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e * / ehhehhss ?ft? li^tuulirm iferuiii "will be corrected this week. Forward ^ TVT ^ Z^P 1 ^ ^ your subscription at once. " " ? ? ' $2.00 Per Year in Advance BAMBERG, S. C., THURSDAY, MARCH 17,1921. Established in 1891 THE NEW ACT FOR VETERANSTENSIONS NOW IX CHARGE OF HONOR BOARD. / / Old Law Changed Last Legislature Changed Law in Regard to Pensions?$600,000 Appropriated. Comptroller General Duncan is alJ ? 1-^+V>/-v 1 0 01 nancinno ! rectus V? L?1 n-iJLlg VU. tiiC pgu^iuuu i for Confederate veterans and as | usual much interest is being taken in the progress of the work. The general assembly at the last session passed an entirely new act in reference to the payment of pensions 'which act is being commented upon widely. The bill changing the pension law was introduced by Senator Hart and it was due largely to his efforts that it went through, without any trouble. Below is the complete act -as passed by the 1921 assembly: "Section 1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of the state of South Carolina: That there shall be, and there is hereby, created an honor roll of the Confederate soldiers, sailors and others who, in the state mil-1 itia, performed actual services ia me Confederate states army or navy, who \ did not desert the service of this -state or the Confederate states, who are residents of this state, and the widows of such as are residents of this state. "Sec. 2. That said honor roll shall consist of all soldiers, sailors, militiamen and widows of suck soldiers or sailors who were married prior to the age of 50 years and were on . the pension roll of the state prior to 1919, including inmates of the * Confederate home, and also enrolled during 1919, and such as may hereafter enroll under this act. "Sec. 3. The necessary expenses of administering the provisions of this act shall he paid out of the amount appropriated for pensions: Provided, In the event of the death of . a soldier, sailor, or militiaman the amount which would have been paid to him shall be, for that year only, paid to "his widow or the party defraying the funeral expenses of the said deceased pensioner. "Sec. 4. All applications for enrollment from year to year shall be mnAci tho hnard of honor in the ixiauu i>u buu ? ? -county in which applicant resides. "Sec. 5. The board of honor in each of the several counties of the state shall consist of three Confederate veterans, and for two years from January 1, 1920; the several county pension boards as now constituted shall constitute the county boards of honor. The term of office, of such county board of honor shall be two years and such honor board shall be elected at a called meeting of the veterans, to be held at the county seat of the respective counties, said meeting to be in January, and to be held once in every two years, and vacancies in the board to be filled in the same manner at a meeting to be called by the chairman of the board. That the names and addresses of the members of such boards so elected shall be communicated to the comptroller general of the state not later than November 1 of the year of election and prior to commencement of their terms of service. Such county boards shall report to the comptroller general of the state, between January 1 and January 15 of each year, all deaths occurrirfg among those on the roll since the preceding Jan ? * . j - upry 1 that come to tneir Knowledge, and also all enrollments made since the preceding January 1. The decision of such county hoard of honor in granting or refusing enrollment shall he final. The members of the county board of honor shall eaoh be paid $2 per day for not more than ten days in each year and be reimbursed for all necessary and proper postage and advertising, and ten cents per mile for each mile actually traveled in the discharge of their duties. The judge of probate in each county shall be the clerk of the board of honor in this county, and he shall disburse all amounts sent to him by the comptroller general for those on said roll, f jr the county hoard or otherwise, and he shall receive for his service 25 cents fov each enrollment and 25 cents for each disbursement under this acr He shall keep a complete list of all enrolled, the amount paid or payable to each, and a receipt from the pensioner for all such payments. In the event of the -death of one enrolled, and there ? j YOUNG FARMER IS KILLED. Shooting Accidental, Accused Man Claims. Orangeburg, March 11.?Wednesday night, at the home of J. A. Jeffcoat, in the northeastern section of this county about five miles from Orangeburg and about five miles from North, J. A. Jeffcoat, a farmer, shot and killed Estes Cook, it is alleged. Jeffcoat is about forty-five i years old, while Cook was twentytwo years of age. From information received in this city it seems that Cook and several other friends of Jeffcoat