Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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YOI^IX. "DO THOU, GREAT LIBERTY, INSPIRE OUR SOULS AND MAKE OUR LIVES IN THY POSSESSIO^HAPPY OR OUR DEATHS GLORIOUS IN THY CAUSE." BENNETTSVLLLE, B. C., FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1904. NO. A FAMILY Kl TOWNC House Burned to the Ground Over Their Dead Bodies. A MYSTERIOUS HORROR. Father, Mother and Two Young Girls Killed and the Dwelling Set Afire By Unknown Parties. The peaceful village of TrentoD, where resides Senator B. R Tillman, was stunned Thursday by as horrible a tragedy aB tha human mind can con ceive. Just as the day was about to break, the town was awakened to ?nd that one ot its best known and best respected families had been massacred, and their borne burned to the ground, with perhaps no human teing left who can teil the tale. In the ruins were "the charred bodies of father, mother and two youthful daughters the women killed in their placid sleep and the husband and father shut through the head. The victims of this honor are: Ben. H. Hughes, merchaut and 'armer aged 12 vc&rs. Mrs. B B. Hughes, f rmerly Miss Eva Miller, about 40 years of age. Miss E-nily Hughes, aged 18. Miss Hattie Hughes, aged 15. TRENTON WAS SHOCKED. Trenton was sh' eked and sorrowed and horrified when the residents learn ed the terrible truth, lt was shortly after 5 o'clock that the house was dis covered tej bo on lire, the first person -to reach the scene being Mr. A. II. S. Day, who lives next door. The house was then almost consumed, the fire being too far advanced for any one to enter the building. The first thought of those who reached there was that the Hughes family had escaped, as nothing was Been of them at the win dows or doors. It was ordy after the neighbors began to inquire of each other that they rcal'zed the horror. It was then too late, far too late, even to make an ?t tempt co get out the vic tims. Even then it was supposed that the family had been sin.ply un able to escape after the Ure started p?fbSpi suucc?Ted by thc smoke or burned to death in their beds. It was not' until the neighbors had waited for the Hames to subside and lt was possible to go into what had been the house that they knew murder had been committed-murder in a most horrible manner. ?T'TUE BODIES FOUND. The house was a small, one stury, frame dwelling. Tue young women were Bleeping in one bed in a room ou the left as one entered, while Mr. and Mrs. Hughes occupied the front room on the right, across a r arrow hall from their daughters. There were no other members of the family and no one else staying In the house. The body of Mrs. Hughes was so badly bumed that lt cannot be said for certain how she was killed, but there is little or no reason to doubt that she was murder ed before the tire readied her, since of ?ll four perst ns she was farthest away from the point where the tire appear ently started. The wind was bo.viug aero s the house from the rc om (ccu pied by the girls, their bed was In the far corner and hence their bodies were not ?0 b:;d)y charred. It could be plain ly seen tbat their heads had been crushed In with some hei.vy, blunt in strument, su;h ns a hammer, for the bloody matted hair told the tile all too certainly. Tile innocent girls lay side by side, their positions showing that tliey had not even made a strug gle for their lives. The strange thing ls that lt was possible to kill one after the other, without arousing thea? corni one, who must have survived her sla ter only for the time lt book to raise the weapon for another blow. The bodies of these two were still resting on the springs of the b d, the Inflam mable part of which had nu med away. Mrs. Hughes' body was also just where the bed had stotd in her roc?n, and lt seemed that her head might have been under therplllow. THE CHIME A MYSTERY. It is diQlculr to accept the theory that the hus and aud lather exlermi nate tl his fami'y, but the facts which lead to this t.'nory are by uo mcanh suchas can be lightly disregarded, lie was fully clothed, not hastily dressed as one suddedly awakened from sound Bleep to face a peril or a;s one roused to defend that most dear. He had not met bis death in the dames nor in the manne* In which death came to his wife ant. daughters. Mr. Hughes was shot through thc right side of the head, the hall ranging upward and coming out thiough the top of the skull. Eitht r he shot himself or he wa Bhot by somo Intruder against whom he had prepared himself to d?tend his castle, slnca a pistol was found by the outstretched right haul with one chamber exploded hy concuss! in and the others exploded af ter wai ds by the fire. Tho absence of any motive for murder and arson makes lt seem un reasonable to suppose that the home was Invaded. Mr. Iluglu s and family ad always been on thc best of tenn.