The Barnwell people. (Barnwell, S.C.) 1884-1925, March 05, 1914, Image 3
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BANDITS REAP LOOT
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OAIUHQ OUTLAWS HQI4> UP AND
ItOB TRADiS OF ALABAMA ~
00 tffiis WORK BOLDLY
■ . Li ' ' S~'.' ' ' ,
•etocSiM Are Soooring Blqe
Moiutains in an Effort to Locate
^ Wl*o Take Lone Chances to
Get Booty From Pasaing Ballroad
Trains.
Somewhere in the Blue RldgO
mountains of Alabama there has
keen born and bred and trained a
band of desperate men who have
taken risks. In the face* of all mod
ern protective devices, that would
have amazed and abashed the stage
robbers of the early Western days:
Within the past three years these
criminals have held up arfd robbed
nearly 60 trains in the South and
have gotten away with nearly $600,
•00. To-day the desperadoes are
hidden in an almost inaccessible por
tion of Blue Ridge mountains,
sought by posses of detectives from
all over the country. There is little
chance of identifying >them If they
are found; less chance of their being
takes alive.
Police officers are becoming des
perate. In the past three years they
hav» caused the conviction of only
two train robbers. Now they are
living In constant fear lest another
hold-up may be announced at any
moment In the mountainous mining
coutry of Alabama, where the out-
■ laws apparently have found a secure
hiding place.
The career of the band of outlaws
had Its latest development In the re
cent hold-up of the Queen and Cres
cent express, New York to New Or
leans, 12 miles north of Birmingham.
The booty obtained after an express
messenger had been stabbed was first
~ reported to be $40,000. Now it is
admitted that the robbers got $20,-
000, missing only one package of
$10,000.
In this hold-up, as In all others
"pulled off" by the gang, the engine
was stopped by the waving of red
lanterns. The desperadoes stabbed
an express messenger who sought to
beat them .back. Five minutes after
the robbers, nine in number, had
entered the car, they had mounted
their hardy mountain horses and
were off, leaving no trace or clew.
Within an hour detectives were on
the trail.
On the night of August 5, 1»13,
two masked men boarded the Louis
ville and Nashville train three miles
south of Birmingham. They tied the
mail clerks and rode 33 miles, taking
their time in rifling the U. S. malls.
It is claimed they got only a few
hundred dollars.
Near Bibbvllle, a little country
station, the Alabama Great Southern
train was held up one month later.
The bandits rifled the express car of
$100,600. They sent the engine run
ning wild down the track for 50
miles, terrifying the villages along
ffie line. The runaway engine finally
stepped after running out of steam.
Oa the evening of November 7,
111$, robbers pulled the bell cord on
a Louisville and Nashville train near
Blemat Springs, Ala. They secured
only a few hundred dollars after a
desperate light. In their excitement
f ey overlooked $10,000 In a small
ckage.
Southern train No. 41 was held up
at Mud Creek, Ala., on January 23,
1614, by three bandits. They sent
tbe engine running wild down the
track after robbing the mail car of
$100,000. Less than a week later
the same gang. It is believed, robbed
a mail pouch at.Boulesi, Ala., but got
only $30. , T ~ ^ ,
Only some Incident in a mountain
settlement, it is believed, will ever
reveal the identity of the desperate
thieves now working in the South.
Recently the two men implicated in
the robbing of the Illinois Central
express, near Starksville, Miss, on
July, 3, 1912, taking nearly $50,000,
were convicted as the result of Just
such a happening. They are Jerry
lanis and Barney Lewis.
It became knoiniP that Jerry Innis
was married in the North Birming
ham hills and that his wife had worn
the most wonderful drees ever seen
<n Alabama. The dress was made of
ealico, but it was covered with ten
dollar bills. With this the first clew
to the identity of the robbers, detec
tives traced the Mississippi hold-up
to Innis and Lewis. Both are now in
penitentiary.
And Now She’s Nellie b’ Jinks.
^Because all her friends called her
"Nellie Be Darned”, Miss Nellie
Blanche Darn of Campaign, 111., was
married to Clyde M. Jinks.
Two English Aviators Killed.
Two , English army aviators lost
k their lives Wednesday at Salisbury,
igland, when the rudder of their
aeroplane broke.
