Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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: '?DO THOU LIBERTY GREAT. INSPIRE OUR SOULS AND MAfcl^HJR LIVES IN 'PHY POSSESSION HAPPY, OR OUR DEATHS GLORIOUS IN THY CAUSE." .]??_' . ? :'. VOL. XXVII. BENNETTSVILLE, S. C., FMpAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1903. NO. 14. SWEPT BY PIRE. Hock Aft ;r Eic ck Destroyed in the CiijT of Baltimore. " THE LOSS IS VERY HEAVY. The Conflagration Began In the Heart of the City at Eleven O'Clock Sunday Horning. Thc mose destructive conflagration in the history of Baltimore occurred Sunday in the wholesale dry goods business district, raging practically unchecked for hours, destroying scores of the largest business houses in the wholesale district, involving losses which cannot be estimated, as the Ure was Btlll buruing llercely when night fell. Owing to the wide extent of the calamity it will be some time before even an approximate estimate can be made, though it Is certain that it has already exceeded '825,000,000. The fire broke out shortly before ll o'clock Sunday morning in the whole sale dry goods store of John E. Hurst & Co., on Hopkins Place, in thc heart of the business district, with a series 11 loud explosions which were heard .In remote parts of the city, and spread with fearful rapidity. In half an hour there were a dozen big warehouses in the wholesale dry goods and notions district burning fiercely. The entire city tire depart ment was called out but was utterly powerless to check the spread of the lUmes, which were aided by high winds, and by noon there were savage fires in at least 30 big warehouses and the conflagration was steadily eating its way into successive blucks east, north, west and south. On Baltimore street thc block be tween Liberty and Sharp was soon ablaze, then came the next block east to Hanover, and after that the block on tile south side to Charles street broke out into flames. The Consolidated Uas company's building and Oehm's A?uie uah buming fiercely. Meanwhile there were stores north ot Baltimore street being similarly consumed. M nil in's hotel caught and other buildings near it. West of Lib erty street on the south side of Balti more the block was doomed, and the big Baltimore Bargain House also caught. Down in Ilopkln's Place, whero the- conflagration started, Hurst's building and the other whole sale houses on both sides of the street crumbled and fell. Though every bit of lire fighting apparatus in the city was called into requisition as the flames continued to spread at 10 o'clock six engines ar rived from Washington and four from Philadelphia. Engines from stations in Baltimore, Howard, Anne Arundel and Harford counties also joined in fighting the flames. His roughly es timated that there were 350 hose all playing at one time upon different parts of the conflagration. With loud roars wall after wall toppled into the streets and firemen ran for their lives. All kinds of wires had to be cut to clear the way for the lighters. The block bounded by Gorman, Liberty, Sharp and Baltimore streets was carly found to be doomed and the li remen turned their attention to saving the buildings on Baltimore street, east of Sharp, but the tire was beyond their control. Bed hot cinders ignited the roof of Front Street theatre at least half a mlle from the main conflagra tion, which shows to ? 'mt distance the firey rain fell. The c. was ex tinguished by thc liremen, assisted by citizens. At 3 o'clock a tremendous explosion of about 150 barrels of whiskey stored in the upper floors of 24 llanover street hurled tons of burning matter across the street on the roofs of the buildings opposite, which the firemen were drenching with water in a vain hope to make llanover street the eastern boundary line of the con flagration. Hort' an engine was buried by a falling wall, the firemen tleaiug for their lives. The whole city was notified of thc conflagration by a terrille explosion which occurred some minutes after ll o'clock. A sharp, t-plittiiig roar went up with reverberating thunder. This was followed by a peculiar whistling noise, like that made by a shrill wind. At three o'clock Monday morning the fire was still raging. The post office building is burning, also the $4,000,000 court house. The Ilolli day street theatre has been blown up with dynamite and the United States Express offices and central offices of tho Baltimore and Ohio railroad are burned._ Bicycles and AutOlllOblICS. After some discussion on Wednes day the House of Representatives pass ed the following bill to a third reading: Section 1. Any person riding a bicy cle, or automobile, or other like vehicle propelled by steam or electri city, upon any puolic highway, or pub lic road in this State, out of or beyond the corporate limits of any city or town, and meeting any person or per sons riding in any of the following named vehicles, to wit: a carriage, sulky, wagon or cart, or anyone on horseback, shall stop and dismount from such bicycle or vehicle within not less than twent y-live yards of said vehicle and remain so dismounted un til said conveyance has passed. Section 2. Any person violating Sec tion 1 of tills Act, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, be tined for t he first offence not more than one hundred dollars nor less than ten dollars, or be imprisoned for not more than thirty days nor less than ton days on the chain gang or in the county jail._ They Were Married. Miss Emma Edinger, of Lancaster, Pa., became the bride of J. Jay Mundy, of Brooklyn, N. Y. A year ago, while employed in a cigar factory, Miss Edinger, in a spirit of mischief, put her name and address in a box of cigars, together with a note asking the finder of the name to write to her. Last summer the box of cigars found its way to the business place of Mr. Mundy and he was soon lu correspon dence with thc pretty little factory girl. Photographs were exchanged and last Hallowe'en Mr. Mundy met his bride-to-be for the tlrst time. Court ship and matrimony followed. BOGUS MONET ORDERS. How An Augusta Merchant .Was Worked by a Slick Unseal.