-, with every one In the community and there ls no one who ls kn iwn to have had a grudge against him. He was not a conspicuously popular man, but not unpopular, regarded as a safe, conser vative business man and a close trader, and never known to be inclined to speculation. There was no reason to believe that the robbery of his house would prove profitable especially, and if robbery ls tho clue thc robber is hardly a resident of that section. On the other hand r.o one who knew Hen Hughes would suspect him of a ten dency towards suicide, much less the more horrible crime involving bis fam ily's extermination. He had his pc ILLED IN ^TRENTON. oullariiles like other roen and now that he ls dead, mysteriously dead, there are persons who can recall what th' y now say were recent actions more peculiar than were usually noted in his conduct. But tbls may mean noth ing. It ls known his family life was happy, though be bad his share of trouble and worry, his wife having been on to Baltimore within the year for treatment. That be was bard pres sed for money or anything of that sort was not Imagined, as on tbe contrary he was supposed to be prosperous-and that was bis condition in truth so far as ls now known. A PEACEFUL 8CENB. Hardly 200 yards from where the tragedy occurred there is almost com pleted an ornate and attractive dwell ing which Mr. Hughes was building and into which the family expected to move In the next few days. The house they were living in was merely their temporary residence until this other should be finished. The new house ls directly in the rear of his store, a general merchandise establishment .-ucb.as one sees in the average South Carolina town of this size. Here Mr. Hughes did a good trade among his uelghbors of this excellent, prosper ous and progressive community. Acrcss the road-or street-from the destroyed bouse lies a fertile and valuable stretch of land belonging either to him or to his wife. Two doors from the burned house and just across thc street from the new dwell ing ls the unusually handsome home of his brotber, Mr. Steven Hughes, uue of the best and most substantial men not only in tbls section but in all Edgefleld county. The Hughes fami ly and that of Mrs. nughes, the Mil lers, embrace a connection as substan tial, as respected andas refined as any in the borders of South Carolina. The sorrow and tho horror which this mystery bas brought upon them can not bo told In cold, unfeeling type, and the chcumsjanccs make the rela tion of the facts a sad and undesired duty. Thursday afternoon, just as the December sun was beglnnlrg to sink In all tts chill splendor, four caskets were carried from the destroyed home to the little Baptist church where these good people had worshipped God In the purity of mind and heart which He gives to His elect. In this con gregation the father had been a coil' slstent and unassuming membnr while the good works of (mother and daugh ters will live after them. No bettei woman was known to Trenton than sin wbo had trained up her girls so thal every oiW iu thu village icourus theh death Friday the funeral will be hele there In this bouse where they had sc constantly attended, and tho foul bodies will be burled at Ebenezei cemetery. TIIK HOM IC WAS DESTROYED. The rulos were raked In hopes 0: ?Ldlng the implement with whlct the ladles were brained, but nothing resembling that which must hav< been used was dhcDvered except th< pea of a steelyard. Other things such as a watch and jewelry, wen found, although the house was ai ri arly completely consumed with lt' ce uti ats as lt ls possible to conceive, If arson was employed to conceal th< greater crime of murder the gulltj party had reckoned weil. The tin evidently was started at the rear 0 the house and lt had burned Its waj well towards the front before lt wa seen. When the tir.it arrival reachet the sci ne the entire roof was in 1 h aze and before the other towusmei got there the house was practicallj razi d. With these meagre facts to go 01 : o i thc improbability of anything ad aiti< nal ever being discovered, 1 si ems likely that the coroner's jur can only decide that the family of Mr H.n H. Hughes came to their deatl at the hands of parties unknown. Th inquest has been adjourned untl Monday lu the hopes of ohtalnin. further evidence, and both the cor? nor and the solicitor will exert then: selves lo that end. ALL WAS C>UIET. lt has been Bald above that Trer ton, peaceful village of the Itldgt was btunned. No other word pei haps will express the situation. Th horror shocked thcs.i people, shocke them not beyond action If there ha been aught they c >uld do In punlsl ment or vongeance, but In the al sence of cvidi nco upon which act io could bc taken they were merely ho ri fi ;d beyond expression. A Sabbat quiet, a sorrowed stillness, hung ove the place. Oat of re-mect to the fellow merchant, the other bunine men of the town closed their st ri and all hands turned to help in at way that was suggested. It was ne toe work of a few minutes, but < hours to search the ruins and to pr pare tl e burned bodies for hui lal, ar all clay long a small crowd stood ari ur. i,hf fateful spot. Not a curious 1 excited crowd of Idle gossips, or frei zl ;d irresponsibles, but men who atoe by to assist when needed, and alwa; to wonder. There was no exclt mont, no sigu except the evidences 1 sadness. Tender wf>meu were the to do what only women should do f the pure dead, and then lt was th strong men bowed their hoads In r spectful sorrow. The viiiago negro s hung arout the fence, talking with one anoth In quiet, respect ful tones and wo deriog, too. In and around thc v lege t f Trenton-as Trenton men character and ?lound judgment tes lied -there are goon, respectable ai orderly set of darkles, among who no vicious characters arc to be foun So lt was that white and color looked upon the results c f this trat dy In peaceful, peaceable and und turbed amazement.