The people. (Camden, S.C.) 1904-1911, September 28, 1905, Image 1
?"&? , - ? 'J
L, ?'
VOL. II. NO. 35.
CAMDEN, S. C., THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2?, 1905.
$1.50 Per Year*
LUKE HAMMOND,
THE MISER.
By Prof. Wnu Henry Peck,
Author of tb."^ Stone* Cotter
ofUOon,** Etc.
m. **
Ooprricfct 1M&
by Bomr Boim?'a Soaa.
(ill Hfkd WMTWi)
t CHAPTER XXIL '
Continued. ? s
'At midnight on the 11th of March
Henry Elgin awoke 'from a painful
dream, and lay thinking of his unfor
tunate child. To save her dear life his
mind was slowly resolving to yield to
tho desires of Hammond. "But I am
cure," thought Elgin, as he listened to '
the steady tramp of Daniel to and fro
In the Ball, "that my yielding will be
my speedy death. If by dying I could
Rive my child life find security from
the villain, t would cheerfully die. But
II fear that by following Luke Ham
mond's wishes, I shall liurry upon my
(daughter the dreadful fate of becom
ing the wife of his son. The son must
be like tho father ? an unscrupulous
, villain. Oh, Eternal Father! have pity*
upon me, and direct me aright James
.Greene, whom I wronged, is no morf,
If Luke Hammond did not lie; and his
?exulting eyes and cruel smile proved
to me that ho spoke truly. May
Heaven deliver Us."
He was thinking and desponding
thus when a slight and irregular jar
ring of his bed attracted his attention.
His bed had been rolled against the
"wall so as to be Immediately against
the small fireplace, which was fitted
"with a grate, and the head of the bed
jwas nearest to tho Iron woflc.
? Henry Elgin had been so long an In
valid that his nerves were painfully
eensltlve and acute. Had ho been in
(full and robust health, the scarcely per
ceptible Jarring or vibration would
faave failed to draw his mind to it.
But now every sense nnd organ was
Instantly upon the alert.
i "What can be tlio cause of this
Btrange vibration?" thought Elgin, as
Ihe listened for some clue to guide his
? reason. For moro than an hour he
listened in vain, and then he placed
Ills ear against the chimney.
< The dull and heavy sound of pound
ing then fell upon his ear.
?. "Great Heavens!" he thought. "Some
one Is digging or pounding far below
me, and apparently at the base of the
chimney. Let me think. This chim
ney was built upon the base of an old
etone chimney, which was part of a
istrong stone apartment of tho old
iiouse I had torn down to erect this
edifice. Tho foundations <Jf the old
Jhouse were so strong and durable that
1 left them standing, nud made utto
of them. Some one is certainly pound
ing ngalnst tho chimney, but it may
ibe somebody In the room below me,
since Hammond is in entire possession
of the house. Ho may be preparing n
new prison for me, or for my poor
child. He may bo preparing a tomb
for her. I will dismiss this terrible
idea from ray mind, and try to sleep.
In sleep I gain forgetfulness of my
misery. Ood help me!"
' And littering n fervent prayer, nenry
Elgin closed his eyes.
Still the jarring continued, nnd after
half an hour's vain effort to sleep, ho
ugain applied his ear to tho chimney.
Ho now heard the sound of blows
distinctly, and onco a clang, as If iron
had struck iron.
"The pounding is slowly but cer
tainly coming upward," thought Elgin.
"What can It mean?"
no waited half au hour, and heard a
sound of thumping without placing his
ear to the wall.
"It comes nearer and nearer,*'
thought he. "Great Heaven! some one
Is forcing a way upward through the
chimney. In half an hour more, with
this rate of progress, whoever it Is will
*>c at work immediately opposite to
|thi8 fireplace. Tho chimney Hue runs
tip behind this fire-escape, and grows
very small about three feet abov^ the
throat of the lluo of this chimney. A
rann might work his way from below
until he reached where tho flue of this
chimney opens into the main chimney,
but there he will find a strong iron
work and a very narrow channel. But
who can It be? Can It be any ono
wishing to effect my escape? I am
dead to tho world? burled. If any of
Hammond's villains have become re
morseful, why not open that door nnd
lead me out? Or why not lead the
police hither? Let mo at least hope
that It may result In my deliverance,
and that If Hammond knows nothing
of It, neither he nor any of his villains
may enter this room until I shall have
learned this mystery."