* The Augusta Herald says a negro operating under the names of George Moore and Paul Austin, and supplied with a number of postoillce money or der blanks or checks, made payable at the Augusta postoillce, worked a clev er flim-llam game on C. II. Schneider on Saturday night, Jan. 30, securing a $10 bill of goods and forty dollars in change, but later, in his attempt to work the same game upon I. Silver, lost his goods in Ids liaste to getaway from tho place when he saw that Mr. Silver had grown suspicious. Under the name of George Moore the negro entered Mr. Schneider's store and ordered 810 worth of goods, which a clerk put up for him, and in payment for the same the negro pres ented the postoillce money order is sued at the Savannah postoillce and signed by Postmaster Blount for $40. Together with the order he presented a lotter, which, he said, was from his father, who lived at Savannah, and tho letter staUitttbat the father had sent therewith ^ler'.money order for the sum named. - Believing the order to be genuine, Mr. Schneider accepted it, and gave the negro the goods and $30 change. With the money and the goods the negro then went to Mr. Silver's store, and made a purchase. In payment for the same he presented a money order for $40, made out to Paul Austin, stating to Mr. Silver that Austin was his name. This order was also issued at the Savannah postoillce, but ex amining the order, Mr. Silver noticed that there were two different speci mens of handwriting on the order and that the words "Augusta, Ga.," were written in lead pencil; whereas the other was in ink. It was also evident that the amount of the order had been raised to forty dollars from some smaller amount. Telling the negro that he would not accept the order in payment foi the goods, and also stating that he was of the Opinion thal the negro was try ing to work a flim-flam game, the ne gro, then operating under the name of Paul Austin, dropped the bundle of goods he had secured from Schneid er's place and bolted through the door, losing himself in the crowd that thronged the streets. Mr. Schneider was not aware ttiat he had been "worked" until Monday morning when he presented the order at the postoillce for payment and was told by the postoillce authorities that he evi dently accepted a worthless piece of paper in exchange for his money and goods. Upon close examination it was then discovered that the amount speci fied on the order had been changed, as had also the words: "Augusta, Ga." Shortly after Mr. Schneider left the postoillce Mr. Silver appeared with the order that he had secured from tho negro, and the two checks, were taken In charge by Postmaster Smythe. The matter has been reported to Deputy United States Marshal Stal uaker, who ls working up the case j and hopes to laud the nearo. lt is not known how the negro came into possession of the money orders with Postmaster Blount's signature attach ed unless he hails from Savannah and secured them at the postoillce there, making them payable to whatever names he cared to operate under, and afterwards altering them to his liking. Murderous Rubbers. Burglars attempted to kill .Samuel Waller and his wife and burn their borne in Phoenix City Ga., Friday night. While the family were in the dining-room some one entered the house and ransacked every room. Mr. Waller noticed a dim light in one of the rooms, and taking a small lamp, went in the main bouse to investi gate. As he passed a window some one shot at him from the outside. He Lurried down to the business part uf the city, abcut a mile distant, aud called for help, and while he was gone bis house was tired. Assistance ar rived in time to save the house from being totally destroyed, but thc kitch en was lost. After Mr. Waller went tor help one of the burglars shot at Mrs. Waller three times, one of the .'hots breaking her spectacles. The burglars lied, taking with them a quantity of silverware, a gold watch and some clothing. The authorities in Columbus wen-, requested to ane;t a negro named John Bush, who, they thought, Imd something to do with the crime, who lived in Columbus. Neurons Iii Congreus. The Washington Post says: "A negro occupying a seat on the floor of the house has become an unusual sight, although in years gone by there have been negro members galore. One of the negro contestants from a Southern district ventured in last week, con testants being allowed the privilege. Ile was a plantation negro and not j used to such things as thc house of representatives. The employes quick-1 ly detected his embarrassment, as bc insisted for a time in standing near the cloak room doors, along with the negro attendants. Fnaliy he was coaxed into taking a seal. The boys have been trying to persuude him that it was his duty to sit a part of the time by Mr. Payne, the lloor leader, as a matter of respect to the eminent New Yorker, but the colored politician is backward about accepting that kind of advice."