-Tho State. THE record of tho football seasc just closed ls thirteen fatal casuall and 3l0serlously injurlel, tho most rlous being broken collar bones a any number of broken and dislocat shoulders, arms. legs, and broken r and noses. Now for tho solemn ant al editorial discussion of tbe brutal of football. TO COTTON GROWERS. Circular letter in Accordanco With Resolution of Convention. MUST CURTAIL THE PRODUCTION. An Intelligent Address Made by tho Committee Appointed for tao Pur po s o ot the Lato Meeting. In accordance with r?solutions passed at the cotton growers conven tion cn Thursday night, the commit tee uppointed bas prepared the fol lowing for publication in this State: To the Cotton Growers of South Caro lina:- . . We, the committee appointed by the convention which met in Colum bia tnDe<v8to issue an address to the cotton g/owers, wish to say that we hail with Joy the fact that the cot ton farmers of the south are beginning to realize that upon their Industry depends thc prosperity of the entire southland and to a large extent that of the world, and that speculation and manipulation of the market, for the purpose of depressing or raising the price, is of vital importance, not to him alone, but to ah other industries, and that be is not alone, as sometimes reformers or so-called reformers have led him to believe, but that he ls a partner In busluess willi every indus try in the south, and that today we wish to Impress him with the fact that the bankers, lawyers, doctors, merchants, manufacturers-every vo cation and avocation-are extending to him the hand of sympathy, not for brotherly love, but for the sole love of a dollar, and In this fight to main tain the price cf cotton at a remun erative point that all that he has to do ls to show to the world that be proposes not any more to be the slave of his emotions, but that be will stand and act according to the dictates of his real friends, successful' business men, and that their advice to him, voiced In this letter to him teddy, ls that the laborer ls worthy of his hire and that we, representing the differ ent av(. cations and professions, extend to him ( ur promise, word and pledge that we will extend to him in all legitimate ways our moral and finan cial aid. Now to specify: The speculator and the speculative market have no r.-gard for the law of supply and de mand, hence our opportunity. Tne man who has sold Jauuiry, february, Maroh or any future months has pledged himself to deliver that cotton on demand or pay the margins. De cember is here; thousands of bales have been sold f jr delivery in Decem ber. Tho same in every month run ning to .Inly. .Holding tb?? .cordon f >r HO days, allowiug no spots to ba placed as hedges against future contracts, simpl/meats that the speculator has either to pay tbe difference between what he sells that cotton at t oday and what the broker demands of him as the margin or pay the price of the spots held for that to hedge his ven turo. The cotton mills, not through any fault of theirs or any antipathy toward the farmer, butfclmplybicau.se there has been no farmers' exchange, no concentration of cotton through a farmers' organization, they have been forced to deal with men for their sup piles who could get it in bulk. "Hence the condition that exists today. That the broker, :ea1izing the disorganized condition or the faunes and his lack of knowledge of the simple business laws, sells to these mills cotton for future delivery, lt is to lils interest to depress the prkc of cotton because the margin between what be buys lt at and what be delivers it at deter mines thc pile ho makes on the trans action. Therefore the mills have got to look to these brokers for their sup piles. These supplies are promised. | The mills oannot spin goods, yarn or cloth out of the contract written on paper, lt has got to dine out of your cotton. The brokers have got to sop ply that cotton, have got to supply It when the mills require the fulfillment of tho contract. Hold your cotton; set the price and on delivery day the baker will pay lt. It ls manifest to any farmer that if l e has 100 bushels more c irn than is necessary for home co .sumption thar hie has 100 bushels 1 'jr the market. If vhc market ls for 50 bushels, he has 50 bush ls surplus. If he goes Into the market to sell lils opro and no one wants lt because every or e bas a sup ply, he must realize tiiat be must dis pose of that corn at a sacr lice or hoid t h mse'.f. tlc cannot expect a man . if the trade to take hs coin vs lien ,hey have no u:.e for lt simply as a special favor to him. This is not DUsincss, so tha? next year, with that experience In mind, ho will either un derstand the market, put himself In a position to keep p sted, and either plant s i as to ha\o no surplus, but to -neet the req'Jlremints of the trade l'hls s an illustration if the canil l?n Miat confronts us in the cotton .oaik<;t. If we expect the world to o?y us a remunerative price for our citton, wo mus', either cary our surplus ourselves, fixa pr.ee on thc amount tho j world demands o' raise Just so muc i a^ ls necessary for the consumption of the trade. .Therefore, as a farmers' organization we call upon cac i manto exercise good common business sot se, and If we have produced 10 per cent, boo muon, which bas cost a 50 percent, reduction In the price, let us so regu la* e our next year's crop that we will raise Just what ls neces>ary to meei t';o cleiiand at 10 pvr cen*, bolo v con sumption and realize the f>0 per cent. pr?.flt. L\st year taught the fiO per cont, prcli'.t. This year has very forcefully taught the50 percent, leal It has Leen said, arid