Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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MARK TWAIN A HI! How Samuel Clements, morist, And His Pal Exploring When one thinks of Hannibal, Mo., his mind reverts unconsciously to Mark Twain. The two are inseparable; and, although it is now an important and progressive city, Hannibal's chief claim to fame will be as the home of America's greatest humorist?as the place where he spent his boyhood and where he gathered > the materials for the two books so dear to the heart of every boy. And Hannibal is proud of the distinction. The commercial club is now making plans fcr the dedicatory exercises when the home of the author will be 1-J x ~ or?H nrocorvPfl presenceu 10 iuc i,j auu ?.. Not long ago it was said that the home of Mark Twain was to be torn down to make room for a modern apatment house. Hannibal was justly indignant. To prevent this deses cration George A. Mahan, a wealthy lawyer of Hannibal and a great admirer of Mark Twain, bought this house and gave it to the city. When Mark Twain's father moved to Hannibal from Florida, Mo., in 1839, it was already a corporate community and had an atmosphere of its own. It was a town with a distinctly Southern flavor ,and a somnolent, slave holding community, tranquilly content. It had its own aristocracy and was proud of it. The chief characteristic of the place was the natural beauty with which it was sur,, rounded. There were glens and cliffs ?? _*_ ij and islands with caves wmcn wouiu inspire the imagination of any boy of an adventurous nature. And with * the broad Mississippi in the foreground there was little to be desired in the way of setting. So it was into this community that Judge John Marshall Clemens moved his family November 13, 1839. He built a two-story house on Hill street, ? , said to be the first of its kind that the town could claim. And it is this same house, still fairly well preserved, that will be officially presented to the city of Hannibal with appropriate exercises. Young Clemens and his "gang" ranged from Holliday's Hill on the 1 . north to the now famous cave on the south, and over the fields and through all the woods about. They navigated the river from Turtle Island to Glasscock's Island (now Pearl, or Tom Sawyer's Island) and far below: they penetrated the wilderness of the Illinois shore. It is no wonder that o-mrx-ncr fhoco anrrmitidines the youth aui-uug buvuv MV.. . w ?? _ V formed a restless, roving spirit, and that many of his stories were merely of his experiences, assisted by the unlimited fund of humor and fertility > of imagination that have made the name of Mark Twain famous. The thrilling experience of Tom Sawyer, Becky Thatcher and Injun Joe in the cave is founded on fact, and the old cave is now the chief point of interest in Hannibal. Touritsts often go out to wander over the great cavern so graphically depicted in "Tom Sawyer," and some enterprising easterner has installed electric lights in it. At the time the incident described in "Tom Sawyer" took place the cave had been open to visitors only a few weeks, it having been closed by its owner, an eccentric phy? sician of St. Louis, once connected with the earliest medical college established in that city. For some unexplained reason he had the entrance to the cave closed. This proceeding naturally excited the curiosity of the whole community. All desired to know what mystery was concealed in these underground chambers. They would go out and gaze at the door in perplexity. One day a few more bold than the rest i tore down the massive door which blocked the entrance and explored the winding galleries. They were rewarded beyond their anticipation. A strange and uncanny object was found in the "coffin-shaped chamber," and many were the stories told nf n nni.r\co TT-i + Vl 1 r>Tl f Tllank CUC o V^J. CL yoc U Itu AX/MQ, ?-?? hair, which swung from chains in a metal coffin?the cavern's silent and only inhabitant. m These alluring stories were too much for the adventurous youngsters in the town. So one day Sam Clemens gathered them together and proposed that they explore the wonderful cave. All the members of the band agreed to the proposition and preparations were made for the jourJ) ney the next morning. The band met at the foot of Lovers' Leap. The party was composed of Samuel Clemens. John Briggs, Barney Farthing, John Meredith, Gulliver Brady, Frank and Tom Pitts and Robert Bodine. On their way to the cave the boys met Tom Blankenship, the origv inal Huckleberry Finn, who was fishing from the hurricane deck of a steamboat, and he was quickly in ND 3 FAMOUS GANG' ? America's Greatest Hu- t s Became Lost While c f A Cave. ' ?? a ! duced to join the party. When the boys gazed into the i mouth of the dark cavern many r I would have turned