Wrecking a ttfe In a Toledo. Ohio,
clothing store Monday night robbers
•ooeeeded la escaping with
ARMY FARCE ENDED
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CALIFORNIA GBAPPLiIb WITH
ARMY OF LOAFING BUMS.
Men Marching Towards Washington
Threaten to Get Food apd Fere by
Force.
"General” Kelley’s army, composed
of -men who claimed to be ont of
work, .but many of whom refused it
when offered to them, started to
them, started ta march from San
Francisco to Washington in order to
demand work from the president. As
they went, through several of the
counties of California, numbering
nearly 1,500 strong, they were fed
and provided for until they could be
shunted offed on the next county In
the line of march.
The army was made up largely of
bums, agitators and others of danger
to siqall towns unprotected by large
police forces. Up until Tuesday the
spirits of the advancing army was in
fine shape, but on that day they
marched into Sacramento, Cal. Here
they were ordered to disband, but
instead of obeying they threatened
to obtain food for themselvee by
force. The police came out in strong
force and a battle ensued in which
clubs and sticks were freely used. As
this did not see mto be very effective
in dispersing the “army” the fire hose
was brought out and water was play
ed on the men. This routed them
completely, forcing them to retreat
across the Sacramento river Into Yolo
county. t
Beaten and badly disotganlzed
with Its leaders in Jail, the "unem
ployed army” driven Tuesday from
S^cramenta, then encamped across
th e river In Yolo county. They had
only scanty food and shelter. Depu
ties guarding the bridges will not per
mit any to return to Sacramento and
Yolo county offlvers, heavily armed,
on the other side,. are keeping the
men within the new camp.
With no spokesmen and no lead
ers, the “army” has put aside tern
porarlly Its projected trip to Wash
ington and turned Its attention to the
graver subject of subsistence. The
city and county governments have
sent enough money to provide two
meals. These meals gave ont soon
and Wednesday night the army re
tired supperless. BldWunento county
not only officially shut off the food
supply which had been contributed
by the. countl, but Issued an order
forbidding any person conveying sup
plies across tbe bridge beyond which
the workers are camped,
The result of shutting off food be
came apparent immediately. Men
began leavng the camp singly and in
groups. By Wednesday night the
army, which had numbered 1,500
Tuesday, further had been reduced to
about 600 men. Leaders were find
ing it difficult'to hold these in hand.
The rural districts of Yolo county
are now overrun by hundreds of hun
gry men, who appear at orchard
homes and enforce with threats their
demands for food. Perhaps half the
male population of the county were
guarding homes and property.
While the shutting off of food Is,
in a measure, solving the problem,
the situation with regard to the sev
eral hundred irreconcilable* bent on
marching to tbe national capital, re
gardless of all obstacles, is desperate
ly Involved. Sacramento will not per
mit them to pasa through. A half
dozen surrounding counties have
served official notice that they will
meet with armed force any attempt
to send them across their lines.
The army occupies a peculiar posi
tion, according to Yolo county offl
cials. With flood water shutting off
a march to the southwest or north
they have bnt one direction to take
and that is eastward across the
bridges Into Sacramento.
The army late Wednesday voted to
march peacefully through the city on
its way eastward if the police would
permit. The Sacramento authorities
rejected the proposal.
_ Sheriffs and district attorneys of
four California counties reached an
agreement Thursday regarding tbe
problem of the unemployed, and their
edict' was delivered as a Joint nlti-
matum. Tbe six or seven hundred
men remaining of the army which
left San Francisco last week under
Charles Kelley on a proposed trans
continental march to Washington, D.
C., must disperse Immediately.
If they are willing to scatter peace
ably In bands of not more than fifty
the citizens’ committee of Sacramento
will pay their fares to any point with
in a radius of fifty miles. They will
not be permitted to march In a body
anywhere, and if they are not willing
to disband the authorities will be
forced to "take otber measures".
Second Negro Guilty.
Junk’ Caldwell, the second of the
two negroes on trial for the assassi-
natlon of George Young at Stomp
Springs, was found guilty at Laurens
Wednesday and sentenced to Ilf* Im
prisonment.
Gate Five Days.
