Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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HENRY CLAY PI A SELFHis Early School Days Fomillo? Nirh u1c a gliaiaiac**. a Boy of tl Henry Clay, one of the most strik' ing men in American politics during the first half of the past century, was practically self-educated, and it was v;- rlovc in Virginia thai iii& cai iv> ov.iiuv/1 uu%?w - * * 0 - ^ ^ gave him the familiar nick-nam( "The Mill Boy of the Slashes." The neighborhood in which Clay was borr and where he spent his early child hood was known as "The Slashes." Clay's ancestors had emigrate*: from England to Virginia early in the seventeenth century. Clay's father who was a minister, died when Henrj was only a little over 4 years of age in 1781, and a short time afterwards the boy was sent to tne ooumr> school in the neighborhood, taughi by an Englishman named Petei Deacon. Here he learned to reac and write and a very little arithmetic. In this log school house in tin "Slashes," the only school Clay evei attended, he spent three years. After leaving this school he lived witt his mother on the little farm whicl: was their home, and assisted her ir such duties as a boy of his age could perform, being often seen on his wa\ to a neighboring mill with a bag ol grain; wherefore his popular title later in political campaigns of "The Mill Boy of the Slashes." The story of Henry Clay is one oi the romances of American history Almost in a night he rose to fame and power. The rapid rise shows the wonderful chances the poor boy had Viie Hqv TTnr nnnr he was and ill JUIO UV*t? r w v. ? ~ when hardly tall enough to reach the handles of the plough he was compelled, in order to assist in the support of his widowed mother, to walk barefooted along the furrows. Again, from time to time, whenever the meal barrel was low, he would take a turn of meal to Mrs. Darricott's , mill on the Pamunkey river, jogging along on the family pony with a grist bag for a saddle and rope for a bridle. "The Mill Boy of the Slashes" kindled, at the time, much sentiment in the bosoms of the Aiherican peov pie, and constituted a part of every popular political pageant of the Whig party in the presidential calnpaigns of 1844. It continues to be poetic since the generation which first felt its power has passed away. It will never cease to be so while poetry is natural to man. The humble beginning of Garfield on the tow-path, and Lincoln splitting rails is duplicated in Clay's homely mill trips, and while the former two attained the greatest of their ambitions, the presidency, Clay was no less a prominent figure, even if he failed to reach the goal after + >ir?c?Q Tinoiipppccfiil uttpmnts. At the age of 14 Clay was placed behind the counter in a retail store in Richmond, whither :he family had moved when his mother married a second time. His talent was early recognized, and he was given a clerkship in the Virginia high court of chancery. Here he acquired considerable experience in the copying of legal documents, and after a certain time he determined to become a lawyer. After Clay was admitted to the bar he felt that Richmond did not offer the opportunity for which he was searching, and he set out, with his practitioner's liceifte in his pocket, for the newly opened country of Kentucky, where his mother and father had preceded him. The "Mill Boy of the Slashes" was now to become the leading lawyer of Lexington. Clay was barely 21 when he reach ed Lexington. In early years, nnaing his voice defective, he had set about steadfastly to improve it. Day by day he declaimed to the empty fields or to audiences of farm animals until, by dint of long practice, he had perfected the rich, silvery tones that charmed all hearers, and with which he could play at will as on the stops of an organ. Clay's success as a lawyer was unparalleled, and as a natural corollary of the law he came into politics, and here, too, he made rapid progress. His first position was a seat in the legislature of his State, which he acquired in 1803. There he soon became recognized as the remarkable man of the State, and it is told thai when "The ^Iill Boy of the Slashes' spoke in the house the balconies ol til" aciiaiu ? ci ^ From the Kentucky house to the United States senate by appointment shows the remarkable rise of this young man. Back again at the expiration of the term, he again was sent to his State's legislature. While there, as an illustration of how thorough an American he was, the following example will suffice: He offeree the recommendation that the members should -wear only clothes that were the product of domestic manu TACTICALLY EDUCATED MAN.