The noise continued, but so subdued
that had not Elgin's head been against
the chimney, he could hardly have
heard it, and finally tho noise censed.
All was silent for ten minutes, and
then it began again, and continued
until Elgin knew the cause of It must
have passed the level of his bed. and
gone two or three feet upward.
"Ah!" thought Elgin. "He has met
the iron work! He must stop there!"
Another long pause, and then Elgin
resolved to speak. He forced his fnco
up the chimney as far as possible, and
sa Id :
"In God's name, who and what are
you ?"
There was no reply.
"If you arc a man," eonMiued Elpln,
In the fervent tone of prayer, "If (Jod
has given you n heart, to pity a most
unfortunate being, in the name of God,
^ j>ray you answer m?,'1
811T1 BT> #6Piy. ? '
"Hear me, whoever yon are." con
tinued Elgin, with his soul on his
tongue, "and pity me! I am Henry
Sin. "whom men suppose to have died
more than a year ago, to have been
I burled and to lie in Greenwood. I am
the prisoner of my brother-in-law, Luke
Hammond. He also has Imprisoned
my only child, Catharine, to force her
to marry his son. I am Henry Elgin
alive in the flesh; In Heaven's holiest
name, who are you?"
"Are von alone?" was the reply, in a
deep whisper from the dark and nar
row flue.
"I am, thank Heaven," said Elgin.
"I am a man," said the voice, still jn
a deep whisper. "A man Luke Ham
mond deems dead; a man he tried to
kill. I am James Greene:1*
For a moment Elgin was speechless
with Joy and surprise, and while he
utters his silent thanks to Heaven for
Its mercy, let us see how James Greene
reached the spot where he was to be
more surprised than Henry Elgin and
to be as fully rejoiced. We left him at
midnight beginning his work against
the walled-up fireplace In the old stone
kitchen, far below the crimson cham
ber.
He was not long in forcing an en
trance into the old chimney, and was
glad to find It so large and rugged that
he could mount upward several feet.
Then he found another Impediment in
thick bars of Iron laid closely to
gether, and sustaining several layers
of brlek. After great labor, he loosened
the ends of four of the bars from the
bricks^ and getting full possession of
one bar, used it as a "crow" to pry
asido the others. He then dislodged
the bricks, and forcing his body
through the aperture so made, found
that he had entered another chimney.
"I must go on up," said he. "I must
reach the roof, and then clamber along
until I can drop from the eaves where
they overhang the old and untenanted
house adjacent to this. A leap of ten
feet will take me to the roof of the
untenanted house, and then my escape
thence will be easy."
lie Idoked upward, but all was dark.
'I might now cut from here into a
room," said he, "but into whose
room? Perhaps into Luke Hammond's
kitchen. I know nothing of this house.
I am so turned around that I do not
know whether I am in the main
house or in the wing. I must go up.
nnd in going up make as little noise as
possible."
Again he began to ascend. For a
few feet all Mas easy work. Then an
Iron bar opposed his passage. This ho
remold by beating to pieces the
bricks in which it was imbedded. Up
ngain a few feet, and he found the
flue so narrow that it was Impossible
to ascend without removing n layer of
bricks ail around the flue.
A new fear arose in his mind.
"The continual dropping of the bricks
as I removo them may cause an
alarm, ' thought he. "Still it must be
done. I see no help for it. God has
been with me so far. I will trust In
Him for all."
He again labored, and (lie bricks fell
one after another, and, to his ear,
with a stunning noise.
Somebody did hear them as thev
struck far down Iwlow. Old Fan
trembling In her bed, heard them; but
she deemed the noise made by spirits
or by anything rather than mortal
hands. She crept out of her bed Into
the kitchen, and crouching before the
smouldering lire, trembled and stopped
her ears.
Greene continued his slow and toil
some ascent until checked by the Iron
work Henry Elgin had (bought of as
he llslened to (he mysterious noises In
(lie chimney.
