Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

| The Bamberg Herald. ^ i ^____^ ?*^*s^E3^SESS3&BSSCm~' 'k " " ? ESTABLISHED 1S91. BAMBERG. S. C.. THURSDAY. OCTOBER ].; 1903. ONE DOLLAlt PER YEAR. : :-Mm *if< ^4 1 ? - itaiiii < ^^ tTlman on trial * Slayer of Gonzales Enters a Plea of "Not Guilty." W , J . CASE ON AT LEXINGTON The Vaet Array of Attorney# on Both SWee Makes Trial On? of the Meet ; Notable in History of i r the Circuit James H. Tillman, former lieutenant governor of South Carolina, was plac* ' ed on trial in the circut court for Lexington county, in the town of Lexing* ton, Mondsy morning, under an indictment charging him with the murder of N. G. Gonzales, editor of The * , Columbia State, Judgo Frank B. Gary presiding. T* 11 n'nlAnlr TrlinTi mnHZ"Ir/lr XV 1 ad XX V V/iWA nuva i,uv fcr the circuit, J. W. Thurmond, an4 nounoed that the state was ready to proceed, with; the trial of the case, and by thf feme the midday recess was taken a&T:30 pN m. the defendant had been arraigned, a Jury drawn and charge^, and all was in readiness for th* introduction of testimony. Therewas every indfcation earlier that arjury could not be secured during the day. The court room was well filled, b?t not crowded. Pfobably never in the histgyy of the jud^ial ciftcuit has there been so great an ?rr*y.. of counsel engaged In the trial of a case in the circuit, or perhap* in the entire state, as in the trial of the former lieutenant governor. Th? solicitor is assist .Jd by five attorney*, while the defendant has eleven C i lawyers, with G. W. Croft, a represen-, tatifre in congress from Aiken, as chieif counsel, conducting the defense. airs. H. Tillman and the mother of tjhe defendant were present at the onening of the court, and remained throughout the day's session, occupyt, _ * . ing seats within the railing. ; Prisoner Pleads Not Guilty. immediately upon reconvening at 8 > p. m., the examination of witnesses Was begun, and when court adjourned six witnesses had testiflea. Tiie defense Having announced Ita readiness to go to trial, the defendant, p' who was in an ante room, where he jL had been in consultation with his at* torneys prior to the calling of his case, r y- - was brought into court and stand in the dock when hewa^P raigned in accordance with the law and custom of the court. He .was calm, and ^rhen asked to I plead, replied in a clear and firm voice: "Not guilty." The indictment charges the carrying of concealed weapons, as well as the c. ' moo .serious violation of law. Mr. kTihman took a seat close to his attorneys, where he listened intently to the procee lings. When -the court directed the empaneling of six-year-old hoy drew from a fiat In which had been placed the names of those composing the panel, a slip of paper bearing a juror ?; whp was called and accepted. t\ It was not until 1 p. m. that a second was secured, but in the next nrteen minutes the jury was completed. The Jury will not be permitted to separate until a verdict Is rendered. The state objected to five of the panel and the defense to ten. G. E. Boland, a member of the Columbia police force, was the firt witness called by the state. CONSENT VERDICT ALLOWED. ' K G. W. Collier Wll Case- is Now Entlr?I.y Out of the Courts. H . Judge L. S. Roan, sitting instead of Judge J. S. Lumpkin in the first division of the superior court at Atlanta, Ga., Monday morning, allowed the consent verdict in the George Washington Collier will case, immediately after which Le signed an order maxing the verdict a decree of the court The matter is now settled, so far as the propounding executors, J. N. Bateman and Henry L. Collier, are concerned. They are out of the case and will have nothing to do with the administration of the big million-dollar estate. I' 1 TEST OF TEXT-BOOK BILL. Birmingham Parson Files Friendly Suit Against School Superintendent. At-Birmingham, Ala., Dr. A. J. Dicksoil, .pastor of the First Methodfst church, has filed a friendly bill against Dr. J. H. Phillips, superintendent of the public schools, to test the validity of tSe state uniform text book law, which has just gone into operation. He seeks to mandamus Dr. Phillips to show cause why children were not allowe4 to enter the high school with book* not bearing the official stamp of the state depositories, the books having been bought at another place, although the same as required by law. Hgk- 3 FREIGHT TRAIN TUMBLES. /"V V _____ Jumps Track on High Trestle and * Cars Fall Sixty Feet. A freight train on the Chattanooga woUwrow Fronlr UUUlUtlU JlAJOiiftV* 11UV.JI UU * a high trestle 25 miles south of Chatf tanooga, failing a distance of 60 feet. The engine got safely over, "but the caboose and fifteen cars loaded with mineral oil, ore and merchandise were thrown in a heap at the bottom of the gulch and completely demolished. I SEABOARD HOLDS ALOOF. if; Owners Decide that Road Shall Remain Entirely Independent. It is reported that the syndicate in control of the Seaboard Air Line has finally decided to keen the prop m ' erty independent, and, therefore, it will not go to the Rock Island cr any other system. It is said on good au thority that it is not owned by any other railroad, and it is net in contemplation