The Horry herald. (Conway, S.C.) 1886-1923, February 16, 1905, Image 1
? - ';*
VOL. XIII.
IUCLY CHARGES
.
Books of State House Officials
Examined. I
COMMITTEE REPORTS
'
Numerous Irreiularities and Discrepancies,
Caused by Failure ts Keep
a Proper Set (I Books ia a
f -v,
Proper Way. Secretary
t
of State Complains.
Senator T. B. Iiutler and Representatives
Richards and Rilnesford Tuesday
submitted a report on the eiamlnatlon
of the oftlces of the secretary
of state, comptroller general and
state treasurer. The report was or'
? 4U* ' * "
"" ouu juurnai ana is
considered one of tho most sensational
yet filed.
The report says of some of tho offlcrs:
"That they have examined the book
of accounts of the \txwe named oftloers
and flud the t (Tides of state treasurer,
comptroller generil and sinking
fund oorreot, with proper vouohcrn,
the oflices and the books neatly and
well kept, and the committee, with
pleasure, commend the eihoienoy of
the (nicors and assistants in these several
departments."
The report then recommends that
the comptroller general bo supplied
with file cases for tho keeping of the
reoords of tho office.
The report on the secretary of
atato's ofilce is in part as follows:
Thin office has not been included in
the examination heretofore, but last
year this additional duty was placed
on this committee, and It has been an
enormous, unpleasant and extremuly
difficult matter to asoertain the exact
and true condition of the finances of
this effloe?due to many reasons which
we will attempt to show later.
When we first went to tills office In
April, 1004 wo were informed that
we oculd conclude our labors "in ten
minutes" and were shown the bank
oooks and a mere statement,
of amounts, aggregate, received
In that office, and amount paid
it&te treasurer. O.i insisting that
wo came for a real examine
tion, we were begged for time to
prepare books, eto. However, jour
committee went to work but soon
found, on account of the absence of
books and in proper entries of cash
received, wrong and imprope r entries
mado in the bojks furnished, which
had been badly kept. Your committee
feeling tlie need of a thorough examination
adjourned, and s- cured the
services of an account, Mr. J. C. Mollis,
of Qaffuey, S. 0.? and with his
valuable assistance made up a book of
"** evory item we could lindane! was furnished
by Mr. It M. MoCown, tlie assistant
clerk, said l>ook being now in
the possession eif your committee. Af
ber adjourning, and oefore our return
with Mr. IIollls, m;.uy erasures and
corrections were n ade on tho books
attempted to be k^pt. The only way
we could do was to handle each declaration
of charter, return, application
for notary public?in fact, ev.'ry
paper.during Mr. Gantt's administration.
Seeing 1 hat cons derabio time
would be consumed in this x.m'nation,
we did not feel j .stlfljd ln#J*v
lng baok of his term without express '
authority, so did not do so, nut feel
now that this should done by the
committee to bo appointed.
In comparing the return of corporators
to the charters thav, were recorded,
we found some unrecorded and
others erroneously recorded, such as
where a charter had b en granted In
the sum of frf 5,000, same was recorded
as having been issued In tho sum of
50,000.,. This work we did not com
plete on account of a very damaging
fire In the olBco where, principally, all
records weie kept, and since that time
we have be^n unable to do any such
' work for the books were badly Injured,
henoe, such examination was necessarily
suspended.
In many casus we found where over
collections had been made a## relating
1367 65, ranging from 50 cents to
177 60. There was ffo evidence that
these varlcu* items had been return
ed to the pr per parties, but, on the
contrary, the seorotarj of state informed
us we "had nothing to do with
these excess amounts as that was a
matter between himself and the par
ties sending them." We do rot agree
to such a proposition. On the book
wblob was supposed to be kept items
were left off entirely. To illustrate:
Oamperdown mills, chartered April
30, 1004'* charter fee 100, and others.
Improper amounts credited to state:
Puckaber Bros., Charleston; charter
foe t60; amount state credited with,
15, March 23, 1004. We ft el ccm
pelted to condemn this carelessness in
handling the people's cubnoy, and in
not keeping proper entries of all moneys
ooming through this office, also
the method that has prevailed in
many Instances where a credit system
of c 'MP***11 been Allowed. To give an Instance,
f^tbe Norrls cotton mills, charter increased
on April 10, 1903; charter fee,
60, amount recelvei after charter issued
$25, and the olAim was made
that the late Col. D. K. Norrls contended
that "the office already owed
him 26." Either this money Is lost
to the state or is a loss to the secretary
of state; at any rate, suoh prao
tlce should be discontinued. There
are other Instances. These items of
over collections may have t>een returned,
but we have no evidence of
same. Your oommlttee is cogn zant
of one Instance where there has been
a refund. The charter was granted on
February 23, 1904, and refund made
June 23, 1004, after these chatters had
been oalled to the attention of this
office.
We regret to report that "all moneys"
have not been paid over "quarterly"
to the state treasurer as Is required
by law, same being held, in
some Instances, considerable time at*
1
tor the txplration of the several <juarters.
