Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Tne "DO TI?OU, GREAT LIBERTY, INSPIRE OUR SOULS AND MAKE OUR LIVES IS THY POSSESSION HAPPY OR OUR DEATHS ULORIOUS IN THY OA USE," VOL. XX/s xi. BENNETTS VILLE, S. C., FRIDAY, JULY 7, 1905. THE LIQUOR LAW Attacked at a Farmers' Meeting by John L. McLaurin. SMITH PROTESTED, The President of the South Carolina Southern tint ton Association Object ed to Politics Being Brought in a Farmers Rally. Several Fine Speeches Made. Tuesday of last week was cottou growers' day in Dillon. The 600 sturdy sons of the soil who gathered there to hear thc distinguished gen tlemen who had been invited to make addresses before the cruuty couven tion and exchango idoas on the cul ture of cotton and othor crops pocu Har to the South, representing every seotion of thc old Swamp Fox County, but the bulk of the crowd came from the upper end of the county, ox what is known In local parlance as "new county territory." Tho gathering was unique in that tho crowd assem bled at the big school auditorium aud was composed of men of every walk in life-bankers, merchants, farmers, manufacturers, and professional men -with hero and there a politician. Tho committee on entertainment had selcotcd well and it seldom falls to the lot of a town as s nail of Dillon to have such a galaxy of distinguished orators withln'its borders in a single day. There was Ex Senator Mo Laurin and Col. Knox Livingstone, of Bennettsvllle; tho Hon. F. Il Hyatt and Col F. H. Weston, of Columbia; the Hon. Richard I Manning and the Hon. E. D. Smith, of Sumter; ll, P. Hamer, of Hamer, and Congressman J. E. EUerbe, of Seller's. Each of these gentlemen came with something to tell and they told it so woll that those who listened went away beue iit'.ed. Tue addresses were rcmarka ble for their force and logloand depth and breadth of thought and the audience showed its appreciation for each individual eirort by frequent outbursts of applause. County chairman Stackhouse presided and tho meeting was opened with a very elo quent and touching prayer cy the Kev. J. D Croul. HAMICH AND MANNINO Sl'lCAK. Tue lirat speaker introduced was the Hon. R, P. Hamer, who felt high ly complimented in being asked by his home people to sp -ak on such au Jmpurtaut subject. Mr. Hamer said that this ls distinctively a commercial agc ard every class of people was or ganlzed except the farmer and par tioularly the "otton tot." He held that thorough organ'/, itlon would enable tho strong to help the weak and that there should bo a lixe:l price at which to sell cotton, that is, a price for those with obligations and a prloe for those in urgent need of mon ey. Mr. Hamer strongly adv( cited the ware house 8\stem and pointed out that with the c ?operation of the cotton and oil mills, ware houses could be successfully and economically run, Mr. Hamer is a practical mau and hts talk being along practical lines was well received. Hin remarks were greeted with prolonged applause. The Hon. R 1. Manning, wno was next Introducid, urged the necessity of thorough organization among the farmers. Mr. Manning's speech wa;? spirited and at times eloquent. H:s earnestm ss appealed to the audience and ho was fri q 1 ntly interrupted with applause. He believed lu the bonded ware house and urged thc farmer to hold his cotton and borrow money whenever Ibo price was so low that it did not pay him to soil. Mr. Manning made a good impression on his audience and at the conclusion of his remarks was followed by the lion John L. McLiurin. Just here a gen uino sensation was sprung, which created a furor In tho au Monee. TIIK DI8PBN8AKY INTHODUOKD. Mr. MoLadrin had been speaking but a few minutes and had paused after an eloquent aud touching de scription of the horrors of the recon struction period, when a young man walked rapidly across the front of the stage and handed him the following note: "Senator: At our committee meet ing ycsierdiy we decided we were all of one accord on the cotton question, having read much on the subject and having many able speakers who will follow you here today. For that reason we dc elded that we would re mind you that tho burning question of tile hour with us ls, and will bi for the immediate future, dispensary or no dispensary, and if you have no B0ri0U9 objections would like to hear your views on the subject. What do you think of the dispensary law as it ls written on tire statue books of this State, as lt luis been, is, arid probably will be, as long as lt ls a law executed by those In authority.' "Wade Stackhouse, "W. T. Bethea, "Wm. M. Hamer, "E D Moore, "E. R. Hamer." As Mr. MoLaurln road thc note a half amused smile played over his features. Then turning to tile audi ence, with a dramatic wavo of his hand, he said that his record In the Senate was evidence su 111 Olen t that ho had never been afraid to express his views on any q lestiori, and although he had come here prepared to talk about cotton he would at thc roqm.st of the committee state his \ lews on thc most corrupt institution that ever cursed a State. This announcement was greeted with shouts of applause. M 1 ti? UKIN Ari'LAUDBD. Instantly the doorways and win dows became crowded and mon leaned forward in their seats to catch everv word that fell fromhlsllps. Although a delightful bree?") was swooping the vast auditorium the Ex Sena'or di vested himself of lils ollar and tie, which ho (i hotly laid on the table bcslds him, Twice tho chairman oalled time on him but tue last time ho was told that his timo was