The Marlboro democrat. (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, February 17, 1905, Image 1

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The Marlboro' Democrat. "DO THOU LIBERTY GREAT. INSPIRE OUR SOULS AND MAKE OUR LIVES IN THY POSSESSION HAPPY. OR OUR DEATHS GLORIOUS IN THY CAUSE.'* VOL.^QX. BENNETSVILLE, S. C.. FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 1904. NO. 25 Books of State House Officials Examined. COMMITTEE REPORTS Numerous Irregularities and Discrep ancies, Caused by Failure to Keep a Proper Set of Books in a Proper Way. Secretary ot State Complains. Senator T. B. Butler and Represen tatives Richards and Riinesford Tues day submitted a report on the ex amination of the offices of tho secre tary of state, comptroller general and state treasurer. Tbe report was or dered printed in tbe journal and ls considered ono of tbe most sensa tional yet flied. The report says of 60me of the of fices: "That they have examined the book of accounts of the above named orn eara and find the ( fflces of state treas urer, comptroller general and sinking fund correct, with proper vouchers, the ?nices and the books neatly and well kept, and the committee, with pleasure, commend the elllcienoy of the c mears and assistants in these sev eral departments." Tbe report then recommends that the comptroller general be supplied with file cases for the keeping of the records of the o til co. The report cn the secretary of state's office is in part as follows: This office bas not been included in the examination heretofore, but last year this additional duty was placed von this committee, and lt has been an enormous, unplersint and extremely dlfflctriCrnatter to ascertainvthe exact and true cestUt'.uu ?t?ho finances of this office-due to many reasons which we will attempt to show later. When we first went to this ofllce in April, 1904. we were informed that we could conclude our lubors "in ten minutes" and were shown the bank Dooks and a mere statement, of amounts, aggregate, received In that office, and amount paid state treasurer. OJ insisting that wo came for a real examina tlon, we were begged for time to prepare books, etc. However, your committee went to work but soon . funndi. on account of the absenco ,of books and in proper entries of cash received, wrong and improper entries made In the bojks furnished, which bad been badly kept. Your commit tee feeling the need of a thorough ex amination adjourned, and secured the services of an account, Mr. J. C. Hol lis, of Gaffney, S. C., and with bis valuablo assistance made up a book of every item we could lind and was furn ished by Mr. R. M. MoCown, tho as sistant clerk, said book being now in tho possession of your committee. Af ter adjourning, and before our return with Mr. Hollis, many erasures and corrections were made on tho books attempted to be kept. The only way we could do was to handle each de claration of oharter, return, applica tion for notary public-In fact, every paper during Mr. Oantt's administra tion. Seeing that considerable time would be consumed in this ix intui tion, we did not feel justified in go ing back of Lis term without express authority, so did not do so, hut reel now that this should tc dine by the committee to bo appointed. In comparing the return of corpora ton to the charters that were record ed, we found some unrecorded and others erroneously recorded, such as where a charter had b en granted in tho sum of $15,000, same was recorded as having been issued in tho sum of .50,000. This work we did not com plebe on account of a very damaging fire in the office where, principally, all records were kept, and since that time we have been unable to do any such work for the books were badly Injur ed, hence, such examination was nec essarily Kuspended. In many oases we found where over collections had been made aggregat ing 8367 55. ranging from 50 cents to 877 50. There was no evidence that these varkus Roms had bien return ed to the pr per parties, but, on the contrary, the secretary of state In formed ?B wo "bad nothing to do with these excess amounts as that was a matter between himself and the par ties sending them." We do not agree to such a proposition. On the book which was supposed to he kept items were left off entirely. To Illustrate: Camperdown mills, chartered April 30, 1004'- charter fee 8100, and others. Improper amounts credited to state: Puckaber Bros., Charleston; charter fee 860; amount state credited with, .15, March '23, 1U04. We f-.el ci m polled to condemn this carelessness In handling the people's money, and In not happing proper entries of all mon eys coming bh'tOUgt) this ellice, also ill3? method that bas prevailed In many Instances where a credit system has teen allowed. To gi ve an instance, the Norris cotton mills, charter in creased on April io, 1003; charter fee, .50, amount received after charter Is sued $25, and the claim was made that the late Col. D. K. Norris con tended that "the office already owed him $25." Either this morey is lost to the state or is a los*, to tl ie score tary of Btatc; at any rate, such prac tice should ho discontinued. There aro other Instances. These items of over collect iona may have been re turned, but we have no evidence of same. Your committee ls cognizant of one Instance where Lhere has ht en a refund. The charter was granted on Fobruary 23, 1004, and refund made