Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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H THRILLING BATTLE IN GRAIN PH U. S. Soldiers Surprised Whil 15 on Foraging Expedition. I A CLOSE CALL I' FOR TWO MEf Matabele Tried Smok ing Them Out of Ration Pit. I ?** ' m It was a couple of days after ou first fight with the Matabele on Nc vember 4, 1893, at the Inguesl rivei that a small party of Raaf's Hors were out foraging. Rations were very scarce with ou column, which was under comman | ^ of Major Gould Adams, so we used t | thoroughly search the Matabele kra als to get supplies of grain. In thos days the natives were in the habit o storing grain in enormous pits unde their cattle kraals, the entrance be ing through a narrow shaft abou three feet deep. You dropped dowj i through that and found yourself ii a vast cavern full of grain. At th sides there would be big straw bask -ets, or big clay tubs, in which w usually found nuts and beans. Txrv.rt-n T fifof c.t m-ielr nrtp nf t.hfiSi UCI1 i UXOl WVA r*.t underground granaries it seemed t me like a kind of Ali Baba's cave There was very little fun about ex - ploring it, though. It was all soli< f hard work. Our method was to sen* down our thinnest man. He woul* make a sack of his shirt, and so sen* up the grain through the shaft. Un happily for me, I was usually select er for this task, as there was ver-: little spare flesh- about me at tha time. The grain gave out a kind o heat, and as one worked at full pres sure it was most fatiguing. One day our party had struck ; large kraal, and after carefully goin? through the huts for any stray Mat abele we proceeded to the cattl* closure. Here I shed my tunic am rifle and dropped through into th< pit. A couple of fellows were postet 1a short distance off to keep watch the remainder being at the mouth o the pit busy filling the nosebags wit] the grain I sent up. I had been at work for about i quarter of an hour, and was thinkini it time I had a rest, when all of i sudden bang! bang! went the rifles and I could hear the Matabele yelling 'fStay where you are; the nigger arej right on us!" some one shoutei - * J ,k * down to me, and then off they went leaving me alone. Above I could hea a terrific racket?shots, yells and th pattering of feet. As there was nothing to be done and I could not get out of the cav without assistance, I promptly retir ed to the farthest corner and cuddlei up behind one of the grain baskets i; j v case of trouble, for I had not even ; knife on me. n * By the amount of yelling going oi the Matabele seemed in force, and began to wonder how things woul< pan out, and whether our men woul< rvrwmnoiiofi tr> rptirft. I knew the VC V/Vlii VV* w - W? ? - ? , would return sooner or later, bu there seemed a chance that the inter val might prove rather more excitin than I wanted. After a while, as I sat there, listen ing intently, I heard the Matabeie a the mouth of the pit. Fortunately i was only light just under the en trance, the rest of the cave being i: i deep shadow. Unless a very thor ough search was made, therefore, should not be noticed, i % Suddenly, plunk! down dropped Matabeie into the grain pit. I crouch ed back, hardly daring to breathe, fo what might happen if he discovered me was not pleasant to contemplate From where I was hidden I coul plainly see him?ra stalwart youn warrior?but what I observed par ticularly was the tfact that he had couple of most business-like asse gais, while I had no weapon at all. T'V.r-. T o to 1 nil o InnCiiSP'o it nlmOS -A. 11C Jiawuwviv . * identical with the Zulu, and I \va therefore able to understand whenth intruder shouted up to his people tha there was no one in the pit. He the: called to them to reach down an pull him out but they told him t ^ send them up some nuts first. Sulkily he made for one of th baskets near him, and was soon bus at the very game I had been occupie at. I was now feeling much mor at ease, as I reckoned that my unwe: come visitor would soon leave. Presently, however, I heard a yel | ; from the niggers on top. "Amikawa! (the white men,) they shouted, and could hear the thud of their feet as they rushed off. The young warrior r startled, made a leap for the shaft but there was no one to help him up for all his friends had bolted. As h was struggling hard to try and climt out J rushed and got him round th g waist. My word, didn't he yell! Evidently he thought the spirits had got hold of him. 1 soon found I