truthfully, that an agitation of reduction of acreage means an Increase of acreage, and, act ing upon the piesumpton that the o her man is truthful and that he isa Uar, the firmer pledges himself to re duce his acreage, goes home aud in creases his acreage in order to reap tho beni fit of the other man's sacr floe. We are not fools any m )re? so by reso lutions adopted last night we have ap pointed that there shall be township organizations, and each man's name who goos on the list pledges a reduc tion In acreage and in commercial fertilizers that docs not ieduoe shall be published In the Hst after May 22d as heir g the man who made a promise and in order to eaton the neighbor napping tried to prout by his owl} de ception. We offer this advice as to a reduc tion in acreage and in c mmorial fer tilizers because we believe, in fact we know, that each individual will be profited who heeds it, whether his neighbor does it or not, for this rea son: If so much cotton be raised next year as to depress thc price below the cost of production and he has curtail ed his orop and raised his own sup plies on the acreage not,planted In cotton, be has lost less money than bis neighbor, who has ignored his ad vice and raised cotton at a loss aud has no supplies to fall back on. Hence, from every standpoint, from every economic view, a reduction of the cot ton acreage means lnoreased prosper! ty to the south and to every individu al. It ls needless for us to multiply wordH. The wayfaring man, though a fool cotton farmer, need not err. We wish to appeal tee. ve ry farmer simply to use every effort in his power to save the profits that be is now in posses sion of, tbe cash that he bas realized from last year's high priced cotton, to live more economically now than he has evei done before; not to exhaust his cash surplus, so that .ho may have a fund upon whioh to fall back in case of disaster ot any kind. We note with pain the disposition among our farmers to spend their money for that which ls not essential, such as new bnggics, flashy harness, showy appearance, when the old would have served the samo purpose and left him his cash, which could have been used in the permanent Improvement of his home and farm. In conclusion we are glad bo say that there is a conoert of action through the cotton belt looking to the reduction of acreage and tho mainten ance Dr is remunerative price In cot ton. Texas, Oklahoma, Indian Terri tory and Georgia wired us last evening that on the 17th day of December meetings will be held in every county In the States mentioned for the pur pose of withholding their cotton from the market, and no man in South Car olina having cotton for sale need be afraid to withhold lt from the market for the next 30 or flo days. Respectfully submitted, E. D. Smith, Chm. F. H. Hyatt. F. H. Weston. Alfred Aldrich. R. P. Stackhouse. THE SCHOOL MONEY. Vet Y Linrffo Amount (i i ven Out This Year by tho Dlupousary. The comptroller general last week | sent out to the various counties a total of $75,000 of dispensary school | money to be distributed on the enroll ment plan. Tins makes a total of the I year of $270.454.55, in addition to $5.000 for the summer schools. -On] February 10th there was a distribu tion of $13,903.74 to the various coun ties to supply the deficiency. There was also a distribution at the same time of $122,487 81. In May there was another distribution of $05,000,1 and the sum sent out last week makes | the total given above. The total dis tribution in 1903 was ?150,424.03, and a cash balance of $95,703 38. This year the only balance left will be the money turned over from now until January 1, as lt ls desired to gj.t all of the money In the hands i f the schools at once. The distribution by counties ls as follows: Abbeville. $2,358 81 Aiken. 2,181 81 Anderson. 3 318 42 Bamberg. 1,108 29 Barnwell. 1,725 08 B iaufoit. 1.087 03 Berkeley. 1,392 28 Charleston. 3,554 85 Cherokee. 1,268 48 Cluster. 1.521 Chesterfield. 1,105 27 Clarendon. 1,002 801 Colleton. 1,431 381 Darlington. .. 1,072 51 Dorchester. 1)04 82 Kigetield. 1,643 83 Fairfield. 1,907 l; Florence. 1,662 00 Georgetown . 1,050 01 Greenville. 3,435 98 Greenwood. l ,871 73 Hampton. 1,181 92 Morry. 1,484 04 Kershaw. 1,178 20 Lancaster. 1,400 35 Laurens. 2,040 58 Lee. 1,127 42 Lexington. 1,662 80 Marlon. 1,872 45 Marlboro. 1,430 oo Newberry. 1,821 87 Oconee. 1,419 13 Orangeburg. 3,8io 32 P ckons. 1,205 37 Richland. 2,108 57 Saluda. 1,373 25 Spartanburg . 4,242 25 Sumter. 1,712 13 Union. 1,557 54 Williamburg. 1,703 48 York. 2,670 90 Total. $75,000 00 Ilcinciubor i ii in. The merchants who advertise in this paper have made extensive prep arations for the Christmas trade aud the stock from which the citizens will select ls so completo and ample that there will be no occasion for sending elsewhere for gifts. That should oe understood fiom tho start and the pcoplo of this city ought to buy from tho lecal merchants. They will profit by tho transaction. In this connection iln: shoppers .should appreciate the importance of m iking early purchas jes. They will be able to make better it-elections, they will not have to walt I until thc last for the remuants, and lt will prove a great convenience to the merchants. There is no sense In walting until the very last moment when the rush begins, for it ls trying on the clerks and unsatisfactory to the shoppers. The citizens, thorefore, should he reasonable and prompt, and those who delay will be the ones to sulTer. _ _ REV. Dr. Zimmerman, of Balti more, asks: "What shall wo do with our old men?" To which the Wash ington Pobt happily responds: "Adopt the reciprocity plan and care for them las they oared for us." "HOLD YOUR HOLT." - ? ** Farmen cf the South Advised to Cold Their-Cotton 1 UNTIL SEE PRICE ADVANCES. This le tlio Advice OUon Them ujr Cotton ItiiiR Brown or New Orleans ?nd General j Butler. ft 1 W. P. tfrbwn, ot New Orleans the great cotton king, has issued an ad dress o ver his signature as follows: 4 To trier. Planters, Merebants and BaLkers of the South: Cotton has declined to a point below the cost of production. Are you going to sell at present prices, or hold until you can get the market v niue for the balance of your hidings? .The decline is un warranted. To be conservative, I will say ?lat the balance of this crop should br^ng at least 10 Cents at the ports, and, according to my judgment the only ?vay to obtain an advance ls for the'planter to keep his cotton on his plan' atlon until the actual demand ls sufficient to enable buyers to pay tho pror^r value for the stuff.v Tbe merchants who are carrying cotton should not force what they have on the marget, but stand 6rm and de mand higher prices, or not sell. ''Tboobanks all over the south should stands by the merchants and planter?; and not force them to sell their colton at present prices, wbicb they a':l know is below the cost ol production. These prices mean rule to thes?utb. It affects every branch of trade\and the ocly-'tblcg to do it for every man tbat is interested ic any manner, shape or form to 6tand together. 'For the sake of argument, admit the crop is 12,000,0C0 bales (though 1 do not believe it is), the cousumptioc at then price) will beat loast ll, I 500,000bales, and the other 500.00C bales v.lil be a small quantity to gc I into mill reserves. The spinners ol A m er i -.'.n cotton throughout thc world should, at least, add this yeal to their depleted stocks 500,000 to l, ooo.O?n bales. Tue visible supply al the end of the season, In order to pre vent ,t?,queeze>.' and 'corners' should be at least 1,250,000 bales. Any wei posted cotton man knows that this k practically correct, hence I see nt reason'fior tbe holders of cotton tx get belled and sell at anything like preset.r. prices. "Slice the bureau report was is sued ci Saturday we have seen a great many ; olegrams from some of the vcr} best ;'-j<tLon merchants scattered ovei the-sY ?t'.i to tibs effict that they be lisvedVthe estimate was too large, J mention this to show you that I an not the only one who thinks the estl mate too large. However, it has tbi effect I of putting middling cottot down io 7 1-2 cents in the New Or leans luarkct. "The South went broke raising cot ton at .5 1 2 cents, and 6 cents pe pound in 1897-98, and during tba period everything was cheap, as wei as cotton, and the cost of raising cot ton was small, as compared to th present ".rop, which is the most ex pensive one ever grown. It wouli pay the. farmers to sit still and no market another bale of this crop un til he can get above 10 cents and re duce his acreage another season a least 15 per cent and instead of rah lng another bumper crop, raise onl enough to supply the world. Th last crop was only 10.000,000 bale; ind it brought more money than an crop ever raised-much more tba this crop will bring, unless the ba ance left brings much higher prlct than thosfi niling today. With co ton at 7 1 2 cents at the ports, cottc plantations are worth today J jstabut half what they were at this time la: year. Now, every mau that is Into ested in the south, regardless of tl character of bis business, should I Interested in keeping up the price i cotton. Cjtton ia one of the fo things that thc world must have, in thc south bas a monopoly on th? te rltory where lt can be growu, yi they won't take advantage of tho si uatlon. "There are BO many things tb can bo raised In the south protltabl why not turn your attention to otb things and raise less cotton? Wo ha been told that we needed a twol million bale crop this year, and, nc that you havo raised ono close to th tigure, they say you must sell lt at give away price. "Stand together, both morchan farmors and bank( rs, and you w come out all right, but if you thr. your holdings on the market you m rest assured that tho spinner will b lt just as low as he possibly can, a 1 don't blamo him for doing so. Isn't tho spinners of the world at tl time who are forcing the marl down, lt Is the bear speculate Spinners In every country of t world, with a few exceptions, i do ng the best business In the blstt of tho trade. They can afford to i from 0 to 10 cents per pound a make a good profit at the pros? prices goods are bringing. The c suming world ls In a position finar ally to pay higher pricss today tl they have been for a great mi years. "Low priced cotton really ought be a thing of tho past. "A 12,000,000 bale crop ls worth cents and that ought to bo the price for a great many years to coi and it rests with the producer co whether or not ho will raise moro tl the requirements of the world and como a pauper, or whether ho raise a moderate crop another sea and grow rich. "But tho present moment ls most Important one. nold tl stand together and don't give j cotton awav at nresent prices." OKS. nUTLKR'S ADVICES. Gen. Butler, writing to tho Aui ta Chronlolo from Woodlawn, S. says: But for tho faot that it is a serious matter to the producers of ton the recent speculation llurr the cotton market would be ale I ludicrous. 