Whenever Greene paused In his toll,
he listened for alarm. Hut there was
no alarm until h0 heard Elgin's voice.
Then he trembled Indeed; for lie did
not recognize the voice, smothered as It
was In the Hue; and, as wo have seen.
Elgin was forced to speak three times
before Greene replied. -Ills astonish
ment on learning that Henry Elgin
was still alive was beyond expression.
Greene had been among those who
had seen Elgin in his coffin. Jnmes
Greene had shed tears when the coffin
was consigned to the touib.
When Elgin was again able to speak
lie said:
"James Greene, we have not time
for many words. My Jailers, or Ham
mond himself, may enter this room at
nny moment. God be with you, my
"on, and may you escape. You are
now opposed by a strong iron frame.
Placed In the main chimney to sustain
the weight of this flue. If you can
overcome that obstacle, you will find
much difficulty In going up. as the title
narrows and takes a turn some feet
farther up. Would to Heaven I could
aid you!"
"I am nearly famished," said Greene.
Have you food and drink near you?"
"I have." said Elgin. "I5,it how can
you reach It?"
"Thrust your hand up the flue as far
as you can." said Greene.
Elgin did so. and his hand was
grasped by that of the brave young
"Mij we ?oon be' able to grasp each
other's hand face to face," said Greene,
pressing Elgin's thin and skeletal
hand.
"God grant that -we may, my son,"
said Elgin. "And now loose my hand,
and I will give yon food and drink."
When his hand was free, Elgin took
meat and bread from the small table
near him, and passed It up the flue.
"Water? I must have water," said
Greene.
There was a half emptied bottle upon
the table. This Elgin filled with water
froki a pitcher, and passed up the flqe.
"Hunger and thirst till now I never
knew," thought Greene, as he ate and
drank.
"Hasten, my son," said Elgin. "This
room may be entered at any moment
by our enemies."
"Enough," said Greene, returning
the bottle. "And now to work again.
I shall escape by the roof. How far
am I from It^"
"You will have to pass through no
less than thirty feet of flue," said
Elgin.
"I shall escape, nover fear," said
Greene, as he slhlck the iron frame
work. Then pausing, he said:
"If any one Is about to enter your
prison, cry out boldly In the chimney.'*
He had hardly uttered the words
when Elgin shouted:
"Silence."
He had heard the lock of the hall
door of the ante-cliamber clash as some i
one turned the key.
Greene suspended all work, and In
a moment after- Hammond threw open
the door and entered the crimson cbam
ber.
CHArTER XXIII. \
THE IMrOSTEIt TJJfMASKKIX, \
Hammond had just left his library,
having resolved to inform Elgin first
that be was nt>t his brother-in-law,
and secondly, that be iutended to make
Catharine Elgin his wife.
He entered the crimson chamber, and
was followed by Nancy Harker.
Elgin saw at once that Hammond
had something of unusual Importance
to say, and noticed that he was paler
and sterner than usual.
"Ho has come to tell me to prepare
for death," thought Elgin, as Ham
mond drew a chair near the bed and
seemed hesitating how to begin.
After a pause of a long moment.
Hammond turned to Nancy and said:
"I might as well tell both at once; It
will save time. Go and lead Catharine
Elgin hither. But stay; where is Fan?"
"She is in her room, I suppose," re
plied Nancy. "I have not seen her fo?
several hours."
"She cannot escape from the house,**
remarked Luke. "She knows the dogs
hato her, and will tear her to pieces
if they can get at her. Go and lead
Catharine Elgin hither."
Nancy left the room, and then Ham
mond's eye rested upon the empty
plates and bottles on the table.
"Ah!" said he, "I am glnd to see your
appetite has returned. Your daughter
still refuses to eat, and will drink
nothing but water. She is afraid of
poison."
"My poor, unfortunate child !" groaned
Elgin. "For two days, then, you have
starved her."
"I? Oh, no!" laughed Luke. "She
starves herself. Hut slio will eat by
and by. Hunger will conquer fear."
Sileuce then ensued, until Nancy re
turned leadlug poor Kate.
"Handcuffed!" exclaimed Elgin, half
rising. "Oh, thou heartless villain!"