back had not : pride and fear of taunts from Clem- r ; ens and John Briggs prevented. So, l i with these two leading, the band en- e | tered the cave. For a short distance f I the descent was made through a | steep, high-arched way, then a silght I ; descending passage, which they tra' 3 a/5 mftntr mUnc. r : verseu IUI W licit SCCUICU mau; uinv^. ^ ' By the dim light of their tallow can- ? | dies they finally reached the "petrific 1 spring," where the young adventu! rers satisfied their thirst and bathed j their heated faces, a quaking, exi hausted group. After resting a few moments they started down the long passage in spite of the entreaties of some to | turn back. The passage grew narI rower until progress was difficult. ! Then Clemens, who was in the lead, | stopped abruptly. The band gather; ed around him, looking over his | shoulder in fear to see the weird mysj teries of which they had heard so ! much. One hurried glance was j enough. As the candles cast a flickI ering light into the gloom of the j vaultlike chamber they saw a coffin j swaying to and fro, suspended by ! chains from the ceiling, or it may have been that the wavering light ( produced the illusion. One boy cried out suddenly, and ? then the whole band retreated hasti- i ly. Stumbling over stones, falling i against the walls of the cave, they j ran on and on until they came to a ] spot where the passage divided into \ two similer galleries. They were un- ] decided as to which one to follow, but one was finally chosen and the i I band proceeded on its weary journey ] to find the "petrific spring." ? But they wandered on and on with- j out finding any trace of the spring, finally Samuel Clemens stopped and } told the rest of the band that they s were lost. The more timid ones then ( set up a wail of despair, their fear ( being intensified by the weird shad- ( ows cast on the wall by their flickering and almost consumed candles. E Their cries echoed down the cav- ( ernous passage until they died away 3 in the distant gloom. They had heard their parents tell many times 1 of the man who was lost in this cav- ( ern, wandering for days, until at last ( he died of starvation. They wander- ? ed aimlessly around until exhausted, ] when the entire party fell asleep. 1 Their candles all burned out while they slept, and when the first boy T pwnke. a crv of terror burst from his t I lips. The others immediately awoke, c the echoing cavern was filled with their cries. At last they heard the i welcome sound of voices, and the f light of a dozen torches appeared, / carried by a searching party. Weak ? from wandering and lack of food, } | they were carried out, after having c j been lost in the cave 3 0 hours. ? The mystery of the grewsome fig- ] ure in the cave was soon made j known. The physician who owned ( the cave had obtained a body from the medical college with which he ] j was connected, and had put it in the i J cavern to test the petrifactive quali- j j ties of the water, which had been c claimed for it. ? For many years those who had vis- \ ited the cave asserted that Mark ( Twain made a mistake when Tom i | and Becky were made to wander in ; an undiscovered portion of the cave \ ! where stalactites and stalagmites 3 ! abounded, for, they asserted it was f j a geological impossibility for crys- c ! tals to form in that kind of stone, i : But the theories of these scientists ? ; were disproved when another branch : of the cave was discovered in 1392, j the walls of which sparkled with crystals. t The cave was an enduring and sub- c stantial joy for all the boys in the c town. For young Clemens it had a $ i fascination that never fade'd. Other ? I localities and diversions might pall, ( ; but any mention of the cave found ^ i him eager for the three-mile walk c j that brought them to its mystic door. c ' iWth its long and tortuous passages,, t i its possibilities as the home of a gal- j ; lant outlaw band, it contained everyI thing that a romantic boy could de- r ! sire.?Kansas City Times. r 1 \ Rattlesnake's Bite Fatal. 1 Savannah, June 6.?Robert F. ' ! King, a wealthy lumberman of Dor- s | Chester, Ga., died to-day as the re- c : suit of the bite of a ratlesnake on his right ankle last night. The in- j jured man suffered no pain, and the q | swelling usually incident to snake c bites did not appear. His brother, g i Capt. A. F. King, who was with \ | him, slashed the wound with a pock- j x etknife and tried to suck out the j poisoned blood. c r - :? IOTEL GIRL WINS MILLIONAIRE. ^uits Job to Become a Mistress of j Large Fortune. New York, June 5.?Nan Corri;an, the pretty little brunette who < las been in charge of the news stand : it the Hotel Vanderbilt since it was >pened in January, was slipping ] omething off her finger Saturday ] vhen Douglas Brown, the hotel