had caught a Tartar, for the beggar managed to get an aim clear and jabbed me down the ba^k with one of his assegais. We rolled over and over and at last I got him by the throal T and started to cliokc him into insen sibility, though ne sun .siruggiet furiously. "Hurry up, Haigh," came the cry in a familiar voice. "The niggers arc - here in hundreds, and there's not a moment to spare.' "Help!" I shouted. "I've got a fellow down here, and if I let go he'll stab me." With that, down through the hole dropped my chum, O'Leary, In an instant he had sized up the situation, and gave the Matabele a crack r over the head with the butt end o! i- his Martini, which effectively quieted . him. "We've got no time to waste," he 0 said, "Kneel down, so that I car reach the top with my hands, then I'll r be able to pull you out." d I bent down, he got on my back o and shouldered himself up through - the shaft. A second later he came e down again like a shot. f "Good heavens!" he cried. "The r brutes are back again, and they spott ted me!" t We were now in quite a fix. 1 a learned from O'Leary that he had a come back for me alone, the rest have ing gone on as hard as they could to - bring up Raaf, so as to attack the e Matabele in force. O'Leary had his rifle and about 30 rounds of ammunie tion, also a revolver and a few carto ridges. The revolver he handed to (. me. We then retired to my corner - and listened. 3 There was a hot argument going 3 on at the mouth of the pit, but no 3 one ventured down. All the better 3 for us, we thought, for every moment - meant that help was getting nearer. Presently we heard a shout, and y soon learned what it meant. Down t the shaft came a bundle of lighted f thacht, then another and another. In - half a minute the smoke was blinding. a O'Leary kept his head well. ? "Put that stuff out," he gasped. - "Throw grain on it. Get it out somee how or we're done for. 1 For the next few minutes we work3 ed like fury, but the Matabele gave 1 us no rest, throwing down more and , more grass till the place was aglow f with fire and thick with pungent i smoke. "Look here" yelled O'Leary. "We a have got to plug that hole. Where's ? that blessed nigger?" a Turning round, he snatched at the >, unconscious man's shoulders, bade me catch hold, and by main force, s we heaved the warrior up the shaft. 3 He had only been stunned, and I :, could feel him kick feebly as we r lifted him. Suddenly we felt the e native's weight taken off our arms. He began to go up the shaft. "Hang on to his leg," shouted e O'Leary. "They're trying to hoist him out." d I hung on with all my strength, but q I could still feel him going up. There a must have been quite a lot of Matabele pulling at him. a "Bend his leg over, or they'll have 1 him out," snapped O'Leary. d I pulled one way, O'Leary the othd er, but it was a mighty hard job to y keep our human "cork" in position, t The unfortunate negro had by this - time recovered his senses and was g shouting his opinion of the proceedings in no uncertain voice, kicking and struggling like a madman, sc t that it was all we could do to keep t our hold on him. i- Failing to achieve their object by n main strength, the Matabele up above - now tried another plan, and incidentI ally showed us what little value they attached to human life, even that of a their own Kitn ana Kin. cringing up i- a musket, they shoved it down alongr side the poor wretch in the shaft and d pulled the trigger, no doubt hoping !. to hit one of us. In the confined d space the report sounded like thunder g but beyond scattering the grain like - a charge of shrapnel, the bullet did a us no damage. I believe, however, ?- that it passed clean through the Matabele in the shaft, for they let go of ,t him, and we felt his body sag limply, s but we managed to keep him in poe sition. :i "Work round to my side," said n O'Leary. "I think we've got 'em d beat." 0 j As he spoke, down came some i pieces of thatch, and more still, and e | then pieces of burning grass dropped v past the figure in the shaft. It was d j his life or ours, however,, so we just e j held 011 grimly, though our arms 1 I ; ? a m-ao Ulirirlzifl l- W ^ I't* clClllUg anu w u. i wiiuuvo with smoke. 