
support, but if none appear, we recom
our people and be voted for by them at
the election for delegates to the Con*
stituttional convention. Be it further.
Rekolved, That the above mention
ed organization continue the work of
organizing clubs and raising funds for
the prosecution of the fight l&r honest
election!) now in progrsss-iu the Fed
eral courts, and that this organization
work in harmony with the Ministerial
Union.
Under the above resolution, theToU
lowing were appointed:
Abbeville, A. P. Crawford; Aiken,
S. E. Smith; Anderson, T. J. Harris;
Barnwell,Thos. Clark; Beaufort, Sam
uel Green; Berkeley, P. Gaillard;
Chester, Moses Benson; Cherterfidld,
H. L. Shrewsbury; Colleton, C. - Pr
Chisolm; Charleston, W. J. Grant;
Darlington, Dr. L. P. Daniel; Fair-
field, Samuel Adams; Florence, S. W.
Williams; Georgetown, R. B. Ander
son; Greenville, L. F. Goldsmith;
Hampton, R. E. Primus; Horry, T. J.
Gordon; Kershaw, A. W. Powell;
Lexington, Jesse Hiller; Laurens, P.
8. Suber; lAncaster, F. R. McCoy;
Marlboro, J. L. Cain; Marion, W. II.
Collier; Newbery, D. T. McDaniels;
Orangeburg, C. W. Caldwell; Rich
land, R. E. Hart; Sumter,R. H. Rich
ardson; Union, W, D. McMahan;
Williamsburg, J. S. Tharp; York, T.
F. Hunt; Spartanburg, H. Sims;
Edgefield, J. A. Daniels; Clarendon,
A. Collins.
(From the Fdgefleld Advertiser )
On Tuesday last pursuant to notice,
Col. J. J. Dargan of Sumter came to
Edgefield to speak, to promulgate his
latest ism. He spent the night in our
town. Un Wednesday morning be
made his appearance on our streets.
About 10 a.m., a number of our
citizens, from the county and the
town, assembled in the law office of
J. Wm. Thurmond, Esq , and the
matter discussed, decently and quietly,
as to whether he should be allowed to
Lj-diseuss a snbjf ct that would be in the
opinion of r^any people in Edgefield 1
county precipitate a very bad state of
aff airs and perhaps bring about riot
Rnd possibly blood shed. After due
deliberation it was agreed that a com
mittee be selected to wait on. Col.
Dargan to know exactly and definite
ly what he advocated and what he
would say if permitted to say any
thing, so that there could be no doubt
in the minds of any. In accordance
with this programme, the following
gentlemen were selected on the com
mittee: Sheriff W. JL Outzs, Treasur
er W. L. Stevens, 1). R. Durisoe,
Esq., R. P. Holloway, E, R, Stead
man and E. L. Ryan. These gentle
men waited on Col. Dargan and ore
seuted the following bill of inuict-
ment and asked if it was a true bill:
“I, for one, have gone to tne ne
gro.”-—Dargan in reply to Evans.
“That I am neither ashamed; nor
afraid, nor in any degree reluctant,
but rather glory in going to the ne
gro.’V Dargan m reply to Evans.
I favor placing negro representa
lives, according tp competency, on
each comity ticket. This will give
minority' representation to that race
and thus enable us to make a consti
tution by all the people, for all the
people.”—Dargan m the Freeman.
"Universal suffrage for women and
men, rich and poor, black and white,
now and always.” Dargan in the
Freeman.
The committee asked if the above
utterances and publications appearing
in last week's Advertiser were his.
He replied that they were. He was
asked if he expected to be allowed to
teach such doctrines in Edgefield. He
said he had his doubts about it. The
com mitten then told him that he
would not be heard if he undertook
to speak as indicated by the above ut
terances. He asked if the right of free
speech was to be denied him, the com
c replied tfaat ire could apeak 1 but
Epidemic of Crazy Crime.
