The people. (Camden, S.C.) 1904-1911, June 01, 1905, Image 4
LUKE HAMMOND,
THE MISER.
By Prof. Wm.
OOflTllktWi
fcy Bom* Bmimi
Ci?
CHAPTER lit,
Continued.
"Brandy!** be muttered. ' "It Is be
coming a babit. I bare abonned liquor
All my life till of late, and now I am
-conscious of a growing taste, a craving
thirst for brandy. I need Its Are at my
tieart to carry my schemes to a success
ful end. And I will succeed or perish."
A tapping at the door again.
Hammond opened a drawer of his
?desk, took from it a revolver, exam
ined It closely, then laid It upon the
table and threw a newspaper over it.
"If an enemy?and I have many very
^Baring ones In this world," he mut
tered. "I shall not be taken off my
{guard. Come in!" be continued sharply.
Daniel opened the door, and the
(Stranger entered with a stride that
swung blm fully a yard Into tbe li
brary.
Hammond gave one keen glance at
tbe stranger, and then said to Daniel:
"Go as 1 dirooted."
Daniel departed. And Hammond
turned to the stranger, whose cloak
And hnt still muffled his visage.
"You seem to fear recognition." said
'Hammond, quietly dropping into a
?chair, so that the table was between
film and the stranger, hut with hie
right hand resting upou the hidden
3>istol.
"Do you think I fear It from ?**
"Speak that name, and you die, John
Mnrks!" exclaimed Hammond, snatch
ing fortli the pistol like lightning, and
levelling it full In the stranger's face,
48 the latter spoke and let fall his
?cloak.
John Marks' dark and weather
T>ronzed face grew a shade paler a?
Hammond spoke, but he said:
"Fire! and lose a friend to gain 8
hangman. Luke Hammond, since you
love the name: and by Jove, you seeir
to have thrived under It!"
"What foul breeze has blown .Tolit
Marks to New York?" said Hammond
"A roving breeze, that puffs his pock
?ts like blown-up bladders, and fiih
them with emptiness. Luke," said
?John Marks, showing two rows oi
splendid teeth. "I want money, ol<3
?comrade. Put that three-decker of a
-pistol aside. It makes my flesh creej
to have it pointed this way.**
"Money is very valuable.^ uald Ham
mond. "What nave you to give In ex
-change for it?"
"A warning, Luke," said Marks.
, "A warning!"
"I'll sell It to you for five hundred
-ttolhirs. no less." said Marks.
"I pledge my word to pay it If the
warning is worth so much."
"Agreed; for-if you don't pay I can
tnftke more elsewhere. But I came to
you first, since you nnd I have worked
together in days gone by," said Marks.
"Out with the warning; my time Is
valuable," crlcd Hammond.
The little bell was shaking terribly.
Something was going wrong In the
-crimson chamber.
"You had a wife once, you know,
Xuke."
"Yes?she died; go on!" said Ham
mond, visibly agitated.
"I know, friend Luke," continued
Harks, with a grin, "that yon have had
-two wiv?>8. Your second wife died?
all right; women must die as well as
men, you know. Yes. the mother of
your son Charles died?died as Mrs.
Luke Hammond. Rut your lirst wife,
.you know?she didn't die."
"What! You rave!" said Hammond.
"You may say she died, Luke. You
3mve a good reason to sny so." said
Marks. "But your tlrst wife's sister?
.you remember her? Well, slie says
.your first wife was murdered!"
^Hammond grew deathly pale, and his
?yes glared at Marks.
"Murdered!" whispered Hammond.
"That's the word, Luke; and she says
you are the murderer!"
"She says! Where Is she, John
Harks?"
"In New York. And Luke, she Is a
terrible woman?fierce as a tiger, cun
ning as a fox, patient as a spider. She
thinks you are In America, somewhere,
.and she has sworn to have your life!"
"Does she suspect that Luke Ham
mond Is her dead sister's liusbaud?"
gasped Hammond, a very picture of
terror.
"Not yet. She has heard of Luke
Hammond, however." said Marks;
"and Harriet Foss is like a blood
hound on the scent. Once on your
trail, and before you dream of danger
ahe will have her knife In your throat."
"True," said Mnmmond. "And now,
Marks, If you will prove to me within
three days that Ilnrrlct Foss Is dead,
these five hundred dollars I now give
you shall bo made five thousand."