went to Jeffcoat's house for supper. During the night several of the party went out into a field near Jeffcoat's house and about that time some one t.ook the headlight of the automobile and threw it out in the section of the field where Cook and several others had gone. Jeffcoat is said to have shot in that direction to scare those in the field, with no intention at all of hitting any one, and Jeffcoat claims the shooting was purely accidental. All the parties are white and well-to-do farmers in that section of tha? county. This (Thursday) afternoon Jeffcoat was brought to Orangeburg by Rural Policeman E. M. Inabinet and turned over to Sheriff Dukes. The Worse Half. Mrs. Gush: "Too had about your poor husband having his arm broken in your motor accident yesterday. So sorry." Mrs. Swagger: "Oh, thank you, but that wasn't the worse; my new hat was simply ruined."?Exchange. being no widow to receive decedent's allotment, he shall ^ay same to the one paying his funeral expenses, and likewise in the case of the death of a widow. "Sec. 6. That any soldier o: sa:lnr, a bo->a fide resident of the state for two years, who se/ved in the Ccr.feaeiate states army or nary, or who in the state militia performed actual service, and who did not desert the service of the state of South Carolina or of the Confederate states, or the widow of such soldier, shall be entitled to enrollment, wno was living with him as his faithful wife at the time of his death. As soon as practicable after the appropriation has been made eacn year by the g^n?ral assembly, the comptroller general of the state shall apportion to each county a pension fund in proportion as the number of white pensioners !n such county bears tc the total number of pensioners in the entire state, then it shall be the duty of the several county pension boards to clas sifv all pensioners in their respective counties into such classes as the re^ spective county boards may deem best without regard to financial ability, and fix the amount the various pensioners in each class shall receive. All pensioners, as soon as they ar rive at the age of 80 years, shall be elevated to Class A. The comptroller general shall forward the amount apportioned for each county to the probate judge of such county for distribution. When any Confederate veteran whose widow shall be entitled * to a pension shall die, it shall be sufficient for such widow to prove her relationship and was living with him as his faithful wife at the time of hs death in order to entitle her to a pension as the widow of such veteran: Provided, That any pensioner entering the Confederate home shall be limited to $50. "Sec. 7. The secretary of the historical commission is hereby required to give full information as to the services in the army or navy of any solder, sailor or militiaman, as same appears on the Confederate rolls, when requested. "Sec. 8. That all records in regard to pensions now and hereafter existing shall be by the one or ones - XV ? 1 in control or possession tnereor immediately turned over to the comptroller general of the state. "Sec. 9. The sum of*$600,000 is hereby appropriated for the purpose of paying the allotments of those on said honor roll and all other expenses provided for in this act. "Sec. 10. That the comptroller general shall be, and hereby is, authorized to employ one additional clerk, at a salary not exceeding $2,400 per annum, to atssist him in discharging the duties herein placed upon his office. "Sec. 11. The pension board of the state of South Carolina is hereby abolished, and all acts in reference thereto and inconsistent with this act be, and the same are hereby, repealed." Body of Unfynowr and Murdered What has every appearance of being a murder and robbery came to light Monday afternoon about 2:30 o'clock when several white boys fishing in Lemon swamp discovered the body of a dead negro man in the creek. The boys hastUy rteurned to Bamberg and reported the discovery to Sheriff Ray, and by a quick and clever bit of detective work. Sheriff Ray had landed a strange negro man in thp nrmnfv iail within six hours. charged with the double crime. Both parties to the crime are strangers in Bamberg. Both have been seen here for some days past, and had done some work here, but neither their names nor their homes were known to any of the people in Bamberg, white or colored. That the divine injunction, "your sins will surely find you out," was strikingly exemplified in this case.; Although when the crime was committed three hundred yards from the public road to Ehrhardt, in the heart of a dense swamp, with every indication that the tracks of the murderer had been carefully covered and with little likelihood of the crime becoming known for days, perhaps, it so happened that the killing was discov-j ered in not more than an hour or two. The prompt finding of the body was responsible for the apprehension