June 23, 1004, after these matters had bf?en called to the attention of this office. We regret to report that "all mon eys" have not been paid over "quar terly" to the state treasurer aa ls re quired by lav:, Hame being held, In some Instances, considerable timo af uer bue expiration, o? cue several quar ters. Yo-ir cimmitte begs to report that, as the report Of receipts and disburse ments will.show, hereto appended, the seoretary of state bas deposited in bank several hundred dollars In ex cess of amounts shown by his books or evidenced by proper vouchers in hlB office, as having been collected for fees. In this amount, no doubt, is inoluded somo of tbesa excess collec tions, sent by mistake by different parties throughout the state and which do not belong to tho state, but should be refunded to the proper par ties when the charters were Issued. We found by mere chance that one item of 8120 50 for charter of the Union Ware liouse company of Co lumbia, chartered on the 15th day of January, 1902, during Mr. Cooper'B administration, was presented for pay ment in June, 1904, and has not yet been turned over to the state treasur er, being, we are informed, now In the office of secretary of state. There may be other Items of Mr. Gantt's pre decessor still outstanding, but, as we stated, we did not go back that far. A letter was then sent by Mr. D. H. Means to Chairman Butler of the committee stating that although the cash book of his ( Alee had been lost, he was reaiy to check up all of the accounts except the receipt book. A letter was accordingly sent Secretary Gantt asking for these books, but a reply was received stating that the tire which gutted the room made im possible for them to be found as yet, but that so far as he knew Mr. Mean's accounts were always accurate. The committee thou concluded as follows: In justice to Mr. Gantt, we beg to state he informed us the reason his books were lu bad condition was due to the fact that his time was occupied securing valuable and necessary in formation for Senator Tillman to aid him in collecting certain funds from the national government, and we are satlGed he dirt good work. The books and accounts since Mr. R. M. McCown has been acting as chief clerk have been kept in much better condition, and since our thor ough examination in June it is a very easy matter to keep track of the funds and vouchers. Too much care in keeping the books in this office cannot bo pared, for, as will bo seen by tho following state ment of receipts aud disbursements during thc years of 1903 and 1904, a large amount of mouey goes through this office: Amount received from pre decessor .8 2,010 89 Deposited in banks. 31,430 89 Total. Total.831,101 78 Paid 6tate treasurer . 30 302 89 Balance In bank.8 3,799 89 Fees received lu 1903. 10,151 19 Fees to June 13, 1904. 7,543 73 Fees from Juno 13 th to D?c 13, 1904. 7,105 58 From predecessor. 2,070 89 Total.$33,531 39 Paid state treasurer. 30,301 89 Bjoks show balance.$ 3,229 50 Which shows a balance iu banks of 8570.49 over amount the bocks and vouchers of secretary of state show. Under the present law charters are granted on payment of one mill on the dollar up to 8100,000, and in a great many instances the state re ceives only iifty cents, and in some instances as low as live cents, and it costs the ntate as much to grant one of these small charters as it does one capitalizad at 51,000,000, whore the fee is 8100. Therefore, we recommend that the law be changed bj thc secre tary of state. There are about eighteen or twen ty books containing the rpcords of corporations damaged by lire In this offlca, and while not destroyed, the bindings and edg s have bean de stroyed and it i-i almost absolutely necessary that these books be tran scribe. Therefore, we recommend that these records bc put in better shape and coudit i >n for pr per hand ling and preservation, and that a small appropriation be mada to carry this into t ff jct. Respectfully submitted, On part of the s?nate. T. B. BUTLER. On part of house, of representatives. J. G RICHARDS, JU. T. H. RAINSFORD. Dynamite Killed Ch roe. A Haughton, Mich., dispatc'i says three men are dead, seven Injured and three are missing as tho result of an explosion of 10,000 pounds r.f dyna mite in No. 3 shaft, of the ICearsarge branch of tim Osceola Consolidated mines Wednesday afternoon. No ex planation can be given for the explo sion. Tho dynamite was kept Ina drift at ihe eighth level and was used by the men lu blasting. The shaft is ou lire and it is feared the three men mis lng are dead. The searching party was unable to get down further than the fifth level. The shafts are being sealed. Fourni I*-' i. A dispatch from Spartanburg say.? the bxiy of an unknown negro was found near the side of the track which leads i..ff (rom Wellford to Tucapau cotton rrllls Wednesday morning, lt ls believed that the negro frezo to 1 -ath dori ig thc night. Ho wans en about Wellford and was drinking freely. Ha evidently started lor Iiis home and being overcome from drink fell down In tho sleet aod froze to death. Jumped to Death. H. C. Swift, 7f> years old, who came to Savannah from Stockum, da., eight months ago, jumped from a window of his homo t'ueie Wednes day night and died Thu slay. He had been suffering from gi lp for sev eral years. Mr. Swift was a resident of New York, but came south seeking a warmer climate. Pleaded Guilty. In