that it will be owned cr con trolled in any way, except in the in terest of its owners. '&: ! WILL CASE IS SETTLED. Alleged Collier Tisue Paper Document Withdrawn from Litigation in j Atlanta Court, Litigation over the estate of the late George W Collier came to an ab-' rupt end in the superior court at At-' I Ianta, Ga., Wednesday afternoon, when a satisfactory agreement was reach3d j by a.l parties concerted and a consent' verdict ordered which removes the ! matter from the courts. The following is the basis of the j settlement: The alleged last will and te?tament of Mr. Collier is set aside on the ground that the testator had not testamentary capacity on October S, 1900, the date of the paper. By this arrangement the three ex- ! ecutors->Tudge J. N. Bateman, Henry L. Collier and George W. Collfer?go out of all control of the estate, their duties as executors ceasing with the signing of the verdict. The caveators?the heirs who contested the will?agree Co pay to the three executors and their attorneys thcH 1"> . ?1 /-s.i f | , SU1U OI $JU,UUU ID. 1UH aciucmuui. ui | expenses and claims. The settlement means that W.e 05> tate will cow be administered by administrators to be appointed by Ordl-j nary John R. Wilkinson. Although no positive statement is made. It is ancle" stood thai George W. Collier, Jr., an 1 , Miss Elizabeth Collier, the tv;o oldest children of Mr. Collier, the deceased, have been agreed on'as administrators. The sudden adjustment of the case came as a surprise, even to tho partiesinterested. The question of a settlement.had been discussed between tie two sides, but it is said that all efforts in this direc'.ion had been abandoned. They were rsnewed in the court room Wednesday, however, and within the space of only a few minutes had proven successful. Ths friends of Judge Batsman consider that the adjustment is a complete vindication for him in the matter of the* charges made In the ordinary's court. Counsel for the propounders state -1?A firot mr>T-omont for a Settle* | I lid. I liiC Uici muiviu m ? ment came from outside parties. Attorneys for the caveators assert th*t the proposition came from the opposing side. The amendment to the caveat was of necessity filed by the cs veatcrs. As to how the $10,000 will be appropriated by the two retiring exeeu tors is not known at this time and will probably never be given to the public. It is understood, however, that the t of the mon^y will go towards ng attorneys' fees, six of the mosl ninent. members of the Atlanta bar having been engaged by Messrs. Bateman and H. L. Collier. ATLANTA DEPOT CONTRACCT Awarded to a Local Firm for the Ag. gregate Sum of $350,OCX). At Atlanta, Wednesday, Gude & Waiker, local contractors, were awarded the contract for the construction )f the new passenger station, at,Mitch ell street and Madison avenue, by the Atlanta Terminal Company, in a meeting -?hich was held at the residence of Captain James W. English, president The price is between $345,000 and $350,000, and the depot is to be cornDieted within a year. The work will be pushed as speed ily as is consistent witn good workmanship and the station will be ready for occupancy within less than a year. The award was in the nature of recommendation from the Terminal Company to the officials of the Southern, Central and Atlanta and West Point railroads, and there is no doubt whatever that it will be confirmed. Captain J. W. English expects to hear from the officials of these roads immediately, so it follows that the contract will bo signed without delay. A copy of the award has been forwarded to Mr. Samuel Spencer, president of the Southern; C. A. Wickersham, president of the West Point, and J. F. Hanson, chairlffhn of the board of directors of the Central. These gentlemen will have.the final say in the matter of the award, but when it Is understood that Mr. Wickersham was present at the meeting and that J. S. B. Thompson represented Mr. Spencer, it stands to reason that the action of the Terminal Company will be approved without question. BULGARIANS URGED TO FIGHT. Macedonian Sympathizers Adopt R^s oln+ion A nnpalinn for War. "ri ? Advices of Wednesday from Sofia, Bulgaria, state that a less hopeful feeling prevails in government circles re garding the general situation, although no actual change is reported. The events of the next few days are awaited with great anxiety, and popular feeling is becoming more excited. A largely attended meeting of Macedonian sympathizers, held at Rustchuk. Bulgaria, has adopted resolutions appealing to the Bulgarian government to declare war on Turkey immediately. BLAZE IN OIL FIELD. Much Damage Done by Fire in the Shoe String District of Texas. Fire which started" at noon Wetines day in the Shoe String district of the Texas oil field, burned about twenty derricks and destroyed a quantity of machinery, spreading over the thickly built portion of the field. The loss is variously estimated at from $50,000 CO $100,000. SPANISH-PORTUGUESE EMPIRE. Hinted in Official Papers as Being a Possibility of the Near Future. L I Official papers, pamphlets and other < I literature widely distributed from Lis ; bon hint at the possibility of a Span j ish-Portugues'a empire under one