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? ' Hamburg Ifmlii f f ^/Established 1891 BAMBERG, S. C., THURSDAY. MAY 11,1911. One Dollar a Year j||j ; COUNTRY NEWS IETTERS SOME INTERESTING HAPPENINGS IN VARIOUS SECTIONS. . News Items Gathered All Around the County and Elsewhere. Ehrhardt Etchings. Ehrhardt, May 8.?The weather stil remains too cold for the growing crops. Farmers seem to he blue over the prospect. Walterboro will have a May festival on the 10th, and have made the proposition tb the Ehrhardt ball team to get another team to play and they would bear the expense of the teams to add to the enjoyment of the day. Think that the Carlisle Pitting School team will play them. It will be an outing for the boys. Four dwellings are under headway, and will soon be ready for the piUUl U1 UBU. Saturday afternoon a colored man ran his bicycle over one of Mr. JayIson Fender's little girls on the sidewalk in Robertsville. The child was not hurt much, but the darkey will he more careful after our city fathers pass on his wrong doings. He was promptly placed in the Red Top Inn. There was no preaching in the Ehrhardt Lutheran church Sunday on account of the dedication service and conference held at St. Nicholas church in the Jenny section. Several parties from here went to participate in the service. There is to be a dance in Copeland's hall Tuesday night. The proceeds are to he given to the base hall team of this place. Mr. Edgar Fender has gotten able to take charge of his place in the Ehrhardt 'grocery to-day. His many friends are glad to see him back. Mr. J. F. Ehrhardt and wife went to Augnsta, Ga., on a visit to her parents. Varnville ball team and Ehrhardt team crossed bats on the latter's dia? ^ rr>?a ?/>nrQ CL'QC in favor of the * lillfUU* 1 OVVA v **% (# Ehrhardt team. Mr. Isaac W. Carter raised an eight pound cabbage of the ox head variety this year. While everybody has fine cabbage in their gardens, this is an extra size of the variety, in fact it was the largest of the variety that the writer has seen in 54 years. JEE. Fairfax Fancies. Fairfax, May 8.?Our town was invaded though amicably by quite a host of visitors of both sexes, and all ages, last Friday afternoon. There momao 9 Tin 11 PS erod eccuicu iu us uiwiuuu, , 0 mothers, etc., in charge of a crowd of little folks from oar elder sister town of Allendale. Prof Munro made them feel quite at home at the the school auditorium, and our citizens wanted them to feel the same everywhere. They gave us a treat that night. The Tom Thumb wedding more than met our expectations. The little flower girls were sweet enough to melt in our mouths while the little blushing bride and the happy groom seemed very real. The bishop, in costume, married them in the "bonds of padlock." The sun flower drill was very amusing, while the grand baby show took the house. The recitation of Miss Marie Williams elicited much applause. Little Miss Aillen Sharfsin's playing was wonderful for her years. It is seldom we hear such exquisite singing as Mrs. Harry All gave us, and it will long be remembered by us. Much sympathy is felt for the relatives of Miss Ella Loadholt, as she has typhoid fever in Savannah. Her and cictpr lpft this Week tO VIVVUV1 UiJUVA vtuvvA eee her. Mrs. M. P. C. Youmans left this "week to attend the "convention at Orangeburg of the U. D. C. Dr. Miller, of Charleston, preached a fine sermon Sunday night in the Lutheran church. Mr. Geo. Sanders visited Barnwell a few days ago. Commencement is the all-absorbing theme now with our teachers, pu?. pils and citizens. The changang has worked wonders in the road from here to Allendale. It is like a plank road, and it is so nice to travel. Mr. Otis Sanders visited relatives here this week. w Country Dots. Miss Marion Higgins left for her home in Newberry Monday morning, much to the regret of her friends. The play given at Cuffy Creek school house Friday night was a success, also the picnic Saturday. We all enjoyed Mr. Carter's address. Many thanks to the musicians who gave us music at the play and picnicv NEWS FROM KEARSE. Spring is Coming?Fine Oats Crops. Successful Entertainment. Wanderer's Rest, May 8.?Birds are all asong, the quail is calling bob white to his mate, she answers in the distance not quite, the martin, blue jay and several other kinds are making this May morning a chorus of melody, and the mocking bird warbling its sweetest strains, all proclaiming that warm days and ? i i- - t mi Daimy Drezzes win soon De nere. men how charming the flowers, beautiful flowers, to cheer and brighten the hours that come so long and dreary when the East wind blows, the little cotton so sick and the corn a yellow red, all showing the effect of that fated wind, and the old farmer has [ to go at a brisk pace, coat all buttoned up to keep warm, but he knows that it will soon be gone, for it is | so nearly every spring, and when the warm rains come, the South winds blow, all sorrows will be forgotten