( in Virginia Gave Him il :name of "The Mill 11 n ie Slashes." a R 0 -1 facture. ; Clay said: "Earlier it was thought f< 5 that a gentleman's head could not p ; withstand the influence of Sol's heat si t unless covered with a London hat, n * J that his feet could not bear the peb- h i: bles or frost unless protected by Lon- f( i don shoes; and the comfort or orna- ti - ment of his person was not satisfac- s? tory unless his coat was cut out by 1 the shears of a tailor just from Lon- t( ? don." There was pleasure and pride, c? , he thought, in being clad in the pro- tl r ductions of our own families, and w , with youthful ardor he exclaimed: cl ; | "Others may prefer the clothes of a: T ~ ~ J ^ r\t T nn/lnn Viiit cri VP mp Tl' < ' Juecuti duu ui ijwuuvii, um c" v. i< t j those of Humphreyville." *! In 1808 Clay was again in the I j United States senate by appointment, s] - and at the conclusion of the war of p j 1812 he was selected as one of the g( * American commission to negotiate C( -1 the peace of Ghent. a l ; From this on his political career a l : was varied. He was the most prom- ^ i ; inent figure in the Missouri comprot mise controversy, and when Mr. e; * Preston, of Kentucky, told him that rp :: the compromise measure, which he t( i, advocated as a means of preserving a > I the Union, would hinder his chances | j for the presidency, it was then he :' made the famous reply: "I would a .! rather be right than be president." C( 1 [ Another of Clay's familiar sayings ; | at this time was: "I known no north, c] [ no south, no east, no west. If Ken- o: [ j tuckv should to-morrow unfurl the gl i | banner of resistance unjustly I will S( | never fight under that banner. I owe jr a paramount allegiance to the whole C( ; j United States; a subordinate one to ,; my own State. The senator speaks s! of Virginia being my country. The ai !: Union, sir, is my country." ; Three times Clay was made the ; candidate of his party for the high- s( ; est office in the gift of the people, jr . but the "Mill Boy of the Slashes" r( j was not to attain this honor. Each ^ j time he came near winning, and up- e] . on the second occasion, when he was jc defeated by "Old Hickcry," he was ^ I not a very great loser, and at his last 0] 'defeat, in 1884, he received only a a< , j few thousand votes less than James jC ; K.poik. ta . i In all these campaigns the nick- ^ ; name of Clay, "The Mill Boy of the | Slashes," was used conspicuously at I all the political gatherings very much ri ! the same way as "Old Tippecanoe" . and "Log Cabin and Hard Cider" cj I were used d-ring the presidential ca | compaigns of Harrison and Tyler. m i Time has not lessened the Ameri- ta ! can regard for Henry Clay, but rather ; each year the memory of the wonder ful accomplishments of the poor "jboy | of the Slashes" is becoming perma- aj j nently stamped upon the people of in 1 the United States and upon the pages : of history. KILLED BY POLICEMAN. er I Race Trouble Feared for Awhile tr , from Pomaria Tragedy. VI j Newberry, May 18.?News reached j Newberry to-night of the killing of ai la negro, Will Erchelberger, at Po- u ; maria, in the lower section of this m county, late this afternoon by Policeman Henry Richardson. Messages F i from Pomaria stated that further | trouble was expected with the ne- ac j groes to-night, but from later mes- n< , j sages it is judged the situation is , now quiet. Sheriff Buford went to T< H | the scene. . ! Pomaria has been the scene of a ?1 | gUUU mail V UlOLUl VJJ I.UV uv . groes in the past several years. g< ? si Posses After Bandits. S. tl ;; New Orleans, May 17.?Two pos ses are scouring the country along m [ j the Gulf and Ship Island roalroad ; to-day between Gulfport and Rals- cj l | ton, Miss., in search of the two ban- ei ; dits who robbed the express car on j the New Orleans. and Northeastern pt] train near Hattiesburg early Wednesr day morning. The robbers were [' traced yesterday to a point below ., Ralston and detectives believe they > planned to make their "get-away" -'in a gasoline launch hidden in some B of the small streams in that section. c( ? The Southern Express company of- di ; ficials continue to deny that the sum ' taken from the safe by the robbers tc ? was large, declaring it "only amounts to a few thousand dollars." w > However, out of a total of about y< ; 40 packages which the express of- a ; ficials admit were in the safe, posi- b< .' tive evidence has been obtained that s< ; i four of these contained a total of pi ; $53,000. One shipment, containing ri . the monthly payroll of the New Or- it . leans and Northeastern railroad at ai [ Meridian, contained $51,000. " j Ice cream freezers, all sizes, best t: makes, at G. O. Simmons. See our H j line before you buy. tl I COTTON ACREAGE ANI) YIELD. m Revised Figures for 1911 Given by Agricultural Department. .e Washington, May 15.?A revision j. by the department of agriculture of )r its preliminary estimate of the areas j. planted to cotton last year, based on ;s the result of a special investigation >v and the census bureau's report of the n quantity of cotton ginned that season ] places the 1911 acreage at 36,681,,r 000 instead of 35,004,000 acres, as 5_ estimated by the department last 3_ June. On these revised figures the 3 department will base its estimate of jf the acreage planted to cotton this i-oor> rpnnrt ic echpfinlpd ffir RICHESON TO DIE. lov. Foss Withholds Clemency froi Former Preacher. Boston, Mass., May 16.?Clarenc T. Richeson's last hope of escai ig the death chair next week fc le murder of Avis Linnell, of Hyai is, expired to-night when Gov. Foe nnounced that he would not reff licheson's petition for commutatio f sentence to the executive counci The statement from the governc allowed closely the filing of the r< orts of the special insanity commi: ion which declared the condemne lan sane, although subject to fits c ysterical insanity. The commissio )und that Richeson was sane at th me of the murder and that he i me at present. In the death chamber at Charle: )wn the prisoner has borne himsei alml'y since he was transferred froi le Charles street jail Tuesday. ] as apparent that he still hoped the lemency would be extended to hin nd it was believed to-day this alon as keeping up his spirits. Is a Xeurotic. The statement issued by Gov. Foe aows that tne alienists rouna im .icheson's family was afflicted ver enerallv with insanity and that th Dndemned man himself is a neurotic somnambulist, and a neurastheni nd subject to hjTsterical insanit: he statement follows: "Executive clemency will not -t xtended in the case of Clarence ^ . Richeson. The prisoner was set meed upon his own confession fc crime which it appears impossibl tat any normal man could commi "After his confession and sentenc plea of insanity was set up by h: Dunsel and strongly supported by a davits extending over his life. Th baracter of these affidavits left n ther course for the governor than t lbmit these and the prisoner hin elf to an examination by our leaf lg alienists, in order to protect th Dmmonwealth from the charges th? le man was actually insane whe le deed was committed as well a t the present time. Of Emotional Nature. "The evidence shows that Riche )n's family is heavily afflicted wit isanity; that he himself is a net % + o cnrYinomhlllict 9 Tl H 9 TlPlirfl? JLLKsy a OVJUUUUJLUUUIAWV V? lenic; that he is subject to extrem notional disturbances, marked b iss of memory, which two alienist ave diagnosed as hysterical insanity ae physician addjng the alternativ 5 hysterical delirium and the ms irity opinion indicating that the al icks are hysterical attacks marke f emotional disturbances of brie iration, with loss of memory dui .g the attack and for a varying pe od following it. "The evidence, however, whil early revealing these attacks,, indi Ltes that his crime was not con: itted by him during such an at ck. Accountable for Crime. "Therefore, while there is som vergency of opinion among th ienists as to whether these attack dicate actual insanity, there is sut iient ground for the conclusion tha i is accountable for his crime an tat the exercise of executive clem icy in this instance would be con ary to the public good. "The affidavits and medical ad ces as to Richeson's unfavorabl sredity, his lapses- of consciousnes id his attacks of