bead, ' | the present king, Don Carlos, of Portugal, offering himself lor ihe post. ' j The scheme is to be carried out un | der the auspices of Grert Britain, and ' it is hoped that no warlike complica tions may result. SHERIFF COT THREE ' Mob Attacked Jail and Some Failed to Make Escape. PRISONER SHOT TO DEATH One Member of Mob Was Wounded, While One of the Captives Makes Confession Implicating Thirteen Others. At Lynchburg, Tenn., early Friday morning Sheriff George R. Davidson, in attempting to save the life of a negro prisoner, fired into a mob which was assailing the jail, wounding s man whose name was not divulged. The sheriff summoned assistance, but he and bis aides were overpowered, the jail entered and the much want ! ed negro, Allen Small, shot to death In ! the corridor. The mob was composed of about twenty-five people. Sheriff Davidson was alone at the time. He refused to give up the keys and opened fire from a window. He wounded one of the mob, but his identity is not known. The sheriff then called for the police. Two officers and several citizens rushed to the jail, but despite thoir J presence, the mob battered down the ! wooden door at the foot of the stairs > leading to the corridor. The sheriff and posse made a stout resistance, bat Ytere unable to prevent the mob from breaking in the iron door at the head of the sairs and entering the ceil occupied by the negro, about whose neck they placed a rope. As soon as the men emerged from the cell, it became apparent that the negro could not be takeh ffohi the jail and hung for fear of being fired on, and he was shot to dea/i. The mob then maae an effort to escape, but the sheriff and his guard captured three of them, and they are in jail. One of them, it is said, has made a confession, implicating th:r teen men in the affair. Small was under arrest on the charge of assaulting Mrs. Eliza Eggloston, and at his preliminary hearing the ar\ amAn/larl O O fn r?Vl Q T7P VYiiil out nas su aiutuuvu uu w >.uu.nv a simple case of assault. The negro had waived examination and was waiting the action of the grand jury. ATLANTA HAS POLICE MUDDLE. Trouble Is Result of Two Factions in Board of Commissioners. The Atlanta Constitution prints the following in Friday morning's issue: In the formal charges made against Captain Z. B. Moon, of the police department, by Chief John W. Ball matters of a far more grave and serious aspect than have yet been made public have come to light Captain Moon Is said to have furnished information to a woman.-warning her that the police were about to prosecute her on the charge of keeping a house of questionable character. This charge is marie in addition to the others of circulating a false report against the chief of police and with refusing to obey an order issued to him by the chief. A letter is in the possession of the chief of police, written in a handwriting, the exact counterpart of Captain Moon's, in which one Mrs. Lulu Breen was warned that detectives were about to prosecute her before the grand jury. The letter Is signed "Your Friend Jones." There was no attempt to disguise the handwriting and the letter was written on the >ame kind of paper which the captaifi had used in making a report to the chief. The whole affair has assumed a very serious nature, and the department is on the eve of one of the most sensational investigations thaFTias taken place for a long while. VALE, SUNDAY BASEBALL. Alabama Legislature Passes Bill Pro* i hibiting Sport on Lord's Day. , The Alabama senate Friday afternoon passed the house bill to prohibit the playing of baseball, football, golf or tennis on Sunday by a vote of 22 to 10. It is now ready for tne governor's signature. He will sign it. This means no more Sunday baseball in Alabama. The house anti-boycott bill was reported favprably in the senate. BANDITS HOLD UP TRAIN. Four Masked Men Stop Fast Express and Help Themselves to Cash. Four masked men, at 10 o'clock Thursday night, held up a westbound Burlington and Missouri express train five miles north of St. Joseph, Mo. The safe in the express car was dynamited and the car wrecked. Officials of the road say the safe contained but little money.i Other reports say it eonlained from $5,000 to $10,000. Everything In the safe was taken, and the men escaped in the darkness with horses. A posse was organized and started in pursuit of the bandits. TURKS ARE SLAUGHTERED. Report of Fierce Fight Wherein Si> Hundred are Slain. According to a telegram received in Sofia, Bulgaria, Thursday, from Kostendil (53 miles from Sofia) six hur.I dred Turks were killed in a fight at Kolichani, September 18th. The Turkish forces numbered 7,0u0. "After the fight the troops, enraged at their losses, pillaged and burned a number of Bulgarian villages. NOTHING FROM BEAUPRE. Matters Bearing on Canal Question in a Quiescent State. There were no developments in Washington Thursday bearing on the canal question. Nothing further was heard from Minister Beaupre. The advices of the state department from Bogota do not fill up the hiatus between 5 p. m. and midnight of Tuesday, the day on which the limit of time for ratification of the treaty expired. 1 THE NEWS OF A WEEK t | in south (Amm.