as the tender plants turn as if by magic a dark green and grow ever so fast, placing a charm before the old farmer nothing else can, and with a happy look beaming from his care-worn face, all is well and bread for the boys and girls will be made and cash to buy them nice clothes, bows, ribbons, rats and heaven knows what; so all is well that ends well and no fears need be felt, for so it will be. Saturday last the old farmer had the pleasure of looking over several prize acres of corn with Mr. W. B. Chitty, of Olar, who is in charge of these contests for the national agricultural department. He has gone into it with deep interest, and it is a pleasure to be with him on these rounds, and much useful information is gained from him and others. Mr. Chitty is a practi i cal and successful farmer, not S afraid to invest his dollars in mother earth, knowing by personal experience that she is the safest bank of deposit in existence so far j known to man, and when sane methods are used she returns the largest dividends of any other, as the success of many attests. Mr. Chitty also inspected a few fields of oats, some of which are very fine. Mr. Asbury Kirkland has a field of 15 acres some of which by actual measurement was five feet seven and one* half inches tall. These oats were grown after a corn crop, with a heavy I growth of pea vines, all turned under with a two-horse plow, he using at time of sowing 800 pounds cotton seed meal, kainit, acid phosphate, equal parts being used, and top dressed with 100 pounds nitrate of soda. His best acre will yield 75 bushels or more of shelled oats. Messrs. J. Ritter & Son, J. J. Kearse, J. F. Kearse, Sr., S. E. Neeley, and several others can show fine fields of this grain, demonstrating that this is the home of the oat when right methods are used, for by these fields are others that will be a poor crop with no profit, so fertilizers pay on oats; watch the other crops. The entertainment given by Miss Abel at White Point school house was a complete success. The room was packed to its utmost capacity, and for two hours a pleased audience with happy faces and joyous laughter enjoyed the different songs and plays of the children. Well were they drilled, and each one in a most pleasing way acted their part. What is the trouble with my Paul Neron and Moss roses? Only a few of the buds open. They seem to wither and dry up without opening; while a few have made splendid roses, one the largest and most elegant rose the writer has ever seen. I am using a combination of fertilizers, trying to find a remedy. If any one knows how to prevent this, they will confer a favor to an old lover of flowers and perhaps others. OLD TIMER. CAN'T SECURE MILEAGE. Georgia Railroad Commission to Shut Down on Newspapers. Atlanta, Ga., May 8.?Newspapers and other publications in Georgia can not exchange advertising for railroad mileage, according to an opinion rendered by Judge J. K. Hines, special attorney for the Geor gia railroad commission, and it is expected that the opinion will he promulgated as an order of the commission within a short time. Judge Hines' opinion is based on a recent decision of the supreme court of the United States, and was rendered with the application of a member of the Georgia Press association for authority to exchange advertising for railroad tickets. r ' v.;:" . V . . > ,v- ' /.' . ; ' ' 1: y. .. IN THE PALMETTO STATE SOME OCCURRENCES OF VARIOUS KINDS IN SOUTH CAROLINA. State News Boiled Down for Quick Reading?Paragraphs About Men and Happenings. The postoffice at Sumter has been designated as a postal savings bank ' -? x ? _ i ^ Dy tne posimasier general, mis ueing the second one in the State, the other being at Newberry. An inquest over the bodies of Mrs. Bessinger and Walter Sandifer was held in the city of Columbia last Sunday, but no cause for the murder by Grimsley was brought out. Bishop John C. Kilgo has been selected to preside over the South Carolina conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, which convenes in Bennettsville November 22nd. Look out for a general moving of the preachers. The South Carolina division of the Travelers' Protective Association I held their annual meeting in Greenwood last week. J. C. Lanham, of Summerton, was elected president. Darlington was selected as the place for the next meeting. Some time ago Gov. Blease appointed J. W. Canfield as magistrate in Greenwood county to succeed Capt. Kerr, although Canfield had not been recommended by the delegation. As a result Capt. Kerr held en although threatened by the governor. The matter came up before Judge Watts and he declined to grant an order ousting Capt. Kerr from the office and the governor's appointee was still out of Iel job. Recently the auditor of Greenwood died, and Blease appointed Canfield as auditor, although a Mr. Watson, son of the late auditor, was recommended by the legislative delegation. It seems to be the purpose of Blease to over-ride