Yo'ir o maoltte begs to report that,
as the report of receipts and disbursements
will show, hereto appended,
the secretary of sta.e Luis deposited
tu hank several hundred dollars In excess
of amounts shown by lis books
or evidenced by proper vouchers In
his ofllco, as ba\lng bei u collected for
fees. In this amount, no doubt, is
Included some of th?s. oxoets collections,
sent by mistake ty different
parties throughout Iho slate and
which do not belong to the slate, but
should be refunded to the proper parties
when the charters were issued.
We found by mere chan?;e tbat one 1
Item of 1120 50 for charter of the
Union Ware House company of Columbia,
chartered on the 15th day of
January, 1902, during Mr. Cooper's
administration, was presen ted for payment
in June, 1904, and Las not yet
been turned over to the stflte treasurer,
being, we are Informed, now in the
office of secretary of state. There may
be other items cf Mr. Giutt's predecessor
still outstanding, but, as we |
stated, we did not go back that far. (
A letter was then sent hy Mr. D. .
II. Means to Chairman Bu der of the
committto stating that although the
cash book of his < fflee had been 1( st, '
he was ready to chock up all of the (
accounts except the receipt book. A (
letter was accordirgly sent Secretary (
Gantt askinir for these hnnk-i hut. ? t
reply was received stating that the 3
tiro which gutted the room made lm- *
possible for them to be found as yet, t
but that so far as he ktu w Mr. Mean's 6
accounts wcre always a<curate. The 1
committee then concluded as follows: 1
In Justice to Mr. Gantt, we beg to 1
state he informed us the reason his 1
books were In bad condltloo was due 1
to the fact that, bis time was occupied
securing valuable and necessary In 1
for at Ion for Senator Tillman to aid I
him In collecting certain funds from c
the national government, and we are c
sail tied be did good work.
^he boe ks and accounts since Mr.
It. i/f. McCown has been aotlng as
chief clerk have been kept In much
better condition, and since our thor- 6
ough examination lu June It Is a very '
easy matter to keep track of the funds 3
and vouchers.
Too much care In keeping tho books (]
In this ofllco cannot be spared, for, as j
will bo seen by the following state t
tnent of receipts and disbursements ,,
during the years of 1903 and 1904, a j
large amount of money goes through (J
thisonicc: t
Amount received from predeccssor
* 2,(570 89 .,
Depisltedln banks 31,430 89
Total e
Total $34,101 78 (
Paid state treasurer 30 302 89 f
Balance In bank t 3.799 89 |
Fees received In 1903 10,1 ft I 19 t
Fees to June 13, 1904 7,543 73 c
Fees from Juno 13th to Dec ^
13. 1004 7.105 58 t
From predecessor 2,070 89 J
Total $03,631 39 t
Paid stale treasurer 30,301 89
Hooks show balance $ 3,229 60 t
Which shows a balance In banks of 1
$670.49 over amount the books and I
vouchers of secretary of state show. r
Under the present law charters are 1
granted on payment of one mill on
the dollar up to $L)() COO, and in a
groat many Instances ito stave e \
colves only fifty cenhs, and In some !
Instances as low as five cents, and It
costs the state as much to grant one 1
of these small charters t<8 it does one y
capitalized at $1.000,000, where the *
fee Is $100. Therefore, we recommend c
that the law be changed by the secre- 4
tary of state.
There are about eighteen or twen- "
ty books containing the 'coords of
corporations damaged by lire In thh
office, and while not destioyei, the
bladings and edg< 8 have been destroyed
and It Is almost absolutely '
necessary that theso books be tran .
scribed. Therefore, we r cimmend
that theso records be put In better ,
shape and condition for pr tper hand- '
ling and preservation, ard that a
small appropriation' be made to carry
this into t (Tjct.
Respectfully submitted, ,
On part of the senate.
T. B. Butler.
On part of house of representatives.
J. G B ten a :t i >h Jr. ,
T. H. Rainbford.
I)rn?iiilto Kllle<l L'lirun.
A Haughton, Mich., dlspatc'i says
three men are dead, sovt n Injured a.d
three are missing as the result of an
UXJMUNIUU Ul ll/,UUU pUUUUh ui uyna
mite In No. 3 shaft, of the Kearsargn
branch of the Osceola Consolidated
mines Wednesday afternoon. No explanation
can be given for the explosion.
The dynamite was kept in a
drift at the eighth level and was used
by the men In blasting. The shaft Is
on tire and It Is feared the three men
mis lng are dead. The searching
party was unable to got down further
than the fifth level. The shafts are
being sealed.
Found Dead.
A dispatch from Spartanburg says
the tndy of an unknown negro was
found near the side of the track which
leads off from Wellford to Tuoapau
oolton mills Wednesday morning. It
Is believed that the negro frcxe to
death during the night. He wassten
about Wellford and was drinking
freely. He evidently started for his
home and being overcome from drink
fell down in the sleet and froze to
death.
Jumped to Death.
IT. 0. Swift, 75 years old, who
came to Savannah from Stockton,
Ga., eight months ago, jumped from
& window of his home there Wednesday
night and died Thu<s1ay. lie
had been suffering from grip for several
years. Mr. Swift was a resident
of New York, but came south seeking
a warmer climate.
Pleaded Guilty.
