The Bamberg herald. (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, May 11, 1911, Image 1
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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