"Speak plainly, Luke Hammond,"
?aid Marks.
"What need, when you already un
derstand my meaning," said Hammond.
Marks grew whiter than he did when
the pistol was at his fare, and for a
moment seemed ready to fly.
"Luke," snld he, at length, "I nra
no salut, you know, and there are red
epots on this hand of mine,"?he
?tretehed'forth the lenu, sinewy hand;
"but there are no Main* of woman's
blood on it. I will not raise my hand
ngalnst Harriet Foss, but I will place
her In yrur power."
. v ""i'oii uro splitting Ualrs, as the say
mg IV* uia Hammond. "You hart
grown squeamish as your hair haa
frosted. But I reject your proposition,
for I have enough of those stains upon
my hand already. I do not wish to see
her."
"Well, I will engage to send her on
a wild goose chase to South America,
or to Europe, or even to Asia," said
Marks.
"Would she recognize me, think
you?" asked Hammond.
"I did not, until you addressed me
by my name," said Marks.
"What! You did not know me when
you came in?" said Hammond.
"Not at all."
"Then why are you here?" cried
Hammond.
"I came to see a man whom once 1
knew." said Marks, speaking very
slowly. "His name was Luke Ham
mond?the name you bear now. He
was once very kind to me, when I bore
another name. I was In distress, and
I knew Luke Hammond?not you?
was as generous as the sun. You look
very much like him."
"Curse you! If I had Imagined yod
could be deceived In my Identity "
said Hammond. "But I bear that
name. John Marks, and let all beware
who shall seek to rob me of it."
"Bah! Don't scowl," said Marks.
"Continue Luke Hammond all your
life, so you will aid me a little. But
suppose the true Luke Hammond
should turn up!"
"He Is dead these twenty-five years,"
said Hammond.
"The better for you?for us." re
marked Marks. "I became acquainted
In Europe with a young man named
Charles Hammond?your son, . Is he
not?"
"He Is. I married his mother as
Luke Hammond."
"Yes. Your son told me his mother
died when he was quite young. I told
him I was formerly a friend of his
father's?I did not know you were his
father. He gave me Luke Hammond's
address?and here I am* much aston
Islicd to find "
"Luke ifammond! That is my
name!" said Hammond.
"So be it. It Is a good paying name,
said Marks, securing the bank notes
for five hundred dollars, as Hammond
counted them from his wallet.
"Be true to me, John Marks, and
you shall find no fault with it." said
Hammond. "Now go, hasten Harriet
Foss's departure from New York
When shall I see you again?" '
"At the end of three days." said
Marks.
"Very well. I shall need you then.
"For what?" asked Marks.
"I need a man like you always near
me." replied Hammond.
"You are rlRht. We need each other,
said Marks, as he departed.
"And now to visit the crimson cham
her." said Hammond. "Trouble, dan
ger?all In a storm! I must bo care
ful, or I am lost If Charles were hero
now!"
The bell rang furiously.
Hammond opened a closet, then un
locked a door at its back, and entered
the hall that traversed the eastern
wing of the mansion, taking a small
lamp with him.
Let us go with him to the crimson
chamber.
CHAPTER IV.
THE CRIMSON CIIAMRER.
Luke Hammond, Laving entered the
hall, passed swiftly along until ho
reached a tlight of stairs. There he
paused for a moment to pull sharply j
at a hell-rope hanging from the wall;
and then desceuded the stairs with
long strides, which soon carried him
to the floor below. There he paced
another hall, till he reached the door
he sought. He passed through the
room into which It opened, and en*
tered another and larger apartment.
The walls of this room were covered
with gold and crimson paper, and the
latter color gave It Its name. The
room was large, but had no opening
save one strong door, a small grate
and a sky-light, the last In tho centre
of the lofty celling. When Hammond
entered, the room was lighted with ?
single jet of gas, flntnlng from the
wall. This room had been used by
Ivate Elgin's father as a studio, for
[ the late Henry Elgin had cultivated a
i taste for the fine arts; but now it con
| talned a single bed, mounted on rollers,
and a few chairs, a small table, etc.
. As Luke Hammond entered, he stared
for a moment, In surprise and per
plexity, at the scene before him.