_ Accidentally Killed. R. E. Thornton, a white man from one of the cotton mills at Anderson, was killed about niuo miles from An derson Wednesday morning by either falling or being thrown from a wagon and che wheels passing over his neck. Ile was moving to the country to farm this year and was on a wagon by him self when the accident occurred, to which there were no witnesses. He was said to have been drinking and was driving very fast, and was evident ly suddenly killed, as his body was found only a short time after he had passed a house by the roadside. He was 51 years of age and leaves twelve children._ Carnival or Slaughter. Prezew?lsky, tho noted Balkan his torian, who has just concluded a six months tour of Macedonia, asserts that during the year 1003 Turkish regulars razed 300 villages and massa^ cred 400,000 persons mostly aged men, women and children. LABOR BILL KILLED In the House of Representatives by a Decisive Vote AFTER A VERY LONG DEBATE. The Bill Limited ?the Hour? pf La bor In the Cotton Mill? tn Sonih Carolina to Ten Hours a Day. Mr. Toole had on the calendar a bill numbered "23," showing that lt bad been one of the very first introduced last year. It was the first bill on the calendar" this year, and when Mr. Toole called it up last night for the purpose of adjourning the debate, the house refused to adjourn the debate, and forced action on the measure upon Mr. Strong's motion to strike out the enacting words. Mr. Toole told of the hardships en countered by the cotton mill employes. Ile was taken somewhat unawares by the aotlon of the house in forcing the tight, but made an earnest appeal for the hill, basing his Qghton sentiment. Mr. IJunch of Marlboro, who speaks rarely, but generally to the point, made a strong speech against the bill. There is a disposition to inject into the legislation of this State a spirit against the pet industry of South Carolina. Ile declared that the mills are passing through their darkest davs. Why does any one want to Crow obstacles in the way of the kindly feeling between factory and employer" He predicted that before the year is out operatives will be beg ging to work 12 hours a day, with cotton as scarce as lt is now. He told how people of this couuty who had not gone decently clad on the farms are now working in the mills and are the happiest people In the world. Mr. Holman of Aiken, who styles himself the old "warhorse," erhortcd In favor of the bill. He seemed to feel sore because bo had not been noticed by mill presidents In tho cam paign, but he had received a telegram from one of them declarng that his hill would ruin the mills, and he In veighed against the corporations. Mr. Carey, editor of a labor organi zation paper in Charleston, spoke earnestly in favor of the bill. Ho ap pealed to the bouse to think of the long hours. It was too long to work from before the dawn until after dark. Ile urged that this bill would reduce the time one htmr a day. It would give employment for ll men for 10 hours Instead of 10 men for ll hours. Mr. Williams-Who is back of this demand for this so-called relief? Mr. Carey-The people, particularly the organized labor. Mr. Williams-Where is'there any organized labor In this State outside of a few eitle-? Is there any in the great Piedmont, country where there are nine-tenths of the mills? Mr. Carey-There may be none now, but there will be. Mr. Carey continued that if the Democratic party does not grant such moderate demands as this, they will see the time when there will be con sequences which they will regret. His remarks implied a threat t>f so cialism with the white man and the negro combined. Thc negroes are be coming Socialists. Mr. bennett asked If the 10-hour day would not decrease the pay pro portionately. Mr. Carey replied that the laboring peoplo would rather have shorter days of labor eveu if it entailed less pay. Mr. Kirby of Cherokee opposed the bill. Ile is in favor of helping the laboring class of people. He declared that the bill would work a hardship on the peuple In the mills in this sec tion. They had beggetl him to fight the bill. Mr. Mahalfey of Spartanburg added his opposition to the bill. The mill people there do not want lt. The Mills in Spartanburg have good schools, they have good superinten dents. He gave a picture of mill life In Spartanburg which did not show the need of any legislation. There were some who had been kicked oucof the mill communities for worthless ness who now blackguarded the mills. Mr. Webb of Aiken declared it to be a fuuny thing that operativas coming from the Piedmont country to Aiken county always declared themselves In favor of the bill. All t?f the opera tives in Aiken favor it. Some of the mill presidents themselves favor lt. In reply to some questions from the door, he said that these presidents could not alTord to advocate the meas ure more openly because the pressure from other mills would be too heavy. No other trades are worked over 10 hours a day. not even convict?, and yet in some of the mills the operatives work 13 hours a day, a violation of the law. As to organized labor, he declared that the operatives have thc same right to organizo as have doc tors and lawyers and merchants. In the Piedmont section, in Spartanburg county, numbers of operatives were discharged for attempting to organ ize. This was done in Spartanburg and in Laurens, and yet the employers have a right to organize. He de clared that an operative can work as much In 10 hours when he is rested as he can in ll hours when ho Is jaded. He declared that as perhaps tho only member of the house who had had ac tual experience In a mill ho favored