of the man charged with the crime. Thei accused negro was arrested in Branchville about 5 o'clock in the afternoon, following a telephone message from Sheriff Ray, and the negro wasj brought to the Bamberg jail at 9 j o'clock Monday night. The boys decided early Monday af-i ternoon they would spend a fewj hours fishing in Lemon creek, and; while they were following the run of the creek, they discovered the body of the man partly exposed. They made a record run for town, reporting their find. Coroner Zeigler, Dr. Black, Sheriff Ray and others hurriedly left for the scene of the crime. The body of the man was taken out of the creek, and was found to have knife cuts on the face and throat., It was first thought the crime had been committed several days, but when a closer examination was made, it was found that the wounds were fresh, ,that blood was still panning from them, and that the body was still limp. Dr. Black was of the opinion that neither of the knife wounds would have produced death, but that the negro j died from drowning, the theory be-1 ing that he was probably pushed or | thrown into the creek and that he i was either too weak to help himself i out of the water or that he was unconscious at the time. The negro's left pants pocket was turned out, while the right pocket contained a small amount of silver. Immediately on getting to the i swamp, Sheriff Ray learned that sev! or?ol ncrtiop Vi a rl cDPTI twn stranSTA T1 A til |/tii tlVO V-*. v *? v mw* w?0 groes enter the swamp about 12:30 o'clock, and when he learned this he hastily returned to Bamberg and ascertained that two strange negroes had been seen to get of? the 11 o'clock train, and he also ascertained that these negroes had been absent from town for a few hours afterward, one of them returning an hour or so later. This caused him to make inquiry regarding this negro, and the sheriff found out that he was in Bamberg when the boys had reported the finding of the body, immediately after which he became very excited and went to several colored transfer drivers seeking to get out of town. He offered one driver $8.00 to take him to Orangeburg. This driver j could not go, and he went to Fletcher Breeland and offered him $6.50 to j take him to any town nearby. He finally made ''arrangements with Breeland to take him away, but no one in Bamberg knew at the time his destination. This called for hasty action if the culprit was to be landed, and the sheriff immediately put in calls for Orangeburg and Branchville, requestj ing the arrest of the party. About fifteen minutes after the Branchville call had gone through, the sheriff received a summons to the telephone, and was informed that Breeland and the strange negro had been arrested and requesting the sheriff to come for the man wanted. There was no charge against Breeland, as tnere was nothing to connect him in any way with the crime and he was released immediately and returned to Bamberg. Breeland stated on return i \ Negro, Robbed \ in Lemon Creek to Bamberg that the man acted very suspiciously on the way to Branchville, and at one time got out of the car on some pretence, and acted in such manner that Breeland also got out for fear that the man meant to do him harm. However, they both finally reached Branchville about 5 o'clock and were immediately taken in charge by a policeman who informed the sheriff. On searching the man's effects, it was found that he possessed a suit case. In this case was found among other things a pair of trousers which were wet around the legs. He was also found in possession of twenty one aonars in paper ana silver, including fourteen one-dollar bills. He had already paid Breeland $6.50 for the trip. The negro staunchily denied any connection with the crime, but admitted that he had been in Bamberg Monday. On arrival in town Monday night he was taken to the guard house, where the body of the dead man had been placed, and confronted with the corpse. He denied that he had killed him, or that he had ever seen him before. Throughout the entire proceedings he acted in a sullen and insolent manner, proclaiming that he had committed no crime. j It so happened, however, that responsible gentlemen including J. C. Hewitt, J. W. Hill, and Probe Hiers* saw the two men enter the swamp early in the afternoon. The dead negro and the man in jail were both positively identified as being the same negroes. It also happened that some parties saw the accused man coming out of the swamp a short time afterward alone, and they have identified him as being that man. The two men were also identified as being the parties in Bamberg earlier in the day, and it is said that they were overhead to be quarreling over some money while in Bamberg. Perhaps the most incriminating circumstance in regard to the who\e matter was the statement of a Bamberg merchant, Milton Shapiro. Mr. Shapiro says that about one