A tall and fearfully emaciated mnn,
clad in a single long white robe, reach
ing to his knees, was standing In one
corner, with a hatchet in his hand, and
glaring deadly menace upon the two
j persons In tlie room. These persons
i were Mrs. Marker and tlie servant
i Daniel. Each grasped n chair as a
i weapon of defense, and seemed to
' shrink from tlie pale and mad-looking
man, as his deep-set, hollow eyca rolled
ttetcely from one to the other.
When Hatnomnd opened the door,
i the prisoner, for such he was. seemed
I to forget the presence of Mrs. Harker
and Daniel, and to concentrate all the
| lierccncss of his eyes upon Hammond.
I "Wlieri UU you goi tbet hatchet?"'
at <M
* "It vu Id the loom when I rolled
the bed la.** nM Mn Harker. who*
?harp and sallow (act waa aa IItM
with (oar aa that of a corpse.
"How came It beret Who brought
It here?" cried Hamm#i
"Must hare been left here a long
time." replied Mia. Harker. confusedly.
MI had not time to sweep the room
before I moved the bed and he on It."
-Fool! Careless fool," said Ham
mond.
"Now fool to yon. Luke Hammond.**
retorted Nancy Hacker. "Who wonld
?have thought that he wonld be able |
to rise from the bed. where he has |
been groaning a whole year?"
"I know you. Luke Hammond." said
the Invalid in a deep and hollow voice.
"Has he spoken to you. NancyT* de
manded Hammond.
"Those are the first words I have
heard him speak for six months!" ex
claimed Mrs. Harker. "With strength
he has regained hts speech."
"This is sudden and strange." said
Hammond.
"Have six months elapsed since my
tongue uttered speech?" asked the in
valid. and lowering his hatchet. "Have
I been a mere muss of living matter
six months?"
"He Is now In full possession of his
lesson." said Hammond, without reply
ing to the Invalid's question. "Had you
much trouble in moving him here, Mrs.
Hnrker?"
The glare of rage had faded from
the attenuated face of the Invalid, and
though he still grasped his hatchet
firmly, his whole being seemed cen
tered In the conversation going on
around him.
Mrs. Ilarker replied to Hammond.
"No. He made no resistance when 1
began to roll his bed from the white
and gold chamber. He seemed half
asleep. But soon after I had placed
him In this room he opened his eyes
wide, began to flush them around him,
half arose In hi3 bed?? thing you know
he has not done tb:'se six months "
"Six months!" echoed the invalid, an
his attentive ear followed the colloquy.
"Six months! Then I have been tor
tured n year; for during the first six
months I was conscious of your vil
lainy. Luke Hammond."
"Go on, Mrs. Hnrker," said Ham
mond, whose eyes seemed to shun tlio
invalid's.
"I forced him down upon the pil
lows," resumed Mrs. Harker. "He Jay
quiet for a whll&, and then again tried
to get up. After a hard tussle I tired
him out, and he sank back exhausted.
Then I rang the library bell "
"To do that." Interrupted Hammond,
"you had to leave him and run to the
white and gold chamber."
"Of course. We've no bell nor speak
ing tube In this room," saUl Mrs.
Harker. "When I came back to bind
him, as you ordered, he was on tho
floor, staring about as if he recognizCd
the room. I had a dreadful time In
getting him into bed again?ho fought
like a tiger "
"And you like a tigress?as you are!"
said the invalid. "I remember now?I
had begun to regain my reason."
"Then 1 ran to the bell and tube
again," pursued Mrs. Harker. "You
gent Daniel to help me. When Daniel
came we tried to bind him; but he
fought so hard that unless we stunned
him we couldn't "
"Did you stun him?" asked Ham
mond. a shudder creeping over his
frame. '
"No?it looked too iruel to knock a
sick man on the head," said Mrs.
Ilarker.
"You lie, tigress hag!" exclaimed
the invalid. "You ran and got this
very hatchet, and raised it to smite me
dead or senseless. You did strike me
once, and that Instant I think my
power of speech began to return. That
man there, Daniel, cried out for no vio
lence; aud In his trying to wrest the (
hatchet from you. It fell upon the bed, I
und I clutched It."
"Is this true, Daniel?" asked Ham- j
mond.