delirium are to J - J- iUJ. f numinous 10 inciuue m una state ent and are not suited for publica on. "The alienists referred to are Di dw. B. Lane and Dr. Isador Corital ;ting for the defense; Dr. L. Ver m Briggs, acting at the personal re lest of the governor; and Drs. Hen r R. Steedman, George T. Tuttle an enry 'P. Frost, acting as a commis on for the commonwealth." Richeson was not informed of tli Dvernor's decision to-night. Hi Jiritual adviser, the Rev. Herbei Johnson, and the prison chaplair le Rev. Herbert W. Stebbins, visite le prisoner at 8 o'clock and re ained with him for an hour. At the time they entered .the deat lamber they were not aware, hov ,-er, of the governor's findings. When asked if he would notify tli risoner of his fate in the morning r. Johnson said he could not tell. Uses Referendum in Court. Athen, Ga., .May 16.?Judge C. P rand, of the Clark county superio )urt, to-day employed the referer 11111 method in fixing the penalty c rili Ravrptt. phareed with assail! ) rob and assault to kill. Several leading society and churc omen appeared in behalf of the sar-old defendant, who had entere plea of guilty. After speeches ha sen made requesting that a ligh mtence be imposed Judge Bran oiled the jury and spectators. By sing vote a majority favored a per entiary sentence in lieu of a fine nd the former wil be imposed. Barrett stabbed and attempted t )b a horse trader several weeks age e was captured after an excitin iree days' chase with bloodhounds n ?> V-OL1 ^ e issuance Tuesday, June 4, at noon. IS The yield of cotton per acre in 1911 is estimated at 207.7 pounds, 5_ the largest on record since 1867 with If one exception, 1898, compared with ^ 170.7 pounds in 1910, and 154.3 [t pounds in 1909. The area picked lt last year was about 36,045,000 acres, -j about 1.7 per cent of the planted e area having been abandoned. Gosnell Sent to Jail. Campobeilo, May 16.?Allendar Gosnell, the youi.g white man who * was arrested yesterday near Landrum ie by Constable J. O. Caldwell on a c' warrant sworn out by B. A. Wharton, lc deputy insurance commissioner, on the charge of having burned the residence and four children of W. J. fe Gibson, of this place, January 28, ^ was carried to Spartanburg last night 1_ for safekeeping until the witnesses >r might be summoned for the prelim^ inary, which was held this afternoon by Magistrate J. L. Poole. The prisoner was brought here yesIS terday morning about 11 o'clock and placed in the local "lockup" pending ie preliminary which was to have been 0 held yesterday afternoon. He was 0 brought in and locked up so quietly 1_ that not more than four or five of 1 \ 1 the citizens were aware of his having ie been arrested or even so much as lt suspected, and was kept confined all n day without more than a score peoLS pie having knowledge of his arrest, and the greater part of these merely guessed at the cause of the arrest. 5" It was deemed more expedient that - 11 it should not be known generally l~ why he had been arrested, owing to the high feeling of the neighborhood e in regard to it, and should it have y become known there is \io doubt that s there would have been trouble here r' yesterday afternoon or early last e night. l" At the preliminary held this afternoon before Magistrate Poole only ^ enough evidence was taken to send the case up to the court of general sessions and to prevent the prisoner 5~ from securing bail. The testimony of only three witnesses was taken in e which were threats of burning and 1_ expressions of satisfaction of the l" dwelling and children having been " burned formed the testimony. The chief witnesses for the State were not put UP, DUt uepuiy W llitriuu savs Liiai, e there are a number whose testimony e collectively will undoubtedly convict. s A great crowd has been in town all " day in hopes of hearing the investigation. The hearing was secretly ^ held, there being only 12 in the l" room in order to avoid any display of feeling. Sheriff White, who accompanied if Constable Caldwell and Gosnell from e the jail at Spartanburg this morns ing, removed the prisoner again to 0 the county jail this afternoon. White Men Convicted. Union, May 18.?Imprisonment for tf- life was the sentence imposed upon - John Henry May and Clyde May late !