Expecting to be let off with a 4M
wealthy eltlsen of Portland, On..
pleid guilty to speeding hi* auto In
the streets at fifty miles an hoar. He
■ - to fire days sa the
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FACE DEATH BN ICE
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FORCED TO ABANDON SHIP,
CREW MAKES PERILOUS TRIP.
ICE PACK ANCHORS SHIP
ELEPHANT AT'PATRKX
LURED GIRL AWAY
KJKXTED PEOPLE FORM P
* AND KILL BIG BEAST.
Unheal Is Slain After Much Shooting
—Axes Help Bring Brmtal Death
Qnlckly. ■ '
SEVENTEEN RESCUED FROM SEA
IN BLINDING SNOW STORM.
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GliL WANTS IT PUNTED
Survivors of U. 6. Tug Poto^nac,
Which Went to Rescue Frozen-in
Sailors Return to New York—
Abandoned Vessel Twelve Miles Off
Newfoundland Coast.
Bringing a tale of hardship, suf
fering and narrow escape from death
from coal or starvation, twenty-eight
of Uncle Sam’s sailors from the naval
tug Potomac reported back to the
Brooklyn Navy Yard Saturday, after
an absence of more than two months.
The men returned by train, their
vessel having been abandoned Feb
ruary 14, twelve miles from the Bay
of Isles off the coast of Newfound
land.
The Potomac was cruising In Ca
nadian waters late in January, when
word was brought them that two
American-fishing craft were Icebound
In the Bay of Isles and their crews In
danger of being frozen. In spite of
the bitter weather and the danger of
putting themselves in the same
plight, the tug started to the rescue.
The frozen-in fishermen were
reached, after a voyable through Ice-
clogged seas, on February 5. The
Gloucester men were gatifled by the
efforts of their rescuers, hut they
were snugly ensconced in their fish
ing schooners, prepared to pass the
rest of tfife winter there, If necessary,
and they not only refused to leave
the shelter of the bay, but advised
the tug to lie up until better weather.
, The bluejackets couldn’t see their
duty that way, and decided to try to
run back to their assigned waters be
fore the constantly falling tempera
ture made navigation Impossible. The
tug. crowding on all steam, got Just
twelve miles out Into open water.
Then the prow stuck fast, the huge
Ice cakes Jammed on every side and
she was immovable and helpless.
For nine days the man watched
the weather and the ice and hopdd
for a break-up, Jmt none came. By
that time their coal was exhausted,
and though food still remained, they
faced the danger of freezing to death
A consultation of all hands resulted
In an attempt to quit the vessel. Tak
ing as much provisions as they could
carry, two blankets each and naviga
tion Instruments, so they would not
lose themselves In the wilderness of
ice, the men started to walk.
Twelve miles the little party
fought their way through the unac
customed cold, stumbling and scram
bllng over the rough, broken ice
field. They camped on the ice one
night, though unable to sleep much
through the necessity for moving
about to keep from freezing. The
first lap of the Journey brought them
to Lobster Head lighthouse, at the
entrance to Bonne Bay. The keeper
fed and warmed them.
But thirty-three men were too big a
strain on the larder of the little light
house and the party decided to push
on, after three days’ rest. Five of
their number had frostbitten feet and
were unable to travel. They were
left behind. ’ The nearest point was
Curling, a tiny fishing village on the
Bay of Fundy, near the Canadian
border. -Thither the party struggled,
singing, telling each other stories
and racing on the way to keep up
their spirits and their blood clrcula
tion. After the second day they be
came drowsy, but a watch was kept
and no man was allowed to sleep
more than a few minutes at a time.
Late on the third day they a
gered into Curling they shoes gone^
uniforms t tattered and themselves
nearly "all In”. There they rested
again, Boatswain Wilkinson report
ing to the navy department tfie plight
of the vessel and of the crew.
American Consul Gould took care
of the men and saw that they were
fitted out as well as might be. They
started again, this time for Port aux
Basques. Rested, clad in warmer
garments and' provided with food,
that leg of this Journey had less hard
ship. The mere fact of having got
into touch with their government
heartened the men and they marched
cheerily.
They reached New York early Sat
urday morning and hurried to the
navy yard, where a group of officers
and old comrades awaited them.
There was a scene of glad reunion as
/he worn, rather unshtpshape group
%altttSd and then turned to their
mates. It took hours for them to tell
their stories and to go over and over
the parts that were most thrilling.