1 find the following statement In your Issue of the 3rd. Inst.: . COTTON MOVEMENT. New York, Deo. 2.-The following statistics on the movement ot cotton for tbe week ending Deckmber 2 were compiled by tbe New York exchange: WEEKLY MOVEMENT. 1903 1904 Port receipts. 387,467 376,765) Overland to Mills and Canada. 39,687 51,236 J Southern mill takings (estimated)... 67,000 67,0001 Gain of Stock at In terior towns. 47,068 5 085 Brought Into aigbt for tbe week.631,212 488,0551 T TAL CHOP MOVEMENT. 19C3 19041 Port receipts.4,607,282 4,013,0891 Overland to Mills and Canada.... 305,331 . 242,334 Southern mill tak ings (estimator)) 678,000 580,000 Stock at interior towns In excess of Sept. 1. 624,902 413,260) Brougnt into sight thus far for the season_: 6,115,516 5,266.680 This shows 5 266,689 bales for 1904 against 0,112,516 bales in sights same time for 1903, making a difference of 848,827 bales in favor of 1903. Now If this statement is correot and thVlate_ report from the Department of Agriculture ohuwing this year's crop to be 12,160,000 balea,- le cornet, there must be out of sight' presum ably In the hands of the farmers, "BM 803,361 bales. Of course my sources of Information are local, but we live In a section of the cotton belt which is about the average outside the delta lands of the west, and lt is entirely within boundR to say that cotton is practically all picked and ginned lu thia latitude. A pretty dose observation of the cotton production for the last few years sat isfies me that tbe agricultural depart ment report is greatly exaggerated. The reports from the gins in the cen NUS bureau is much the most reliable, and that is only approximate, as the farmers are beginning to realize that ab ut the only persons beneQtted by any of these reports are the bear spec ulators, manipulated by them In auch a manner as to suit their purposes. I am unablcd to see bow or where they benefit the farmers. You may recall that Mr. Secretary Wilson took Issue with me as to last year's orop, and said that if it did not seU for 7 or 8 cents "he would present me with a bat." I suppose he meant a new hat lie has not yet honored me with the bat altho' cotton went soaring soon after his deliverance in ex cathedra fashion of bis opinion, to 15 and x bc Meved at ohe time as high as 16 ana 17. cents. 1 beleived I prefer to take the distinguished secretary's estimate of thc grain crop, as bo comes from the line-it grain section in the world. If there are 6,000,000 bales in tbe hands of the farmers it supports tbe theory that they are in very sound ? nancial condition, a condition they ought not to be frightened out of by bear speculntlon. In other words to borrow the homely phrase of the old darky to hi., coon dog in a tight with a coon to 'hold bis holt until the coon gives up"-The farmers ought to "hold their holt" until (to borrow another phrase from a distinguished sportsman) they can get ' 'a s quare deal" with the bears. Yours truly._M. C. BUTLKK. Mo i nu a ln| uro il Trade, The Charleston cotton exchange last week adopted the following resolu tion and sent a copy to the chiet statistician for manufactures, census bureau: "It solved, That lt is the sense of this exchange that .the census bureau in Ihsuing tho report of cotton ginned in installments. Instead of in sum to tal, as done by mid bureau lo previous years, has been a serious detriment to the cotton trade this season, unsettling the market, values of spot cotton, ann creating erroneus Impressions as to the Anal outcome of tho cotton ginned And it is further "Resolved, That the ohief statisti cian of census bureau be respectful ly asked and requested to issue all fu ture reports of the cotton ginned in a monthly form in Its entirety as was in his manner of doing same in the previous season. Married Wrong Woman. Mrs. Ellzah Signers Toy, of Offlngs vlllc, Ky., flied suit there for divorce j against Joseph Toy, her husband of a month, charging abandonment. She also wants 83000 alimony. Toy, who is a wealthy farmer, was | reported engaged to Miss Ella Otis, when he met MiJS Ellzah 8anders at j churoh. This seemed to be a case o', love at tl rat sight and a month ago Toy and Miss Sanders came here and wore ! married. The pair sat in the buggy wtiilo the csremony was performed. N< xt day Mrs. Toy alleges Toy awoke I from a stupor and wanted to know why she was there and upraldcd her bitterly, saying he thought he was j marrying Miss Otis. A few days later 1'oy disappeared, leaving a note and a 8200 check for his wife, telling her to get a divorce. Toy, lt is said, then went to Miss 0:is' home and kho slip ped out of an upstairs window and I Joined him. lt ls believed they have j gone to Oklahoma._ Will Hold Cotton. A dispatch from Salley says th? farmers of that section hold a meeting Wednesday for the purpose of forming I plans by which they can keep what cotton thoy have out of tho market | for any length of time, two years necessary. There were about 360 of of the most prominent farmers of this I section present at tho meoting. They are all out of debt and have money j enough ahead to carry on their busi ness without drawing on their cotton All tho farmers at thia meeting slgn [ ed a pledge not to market any cotton for less than 10 cents per pound. ^ It ls Needed. Secretary Wilson says the hens lay enough eggs in a month to pay the interest on the national debt for a year. Secretary Wilson ought to sup port the Louisville