up. Messrs Weston and Hyatt sprang tc their feet simultaneously aud gener ously offered him live minutes each of their time. His arraignment of Till man and tho dispensary was severo and oooaslonally some staunch sup porter of the institution would arise and quietly walk out of tho hall Mr. Mclaurin argued strongly that the people could not hops to escape from tho dispensary through legisla tive aotlcu and that therefore the policy should bo to vote lt out by counties. The prot- st of tho election in l'lokons oounty, he declared, was merely a ruso of politicians to prevent the effect that thc prohibition vlotory there would otherwise have in couu tles where eleotlons are pending. The iOs Senator was unsparing in lils ar raignment of Senator Tillman's course and at tl mes he showed considerable feeling in his references to tho chief dispensary ohampion. The speech has been thc talk of the day in Dillon. While Mr. McLaurln in his speech made no statement o? his personal political plans and did not emmit himsolf in any way, there aro mauy who believe that be expect> to bo active and aggressive iu the light against tho dispensary and in favor of prohibition by counties. They say that this will iuevltabh place Mr. McLaurln in tho f ref rent, as representing the sharpost autagon :sm to the Tillman dispensary idea ind that he will naturally make his fight by becoming a candidate for the Uni tea States Senate in 1006. At the conclusion of bis speech Mr. McLaurln was loudly checked and sev eral gentlemen sprang upon the rostrum and grasped his hand, lt was olear that he had tho audlenec with him, although there was a large sprinkling of strong dispensary advo eat es in the crowd. T1IH1C1C MOH1C 8FJCHOHE8. The next Bpcaker was Mr. F. II. Weston, of Columbia, who discussed Jhe Cotton Growers' Association from Jio banker's point of view. Mr. Weston is a strong and vigorous ipeaker and easily held the attention if the audience. Ile advocated tho juildlng of bonded ware houses and iold the farmers that they would have io dilllculty In borrowing almost up to the limit on their cotton If lt was properly housed. Ile referred elo quently to tho period of reconstruc tion and pointed out the independence of thc Southerner of today. Ile was frequently interrupted with applause and loudly cheered at the conclusion of bia talk. Mr. F. H. Hyatt caught the audi ence with a series of oiiginal anec dotes. Ho begged pardon for branch ing c ff on good roads, but just cou'du't talk before such au audienoe without telling his hearers of the manifold advantages of good roads, lie advised planters to make their farms attrac tive and keep the boys at home and .vound up with a strong argument for oho divers!lloatlon of crops. Congressman J. B. Ellerbs was In treduced and briefly reviewed the work of the Association tims far. He sxld he felt that a great deal had been accomplished, but that the work had only begun. Ho referred to the re cent risc in the price of cotton as an indication that the South had at last caught the oar of Wall street specu lators If so much had been aocom plished in such a short? time the pos sibilities of sucjefs could not be exag gerated. Mr. Klierbe was received with prolonged applause. PUESIDENT SMITH'S CONDEMNATION, Several speakers followed McLaurln before Mr K I). Smith, president of the South Caroona division of tin Southern Cotton a-isoolation, and the last speaker, was lut r .dueed. Auotht r sensation was at once sprung. Ad vanelng t o that part of the stage where Mr. McLaurln was seated, President Smith made liery denuncia* tlon and condemnation of the. effort to Inject politics at the meetings held under the auspices of the Southern Cotton Assochitio;). He informed the au Hence and the committee that they wero met here not to diseu s polities, though lie did not question their right to grant any privileges they might care to Indulge. 'Ooo thing only bus called us together today, the benet!I of Southern farmers, and as your president 1 do not intend that thl* purpose shall be side tracked cvec for the miserable, damnable dispen sary." Just hero a curious phase of "meet bigs" was evidenced, lt was clear while Mr. McLuirln was speaking that tho splendily representative au diente was entirely in sympathy wit! olin. There was no mistaking tin loud, ringing applause that constant ly Interrupted him and the groat in terest manifestai lu all he had to say lt was equally clear and unmistakabl as to the (I rectpurpose of Mr. Smith remarks and for whom they were in tended, and this same audience gav him loud and lone continued checiini and app'ause. A 0001) STEAK ICU. Col. Normrnt, who reported tb meeting for Tho State siys Mr. Smltl is a remarkable speaker and he ooul lie bea (1 in every community In Sont! Carolina with great bonedt. Lack c space prevents anything like even synopsis of this Uno speech which wu listened to with thc closest attentlo for about ono hour. Ho gave som interesting details concerning hi work, of its discouragements and it successes and showed some dangei threat ming the association. Ile wet Into the depths of his subj'.ot, shov lng the great principles luvoived an gave ligures showing that tho wor ''had put more money into the pod nts of Southern farmers" than id crltlc-t would ever understand. Thn strong points In closing were emplli Sized amid the undivided attention < tho undiminished audience. Tho? wore, first, that colton was tho cu roney of the ROU th; second, that the was no substituto for this grcate product of