Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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* *- ~' ' '?iV? IJ+0: ; ^ 0 % Ommt^rnmmmtmfmtmtmmmhM rat Section. I nWiW VOL XXV. HI I II? Charges R." Chestnut With Murder. UNWRITTEN UWTBE PLED. The Cause of the Awful Tragedy Has Not Been Revealed, but is Generally Known. W. R. Sabin, who was shot in his. cttice in this city on Tuesday morning of last week by Robt Chestnut, died in Columbia on Wednesday about two o'clock. The young man was taken to the infirmary of Dr. Knowlton in Columbia and operated on, but the serious character of the wound made it impossible to save his life. The body was brought to Orangeburg Wednesday night, and an inquest was held on Thursuay morning by Coroner Rickenbakor. The jury, which was composed of the fol.ov ing well-known citizens: A. F. Fairey, A. W. II tfmau, B. B. Owen, Julius Wannamaker, W. W. Taylor, E G, J? r.kins, E U. Avinger, J V. Dodeoboff, M M. Langston, O, P. Ilutto, J. M. Silly, W. L Barley and E D. Sprott, after hearing the testimony returned a verH tViof W I-?. Si-vhin pump. t.O his death from a pistol shot wound, said pistol bring fired by R. Chestnut, on the 25ih day of April, A. D 1911 about 8 a. m. It was not ihought necessary to hold a post mortem examination, the medical expert-, Dr. William L. Heaner, having testified that death was due to the wound received on Tuesday. Dr. Heaner had been in attendance upm Mr. Sabin on Tuesday and accompanied him to Columbia. Too following is the testimony taken before tho jury of inquest, and r upon which it based its verdict: St' ment by Cunningham. StatL of South Carolina, County of Orangeburg -C, E Cunningham be. ? t i:.? ing sworn, x live iu tuo cjiuj of Orangeburg and am employed by the Dixie Lumber Company, which is run by Messrs. A. S. Sabijj and W. R Sabin. I was ac their place of business on the morning of April 25, 1911. I know R. Chestnut. He came to Sabin's oflice on this morning about 8 o'clock. I was on a little platform used for loading from the shed in which Chestnut and Sabin were. I heard talking and recognized the voices to be those of W. R Sabin and R. Chestnut I heard a pistol shot and tried to locate the sound, and turned and walked into I the shed. 1 saw Sabin just rising from his desk. Chestnut was still at the end of his desk, with pistol in his band and still threatening to shoot. I stepped in between them and tried to cool him down; in the meantime Sabin had retreated into the open. Chestnut told me if I didn't move "I will shoot you." Sabin said, "I don't understand ^ what you mean; if you will explain perhaps we can settle this thing." But Chestnut paid no attention to this and said be was goirg to shoot him. While Sabin was standing put&ibly,five feet from him he shot, just missing my leg, but aiming in * the direction of Sabin. Then Sabin rushed in on him with all his force and rushed him back against the wall and was trying to hold him While in this position Chestrut again fired, striking him in th? stomach I heard them talking be-j fore the shooting, but thought they were talking about a biU that Chestnut had been owing for some time The books show that he owes $55 Be (Sabin) bad been having trouble \to collect from him. Sibin was unarmed at the time. He rushed bim 7 with his naked bands. After he was struck Sabin cried, "I am shot," and turned over on the floor, Chest*U*sn inmnnrt out. nf lhn> rinnp ami IJ 14 U IUV.LJ J VIUip\ VI VV.W w. ? www ?,.. x, rarj away very fast.. We have letter f heads on desk and lving around. ( (Signed) C. E. Cunningham. Dr. Heancr Testifies. State of South Carolina, County of Orangeburg? Dr. W. L Heaner being sworn, says: I saw Mr. Sabin on the morning of April 26. 1911, and found h'm wounded in the left side, about three inches below and one-half inch to to the lert of the left nipple with a bullet. A gor d deal of ihe powder was on his clothing at the point where bullet entered. I first saw h'm at hi* ptace of business in this city He was sent to Knowlton's Infirmary in Columbia. The wound was sufh oient to cause death. I see the dead body of the same man here now. t The ball lodged in the body. * (Signed) W. L. Heauer, M. D. Nothing was brought out in the testimony thai wouid throw an} light on the causes leading up to the awful tragedy. While it has never been definitely revealed as t< what the shooting was about it. i known by everybody who has hearc of the