o'clock, or shortly thereafter, a negro came into his store and bought a pair of pants, leggins and shirt, giving him in payment a twnty-dollar bill. Mr. Shapiro noticed that the bill was wet, but the negro gave no explanation other than that it got wet in his pocket. For* change the merchant gave the negro fifteen one-dollar bills and some silver. It is said that the accused negro admits it was he who visited Mr. Shapiro?'s store. | It was ascertained that 'early In the afternoon the accused negro had changed his clothing in Bamberg. It is believed that the circumstances poin^ directly to him as the perpetrator of the CTime, and the fact that j as soon as the crime became known | he made hasty preparations to leave i town, without due regard to his destination, lends support to the evidence. It will be borne in mind that it was unnecessary for him to go to i Branchville by automobile to take | any train out of that place, as the | 7 o'clock train arrives in Branchville before the departure of any of the evening trains. Up to Tuesday morning the identity of the dead negro was not ascertained, and lie was consequently buried by the county in the potter's field. The inquest was held Monday afternoon, at which time a verdict was rendered that an unknown negro had been killed by unknown parties. Tuesday, after the arrest of the negro at Branchville, the inquest was reopened, when the verdict was amended, and the negro who gave his name as John Evans, alias Parlor Evan3, was charged with the killing. The ! identity of the dead man has not been learned, though it is said that both i he and Evans came from Harleyville, Dorchester county. One of the witnesses at the Tuesday session of the inquest testified that he heard some one holler as if in distress, ana a tew minutes afterwards he saw Evans come out of the swamp near where the sound was heard. ^ l?> m Take Your Choice. "My dear," said Mrs. Percival Pinochle. "Yes, lovely," said Perc. "Shall we drive over and get five gallons of gasoline or will you walk to town and buy a four-pound roast?" Read The Herald, $2 per year. SOX KILLS FATHER. Wife and Daughter of Dead Man Say Act Was Necessary. Columbia, March 4.?Floyd T. Meetze shot and almost instantly killed his father. Joseph M. Meetze, last night shortly after 10 o'clock. The shooting occurred in Floyd Meetze's room and was witnessed by his mother and his sister. Meetze used a 38 caliber Colt pistol and after the shooting two chambers were empty. A loaded cartridge was between the empty shells. Coroner Scott, Sheriff Heise and Deputy Sheriff Thompson hurried to the scene of the killing and after conducting an investigation brought Floyd Meetze to the county jail. He was delivered to the jailer at 1 o'clock this morning. Tha \Topf70 homo ic 1nr?ntPr1 in flnl lege Place almost immediately in front of the terminal of the street car line. Mrs. Meetze, widow of Joseph Meetze, said last night that her husband had attempted to kill her son and that Floyd Meetze had to kill his father. She said Floyd Meetze was in his room when the father went there and grabbed him by the throat. Mrs. Metze said the father had the son on the floor choking him, saying, "I will beat out your brains on the floor." She said she endeavored to pull her husband off of her son and she heard the pistol shot. She could not tell if one or two shots were fired. Miss Rosa Meetze, sister of Floyd Meetze and daughter of Floyd Meetze, said she was in the room and witnessed the killing. She, too, said the son was forced to kill his father. T1AT.P1?PT TA mCPFYCT? PTT? V/JLXL#1J XIX XV/ XTX^JA Xii.^ tJ>XJ JL JLJLJ Leader of 4'Regular" Republican Party in State. Columbia, March 11.?Jos. W. Tolbert, of Ninety-six, leader of the "regular" Republican party in South Carolina, will be the dispenser of the Republican patronage, according to information brought from Washington by several prominent South Carolinians, one of whom is a well-known lawyer, close friend of Mr. Tolbert, who attended the inaugural ceremonies and had first-hand conferences with Republican leaders in the capitol. According to this attorney and others familiar with the situation and in connection with Washington and also with Mr. Tolbert, the Ninetysix Republican leader has his "slate" prepared and, if he is finally selected to pass the pie, will recommend persons already picked for the several important offices of the state. For the position of collector of internal revenue Mr. Tolbert has slated it is stated, his brother, "Red" R. Tolbert, of Abbeville county. This is one of the most important plums in the state. For district attorney of the up' - x 1 A r* XL per western district 01 ooutu ^?iulina, Mr. Tolbert has selected Ernest F. Cochrane, of Anderson, former, United States attorney, and it is stated that Mr. Cochrane will accept the appointment. For district attorney of the Eastern district no selection