"True, sir." said Daniel. "I bellevo
Mrs. Harker would have killed him,
though not on purpose."
"He struck me, Luke Hammond!"
cried Mrs. Harker, pointing to hex
bruised visage. "I only meant to stui
bim a bit."
"Had you slain bim, Nancy Harker,"
said Hammond, wltb sudden fierceness,
"by my blood, I would have slain you!"
"Not because of any humanity In
your heart," sneered Nancy Harker;
"but because the blow that slew bim
would have slain the goose that laya
your golden eggs."
"Your very Instruments despise you,
Luke Hammond," sajd the Invalid.
"Learn to govern both temper and
tongue, Nancy Harker," said Ham
mond, over whom this ferocious and
evil woman seemed to hold some pow
erful restraint.
Nancy sneered a recognition of the
advice, and went on with her story:
"When he got the hatchet he Bprang
from tlio bed and ran for tl?e doot!
| there. Daniel and I threw chairs In j
| the way and he fell. Then he kepi j
| us off with the hatchet, and ran to thai!
corner, where he Is now. 1 ran to the
j bell then?and that's all."
"Murderers!" cried the Invalid j
; "When will this tyranny cease?" |
"Daniel," said Hammond, placing hi*
lamp upon the table, "do you. froir'
1 that side, advance on lilm with tlu
clialr. Nancy Harker, with that chali
, push on lilm from the other side. 1
with this will attack him In front. W?
1 must pin hltn In his corner?keep ar
1 eye to his hatchet. Now?all at once,
i Stay! 1 thought 1 heard a step in tlu
j hall."
i "lint*, rntfl. This part of thotist
swarms with the vermin." said Nanej
Harker, impatient to l.-.'stin the assault
To be continued.
| Ton men can bo arranged to marcli
in single file in 3,C2S,800 different ways,
IN SOUTH CAROLINA
Oocurrenoea of Interest In Varloua
Parte of tho State.
Geneal Cotton Market.
Galveston, steady 8)4
New Orleans, quiet 8%
Mobile, dull 8%
Savannah, quiet 8^4
Charleston, quiet 8
Wilmington, steady 8
Norfolk, firm 8)4
Baltimore, normal 8)4
New York, quiet 8.50
Boston, quiet 8.65
Philadelphia, quiet 8.75
Houston, steady 8 3-16
Augusta, quiet 8%
Memphis, firm 8)4
St. Louis, steady 8)4
Louisville, firm 8)4
Charlotte Cotton Market.
These figures represent prices paid
to wagons:
Strict good middling 8.15
Good Mlddlln 8.15
Strict Middling 8.15
Middling 8
Tinges 6 1-4 to 7 1-2
Stains 6 1-4 to 7 1-8
Board of Equalisation.
After a session of two days, the
State board of equalization has taken
a recess for two weeks. At that time
the board will meet to hear protests
from the representatives of any cor
poration which may urge a reduction
of the assessment placed on their
property. As was published yester
day, the board has decided to take 60
per cent, of the market value of the
stock of an enterprise as the basis
upon which taxes shall be collected.
The most important business was
the adoption of the report of the com
mittee on assessment of property of
cotton mills. This report as adopted
makes a number of changes in the as
sessed valuations of last year, and as
the majority of these changes were
increased it is probable that the board
will have its hands full when it re
assembles.
The assessment on cotton seed oil
mills and on fertilizer factories were
also adopted as recommended by the
committees. The board decided to
put a valuation of $650,000 on the prpo
erty of the Columbia canal. This
pioperty has belonged to tho Colum
bia Water Power Company, but ne
gotiations are on foot to have it sold
to the Columbia Electric Street Rail
way Company. The matter of taxing
this property has been in the State
coui^s for .tome time. When the mat
ter came up, Mr. Qulnby stated that
he had information to the effect that
the canal had made $90,000 profit last
year.
Oil Mill Assessments.
The State board left the majority
of the cotton seed oil mills as the as
sessment for last year. The follow
ing changes were made:
Southern. Aiken, $18,720; Kathwood,
Aiken, $12,000; Townville, Anderson.