il very heartily. Mr. Dorroh declared that there ls a member of the Greenville delegation who has worked in a mill, one in the Darlington delegation and one from Spartanburg, and all of them aro op posed to the bill. Mr. Wingo declared that ho had ?charged last year that the child labor bill was tho entering wedge to labor legislation and was no good to any man. Where will this end? In his characteristic manner Mr. Wingo de scribed his visits to these people and he declared with vehemence that they want no Interference. Mr. Pearman stated that the mill peoplo of Anderson want no legisla tion. Mr. Pollock moved to continue the bill. This motion prevailed by a viit.e of 00 to 20, and the bill is dead. The house then adjourned until 10 o'clock Thursday morning. A FRANCHISE TAX. Will Atlil Greatly to the Revenno or tho State. By a vote of 89 to 18 the house Thurs day passed the first of the revenue bills submitted by the tax commission appointed by the. legislature last year to find some measure to relieve thc State from its financial stringencies willoh have become annoying of late years. The bill referred to is the fran chise tax measure introduced by Mr. Moses. The result of the discussion was evident from the beginning, but regardless of the overwhelming ma jority in opposition to him, Mr. lio mar made a strong tight agulnst the hill. His argument on the constitu tional phase was very clear. The pre sentation of the case by Mr. Moses, and later by W. J. Johnson was very convincing that the pace has been set by other States, and that the revenue to be obtained by South Carolina will be in excess of the annual dcticit of thc. last three or four years. The bill provides for a tax of three mills on the gross receipts of the fol lowing corporations, to be paid before the. first of June of each year: Any railroad company, express company, Btreet railway company, navigation conpany, water works company, pow er company, light company, telephone or telegraph company, parlor, dining and Bleeping car company. Upon companies which are not public utilities-such as cotton mills, banks, oil mills, and such institutions chartered by the State-the tax is to be one-half of ont. mill on the capital stock. With the other concerns the assessment ls on the gross receipts. With the companies not public utili ties the payment of the franchise tax must be made before the llrstCday o' April, and with the public utilities the tax of three mills on the gross rcciepts of the preceding year is to be paid be fore the first of June, the time of year when the State is most in need of "ready cash." A COTTON PICKER. An Illinois Man Has Invented One Said to be a Buceos?. A correspondent in Illinois writes the Charlotte Chronicle as follows: "I have seen editorial reference in your paper to the need of a cotton picking machine and the vast sums it would Bave the cotton planters. 1 send you herewith photographs aDd description of a cotton picking ma chine invented by Mr. N. bowditch of Aurora, 111. "How lt picks the cotton ls thus explained: The machine consists of two large hollow wheels, five feet in diameter and maue of bessemer steel, or other metal; within the rim ol these wheels are two cams Inclined at an angle, and between these cams are, 24 picker bars, which the revolution of the two wheels causes to move from the outer edge of the rim of the wheel to the face or web of the wheel, about ten inches. Attached to these picker bars are a series of flexible, spiral pickers, composed of two twisted bands of steel with bair cloth inter posed between, the edges being frayed out, thus forming the picking points. These spiral pickers arc projected through rows cf holes radially placed in t.he sides of the wheels, the space betv een the two wheels being about twenty Inches. The machine is driven straddling the rows i f cotton plants The spiral pickers are pressed Into the pla its as they pass between the wheels, and the pickers rotating en tat gie the open, fibrous cotton, and wii ding it up on the pickers, lt is pul led out of the b di, and as the wheel coi tinues to turn lt ls brought to the top of thc wheels, where the ploketB art entirely withdrawn into the wheel. There being nothing to sup port the cotton thus cleaned olT the pit <crs, gravity makes it drop into a ho per, where it is conveyed by an encless belt into an elevator, at the top of which ls a sack which receives tin gathered cotton. ' From six to ten acres can be cov ered by this mai 1 In i in a day, the quantity of cotton picked depending entirely upon the amount of ripe cot ton on the plants, as it requires no more time or pov/er to go over rows, the individual plants of which con taining thirty or more ripe bolls of cotton, than other plants with only ten ripe bolls. Tlie jiachlne Ls a very gre it labor Bavins device, and la apt to work a rapid and complete revolu tion In a field which has heretofore Buc^ssfully resisted the combined i.s saults of capital, energy, mechanical Ingenuity and inventive skill." Memorial Servie, H. In memory of the late John McMas ter, repie-.entail ve from Richland county, the house of representatives engaged In memorial session Wednes day at noon. The members of the senate attended as a further token of respect. Mr. Rawlinson of Richland offered resolutions of respect and of regret and made a beautiful speech In behalf of the resolutions, which were seconded by Mr. Ford of Fairfield, Mr. Gaston of Chester, Mr. McColl of Marl boro, Mr. Aycoak, Mr. Thomas and Mr. Haskell of Richland. Tho re marks of each .speaker were peculiarly