"I do not care for it, dear father, H
said Kate. "I forget my own misfor
tunes in seeing yours, dear father."
"All very line," sneered Hammond.
"Miss Elgin, sit there? not too near
your father. So. Now, my friend, I
have something very important to tell
you. Mrs. Ilarker, oblige me by mov
ing about the house, as Ave must guard
against unpleasant Interruption."
Nancy left the room, lamp in hand,
to prowl about the hodse, while Ham
mond locked the door, placed the key
in his pocket, and with his keen, steel
gray eyes flashing from father to
daughter, bczan aa tuJlows:
"My friends, I must first inform you
that my son Charles has returned. I
have seen him."
"Then the completion of your vil
lainous plots draw ner," said Elgin,
while Kate started with alarm.
"It does, Henry Elgin," said Luke.
"But not In the way you suppose. My
son will not marry Kate Elgin."
"Thank God for so much," sold Elgin,
while poor Kate closed her eyes In
terror, as she anticipated what Ham
mond was about to reveal.
"I have not asked him to marry Miss
Elgin," pursued Hammond, "because
I have learned tbnt lie la nlrcady In
fatuated with another woman. But,
as my son will not now advance his
suit for Catharine Elgin's hand, I am
about to do so myself."
"You! Her uncle! ner mother's
brother! Inhuman, unnatural villain!"
exclaimed Elgin.
"You mistake. I nrn not her uncle.
I am not her mother's brother," said
Luke, with great coolness.
"Then who are you? What. Uew vil
lainy is to be told?"
To be continued.
ftwajr of tlir Knrnl I'aper.
It Is the opinion of Ceorge W. Martin,
Secretary of the Kansas Historical So
ciety, thut the country newspaper pub
lisher Is the most important of all the
factors nt the beginning of tilings. It
is he who gets near the homo, who Is
known and read In every household of
his bailiwick. Every line In a country
newspaper Is read by the grown folks
nnd children alike in each household
where it enters, and is not merely
skimmed over, or only headilnes read,
as In the ease with the city papers.
Mence there Is ??,?> over-estimating the
a way of the rural newsyuyer.
FRANCE IN EARNEST
Determined to Compel Caatro to Act
in Better Faith
PATIENCE IS FINALLY EXHAUSTED
Venezuelan Dictator Most Disavow
Offensive Attitude Toward French
Charge d' Affairs at Caracas or Ne
gotations Will Be Broken Off.
Paris, By Cable. ? The offensive atti
tude of Venezuela toward M. Taigny,
the French charge d'affaires at Car
acas, has aroused Indignation In offi
cial quarters here. Although the Min
istry has not yet taken definite action,
It is said in the highest quarters that
Premier Rouvler undoubtedly will de
mand that Venezuela disavow the of
fensive action and adept a course con
formable with the usual courtesies of
diplomatic intercourse. The Venezue
lan authorities aru now seeking to
show that their action was directed
against M. Taigny personally, and not
against the French government, but
olTlcIels here do not accept the distinc
tion between M. Talghy's personal and
official capacity.
The semi-official Temps Friday
printed a leading article reflecting the
official sentiment on the subject. It
said that M. Taigny has been ordered
"to insist on Venezuela's withdrawing
her positive refusal to deal with him.
If the withdrawal is made and Presi
dent Castro makes an apology, then the
negotiations will continue. If Venezue
la docs not accede it will be unwise to
Immediately break off diplomatic rela
tions by the withdrawal of M. Taigny,
since this would" leave French inter
ests unprotected. The best course would
be for Franco and the United States
to make a joint naval demonstration,
simliar to that In which Great Britain,
Germany and Italy took part. The au
thorities here say that "pxchanges will
occur at Washington relativo to the
mutual interest involved in the pend
ing controversies.
M. Jusserand, the French ambassa
dor to the United States, will sail for
New York.
Slain in Politioal Clash.