has been made. It is stated that the Republican machine is having difficulty in finding a man to take this position. It was offered, it is said, to former Governor Blease, but he has asked that someone else be selected. Major J. F. Jones, of Blacksburg, has been selected as marshall of the western district, to succeed Mr. Lyon, and S. J. Leaphart, of Lexington, is slated for marshall of the eastern district to succeed Mr. Sims, of Orangeburg, it Is said. It is not known yet who will be considered for the postoffices, in case Mr. Tolbert is the patronage dispenser, but it is stated that for the Columbia postoffice a woman will likely receive the "regular Republican" endorsement. A negro is expected to be appointed as collector of the port in Charleston. There has been considerable political gossip throughout the state recently, .following publications from Washington of excerps from letters from prominent Democrats of Columbia and other parts of the state, endorsing Chairman Blalock, of Goldville, of the so called 'Tilly white" Republican party in the state, as dispenser of patronage, the idea being to recognize a Republican party in the state that will be wholly of the white race. However, it is generally believed by persons familiar with national politics, that such a course would not be successful, due to the large number of negroes in the state who can not be ignored by the national G. O. P. - SENDS CHLOROFORM TO BIGHAM, CHARGE MRS. BIGHAM PLACED UNDER ARREST AT FLORENCE. , Intercepted By Jailer *' ' ' ? / Sufficient Amount to Cause Death of Prisoner, Physicians Declare. Florence, Match 11.?Mrs. May; Bigham was arrested here tonight, charged with attempting to convey to her husband, E. D. Bigham, a small Dottle containing sufficient chloroform, according to physicians, to cause death. The arrest was made at the Atlantic Coast Line passenger station as Mrs. Bigham was preparing to take the train for Greenville. Deputy Sheriff Burch did not read the warrant to her by request until they had reached the jail, Mrs. Bigham being accompanied by her daughters, the Misses Louise and Evelyn. The bottle of chloroform did not reach Bigham, being intercepted by Jailor J. E. Cook, working through one of the trusted prisoners, to whom Mrs. Bigham delivered it to be conveyed by hiih to her husband. In the past several weeks Jailor Cook has in the same manner intercepted severa^ notes written by Bigha^n to his wife. * V Edmund Bigham is in jail here awaiting trial on the charge of murder of his mother," Mrs. M. M. Bigham; his sister, Mrs. Margie, A. ^ Black; his brother, L. S. Bigham, and John and Leo McCracken, two adopted children of Mrs. Black, at the plantation home, near Pamblico, January 15. It was at first thought .that L. S. Bigham had perpetrated the crime and then killed himself, ? k but after investigation Coroner Smith ordered the arrest of the living brother, charging him with the crime. Before her marriage to Bigham* Mrs. Bigham was Miss May James, of Greenville. ESCAPE OP M. R. REECE. Mania for Chewing Gum Helps H3nn " | to Get Away. , ' v.-i York, March 11.?M. R. Reece, wealthy man, was convicted of murder and sentenced to hang in the jail here twenty-three years ago. Reece developed a mania for chewing gum after his conviction and he chewed $1 worth a day. The day before he was to be hanged, he made his escape through a hole in the wall with the aid of a drill still in the possession of officials. He worked on it many days, using the - * i.-. I. U TT7A?1r cnewmg guui iu JUfUt? ma vruia uo/ v to day. ' Sheriffs have come and gone since Reece's escape and have spent hundreds of dollars of the county's money traveling to various sections of the country where he was reported) to be in captivity. # Report is that Reece is now In Mexico. The county refuses to spend any more money in investigation. If Reece is in Mexico, he is safe. Escaped Her Memory. "Professor," said Mrs. Newrich to the distinguished musician who had been engaged to entertain her guests, "what was that lovely selection you played just now?" "That, madam," he answered, "was an improvisation." J < "Ah, yes, I remember now. I knew it was an old favorite of mine, but I could not think of the name of it for the moment."?Houston Post. ^ wm The Fortunate Circumstance. "The depot was struck by lightning day before yesterday and torn up considerably," related the landlord of the Petunia tavern. "But as it xv'oa fmir hnnrs sine#* rhe last train had went through and two and a half till the next one was due there were only a few fellers leaning against the edifice, and them few weren't shocked more than' just about enough to give 'em something interesting to talk over." And It Is. "Say, Buddy, do you remember when we were over there, the? used to tell us that when we got back noth* ing would be too good for us?" "Sure what about it?" "Well, they told the truth."