In the court at Towanda, Pa., Wednesday
Blgler Johnson pleaded guilty
to the charge that he murdered his
wife, Maggie 11. Johnson and her
niece, Annie Benjamin, ten years old,
on September 18 last, and afterward
burned their bodies. lie is 26 years
old aad bis wife was 40.
i/nr
CON
MAKES REPLY.
Mr. Gantt Promptly Defends
Himself From the Charges
OF THE COMMITTEE.
C
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
ihe following, which has been sent to
jhe general aj-sembly:
3entlemen of the General Assembly:
I beg to submit to you herewith a
'all report of the finances of the office
)f the scoretary of state and a detailid
Itemized statement of all official re
ieipta and disbursements during my
:ntlre term In office. 1 beg to Inform
rou that I have this day placed in the
lands of the Stato printer as a sup
jlemental report to the general aslembly
a full, accurate and complete
1st of all persons or corporations who
lave paid any fees to the office, which
II it.* fiVftrv ftfttjlll nr.iui.a
? ? ?> / p?v/ ?i.o unv> ob??L>U"
nents handed you herewith to bicorect.
In doing so I beg to mako the folowing
statement In reply to tho re>ort
of the c ommittee appointed to
xamlne tho books and accjunts of my
>111 ce:
I have been continuously since the
.ppoiutment of the committee willing
,nd anxious to make up and present
his slatem. nt to them, having offerid
to do so opou their llrsfc visit, to the ,
ifflce, but was Informed that they deIred
the papers of the office turned
iyer to them without any oheoklng,
critlcatlon or statements In the eon
litlon In which tlioy were at the time,
'resuming the committee competent
o coma Into tho c nice, take the books
,nd make up a c irrect statement of ,
t? affairs, the entire papers and books ,
f the office were turned over to them; '
hey were furnished a key, wh'ch the ,
hairman retained for three months,
nd which was used to gain entry to j
lie office when none of the clerks or
imployes thereof were present. This j
vas permitted to allow the fullest and ,
ieest opportunity for full and com- j
ireheuslve Investigation of the office. |
)urlog most of the time of the tirst
nvestlgatlon I was ooutincd to my
louse by sickness. During the progrcs 1
>f this Investigation r ports were
irought to me of statements by memlers
of this committee of a shortage '
n this office. Upon the conclusion of
ho Investigation, which was during
he week prior to the tiling of the
iltdges by candidates for State< ffices
secured an opp ?rtunity to stato to
he committee the reports I had 1
leard, and asked that they state to 1
ho public what they had found. In
esponse to thlj request, the commitee
published a communication In
vhlch It wan asserted that no books
vero kept, which was false, and that
hey had collected certain vcuohers
run which they had made up a set of
rooks, which was equally untrue, as
.here Is not now and nevor has been
iny "vouohors" to bo Ojllected, and
,he original declarations and returns
>f corporators could not te so de dgnat>d,
and principally from these 1 underwood
tne committee had mado Its
itatemcnts. As I was assured that
iho committee had found nothing
which they especially criticised, I
supposed the statement they had seured
to bo accurate. I had repeated
insurances given mo that nothing
wrong was found. Consequently my as
Lonlshment at the remarkable statements
mado therein was as profound
is was my surprise at the partial, In
complete and Inaccurate statement of
the financial affilrs the.enf.
When reduoed to Its logical conclusion
and freed from the Insinuation
and Innuendo In which it Is clothed,
the report charges that no accurate
books are kept, or proper rec >rd of
the receipts and disbursements of the
c fllce, and that the management of
the office has been deficient. The only
reply which It Is In my power to make
to this charge Is the rendition at once
of a full statement of every financial
transaction of the office, properly balancing
the cash found on hand durlrg
my term of office. I assert to be true
that, though prepared uron less than
24 hours' notice, this statement is substantially
accurate, and I will forth
with and Immediately resign as secretary
of state If I cannot prove to the
satisfaction of any competent and unprejudiced
bookkeeper that It is a satisfactory
statement of the condition
of the efflre. ard that the statement
of the committee purporting to bo
such Is not a true statement of Its af
fairs and oontalns many errors.
IlKPLIKS TO A8SKIITION3.
Replying to the several remarkable
assertions of the committee, I wish
to quote them as follows:
' When we went Into the office we
were Informed that we could conclude
our labors in 10 minutes." 1 deny
absolutely and umqutvooally that
I made any statement at all In reference
to the time It would reaulre to
make the Investigation to any member
of this committee.
"On insisting that we oame for a
real examination, we were begged for
time to prepare books." I neither begged
or oared for any time wliatover;
I suggested that I would like to obeok
over the entries that "iad not been
checked for possible errors; 1 suggested
that the examination would be fa
ollitated ifthe committee would permit
me to make a complete statement
of its affairs, showing proper balanoes.
Both offers were declined, and evidently
misconstrued. As a result of the refusal
of the committee to accept any
help or suggestion in their work, nothing
whatever was accomplished during
two entire weeks, and when Ilollls,
the expert, came everything that had
been gone over was reohtcked.
"Many erasures and corrections
were made on the books."
Mr. MeOown says that he naadt on#
Tgrtifi
WAY, S. C., THURS
or two come .ions, with the kuowledge
and, he thought, permission of
the committee.