Pittsburg, Pa., July 10.—A terri
l|>le tragedy occurred in Allegheny to
night from which two persons are
dehd and a third will die. Mrs. Lena
Roesener, the wife of a tanner resid
ing on Spring Hill, Allegheny, has
been in poor health for the past ten
years. Today, while her husband was
at work, she hung her three-year-old
daughter to the head of a bedpost. She
then tied a cloth around the throat of
her seven-months-old baby, from the
effects of which it will die. • After
committing these crimes she hung
herself by placing a rope around the
hinge of a cubboard and then around
her neck and allowing herself to fall
to the floor. Fortunately, two other
children were awfey visiting relatives,
or they might have suffered a similar
fate. The cause is attributed to
health.
ill
A Cardens Moturman.
Cleveland; O., July 11.—Two lit
tie girls were ground to pieces under a
motor on Loraine. street this after
noon. They were Stella Schlaubeck-
er, aged 8 years, and her cousin, Elea
nor Grop, aged 7. They were cross
ing the street and stopped on the car
track to pick up something. The m
torman was not looking ahead at the
track, and without the slightest warn
ing, the car struck the little ones.
Their bodies were so terribly mutilat
ed that they were hardly recogniza
ble: Grant Kerns, the motorman, was
arrested, charged with criminal care
lessness. *
A Fearful Explosion.
Panama, July 11.—The Star and
Herald says: Further news of the ex
plosion of a boiler in the electric light
plant at Carthagena on July 2, result
ing in the destruction of the building
and the wrecking of part of Sandiego
prison, was received here today. The
pecuniary damage is placed at $24,000
and the casualties were twenty killed
and injured, most of the number
ing among tne killed.
be-
THE "OTHER SIDE.
FURTHER STATEMENTS ABOUT THE
DARGANTtFFAIR.-’ '' : ~
The Account Given by an Edgefield Pa
per—What the Sheri IT Says of the Action
of the Committee of Clttxens.
he would not be heard. He said he
did not wish to be hurt. The commit
tee assured him that he would not be
hurt, no personal violence would be
offered him but he would not be
heard. In conclusion he said that if
six men will ask me to speak I will
make the attempt. With this the
committee left, Col. Dargan was es
corted to the depot and left town.
SHERIFF OUTZS RJCI’UES.
“] Having read the account given by
Col. Dargan in the daily papers of the
treatment he received in Edgefield
and the comments of that paper there
upon, I feel it my duty to make the
following statement of facts, in jus
tice to myself and the committee ap
pointed by the citizens of the town
and county*to act with me in inter
viewing Ool. Dargan, notice having
been given by the Edgefield Chronu^
that he would deliver an address in
Edgefield.'
The people had heard and read of
Col. Dargan’s utterances elsewhere,
such as: “I for one have gone to the
negro,’’—“That I am neither ashamed
nor afraid, nor in any degree reluct
ant, but rather glory in going to the
negro.”—“I favor placing negro rep
resentatives, according to competency,
on each county ticket This will give
minority representation to that race
and thus euable us to make a consti
tution by all the people for all the peo
ple.”—“Universal suffrage for women
and men, rich and poor, black and
white, now and always.” The com
mittee submitted the above quoted re
marks to Col. Dargan and desired to
know oH»im through - the committee
if these utterances embodied his views,
and if it was on that line he proposed
to speak in Folgelield.
The committee, in the discharge of
the duty imposed^!mmediately repair
ed to the Chronicle office where we
met Col. Dargan alone, except the
employes of the Chronicle office.