the world and that tl limited area for its growth was co lined to tho south, and thirdl ibis combin itlou gave us a gre monopoly. Mr. Smith made a tel Iii speech and he must have boen gral fled at the reception given him. In the afternoon tho speakers we narr led to tho handsome rooms of t Commercial duh where "things" we done, up In stylo. Champagne, li cigars and camaraderie made pict ant moments ga rapidly hy and ga finishing touches to a hospital welcome to a line town and to a fl i people A HOT TIMK, Thousands Slept in the Parks of Now York Last Week. Tbo limit Wau Ho Intonso That tho Pooplo Hail to Desert Their Homos to Got Air. While lt was pretty hot through out South Oarollua last week wo did not Buffer hore as tho pooplo did In New York and other large cities of the North. There wore hundreds of deaths from the heat in all of tho larger cities, aud there would have been more had uot the people deserted their homes and took to the public parks. Here ls a New York plcturo: "CJjme and sleep on tho garss In tho parks," was the Invitation Manhat tan sent out Wednesday night, and tho people respoi il 3d by thousands, says The New Yolk Sun of Wedncs day. From thc little triangle south of Cooper Union to the slopes of ltlvor side park and In all thc down-town small parks tho grass, the benches and tho band stands were populous. The "Keep off the grass" signs were called in. "Thoy won't be put out again this summer, either, If 1 can help lt," said Park Commissioner Pallas. Ho sent a lotter to Police Commissioner Mc Adoo In the afternoon offering the parki within his Jurisdiction In the boroughs of Manhattan, and Rich mond to the weary and overheated, and this ord tr from Commissioner MoAdoo was road in all the station houses Wednesday night. "Hy direction of Park Commissioner Pallas you will permit the public to walk, sleep and lounge on tho grass or benches In all the parks within your precincts, day and night during tho hot spell, if they so desire." lb did not take long for the uews to get about. Hy 0 o'clock p. m., Mul berry Herid park, In the Italian quar ter, looked like the beach at Coney Island on a hot day. There were over two thousand women and chil dren there, with a fair percentage of men. Tho sleepers took to the grass until there wa .ti'tan available spot. Then they tilled up the band stand. Kverybody In the park wore as Ht tie clothing as the law allowod. A shirt and a pair of trousers i utlic.ul for thc mon, while most of tba cilldron slept under the stars in their birthday dress. Thero were ovjr 6.000 who sought relief at tho William ll. Sew ard park, at Eist Broadway and Jef foison street. '. Oaiy till? bonohos av Battery park were overcrowded. Few sought comfort on tho grass. The permission appealed mightily to dwellers along the North river, lu Dd Witt Clinton park early in the evening were at least -1,000 person-:, most of them women and children. A large numb'.r of them had made :rranKcmcnts to snood the night cul of doors and had brought pillows and olankets. Coverings were unaulmoua ?y voted to bl unnecessary On the bank sl iping down to the river from Iii versicle drive space wa aia premium in the eirly ovenlng. There was a breeze oil' the river arni weather conditions were quits con fortable, lt was not observable thai many intended to spend the nigh there, the bank being too steep in most places to Insure tr?i qull rest. Nevertheless, In the lato evening the bank was quite as orowoed a-t earlier. Thou) who went int j Central pirti to keep cool were surprised whan the police failed to turn them out at mid night. They hadn't yet hoard of the new order. Many of them upon learn lng that they might stay there all nig it If they chose, we.tt home and mn, pillows. Through the side sbr^ois hading to tho park entrancet o mid bo .leen many Bohemians and Italians from tho Bast Sido making for the paik with pillows tucked under their arms. In some spots whole families were stretched out on btie grais side by side. The favorite spots seem d to bc places where there was an Incline or embankment. Many who aro nightly homeless and gonetally sle.-p In areas and on doorstep i went into thc park when the police found them in their usual haunts and told them of tho new order. Morningside and Mount Morris parks, In Harlem, were, bubb crowded Ab Jefferson park, li^:,h street and IO ist river, Harlem, italians weroeele orating thc feb*, of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and hundreds of them slept in tho park after the celebration was over. In the three Tenderloin parks the men deserted the benches for the Krass, but the few women sleepers' stuck to tho benches. In Madison square, where there were more women tuan both tho others, the men kept to the west side (>f the park, giving up tho oatt sido to thc women and not disturbing thom In the least. in the big parks in thc bronx, es peclally Pelham bay and Bronx parks, hundreds of people li?ve been sleeping under the trees nightly, lu Pelham bay park last night a large part ol the Italian population of Williams bridge, learning of the now order, took bed clothing, pillows and, ii some cases, cots*,, and slept boncatl tho brees. There was a similar condi tion In Bronx park. Tho only Inter ference from the polled came whoo tilt slccperseamped tooc'.o;c t.