"A charter has been granted In the
sum of $1,500, same was recorded as
having been i.-sued la the sum of $50,000."
This has never been called to my
attmtloa, and 1 have no Idea to what
Is referred. 1 would suggest that a
rcoed must have been accessible to
them which showed the proper capital
stock.
"In many cases w) found where
over collections had been made aggregating
1387,65."
I beg to say that owing to the
change in the law for r<ending certain
papers, reducing the fee 50 cents,
ttio red notion lias beeu frequently
overlooked by applicant! for charters,
In splto of tho adoption of every
means by the office to appraise the
public of it. As every declaration on
which it is paid is followed generally
In .two or three days with a return
upon which a further fee Is payable,
It has been the pruotice of the office 1
to deposit the additional 50 ceuts to
tho oredit of the official account of
the offlc\ to he applied on the return
fee. In some esses the return has
been delayed, and in others It is never
made. There is now unrefunded of j
these matters, the sum of 141 25, ,
which is in hank to the credit of tho ,
State. !
"Improper amount credited to the |
State: l'uckhater Hros., Charleston, ,
S. 0., charter fee $50; amount State ,
credited with $15." ,
It was discovered by tie committee i
tint the office had failed to detect an
error In computing the proper fee for i
the charter of tills conceru made by |
John C. Mehrtens, Esq , their attor (
ney. Only $15 had been paid the |
office, as it was so entered. When i
ttie committee called attention to the
error, the attorneys were wired aud i
Immediately remitted the balance of |
$35, which was entered on the books ,
as soon as received and the matter j
explained to the committee. (
"All moneys have not been turned (
over quarterly to the State treasurer."
It is true that I have directed that
funds bo not checked out of the bank
until ample time has been allowed for [
the COllpf.tlnn r.f all fhnoLro nr>t- A.* t
posited. Sometimes a check which Is 1
received by the office is not paid when j
presented, and confusion in our ao 1
counts arises therefrom. For instance,
on March 3rd, 1903, a oheck
Kiven by Tnos. B. Butler upon the j
Uarolina National bank for *3 was re- J
fused payment when presented, aLd '
tire amount was not Anally collected 1
for about three mouths. It would 1
have heen inconvenient to havo turned (
that over to the State treasurer, even J
though .the office books showed that ;
It was ohargcablo to us. J
"Wo found by mere clnnoe that
one item of fcl02 60 for charter of the
Union Warehouse a mpany of Oolum
bia, chartered on the - 15th day of r
January, 1902. was presented for pay- ?
mint in June, 1004, and has not been
yet turned over to the State treasurer.''
It is true that I discovered that
through some neglect there had been
a failure to collect the fee for this
charter. I demauded its payment and
a check was given therefore, which
vas held for final determination as to
its proper disposition. This check is
properly acoouatcd for.
"There were certain Itooks we had
in our p< ss sslon last year concerning
I he period of Mr. G&utts predecessor
whlcii we were informed were kept by
the present secretary of state."
"The present secretary of state"
wishes to say that he has never, except
for a short period at the beginning
of his own term, kept any of
the cash acoeunts of the office. TorIng
Mr. Cooper's term these accc uts
were kept by Mr. D. H. Me&ur and
the record hnnU-R dllHnnr t.Ma I
have never been in the personal cub- j
tody of the presont secretary of state. ,
AS TO FKKS. I
When fees were paid the office to
him, they were turned over to Mr.
Means, whoso personal receipt was
taken therefor. Prior to this time,
receipts were taken, the same praotlce
being in vogue. lie regarded
Mr. Means' letter as official notice to
him of the loss of the books, from a
subordinate to his superior officer. (
The stat< ment Is made, however,
that the report of the seoretary of
State and the original papers and rec
oid* which were used by the committee
to verify the liabilities during the
present term, oan be mane to serve
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 features
of this report 1 wish to say that
I requested an opportunity to test
the accuracy of the figures made up
by the committee and to explain any
cause for criticism that appeared to
them, but was refused. Without
having seen the totals arrived at, I
challenge the accuraoy even of the
addition In the purported statement
which was made up. It does seem
that men who proclaim so loudly
their j alousy of the people's money
should, at least put enough valui
upon the character and reputation of
a man that they would at least refrain
from imputing to him that
wnion is disoredltibly until they had
observed the o&ution of ascertaining
facts to rest their assertion on, and
when oritlclsing the efflolenoy of another
to be oertaln of their own.
Respectfully submitted,
T. L. Gannt,
Secretary of State.
Found With Throat Cut.
The little town of Pearson, Ga., on
the Brunswick and Western railroad,
was thrown into the wildest state of
excitement Wednesday morning by
the discovery of the mysterious murder
of Mrs. Mary Smith, an aged
white woman. Mrs. Smith resided
on the outskirts of the town with her
little ten-year old grand daughter.
Wednesday morning the screams of
the oblld attracted the attention of
neighbors, and upon investigation the
dead body of the woman was found
In the house with her throat out from
ear to ear. The oblld could give no
information about the killing. She
had only discovered her grandmother's
body a few moment^ before tbo
neighbors arrive*.
pjj cgj-1
iDAY, FEBRUARY
GOVERNMENT COTTON BIPORT.