- yesterday afternoon by Judge Thos. i- S. Sease after the jury had returned d a verdict of guilty with recommendation to mercy of the court for the killing of Henry Bocha on Main street e one evening last October. Bocha was s a stranger in town, having come here t from Columbia. He was attacked on l, Main street -by Clyde May with a d knife and retreated for nearly a block i- begging for his life but after being slashed by Clyde May he fell and then h was shot to death by John Henry - May. Clyde surrendered immediate' J T~T TTa^ ly alter trie Kiuing auu juuu xacmj e May was captured several days later.' r, Both have been in jail since then. The defense was that Bocha had made an insulting proposal to Mrs. John Henry May when her husband was away from home, but the State I. introduced evidence in rebuttal to r show that John Henry May had not i- shot Bocha on sight as would have >f been natural under the circumlt stances, and that Mrs. May told a witness shortly after the killing that h she did not understand why her husband had committed the crime. In d passing the sentence Judge Sease 1 took occasion to severely arraign the it two prisoners whose ages are respectd ively 22 and 17 years, telling then1 a that this crime was one of the most t- horrible ever committed in Union county and that he would have preferred sentencing them to the electric o chair, which they deserved. ). Trtc nroom fr007drs nil R17PS. hPSt I IV,C V.X 1 & makes, at G. O. Simmons. See >our 3-! line before you buy. v S I Jjp Good Wearing Apparell and Household Furnishings 3? simply because they have become stained or faded. 3? iL We can make them like new by our modern process ?Xi jf of CLEANING or DYEING. We quote a few prices: ^ ' T Cleaned and Pressed: Dyed and Pressed: i * iff Gentlemen's Suits $1.25 up $2.50 up 37 Ladies' Coat Suits 1.50 up 2.50 up ? 111 ladies' Waists 75 up 1.50 up til 3? Ladies' Skirts 1.00 up 1.50 up 37 Automobile Coats 1.50 up - 2.50 up jX# 1*1 Chenille Portieres 1.50 up 2.50 up 3? Blankets, Double 75 cleaned 3? ??? iff For further information write for free booklet. 3? * i IDEAL CLEANERS AND DYERS I King Street & Burns Lane CHARLESTON, S. O. ?& CITY PRESSING CLUB, AGENTS, BAMBERG, S. C. A {(Cl/3w great the small gift {/t when 'tis timely qiven-k^r :: 1 DtrAood, Has A cu^Kt- to expect a.ssisuMct jrcrm. atWs. oA\t Iww ujitA. k^iaouU^e. <wvd w.stitl tta habits thai" ouCU pne>pa>re. hm to catfcti "U\e buj jtsh of his /M fl/mbitm. wv UJtr loft bq starts a. swwws ac?ewnt~~ft^ tKt botj m. (K, b-a/niL. 5 . Tlu oaiu? of m rfr | ecummq piHucr is "fought | Au.st' p>riie owicI respcnsi^iiituf | e/nsne. ~ ;i|l T" . _ : 3 I sn $cu)yvv m ew1 , is etfmp<?wncl&(. I ^ I FARMERS & MERCHANTS BANK I I 4 per ct. Paid Quarterly on Savings Accounts. Ehrhardt, S. C. M J jioiSI j 11 We don't claim to have the best g| 1 11 H Horses and Mules ever brought to M i this market in our stables at this _ - jj 5 time, for we have had some mighty ? | Ifl good ones heretofore, but we do w I I claim these to be just as good as any | | we have ever handled, and if you will Jj* | g ''rr^\ come and look we know we can H i ^ please you. See ours before buying ||| is all we ask. | | ! JONES BROS.. || BAMBERG, SOUTH CAROLINA^ || * * I I" Srtotpflqkes ... || J A few Snowflakes do not make any impression, but a ^ fi sufficient number of them will stop a locomotive. Your small change may seem unimportant to you, but if you .0* t I open a savings account here, and constantly add to the 2 S > * I amount, the accumulation will surprise you and prove fi a great help to you when WANT tries to run you down. 0:, 1 We' pay 4 per cent, on Savings Deposits. ?j PEOPLES BANK ----- Bamberg, S.C. || I (p=aO?=IOODO=E| I n Repaint Your Furniture n ? * - - - ?" > cnma of vniir fnrni- I I ^qfi Dm curt soineooay s.craicu, s*.?i ui uuug UJl? j ? ?? __ ture (luring that Xinas jollification? | | 9 ?Le = Mo = Lac" II I is a mighty good tonic for ailing furniture. Easy to apply and H | Q quick to dry. Try it for floors also, nothing better. Q DWe Iiave just received a nice assortment of Screen Doors andi m Windows, Flower Pots, Jardinieres, etc., and they are going at 11 Vfl Summer Prices. II We give S. & H. Green Trading Stamps for all cash purchases | I I and for all bills paid on or before the 10th of each montfi. | I H II J. A. HUNTER ' II J H THE HARDWARE MAX. BAMBERG. S. C. M ioaoox=io^=:iisl j