Negro Is Killed.
When James Boone, a white farm
er of Edgefield accused Charlie Jack-
son, a negro, of breaking into. his
premises the negro attempted .to
shoot Boons with his pistol, but was
shot by Boone first *
•Soy Vails to
Adams, a sevsn-yearald fit-'
lasts boy, was aerlonaly hurt Tues
day whan hit by a speeding auto. Tbe
Uflla fallow succeeded a dodging tw*
South Carolina’s well established
record for big gsm* shooting was
broken Wednesday night when tbe
biggest animal to he dispatched in
this Slate In its history fell, before
the onslaught of a large party of well
armed men. An exceedingly robust
female elephant was the victim of the
attack by citizens of the Patrick com
munity near Hartsville armed with
guns and* other weapons.
The mammal was killed about 9
o’clock after more than 100 shots had
been fired into her body. The most
violent excitement followed the an
nouncement that a member of the
Jungle’s royalty was at large In the
neighborhood. Wild rumors spread
telling of damage done by the big
beast and as they traveled they grew
like Topsy and the snowball. Inves
tigation Indicates that no damage re
sulted for any but the unfortunate
animal.
"The big female elephant killed on
Bdg Juniper creek escaped from a
wagon circus whch was booked for
Patrick Tuesday. A crowd had as
sembled for the performance and
wonder was expressed at the non-ap
pearance of the cricus, when news
was received that the elephant had
brokn bounds and was at large. The
animal created great excitement.
Many of the amazed citizens had
never before seen an elephant.
The posse'that took up the beast’s
trail grew until it was said that fully
500 men were Jonlng In the chase.
One man says that he fired 60 shots
from a magazine pistol into the ani
mal. Men who were in at the death
say that not less than 6,000 shots
were fired during the hunt. The ele
phant became unruly and broke
away from Its keeper ,a&, the circus
was proceeding from MoBee to
Patrick.
It was ascertained later that the
elephant killed was the property of a
small show owned by a man named
Gillespie, which the night previous
had given an exhibition at McBee,
some eighteen miles above Patrick.
The elephant had gotten away after
the performance. His old keeper
went to Hartsville, and from him it
was learned that the elephant had
been recently sold to Gillespie by
Rlngling Brothers’ circus, and that It
had cost $6,000.
He had just turned the animal
over to its new keeper and trainer
and had gone away when he heard
of its death. He says that It had
been his charge for six years and was
perfectly gentle, and that it would
have followed a dog or horse about
and would have harmed no one. In
deed, it only showed fight after it had
been shot in tbs eye, and after it
was brought down from exhaustion
and approached by its pursuers. Gil
lespie has not pat in an appearance,
though h e mjy have gone out to the
scene of the killing. His only hope
of recouping for the loss of $6,000 Is
insurance, which it is presumed he
carried.
11
TICKD TO. BOS
KILLING NEAR COWARDS.
Trouble Over Lins Ditch Results la
Fatal Shootiug.
Saturday, night about 10 o’clock
about two miles shove Cowards In
Florence county, Herbert Evans, Sam
Evgns and Jesse Evans, all brothers,
and John B. Miles, Troy Miles end
Bis^KJff Huggins were filling up a line
ditch between the Evanses and John
s. John B. Hicks, upon be-
ormed that these men were at
filling up the ditch, it is said,
L
immediately got his shot gun from
his residence and went ,to the spot
where the men were working and, It
Is alleged, without a word, shot into
the crowd and wounded Sam Evans^
and Troy Miles.
From the information gathered it
seems that either one of the Evans
brothers, Milea or Huggins at once
opened fire on John B. Hicks and
fatally wounded him, Hicks exclaim
ing, "Don’t shoot any mors; you have
killed me; take me home,” death re
sulting Immediately. The trouble. It
Is said, arose about the 11ns ditch be
tween Hicks end the Evans boys,
which has been standing for years,
and It appears that both aides were
wall armed and ready to kill. *
little Fifteen Teur-OM Girl hum
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Jacksonville Is Apparently Ob-
seseed With the Hope of "Seeing
It In the Pnpen”—Doesn't Realize
the Enormity Of Her Crime.