Number of B?les Olnned to January
lOili, 1WQ3.
A report Issued by the census bureau
Wednesday shows the quantity
of o>tUn gluaed from the growth of
1904 to January 16 to be 12,767,000,
counting round as half bales. These
consist of 12 624,777 square bales.
289,425 round bales and 98,110 sea
island bales.
Counting- the amount as running
bales the total is 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 date of 1904 show a
total of *9,869,277 bales, embracing
9,038,890 square bales and 7,407,480
round bales and 72.907 sea island
bales and 30,171 active glnucrles.
In the canvass this January 824
glnners have refused returns or failed
to report and the quantities previously
returned by them have been
brought forward for this report without
auy addition. The total quantity
of cotton this brought forward Is
327,243 ruin! lg bales. A maximum
estimato of the quantity ginned by
these establishments between December
13 and January 16 is 32,724 running
bales. This estimate of 32 721
bales is not included in the above totals.
In this report no account has
been taken of linters obtained by cotton
seed oil mills from working cotton
seed.
The final report of the season will
oe issued about March 25. The final
report will distribute the crop by
*ounties, agregate upland and sea
sland ootton and give weights of
lales.
In connection with the census dl
ector the report says that every oom
ilalnt regarding the accuraov <?f trip
eturns of Individual glnnors which
las reached the census offlce has been
carefully Investigated and no material
errors so far been found.
RuroRT nr statks.
The report by states and running
>ales follows:
Jtates. Pales. Ginneries
Alabama 1,422,420 3 1)02
Vrkansas 820 628 2,440
Florida 81,855 270
1 orgla . 1,903 008 4.974
Indian Ter 403.549 609
Ontu^ky 1,882 6
liOUlslana 1,005 328 2,223
d IhhIhsI ppi 1.570.853 4,055
dissourl 44,203 / 70
!>Jorth Carolina.. 704 801 2,929
Oklahoma 323,727 298
louth Carolina.. 1,144,514 3/244
Tennessee 208 132 758
Texas.. 3.098,908 4.403
Virginia 16.938 126
Talo of a Talking Tree.
Out on the farm of Will Albett,
lear Heath, county, Ky., tho people
ire wrought up over the "talking
<ree" that has been thero for some
time. Koorm jus crowds continue to
{ather there almost every Sunday to
rear the strange noises that come
'rom tho tree. The voice can bo dls;lnctly
heard, and says. "There are
reasures hurled at my roots "
A party comprising the most trustworthy
oltlcms of tho county, visited
,ho tree to make a thorough Investigation
for themselves as to the noises
>eiug heard. They listened patient
ly for several hours when a sudden
jrash, which has been given many
Limes before the marvelous production
of tho human voice, came. The
mystery yet remains unsolved, and so
<reat has tho number of people been
who have gone there In the last sevjral
months that the tree is now dead,
jauscd by the continuous tramping on
the earth surrounding the tree.
The only theory that has been suggested
Is that a man was killed under!
the tree In H62, and wid e many do
not believe in "spirits" the facts are
jo plain and ihe voice can be so distinctly
beard th&tthoy cannot dispute
the fact. A family of people who
lived there several years ago became
jo frightened at the vclce that they
sold their farm at a sacrifice, wont
West and are aow living In Texas.
Bought by Mm. Bander.
The property of the Wllliamston
Female college was sold at public outcry
Monday In Anderson. The buildings
and grounds were bid In by Hon.
Geo. E Prince for Mrs. L. A. Lander
for the sum of $0,550. Since the
removal of the college to Greenwood
the property has been of no material
use to the Institutl n and a sale was
deemed must ndvlsable. The grounds
cover a little more than live acres,
upon which h located the old collrg?
building, built under the direction of
Dr. Lander, its founder. It Is probable
that the building will be converted
into a hotel.
ICipreKH Otlloo OloHud.
A dispatch from North to The
State says the sudden closing up of
the oftlce .of the Southern Express
company there has been the topio of
much discussion. Numerous packages
for people at that point have
been pigeon holed elsewhere. It Is
learned on reliable authority that the
rauroaa commission has given no authority
tor the olosing of tho office
and an investigation has been started.
It is understood that the company
enters the plea of not being able to
get au agent.
Killed by Train.
Miss Magnolia Waters, a young
lady of Westminster was run over
and killed by the fast mall Monday.
The deplorable accident happened at
Ilarbins, about four miles south of
that plaoe. Miss Waters was 27
years old and was afll cted with deaf*
ness, whloh probably accounts for
her not having heard the approaching
train.
Out Acreage and Hold Crop.
At a meeting of the Greenville
County Cotton Growers' association
held Monday the farmers present
pledged themselves to decrease aoreage
25 per cent., buy less fertiliser
and to hold cotton on hand until paid
10 oents a pound.
Assigned To South Carolina.
Postcflloe Inspector Gregory haa
been assigned to duty In the lower
part of South Carolina, suooeedlog In|
spec tor Marie, who has been called tc
WaatUftta far servlae at that piaoe
I lV?l III
I
' 10, 1905.
WILL MEET THEM.