the court at Towanda, Pa., Wed nesday Bigler Johnson pleaded guilty to the charge that ha murdered his wife, Maggie B. Johnson and her niece, Anulo Benjamin, teu years old, on September 18 last, and afterward burned their bodies. He is 20 years old and hi? wife was 40. MAKES REPLY. Mr. Gantt Promptly Defends Himself From the Charges OP THE COMMITTEE. Offers to Resign If His Statements Are Disproved. The Secretary Reviews the Report of the Committee and Denies Some of The Charges Made. Secretory of State Gantt gave out the following, whioh has heen sent to the general assembly: Gentlemen Oft(the General Assembly: I beg to KU Unit to you herewith a full report of V. \e finances of the office of the secretary5of state and a detail ed itemized statement of all official ro ceipts and disbursements during my entire term lu otllce. Vg to inform you that I have thia day placad Ita the hands of the State printer as a sup plemental report to the general as sembly a full, accurate and complete list of all persons or corporations who have paid auy fees to the otllce, which In ita every detail proves the state ments banded you herewith to b3 cor rect. In doing so I beg to make the fol lowing statement in reply to the re port of the cjmmlttee appointed to examine the books and accounts of my office: I have been continuously since the appointment of the committee willing and anxious to make up aud present this siatemt nt to them, having offer ed to do so open their first visit to the office, but waa informed that they de sired the papers of the office turned over to them without any checking, verification or statements iu tho con ditton lu which they were at the time. Presuming the committee competent to come into the office, take the books and make up a correct statement of its affairs, the entire papers and books of the office were turned over to them; they were furnished a key, which the chairman retained for three months, and which was used to gain entry to the office when none of the clerks or employes thereof were present. This was permitted to allow the fullest and freest opportunity for full and com prehensive investigation of the office. During most of the time of the first investigation I was confined to my house by sickness. Durirg the progrts of this Investigation, reports were brought to me of statements by mem bers of this committee of a shortage in tbis office. Upon the conclusion of the investigation, which was during the week prior to the tiling of the pledges by candidates for State offices. I becured an opp irtuolty to state to the committee the reports I had heard, and asked that they state to the public what they bad found. In response to thlj request, the commit tee published a communication In which it was asserted that no books were kept, which was f ilse, and that they bad collected certain vouchers from which they had made up a set of books, which waa equally untrue, as there is not now and never has been any "vouchers" to ba ojllected, aud thc original declarations and returns of corporators could not he so designat ed, and principally from these 1 under stood the committee had made its statements. As I was assured that the committee bad found nothing which they especially criticised, 1 uippoied the statement tivy had se cured to be accurate. I had repeated assurances niven me that nothing wrong was found. Consequently my as tonlBhmcnt at the remarkable state ments made therein was as profound ?is was my surprise at the partial, in complete and inaccurate siaterri int ot the tinanuial affilrs the-eat. When reduced to its logical conclu sion and freed from the insinuation and innuendo in which it is clothed, thc report charges that no accurate books are kept, or proper rec >rd of the receipts and disbursements of the , nice, and that the management of the otllce has been deficient. The only reply which it Is in my power to make to this charge ls the rendit! m at.once of a full statement of every llnanclal transaction of the ( thee, properly bal ancing the cash found on hand durirg my term of office. I assert to be true, that, though prepared upon le>s than 24 hours' nolie?, this statement is sub stantially accurate, and 1 will forth with and immediately resign aa secre tary of state if I cannot prove to the satisfaction of any competent aud un prejudiced bookkeeper that it is a sat isfactory statement of tho condition of the tffl :e. ai d that the statement of the committee purporting to be sucli ls not a true statement of its af fairs and contains many errors. RBPLIKS TO ASSERTIONS. Replying to the several remarkable assertions of the committee, I wish to quote them as follow;,: ''When we went into thc bfflJO wo were informed that we could con clude our labors in 10 minutes." I de ny absolut ely and unequivocally that I made any statement at all in r?f?r ence to Hie time it would require to make the Investigation to any mem ber nf this committee. "Ul insistlug that we came for a real examination, we were begged for time to prep ire books." I neither beg ged or cared for any time whatever; I suggested that I would like to c':eck over tho. entries that "lad not been checked for possible errors; 1 suggest ed that tlic examination would be fa cilitated if the committee would per mit me to make a complete statement of its affairs, showing proper balances. Bothoffer8 were declined, and evident ly misconstrued. As