| Ex-Postoffice Clerk Arrested. D. G. Hart, former night clerfi. at the Spartanburg postoffiee, was arrested a few days ago on suspicion in connection with a robbery at the offiffie. Hart is already under indictment on the charge of robbing the mails when night clerk in the office and will be tried in the United States court at the next term in Greenville. His second arrest has created considerable excitement. * * $7,500 for a Leg. In the case, at Spartanburg, of Claude Thompson vs. the Southern railroad fcr in the sum of $15,000, the jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff, awarding $7,500 for the loss of his left leg. This Is one of the heaviest verdicts rotnrnpd in the cOUnty. Thompson was attempting to cross the track between two cars and the engine reversed suddenly, causing Thompson to fall under the wheels, crushing his leg and rendering amputation necessary. * ? Soldiers Can Hold Office. A Washington dispatch says: Judge Advocate General Davis, of the army, has rendered an opinion that there is no legal objection to the acceptance by an enlisted man of the army of an office under the federal government, the duties of which are not incompatible with His military duties. The question arose in the case of the appointment of an ordnance sergeant stationed at Fort Fremont, S. C., as the United States postmaster at that place. * t 9 Stock Increased to a Million. The stockholders of the new Atlantic Coast Lumber Company held a meeting in Charleston the past week with all of the stock of the concern represented. It was determined to increase the capital stock of the company from $100,000 to $1,100,000 and to bond the property of the company for $3,000,000. The plant of the company is near Georgetown and it owns large tracts of timber land in the Pee Dee country. # Polhemus Slew Himself. J. H. Polhemus, formerly city passenger agent in Charleston and in Savannah for the Plant sy.stem, killed himself a few days ago at his home at Summerville. He went into the yard with a parlor rifle, the muzzle of which he placed against his breast and pulled the trig ger. His body was found by Sis child The bullet had gone through his heart Railroad men generally were greatlj shocked by the news of his death. * * * Lost Life for Cursing. At Neal Shoals, on Broad river, miles from Union, an altercation occur red between Taylor McCoombs and z one-legged man. A man named Hil Ashurst remonstrated with McCcomb; for his abusable language and Mc Coombs at once turned his wrath upor Ashurst, wjbo walked off, McCoombs following, cursing and abusing him. Ashurst finally shot and killed hinr after firing several shots. McCvX)mbs was unarmed when sho\ Ashursl escaped after telling the parties wh( first arrived that he hai killed Mc Coombs and has not yet been captured * * Greenville Printing Plant Burned. On the morning of the 26th of Sep tember, fire broke out in the printing octahiishmPTif nf the Brewer Printinj Co., at Greenville, an extensive jol plant and publishers of The Green ville Herald, an afternoon i aper. The Edwards Furniture Co., occupy ing an adjoining building, was dam aged by smoke and water. The total loss to both buildings an* stock is estimated at about $30,000 partly covered by insurance. The adjoining property was greatl: endangered but the hard work of thi department prevented the spread o the flames. * * 0 Spartanburg Colleges Open. Converse and Wofford colleges open ed their doors the past week and en tered upon another year of collegia^ work. The outlook is highly gratify ing to the authorities of these institu tions, and with the increase in attend ance which the enrollments show, Del ter work along all lines may contiu'cnl ly be expected. At Converse college a number o improvements have been made, look ing to better facilities and convenient for the students. Several strong add! tions have been made to the faculty thereby giving the students increasei advantages. During the summer months th members of Wofford faculty have bee: out In the highways and by-ways "husl ling" ror students and their effectiv work was manifested at the opening. * c Life-Term Merr Pardoned. The adage that time changes a things is apropos to the cases of Sai Southwall, of Barnwell county, an Titus Wright, of Colleton, who hav served twenty-two years in the stat penitentiary for the crime of burglar: A few days ago, acting upon a re< ommendation of the board of director of the state penitentiary, Governc Heyward pardoned these men. Prior to 18S3 the penalty for bu glary in South Carolina was life in prisonment. It made no uuTerenc whether the burglar got nothing ? all cr a hundred thousand dollar In 1883 the law was cTTanged fixing tli minimum at. five years in case th prisoner was recommended by to tli mercy of the court. The recommend! tion of the board named a numbt of prisoners who had been convicte and sentenced under the law. Favor; blc action was taken in the two case named because of the fact that th men had gotten practically no boot; .:iid niaae good prisoners, and bad soived twenty-two years each. The governor nas not acted in the ' other casos because of the fact that ! most of the men were sentenced along i in 1886 and in December, 1888, the j