$9,600; Seaboard, Barnwell, $22,500;
Victor, Cherokee, $20,000; Southern,
Chester, $25,200; Southern, Florence,
$27,000; Independent, Florence, $20,
000; TimmonsviUc. $25,000; Kershaw,
$27,000; Clinton. $25,110; Southern,
Laurens, $22,000; Bishopvllle. $22,000;
Dillon, $25,000; Simpsonvllle, $12,000;
Prosperity, $13,200; St. Matthews,
$15,000; Spartanburg oil mill, $2-1,000;
Cainpobello, $10,500; Cowpens, $12,
000; Fair Forest, $10,300, Victor, York,
$15,000; Walterboro, no return, penal
ty attached. $22,500.
The following new mills were as
sessed: Salley, $21,120; Peoples, An
derson. $21,120; Starr, Anderson. $12.
000; Troy. $12,000; Bradley, $12,000;
Farmers, I^aurens. $16,000; Hamlet,
$16,860; Farmers, Newberry, $21,600;
Little Mountain, $9,000; Pomaria.
$9,500; Strater & FInley, Oconee. .
$12,000; Taylor, Columbia, $45,000;
Highland Park, $21,600.
Bids for Manila Bonds.
Washington, Special.?Bids wore
opened at the Insular Bureau of the
War Department for the sale of $1,000,
000 Manila municipal bonds bearing 4
per cent, interest, redeemable after and
within 30 years, the proceeds to be de
voted to sewerage and other public
works. The highest bidder was the
First National Bank, of Columbus, O.,
which offered 109,5625.
Director at Clemson Resigns.
Prof. J. H. M. Beaty, director of the
textile department of Clemson Col
lege, has resigned to accept a position
as assistant to Mr. I/ewis \V. Parker, I
president of several cotton mills in 1
Columbia, Greenville and Greers.
I
Killed in Collision.
Two wore killed, one fatally injured,
two probably fnially and three i
slightly Injured In a collision between
a passenger trolley car and a l^otsis
vllle and Nashville coal car on the
Augusta-Alkon railway in a stretch of
woods some miie? from Augusta on
the South Carolina side of the river.
?? .
Spartanburg Bond Issue.
Spartanburg. Special.?The street
committee of the city council, which
has In charge tho petition for a $jno.ono
bond issue to Increase street improve
ments. after checking over tho lists.
fln<l that there is not n majority of
tho freeholders' names affixed. Friday,
tho petition was being circulated again
to get tho requisite number, something i
like 100 signatures. The sontlnionj of
tho property owners Is for good streets
and sidewalks nr.?l t!-.o names will ?
douMlcsj b;s eeaired in t'.je near fu-j
turc.
OGMN WtCCI INVESTIGATION
Uksly to Mad* Within m
WMk Placing Responsibility For
tho Accident.
Columbia Cor. Charlotte Observer:
As forecasted In this correspondence
several days ago, the Southern's at
torney at the hearing begun before
the railroad commission Tuesday to1
ascertain the cause of the wreck of
the Ogden special In the Greenville
yards on the morning of April 29, as
sumed the position that Engineer J as.
d Hunter, in charge of the special's
engine, is entirely to bhune for the
accident on the ground that he violat
ed the rules of the company in coming
into the yards without having his en
gine "under full control, expecting to
Ond the main track occupied?under
such control as would allow him to
stop within the distance he could see"
?and that as the special was running
as an extra with right of way only
aver trains of published schedules, the
Greenville yardmaster, even in the
face of the telegram placed on his
hook at 7.18 notifying him that the
special would arrive at 7.55, was In
ao wise responsible and was not to
blame for having the freight boxes
on the main track.
The main witness put up to outline
and define this defense of the road
wbb General Manager Spencer, who
said that the telegram to the Green*
Tille offlco was not sent with the view
of curtailing the right of work or shift
ing trains, as practice showed that it
was not sufe to supercede theso kinds
of rules with respect to large yards
like those at Greenville, except by a
"No. 31 order," which having to bo
receipted for and checked back to the
dispatcher it was not wise to uso on
a yard like Greenville's, for the reason
that it was bad practice to allow en
gineers to get into the habit of run
ning specials Into such a yard not
under full control.
Division Counsel J. T. Barron, of the
Coast Line was present representing
Engineer Hunter. Mr. Hunter's de
fense has not been outlined, but it is
said that his position is that ho vio
lated no rule, but followed instructions
strictly and is in no wise to blamo for
tho Greenville accident.