I introduced myself and the com
mittee to Col. Dargan, who said he
was glad to see us. I told him we had
been appointed to call on him and
asked him if he had come to make a
speech. He said he hath I inquired
upon whose invitation he had come,
lie declined to say
I then 1 called fiis attention to the
above alleged utterances, and asked
him if they were his, and if he intend
ed to speak on that line. He answer
ed, “Yes.” We then, as a committee,
requested him not to attempt to speak,
as we did not think die .would , be
heard, inasmuch as the people of
Edgefield were not yet prepared to
hear him or any one else talk on that
line, and tliat we thought it best for
him and for the town that he decline*
to speak. H§ said he was sorry; that
he once thought as our people did,but
if he were allbwed to spfeak he thought
lie could convince them of the error
of their way
~ He was told that nothing that h«
could say would, in our judgment,
convineq Edgefield people of error on
that line; thgt he- had no following
here, and that while we did not be
lieve he would-be treated roughly or
receive bodily harm if he should at
tempt to speak, we thought it best to
advise him to save himself the mortifi
cation of being hissed down, and per-
P 1E
le not to make the attempt.
npt
'e replied that he would consul.
with * * * and would soon give us a
^The interview was not at all an un
pleasant affair, and I am sure I am ex-
iressing the truth when J say there
was not in the mind and heart of any
member of the committee any ilLfeel-
ing towards Col. Dargan, and what
We did was in his interest and
prompted by the kindest feelings.
Our committee, retired and reported
to our body what had transpired. I,
in making the report, assured them
bat our interview with Col. Dargan
thoroughly convinced me and the
other committeemen that no speech
would be attempted, and that it would
not be necessary to take further steps
to 'thwart the Colonel, as we were
pretty sure he would leave on the first
out bound train'. The committee then
dispersed, I going to my office and at
tending to my duties not thinking
further of Dargan.
After some lapse of time, a good
citizen of our county, not a resident
of our town but living very
near, came over and reported That
there Was a crowd near Fenn’s dru
d
store cursing and abusing Dargan an
he thought it wrong to take that ad
vantage of any man under such cir
cumstances. I fully agreed with him,
and our worthy intendant, Mr. Ken-
nerly, said to me immediately upon
hearing the statement, “Sheriff, let's
go and stop such conduct.” I said,
*^ves, of course. ” We looked in the
direction indicated and saw that the
crowd had dispersed and 1 )argan gone
on. t
Col.Dargan perhaps drew tosomeex-
tent on his imagination as to the num-
her that comiiosed the so called mob.
Possibly the Colonel was thinking of
the prophecy in Acts when old men
would uream dreams and young men
would see visions. He must have had
a vision as there were not more than
fifty-white men in town from the
countrv duringahe day.
The Kews and Courier in its editor
ial said: “The sheriff was in exceed
ingly bad company; for he is the
highest law peace officer of the countv
and it need hardly be said bears life
largest measure of responsibility
the lawlessness in whicn he took so
prominent a part.” That was the very
object I had in view—to preserve the
peace of the town and protect the per
son of Col. Dargan from probable
harm.
Had Col. Dargan taken the adviceof
the committee, there would not have
occurred any unplessantness. There
are not in this, or any other county,
five more reputable, law-abiding citiz
ens that are those five men that were
on that committee with myself, and if
they had not been actuated by the
best of motives—the desire to prererve
the peace and harmony of the county
and State and prevent violence to any
person -I would not have acted with
them.
No man deprecates more than I do
the treatment Ool. Dargan -received
eu route to the depot, I reel sure it
is
regretted by the entire committee and
a large majority of the people of
the county. It was a A paral
lel case you intimated, with
the downfall of Chamberlain
and his crew in 1876. The same iden
tical issues were agitated with this
difference as I see it—they then had
us by the throats with their feet on
our necks and it took a tremendous
etftrrr to "extricate ourselves -when
placed at such a disadvantage. But
you say it was permissible then and
endorsed by a large majority of the
people and the press of the State,
among them the News and Courier.
This movement is being brought, it
seems to me, for the same purpose
with this exception, tliat this move
ment is bqing agitated by disappointed
office seekers who know they nave no
chance in this government which
they are seeking to overthrow
through the suffrage of the negro,
In 1876 these men were called “seal
la wags” and “independents.” They
are now called “true blue Democracy
of the State.” God deliver us from
such Democracy!
I for one am hot willing to quietly
submit to have the shackles placed
upon me, and I don’t think a major
ity of the people are any more willing
than I. A am for white supremacy
first, last and all the time, anything
to the contrary, notwithstanding.