case, that there is a woman mixed up in it,xand that the womat is Mrs. Chestnut. It is said tha: (The Missionary Meeting to Be Here. The Woman's Foreign Missionary Society will bold its annual meeting for Marion District here in the Methodist church next week, May 12--14. The local society has an entertainment committee app inted and they are busy preparing for the meeting. The annual gathering represents the 22 eociet'es in Marion District and a total membership of 634 ladie^ and children About 25 delegates are expected to be in attendance, Tbis meeting will begin on Friday of next week and elcse on the following Sunday night The sessions will be very interesting and the public generally is cordially invited to attend. Besides the local district officers the meeting will be favored with the presence of Mrs M. D. Wightman, of Charleston, widow of the late Bishop Wightman of the Methodist church Mrs Wightman has been for a number of years the president of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the entire Southern Methodist church. Other prominent visitors are expected also. Married. Mr Jack Crib, of Adrian, and Miss Pollie Gough, of Nixonville, S. C , were married on Monday evening' April 24t.b, 1911 at 7 o'clock. The ceremony was performed at the home of her uncle, S K Gough, April 30th, 1911. A Friend. Chestnut found half buried in the sand in his front yard and unsigned letters addressed to his wife, written on Sabin's business paper. [t is now said that this was not the first letter of the kind that had reached Chestnut, all of the same tenor. It seems that these letters were not such as a married lady should receive from a gentleman, These letters worked up Chestnut considerably, and sometimes he acted as if he was nearly distracted S5, it is said, when he got the last one he grew desperate, and acting under the excitement of the moment, he went out and took the life of the man he had cause to believe had come between hiruself and wife. On the other band, the letter Chestnut found being unsigned, there was no positive proof that it was written by the man whom Chestnut killed. The fact that it had his business card at the head of it, is no proof that the letter was written by him. There is no trouble to get sheets of paper with merchants imprint on them, as office ! stationery is laid around loose in many insiances, which Mr. Cunningham testified, was the case with Mr Sabin. Some one else might have m.UtAn tUu n n( n Vin hi n 't cfnt.inn. W- & 1 UlCii UUU UVIU VU MUV/iU D OVfVVtWU ery. But that will all bo thrashed out before the court9, and so is is not worth while to speculate about it. It seems that when Sabin was shot he was writing a letter, as an unfinished one was found on bis desk after the shooting Tuesday morning. After the verdict of the jury the body wa9shipped, by way of the Southern, to Jonesboro, Washington county, Tennessee, Mr Sabin's former home, where the interment will be made. His people are said to be well-to-do and prominent in Tennessee. It is claimed that Sabin made an ante-mortem statement, in which he said he was at a loss as to why Chestnut shot him. It is also said he claimed to be entirely innocent of the charge of writing the letter to Mrs. Chestnut. It is said that she claims that she did not know Mr Sabin at all intimately. Solicitor P, T. Hildebrand conducted the investigation on behalf of the State assisted by Mr. J. M. Brailsford, who has been retained to assist prosecute the case. Made Conflicting Statement. Columbia, April 30 ?Special: Information had in Orangeburg ihie afternoon is to tho effect that Mrs Robert Chestnut, the wife of the contractor, charged with the killing f W. R Sabin, the lumber man, has made two conflicting affidavits. One affidavit made for the solicitor, ?t. was learned, stated that Mrs. Chestnut did not know Sabin well In this affidavit, it is stated, Mrs. Chestnut barely claims speaking acquaintance with Sabin. The other flfidavit, made to counsel for her husband, so the report has it on good authority, is to the effect that she did .know Sabiu well and their relationship was more than of a mere passing nature. It is also * i i a. ft a /> i a _ . i i _ % staieo tnai mrs. unesinut oesireo to recall the fhvt affidavit, claiming that she was ULder the influence of a drug given to quiet her nerves when same was made The exact nature of the second affidavit could not be ascertained, but it is said that