Mr. Robert C. Ogden was not pre*
ent, as he intimated in a letter to Gov*
ernor Heyward a short tlmo ago, he
might be. The Ogden party was rep
resented by Mr. J. E. Heges, a New
York attorney. Dr. Julius D. Dreher,
of Lexington, who was on the train,
was present as a spectator, as were
State Superintendent of Education O.
B. Martin, Attorney P. H. Weston and
ex-Attorney General G. D. Bellinger.
General Counsel Thomas, assisted
by Division Counsel B. L. Abney, and
Attorney W. H. Welsh, conducted the
examination for the railroad, whilo At
torney General Gunter was present in
the interest of the State. Members
of the commission cross-examlued tho
witnesses.
Among the railroad officials present
as witnesses were: General Manager
H. B. Spencer, General Superintendent
C .S. McManus, Charlotte Division Su
perintendent P. L. M c Manus,
Savannah Division Superintendent
H. A. Williams, Assistant Gen
eral Counsel Thom, Assistant General
Superintendent H. Baker, Charlotte
Chief Dispatcher W. M. Lineberger,
Savannah Division Chief Dispatcher,
T. 1'. Baird. Columbia Shops Master
Mechanic C. G. Arthur, Charleston Di
vision Superintendent Heether, and
others.
The testimony taken before tho
commission wa? all on the lines that
the engineer of the special train
was running contrary to orders in that
he should have approached the yard
with his train under full control. To
this main fact all tho evidence tended.
The commission will probably make
its report for a week or more.
Not Wanted in Augusta.
Augusta, Ga., Special.?Tho Israel
Epstein, or Ebsteln, whom tho Paris
pollco stated in last night's dispatches
was wanted here, was formerly a
small merchant in Augusta. About
twenty years ago he left here, going
first to Columbia, 8. C., and then
drifting to part- unknown, leaving sev
eral accounts unpaid, and they were
put In tho hands of a local attorney.
Irately, information camo that Epstein
was in Paris and In good circum
stances. Tho nttomey communicated
with the prefecture of pollco In Paris
and asked that Kpsteln bo locked up.
There is no criminal charge against
the man from here.
Met Fatal Accident.
Bristol, Va., Special.?Olon A. Ken
yon. a prominent lumberman of Nao
mi. Mich., was killed near Damascus,
Va., Monday In an accident on a lod
ging railroad. He was largely Inter
ested in tho T. W. Thayer Lumber
Company, operating In that section.
The body will be sent to Naomi, Mi: li.
Calms may scetn pleasant, but tlicy
mark no progress. *
Tclcgraphic Briefs.
John T). Ro kfe'i!cr, Jr.. nd
drtKscd his Hlbl" rl'?F.s a* the I'.fth
Avenue Baptist <"!iin New York,
after five months' nb ':.??? i:i
which has caused llitle i r< \< iiic.i. in
his physical <o:i litlon.
V/rc; kejg dlti Vc i a t'viin on t' o
Atchison. Toi'tka and Fania I'o rail
road. east ot Emporia. r.'.;<:x
pnsseuuojs veto ln.'M'CJ, Iv.o of thcai
fatally.
PALMET10 CMP CMIITIMS
Weather Conditions Qlven Out by |
Department Observer.
The first of the week ending
May 22nd, was warm, the latter
very cool, especially the nights.
were local high winds accompanying
thunderstorms oa the 16th that' did
some damage to frwit trees. The latftar
part of the week was fair with sunsltlaa
la excess of the normal amount.
There were general rains oa the l(t\
heavy in places, and occasional shower*
In the eastern counties on the
after which the ground dried rapldlyv
Cultivation of Held crope made rapMT
progress during tlie latter part of Otm
week. There is still widespread com?
plaint of grassy fields, and a probability
that some land planted to cotton will
have to be abandoned owing to the
scarcity of farm laborers. Labor fit
scarce In all parts of the State.
Cotton planting has been finished^
and more than two-thirds has been
chopped, with chopping atill in prog
ress. Cultivation ha9 been begun.