11 After a while the fire ceased, and " suddenly the place was in darkness. I "What's up now?" said O'Leary, ir 5 surprise. "Pull down our cork." We hauled the warrior down, and 9 he dropped limply on the floor?stone dead, killed by his own comrades. O'Leary took one glance at the 5 corpse, then he stepped to the shaft, now dark as night. ; "See," he said, "they've covered us up, and I'm going to investigate. Get me one of those assegais." Groping around, I found one and I handed it to him. O'Leary then stood - on my shoulder, and using the spear I blade, managed to slightly prize up 5 the flat stone which covered the top , of the pit. "Yes," he said, calmly, "they're putting more thatch on, and are going I to try to roast us. But they'll defeat themselves. All that stuff on the . top is bone-dry, and when it's well ' alight they won't be able to get near." i He paused, then added, in a different voice, "I don't know whether we shall roast, but anyway, youngster, you're I going to taste hades for a while." i With that he jumped down, leav ing the assegai in position under the stone, and we took it in turns to get ; a small breath of air by prising it up. "There she goes," said O'Leary, I suddenly, and I heard a dull roar as the pile of thatch over the pit-mouth ! caught fire. We promptly retreated 1 to the end of the cave and lay down. ! It had been hot enough in the place before, but now it got hotter than ; ever. I felt sick and miserable, and ! also decidedly scared. I had no hope ! of getting out alive, and saw nothing before me but a dreadful death. The ! temperature was rising momentarily. Every breath hurt my lungs, and the roaring of the fire, to my excited fancy, seemed to be getting louder ^ and louder. I suppose I must have said something which showed my ' state of mind, for the iron-nerved ! O'Leary soon brought me to my sen1 ses. i "Don't be an ass," he growled. "This will soon be off. and the smoke ? of the fire will bring our fellows back double quick." Presently it seemed to us that the : place was a little cooler, and my 1 companion moved closer to the mouth of the pit. "Come along," he said. "The grass has all burnt, I think, and I'm going to shift this rock." Levering on the spear, he managed to shift the stone somewhat, and a little light and air filtered down to us, but the heat and smell were still fearful. Not a sound could we hear of the Matabele; they seemed to have cleared off temporarily. Taking courage from this fact, , O'Leary made a big effort and shifted the stone right off. He then dropped down, and gave me a lift up. I got a glorious breath of air, but had my hair all singed, for the stuff at the mouth of the pit was still burning. Just then we heard shots on every side, and soon, to our intense delight, 1 our fellows were back at the krall, having driven the natives off. O'Leary got his head out and shouted, ! and we were quickly hauled out. We got somewhat scorched in the process, but it was a trifle to what we had gone through. They gave us ! water, and didn't I drink! I could ! have emptied a river' I expected a little sympathy, after our narrow escape, but all I got for my pains was ^ a horrible ragging from my captain ' for losing my rfle. The plucky O'Leary later became a ; sergeant major in the Matabele mounted police, and was the first M. M. P., to be killed in the '9 6 rebellion. I saw the poor fellow's grave at the Bembesi river, on my way back from our fight at Thabas Amamba, in July, 1S96.?Wide World Ma1 gazine. 1 They Chew Cordite. One of the troubles of most Euro; pean armies is that those soldiers > who can get hold of it insist on using .L ;li. 1 ?- - ,3; + ^ I inai lernuie e.\pii>si ve uuiuuc a.? n it were a sort of chewing gum. Its popularity is due to the fact ; that when chewed in small quantities it has a stimulating and exhilarating effect, like small doses of alcohol. ' Its taste, too, is sweet, cordite being i three-fifths nitroglycerine, an ex plosive which is sugary to the taste. [ When chewed in large quantities ; cordite becomes more powerful in its [ effects, bringing on a blissful state of ecstasy, and sometimes making ; the victim of the habit ^ee visions. [ But the real danger of the habit lies , in the fact that though nitro-glycer ine will only explode when given a : very hard blow or touched by anelec, trie spark, there is always a possi bility that the grinding of exceptionally hard teeth might provide the I necessary hard blow. Within the i last few years, at least three soldiers I ?two German and one Austrian? j I have been blown to bits, the use of 11 cordite as a chewing gum being the 1 suspected cause.?Philadelphia Led ger. 15ody of Poet Cremated. 