> tho botan leal gardens or the zoo. Seaside park, Coney Elland, was a large dormitory. Thousands of pooph , cam'; from tho city with the IntClltlOl ! of sleeping on the beach. Botwcon li vi thousand and ton thousand of thom i according toan estimate of Capt, Doo , ley, did so. : Hundreds of others, learning tha the park grass was available for bods proferrcd lt. A large number of tin ) sleepers wore women, and nearly al i brought shawls, q lilts or capes oi ; which to rest their heads. Capt. Doo ; ley had extra men patroling tho hoad . and park as a protection against p e'< i pockets. At midnight trains from tn 3 olty woro still coming In packed to th 3 doors and tho number of sleepers wa constantly Increasing. / UNSAFE BOILER On the American Gunboat Ben nington Exploded Friday. THIRTY-NINE DEAD, Capt. Lucien Young, In Command, Was Ashore at the Time. The Vessel Is Almost a Complete Loss, and it Was Necessary to Beach Her. Thirty-nine members of tho crew of tho United States gunboat Benning ton wer? killed and nearly 100 siilors were injured, some fatally, at lOo'oicck Friday forenoon by a bober explosion that disabled the vessel, in Sun Diego harbor, Cal. Fifteen sailors are miss ing. There wero mi re than 250 men aboard thc war ship when tho acci dent occured and many men wore buried or forced to Jump into the sea by tho terrille explosion, which lifted part of the deck and compelled tho be .milln g of the ship, Toe Bennington at the time of the accident was lying In the stream, Just off the Commercial wharf, at II street. Thc war ship had reeeived eiders from thc navy department at Washington to sall Friday morning for Port Hart ford to meet the monitor Wyoming and convey the monitor to Mare Is land navy yard, San Fiaoolsco. Steam was up and everything was In readi ness for the departure of tho B-.?n nington, when the starboard forward holler exploded with a deafening roar. The explosion was torrltllo People standing ou shore saw a hugo cloud of steam rise above the Bonnington. Columns of water wore forced high Into the air. A dozen or fifteen men were blown ovorboard by tho foroe of the terrille oxploslon. Capt. Wentworth, who was looking at the Bennington when the disaster occurred, says he saw hu man bodies hurled over a hundred feet upward! Tho air was clouded with smoke, which enveloped the ship. When the haze oleared away only a few men c< u'd be soou on the decks, while a numb ar were floundering In the water. A boat was lowered from the vost el's side and most of the men In tho water were picked up and taken .?board. O a board the Bennington were pre sented terrible scones. Toe force of the ( x plosion had torn a great hole In the starboard side of the ship and the .vessel j'vns already commencing to lht. A sect lon of thc upper r'eck was oar ried away from stem to storn. Blood and wreckage were distributed over the entire ship, the after cabin and thal part of tho Ship adjacent to the ex plod d boiler resembling a charnel hon e. Tao. shco'c of the explosion penetrat ed every scot iou ot't io ship, blood and .shes being f un I a far as the stern of the captain's cabin Groat damage wa . rn ?MM ia all parts of the vessel. Tho toiler wh e i exp' ided it is stated, was regarde 1 ns 11 . a'o. Comma.idorY ung s' tied that during a recent return from II mululu tao steam pressure was Kept re !uo d In that particular ona. Ar, tn time of the acoldent C fu rn aider l/i ie.i Young and Surgeon F 10 Peek wore 0 1 shore, The two of rJcors, as so in ai they lea i o:l of the disaster, hurried:tb"thc water front. Comma der Young, as soon as he reache i tv ship, g i/o orders that the air ti 1 t compartments he closed to pre vont t ie 1 sing ship from sinking and that tho mig zlno-i bi tl .oded to avert furb er explosions. Ile t?:en i? a-mod thc ship ar high ti le. Tho ferry ho IL llamona, willoh was oros ng toe bay at the tl mo of tho accident, changed Its ecu s.- ? nd hur ried t ? thi aid of tho strloken war ship. The Go vern neat lau mb Gen. De Itu-soy, and a larg ; nu an ber of other launches and water or^fi, which wore about a\ the titno, als ? rushed to the assistance of the Bjirdugion. Bv tire bl me the llimoua reached the Bennln fton many or the sailors of tho Benni igtoa, who had j imped Into the bvy to com : tho tc liding steam, had been rescued by small craft. The removal of tho wounded from the ship was conducted ic perfect order. The crows of tho DJ Hissey and the oilier boats aided in picking up the wounded sailors and transferring them to shore. The bodies of many of the mon taken from the wreoked Interior of the ship were mutilated almost be yond rec ignition. The faces of many wore covered with blood and ashes. Some of the boclios may never bo Iden , billed. Temporary ?in triers ashore were ar , ran god for tl id wounded and sixty i citizens volunteered and hurried lu launches io tho relief of those on the , ship. Some of thc volunteers were unable to stand the sickening sight , which met their gaze on tho Benning ton. As last as tho wounded 0 u'.d be removed bhoy wert? hurried In am bulances, oarrlagos, wagons and autt , mobiles to hospitals. For a long time ? che hot steam prevented aco.ss to thc ? space between decks where most of the (load bodies lay, and lt was not until ?ato ?ri tito afternoon that the \ last were removed from the boiler ( rooms. Several bodies were so tightly wo'lgod In hy a bulkhead that tho , woodwork had to be hewed away to j free them. When the explosion occurred, the engineer was inspect ing tho h lleis. t Ho was not seriously Injured, oniccrs . and mon who wero able to assist in , tho rescue acted ia a brave and ooh 3 lecttd manner. Pumps were manned to keep the water from the upper ! compartments, the magazine was Hooded and mon fought iholr way t through boo abeam Into the darkened " auld. Many slightly Injured sailor.1 Q remained In the ship and assisted In I rescuing tho moro severely Injured. 