a result of thc re fusal of the committee to accept any help or suggestion in their work, noth ing whatever waa accomplish d during two entire weeks, and when Hollis, the expert, came everything that had been gone over was rechecked. ''Many erasures and corrections were made on the books." Mr. McCown says that he mado one or two corr?: o'dons, with tho knowl edge and, he thought, permission of the committee. "A obarter bas been granted in the sum of 81,500, same was recorded as having been issued in tho sum of 150, 000." This has never been oilled to my attention, and I have no idea to what is referred. I would suggest that a rec nd must buv j been accessible to them which showed the proper capital stock. "In many oases wj found where over collections had been made aggre gating 8367,55." I beg to say that owing to the change in the law for rr cording cer tain papers, reducing the foe 50 cents, the rcduotlon has been friquenily overlooked by applicants for charters, in spite nf tbe adoption of every means by the office to appraise the public of it. ?s every declaration on which it is paid is followed generally in .two or three days with a return upon whloh a further fee ls payable, lt has been the practice of the office to deposit the additional 50 cents to the credit of the official account of the effie?, to be applied on lue return fee. In some cases thc return has been delayed, andjai others it ls never made. T*VJt? is now unrefunded of these matters, tho sum of 841 25, which is in bank to the credit of the State. "Improper amount credited to the State: Puokhaber Bros., Charleston, S. C., charter fee 850; amount State credited with 815." It was discovered by the committee that the o Ul oe had failed to detect an error in computing the proper fee for the charter of this concern made by John C. Mehrtcns, Esq , their attor ney. Only 815 bad been paid thc office, as it was so entered. When the committee called attention to the error, the attorneys were wited and immediately renitted the balance of 835, which was entered on the books us soon as rec ived and the matter explained to the committee. "All moneys have not been turned over quarterly to tho State treasurer." It ls true that I have directed that funds be not checked out of the bank until ampio time has been allowed for the collection of all checks, ect., de posited. S )metirnes a check which is received by the office is not paid wbeu presented, and confusion lu our ac counts arises therefrom. For In stance, o.' March 3rd, 1003, a check given by Thos. B. Butler upon the Carolina National bank for 83 was re fused payment when presented, and the amount was not finally collected for about three months, lt would have been Inconvenient to have turned that over to the State treasurer, even though j the office books Bhowed that lt was chargeable to us. *'We found by mere chance that one item of 8102 50 for obarter of the Union Warehouse company of Colum bia, obartercd on the 15th "day o? January, 1002, was presented for pay ment in June, 1004, and has not been yet turned over to tho State treas urer.'' lt is true that I discovered that through some neglect there had been a failure to collect the fee for this charter. I demanded its payment and a check was given therefore, which was held for final determination as to its proper disposition. This check is properly accounted for. "There were certain books we had in our possession last year concerning the period of Mr. Gantt's predecessor whloh we were informed were kept by the present secretary of state." "Tlie present secretary of state" wishes to say that he has never, ex cept for a short period at the begin ning of his own term, kept any of the cash accounts of the office. Dur ing Mr. Cooper's terra these accounts were kept by Mr. D. H. Means and t he rec )rd books during this period have never been in the personal cus tody of the present secretary of state. AS TO KEKS. When fees were paid the office to him, they were turned over to Mr. Means, whose pe sonal receipt, was taken therefor. Prior to this time, receipts were taken, the same prac tice being In vogue. Ile regarded Mr. Means' letter as official notice to him of the loss of the books, from a subordinate to his superior officer. The statt ment Is made, however, that the report of the secretary of State and the original papers and rec ,? d> which were used by the commit tee to verify the liabilities during the present term, can be mane to servo the same purpose even in the absence of this book, while deposit at the banks and payments to the State treasurer will show all disbursements * .Again reverting to the general fea tures of this report I wish to say that I requested an opportunity to test the accuracy of tho ligures made up hy the committee and to explain any cause for criticism that appeared to them, bul was refused. Without having seen the totals arrived at, I challenge tho accuracy even of the addition in the purported statement which was made up. lt does seem that mon who proclaim so loudly their J alousy of the pioplo's money should at least put enough value upon the character and reputation of a mun that they would at least re frain from imputing to him that which ls discreditable until they had observed thc caution of ascertaining faots to rest tiieir assertion on, and when criticising the efficiency of an other to bo cu tain of their (.wo. Respectfully