appropriate. Titree Humed to Death. At Montroal, Canada, three persons were burned to death in a fire In a small dwelling house In Cableux street Friday and four others probably were fatally injured. Three of the inmates, Mrs. Hogan, with her infant, and Thomas Hare, jumped from the second story of the burning house. The other occupant, Kdward Craw ford, was carried out after lie was badly burned. The lire evidently started from an overheated kitchen stove on tho lower floor and spread to the sleeping apartments Killed His Wifo and Himself. J. W. Hodges, a farmer In tho southern part of Culman county, Ala., was found dead In hlB barn Wednes day, hanging from a rafter, whllo In the house was discovered tho dead body of his wife. The woman had been brained with a blunt instrument. Hodges was deeply in debt, lt ls said, and was being pressed by his oreditors. This is believed to have unbalanced him mentally and oauaed him to com mit murder and suicide. INSURANCE LAWS. i Two Very Important Bills Passed by the House Thursday. ANTI-COMPACT LAW REPEALED And a Law Enacted to Crcato thc oj?loc of. State Insurance Conitnlnaioner With a Good Salary. The House of Representatives pass ed two Important bills on Thursday. The Columbia State says: Three years ago the general assembly passed a law prohibiting the Southeastern Tariff association from coming into the State to make rates on property to be'-insured. This was known as "the anti-compact law" and Mr. Wm. L. Mauldin of Greenville was the author. Thursday the house of rep resentatives by a good majority pass ed a bill which repeals that act. Mr. Maulding is also the author of the repealing bill. The house passed the Klhlcr bill providing for the olllce of insurance commisioner. Each bill is dependent upon the other, for it is proposed that the insurance commis sioner keep the companies from runnning up the rates, and in return for removing the embargo against the association the companies are to give lower rates. The insurance commission under the bill is to be charged with the ex ecution of all laws, is to be elected by the legislature, is to receive a salary of $1,800 a year and $100 for office expenses, the funds for this expense to be derived from a tax of one-fourth of one mill on gross premiums in addi tion to other taxes paid by insurance companies. The Mauldin bill provides that there shall be an examination by proper officials into the cause of lires. The companies which belong to an I association are permitted to conduct | business in the State, provided that the purpose of the association is not to establish excessive or unreasonable charges for Insurance. Upon the com plaint of citizens, the Insurance com missioner is authorized to order the I company to correct the rate and to| order restitution of over charges. There was quite a discussion over the] bills. Mr. Klbler said that wherever such I an act has been passed in other States | it has been productive of great good. The people need protection, and the comptroller general's department is unable to keep up properly with this vast business. The department of in surance would not cost a dollar of ap propriation, the insurance commission er's salary would be paid by the in surance companies and the amount on each policy would be so small that there would be no effect on the | rates. 'In . reply to Mr. Gaston, Mr. Kibler said that he is sure that the comptroller general, who has the whole tax business of the State to look after, cannot give the proper at tention to the insurance department. Mr. Thomas favored the bill. The comptroller general's department needs to be relieved of some of its duties, for that oflice is required to give a great deal of time to personal settlements with the treasurers and auditors in the several counties. In many of the counties thousands of | dollars might be saved if the settle .mts were made properly and the comptroller general, who is entirely competent to attend to the duties of the insurance department, should be permitted to give his entire time to the more important duties of the tax department. Mr. Thomas then direc ted his remarks to the need of an in surance department. The anti-com pact law is a failure according to an example which he cited. An agent from St. Paul came here recently and raised the rate on a building from 1.15 to 1.85 and all the local agents had accepted the rate so made. Property owners should have au insurance com mission to whom they can appeal for advice. Mr. Gaston opposed the bill on the ground that the companies are called upon to pay the expense and he sus pected that there would be a tendency for the commissioner to feel himself an employe of the companies as wei as the State. Mr. DeVore opposed the bill. There is no complaint from the comptroller general that he is overworked or that he wants to be relieved of the depart ment of insurance, it. is wrong in principle for the man who is to over look and Inspect the operations of in surance companies to be paid by those companies. The railroad commission is not worth three straws to the State today, and the office of insurance commissioner would not he worth three st raws for the same reason that it should be kept up by the State and not by the insurance companies. Mr. Rainsford wants the office of insurance commissioner merged with that of bank examiner created several years ago. Mr. Beamguard favored the bill but wanted to adjourn debate until other insurance bills could be taken up in connection with it. THE ANTI-COMPACT LAW. Mr. Mauldin spoke in favor of sepa rating tho work of the insurance de partment from the other duties of the comptroller general's office. Ile de clared that the Southeastern Tariff association is a monopoly and he had Introduced the bill which is now a law forbidding thom to operate in the State. The Kibler bill and his own bill would put this State on the same footing as North Carolina and Georgia. At tho last session he had voted to re peal the anti-compact law, because ho believes that his bill in connection with Mr. Kibler's would be better for tho State. Mr. Homar testified to change of sentiment. Ile had opposed the bill last year, but. since that time the Spartanburg chamber of commerce had reported to him that the rates in this State are -one-third higher than In North Carolina. Ho had Invest?