1 Ki llin tl io Mi\, Flfteon white girls Hewing matrcss 1 os In Pittsburg went on strike bc causo a negro glr! was brought In ti (> the elli :o of tho factory bo wo-k :o I c stenographer and ty pr. writer. The j s rcsonted Hie Idea of the light worl hoing dono In dark color. 1 H?DBj|UE8I(JNS. Ho Deolaros ti|it ? Powerful Organ! sutton iii J gainst Him. Ao Assorts thal, Iflvcrv Tinao His AC ouraov Has ?) patin- Questioned It Hnu BOi m Buetalncd. Tho r?signation of John Hyde, statistician and-ohlot of tho bureau of statistic of tho jjopartraont of agrloul turo, was banded to Secretary Wlhs?,n Tuesday of lau-i week and promptly accepted. Willett N. Hays, tho as sistant seoretaty of agriculture, bas been placed iu nhargo of the bureau temporally and will contluuo to act pending the investigation of the cot ton se an lal and until a competent statistician ls found. nYD?|S LKTTKK. The following is tho text of Mr. Hjdj's letter ol resignation and Sec retary Wilson's reply theroto: Washington,^. (J., July 18, 1005. Dear Mr. Secretary: During the last four years, or^lnoo I succeeded in making tho crop reports of tho do partmcnt reastinably aoourato and cor respondingly valuable to the agricul tural and oomifj?erolal Interests of the country, my administration of the of lice I have the honor to hold has been constantly under lire from ono side of tho market or t?je other. Five time lt | has been investigated and on every oc casion I have been vindicated. In Jan uary, 1903,1 waa awarded $2,500 dam ages in a libel,suit against a promi nent lirm of cotton brokers by a jury of their own friends and fellow ol tl ?cns. These results have been very gratifying to me, but I have the highest medical authority for the statement that tho continued light upon mo hasr!already considerably shortened my l?ie. At the proscnb time lt ls au accepted fact that a powerful organization ijr bont upon bringing about my retirement, by one means or another. Nijw, I do not think the position I holdes worth tho light nec essary to its retention, aud tho or ganization In Question is welcome to whatever satisfaction lt can derive from my withdrawal from the unequal ttrugglo. If any of my friends think that I ought not to retire under lire. I would have them remember that there ls never a time when I am not under lire. I have tho honor there fore to tender you herewith my res ignation of ray1 appointment as statis l icbm and ohiocof tho bureau of stat istics of this department. With much appreciation of the un iform courtesyjmd kindness you have shown mo and.j'f the many tokens of eontidence I til \p received from you, I am, f; M?-ypurs<r ?? john Hyde. MR; WILSON'S REPLY. Mr. John Hyde1, Statistician, Department of Agricul ture. Dear Sir: I am in recolpt of your resignation as statistician of this de partment. In accepting it. 1 cheerfully testify to tho ability with whloh you have discharged tho heavy and dull cult duties of thc ellice since you wer. lirst appointed. The acjuracy of your reports has been recognized by th public generally, and 1 am glad to be able tu ti'Ktify, with regard to the Charges mude against thc Integrity of d:o bureau of statistics that no facts have been brought to my attention im plicatlng you lo any way. I am fa millar with your devotion to your work and with the u ltlrlng efforts yen have made to render the bureau of tue highest service to tho growers, mar u factures and consumers of farm products in our c. u nry, and I regret tint f illing health should compel you to bring your work to an end. Very truly, yours, J AM ici WILSON, Secretary. Mr. Hyde said that he felt ho bad f.a.st < ff an Immense burden from his shoulders. Ile had fully Intended to resign some tl mo during tho com ing autumn, he said, and thorofore he had only ad/ancod his resignation by a few weeks. Mr. Ilydo spoke of how cos genial the work Iud b on to him, nowithstanding its laborious charac ter, and expr?s ed regret at having to part "from the etllolent clerical f.-rce In tho bureau of statistics." "Their oyalty and their personal regard for myself," ho said "of wfcleh 1 had evi dence today, is extremoly touching. 1 shall have very few recollections of my eight years work that will not bo highly gratifying to mo as long as 1 live. Tao secretary has always been extremely kind to mo as I stated In my letter of resignation." As regards the investigation now being conducted by the district attor ney, Mr. Hyde said that he had cal culated to assist In ovcry possible way in getting to the bottom of the caso, and that even now he was out of ellice he would, If called upon, bo only too happy to contribute in any way his aid In tho Investigation. After Sixty Ynai-H. T. M. Fields, sixty-two years old, of Dloomburg, l'a., has just discover ed that his brother Abraham, who T. M Fields had believed died before bc was born, ls allvo and well at Fort Dodge, Kansas, at the ago of eighty one years. The knowledge carno In a letter from Abraham Fields to tho postmaster asking If thore were any Fieldes besldos himself alive. Ile ran away from home lu 1811 to go west, his family ne vor heard of him again. It was supposed ho had been killed by Indians. Two years later T. M. Fields was born. The old man In his declining years decided to write and seo If any of tho family survived, and his brother will