a sensation will be sprung at the trial. The trial will be sought to be brought up at the term of court beginning to-morrow was the information furnished. CONWAY, S. C., THC I iHUAl Homewood the Heart of the berry Section. KLONOIKES jfTIE LEAD. The Berry Situation Satisfactory to the Buyer and Profitable to the Grower, High Prices Prevailed During the Entire Week.?Crop of Klondikes Rather Short on Account of Dry Weather. Since the appearance of the strawberry on this market some two weeks ogo there has been great activity amon^ both the buyers and sellers of this delicious delicacy, perhaps more so thau in any previous season since berry growing began some years ago. There is a reason for this and we have not very far to look for it. This year this seasou, with but a tow exceptions, have been very favorable to the growth and development of the berry and the consequence being that an exceeding fine crop has been made and never before has such a fine berry been produced regarding fruitage, development color aod flavor, so much so that the attention of the Commisson houses in the Northern markets have been attracted to the Klondike producing section and many of them have either sent representatives to this section or are repesented by a local agsut with instructions to buy, and all along so far fancy prices have been realized to the satisfaction and profit of the grower. As an instance by way of illustration last Thursday Mr, J. E Nicholas of out* town purchased for E H, Kiugsman & Company , and L, lilanchard & Co., two commission merchants of Boston, Mass., one solid car load of berries of 254 crates at the price of $7 00 per crate This purchase was made at Homewood about four miles above Conway and is said to have been the first solid car of berries, every sold at that point. The day the car was purchased at Homewood berries were selling on the Conway market at nnlv *6 50 Der crate of course this J ' JT is only an exception to the rule, but it goes to show that the Homewood market is capable of developmet with the proper enterprise and energy put forth to do so. The Klondike berry is making a line reputation ond the market as a shipper and for its many fine qualifies and we are right in the midst of a scope of soil pecularliarly adapted to the growth and development of this variety of berry, and a glance at the soil survey made will show that Homewood is the heart of this territory. Upon the whole there is a brighter and more prosperous days ahead for Horry and her people, not alone in this particular branch of agriculKnt alert In f.rnplr. IU | (ll UC Vtiupiucu u uua .M .Vf ing fruit aud other things which* is just beginning to claim aud receive the attention of our people. With the proper cultivation aud an intelligent and energetic endeavor our lands are capable of producing four crops a year, which is a big feather in the cap of Horry. In Loving Memory. The death angel has visited the home of Mr and Mrs J. D. Boyd and took from them their darling little girl, Mary. All that loving hands and kind hearts could do could not stay the hand of death?the Lord knew best. Mary was only four years old, and was a bright little girl for her years. She was loved by all who knew her. She is gone but not forgotteu. Mary was sick only a few days, Sleep Mary sleep and take thy rest, And be forever blest, For the world a wilderness of woe, But you can rest forevermore. "Her Loving Uncle, W. H. C. From Milltown Gm. Editor Herald: Will you allow me space in your columns for a few lines? This is a fine farming country and the long staple cotton is grown hero very extensively. This is also a line turpentiue country, the stills being located about four miles apart. Messrs W. L Fender and W. P. n*rri??A havfl sold their turnentine property located just one mile from town for a fancy sum. The price realized was $52,000 00. Mr Hardee expects to go bacx to old Carolina boon. We have one of the largest mill ponds in the South and affords us plenty of nice fish. I will stop for this time and if this don't reach the waste basket will write again. H, J. Cannon Mr and Mrs A, B. McCoy have moved into the cottage on Laural street occupied by B. Wofford Wait, Esq. . 