Stands of cotton are generally good.,
tho there are numerous reports of
plants dying on gray lands in the wea
tern counties and on saady lands ba
the eastern ones, owing to too much
rain and the recent cool nights. lis
some of the southeastern counties^
some fields have been plowed up and
replanted. Excessive rains and lack of
cultivation caused tho plants to turm
red or yellow In many places, and tha
recent cool nights hare checked its
heretofore rapid growth. The first
squares were noted on the 19th in Col
leton county. The general condition of
the cotton crop is poor, tho promising
in s few localities.
Corn Is suffering from want of culti
vation and is turning yellow, but whera
cultivation lvas boon practicable it is la
good condition. Stands are generally
good except on bottom lands wheret
worms continue destructive. There Is
yet much corn to be planted on bottom
lands, in the western half of the State.
Tobacco is doing well. Rice planting
Is delayed In the Georgetown district
by high tides. The week was favorabta
for truck and shipments of potatoes
and beans were heavy. The strawberry
season is over. Wheat is promising
where not rusted or damaged by the
Hessian fly. Fall oats are fine, and
spring oats have improved rapidly. Oats
are ripening In the eastern counties
and some have been cut. Pastures am
fine. Peaches are plentiful in the eas
tern counties, but are very scarce In tho
western ones. The first shipment of
peaches was made this week. Apples ara
scarce and the trees continue to blight.
Melons, gardens and other minor crops
continue to do well.--J. W. Bauer, Sec
tion Director.
Anti-Trust Law Valid.
Columbia, Special.?About Ave years
ago under legislative direction then
Attorney General Bellinger brought ?
suit to disrupt the Virginia-Carolina
Chemical Company and appoint a re
ceiver for the separate properties that
went to make up the corporation. The
case descended from General Bellinger
to Attorney General Gunter and has
l?ecn pushed by both these officers. The
Virginia-Carolina Company ha%
through its counsel. Mr. Henry. A. Ml
Smith, anil bis associates, fought every
inch of ground and the ease is just
almut where it started more than four
years ago. except that the State courts
have held that they had jurisdiction f&
the case and the lower courts have held
that the anti-trust act. under which
the suit was brought* is constitutional.
The State Supreme Court has decided
that the State anti-trust law is valid
and constitutional. It previously sus
tained the lower court in overruling a
demurrer. If the Virginia-Carolina
Company does not interpose some new
point, the master will take testimony
at Columbia and the real Inquiry will
begin. The case Is likely in the end tf?
find its way to a jury and if the State*
courts decide against the Virginia
Carolina Company, then the cas* will
likely go to the Federal Supremo
Court.
Decision Expected This Week.
It is expected that the United Statee
Supreme Court will file this week lt?
derision In the case of the Slate of
South Carolina ngainr.t the secretary
of the treasury for the return of cer
tain license fees paid by the State In
behalf of the State dispensary. Thl?
amounts to about fGO.OOO at present
and Involves tne payment of license
in succeeding years.
This matter was first agitates by
Mr. F. J. Mackey. a South Carolinian
residing In Washington, not the no
torious Judge T. J. Mackey. He se
cured the permission of the dispen
sary authorities to institute proceed
ings, and agreed to take payment in
a percentage of what, might be ob
tained. The case was lost in the court
of claims and Mr. Mackey died.
The dispensary authorities then en
gaged Mr. G. Duncan Hcliinger to carry
an appeal to the United States Supremo
Court. Mr. Bellinger secured the assist
ance of Messrs. Mordecal A Gadsden of
Charleston and Kalston & Siddons of
Washington. The case was argued somo
time ago and the court will adjourn
Saturday until yorne time in October,
it Is confidently expecfod that a decis
ion will be filed this week.
If the case should be decided Jrj fla
vor '?f !he Stair- of So tth Carolina tho
e*tjte of Mr. Mackey will be paid for
his se: vlcca.?Columbia Stale.
Tclcyri^hlc Dricfo.
French soldiers blew up the house In
v;hlc!i Pti ov.ll'iw barricade I h tnself,
re got out only to nairowly escape
1 v\w: lynched.
Ti c Chasr.hor of Ceputio:-'. sustained
the Fr< *icii Gmvi i'Mmrtit by |:<\-dpolling
l:r' ?liniu ly itii; ; pe'.latiou upon the
ii< ui.ility question.
It I Haled a spedi! r:;v\v will iey?
i? 'lit France at the weJdiua of the
Gciuia;; Crown Frinte,