1 London, June 5.?The body of Alfred Austin, the late poet laureate, I who died on Monday, was cremated . at Golders' Green today without any i ceremony. POLICE SEEK MRS. GRACE. Requested to Leave Hotel.?Couple Exposed by Woman Detective. Westchester, Pa.?Mrs. Daisy Ulrich Opie Grace, who was acquitted several months ago at Atlanta, Ga., after being tried for shooting her husband, is a fugitive from justice, following a warrant issued by Justice of the Peace S. M. Paxton. Charles H. Oldham, manager of the Chester Valley Electric Light company, also is a fugitive from justice on a similar warrant. Both war rants charge statutory offenses and are based upon alleged actions of Mrs. Grace and Oldham at the Swan hotel at Downingtown, where, it is charged, they lived as "Mr. and Mrs. Oldham" for several months until last Tuesday, when the proprietor of the hotel requested "Mr. and Mrs. Oldham" to vacate their apartments. The warrant calling for the arrest of the couple were made at the instance of Mrs. Ida Plummer, who followed Mrs. Grace to Downingtown and became very friendly with her. After Mrs. Plummer had obtained all the information she desired she told the hotel proprietor that "Mrs. Oldham" and Daisy Ulrich Opie Grace were the same. Following her revelations Mrs. Plummer came here and was closeted for several hours with District Attorney Sproat and County Detective Jefferies. The conference ended in | the issuance of the warrants for the arrest of the couple. Mrs. Plummer told the district attorney that she represented the Mothers' Congress and that she was interested in the case, as she sought to prevent Mrs. Grace getting a divorce from the husband, who is a helpless cripple as a result of the revolver shot which Mrs. Grace was accused of firing. She gave as her reason that if Mrs. Grace obtains the divorce she seeks she can gain possession of her 8-year old blind boy by her first husband, who is an inmate in an Overbrook institution. Other persons declare that Mrs. Plummer is a detective in the employ of Grace, who is seeking a divorce in the Georgia courts, and that she is a personal friend of Grace. Pistol Bullets in Temple. Paducah, Ky., June 8.?Sol H." Dreyfus, wholesale distiller, was found dead in his office here to-day with two bullet holes in his temple. The family attributed death to an accident and the coroner's verdict was non-committal. jDreyfus was reported recently to have suffered financial I reverses. Lots of farmers declar is worth more than it cos known farmer living n writes: "I had occasion to < hours after my telephor your exchange. My mc fell down the door steps I called the doctor. He i I could have gone to hi automobile. "We would not be w more than it costs and a you rendered us." Our free booklet tells phone service on your fai for it today. A postal wi FARMERS' LINE SOUTHERN BELL T1 AND TELEGRAPH < S. PRYOR STREET QUININE ANDIRON-THE MOST EFFECTUAL GENERAL TONIC Grove's Tasteless chill Tonic Combines both in Tasteless form. The Quinine drives out Malaria and the Iron builds up the System. For Adults and Children. You know what you are taking when you take GROVE'S TASTELESS chill TONIC, recognized for 30 years throughout the South as the standard Malaria, "" " T? - A unm ana rever is.emcuy auu Strengthening Tonic. It is as strong as the strongest bitter tonic, but you do not taste the bitter because the ingredients do not dissolve in the mouth but do dissolve readily in the acids of the stomach. Guaranteed by your Druggist. We mean it. 50c. There is Only One "BROMO QUININE' Look for signature of E. W. GROVE on e^ JACK JOHNSON SENTENCED. Given One Year and $1,000 Fine for o | Violating Mann Act. ^ 11 Chicago, June 4.?Jack Johnson, negro heavyweight champion, to-day a was sentenced to one year and one day in the State penitentiary at Jo- ? liet, and fined $1,000 for violation of the Mann "White Slave" Act. Sentence was pronounced on John son after Federal Judge Carpenter had denied a motion for a new trial. Johnson obtained two weeks time in which to prepare a writ of error and the bond for $30,000, on which he has been at liberty since his conviction, was allowed to stand. Half a dozen deputy United States marshals, who had grouped themselves about Johnson in anticipation of resistance when the prison sentence was given, left the room when Judge Carpenter announced that the fighter would continue temporarily at liberty. ? v The sentence to the State peniten- | tiary is the result of