the wishes of the people wherever possible. Perhaps Fatally Hurt. Estill, May 7.?As the result of an old feud, Ben Crapse was shot and probably fatally wounded by a young man named Barnes at Lena, a small station on the Southern road, near here, last night. A man named Bassett,.who is said to be Barnes's father-in-law, was arrested this morning as an accessory, it being charged that he urged Barnes to shoot. Barnes has not yet been caught, but is being pursued by the sheriff and several deputies, and his arrest is expected at any minute. It is alleged that Barnes and Crapse had a fight some time ago, and when they met last night the fight was renewed and that Crapse started to leave, but was followed and shot as he was getting in his buggy. All the parties are farmers. Sheriff Indicted for Peonage. Macon, Ga., May 8.?The federal grand jury sitting here under Judge Emory Speer returned indictments to-day against Sheriff J. R. Rodgers, Deputy Sheriff Job H. Home, Luke Dupree and W. E. Chauncey, all of Pulaski county, on a charge of peonage and conspiracy. This is believed to be the first of a series of indictments on similar charges to be returned by this same jury in line with a lengthy charge last week, in which Judge Speer declared that there was a great deal of peonage being practiced in Georgia. To-day's indictments have reference to with Clyde and Maud Wimberly, negro man and wife, who, it is charged in the indictments, were arrested by Sheriff Rogers and Deputy Home and turned over to Dupree and Chauncey, both farmers, to work out a debt to Rogers of $120. The indictment charges that the negroes ~ l*. o ototo nf iinlonrfnl Wei tJ ftcyu ixi a owi.v wi ? servitude until the debt was wiped off. CAUCUS OF MAJORITY. Decides to Prolong Legislative Session Indefinitely. Nashville, Tenn., May 8.?^At a caucus of representatives of the majority tin the general assembly tonight it was resolved to prolong the session indefinitely. Six or seven members will show up in each house each day, with one of the regulars presiding in each house. The balance of the members, ft is said, will return to their homes. In the meantime the comptroller and treasurer will continue to decline to pay out any money to State institutions or employes not expressly provided for by statute. RUSHING NEGROES TO PEN. Governor Takes Precautions in Florence Case. Columbia, May 8.?Two negroes will be rushed to the penitentiary tomorrow under the most peculiar circumstances ever known in the his/ tory of the State. The negroes will be brought here by order of Gov. Blease. Alex Weldon and William Burroughs, the two Florence county negroes under sentence of death for the killing of E. M. Moye, a Florence county farmer, are the men who will be brought here. Following the announcement by the supreme court that the situation revealed in the appeal for a new trial In nico r\f fVi^ turn nrionnprfl fin *u tuc V/aov/ VI UUV bH V w ? account of the allegation that the jury was overawed by the presence of such a large crowd in the court room at the trial, Gov. Blease received information that the prisoners, under certain conditions, might be summarily dealt with. It was in order to protect the negroes that he ordered them brought here from the Florence county jail. Basis of Governor's Action. The information that Gov. Blease has is twofold. He was first informed that one member of the supreme court had stated that if there is any law to do so, and the facts are 'as complained of in the appeal, namely, that the court room was so crowded that the jury was overawed and for this reason brought in a verdict of guilty, that this justice will be for a new trial. Afetr this information got out, iImt Plaaeo haarrt frnm TPtnresfinta tive citizens of Florence that if the negroes get a new trial, they will never be brought into the court room alive. The information was straight | that the men would he dealt with in a silmmary manner. Taking no Chances. Fearing the result of a possible decision by the supreme court in favor of the negroes, in view of the statement attributed to one member of | the court, Gov. Blease thought it would be best to give the negroes all I the protection possible and to this end he ordered the sheriff of Florence county this afternoon to bring! the two men up here in the morning. Gov. Blease stated this afternoon 'that he thought it would be best to have the two negroes in the penitentiary. Of course, nothing may have come of the threats attributed to Florence county men, but the governor said he would rather be on the safe side and that it was the proper thing to have the men given all the protection in his power. About the time that this story is read in The News and Courier in Florence, the two negroes will be on their way to Columbia. Leaving the Florence couqjy jail early in the morning, the men will quietly be brought here. Perhaps few men in Florence will know that the prisoners are on the way to safety. _ . Sensational