* gated and bad found this to be true. The department of Insurance ls a side issue now and should bi given more Importance for tho insuranco business in South Carolina is enormous, $1,400 000 premiaras last year. This would save thousands of dollars annually. Mr. Gaston insisted that it would be better 'for tho State to bear the cost of the department and made a strong argument along this line. Mr. Lido declared that it ls a mat ter of no small concern for the busi ness man to know that he is getting gilt edge Insurance. The value of an insurance policy ls a mere promise to pay without any security and it is wise to have an insurance commis sioner. BAW A TROJAN HORSE. Mr. DeBruhl spoke against ? Mr. Mun ld i n's bill on the ground thatib gives one man the right to say whether or not a tire is incendiary. lie does not believe in sacrificing too many rights to secure a reduction in rates. Ile declared that it is strange that those who advocate this step get their statistics from the insurance companies themselves. He wants the law let alone, and wants the comp troller general to remain in control of the department. It is better to pay a little more in premiums and get the full amount of the policy. xMr. Bomar sa'd that the reduction of a third in the rates would mean a saving.of ?300,000 or $400,000 a year without a cent of cost to the State. The manner of fixing the pay could be fixed later if it proves unsatisfactory at first. Mr. DeBruhl wants to know what guarantee there is that the bill would save money to the State. MU. DEVORE SUSPECTED SOHETHIKQ. Mr. DeVore asked if this bill is fa vored by the insurance companies, and pressed the question in such a way that it indicated that he sus pected that the bill would do more good for the companies than for the insured or the companies would not favor it. Mr. Sinkler declared thal liiere ls no Trojan horse in the bill. The in surance companies favor the bill be cause it would give them greater pro tection-for which they are willing to pay. Dr. J. B. Black thinks that the du ties of the department should be put upon the comptroller general and" he given the clerical help to enforce the law. Dr. Mauldin admitted that this is ah "Insurance company bill," and he introduced the bill last year at the re quest of the companies, because as au thor of the anti-compact law he had seen that the law had served Its pur pose and had brought tho insurance people to a condition where they are willing to deal fairly with the people. There were practically no Ares before insurance companies came into exist ence, but when a man is well insured, or over insured, he becomes careless and tires are of more frequent occur ence. If laws can be passed to pre vent such carelessness, lt will be to the Interest of the companies, and also of the people. That is why the companies are willing to have a reduc tion in premiums, nOTII BILLS PASSED. The previous question was then or dered. Mr. Ruinsford's proposed amendment to have the office of bank examiner included was voted down. Mr. Aycock's amendment to have the commissioner's salary paid by the State instead of out of the receipts from the companies levied for this purpose was rejected. Mr. Johnson's amendment to have the office elective by the general assembly instead of appointive hythe governor was adopt ed by a vote of 53 to 37. By a vote of 75 to 33 the house re fused to continue the bill on Mr. Gaston's motion. Mr. Beamguard wanted to reconsi der the vote by which the office IB j made elective. The legislature has I enough of elections, and the governor could not afford to appoint an un worthy man. The house voted down Mr. Beamguard's motion. The bill then passed second reading and will come up Friday for final con sideration in the house. Mr. Mauldin's bill was then token j up and passed with but slight uiodl lications. Killed hy a Trolley. At Savannah, Ga., Adaline Nous line, a white giri, 10 years old, was killed late Friday afternoon by a steet car at the corner of West Broad and Broughton streets. Her head, chest and arms were crushed and she was instantly killed. The motorman and conductor of the cor were arrest ed, lt is said that the cars run too rapidly in rounding the curve. The accident is not the first Berlous one that has occurred there. Tho mother of the child ls an inmate of the Widows' home. When she reached the drug store to which tho little one had been carried there was a pathetic scene. The Scoundrel Caught. Goldstein Howard, a negro, ls under arrest at Bluetleld, Va., suspected of having assaulted Mr. Shields, of Roanoke, on Saturday week. The Roanoke authorities were notified of the arrest, and, after getting a de scription of Howard, wired the authorities to hold him. On search ing tho prisoner a silver handle, broken-pointed