man- ] Lger, approached and ai5ked: "What have you got there, Nan?" j Miss Corrigan blushed then stamnered : . "Mr. Brown, I've got to quit to- j light." She added: "I'm going to )e married, Mr. Brown. This is my ( sngagement ring." She exhibited a ; our-carat diamond. "Whom are you to marry, Miss , sancy?" the hotel manager asked. ''Mr. Frank M. Bates," she re>iled. "I must leave you to-night tnd get ready for my wedding which vill take place Tuesday at Mr. Bates's lome in Attleboro, Mass." ~ ^ X IT - X/vl News uausess a aur at nuiei. That the little newsgirl was to narry Frank Bates, millionaire jewclery manufacturer, with factories in ithode Island and Massachusetts, occasioned much surprise about the lotel, although young Bates's atten;ions to Miss Nancy had been most conspicuous since the day the Vanlerbilt threw open its doors. Miss Borrigan is about 20, with jet black lair, big brown eyes, olive complexon and a petite graceful figure. Prior to going to the Vanderbilt, Vliss Corrigan had the newsstand at ;he Hotel Belmont. There a rich Buffalo widower fell desperately in ove and begged her to marry him. "But there's such a difference in >ur ages," she told him. One of the first persons to register it the Vanderbilt the day it opened vas Bates. He strolled over to the lewsstand to buy a book. So fascilated was he with the pretty girl belind the counter he came back every 'ew minutes and bought a book until -- ? ' a T -i. - J Miss Uorrigan s siock was aepieieu. Miss Corrigan had long hours. She eported for work at 6 a. m., went lome at noon, was back at her stand it 6 and remained on duty until midlight. The first night she started for her lome, No. 106 West Ninety-eighth itreet, two men were waiting to es:ort her. One was the Buffalo wid>wer, the other young Bates, who had >btained a formal introduction. "I will go with both of you," she ;aid. The two men glared at each )ther. Lroung Man Cuts Out the Older One. Then the rivals began to pay costy court to the little newsgirl. Flowers came daily. Also there were boxjs of sweets and other gifts. Graduilly the younger suitor forged ahead, fie proposed and was accepted. The nan from Buffalo left the hotel. A few days ago Bates brought his nother down from Attleboro and in;roduced her to the girl behind the jounter. "My son, you have selected wisey," said Mrs. Bates. Then plans for he wedding we-e set on foot. "Would you like to see my trous >eau?" laughed Miss Nancy at her lome last night. "I think it pretty." She brought forth a gray charmeuse ;atin gown, with slippers and hat to match. "Now don't you think it )retty?" she asked as she smoothed )ut the gown. "How did I happen to accept ^rank?" she continued. "Why, I oved him when he came to buy that irst book, and -it nearly drove me ;razy that 1 had no more books to >ell him that day. I was tempted to )uy them all back and let him begin )ver again. Nineteen Diamonds for Her Neck. "He's the nicest fellow. He's so )ig and strong and so unaffected. But *ou should see what he has given me or a wedding present." Out of a Irawer the girl drew a diamond neckase. The smallest of the nineteen itones in it is one karat and the largest, which is the clasp, weighs three :arats. ''Frank has given me an automo )ile, too," said Miss Nancy. "It's a landy. To-morrow morning at 7 ; >'clock Anna Beegan, who lives at No. ( !49 West One Hundred and Fifteenth j street, and I will start for Provi-' lence. She is a stenographer and i vill be my maid of honor. At Provi- < lence we will be met by my touring l :ar and we will motor over to Attle>oro. Frank has a jewelry factory n Providence, too. * < Tfil 1 Na tyi o rvi a r% in 4- d offor. YV C ? All mui 1 igu XJU. UJLVVA loon. Frank's cousin will be his best ' nan. All the members of his family ' vill be there." Miss Corrigan lives with her father < tnd mother and has been working 1 lince she loft school several years ' igo. , Joe Hagens, a negro convict serv- < ng on the chain gang, was caught un- 1 ler a falling tree in Dillon county m Tuesday and instantly killed. The : ,rang was engaged in clearing a way i 'or a bridge over Little Pee Dee ] iver. The graduating class at Winthrop 1 :ollege last week numbered 118. < - j" .... K ypviiz ;V "TRUE BILL" AGAINST BEACH. liken Grand Jury Acts in Sensational Case?Tried in Fall. e c Aiken, June 4.?The case of Fred- h arick 0. Beach, indicted here for as- g sault and battery with intent to kill, c which offence he is alleged to have r perpetrated upon his wife by cutting t her throat at their winter home here v last February, was given by Solicitor c R. L. Gunter into the hands of the v grand jury at 12:10 o'clock to-day. ' M. S. Baughn, the Atlanta special ? agent whose work culminated in the * issuance of a warrant for the promi- * nent member of New York's "400,' t did not