law was again changed so that today it reads practicably the same as it did in 1583. It is noteworthy in this connection that cr.ly a few days ago, in the county of Greenville, two young white mc-n, memb ;rs of good families, but themcoIves reprobates, were convicted of the crime of burglary, thg|r crime consisting of the breaking open of a store house in which a man was sU oping; they were convicted of the crime of burglary ?id were eacn sentenced teethe penitentiary for the period of their naturaLtiives. The governor always regards the recommendation of the board of directors of the state prison, and he will look into the cases ?of the other men who have been recommended to his mercy, dealing with each according to the crime, the length of service and the behavior of the prisoner since his incarceration. READY FOR CONGRESS. I National Capitol Building Spick and Span for Assembling of the Solons on November Nimth, A Washington special says: At the capitol Thursday the positive state' ment was made by uiose engaged In ! getting the building in readiness for ! the assemblage of congress that the date of the extra session has been j definitely fixed for November 9. Suj perintendent Elliott Woods could | have the building ready lor occupancy ! at an earlier date if necessary, for I when the present improvements and J decorations were commenced it was understood that they were to be com pleted not later than October tZ. Work has been progressing, steadily on this basis, so that Mr. Woods says he will ; have the senate and house lobbies fin I ished by that date and the various I i I , committee rooms and corridors redcco ! rated and furniehed at the same time. In anticipation of congress being i j called together earlier than Novemb*-,1. i ft namotc nrf? now laid udou the ?7, LUC vui j/vvw m. w ?. ? - _ floors of ihe chambers of the house, and senate and the desks arc being ! placod in position. The house .wiil celebrate its entrv into the "four hundred" class by ap pearing in a new green and gold carpet. There are now an even "fou; hundred" desks for members in the . | hall of the house of representatives. [ ! The new membership, under the late5-: ; ' apportionment, is 3t'5, and Ihe hltec-n | extra desks are supplied to preserve ' the symmetry in the arrangement of ['seats in the semicircle. The senate .1 chamber will be covered with the same .! green and gold covering as kTsl ye\r The house side outshines the sendee r this year in making improvements foi the convenience and comfort of i*:-: members. The speaker's lobby has been frescoed in elaborate sTyie ?.-} Senor Rochermann, an understudy o* ! the late Bermudi, whose work adorn i the dome of the rotunda. The commit t! tee rooms of invalid pensions and in I sular affairs have been redecorated b; j the same artists and fitted up with - handsome furnishings to match. The l I house library has been nueu up wuu j steel shelving and a white marble floor ing has replaced the carpeted floor in i the speaker's library. 3 Improvements Ifave *jeen made in i the senate and house cafes. The mosr > noticeable addition to the senate din ing room is a steam table, so that fiuii . gry senators may obtain a hot quiciluncheon without being obliged to wait their turn in the private dining"~roonis wehere the accommodations are not ei - ways equal to the demands of senators y and their friends about midday. ; "Uncle Joe" Cannon is on deck waitj ing to get busy. He has opened his . headquarters in the appropriations committee room, where he can keep - one eye on the speaker's chair and a; - the same time straighten out some of the holdover details in connection with 1 his former duties as chairCTS of the it appropriations committee. Uncle Joe has his own idea about the organiza/ tion of the various committees, but he 3 is too diplomatic to indulge in any f premature discussion on that subject for publication. CANNOT ACCEPT MEASURE. \ Dominican Government is Warned Not i- to Get Too Smart * 3 United States Minister Powell has made a vigorous reply to the Dominii can foreign minister, on the subject of [- the Dominican government' bill fcr - establishing the neutrality of Domini can waters and making certain ports free. In his note, Mr. Powell says the f United States government cannot a:cept this measure; that the foreign e minister's response to his receht proi test is objectionable to the United r, States government and that such a d measure as proposed is antagonistic to the fundamental principles followed e by his government. B t- OIL TANK BLOWS UP. e As a Result About Twenty-Five Cars Were Destroyed by Fire. A special from Greensboro, N. C.; says that'the explosion of the oil tank at 1 o'clock Friday morning set fire tc n a number of cars standing on the side d tracks and about twenty-five were on e tirely consumed. e Trains both ways were delayed to ' mn(n Urn Vifiintr KlnrlfOd CUC luaiu lliiv ViVVnwui LABOR AGENT HARD HIT. ir r Fop Enticing Workers Out of Georgi; j. Bryant is Fined $1,000. e In Berrien county court, at Tif'on lt Ga., Thursday, Arnold Bryant, color s ed, was convicted of enticing hands ou e 0 of the state under contract to labor IC and Judge Peoples imposed a fine o a $1,000 or eight months