a recent order I from Washington that all persons I convicted in the Federal Court in | this district should be sent to the I State prison owing to the crowded I condition of the Federal prison at Leavenworth. Johnson left the Court room declaring he would not j give up his fight for liberty. i "It has been hard to determine ! what punishment should be meted out ip this case," said Judge Carpen-, ter in passing sentence. "We have had many cases where violations of F the Mann Act have been punished with a fine only. We have had other cases where defendants have been sentenced to one or two years in the penitentiary. "The circumstances in this case have been aggravating. The life of ^ the defendant, by his own admissions has not been a moral one. The defendant is one of the best known men of his rac.e and his example has ? been far reaching." I ' "The sentence shall 1oe that the de- * fendant shall be confined a year and a day in the Joliet penitentiary and [that he shall be fined $1,000." The Court denied a request of counsel for Johnson that the negro be allowed to serve the term in the city bridewell, instead of the State's " prison. Johnson was convicted May 10 of having paid for the transportation of Belle Schreiber from Pittsburg to si Chicago. ^ is Jumped to Certain Death. a New York, June 5.?Dr. Stephen jj O. Stork, a dentist, 35 years old, was u killed early today by falling or jump- b ing from the eight floor of an apartment house on West 58th street. >rth More an it Costs" l t t e their telephone service j ts. J. W. Harris, a well- j ear Choccolocco, Ala., t :all our doctor not two i le was connected with J >ther, who is very old. ? ; and broke her arm, and < vas at my house before s residence, as he has an < ithout our telephone for ppreciare tne assistance how you may have telerm at small cost. Write ; ill do. f * i DEPARTMENT sLEPHONE ' COMPANY SAP ATLANTA, GA. ^%gpF RELIEVES PAIN AID HEALS AT THE SAME TIME | S3 The "Wonderful, Old Reliable Dr. Porter's Antiseptic Healing Oil. An Antiseptic ~ Surgical Dressing discovered by an j HM R R . Siircr^nn. Prevents Blood 3 N/4W *\?*\? ?? _ Poisoning, Thousands of families know it already, and a trial will convince you that DR. PORTER'S ANTISEPTIC HEALING OIL is the most wonderful remedy ever i discovered for Wounds, Burns, Old Sores, I Ulcers, Carbuncles, Granulated Eye Lids, Sore Throat, Skin or Scalp Diseases and all wounds and external diseases whether slight or serious. Continually people are finding new uses for this famous old remedy. Guaranteed by your Druggist We mean it. 25c, 50c, $1.00 ' That is LAXATIVE BROMO QUININE srery box. Cures a Cold in One Day. 25c. -.J i'-TTaaaapi LODGE MEETING. Bamberg, Lodge, No. 38, Knights f Pythias meets first and fourth [onday nights at 7:30 p. m. Visitig brethren cordially invited. GEO. F. HAIR, Chancellor Commander. . M. DENBOW, Keeper of Records and Seal. ________ ?? J. F. Carter B. D. Carter CARTES & CARTER ; f. Attorneys-at-Law BAMBERG, S. C. Special attention given to settlement of estates and investi, gation of land titles. - A FRANCIS F. CARROLL v?5 Attorney-at-Law Office in Hoffman Building GENERAL PRACTICE. BAMBERG, S. O. H PORTABLE AND STATIONARY Engines AND BOILERS | Saw, Lath and Shingle Mills, Injectors, Pumps and Fittings,- Wood 3aws, Splitters, Shafts, Pulleys, . Belting, Gasoline Engines VRGESTOCK LOMBARD AM oundry, Machine, Boiler Works, apply Store. AUGUSTA. GA. GRAHAM & BLACK Attorneys-at-Law -'ill practice ill the United States and State Courts in any County in the State. BAMBERG. S. C. :IRE INSURANCE fjj Old Line Companies i| J. F. FOLK, Agt. y|| BAMBERG, S. C. V > I Delays Are Dangerous J I represent the Mutual Life Inirance Co., of New York, one of the trongest old line companies in ex- , itence. Let me show you our many (tractive policy contracts. I also epresent the Standard Live Stock nsurance Co., of Indianapolis. This j a strong company. Insure your orses and cattle. W. MAX WALKER Pli ^ EHRHARDT, S. C. G. MA X FIELD. W. E. FREE. MAYFIELD & FREE | Attorneys-at-Law BAMBERG, S. C. \'1|H Practice in all the Courts, both tate and Federal. Corporation ractice and the winding up of esates a specialty. Business entrusted to us will be promptly attended f WLEY'*& COPELAND | Successors to W. P. Riley. * ; Fire, Life | ; Accident : INSURANCE Office in J. D. Copeland's Store <> o BAMBERG, S. C. < ?aJ Cavit improvtu oaw nuiio. 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