suhmltted, T. L. G AN.NT, Secretary of State. Found Witta Throat Cut. The little town of Pearson, Ga., on tbe Brunswick and Wtstern railroad, was thrown into the wildest state of excitement Wednesday morning by thc discovery of the mysterious mur der of Mrs. Mary Smith, an aged white woman. Mrs. Smith resided on the outskirts of tho town with lier little ten-year old grand daughter. Wednesday morning the screams of the child attracted thc attention of neighbors, and upon investigation the dead body of the woman was found in the house with her throat cut from ear to ear The child could give no Information about the killing. She bad only discovered her grandmoth er's body a few moments boforo tho neighbors arrived. GOVERNMENT COTTON BEFORT. rt amber of Bales Ginned to January IOU), 1005. A report it sued by the census bu reau Wednesday shows the quantity of cotton ginned from the growth of 1904 td January 10 to be 12,707,000, counting round as half bales. These consist of 12.524,777 square bales. 280.425 round bales and 98,110 sea Island bales. Counting the amount as running bales the total ia 12 912,312. This was ginned by the 30,221 ginneries which were operated at some time this season prior to January 16. The statistics of the cotton ginned to the corresponding dato of 1904 show a total of 9,869,277 balts, embracing 9,036,890 square bales and 7,407,480 round bales and 72.907 sea inland bales and 30,171 active ginneries. Ia the canvass this January 824 ginners have refused returns or failed to report and thc quantities previous ly returned by them have been brougho forward for this report with out any addition. The total quantity nf cotton thus brought forwa-d is 327,243 running bales. A maximum estimate of the quantity ginned by theso establishments between Decem ber 13 and January 10 ls 32,724 run ning bales. This estimate of 32.724 bales (s not Included in the above to tals. In this report no account has been taken of linters obtained by cot ton seed oil mills from working cot ton seed. The ?nal report of the season will be issued about Maroh 25. The final report will distribute the crop by counties, agr?gate upland and soa island cotton and give weights of bales. In connection with the census di rector the report says that every com plaint regarding the accuracy of tho returns of Individual ginners which has reached the census office has bien carefully Investigated and no material errors so far been fouud. REPORT BT STATES. The report by states and running bales follows: States. Bales. Ginneries Alabama.1,422,426 3.902 Arkausas. 826 528 2,140 Florida. 81,855 279 Georgia. 1,003.608 4,974 Indian Ter. 463.549 GOO K<:ntuoky. 1,882 5 Louisiana.1,005.328 2,223 Mississippi.1,576,853 4,055 Missouri.- 44,203 76 North. Caroliua.. 704 801 2,929 Oklahoma. 323,727 298 South Carolina. .1,144,514 3,244 Tennessee. 298.132 758 Texas.].3.098,908 4,403 Virginal. 15.938 120 ^qlo ors InlklDK Treo. C i tba farm ot Will Albert, neu .yeaLi!,-county, Ky., the people are brought up over the "talking tree" that has been there for some time. Enormous crowds continue to gather there almost every Sunday to bear the stn.ngo noises that come from the tree. The voice can be dis tinctly heard, and says. "There are treasures buried at my roots." A party comprising thc most trust worthy citizens of the county, visited the tree to make a thorough investi gation for themselves as to the noises being heard. They listened patient ly for several hours when a sudden crash, which has been given many times before the marvelous produo tion of the human voice, carno. The mystery yet romains unsolved, and so great has the number of people been who have gone there In the last sev eral months that thc tree is now dead caused by the continuous tramping on the earth sunounding the tree. The only theory that has been sog gesled is that a man was killed undor the tree in 1862, and whi'e many do n it believe lu "spirits" the facts are so plain and tho voice eau be so dis t'notly heard that they cannot dispute the fact. A family of people who lived there several years ago became so frightened at the voice that they sold their farm at a sacrifice, went West and are now living In Texas !'.i>u;;oi by Mrs. Lander. The property of the Williamston I Female college was sold at public out j cry Monday in Anderson. The build logs and grounds were bid in by Hon Geo. E. Prince for Mrs. L. A. Lan der for tho sum of 86 550. Since the remo val of the college to Greenwood the property has been of no material use to the institution and a sale was deemod most advisable. The grounds cover a little more than five aorea upon which u located the old col lr-g building, built under the direction of Dr. Lander, its founder. It Is prob able that the building will be con verted into a hotel. KxprcHM Oilier Cloned. A dispatch from North to The State says the sudden closing up of the office ?of the S JU them Express company there has been the topic of much discussion. Numerous pack ages for people at that point have been pigeon nolcd elsewhere. It is learned on reliable authority that the railroad commission has given no au thority for tba closing of thc ofllce and au investigation bas been started, lt ls understood that the company enters the plea of not being ablo to gut an agent. KM tuil b> a Traln. Miss Magnolia Waters, a young lady of Westminster was run over I and killed by thc fast