President Roosevelt Names the
Day When He Will See
COTTON GROWERS
Representatives, Who are Headed by
Senator McLaurla as Chalrnaa.
About Fifty Soatbcro Loadiaf
Mill Mea Expected to
Meet Committee.
President Ryosevolt has appelated
Monday, Feb. 20, at 12 o'clock, to
meet the o jmmlttee of 10 appointed
by the New Orleans Cotton Growers'
convention to confer with the president,
seoretary of agriculture and
mill men with a view to making
arrant? mcnts to enlarge Amerla's
cotton trade with other countries.
The oommltteo will also confor with
I lia unnrnf oi-w nf -1
?-v iivviwni j ui tuiuiuciix) nun mour.
About 50 leading mill men from every
southern Stato are exp cted to meet
tho oommlttee at the Raleigh hotel
In Washington at 4 o'clock on the afternoon
of Saturday, Feb. 18. Sena
tor McLaurln, the ohairman of the
special committee, gives out tho following
o^rrespondonoe for publication:
Florenoe, Ala., F^b. 4, 1906
To the Honorable Senators and Congressmen
representing the Cotton
Growing States In tho Congress of
the United States:
Gentlemen: 1 beg to call your attention
to the following resolution
adopted by tho National Cotton Growers'
association In convention as
sombled in New Orleans, Jan. 24th to
26th, 1905:
"Whereas, the present markets for
American cotton products are not
s.fflolent to dlBpose of the present
crop; and
" V, hereas, we believe the consumption
of cotton can be greatly Incrtas d
in the markots of the world; and
"Whereas, such Increases will result
In untold good to tho cotton
growing States, reduolng the surplus,
thereby creating a greater demand
aud necessarily higher prices for our
cotton; therefore, be It
"Resolved, That a special committee
be appointed by this convention
the oonfer with the president of the
United States, the secretary of agrl
oulturo and the manufacturers of o >tton
goods, to obtain such oonoerted
action as will enlarge our trado in cotton
products lu foreign oountrlcs."
I beg further to call your attention
to tho faot that this was the most
representatives body of men whloh
has over before been called together
to discuss tho great agricultural Interests
of the south.
You are therefore earnestly rrquested
to give your active and hearty support
to such measures as will effectuate
the purposes embodied In theso
resolutlots.
Most respeotfully,
John Lowndm McLaurik,
Chairman of Spaclr.1 Committee on
ForHun Tru/l* rvoK.it-> fir .???!
? ,? ..n ?. wvwvia v luifuir
Convention.
kribtbii abi1crakt,
Secretary.
Florenoe, Ala., Feb. 8, 1005.
Hon. J*mcs Wilson, Sccrsta?y of
Agrlcultre, Washington, D. C.
Dear Sir: 1 bag to make grateful
acknowledgment of your favor of the
2d, and to thank you for your very
courteous suggestion contained In
some.
Acting on your advice. I have to
day directed a letter to Hon. Victor
II. Metcalf, asking his co-operation In
our efTort to enlarge our foreign markets.
It Is a great pleasure to note your
hearty approval of this movement,
and I feel sure that we will receive
wise and valuable suggestions from
you when our ojmmlttte vlsLts Washington
on February 20th.
Thanking you for the Interest you
have shown In this matter, I have
the honor to be
Most respect fully yours,
Ekistbr A an era kt.
Secretary of Special C>mmittue on
Foreign Trade, Cotton Growers'
Convention.
Washington, Feb 2, 1905.
Mr. Krister Ashcraft, Florence, Alabama.
Dear Sir: I have your letter ol
January 28ch, asking whether It will
be agreeable to me to co-operate with
the committee appointed by the cot
ton growers' oonvenfclon recently held
at New Orleans for the purpose of ohtaining
concerted action looking toward
an extension of our foreign markets
for ootton products. I
entirely approve of this move
merit. It is legitimate and else, and
anything this department can do t/j
heip will be very cheerfully done, but
permit me to oall your attention tc
the fact that oongreks has created a
new department, that of commerce
and lab jr, one of the objects to dc
this very kind of work. 1 think it
would not be wise for you and youi
associates to Ignore that department,
and 1 advise you to Ret into communication
with the secretary of oom
merce and labor, Hon. Victor H,
Metoalf, and solicit his c )-operation
In your enterprise. Of course I shall
be pleased to meet your committee at
any time, but I advise you to call
also upon the seoretary of commerce
and lab jr. In faot, I advise you tc
do that first.
Very truly yours,
Jambs Wilsow,
Secretary.
Fortnee, Ala,, Feb. 6, 1906.
non. Victor H. Metoalf, Secretary oi
Commerce and Labor, Washing
ton, D. O.
Dear Sir: Pursuant to a resolu
1 tion adopted by the cotton growers
convention in New Orleans, January
26th, a special committee, of whiot
1 ex-Senator Jno. Lowndes MoLaurii
of Sob Hi Carolina la chairman, wl)
u
visit Washington on Fotnuary 20th,
to take up the special work called for
by tho r_- .Uitbn looking toward the
enlargement of foreign markets for
coi ton products.
1 trust it will be convenient for you
) to 840 the oir mlttee, and that tboy
may have >oir cooperation iu Ibis
movemo.it.