Havana, By Cable. ? Official dis
patches received Friday afternoon
from Clenfugos announced the killing
of Congressman Enrique Vllluendas,
leader of the Liberal party and the
most able orator of the lower house,
and the chief of pollcc of Clenfugos,
during a conflict between the two
political parties, the Dlborals and the
Moderates. The government advices
say the police had information that
within the hotel In which Vllluendas
resided a a quantity of arms had been
deposited, and they went to the hotel
to Investigate the matter. As the po
lice ascended the stairs they were met
by a party of Liberals, who fired on
them, killing Chief of Police Illance.
The police returned the Are, killing
Vllluendas and wounding several oth
ers. Intense excitement prevailed at
Cienfugos and Havana. The govern
ment authorities fear the result which
the affair may have upon the election
of members of the election boards,
which will be held Saturday. As the
news spread throughout Havana the
Liberals and Moderates are rapidly
gathering in their rospectivo clubs,
and it is feared that unless the leaders
give wise counsel a clash may result
A dispatch from Clenfugos says that
about six persons were killed and 25
wounded during the conflict.
Out For Governor of Alabama.
Montgomery, Ala., Special. ? Dr. R.
M. Cunningham, of Ensley. Ala., Lieu
tenant Governor of Alabama, an
nounced his candidacy for Governor
of the State in a letter which The Ad
vertiser will print. The Lieutenant,
Governor, In his communication,
shows his position on all the public
questions now being agitated in Stato
politics, and points to his own politi
cal record.
Ex Governor O'Farrall Dead.
Richmond, Special.? Former Govern
or Charles T. O'Ferrnll. of Virginia,
died in this city at 10 o'clock Friday
morning from nervous prostration. He
had been In falling health for about a
year, but. prior to his dealh had been
confined to his bed for only a month,
the last three days of which he was un
conscious. Owing to paralysis of the
throat, he was unable to take nourish
ment. Governor O'Fcrrall served la
the Confederate army, rising from the
rank of private to that of colonel and
was for nix tcrma Representative in
Congress from the seventh Virginia
district. He was 65 years old.
Waiting For Lower Cotton.
Fall River, Mass.. Special. ? Sales In
the print cloth market for the week
will amount to altout 75.00ft pieces. The
demand continues quiet- for all classes
of goods. The future course of the
market will depend largely on the new
cotton crop. Manufacturers are believ
ers In lower prices for the raw mate
rial. and are only purchasing enough
to cover necessities. So moles of the
new crop are bflng - hewn and aro said
to be of a good quality.
Mlkasa's Commander Attempts Sui
cide.
Toklo. By Cable. ? A special to The
.11 .1 1 front Hnselw says that Captain
lalehl. commander of the Ill-fated Ml
kasa. made an attempt to commit sul
fide after an address to the aurvlvors
df the warship, by jumping from a
window, lie was aeveroly wounded
about the bead, and Is now reported
to bo In a critical condition In the 8a
sebo naval hospital.
YELLOW JACK CAINS SLOWLY
Progress of the Yellow Fever From
Day to Day.
New Orleans, Special.? Official ro
port to 6 p. m.:
New cases, 46; total to date, 2,808.
Deaths, 6; total, 365.
New foci, 11.
Cases under treatment, 310; dis
charged, 2.133.
Saturday ended the tenth week of the
fight against yellow (ever in New Or
leans with a record of cases and
deaths for the day higher than expect
ed.
While there have been a considerable
number of new foci in the past week,
an examination of the maps in the
office of the Marine Hospital officer
does not disclose any extensive spread
of the disease. Many of them repre
sent merely the crossing by the disease
from one "side of a street to the other.
As the cases are promptly reported,
however, the inspectors are able to
tag them immediately and take due
precautions to prevent a spread of tho
infection.
If tho present rate of progress is
kept up, the Stato board of health be
lieves that yellow fever In the country
parishes will disappear almost as soon
as in New Orleans.
Lake Providence, which was a hot
bed of fever two weeks ago, is rapidly
driving out the disease. For the fourth
day, all the new cases at Tallulah are
negroes. Seventeen case3 are under
treatment in the Barataria district.
In central Louisiana picking and
moving of cotton is somewhat handi
capped for the want of sufficient labor.
Owing to fumigation requirements,
ginnei-8 arc having some trouble in
getting cars.
Work was resumed Saturday on the
levee front. The settlement decided
on by Adam Lorch, the arbitrator, was
accepted by both sides and there will
be no more cotton labor trouble dur
ing tho present season.