now go west and soo him. Hurd to IMay On. Thc experiences of (?eorge B. Cor tolyou, chairman of the republican national Committee, during the recent campaign wore many and variod. With keen relish ho tells of one that carno under his riotlco. A country club about to glvo a parado was debat ing as to tho numbor of transparencies to bo had In Uno. lt was about Bottled that twelve would bo tho proper number, whenan old fjllow with his trousers tuoked In lils boots arose and said, "I g'KH two will be about right. TUn'tatall likely moro'., two will kaow how to pl?,y on 'et ' NOT WANTED. Members of Spartanburg Cotton Association Snub McLaurin. NO CANDIDATE ASKED To Speak at thc Association Meeting; and the President Says If McLaurin, Wlto tiad Been Invited by Out siders; Appeared, Meeting Would be Called off. A special dispatch to Tho Greenville News says tho Spartanburg county cotton growers recently made appoint ments for several special meettugs In tho oounty. Thc dato at iCherokee Springs is July 20. These meetings were Intended to increase tho mein borsblpof tho association and to arouse a more general intort s") In the move ment. lt was expected that they would bc farmers mectlngB with no strings to them. President E. L. Archer of the Cotton Growers' Assocl ablon was notlllod Friday that some ot tho citizens of Cherokee desired Col. John L. McLaurin to make tho address on the 29th inst. It ls said that recently McLaurin upon learning of the mooth:g of the farmers, at Cherokee Springs wrote to a friend in that section Informing him of his willingness to address thc farm ers on that day. The curly headed or ator did not Indicate that his speech was to hoof apolitical nature bu. when President Archer of the county assjolation was Informed of the for mor Senator's offer he promptly told thc recipient of tho letter that owing to a previous action of the committee on Invitation ho could not allow Mr. McL:urlu to speak at the meeting which was called by order of the as sociation. Mr. Archer feels that In declining the ex Senator's proposition he ls but carrylug out tho agreement entered Into by the otu ?era and mern hers of tho association when lt was or ganlzed. Ho therefore declined to ex tend an Invitation to Mr. McLaurin. It appears that some t'mc ago when arrangements were being made for tho Cherokee meet'ng several names of available speakers were suggested by members of the Invitation commit tee and all were r.uly considered. It ls said that both Senator Tillman and ex-Senator McLaurin were among the prominent ones mentioned and wen. rejected because not only was politics to ba avowed lu i even the semblance of lt President Aroher made the follow lng statement Saturday: "Thest meetings were appointed for farmers If the poople at C ?erokee desire Col. McLaurin to address them on auy sub Je^t they have a right to invite him But If he ls to bo there on tho 29 .h inst, the farmers' meeting will be call ed off. When the committee met to consider the appointments, the names! of Col. McLaurin and S ?nator Tillman were, mentioned. It was decided that they would not be Invited, as no real or probablo candidates were desired at these meetings, which are to bi bein by farmers for farmers, and no tl 3ft is hereby served on candidates fur ellice, and vote seekers, that they are not expected to speak at these meetings 1 have no objection to politicians hav mg their own meetings and airing their grievances or boasting of their great achievements, but they will not be Invited to .speak at thc farmers' meetings. " BROWN RJE^INTiD IT. Ho AsHnthil A Kaceiit K.litorial in tho IlArnwolt Sontinol. The State says news has come to Columbia, via Camp Fuller, to the ef fect that Mr. Clarenco L. Brown and Mr. G. Marshall Moore engaged in aa altercation in Barnwell Monday. The aforesld altercation was a bloodless affair, and lt ls hoped that lt will end with the meeting Monday. Mr. Brown ls the dispensary Inspec tor who suffered tho misfortune to ?ose $2,000 recently. Mr. Muoro ls tho superintendent of the schools atr Barnwell and ls also editor of the Barnwell Sentinel, the papor which waa owned by Mr. Brown before he sold lt to Mr. Mooro. In tho edito rial columns of this papor there ap penrod a paragraph commenting upjn Mr. Brown's misfortune In a way which was distasteful to the inspec tor, and ho demanded a retraction, Thc affair happened In thc principal business part of town. Mr. Brown, pointing to the objectionable para graph, ox pressed his opinion in re gard thereto with a great deal of force SO it is related. The witness who reports thc ali tit says that Brown, after making a state mont to tho effect that Moore had his hand In Ins pocket, drew his revolver with an Invitation to Mooro to do the same thing. A Mr. Moody ran up about um time and separated thom. Brown put up a cash bond for $15 and forfeited lils revolver to the town of Barnwell. Tho iiarnwoll Sentinel Is the weekly papor which attracted some at tention a few months ago by attacking ll. H. lOvans, chairman of tho dispen sary board, and tho editor In turn was threatened with a libel suit. It is said that on account of Mr. Moore's posi tivo stand on public questions ho is having trouble to be reelected superin tendant of the schools. There has boon a deadlock tn tho board for ?10 days. ! ii i .mr..'