After a search which b)Sgan last
Saturday afternoon, whep, Estelle
McCluney, the thirteen-year-old
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Mc
Cluney, proprietors of the Richmond
House, mysteriously disappeared
froih her home in Jacksonville, Fla.,
she was located at Charleston Sun-
da/ afternoon by Chief of Police
CaatweU and Officer Brisker,
young man, whose name is said to be
George Hudson, of Charleston was
also detained.
The McCluney girl and Hudson will
be used as witnesses against Hay-
mond H. Smoak of Savannah who Is
accused of white slavery. Paying
the girl’s transportation for Jack
sonville to Savannah for immoral
purposes is the charge against
Smoak. * i
When interviewed by a reporter
the girl said that she was 15 years
old, but she does not look that old,
and her mother claime she Is not.
She-proved a clever talker and spoke
very freely of her plight. That she
does not realize the seriousness of
her predicament was evident from
her query as to the amount of pub
licity that is being given to her.
"Will my arrest here be in the
Savannah and Jacksonville papers
and in the Atlanta papers, too?" she
asked the reporter. "Will you please
send me a copy of your paper to
morrow?”
When asked why she had left home
she replied; “They accused ms of
running around In the streets In
Jacksonville, something I never did,
and my mother Ill-treated me
When asked If Raymond Smoak, the
Savannah man, charged with luring
her away, had given her any money,
she said: "Yes, h« gave me some
money, and I also pawned my watch.
In answer to other questions by
the reporter her replies were: ."Mr.
Smoak came here with me Sunday
night from Savannah. He was to
have married me, and when be left
he said that he would be back In
two weeks. I didn’t know that he
was married until last night, when
I read It in a paper.”
Smoak Hi 20 years old and was ar
rested in Savannah early Wednesday
morning by Detective Long of the
Savannah police force, who was ap
pointed special white slave officer for
the ease. He is a married man, hav
ing been wedded about five months
ago to a young woman somewhat his
junior. He Is described as am at
tractive young man, easy of speech
and manner.
Sunday night the girl eat la her
mother’s lap in th* police barracks
and hugged, kiaeed and patted her
and asked her not to take her back
to their home in Jacksonville. Her
mother said little and seemed to be
terribly distressed. _. f
As evidence in the hearing which
will be given the accused men will
be a page from the register of tbe
St. John Hotel, which hears the slg-
natur« he used, it la aaid, when he
signed the names as of a married
couple. A batch of letters, that th*
white slave official says will play a
strong part In the case, were found
In the possession of Hudson, accord
ing to Mr. Long, and are also being
taken back as evidence. The Mc
Cluney girl at tke time she left her
home was a pupil in the sixth grade
of the La Villa public school.
Rescued by Hhoka. .
First officer Hart of the Clyde Lin
er Cherokee narrowly missed death _
Thursday at Georgetown. He fen In Confederate troops did It.
the water while launching a boat, and
had to bo pulled out with boat hooks.
Congratulate Dr. Saunders.
At a special meeting of the Palmet
to Book Club of Chester a motion was
pasted congratulating Dr. Saunders
upon her complete exoneration In the
recent asylum Investigation.
HUBfi Ulllftfi Af UlHfih VU kUKT
Inst Saturday afternoon by the nod-
dental discharge of n gun in the hand
of a yoang lad who was nnt hunting
| with Um»
Which nksy Had fit
Vergara, the Texan
body was recovered Sunday fraaa tta
grave, left his ranch near PalafiM,
Texas, Friday, Fahruary It, and
crossed the river Into Mexieo am a -
message from three federal soldlscs
that Capt. Apolonio Rodrigues, mt
the Hidalgo garrisqp, wished ta set
tle for eleven horses taken from Ver
gara’s Island pasture in the Bla
Grands. Mrs. Vergara pleaded with
Her husband not to risk seizure by
the Mexlcahs, hut, disregarding her
warnings, he crossed the river In
company with his young nephew.
Mrs. Vergara has since told how she
saw her husband assaulted by the
waiting soldiers, and after being
knocked unconscious, carried off.
Vergara’s nephew, at the time of the
attack on his unde,-escaped in safety
end hid in the brush until ha eenld
recross the river.