The country reports were not differ
ent from the usual run. Dr. Shayot, of
Plaquemines parish, reported the trou
bles ho was having with the Italians
on Poiute Celeste plantation and said
that they had barricaded themselves
In their houses and warned all doctors
that they would kill the first one who
attempted to enter. The civil authori
ties wero consulted an<f it was decided
to put the whple plantation under strict
quarantine until the fever had risap
peared and then proceed against them
criminally.
Against Greene and Gaynor.
Montreal, Special. ? A decision
against Colonel J. F. Gaynor and Cap
tain B. D. Gfreene, tho American con
tractors wanted in tho United States
on charges of defrauding tho govern
ment, was handed down by Judge
Oulment in the Court of the King's
Bench. It is the general belief among
legal men that Greene and Gaynor
have reached the limit of their re
sources in fighting against extradi
tion. The defenso still has two weeks
in which to bring further proceedings
to act us a stay. The decision given
today wns on a writ of habeas corpus
based upon the content that Judge Ln
Fontaine, the commissioner who held
them for extradition, had no authority
to act in the case.
Judgo Ouimet's decision quashing
the writ of habeas corpus holds the
original order for extradition issued
by Judgo La Fontaine.
Donald MeMaster, acting on behalf
of tho United States authorities, has
notified Judge La Fontaine to make
every preparation for extradition.
Rock Island's Mexican Extension.
Mexico City, Special.? It is rumored
in railroad circles that the Rock Island
Company Is seeking an outlet to tho
Pacific coast of Mexico and is contem
plating tho extension of its road
through the State of Sonora with that
idea in view. The Sierra Madre road,
toward the coast, it Is said, may be
taken over by the Rock island people,
thus giving them tho desired outlet.
Escorted Himself to Penitentiary.
Nashville, Tenn., Special. ? W. A.
Barfleld, convicted in Lnmlcrdaltc
county of manslaughter and sentenced
to serve ono year In prison, arrived In
Nashville and went at once to the peni
tentiary. At Ripley, Barfleld got the pa
pers committing him to prison, bought
his own railroad tb-ket and came to
Nashville unattended.
Associated Prcsa Directors.
New York. Special. ? At the annual
meeting of the Associated Press held
at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, the fol
lowing directors were reelected for
tho ensuing three years:
Messrs. fJeorqe Thompson. St. Paul
Dispatch; Charles H. Grasty. Balti
more News; W. L. Mcl>ean, Philadel
phia Bulletin;- W. R. Nelson, Kansas
Cltv Star. Adolph S. (Vhs, of the
New York Times, wns al^o elected for
three years to ta'<e the place of
Whltclaw Reld, New York Tribune,
who declined re election on account of
absence abroad.
After transacting some routine busi
ness the meeting adlourned.
Stole Large Sum.
Philadelphia. Pa., SpeHnl. ? Having
confessed the embezzlement of J*r?,00O.
Andrew G. Bunion, the local selling
agent of the Mobile Cntt'>n Mills, of
Mobile, Ala., was sentenced to one
year's Imprisonment. He was arrest
ed through t !i?* efforts of the Fidelity
and Deposit Company, of Maryland,
which was on his bond. Between
May and August Dunlop sold I5.00'?
worth of thread and kept the mo .ey.
He admitted his ^ullt.
A REIGN OF TERROR
Bomb Throwers Get io Bloody Work
lo Pekii, Cbioa
FOUR CHINESE OFFICIALS KILLED
Deadly Missile Exploded Inside Pri
vate Car Conveying Pai* of the Mis
sions Ordered Abroad to 8tudy For.
eign Political Methods Kill Four
Minor Officials and Wounds Ex
Minister and Prince Taai Tche.
"P?kln, By Coble. ? At the P&kin rail
way station as a train carrying one of
the (our missions ordered abroad to
leaving, a bomb was exploded inside a
private car, killing four minor officials
and wounding over 20 other persons.
The wounded include Prince Tsal Tche,
who heads the most important of the
mission, and Wu Ting Fang, former
minister to the United States, both of
whom received slight bruises. The per
petrator of the outrage, who was in
the car, was blown to pieces.