.. i ii.MI lOvor. Genoral Batjanoff, commander of thc Third Russian Manchurian army recently declared that thc Japanese wero unablo to advance, both on ac count of tho strengthening of Rus sian positions and beoauso they have nob fully recovered from their own loss at tho battlo of Mukon. "Nevei during the whole war" he said "nan tho Russian army boon so strong hi ovry rcspeot as at present. The Jap aneso know this and therefore they wish for peace. POISONED FLOUR fi hipp od To China ind Berni! ts Tn Number Of Deaths Will Not Only Uart Trude In Thru Commodity But tn Other? .-Tlx? Story, The Washington correspondent of the Columbia Record says a report just received In tho United States shows that American flour shipping Interests In China arc likely to receive a heavy blow soon, unless somothlng is done to correct a report that Amerloan flour men are sending poisoned flour there. The business of shipping flour to some scotions of China, especially to Amoy and Ohangohau, ls onormous. Last year it amounted to $353,502, and the year previous to 8285,294. Not long sirca a certain shipment of flour was sent from Hong Kong, and out of that shipment eomewhere between thirty and forty people havd died as a result of having eaten a poisonous mixture. All sorts of rumors havo been spread broadcast, and anti-foreign agitation has received a great impetus. This shipment, which was sent from Hong Kong to Amoy, was consigned to native importers and was distribut ed in the ordinary course of business, and to all appearances was not d fi?r ent from many shipments which had boon made before. The first trouble came at a Chinese restaurant where a man who was eating a meal became suddenly ill and In a rew moments died. The keeper of the restaurant, being accusad of having adulterated the lljur with poison, agreed to eat some of the bread in order to show that there was nothing tho matter with lt. In the course of a few hours he also was dead. His wife and daughter* also died from eating bread from the same flour. Tho story spread rapidly, and wher ever the flour had been shipped the Chinese died like so many dogs. In Ohangohau, a city of 1,000,000 inhab itants, the result has been to almos: stop the reedpis of foreign flour from any port. Hundreds of small store kfopors and bakers have small stock* >f goods on band which they are m able to sell on account of the faot thai ?be people are afraid to buy Import?e oread and flour. The loss to these little merchants, while considerable, 1 imounts, as a matter of faot, to noth lug in comparison to the enormous loss of p roll ts whtoh will accrue fron 1 oss of business which has taken many years to build up. Unless the preseni trouble oan be done away with, there I vvill be a permanent loss, for Chines 1 consumers will again become ncc is t'imed to purely native food, and the 1 /round gained there by Americans at ' er many years of effort and labor will 1 oe entirely lost. There is no explanation of thc 1 trouble, but lt ls probable that Chin* ase merchants made an effort to smug gle In morphia in sacks of flour and Ghat thc packages of poison wert i broken, and the flour was thus aff?ot .;d. The duty on morphia is very high, 1 .vhlle that on flour ls only 6 per oent. id valorem. Whatever the truth about ibis matter my be, there ls no douo of the fact, as stated, that Amorlcat interests In the fljur shipping busl ness will ba materially affected unless relieved soon. Foll j; h rms Tlioii?Aiitl Foot. Daniel Maloney, who made numer ?is successful ascensions with Prof. Montgomery's aeroplane, Tuesday feb 3,000 feet to his death at Sinta Clara Col. Maloney made an ascension from the grounds of the Santa Clara Col lege. About 2 000 persons watched with Interest the machine as it shot upward from thc collego garden, at tached to a hutfo balloon. At a height of 4,000 feet Maloney cut looso from the balloon and began maneuvering the aeroplane. He sailed gracefully ah jut, then essayed a deep dip. Sud douly thc machine swerved, hesitated, and then turned over. It righted It self, sank down a considerable distance, and turned over again. Maloney was clinging desperately to his seat, and was evidently endeavoring to rogahi control of the aeroplane, but all hlh efforts were in vain, Again the aerop lane turned in the air, the wings came together, and thc man and the maohlnt plunged straight downward, while the horrified spectators gazed helplessly. Killed t>y I,ive Wire. Samuel James, a white carpenter, 40 years of age, unmarried, was killed Wednesday by coming in contact with a live wire at the Charleston navy yard. James was employed bj the New York Continental Jewell] Filtration company on tho dry dook. He was on a scaffolding when he camt In contact with tho wiro. Tue wire burnt him around the neck, causing death Instantly. The Inquest was held Thursday James was a native of llaltlmoro. Ho has been residing In Charleston and working at the navj yard for some time. Ilitritod In ttoiol. At Wabash, Minn., ?ix persons wore burned to death In a lire which de stroyed tho Depot Hotel Wednesday morning. Tho dead are: Mrs.A. Hoffman and baby; Robort Johnson, expressman; Gertrude Stotsher, Ro occoa lier man, J*me.i Hunt. There may bo other bodies tn the ruins. Thc firo was caused by tho explosion of a gas bank used for illuminating. Mrs. Hoffman was owner of the Hotel. Sue and her baby anti tho other vlo tims woro burned to death in theil rooms, Throe n..i.;-.t a. At Memphis Tenn., Toots Taylor, M. Milts and Major Mills, three negrc murderers were hanged Friday. Taylor and Mills ascended th? scaffold togeth? er and when their bodies had been re moved Milles was executed. T'ayh r murdered R ib Gaines in August, 11)04 Wifo murdor was tho crime wind cost Miles his lifo. Mills murdered ' his father-in-law. A N< w .