Feature of Appeal. The sensational exception referred to in the supreme court record is as follows: "His Honor erred in allowing a crowd, some of whom were bent upon j killing the prisoners, to take possession of the court house and to hold the same during the trial, occupying every available space, including the bar reserved for the lawyers, to such an extent that the jurors were entirely cut off from the view of coun sel, and counsel had to request his honor on several occasions to cause the sheriff to clear away the crowd that counsel might see the witness he was examining; thus, in effect, overawing the jury and as such the accused did not have that fair trial awarded under the constitution and the laws of the State." The supreme court directed a few days ago that the record in the case be sent to Special Judge Brown and he report on the facts as to whether or not the court room was as crowded as reported in the appeal to the court, and if so an investigation will be had. One of the negroes that was connected with this case was recently hanged. His name was Clarence Ham. Byrnes at White House. Washington, May 8.?Congressman Byrnes was at the White House today to see President Taft in the in terest of D. S. Henderson, of Aiken, who desires to become the successor to Judge Brawley on the federal bench when the latter retires. Judge Brawley will reach the age of retirement on Saturday, May 13, and it is understood that his successor may be named without delay. MERDEREDMANANDWOMAN MRS. ROSA BESSIXGER AND WALTER SANDIFER KILLED. Dispute at Noon and Young Man Goes Back and Deals Death Shortly After 3 O'clock. Ernest F. Grimsley, a young white man, is in the Richland county jail charged with killing Mrs. Rosa Bessinger and Walter Sandifer. The double tragedy was enacted yesterday afternoon in the Acme restaurant and grocery store, 1219 Taylor street, just off Main street and was caused, it is said by witnesses, by the fact that Mrs. Bessinger, who conducted the place, refused to give an extra roll of bread with a bowl of soup ordered by Grimsley. There are many conflicting statements and minir rnmnrc onH whpthPr nT TlOt UiO>UJ A UUlVi k/| Muvi. ff mvvm*. (Jrimsley was drunk has. not been determined by the auhtorities. The shooting took place shortly after 3 o'clock. Walter Sandifer was shot and almost instantly killed, two shots taking effect in his lungs. Grimsley, according to Frank M. High, fired on Mrs. Bessinger, who had just entered the store from the kitchen. She was hit in the abdomen. She was hurried to the Columbia hospital, where she died shortly after 6 o'clock. The inquest will be held at 3 o'clock by Coroner Walker. Witnessed Shooting. Frank M. High, a veteran of the Confederate Home, was the only known witness to the shooting. "I had just stepped into the restaurant," said Mr. High, "and was standing at the counter talking to the man behind the counter (Sandifer.) He was cutting up some onions. It was not later than 3:30 o'clock. I don't remember the exact timel I was talking ' to Sandifer, and the lady (Mrs. Bessinger) came in and spoke to me. I had taken meals in the place several times with them, and they both knew me. She went back into the kitchen, where there mi. ? {a were some negroes, x uc &nwcu ? the adjoining room. This man (Sandifer) was standing there talking to me across the counter. Grimsley Entered. "This man (meaning Grimsley) came in the front dor of the restaurant, and without speaking a word, threw his pistol "by my shoulder and fired at Sandifer. Sandifer fell behind the counter. The man (Grimsley) then walked around behind the counter and shot Sandifer, lying on the floor dying, a second time. - The man (Grimsley) then turned his pistol on the woman and fired twice. Sandifer never raised a hand against the man. He did not have time to, for the man shot too quick. It was all unexpected. The man Grimsley, without saying a word, left the store. Mrs. Bessinger fell to the floor and screamed, and I got out of the place." Cause of Tragedy. According to various witnesses, and it is said, and according to the dying statement of Mrs. Bessinger, Grimsley went to the Acme restaurant yesterday morning shortly before 12 o'clock. He ordered a bowl of soup. Mrs. Bessinger gave him * - Ti one roa wun me suup. xt ib ex?h* by witnesses that Grimsley said that two rolls should be given with one bowl of soup. There was a dispute over the question. It is said that Grimsley left the place about 12:30 o'clock, and that Mrs. Bessinger and Walter Sandifer thought no more of the matter. Bought Cartridges. According to testimony In the hands of Coroner Walker, Grimsley went to the store of Jas. T. Sloan on Main street, between 3 o'clock and 3:30 o'clock and purchased 20 cartridges of .38 calibre. It is said that he showed a pistol here and that he placed a new bullet in the pistol and left the store hurriedly. A few moments later he committed the deed. Man Was Arrested. After