The afflair has created A profound
sensation and causes apprehension re
garding the safety of members of the
court and leading officials of the gov
ernment.
The government offices and railways
are now strongly guarded.
t
Million Dollar Fire at Butte.
Butte, Mont., Special. ? Fire causing
a loss of $1,000,000 consumed the en
tire business portion of Butte lying be
tween the Shodair block and Renshaw
Mley on the south side of West Park
street, and half destroyed the public
library.
The flro started in the forenoon in
the Symons store, and by noon the
public library and several other places
were turning simultaneously.
A geyser of sparks and burning shin
gles spouted across the roofs of other
buildings at a distance, starting fires
that were, however, quickly extin
guished.
The Symons building was allowed to
burn and the firemen confined their
labors to saving adjoining property.
It was long after noon before the
flames were extinguished, leaving a
mass of charred and crumbling ruins.
The following are the large losses:
Symons store, Maulle and York
blocks, owned by the New York Feal
ty Company, $600,000.
Library building, $70,000.
Ogdon block, $50,000.
Atlantic building, $110,000.
Barrett block, $r?0.000.
Wood worth, $30,000.
BEATEN AND STONED TO DAETH.
Masked Mob Takes Negro Under 60
Day -Sentence From Jail at Wil
llamston, W. Va.
Williamston, W. Va., Special. ?
Breaking Into the jail hero Sunday
an armed and masked mob of "white
ribboners" took out Moses Lovern, a
negro serving sixty days for assault
ing James Butler. Taking Lovern and
James Blackburn, the only other prls
onerVacross the river In a boat, upon
larnfitig, the mob beat, whipped and
stoned Ixwern until he was presuma
bly dead. Both prisoners were re
turned t? jail. Ix>vern will dlo. Black
burn K?ve the names of eight men in
the mcb, and Prosecuting Attorney
Shepard has Issued warrants for
them.
City of Birmingham Floated Unin
jured.
Savannah. Oa., Special. ? The steam
er City of Birmingham, of the Ocean
Steamship Company's line, which went
ashore near the mouth of the river
here Saturday, was floated Sunday and
rame to her dock In this city city.
The vessel Is uninjured. She was
coming from New York to sail on
Tuesday with a cargo of cotton for
Boston..
George Dixon Knocked Out.
Philadelphia, Special. ? (Jeorgo Dix
on, tlie former feather-weight cham
pion, was knocked out. In the
second round of what was to have
been a six-round bout by Tommy Mur
phy, of New York, at the National Ath
letic Club. The contest was spirited
while It. lasted, although It. could he
seen that Murphy was master of the
situation from the start. The first
round was a sparring contest, but in
the second Murphy assumtd the ag
gressive, and succeeded in Horning
Dixon early in the round. Later. af
ter an exchange of blows, Murphy
drove a loft to t?io solar plexus and
Dixon went down and out.
Court House Burned and Six Murder
Indictments Lost.
New Madrid, Mo., Special. ? The
court, house here was burned at an
early hour Sunday morning. The flro
Is thought to have been Incendiary.
Many tax and drainage records were
destroyed, but the other records were
saved. Six murder trials are ponding,
but all indictments returned to this
term were burned, which make con
tinuances necessary.
Railroad Security.
Dallas, Texas, Special ? Tho general
attorneys of Texas railroad companies
secured an injunction ajrtilnst tlr- rail
road commission of Texas forbidding
the putting into effect of an emergen
cy rate on dry goods. The rafe was
much lower t Jinn the usual tar f and
gave several Texas jobbing pot:. is an
advantage over the big jobbing points
of the country. A big legal* ft 4ht Is
expected as a result of this temporary
order.
TEXTILE BKJF Milt
Notes of Southern Cotton Mills and
Other Manufacturing Enterprises*
MAXTON, N. 0.
The Observer's correspondent learns
from a very reliable source of an
out-of-town capitalist who is very
much interested in building a large
cotton mill at this place, if a good
site can be had and some stock taken
by Maxton people. This, we are con
fident, can be arranged, as there hace
been several land owners who have
offered sites for this purpose, gratis,
and this means a mill in the near
future. One of the locations men
tioned above is adjacent to with the
Seaboard and Atlantic Coast Line
tracks, which would make shipping
easy over either line. We hope to re
port srmcthing definate on this soon.