Courier-Journal's proposition that if we aro to have a new cabinet portfolio to be called the Department of Mines, we should also have ono to be oalled th? Department of Hens. SOUTH CAROLINA POS?O?FICJSS Some Very Intorcatinp; Facto and Stj?ttutlcs Concerning Them. Io the annual report of Joseph lt. Bristow, fourth assistant postmaster general, made public Tuesday, some interesting facts about the postofflces of South Carolina were made public. The report is for the fiscal year which ended June 30,1004. There are forty-four presidential postofflces in South Carolina, two of which are first class, Charleston and Columbia; nine second-class, and thirty-three third class. Since June 30, 1003, there has .been an increase of five presidential postofflces. Ander son and Bock Hill were promoted to presidential offices during the year, the firmer with (cur carriers and the latter with three. South Carolina bas 1,110 fourth olass postofflces, and lu this respect ranks twenty-one among the states in number of fourth-class postofflces. The averajje annual salary of the fourth olass postmaster in South Carolina is ?151.70. The total re ceipts of all the offices, presidential and fourth-olass, was 9684,434.50. The avrr ge amount, expended per capita lu ui e of the malls was 48 cents, making the state rank last in the Hst of states. In the last fiscal year ninety-three new rural free delivery routes were established in South Carolina. Up to that time there had been 238 rout a in operation, making thc total at the close of the year 331. The posf office department made 183 adverse reports ob applications from farmers-in South Carolina. lb will be Been that the Sil vers* reports almost doubled the num ber of routes established. In most of vhe other states the number of routes established exceeded the number of ad verne reports/ l wou'd appear tbat South Carolina i md been discrim inated against, or else tho roads were not in flt condition to warrant the es tablishment of the route desired. South Carolina has one county wt? rice, whloh is to be found In AnderafflH c unty. Tbe Anderson conntflgM vice was established In lOOL^sgfl fag there are thirty-seven rcrd^K county alone. Almost every^HHH lo the c ?unty ls reaohed by a ruHH free delivery carrier. During the year the 33? carriers in South Carolina delivered 7,007.357 piecesof mall, and papers constituted over one-half of che total. Tbe beneficiaries of the rural routes received 4,301,400 papers during tbe twelve months. Regis tered letters delivered numbered 4,645; letters, 1,948,163; postals, 454, 645; circulars, 045,837, and packages, 282,668. Tbe total number of pieces collected to be malled was 1,632,151, most of which were letters. The value of stamps canceled by tbe car riers was 929,058.50. The silarles of carriers are based upon the length of the route which Choy servo. Tbe highest salary ls paid to carriers who have twenty-four miles or longer. They receive $720 per annum. Carriers whose routes are from eight to ten miles long ge' 8432 a year. Last year the postoffioe depart ment paid tc the carriers in South Carolina tbe sum of 8168,7,60.00, the average salary being 849.52 per month, or 8594.24 per year._ Aimed at the South. Senator Platt, of New York, intro ductd the first bill in congress this ses sion for the reduction of Southern rep resentation in congress. Senator Platt'a bill did not follow the usual line of calling for reduction of tho rep- , renou tatton of those states whloh have ; violated tho provisions of the four teenth amendment, but was dlreotly ab the South, designating the states. If the bill should pass the South would loase nineteen members in congress. The following states would be affected with the loss of congressmen: Virgin ia, two; North Carolina, two; South Carolina, two; Georgia, two; Florida, two; Alabama, two; Mississippi, two; Louisiana, two; Texas, one; Arkansas, two; Tennessee, two. Munt bo Maintained. Congressman T. W. Hardwick, of the Tenth Georgia District, a few lay? ago wrote a letter to Senator A. O. Bacon, of Georgia, asking his views on the present polltlt.il situation. Sen ator Bacon replies at length. Tte Sen ator says there is an effort to Repub lican^ the South. Ho declares that white supremacy must be maintained in the South and everywhere; that the prosperity of the South ls due bo white supremacy. He advocates tho repeal of the fifteenth amendment and insists that unie ss that shall be dono tho people of tho South will be forced to maintain their position of white .supromaoy._ C. ?-ot It Alone. | Gov. Heyward has written wisely and well to the seoretary of the Na tional Child Labor Annotation lu dis approval of the agitation that is being made for further legislation in South Carolina against employment of chil dren in the milla. Toe movement ls for a fuither restriction upon the em ployment of children. Tno law now puts the age minimini at twelve years for employees in the mills and lt Is proposed that this be ratee i to f lur leen years. Gov. Hey ward points out j th At the law ls working to the satis f .lotion of everybody and there ls no good to como of a further agitation at this time. The Governor ls entirely right._ No Wator tor ?took. Drought In Central Kontuoky is tho worst in tho history of the State. Pasture lands that have been In grass for twenty years will bavo to bo re sowed, even tho roots being parobed. Creeks, ponds and wells are drying up and stock is out down to one drink of water In