mall Monday. Tho deplorable accident happened at Harbins, about four miles south of I that pl ice. Miss Waters was 27 ! years old and was a fri cted with deaf ness, which probably accounts for lier not having hoard the approaching train. Cut Acreage and Hold Orop. At a meeting of the Greenville County Cotton Gro?er?' association held Monday tho farmers present pledged themselves to decrease acre ?age 25 per cent., buy less fertilizer i and to hold cotton on hand uuttl paid 10 cents a poi nd. AsHieuud i'o Hom fi Osrolliia Post?nica Inspector Gregory has been assigned to duty in the lower part of South Carolina, succeeding In spector Marie, who has been called to 1 Washington for lorvlca at that placo WILL MEET THEM. President Roosevelt Names the Day When He Will See COTTON GROWERS lepresentativei, Who are Headed by f coater Mc Lauri n ai Chairman. About Fifty Southern Leadlos Mill Men Expected to Meet Committee. President Roosevelt has appointed Monday, Feb. 20, at 12 o'clock, to licet the c mimltteu of 10 appointed >y the Now Orleans Golton Growers' yonventlon to confer with the prt si lent, Beoretary of agriculture and rilli men with a Tlew to makin-,: trraugt ments to enlarge Amerla's ?otton trade with other countries. Tue committee will also confer with .he secretary of commerce and labor. \ bunt 50 leading mill men from every toutbern State are expected to meet tho committee at the Raleigh hotel n Washington at 4 o'c?ook on the af .ernoun of Saturday, Feb. 18. Sena .or MoLxurln, the ohairman of the ipeolal committee, gives out tho fol owlng correspondence for publica tion : Florence, Ala., Fob. 4, 1905. Vo the Honorable Senators and Con gressmen representing the Cotton Growing States in the Congress of the United States: Gentlemen: I beg to call your at trition to the following resolution .dopted by thc National Cotton Grow rs' association In convention as enabled In New Orleans, Jan. 24th to ?flth. 1905: ''Whereas, thc present markets for American cotton products are not ifflclent to dispos3 of the present rop; and "Whereas, we believe theconsump lon of cotton can bo greatly increased n the markets of the world; and "Whereas, such increases will re ult in untold good to the cotton Towing States, reduoing the surplus, hereby creating a greater demand .nd necessarily higher prices for our otton; therefore, be it "Resolved, That a special commlt ee be appointed by this convention he confer with the president of the Jolted States, the seoretary of agri culture and the manufacturers of cot on goods, to obtain such ooncerted .ctlon as will enlarge our trade lu cot on produots In foreign countries." I beg further to call your attention o the fact that this was the most cpresentatlves body of men which las ever before been called together o discuss the great agricultural in .crests of the south. You are therefore earnestly rcquest >d to give your active and hearty sup )ort to such measures as will eflectu ite the purposes embodied in thcBe evolutions. Most respectfully, JOHN LOWNDES MCLAURIN, Chairman of Special Committee on Foreign Trade, Cotton Growers' Convention. ElUSTER AonCRAFT, Secretary. Florence, Ala., Feb. fl, 1905. Flon. James Wilson, Secretary of Agricultre, Washington, D. C. Dear Sir: I beg to make grateful icknowlodgmeufc of your favor of the Jd, and to thank you for your very lourteous suggestion contained in io ino. Acting on your advice. I have to lay directed a letter to Hon. Victor [1. Metcalf, asking his co-operation in mr effort to enlarge our foreign mar lets. It is a great pleasure to noto your loarty approval of this movement, ind 1 feel sure that wo will receive wise and valuable suggestions from r'OU TV b en oar OJ in ml tte o vhsLta Wash ngton on February 20th. Thanking you for the Interest you lave shown in thia matter, I have -he honor to be Most respectfully yours, EllIBTER ASHERAFT. Secretary of SpecUl Committee on Foreign Trade, Cotton Growers' Convention. Washington, Feb 2, 1905. tfr. Erlster Asbcraft, Florence, Ala bama. Dear Slr: I have your letter of lanuary 28ch, asking whether lt will JO agreeable to ~ue to co-operate with A ie com m Itt 63 appointed by tho cot ion growers' convention recently hold it New Orleans for the purpose of ob taining concerted aotion looking to ward an extension of our foreign mar cets for cotton produots. I entirely approve of this move ment. It is legitimate and Y. ije, and mythlng this department can do to jolp will bs very oheorfully done, bul permit me to call your attention to .bo fuct that oongress lias created a aew department, that of commerco ind lib ir, one of tho objecta todo jills very kind of work. 1 think lt vould not be wise for you and your ussoolate? to ignoro that department, ind I advise you to got into com munication with the secretary of com nerce and labor, Hon. Victor li. Metcalf, and solicit his ooperatlon n your enterprise. Of course I shall ie pleased to meet your committee at my time, but I advise you to call ilso upon tho secretary of commerco ind lah >r. In fact, I advise you to lo that first. Very truly yours, J ?MES WILSON, Secretary. F.oreuce, Ala., Feb 0, 1905. Elon. Victor H. Metcalf, Secretary of Commerce and Labor, Washing ton, D. C. Dear Slr: Pursuant to a r?solu .lon adopted by the cotton growers' jonventlon In New Orleans, January i?tta, a special committee, of which ix-Senator Jno. Lowndes McLaurln )f South Carolina