NASHVILLE, TENN.
Joe B. Morgan and his associates
have obtained a charter of incorpo
ration for the Warioto Cotton Mills,
with capital slock of $200,000. This
company will take up its projwsition
for purchasing and modernizing the
Nashville Manufacturing Company
plant, which it has bought under
certain conditions pertaining to the
I) resent lease. The general plan is to
lave ati equipment of 10,000 spindles
and 300 looms. The company was in
corporated by Mr. Morgan, Joseph H.
Thompson, "William Nelson, Edwin
Warner and M. J. Smith.
FAYETTEVILLE, TENN.
The Elk Cotton Mills, are under
stood to have planned the erection
of a. dam to develop power which will
be converted into electricity and fur
nished to operate a .+(50,0(10 cotton
factory which the company intends
adding to its present plant.
Charles Iccman, the well-known
cotton mill manager, living at McColI,
S. (/., is interested in plans which are
being formulated at Cheraw, S. C., for
the organization of a cotton null com
pany there.
CHARLOTTE, N. C.
A charter has quite recently been
obtained lor another cotton mill here
with a capital of $300,000. The in
corporators are Messrs.* E. A. Smith
and A. 11. Washburn, of this city, and
and T. G. Cox, of Taunton, Mass.
Mr. Smith is president of the
Chadwick and Hoskins mills and Mr.
Washburn is the Southern agent of
the Saco-Pettee Machine shops, the
Crompton & Knowles Loom Works,
and other enterprises und is a man of
affairs. It is an enterprise whose suc
cess is assured.
HOUSTON, TEX. \
Inquiries have been receiver from
parties connected with two cotton
mills that are desirious of locating
here, provided the proper encourage
ment J a' feceived. J)ne company is
anxious to erect a $2f>0,000 mill if
$1." ">0.000 is invested by local capital,
and the other is a $100,00!) concern,
with $25,000 capital, anxious to re
ceive assistance from local capital.
An investigation of the propositions
is being made, as it is admitted that
Houston needs a large cotton mill.
GASTONIA, N. C.
The new Mouena Mill, is now com
plete, as far as outward ?inpearanecs
tre coiHcriM d. It has added consider
ably to I lie attractiveness of the other
two mills ? Modeua Nos. 1 and2 ?
though the best street on the hill had
to lie crossed by the 1 uilding. The
windows and the roof are now com
piled and there remains nothing to
he done but lo put in tin? machinery.
Tins is bein-C brought ir now and will
soon he installed. The mill will be
ready for operation by the time its
promoters had planned f >r it to be
gin.
SPRAY, N. C.
It is announced that the American
Thread Company will be organized
for the purpose of establishing a mill
for i lie manufacture of line cotton
and woolen yarns. An equipment of
the latest improved mule spindles will
be installed B. Flank Mebane and
his associates in the cotton mills of
Spray are interested in the new cnter
pv'se.
Textile Notes.
The '< >1 let on Cotton Miils, at Wal
ter'^. 'o, S. ( '., were s?dd at auction *
i:i that city recently nnhr order of
the I n ted Slates IMsiriet Court, 1'or
$.V!.0.">'j. John l'\ !,u< ;is, prcsiJent of
tlx' Colleton Banking Company, ?<i>
in.; the purchaser. The upset pvico
was ,'ixed r.l $4'?,000 by lli^ court.
There were two otter bi-Vr v
The Monroe ( N. C.) Cotton Mills
will add lo.jms and discontinue mak
in'j yarns. It is hoped to have the
changed conditim in operation by
Febrmry 1Mb.
The Eastman, (in., Cotton Mills
have recently been enlarged, and will
be given every advantage possible.
On October 1 they will open up under
reorganization, and their domestic
and export facilities will !>e augu
incnted because of the fact that they
have confidence in the approaching
price ??t' cotton. ?
The Brcnh'Un, TexfiH, Cot'on Mill
is being enlarged to the extent of one
third more than its former capacity,