penknife, filling the description of the knife used in at tempting to cut Mrs. Shields' throat, was found, as was also a whisk broom supposed to be the broom missing from the Shields home. Howard admits having boen In Roanoke on the day of the tragedy. Ilobbor'c Roost. The Columbia State says: "The Springfield Republican commends Mr. Bryan for telling a New Jersey audi ence that their State was worse than a robber's roost, but Mr. Bryan can say, and probably has said, some equally appropriate things about Wall street and perhaps Massachusetts that The Republican will not endorse. New Jersey bas been stepping on her Hinter's cornH and The Republican lo not a Nev/ Jersey creation." Swift Jnatice. At Detroit, Mich., Jos. Meunier, alias Miller, who surrendered to the police Wednesday and confessed the murder of his paramour, Mrs. Jos. Seville, on Saturday afternoon, was arraigned before Justice Whelan Thursday morning, pleaded guilty, sentenced to Jackson Prison for Rfc and taken thore by train Thunda) afternoon. A GREAT CONVENTION. ThJnlitii? Men Will Meet In ?Sp?rtnn ' t. ' ' i ? ? ? ij'- - Tv;'jj ?' '.. ; 1 bur? for a Conference. The city of Spartanburg, S. O. will entertain the first Inter-State Conven tion of the Young Men's Christian Associations of North and South Carolina. The meeting will take place February 20-23. Heretofore each State met In sepa rate convention, but the recent federa tion ot all the Associations In the Carolinas with one Executive Com mittee makea it possible to meet in loint convention. "Service," is the central theme of this significant gathering of young men. The convention is to be materi ally strengthened by the presence of some prominent Association workers from other. sections of the country. Among those who have alread> con sented to be present ls Mr. Chas. R. Towsen, of Philadelphia. Mr. Towson is Secretary of the Pennsylvania Rail road Department, Young Men's Chris tian Associa tlon which is by the way, the largest Association of Its kind in the world. C. C. Michener, of New York City, is another prominent speaker. Mr. Michener ls ono of the International Secretaries and is giv ing practically all of his time to Association work in great industrial plants. Prior to the convention, Mr. Michener ard Secretary Knebel will visit some of the large cotton mills and confer with the presidents and superintendents with reference to the feasibility of erecting special build ings with all the modern equipments for the male operatives. W. D. Weatherford, of Nashville, who is the International Committee's special Student Secretary for the South, will also be a prominent figure In the convention. H. O. Williams, one of the Interna tional Railroad Secretaries is another prominent speaker. Mr. Williams and Mr. Michener will be the special speakers on Monday night of the con vention; this entire evening will be devoted to a discussion of "Work Among Industrial Classes." . Rev. J. A. D. Scherer, Ph. D., president elect of Newberry College, will deliver four addresses on "Funda pientals." Dr. Scherer ls today the leading man in his denomination a broad scholar and a most attractive speaker. Rev. M. D. Hardin, pastor of the Second Presbyterian church, Char lotte, will deliver the Convention Ser mon. There wlli be a number of business and professional men who will till places on the program. Altogether it ls going to be a most significant gathering-some of the choicest men in the Carolinas will thbs be brought together in a three day's conference; they are coming from villages, from oities, from railroad shops, from col leges and universities, to plan to gether how they may individually be of great service to their fellows. This paper is au tho rf /.od to extend a general invitation to any of its readers who may be interested to at tond this convention. There will be reduced railroad rates, but all who cont?mplate attending must flret com municate with the State Committee's office and be supplied with the proper credentials. For further information address State Secretary, Young Men's Christian Association, Charlotte, N. C. _ Stfangle* Uer Daughter. A special dispatch from Walterboro to The State says about 4 o'clock Sunday morning Pasty Ellcan, a negro woman living on Mr. Josiah Hutu's place about eight miles from town, went to the bed of her own daughter, Anita Eligan, and clutching her by the throat, choked her until sh* was dead. There were two other negro girls in the room but they seemed to know very little about the horrible deed except that they helped carry the dead body of their sister into the adjoining room at the command of their mother. Anita Eligan was about 17 years of age. Magistrate J. A. Ackerman of Cottagevllle held the inquest, the jury finding that the de ceased came to her death at the hands of her motb?r by choking. Patsy was committed to Jail Wednesday charged with the murder of her own child. l'afeHcd Bad Checkt?. At Hot Springs, Ark., a young man, giving the name of J. H. Miller, is alleged to have cashed worthless drafts to the amount of nearly $10,000 in that city in the last two days. Miller stopped atone of the most fashionable hotels, and lb ls claimed he Held several drafts to merchants and club houses importing to have been issued by the bank of Rural Hill, Ills., and signed by D. C. Craig, cashier. In vestigation shows that there is no such bank at Rural Hill. Ono con cern bereis reported to have 84.000 of the paper. Miller left the city Fri day and his whereabouts are unknown. Papers found in baggage left behind indicate that the man has