Hoping to have from you a favorablo
reply, ] hare the honor to bo,
Obediently yours,
eimstkr asiickaft.
Secretary Sp oial Committee on ForelKn
Tiade, C itton Growers' Convention.
ST A RVfcb TO DEATH.
How a Negro Vscaped/Irial in Cenrt
at Columbia.
Was Wanted f ?r Shootinc at a Polls*
oncer, But Preferred to
Starve to Death.
The Record says word was received
in Columbia ono day last week that
Sam Harris, the negro who is wanted
In Columbia for attempted assault
and battery, and who was caught In
Savannah some titno sgo, will not be
be returned to the city. The reason
is plain en ugh. Harris has starved
himself to death In tho Savannah
Jail, ending ono of tho most remarkable
crlm mis with which tho police
bate had to deal.
Harris Is a Columbia negro, and i
while not desperately wicked, was
jmt had enough U> he continually In
vuu uniKiH 01 one p >uoe. aoouo inree
years ago In a raid by the police he
shot twice, at one of the officers and
dashed out of the house, whloh had
been surrounded by the police. A i
nuTiber of shots were fired on both
sides, but H arris escaped and nothing |
was heard of him until about ten |
days ago, when It was discovered that |
he was at work on the chalngang In
Savannah. The authorities there <
were notified an! preparations made i
for his return, hut the negro deliber- |
ately refused all food until he was so <
weak that It was necessary to send i
him to t he hospital and there he died. |
The Savannah papers contain long |
accounts of the remarkable end of <
Harris, and tbe News has the follow- i
Ing: i
"O ie of the most remarkable cases i
of suicide known to the Savannah ;
authorities was brought to light re- <
cently when Sam 11 irrls, a nogro ?
prisoner, died at the county Jail prac- |
rlcally ?as the re-ult of his self-imposed t
starvation. I
Exhibiting tbe most wonderful will
power in abstaining from partaking t
of food, tbe man slowly wasted away |
until be was past all medical aid. I
'"Harris' enforced starvation was
the result of being told several days |
ago that as si ou as lie completed his
sentence on tbe county chalngang be i
would be taken to Columbia, S. 0., to <
answer the charge of shooting at a j
police sergeant some time previous to <
the crime for which be was commit- i
ted last February. I
"With tbe expiration of bis son |
tence but ten days off be was rudely |
awakened from his dream of liberty
about a week ago by the boss at the <
convict camp where he was confined.
From that hour he grew morose and i
refused to eat. No manner of persuasion
could induce him to partake ,
of food enough to sustain him and ,
slowly he wasted away.
"Harris was arrested by Patrolman ,
11. B. DaXiS on L btrty and E.st |
broad streets in January, 1V04. Ho
resisted wh le wa'tlng for the patrol
wagon, and shot the officer In the leg. ,
lie was rearrested and given twelve
months on the chalngang. and with
his tin o < ff for good behavior would
have been a free man on February IB.
About ton da}S ago the authorities
hero received a letter to hold Harris
when he was released, that he was
wanted at Columbia for shooting at a
police sergeant while resisting arrest.
The order was sent to the lbpe Maker'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 Ills condition was suoh
that he was ordered placed In the hospital
ward at the jt.ll, where he remained
until his death. The county
physician said the case was the most
remarkable he had ever attended."
A Gruesome
A dispatch from Union to The
State says a gruesome find was made
at the Monarch cotton mills Wednes
day afternoon wncn as the cotton was
drawn through the long blaok suction
pipe Into the picker room, In the
midst of which, as It fell out, was a
long black withered finger. The missing
member was apparently the third
fi gir of the left hand and the run
, still remained on It. Where tho out
ton the finger was found In came from
of course cannot be ascertained, but
It Is thought It must have bson here
In Union county as Monarch mills Is a
heavy buyer of Union county raised
cotton.
A I'alr of Kouil,
A dispatch from Dresden, Tcnn.,
says young Willie MoUaleb, 16 year*
old, and his former tcaoher, who Is
' new his bride, though she Is 30 y?ar&
' old. must. i?n Into ?*il? > r^nit
' their elopemmt. The indignant
' father of the lad has made this the
! condition upon which he will refrain
* from beginning proceedings against
the woman on a charge of kidnaping
his son. So the happy couple will
take to Arkansas next week. Despite
the sentence, neither shows the
slightest regret. Tho bride says she
would he happy In a desert with hei
J youthful lover, while Willie adoringly
declarer he wou'd follow the woman
I to the end of tho earth.
> Dlstri hhIiik Aooidunt.
? Mr. Charlie Livingston, a young
man about 21 years old, while adjusting
a bolt at A L. OltV ginnery at
Klloree, Thursday, was caught In tin
shafting and both arms and legs wcr<
broken. The body of the young mai
was wrapped around the shafting In t.
f mo.*t torturing m inner, mutilating
* the llltsh of his legs and bro&st before
assistance could reach him. Mcdioal
- aid was quickly summoned and al
'' that Is poss.ble Is being done to savt
f tho youi g man. Mr. Ltvlngtson is a
i clever and promising man and the
i unfortunateaccldout is greatly doplor
1 ed there.