ia chairman, will; vLslt Washington on Febiuary 20tb, to take up the special work called for by the resolution looking toward the enlargement of foreign markets for cotton products. I tru^i lt will be convenient for you to see the ?ommlttse, and that they m-iy have your co operation In this movement. Hoping to have from you a favor able reply, I hare tho honor to be, Obediently yours, EUIBTKR A BU CR. A FT. Secretary Special Committee on For eign Trade, Cotton Growers' Con vention. STARVED TO DEATH. Cow a Negro Escaped Trial in Court at Columbia. Wa? Wanted for shoot lue ac a Polle* j onicor, But Preferred to Htarvoto Death. The Record says word was received in Columbia one day last week that Sam Harria, the negro who is wanted tn Columbia for attempted assault and battery, and who was oanght in Savannah some time ago, will not be be roturned to the city. The reason is plain en' ugb. Harris haa starved himself to death in the Savannah Jail, ending one of the most remarka ble criminals with whioh the police bave had to deal. Harris ls a Columbia negro, and while not desperately wicked, was just bad euougb to be continually in the bands of the police. About three years ago in a raid by the police he shot twice at one of the offloers and dashed out of the house, whioh bad been surrounded by the police. A number of shots were fired on both ?ides, but Harris escaped and nothing was heard of him until about ten days ago, when lt was discovered that be was at work on the cbalngang In Savannah. Tbe authorities there were notified and preparations made for bis return, but the negro deliber ately refused all food until he was so weak that lt was necessary to send bim to the hospital and there he died. The Savannah papers contain long accounts of the remarkable end of Harris, and the NewB has thc follow ing: "Ono of tho most remarkable cases of suicide known to the Savannah authorities was brought to light re cently when Sam Harris, a negro prisoner, died at the county jail prac tically as the result of his self-imposed utarvatlon. Exhibiting the moat wonderful will power in abstaining from partaking of food, the man slowly wasted away until, he was past all medical aid. "Harris' enforced starvation was the result of being told several days ago that ?is soon as he completed his sentenoe on the county ohalngang Jv^i would be taken .to Columbia; S. Cv'; answer tne charge Shooting at * police Eergeant some time previous to the crime for whioh he was commit ted last February. "With the expiration of his sen tence but ten days off be was rudely awakened from his dream of liberty about a week SRO by the boss at the convict camn,wjL\ere he waa confined. From thao-rrour be grew morose and refused to eat. No manner of per suasion could induce him to partake of food enough bo sustain him and slowly he wastea away. "Harris was arrested by Patrolman R. B. Davis on Liberty and Eist Broad streets in January, 1904. He rcs is Lcd while walting for the patrol wagon, and Bhot the officer lu the leg. He was rearrested and given twelve months on the chalngaug, and with bis tlrre off for good behavior would have been a free man on February 15. Ah mi ton days ago the authorities here received a letter to hold Harris wheu lie was released, that ha was wanted at Columbia for shooting at a police sergeant while resisting arrest. The order was sent to the Pipe Mak er's creek camp, where Harris was confined, and the unwelcome news was transmitted to Harris. "After fasting for a week the man grew sick and his condition waa suob that he was ordered placed in the hoi pital ward at the Jail, where ho re mained until his death. The county physician said the case was the mo3t remarkable he had ever attended." AO?rucao?uo i'liul. .A dispatch from Union to The State snys a gruesome lind was made at the Monarch cotton mills Wednes day afternoon when as the cotton was drawn through the long blaok suotion pipe Into the picker room, In the midst of which, as it fell out, was a long black withered finger. The miss ing member was apparently the third fir gar of the left hand and the nail still remalued on lt. Where tho cob ton tile finger was found in came from of course cannot bo ascertained, but it is thought it must have been here in Union county as Monarch mills is a heavy buyer of Union county raisod cotton. A l'air of Fool?. A dispatch from Dresden, Tenn., says young Willie McCaleb, 15 yearn old, and his former teacher, who la new his bride, though she is 30 years old, roust, go into exile as a result of . '.o?r elopement. Tho indignant father of the lad bas made this the condition upon which he will rofraln from beginning proceedings against the woman on a ohargo of kidnaping lils son. So tho happy couple will take to Arkansas next week. Despite the sontencc. neither shows the slightest regret. The bride slys she would be happy In a desert with her youthful lover, while Wlillo adoringly declares he would follow thc womau to the end of thc earth. DifltrcsntnK Aocitlont. Mr. Charlie Livingston, a young man about 21 years old, while adjust ing a belt at A L. Otts* ginnery at Elloree, Toursday, was oaught in the shafting aud both arms and legs were broken. The body of the young man was wrapped around the shafting lu a most torturing m inner, mutilating tho lllesh of his legs and breast before assistance could reach him. Medical aid was quickly summoned and all that