arrive in the city in time to 1 appear before the grand jury, but the T negro laundress, Pearl Hampton, also H. H. Howard, H. E. Gyles, A. K. Lorenz, H. A. Busch, Dr. Hastings Wyman, Jr., Dr. Marion H. Wyman and S. E. Holly were sent before that body for examination. Owing to the absence of Special Agent Baughn, Solicitor Gunter instructed the grand jury that if they could not, on the evidence which they would have placed before them, find a true bill, they should return the bill "unreported," but after examining witnesses for something over four hours they returned at 4:25 p. m. a true bill against Frederick O. Beach for assault and battery with intent to kill. The case will be tried at the fall term of court. The charges against Beach resulted from a mysterious attack on Mrs. ? - " * - ? *- - * Ol Beach on tne nignt 01 rcuruury last, in which her throat was slashed with a knife. ] At the time of the alleged assault , it was stated that Mrs. Beach was attacked by an unknown negro, who had come to the Beach home with a note for a servant. Rewards were offered for the apprehension of the 1 supposed negro assailant. Investiga- ] tion by local authorities resulted in 1 the issuance of a warrant for the arrest of Mr. Beach. At the time the : warrant was issued Mr. and Mrs. 1 Beach were in Europe, but bonds for his appearance were given by friends here. Death in Gasoline. In the United States the igniting of the vapor of gasoline burns to death more than twenty persons every week and dangerously burns more than sixty. No hour passes without a house being set afire by a gasoline explosion. Gasoline, the lightest and most dangerous fluid derived from petroleum, continually gives off vapor that makes an explosive of the air with which it mixes. A canful of air or a roomful of air which mixes in it as much as onetwelfth of the vapor of gasoline, is more dangerous than a canful or roomful of gunpowder. Air with mnnh r?r more gasoline vaDor in IJ vuut 1X1 uvu v? 0 _ it explodes harder and makes a hot- I ter blaze than gunpowder. j Gunpowder will stay where it is put and can be seen. Gasoline vapor, being a little heavier than air, falls to the floor and cannot be seen. If a panful of gasoline is left in a closed room for a few hours the house is blown to pieces as soon as a match is struck in the room or if a flying spark enters it. When vapor on the floor spreads until it gets under a gas jet or lamp or stoye, it is then drawn up by the current of air made by the heat of the blaze and there is an explosion. All other ignitable gases being lighter than air rise and are borne away on the winds. One who uses gasoline for any purpose in a room in which there is a candle, lamp, fire or spark of fire of any sort is likely to be badly" burned. A lighted cigar or pipe carried into a room in which it is being used will explode the air. The ghostlike vapor will hunt for something to ignite it. A beautiful girl of fifteen cleaned her long kid gloves on a porch and had them on her hands drying. Her | brother, as he left the house, struck a match to light a cigar. In the explosion which followed one of her arms was so deeply burned that she can never straighten it and her face is disfigured for life. A man who had a pipe in his mouth while pouring gasoline from one can to another was badly burned by an explosion. Hookworm Cases in Colleton. Walterboro June 6.?Dr. F. M. Routh has completed the treatment of hookworm disease in Colleton ,2 county. Dr. Routh has met with ?reat success in his work in the county and states that Colleton has re- r sponded better than any county in j3 which he has worked so far. Two \ thousand, six hundred and fifty-eight t :ases have been treated in the coun- I ty as follows: First treatment, 2,141; second, 721; third, 296; fourth, 29; fifth, 5. Dr. Routh found that _ the percentage of infection in Colleton county was 80 per cent. s Dr. Routh spent two days at Lodge ^ this week, where he treated 140 p :ases. t Lyon Not Surprised. "I expected no other result; I nevr expect a Richland county jury to onvict after the experience I have tad, no matter what the proof of ;uilt of defrauding the State in the lispensary matters," was the comnent by Attorney General Lyon on he "graft" case results. In other rords the attorney general is of the pinion that Richland county juries rill simply not convict any one of 'graft" no matter how strong the state's case or how overwhelming he proof of guilt might be. He 1 eels that he has done his duty in he dispensary cases and that the najority of the people of the State vill so judge. The verdict of acquittal in the 'label" case saw the end of the so:alled "graft" cases, for, although ;here are a few indictments pending igainst former dispensary officials, ffiere will be no more trials. The prosecutions