NO. 4ft.
HANDS OFF
The Negro Question Soys Republican
Congressman Lion tele.
.
WILL AID THE SOUTH
la WorKlof Out tho Great Race Problem
that Coofraata Her. Me says Intelligent
Impatby from the North
Is Necessary to Accomplish
Qreat Work.
Representative Henry Sherman
Itoutelle, if Illinois, was the prlno pal
iraior at the annual McKinley dinner
(f the West End Republican club at
Delmonlco'srecently. Abjut 250 membors
and guests were present. Charles
! '. Rostwlck, president of tho club,
was toastmasfcer, and with him at the
priests' tablo were Gon. Stewart L.
Woodford, Job E Hedges, Representatives
Henry S. R ?ut,elle and James
It. Mann, of Illinois; Herbert N. Pars>ns,
William S Honncttand William
H. Douglass, Judges John Proctor
Clarke and Edward McCall, and William
Ilalpin, chairman of the Republican
county coramitteo.
"The South and the Republican
I arty" was the subject of Mr. Routine's
address He devoted tho largor
portion of bis address to the discussion
of the negro ipestlon, as regarding
suffrage in tne South. He said In
part:
"A groat and wonderful change has
3omo over tho South in the past
twenty years?a change that can only
oe understood by contrasting the present
situation In the Southern states
with the conditions that existed durng
tho ten years immediately follow
.uk i/uu bivn war. nu pcopie wero
iver brought face to face with more
itter desolation than that which oon'ronted
the men of the South on their
eturn from Appomattox. It was not
ilone that they had lost the causo for vhlch
they had fought. Their whole
oolal, Industrial, and political fabrlo
ay In ruins. Their task was to bring
i new order out of chaos, and they
iavo triumphed gloriously.
"And we of the North rejoice with
t,hem In their prosperity, for are they
lot our people, hone of our bone, and
l.'sh of our flesh?
"Betwren 1880 and 1900 tho Smith's
investment in agrlculjure Increased
76 per oent., while that) of the rest of
the country Increased 65 percent. The
value of f*rm properties In the South
advanced from 82.300,000,000 to 14,1000,000,000,
and the annual value of
Tarm products from $660,000,000 to
Bl,300,000,000. The railroad mileage
has Increased from 20,600 to 62 000
miles, and the value or exports has
risen from $260,000,000 to $464,000,100.
"Factories are springing up all over
the South, and North Carolina bids
fair to rival Michigan in the oui put
of furniture. In tho manufacture of
cotton goods the South has a ad 3 rapid
and surprising progress. Massnohusttri
stl'l holds tlxit place among the
slates In cotton manufacturing. South
Carolina now comes sec jud, and North
Uarolloa third. The total number of
spindles in the Southern states is now
about 7,700,000 an increase of 5,000,000
since 1896.
"The breaking up of the great plantations
has multiplied the number of
towns and villages. The education of
the black i as well as the whitos is receiving
greater attention, libraries
and c lieges are Increasing, and the
whole South is reaping the fruits of
the courago, patience and hope of the
men of 1865.
"The answer to this question inv
>lves the whole Southern problem.
L-ut It Is more than r Southern probli
m?It Is a national problem. The
present, situation is due primarily to
t io presence in the Sourti of two alien
r.ic s, between whom there can be?
t lere must be?no fusion.
"The leaders of Southern thought,
at, the clo&e of the war, should iiave
teen allowed to retain their natural
leadership over thn ignorant whites
aad blacks. The fear of ignorant negro
domination has persisted long aft
ir the danger of see i domination has
pissed, working often an injury to the
negro, and always a greater injury to
t le whites.7 We of the North have in
years past made the so'utton of this
problem more dlfllcult for our South*
e-n brethren. We now owe them generous
sympathy -nu p<uient rorbtaiance.
"There Is something that the federal
government can do to help the
s tuatlon. The S.iuth needs men. Her
Inhabitants are only twenty-nine to
the equare mile, while in Ohio the
density is 102. Government information
should be sent out to the world
regarding the resources, climate, soil
of t.hft South
"In the work of solving this problem
the South could hive no firmer
friend than President Koosevelt, for
all that the South needs Is a square
deal, and no one knows better than
the president that a square deal for
the South means simply Intelligent
sympathy from Northern men, unprejudiced
Justice from the federal '
government."?Washington Post.
Hold Hiatnpi# At Half 1'rloe.
Postofllco Inspector K. J. Pullster
had arrested in Spartanburg Wedncslay
afternoon a y< ung white man, who
ippcars to be a tramp. This man,
who gives several names as his proper
cognomen, was selling 2 cant postage
Htamps In lots of 16 or 100 at half
prloe. He Is In the station house and
his oase will be Investigated in United
States Commissioner McQowan's oourt
jext Monday. He states that his
home was in Augusta, Ga,, and that
nis name Is Harry E. Swain.
Charged With Uelng Fugitive.
Charles F. Taylor, being partner of
Mrs. Alice Webb; Duke, han been arrested
at his oftloe at Onicago ob&rg.'.d
with being a fugitive from justtoe.
He is alleged to have been Implicated
in a swindle at Naoogdoehea, Texas,
Involving 93,000.