twenty-four hours in many sections. Railroads and farmers aro buying water at oity water works and hauling lt miles. The Lexingtonjrcs or v ol i ia practically Inexhaustible and affords the only hops about Lexing ton. The big Blue Grass stook farms are in dire straits. Wheat 1B ruined In some places. THUY mako Blurt work with negroes out in Reno, Nevado. A dispatch from that ol ty says the chief of police has ordered all the negroes to leave tho town within 24 hours. They are leaving by every train. The aotion ls the result of a number of depreda tlons committed by negroes In Reno during the last few weeta. FOULLY MURDERED. A Well-Known Farmer of Ihoiason, Ga., tho Victim. TWO ISG&OIB CONFESSOBIMX. Tboy Say They Killed Mr. Story Bc* o a ne o Ho Would Not Allow Tb.ein to Attend * Pan?? raj Borrico. Mr. Bod. G. Story, a highly r? speoted gentleman of Thomson, ?a.. waa brutally murdered two mlle? north pf that place on Thursday. The foll OTT lui: particulars of the mur der we take from the Augusta Chron icle: z Mr. Story bad been bothered for some time by having parties steal cot? ton from some of his tenante, and he left his home Bhortty. after dinner Thursday evenir g and went over to in vt s ti sato the matter, and ti ia thong' ,t that a fuss arose ^between bim r d the parties who were accused of the stealing. While returning borne he was waylaid and knocked on the head with an axe, three terrible wounds having been made on the back of his bead, orusblng In the skull and causing the brains to ooze out. After tho murderer or murderers bad 'killed Mr. Story they took his body and tbrew lt Into a canebrake about 20 feet from where the crime was com mitted. Mr. Story falling to return home -TiiUisd&y night, bis wife easy and gavp T-hc alarm, party was or gent search was found/ Story, H. St o'c dal gro girl that he am bad a fu?s am shot bim. So far tl show any gunshot or wounds, but a more thorough e: tlon will be made Monday morri?a Mr. Story, the deceased, was 47 years of age, and leaves a wife and several children t i mourn his sad death. The mystery surrounding tho mur der was solved Saturday when two ne groes, Gny Reid and John Butler, orv fessed to the crime. The r. worked on Mr. Story's plantat Wednesday afternoon tboy w? 1 go to a funeral, but were refur mission by Mr. Story, who them back to the cotton fiele cotton. Mr. Story stayed art .\ jpi> woods nearby the cotton fields tc soe that the negroes went to work. They, tiowever, left their work end started towards town and came upon Mr. Story, who had been watching them. Mr. Story asked them: "Hello, boys; whero are you going?" Then Butler Immediately drew his pistol and shot Mr. Story In the face. Story turned to run to escape the negroes, as he bad no weapon to defend himself with. The negroes pursued the wound ed man and overtook him and with an axe crushed his skull. The negroes, to hide their crime, immediately hld the body in the canebrakes, where it was found. A special court has already been held and the murderers sentenc ed to be hung on Deoember 27th. Wi? Have lu We have seen lt stated that since Cherokee County voted out the dis pensary that a Jug line has been established between Gaffney and Blacksburg and Charlotte, lt lo said that In one day over one hundred jugs were put off an express train at Gaffney. This ls not all. The Spar tanburg Journal Bays "the cit zena of Cherokee county, when they voted the dispensaries in Gaffney out of business, struck a ll JW that will have a most b?n?ficiai effect on the dispen saries in Spartanburg, for, as a result of the action of the paople of Chero kee, the business of the local dispen saries has increasod wonderfully. The pe pie in Gaffney are no different f ri m those in other counties in the btate. There are those who will drink whiskey, and Spaitanburg be in,- accessible to the citizens of Gaff ney and Cherokee, and a most delight ful place to visit, they will naturally come here when they want booze to satisfy their thirst. A local dispenser has been quoted as saying that sines the people of Gaffney voted out the dispensaries that the sales of his dis pensary were ?100 moro per week than bbey were before the dispensaries were voted on in Oherokee. He said he expected a still greater increase in bis bushiest. Hundreds of people from Guerokoe county visit Spartan burg every week and it Is an easy matter for these wao visit the olty?to purchase whiskey, not only for fehem selves, but for their friends." Hellt Ted To Se boat. The three masted schooner William I Churchill, which sailed from Boston. Mass., November 7 from Wilmington, N. C., has not yet arrived at her des tination, and the owners believe that the vessel hos been lost. The trip I should have been completed in from 10 to 15 days and the Churchill has now been out 33 days. Capt Jossen was In command and shipped a craw [of eight men, all foreigners, from Boston. Mn. JOS. W. Stewart has resignad his position as traveling passenger agent ot th? Seaboard Air Lin?, with headquarters In Columbia, to become business manager of tue Colombia Daily Record. Mr. Stewart has been with the Seaboard several years, hold ing Important positions in Columbia and Savannah. Ho has been uniform ly successful as a railroad official, and we feel sure that he will be equally ae I Buccessf ul In the newspaper business, whioh we believe was his first lova. We congratulate the Record on se curing the valuable services cf Mr. I Stewart, bot what will the Airline do.