On the following day Mrs. Yargasm
went in search of her husband, and
found him in tho Hidalgo Jail, ffa
far as known, there were no charge
against him. He had been cruelly
beaten, according to tbe woman. She
dressed the wounds on his hand, she
said, and remained with him until
forced to leave. That was. the. last
she ever saw of him alive, for early
next morning he was taken from tha
Jail, supposedly th he transferred te
Pledras Negras, and disappeared.
When a search was begun for the
missing American It was learned that
a man had been shot and his body
hanged to a tree outside of Hidalgo
on Sunday, February 15, and the
body left hanging for several says..
Soon after United States Consul Gar
rett, at Neuvo Laredo, started his In
quiries, this body was removed .and
a fresTTgrave was noticed Ih ltSs ofi
Hidalgo cemetery. Mexicans who h«d
known the ranchman aald the body
seen hanging was that of Vorgaim
and that they believed ho was bnrisd
In the new grave.
It was finally determined to tho
satisfaction of the American investi
gators that he had been executed.
Persistent denial was made by tho
Mexican federals, however, and prior
to this Gen. Alvarez, commanding at
Pledras Negras, had promised Ameri
can Consul Blocker, at Pledras No-
gras, that Vergara would he released
and his captors held to account
Capt. Rodrigues, the man held re
sponsible for Vorgara’s Kidnapping,
but tho federal captain denied all
knowledge of tho ranchman's death,
and said that hs had bosh sent to
Pledras Negras, hnt had eacapod an
ronte, and that the federals war* oar-
tain he had Joined the constltntloaal-
ists.
Consul Garrett, however, after in
terviewing numerous Mexicans
others, reported to officials that Tof"
g*ra had been executed. Ho added
that he was convinced from th* fed
eral*’ attitude while he was In Hi
dalgo that it would have been dan
gerous for him to demand ssirendar
of tho body.
Th* island pastnr* -of Ysrgnra,
where it had first been reported he
was assaulted, complicated the affair
by the question whether tt was Man-
lean or American territory, nmtll M
was found that Vergara had bean
taken on the Mexican mainland.
ACCUSES HUSBAND.
WANTS IT PAID FOB.
Lever Wants Government to Pay for
Deotrnctlon of Ursnllne Convent.
Representative Lever Introduced a
bill In the House Wednesday direct
ing the secretary of the trasury to
pay $350,000 to th« Ursnllne Con
vent, at Columbia, for tho destruc
tion of tho convent by Federal troops
Many corroborative documents were
under General Sherman In 1165.
filed with the bill. Mr. Lever la
pushing the claim not only because
it believes it Just, but because be
wishes to establish in th* national
records the truth of history is to who
burned Columbal. There s a wide
spread impression in tho north that
Most Raise Own Potatoes.
The departmeht of agriculture gave
warning Wednesday that the United
Slates hereafter .must produce
enough potatoes to supply home con-
aumption on account of most surces
f foreign Imports being closed by a
plant disease quarantine. >
rw fill poo
Twp bandits, armed with revolvers
Friday afternoon secured the payroll
of a ft Louis Shoe Factory by hold
tag up the traasnrer. It ■menntsl to
Woman Claims He Raised Her Beam
ty Because of Jealoaay.
With her beauty ruined, and bar
life further blighted by possible total
blindness, Mrs. Rosa Knight of Ma
con, from her bed at the Grady hos
pital la Atlanta, Wednesday morn
ing declared that she Was in th* piti
ful state she was in through a hor
rible revenge executed on her by her
husband,! DeWltt Knight. 8h* de
clare that because of Jealousy he de
liberately threw acid in her face. "He
had planned again and again te rain
my good looks, and now he has done
It forsfer," aha sobbed.
Th* husband'who is under arrest
persists in his story that Mrs. Knight
Injured herself by trying to commit
suicide. Mrs. Kngfat’s face and hand
are awathed n bandages. Tha sur
geons nr* not yet able to say whether
sh« will lose bar sight, hnt she Is
disfigured for life by the terrible
sears left by th* add.
Burns Prove FataL
His clothes catching fire Sunday
night as hs was preparing to retire
J. W. Nabers, ten years old, of Abbe
ville, died the next day as a resalt of
his Injuries. •
Scud Two H°re Regiments.
The war department Wednetfiay
ordered two additional reglmenta to
the Texan border, making the soldier*
there now 18,000.
Johnny A4
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