ls possible ls being done to save the yout.g man. Mr. Llvlngtson ls a clever and promising mau and the unfortunate accident is greatly deplor ed there. HANDS OFF ? The Negro Question Says Repub lican Congressman Bun tele. WILL AID THE SOUTH Ia WorKing Out the Great Race Problem that Contrants Her. He says Intel* Iifent Smpatby from the North ls Necessary to Accom plish Great Work. Representative Henry Sherman Boutelle, cf Illinois, was the principal orator at tho annual McKliney dinner of the West End Republican club at Delmonlco'srecently. About 250 mem bers and guests were present. Charles F. Bostwlck, president of the club, waa toastmaster, and with him at the guests' table were Gen. Stewart L. Woodford, Job E. Hedges, Represen tatives Henry S. Boutelle and James R. Mann, of Illinois; Herbert N. Par sons, William S. Bennett and William H. Douglass, Judges John Prootor Clarke and Edward McCall, and Wil liam Halpin, chairman of the Repub lican county committee. "The South and the Republican > Party" was the subject of Mr. Bo.u*''' telle's address. He devoted the larger portion of bis address to the discus sion of the negro question, as regard ing suffrage in tne South. He said In part: "A great and wonderful ohange has come over tho South in the past twenty years-a change that can only be understood by contrasting the pres ent situation in the Southern states with the conditions that existed dur ing the ten years immediately follow ing the olvil war. No people were ever brought face to face with more utter desolation than that which con fronted the men of the South on their return from Appomattox. It was not alone that they had lost the cause for which they bad fought. Their wholo social, industrial, and political fabrio lay in ruins. Their task was to bring a new order out of chaos, and they have triumphed gloriously. "And we of the North rejoice with them In their prosperity, for ar?, they not our people, bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh? "Betwren1880 and 1000 the South's i a vestment In agriculture Increased 75 per cent., while that of the rest of ?'hecountry increased 65 percent. Tho ? slue .of, firm properties in thc South ?dvancod "from 32,300,000,000 to ?4, 0000,000,000, and tho annual value of firm products from 8660,000,000 to 81,300,000,00o. The railroad mileage bas Increased from 20,600 to 52,600 miles, and the value or exports has risen from 8260,000,000 to 8464,000, 000. "Fiotorles are springing up all over the Soti^.andJSprth Carolina bids filr to rival Mieb?g?h'?n the oulp'it ot furniture. In the manufacture of cotton goods tho South has mada rap id and surprising progress. Massaohu* etta Billi holds first place among the states in cotton manufacturing. South Carolina now comes second, and North Carolina third. The total number of spindles In thc Southern states is now about 7,700,000 an Increase of 5,000, 000 since 1800. "The breaking up of the great plan tations bas multiplied the number uf towns and villages. The education of the blacks as well as the whites ls re ceiving greater attention, libraries and c lieges are increasing, and the whole South is reaping the fruits of the courage, patience and hope of the men of 1865. "Thc answer to this question In volves the whole Southern oroblem. But it ls moro than a Southern prob lem-lt ls a national problem. The present situation is due primarily to tho prese.ice in tho South of two allen raes, between whom theirs can be there muBt be-no fusion. "The leaders of Southern thought, at the close of the war, should have been allowed to retain their natural leadership over the ignorant whites and blacks. The fear of Ignorant ne gro domination has persisted long af ter the dauger of sue J domination has passed, working often an injury to the negro, and always a greater injury to the whites. We of the North have lu years past made tho solution of this problem more difficult for our South ern brethren. Wo now owe them gen erous sympathy and patient forbear ance. "There ls something that the fed eral government can do to help the situation. The South needs men. Her inhabitants are only twenty-nine to the square mile, while in Ohio the density ls 102. Government informa tion should he sent out to the world regarding the resources, climate, soil of the South. "In the vork of solving this prob lem the South could have no firmer friend than President Roosevelt, for all that the South needs is a square deal, and no one knows better than the president that a squaro deal for the South means almp.y intelligent sympathy from Nortaern mon, un prejudiced Justice from the federal government."-Washington P,>st. Hold Stamp* At Half Prion. Postoffice Inspector E. J. Pulistor had arrested In Spartanburg Wednes day afternoon a ye ung white man, who appears to be a tramp. This man, who gives several names ac his proper cognomen, was selling 2 cent postage stamps in lots of 75 or 100 at bulf price. He is in the station bouse and his case will bo investigated in United States Commissioner McGowan's court next Monday. He states that his home was in Augusta, Ga., and that bis name ls Harry E. Swain. Charged With. Boin? Fugitive. Charles F. Taylor, being partner of Mrs. Alice Webb; Duke, bas been ar rested at his oifioa at Gnlcago charg ed with being a fugitive from justice. He ls alleged to have been implicated in a swindle at Nacogdocbes, Texas, Involving 13,000.