shooting Sandifer and Mrs. Bessinger, Grimsley left the restaurant and walked across the street, where he tried to get into a hack.IHe was stopped by J. C. Jackson, a policeman. Grimsley held his pistol in his hand, and, according to Policeman Jackson, he had thrown out five empty cartridges and reloaded the pistol. Mr. Jackson said that Grimsley said: "I have killed two people in there." It is said that he asked for his pistol to scatter the large crowd that had gathered. The motor patrol wagon was called and Grimsley was hurried to the police station. Policeman Jackson said that Grimsley did not appear to be drunk, and that he looked to be a sober A SHOOTING "ROBABLY FATAL. Ben Crapse Badly Wounded?Berry Barnes Caught After Chase. Hampton, May 8.?Once again the :M little town of Lena, in this county, was the scene Saturday night about J? 9 o'clock of another shooting scrape, S in which Ben Crapse was shot and ? - >?yjCSB probably mortally wounded by Berry M Barnes, both young m<- . The altercation was brought on by heated words between the two young ^ men, and it is rumored that an old grudge figured conspicuously in bringing on the trouble. Young Crapse was shot with a 32-calibre pistol, the bullet taking effect in the /; ^ front of the left shoulder and a little lower than the shoulder blade. It is thought that the wound will prove ; jjg fatal. On Sunday warrants were sworn out for Berry Barnes and John /Kdg Bassett, the latter being charged with being accessory to the shooting. The sheriff went to the scene and Alg a posse was immediately organized, when it was learned that Barnes had-^>^?1 absconded. The posse consisted 01 ' J. Herman Lightsey, Deputy Sheriff M. F. Long and D. P. Padgett. They . JSB started out in search of Barnes and went into Colleton county, near Smoaks, the home of Mr. M. Lr. ^gjga Barnes, and thence about seven miles beyond Smoaks, where on the edge of an old field, making fpr a Jl bay, they captured young Bataes. The arrest was made this morning at . $ sunrise. -MIbB A. L. Langford, Jesse Bassett and ^ John Bennett had been in jail since morning, accused as parties to the shooting, but Langford and the hoy, > Jesse Bassett, were released this af- ^3 ternoon, when Barnes was lodged in ^|^ : It is said that young Berry Barnes ' stated that he shot Crapse while within ten feet of him, and that he ^ saw no pistol in Crapse's hands, but -vJ only saw saw a movement In the rection of hie hip-pocket. Ben Crapse j is a son of Mr. John Crapse, who lives near Lena, in this county. Word was'-^ro^ , received here this afternoon late thatv'^jl| % young Crapse was just alive and that-^wa | the doctor entertained slight hope of his recovery. 11 The posse returned here this af- *j| ternoon, after making the quickest arrest, considering the distance trav- ; S elled, of late years in this county> r^^8 j They left Lena at 2 o'clock on day and made the arrest on Monday-:J|j| j; morning at daylight,'after traveiieg$^| ; fifty miles in an automobile, fire vlffj miles in a buggy and walking about . -i|B five miles and staying awake all" - o Arrangements are being made Columbia for the entertainment the grand lodge, Knights of Pythia? 'i||| > which meets in that city Tuesday, May 23rd. A great time will be ^ giyen the visitors. ^ After being placed in his cell at . f| the police station Grimsley com- #;:vf menced to sing, and no statement~ ;;g3B could be obtained from him. It was ^ stated at the police station that he was too drunk to talk coherently. Later he was turned over to Sheriff Coleman. Statement from Negro Woman. r There was a negro woman in the kitchen of the restaurant named - ^ i Mony Johnson. She said that she was :/J sitting at a table helping Mrs. Bes- ' % singer. Sandifer was in the front of the restaurant behind a counter. She said she heard some one enter the front door, and then two shots "Were fired. Mrs. Bessinger, she said, got up from the table and started through the door to see what had- j||| happened. She said that two more - || shots were fired and Mrs. Bessinger 3 fell across a chair near the kitchen door. She said that she did not see .'Jlgi Grimsley shoot. - v? Ernest E. Grimsley is about 22 .^?1 years of age. He was until recently \ jjjSH employed as a chaingang guard by Richland county, but resigned. Walter Sandifer was about 30 years of ^ age and married. ^He has been a resi- v|^ dent of Columbia for several weeks, 'w-|l coming here from Camden, being originally from Bamberg county, it ^ is said. He was employed as a clerk ' ^ in the Acme restaurant. Mrs. Bessinger is the wife of Jerry W. Bessinger, the proprietor of the Acme restaurant. She had been a resident of Columbia for a number . ^ of years. She resided at 1326 Taylor >?|| street. Mrs. Bessinger made a statement at the Columbia hospital yesterday J afternoon to Coroner Walker, which will be given out later, after consultation with the solicitor and other r<J| authorities.?Columbia State, Sun