W H. Ouzts.
'Cru»h«»l In the Cam.
Quebkeo, July 13.—A terrible ac
cident occured at 3 o'clock at Craig's
Road station on the grand Trunk rail
way, about 14 tqiles west of Levis. A
very large pilgrimage from Sherbroke
Windsor Mills and Richmond had left
the latter town about 10 o’clock p. m.
for the shrine of St. Anne de Beaupro
There were two sections of the train
one running a few minutes behind the
other. The first section was taking
water, when second standing
at the Craig's Road station,
section, passing the semaphore,
dashed into the rear Pullman coach
of the first section, smashing it to
kindling wood and killing, it is said,
everybody in that car except the Pull
man conductor, who jumped. Engi
neei McLeod and Fireman Perkins, o: :
the secombseotion, were both killet
outright. The Pullman coach was
telescoped into the first section, kill
ing a number of passengers riding in
them. Among the killed are three
priesta. The number killed is now
placed at 25, and the number injure!
34. »
A Mob DUpemed
- Greenville, July 11.—Since the
killing of young Langford at Pied
mont, this county, by the negro, Ira
Johnson, there have been rumors o:
lynching the murderer, who is lodge<
in the Greenville jail. Every nigh
large bodies <Jf negroes have collectec
about the jail, well armed, claiming
that they intended to protect the pris
oner. Protestations and arguments
having failed to disperse the mob, last
night, about midnight, the whole po
lice force, under command of Mayor
Williams and Chief of Police Kenne
dy, charged the crowd, disarmec
haps arousing 7 the indignation of the J three, arrested three and scattered the
balance. The three negroes appearet
at the mayor’s coart this morning,am
one was fined $60 and the other two
$50 each. It is thought that this wil
break up the mob.
Floor ofth« CmIbo Coll a poos Dwrlag • So
cial Mooting of Opa Klka—Many Poopla
lojarod—Soms will IMa.
Atlantic City, N. J., July 10.—A
frightful accident terminatedf the Elk
festivities at the Inlet Casino to-night,
in wliich a large, number of persona
sustained terrible ihjuries, from which
that had xiotenough some will die. It was at 9 JO o’clock,
when the grand exalted^ ruler of the
Buffalo body, Meade D. Detwiler, of
Harrisburg, had finished his adnrrss
at the opening of the social sea-ion of
the Elks and was about to introduce
James J. Armstrong, of New York,
when a cracking sound was heard. A
moment later tne floor upon which
wen 1 almost a thousand people slowly
opened, and the mass of humanity
was precipitated to the first floor, a dis
tance of twenty-five feet. Men, wo
men atid children were plunged into
the hole and upon one another. The
cries, shrieks and groans were deafen
ing and the direst confusion reigned.
An alarm was immediately sent out
and all the physicians in town re
sponded.
By 9 o'clock more than 1,200 people
e weeirrthef had" gathered" ©n the second Door of
the pavilion, anticipating a pleasant
evening's enjoyment. The bands at
tached to the visiting lodges had given
a fine concert and Capt. Samuel Per
ry, of the Atlantic City Lodge had’
just begun the preliminaries of start
ing the social session.
The night was a lovely one and as
the strains of the music floated out
over the ocean it seemed that a more
joyous crowd could not have been
gathered together anywhere. But
tnere were several hundred of the peo
ple who had noticed the vibratidfc of
the floor and left the pavilion, fearing
that the great weight would lead to its
destruction and the consequent injury
of the merrymakers. Among these
cautious people were a- number of
Th« Weskly Report of the United State*
Obeerver. ,
Columbia, 8. C., July 9.—Tliegreat-
er number of reports, and including
nearly every county, are of a favorable
time, and indicate that although the
weather was slightly cooler than sea
sonable, it was on the whole good for
all crops and that crops made satisfac
tory growth, are in excellent condition
generally, and with a few exceptions
are, clean'and well worked. There
wereaJewi
rain, and where the staple crops were
small and unsatisfactory, but the late
rains of the 7th and 8th (Sunday and
donday no doubt reached most of
those places, causing marked improve
ment'.