are practically all over. Attorney General J. Fraser Lyon :eels that in the face of overwhelm ng odds and oostacies ne nas maae ;ood his promises to the people, when iie was elected attorney general in L906, and did his best to bring to judgment those officials who were suspected of being guilty of betraying their trust in connection with the aid State dispensary. His course has time and again been approved by the people of the State, who have reflected him twice by overwhelming majorities. He is again a candidate for re-election to the office of attorney general and is confident that the people will show the approval of his :ourse by again re-electing him. He is confident of the result. , Didn't Trust Him. The day before she was married the old negro servant came to her mistress and intrusted her savings to tier keeping. "Why should I keep it? I thought you were going to get maried?" said the mistress. "So I is, missus; but do you s'pose t'd keep all dis money in the house wid that strange nigger?" H. M. GRAHAM Attorney-at-Law Will practice in the United States and State Courts in any County In the State. BAMBERG, S. C. IF YOU WANT A POLICY OnJfourJJfe IN ONE OF THE MOST LIBERAL AND LARGEST DIVIDEND DECLARING INSURANCE (COMPANIES IN AMERICA, WRITE OR CALL ON Isaac M. Loryea I Bamberg, S. C. Sj 5 Bamberg Herald. ? I NOTICE TO I THE PUBLIC \^\ hen in need of Farming Implements such as Corn Drills, Stalk Cutters, Disc Barrows, Grain Binders, Mowers and Bakes, Gasoline Engines, J. I. Case Boad Machinery, r I and a ' . _ . General Repair Shop see D. J. DELK BAMBERG, S. C. I l,??????? j FARMERS' UNION MEETINGS. 1 The local Bamberg Farmers' Union 1 neets at the court house in Bamberg ] >n the first and third Friday morn- '' ngs in every month. Meeting at ] .1 o'clock. Applications for mem- I ership received at every meeting. ; "* "11 A??Koro Via nrocont 4 JCl ail LUCUIUWXO KTK, y* V^v-v. J. W. STEWART, 1 . P. O'QUINN, President. J Secretary. j NOTICE?Summer clothing, blue J erge $12.50, all wool, mohair $12.50 1 ip; wash suits $4.00; linen dusters j 1.25 up. All kind of summer wash iants $1.00 up. F. G. MERTINS, he tailor and clothier, Augusta, Ga. THE LADY IS NEVER AFRAID when she is riding in a carriage from Bamberg's repository. That is, she needn't be. For our carriages, light and graceful as they are, are as strong as carriages can be made. Better get one to hitch to that lively horse of yours. He cannot break it no matter what tricks he plays. HORSES AND MULES. i G. FRANK BAMBERG. Bamberg, S. C. DR. J. G. BOOZER 11 DENTIST, DENMARK. Graduate Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, Class 1907. Member South Carolina Dental Association. Office Rooms 1-2 Citizens Exchange Bank Building. Hours: 9-12 and 2-5 every day. s 'M J. F. Carter B. D. Carter CARTES & CARTER || Attorneys-at-Law BAMBERG, S. C. Special attention given to settlement of estates and investigation of land titles. I G. MOTE DICKENSON 1 INSURANCE AGENT WILL WRITE ANYTHING Fire, Tornado, Accident, Lia- M bility, Casualty, in the strongest and most reliable companies. 'Phone No. 10-B. Bamberg, S. C. S. G. MAYFIELD. W. E. FREE. MAYFIELD & FREE Attorneys-at-Law .J BAMBERG, S. C. Practice in all the Courts, both i State and Federal. Corporation practice and the winding np of estates a specialty. Business entrust- | ted to us will be promptly attended | H PORTABLE AND STATIONARY ^ Engines AND BOILERS Saw, Lath and Shingle Mills, Injectors, Pumps and Fittings, Wood Saws, Splitters, Shafts, Pulleys, Belting, Gasoline Engines LAROESTOCK LOMBARD vj|j Foundry, Machine, Boiler Works, Supply Store. ArrnrrcTA ax iX VXA VKi.Jk? , I W. P. RILEY ]; | Fire, Life |> |3| | Accident !; ~ | INSURANCE i: ? BAMBERG, S. C. <> / ,1 Delays Are Dangerous I represent the Mutual Life Insurance Co., of New York, one of the || strongest old line companies in existence. Let me show you our many attractive policy contracts. I also represent the Standard Live Stock Insurance Co., of Indianapolis. This is a strong company. Insure your horses and cattle. / W. MAX WALKER | EHRHARDT, S. C. HAD SEVERE HEAD- i ACHE SEVEN YEARS 1 I have been subject to severe headaches for about seven years. My bead would ache so badly at times that I could scarcely stand it. Doctors seemed to be unable to give me relief, though I tried several of them, and took many kinds of headache medicines and tablets. About a x, ? T mourn or SIX weens agu x urcu Hunt's Lightning Oil, which gave me almost instant relief, and I am glad to say that I have been entirely free from those dreadful headaches since. From my own experience I can say that Hunt's Lightning Oil is without 'fM an equal as a reliever of pain, and I Dnly wish that I had used it several rears ago.?Mrs. W. T. Dixon, SherSold by Peoples Drug Co., Bamberg, S. C.