in the chain r gang. 1,1 This is said to be the heaviest fin< ever imposed In Berrien county. It i? understood that Bryant was persuad 10 ing hands to leave turpentine farms ii :'r' Berrien to work on places in Florida. >. ;'j/, r i NINE CO TO DEATH In Frightful Accident on the Southern Near Danville, Va. GOES THROUGH TRESTLE M-Fated Fast Mail Wrecked for the Third Time Within the Year. Scene of Disaster Presented Horrible Sight. ^ While. running at a high'rate of spaed, Njd. 97, me Southern railway's southbound fast mail train, jumped from a trestle 75 teet high, ha'.f a mile north of Danville, Va., Sunday afternoon at 2:50 o'clock and was. almost demolished. Of the crew of sixteen men on the trai^ eight were killed and seven injured, and one was unhurt. The known dead are: James A. Brodie, engineer; J. 'rnomas . Blair, conductor; A. G. Clapp, fireman; John ? l 1- . TT7 T L. Thompson, postal ciem; w. *. Chambers, postal clerk; D. T. Flory, postal clerk; P. N. Ardanrigh.1, post?! clerk; S. J. Moody, flagman; twelveyear-old boy, son of Postal Clerk Thompson. The injured are: Louis W. Spiers, Frank E. Brooks, Percival Indemeyer, Charles E. Reames, Jennings J. Du.ilop, M. C. Maupin, J. Harrison Thompson, all of whom are postal clerks. All of the injured men are seriously ' hurt and are in the hosp^al in Danville. Tho recovery of Mail Cle.'k Spiers I? not expected, anu other clerks are thought to have received mortal injuries. The trestle where the accident occurred is 500 feet long and is located on a sharp curve. Engineer Brolie was a new man on that division of tbe Southern, and it is said that he came to the curve at a very high rate of speed. The engine had gone only about 50 feet on the trestle when it sprang from the track, carrying with it four maii cars and an express car. The trestle, a wooden structure, also gave way for a space of 50 feet. Cars Torn To Pieces. At the foot of the trestle in a shallow branch with a rocky bottom. Striking this the engine and cars were reduced to a mass of twisted iron and steel and pieces of splintered wood. As the cars went down they touched the sides of the Riverside cotton mill, which is very close to the trestle. All the dead men were killed instantly, it is thought, and all were greatly mutilated. Several thousand people were soon at the scene of the wreck and removed the bodies from the debris. No one on any of the cars had made an effort to jump and the bodies of all those killed were found in the wreckage of the different cars to which they bo' longed. Some of the bodies were crushed to a ghastly degree. It seemed miraculous that any one should have escaped, f&r each car falling with the engine bounded from >t and completely collapsed after striking the rocks at the foot of the trestle. All unofficial opinions that have been ascertained agree in giving only one cause for the wreck?the high speed of the train on the sharp curv^. No. 97 was running about an hour tehind time; It is thought that the engineer being unfamiliar with the road, did not take into consideration the danger 01 coming on me curve wun such great velocity. The mail bags in all the mail cars were torn open and the letters and packages were scattered, but it is believed none is lost. Fire which appeared in the wreckage shortly after it occurred was quickly extinguished by the Danville fire department. In loss of life this is one of the most the Southern, and it is the third time that the fast mail has been almost entirely demolished. Within the last twelve months fhe same train ran into a large rock on the track near Lexington, N. C., the engine ruined, cars gutted and several lives were lost. A few months ago the fast mail struck a freight train head on near Charlotte, N. C., and was again almost demolished. TEXAS CROP AWAY OFF. Houston Post Puts Shortage at Enormous Figure of 3,500,000 Bales. The Houston Post publishes a report showing that great damage has bejn done to cotton over the state by the boll weevil, the boll worm, fne sharpshooter and dry weather. The estimate of the probable crop, based oh the reports from country correspondents, is placed at 2,500,000, provided that there is a late frot. The popular estimate six weeks ago was 6,000,000 bales. It is stated that there is absolutely no chance for a "top" or second crop. BILL TO PROHIBIT BOYCOTTS Passed in Alabama House of Representatives?Of Sweeping Nature. The Alabama house of representa1 tives, Thursday, passed the bill ' prohibit boycotting by a vote of CO to 32. The bill is sweeping in its nature, prohibiting blacklists, bans, and picketing and provides a penalty therefor. Organized labor used all Its efforts to have the bill deefated. > PANTHER AT WILMINGTON. .1 ? . German Warship Royally Welcomed f by Ctizens of Tarheel State. The German war ship Panther arf j rived in port at Wilmington, N. C., Monday, and received a royal recep tion. During the morning the port and s military officers and city officials made !. formal calls and the officers returned the calls at the public building, j Later in the day hundreds of people visited the ship and the gr?atest courtesies were exchanged. - . :V . ' SHIPS STAY AT BEIRUT. While Affairs are Quiet at Present, it