There are reports from Fifteens,
Greenville, Laurens, Union, York
and Chesterfield Counties of serioqa
injury to the cotton plant by lice.
These insects have appeared in locali
ties where they were neyer before
fnown. Whole fields are said to have
jeen ruined in a short time, asthe^ice
spread with marvellous rapidity. Lice
'iave about disappeared from other
xirtious of the State. Worms still in
uring corn in the northern and wes
tern counties. ,' ■ / .
The temperature ranged below the
normal on every day of th<
depatures were from 0 tp 8 degrees on
the 2nd and 3rd, and gradually be
came less until on the 8th (Monday)
there was but little change from sea
sonable.
The temperature deficiency was
small on the coast, but increased rap
idly toward the upper portions of the
3tate, where it was very marked,
although not particularly injurious
except to cause lice to api>ear on cot
ton, wire worms in corn, and worms
on tomatoes, and bugs on vines gener-
ally.
The highest temperature reported
was 95 on the Gth at McCall; the low
est, 56, on the 4thatCheraw. This is
a very low temperature for the first
week in July. The mean temperature
of the week for the 8tate was about
77.5, and the normal for the same
period is approximately 81.
The rainfall of July 1st, which was
not embodied in last week's bulletin
but appears in the average for this,
was quite general over the greater
portion of the State except possibly
on the middle coast. ’It proved high
ly beneficial, having been generally
needed. During the week there were
but very light showers at best, or
none at all. until the rains on the 7th
and 8th, winch were very timely. The
extent of those rains cannot be deter
mined at this writing, but will be dis
cussed in the next bulletin.
There were
i.00 of rain; 5 that Bad over 2 inches.
These heavy rains were distributed
over widely separated portions of the
State. The heaviest fall reported was
4.00 inches at Elloree, Orangeburg
County. The—average of 41 places
reporting rain, and including the
rain of the 1st but excluding about
half of the 7th and all of the 8th, wasi
.00, and the normal for the same
eriod is approximately 1.32 inches.
No destructive 'wind or hail storms
were reported during the past week.
There was scarcely an average
amount of sunshine, although includ
ing the whole State, nearly so. There
was least cloudiness in the c$ntraLand
northeastern counties, an4 most in
theTleorgia border and extreme wes
tern counties, and in Berkeley -where
there was but 25 per cenkof tne possi
ble, while in Horry there was 90 per
cent.
There is but little change to note in
the condition of crops, but what
change there is, is towards betterment
generally, except over a comparatively
small area where insects and want of
timely rain cause positive injury or re
tarded growth.
Of cotton, it is universally said tliat
it is very small but healthy, and where
well fertilized looking promising. It
is putting on squares freely, but is
slow to bloom in the up country; blos-
soming is general in tne eastern por
tions of the State. The crop is gener
ally well worked and free from grass.
Aside from its being undersized, its
condition is all that could be desired.
Corn is doing well generally. Early
planting is being laid by in excellent
condition. In a few localities it was
too dry, but this is exceptional, loiter
corn looks fine. Some corn planted
in stubble land just coming
some still lieing planted. *
eastern counties the crop is
made.
Small grains nearly all harvested
and thrashed, with a yield below an
average crop for wheat and pa ts y con
sidering the State as a whole.
** Watermelons are ripening and will
be ready to market, from
ern portions of the State, this •week.
The crop is not uniform, being large
in localities and only fair in others.
The indications are that there will
be a large acreage devoted to peas
this year, both as a forage crop and
TRAGIC CLOSING OF THE ANNUAL
REUNION OF THE ELK&
members of the Camden Lodge, prom-
re Ex-A
inent among whom were Ex-Asaem-
blyman Wm. Thompson and County
Clerk Robt. J. Barber, of Camden.
Fearing to create a panic they quietly
approached some members of visiting
lodges and diecuaMd with the advisa
bility of bringing the affair to a close,
so as to relieve the floor of a portion
of the weight.