-.wooli.i. Tho Columbia Rjcord says a young 1 white m in namod Spann was arrestee by Policeman Forde Thuradfty charged i with swindling. Tue alleged sohemt ) was to place a Mexloan dollar with four Amerloan dollars and ask that s 15 bill bo given for it. It. Is said that several victims wore caught. THIRTY YEARS At Hard Labor in the Peniten tiary for Attempted Assault ON A LITTLE GlftL At New Sumter About Tea Days Ago. M Took the Jury Nine Minuten to De? eldo the Pate of the Fiend Who Deserves to be Hung for thc Crime. A speolal dlsp .'.toll from Sumter to Tho State says tuc Jury declared Jesse Nelson guilty of assault with Intent to ravish, after nine minutes' deliber ation, on Thursday afternoon. JudgoR O. Purdy sentenced Nelson tx) 30 years at hard labor in the South Carolina penitentiary. The sentence to begin at tht expiration of his sen tence to the Clarendon county chain gang, which will be July 6, 191.0. The case wis called Thursday morn lng. The court appointed Mr. L. D. Jennings to defend the prisoner. Maj. Marlon Moise assisted Solicitar Wil son. The State had only a few wit nesses. Very little time was consum ed in examining them. The young lady and her little sister were very positive in their identification of the prisoner. They told the story of the crime in a clear, convincing manner. There was no hesitation. These were the only eye witnesses. Toe young lady is not yet 16 years of ago and her sister but 10. Tne ground rail of tho testimony was the searoh for a negro of Nelson's general appearance-tho clothing worn, oap, etc, when captured, tho axaot description given by tho young lady immediately after the assault. Supervisor Owens told of his escapo from the Clarendon county chaingang ast Thursday. Nolson was the first witness for tho defense He retold the story that he aever left the railroad between there ind MayesvillOj except to get water at ihe Betts mill. Ho denied the attaok >n the young lady and bald ho had xever seen her until curried before her m Monday. Jim Taylor was sent for so that the jury might see thu difference between jhe two. Mr. Jennings certainly did his duty. Ho reviewed the testimony oarefully. ile wanted the right man punished to .ho limit of the law, but ask tho jury .0 bu sure and convict the right one. He spoko earnestly and forcefully. Tho ?egro received a high ' class service {ratls. Solioitor Wilson laid bare the facts. Lie spoke of the proud record of old Sumter county. The citizens are law iblding. lie mentioned two or three ?orrlble orimes, aggravating in the extreme, but the majesty of tho law was upheld and thc outlaws punished. Maj. Marlon Moise's specon was very aloqucnt. The court house was pack id when he begun to speak and dose Attention was paid to his argumont. Judge Purdy's charge to the Jury was short and explicit. The jury retired at (5 13 and at G.22 readied a verdict of guilty. Before passing sentence the judge said ho knew tho Lny's father and mother, and they were good old dark les.,The beginning of Nelson's trouble, like ali other boys, was when he won dered away from home, getting from under parental inllueuoe. Ho had no doubt of the prisoner s guilt. If he had he would set aside tho verdict as would he his duty, though many people at New Sumter wero his warm personal friends. Asa judgo he must rise above oho opinions and feelings of his fellow man. He held up tho terrible punish ment thc boy must receive and said ohls should serve as a warning to white and buick that to do right was tho only safe course in life. Ho had sen tenced to life imprisonment the other Jay a black man for thc same orime against ono of his own raco in the up country.; He then sentenced tho boy ,o 30 years in the penitentiary. Nelson ls about li). Ho was sentenc ed at on July 6, 11)01, by Judge Ald rich to six years on thc chaingang for assault and battery on an old colorod I woman. Poisoning Muupootml. Suspecting murder, tho police are investigating tho sudden death at his .lome in Mannington, W. Va., of J. N. Payton. He, his wife and a man whose name has not been disclosed, vre said to have been drinking on Sun Jay night, and Mrs. Payton announced lier husband's sudden demise Tuesday morning, attributing it to the drink ing of wood alcohol, to which lie ls un derstood to have been addicted. The autopsy ls reported to have revealed tho off cots of other poisons, however. A ohemioal analysis of the stomaoh of tho dead man will be made, Three of Pay ton'3 near relatives by marriage iro said to have met mysterious ieaths from poison. Tho Wutow'H Mito. A woman in ono of tho small Penn sylvania towns recently put two post igo stamps in tho contribution box at ?or ohu roh, as she could not a ff .ord to five any money. Tho stamps lookod interesting to the minister, so ho took .hom to a dealer and solo thom for 51,000. Later, says an exohango, the /wo stamps w ro sold to a Russian no bleman for $6,000._ Ho Olifent to ?VMow, Sonator Platt of New York has jclebrated his 72 dlrthday and he de jares that as ho looks back over his poliitoal career he is onvlnoed that t has not bsen worth while and if ho lad to do lt over again tie should .nodel his career along other lines, But ho won't say what ohanges ha would mako in tho record. About A A! wu. Kate Newell stabbed and killed Hattie Greor at Starr, Andersonooun ,y, on Sunday night-both oolored. Thoy wore on their way home from church aud quarreled about a man.