operated in Texas, Indian Territory and Cuba. Deadly FumuH. At New Orleans In attempting to save the life of a sailor named Peter Hansen, George Stadle, engineer of tho oil steamer Northtown, from Port Arthur, lost his life Wednesday. Several other men were prostrated by the fumes, but woro resuscitated, nansen went into tho hold to repair a valve and was overcome, and Studio volunteered bo go to the assistance of Hansen. He succeeded in tying a rope about the sailor and tho latter was dragged to the deck, but Stadie in the meantime fell unconscious and died in a short time. One by one seven mon went Into the hold in the effort bo aid Stadle, but all were over come by the fumes. Showers ot Hot Coala. A dispatch from Amsterdam, Hol 1 land, says the colonial office received a 1 dispatch from the governor of the East Indies, reporting the eruption of 1 the volcano of Merapl, in tho island of Java, and saying twelve persons were burned to death and that twenty 1 were sevorely injured. The eruption ' was accompanied by show ,rs of red hot coals. \ HOPE OF THE PAETY. Figure < Showing the Chance of the Democracy in Hext Election. THE DEMOCRATS ARE HOPEFUL. Forecast Made by on Expert on the Htntcs to be Carried, Disposition of the Doubt ? fal Column. Charlea W. Dayton has sent out in "Democracy" the following forecast of general interest: The Democrats are hopeful-more than hopeful -con*. fldent of carrying tbe presidential election in the coming year ia appar ent to every observer of political events. That they have reason on which to base their confidence is as ' plain to every one who has taken the trouble to examine the figures In the returns in recent presidential elections. Examination of those figures will show that of tile 470 electoral votes to be cast, the Democrats can safely rely upon 215, while the Republicans can at the. utmost claim to be sure of 160. This is coDceding that there arc thirteen doubtful states, with 101 votes. Now, of theso 101 votes it would be necessary for the Rep?bli ca is to obtain 70 to possess the 239 votes to elect their candidate, while 25 votes would be all that were necessary to give the Democrats vic tory. Here is a table of the states the Democrats claim, the states concded to the Republicans, and the doubtful states. Dcm. Rep. Alabama. ii .... Arkansas . . 9 ... ! Colorado. 6~ ..TT' Delaware. 3 . ;...'.'? Florida. 5 .... Georgia.... 13 .... Idaho. 3 .... Illinois. 27 Iowa. 13 Kentucky. 13 .... Louisiana. 9 .... Maine. 0 Maryland. 8 .... Massachusetts. 16 Michigan. 14 Minnesota. ll Mississippi. 10...... Missouri.j ;.-.rv~jTx^,^-~ Mootana....*'.^. 3*"*\ ... Nerada. 3 _ New Hampshire. 4 New York . 39 .... North Carolina. 12 . North Dakota. 4 Ohio. 23 Oregon. 4 Per nsyl vania. 34 South Carolina. 9 _ Tennessee. 12 _ Texas. 18 _ Velmont. 4 Virginia. 12 _ 215 160 DOUBTFUL. California. 10 . Connecticut. 7 Indiana.15 Kansas. 10 Nebraska. 8 New Jersey. 12 Rhode Island. 4 South Dakota.,. 4 Utah. 3 Washington . 5 West Virginia.". 7 Wisconsin. 13 Wyoming. 3 Now, to consider thc doubtful states in their order: In California in 1896 McKinley hada plurality of only 2,797; Cleveland carried the state in 1892. Connecticut was carried by Cleveland in 1884, 1888 and 1892. In diana was carried by Cleveland in 1892. Kansas was carried by Bryan In 189G and so was Nebraska. New Jersey was carried by Cleveland in 1884, 188S and 1892. Rhode Island is debatable ground and has a Democra tic governor. South Dakota was car ried by Bryan in 1896. Utah was carried by Bryan in 1896, and al though it turned to McKinley in 1900, it was only by a plurality of 2,123. Washington went Democratic in 1890. West Vlrglnip. was car ried by Cleveland in 1884, 1888 and 1892. Wisconsin gave the electoral vote to Cleveland in 1892. Wyoming gave its vote to Bryan in 1896. The people are ready, yes, anxious, to repudiate the trust building, trust, protecting Republican party. Thous ands of Republicans are alarmed by th i vagaries of our "unsafe," spectac ular president. Influential . Demo cratic leaders will guide the party into ways pointed out by the lessons of the past. la looking over those facts and fig ures, does lt seem more probable that the Republicans can gain tho 79 votes needed by them than the Democrats shall obtain 25? Is there any cause for wonder that the Democrats are hopeful; any cause for wonder that they are conlldent? it may be objected that Now York, with its thirty-nine electoral votes, should be placed in the column of doubtful states. Granting for the moment that this should bo so, the table would give to the Demoorats 175 votes, to the Republicans 160, and the number of doubtful votes would bo 139. The Republicans would still have to obtain 78 of the doubtful votes, while the Demoorats would need but 63. But Now York thin year is not a doubtful state, as Democrats and Republicans oliko kne w. With a candidato such as the Democrats should nominate and a platform such as they should preaaht, lt ls suro to take its place in the emocratlc column. Thc Story of Leap Year. Ono story says that St. Patrick de creed that women should have the right to propose in leap year; another professes to refer the right to an act of the Scott ish parliament of 1228, which gave it to "ilka malden" during the rein of her malst blessed males tie Margaret. " There was no Queen Margaret in Scotland in 1228, how ever. A t>ook entitled "Courtship, Love and Marriage," published in 1608 is said to rofer the right to the com mon law of England, but tho law books say nothing of it. The real ori gin ls unknown.