While they were yet talking the
crash came. A portion of the floor,
some thirty feet square, about the mid
dle of the pavilion, and near the rail
ing on the hoard walk alongside, came
tumbling down, bringing along prob
ably one hundred people.
Lu a second the alectric li,
lecfek. lights on the
extinguished, but
up and
In the
almost
for fertilizing purposes.
Sugar cane and sorglrur
rice are growing well
The acrea
m as well as
and look prom
ising. The acreage devoted to rice is
larger than last year.
The tobacco crop is a fine' one, and
is being harvested and cured. It will
be a very remunerative crop, it is said,
where properly handled since plant
ing. Some fields were partially ruin
ed ny injudicious cultivation. Expe
rience and observation will indicate
the proper treatment for this crop.
Fruit continues quite plentiful with
the single exception' of Horry county,
where it is scarce. -
Veretables continue in abundant
supply. Truck shipments to the
Northern markets from the coast re
gions have, about ended for the season.
In comparison with other portions
of the country, this State has been
exceptionally favored by good grow
ing weather and immunity from de
structive agencies, whether
excessive rains, floods, or
since'the growing season
as a result there is possibly
where the crops are unif
promising at this -time.
second floor H
luckily those on the lower floor kept
burning long enough to permit soma
of the panic stricken people to get to
the stairway, which remained intact,
and reach tne broad walk. Men. wo
men and children were jammed to
gether trying to escape by the stair
way, while the victims of the crash
were screaming for aid to extricate
them from the falling beams and tim-
When the first feeling of panic had
subsided the surviving Elks gallantly
rushed to the rescue of their injured^
brothers and friends, indifferent to the
danger that confronted them, as they
did not know what instant the remain
der of the pavilion might bury them
beneath its ruins. \ While the work of
rescue was going on the light on the
floor became extinguished and they
were placed in darkness. Men ran to
the car barn of the trolley road near
by and obtained a number of head
lights from the can. These were most
useful in assisting the work of the res
cuers. In the meantime the people who
were seated in the vicinity of the break
found themselves in imminent dan
ger of falling through the hole. In
deed, seme were oblisred to clutch the
edge oL. the floor tolteep themselves
from going through. Maurice A.
Rogers, ex-president of the Senate of
New Jersey and a member of the Cam
den Lodge, was seated by the side of
his wife in the section that fell. Mn.
Rogers was precipitated to the ground
sustaining only a nervous shoes
ator Rogers had both hands caught be
tween two.beams and hung suspended
in t he air until released by I Someone
unknown. v -
An alarm of fire was turned in, but ) .
when the firemen arrived all the vic
tims had been released from the wreck.
Before the arrival of the ambulances
a number of omnibuses were pressed
into service to carry away the wound
ed to their hotels or to the City Hospi
tal. 1
FURTHER PARTICULARS.
Atlantic City, N. J., July 11.—A
the south-fvisit to the scene of the Atlantic Ave
nue Casino accident this morning
showed that one of the big pillars
holding the floor had given wav and
the weight on the floor gradually
pressed the other pillar sufficiently to
weaken it and the floor opened like a
trap in the centre. The floor, howev
er, slipped down 'gradually and the
disaster was thus not so serious as it
would have been had it crashed
through suddenly. The injured are
all people who were the first to reach
the lower floor.
Mayor Stoye this morning condemn
ed the building and directed the build-
ing inspector to have it tom down
and also to make an investigation of
the unfortunate affair.
At the Elks’ Grand Lodge session
this morning an air of gloom pervad
ed the room. A committee was ap
pointed to looked into the condition
of the injured with power to rehBer
whatever assistance they deemed ns- jr?.
cessary. Those abr>isly hurt are im
proving excepting Frederick Kla
roth, the Camden musician who,
so fearfully crushed beneath the 1
He ia still alive, but is in A
condition. .The only other
ho was reported as t
art, Mrs. Rockwell, of
ras improved this morning,
recover. It I
only slightly
* i