is Thought Inadvisable to WithDraw Admiral Cotton's Fleet. Withdrawal of the American war ships from Beirut seems unlikely for the present, in view of a cablegram received at the state department Saturday from Minister Leischman, at Constantinople, stating that although his advices from Beirut indicate that the situation is quiet Just now, nothing like permanent order has been established. It is indicated in Mr. Leischman's cablegram that the departure of the war ships might be the occasion for a renewal of the riots. This confirms the opinion held by state department officials in Washington that the quiet at Beirut is due directly to the presence of American war ships off that port. Minister Leischman adds that the new governor at Beirut is actively inaugurating reforms there, but that it is not yet certain he will be able to nauuie 111c snuauuu. Pear Admiral Cotton cables the navy department, under date of Beirut. September 25, that Beirut is quiet and that tbe case of the American consul Is still pending. Slaughtering Still Goes Or* News comes from Monastir, Macedonia, that snow has .fallen on the higher mountain ranges and the refugees must either leave their hiding places or suffer the greatest 'hard-' ships. The Turkish troops continue to slaughter refugees who return to their former homes, at the invitation of the government, who promised protection Fourteen were massacred near the village of Zlatan. One of them survived his wounds. The refugee women discovered the bodies and carried the j survivor before the lieutenant governor of Resna, who refused to hear their story. The rumors current that Bulgaria would send an ultimatum to Turkey setting forth that unless satisfactory assurances were received that the Ottoman troops would be withdrawn immediately from the Bulgarian frontier, Bulgaria would forthwith mobilize her whole army, were caused by the mobilization of a regiment of engineers. The Bulgarian war oUice has> received information that in the, event, of hostilities the Turks will make a dash and endeavor to seize (fhe Shipka Pass, against which contingency strong Bulgarian forces are now held in readiness. WERE SOLD INTO SLAVERY. - ?? Eight Savannah Negroes Lured on Board a Russian Ship. ' ; Lured aboard a tugboat at S&Varinah, Ga., by means'of false promises of easy and remunerative employment, carried to Sapelo, Island, and sold to the master of the Russian bark Alice, on which they made the voyage across the Atlantic and were finally discharged at Bristol, England, without a cent,.. is the-, story that eight Savannah negroes htve sworn to before United States Consul Orin A. Lathrop, at Bristol, Their a!; leged sale into involuntary servitude is the offense charged against Harry Olsen aDd Jack Johnson in eight war ranl\ based upon affidavits made by Assistant District Attorney Alexandei Akerman and issued by United State? Commissioner Ryals at Savannah, Sat urdav afternoon. n On these warrants the arres<t of the defendants was effected. Olsen, a local shipping agent, is now undei bond t.o answer a similar eharge in th( cases of Joe Rucker and John Seage two boys who, it is allejed, were ship ped aboard a British ship some tim< ago. ' , , Johnson is a negro who is said, an der Olsen's guidance, to ha^se carriec out the plan which placed the un lucky members of his race aboard tb< Alice. The arrival and discharge of the ne groes at the British port, destitute an< depehdent for daily necessaries upqj the charities of the townspeople, crea ted a decided stir, it is said. Odd Fellows Meet Next In 'Frisco. The sovereign grand lodge of Od< Fellows, which was in session durinj the entire past we?k at Baltimore, ad journed Saturday to meet in San Fran cisco next year. FARMERS' CONGRESS ENDS. Resolutions for Bettering Rural Do livery Were Adopted. Dn<t?viA?n' \7of i/vnot A/wicrraci JL yo f ai rnci o jLnav.iv/uai wugivs. closed Its annual meeting at Niagan Falls Thursday night. The farmer will not urge much specific nationa legislation this year, contenting them selves with generalities. A set of res olutions favoring the extension of ru ral free delivery and the parcels pos system, a postal telegraph system an< postal saving banks was adopted. A resolution favoring reciproclti with Canada was Anally killed and thi question of a ship subsidy found n< supporters in the congress A BLACKMAILING SCHEME Being Worked Through Dynamitinj Bridges of Northern Pacific. A special from Helena, Mont., says It has developed that the recent at tempts to dynamite bridges and track: on the line of the Northern Pacific be tween Livingston and Missoula was ii furtherance of a plot to force the rail way company to pay $50,000 for 'm muuity from the outrages. - ? f MRS. DAVIS SOME BETTER. Physicians Report Rally in Her Condi tion, But Danger is Not Over. A special from Buffalo, N. Y., says; , There was a feeling of gratificatioi among the close friends and relative of Mrs. Jefferson Davis Sunday nigh , when the physicians announced a de cided improvement in the condition c the venerable patient. While the improvement is marked the doctors will not go so- far as i< state that Mrs. Davis is out of dangsr ROADS RAISt HUWL fi | Alleged Discrimination in As- ,:| sessment for Taxes. COAST LINE CASE CITED Appeal to Courts probable in Order to ;|ja Straighten Out a Perplexing Problem?A Most Peculiar Situation. That the railroads of Georgia w? in the near future resist in the courti the taxes now levied against them la .; the growing opinion among icoum* . corporation lawyers of the state. These predictions are based* upon contentions thaS the arbitration sj*' /'fp .->3 tem results in an unequal distribution -'.M of taiatlon and thaf corporate prop- J| erty, compared to other property, H valued at a much higher per cent than .. / that of private individuals? The fact that the award in the At* M lantic Coast Line case fixed the taxa- > ble value of that system at a hlghsr rate per mile than the other lines do- * lug a similar business is cited in swpport" of these contentions. This road || n, indeed, be the first or amon? tbe I to-appeal from the award of arte: tsators and submit "the question of v how much it should be taxed to tbefijfc > preme court. || F. G. duBignon, attorney for the.AL ?jg5 lantic Coast line Ranrpad Com pan/j was seen touching the recent aibitrv tion of the properties of this company.' He said that as fie* understood it *tho figures of the umpire' in fixing"-the s value of the franchise And tangible p properties represented 'the full Vdiuo of thofce properties and were not' duced so as to conform to the vaiuv * M tion for taxes of other property^ return^ - 1 ed for taxation-in the state. "Indeed," .he said, "I understood . each a statement was made while the g hoard was in onemsession/' ?- r Jra The evidence submitted to the bo^rd, be said, consisted of fflldaVits of tag collectors, tax receivers, ordinaries, -1 sheriffs and real 4gtate argils along p tte line whicL ^ere aU co ^ the effect that property generally In their respective counties were returned for state and county taxes at crrily v from 50 to 60 pr cent of its true yjilijp, || and that there was no evidence cpntiar dieting this. "In "fact," he said, T* believe the ^ comptroller general had ammifted, according to the public prints, In one of r: the preceding arbitrations, that property generally in this <state was returned for ststs and county taxes at m about 62 M per cpnt^bf its1 value 1 have no Idea that more than 70 per cent of the "award against the*Atlantic ; Coast Line Railroad,. Company, both a? . to its franchisor and tangible properUr. can be enforced. "The authorities upon the point are ( simply overwhelming and all one way. t The question ^aa been decided by al- * 'j most every district and circuit court ... in the United States, and has be>u t before the snpreffie conrt of the Unfte^g^j . States more than once, and the deda^ r ions of that court .upon it were keei , cut and clear. J ?80UGHT TO BRIBE PAYNE. ?_4 Alabama Postmaster Was Anxious to Become Member of Graft Gang. r Andrew S. Wallace was until a fow * weeks ago postmaster at Opp, Ala. While serving as Uncle Sam's ageat * in that capacity Mr. Wallace read In the papers of the bribery that was-go ing on in the postofflce department 1 Washington and he forthwith proceed ed to "write to Postmaster V General J 3 Payne and offered him the sum of $50 >-jJ if Mr. Payne would hare him appoint- 1 ed postmaster at Andalusia, Ala. ['*, ,* i This is a better office than the on<i i held by Mr. Wallace, and he thought -Jl. - by tempting the postmaster general with the offer of $50 he would have no trouble in receiving' the appointment. He has been removed from the ---- . ^ i office at Opp and placed under arrest. i A hrtnrf nt IKfiO fhr hlft a.T>nAftra.n/?A et the next term of the United State* court at Birmingham was required. ' BOTH PREPARING FOR WAR. Turka arc Ready to Deffver a ttufcfc ^ Blow if Necessity Arises. Whilst there was little fresh news B 5 received in London Suhuay morning i from the Balkans, it appear?ifrom the 1 5 dispatches that both Turkey and Bul1 garia are actively preparing for the - possibility of war, A correspondents ^|g|3 k Monastir comments on the skillful <11* i- position of the Turkish troops for jer v t livering a quick blow against either i *3ervia or Bulgaria. There arb 10,000 soldiers in the vilayet of Kbssqvo, 79,,t 000 men with 300 guns in Adrianopie 3 vilayet, 50,000 in Monastir vilayet and 3 170,000 in Salonica. SUNDAY BALL KNOCKED OUT. \/||| Governor Jelks Gets the Final Whaok 3 in 8igning New Bill. Monday Governor Jelks, of Alabama, .->JB . signed the bill prohibiting the piajriilg . of baseball, football, golf and tennis [ on the Sabbath. - 4' 3 The bill was aime^at Montgomery, A ^ as that city is <he only tne In the i state that played baseball on Sunday. - COW CAUSES A WRECK. ~ Engine and Cart Leave Track and Roll Down Embankment. * ^ Cincinnati Southern passenger train1 . No. 2, which left Chattanooga at 10 &/ m. Monday, ran into a cow . at Qiea Mary, Tenn., 120 miles north of Chat- :'? Q tanooga, and the engine, two mail cars, s baggage and express car left the track t and rolled down a steep embankment - .Engineer Frank Parker, of Chattv f nooga, was instantly killed, and seven | men badly injured, two fatally. , Engineej Parker had been on die ) road for twenty-three years mid had . never before been ia a week.