1 * IP (RSDAY, MAY 4, 1911. New Depot at Loris. The Herald has authentic information from Mr D, W. Hirdwick, who is always int?rested in the upbuilding and progress of Loris, aod who is connected with the firm of J. C, Bryant Co , that the railroad company has promised to errect at that place a new combination depot, which will be a great improvement and a credit to the town. Following is the letter written to J. C. Bryant Co., by the Superintendsnt of the A. C. L. Railroad Company, under date of April 24 h: Wilmington, N C, Apr, 24, 1911 Mofiftri .T fl Rpvarit. Pn Lorib, S. 3. Gentlemen: Referring to the petition forwarded to you and other patrons of this Company on May 24th, 1910 I take pleasure in advising you that in the near future, work will be started upon a new combination depot at Loris, S C., which I am certain you will tind to be a great improvement and a credit to the town. Yours truly, Superintendent. Cy-Mr A. G. Connon, Agt. It is stated by the authorities at Loris that for some time the water tank used by the Railroad Companv in its present location and condition is not satisfactory to the people It is located on the railroad right of way, being nearly in the center of the business portion of the town. Some time ago a man came to Loris to tear down the old tank and to erect a new one, on the same site, but Mayor Sanderson objected and the work was discontinued. It is reasonable to suppose that the water tank will be removed at the same time that the new depot will i i.. J os erecteu. Revival Meeting Closed. The revival services which were in progress at the Methodist church last week closed on Sunday uirht. The attendance throughout was excellent. During the afternoon service most of the stores closed, while the proprietors and clerks wore at church. Rev E. S Jones, of Georgetown who did the preaching made a very favorable impression by his strong and interesting sermons and his hearty genial fellowship in a social way. The applicants for church membership will be baptized and formally received next Sunday morning. Mr Jones left Monday morning on the Mitchelle C, for Georgetown He leaves a host of friends here and a heartv welcome awaits him in Conway whenever he can come thit way again. Card of Thanks. We take this method of expressing our thanks to all our friends and neighbors who so willingly assisted us during the many years of failing health and fiually the death of our mother, and among the many we are constrained to mention the names #of Mrs Mary Faireloth, Mamie Dormau and Georgia Grainger who so gallantry stood by us in many distressing^hours. God bless you all. B E Patrick, Amanda Rheuark. An Horryite in Trouble. Mr Robert Chestnut, who is charged with murder of W R Sabin, at Orangeburg, last week, and who will be put on trial tor his life next Monday, wa born and grew to young manhood in the County of Horry and is remembered by many of our people. He was married here, his first wife,so we understand, being a daughter of a Mr Anderson. After her death several years ago, he left here and settled in Orangeburg where he followed his trade of carpenter, and more recently that of contractor, The plea for the deplorable tragedy will be the unwritten law, he having found some letters in his yard addressed to his present wife and which he will contend were written by Sabin, and being of such character that no gentleman would write to a lady. Public opinion is about equally devided and there is no telling how the case will terminate. Items From Spring Hill. Editor Heraid: Please allow me space for a few words. * Your paper is a pleasant caller at our home every Friday evening. Health of this community is not very good at this writing. The farmers are almost through planting. fTl>r. n M 4' M ? A I n AM/1 AM 1.rMJUVJUU piiiubiu^ in uuv* in uiuni , E C, Allen, of Conway, spent Sunday here. Elbert Allen is adding a coat of paint to his now bouse. Uev J. E Edwards and A. D. Jackson, of Nichols, spent last Tbjrsday night at the home of Mr and Mrs W, tl. Moore on their way to the Union at Cedar Grove. Black Eyes, Mr and Mrs U. A. Dusenbury spent a day in Conway recently. *?JiL '1 111 ECHOES Gathered by a Herald Man on His Rounds. CAUGHT ON"THE BOUNCE. Stray Bits of News Gathered t>y the Wayside for tlie Information and Instruction of Herald Readers-ilappcnlnfs of Interest About the- Cltv. Court again ou the 4th Mouday in May. A. D. Cox passed through Conway one day recently on his way to Tabor, N. C, Shipments of sweet potato sprouts are being made here from Florida to some of the farmers. Mrs Harry Foots, and little son, Harry, left for Columbia Wednes day morning on a visit to relatives and frieuds. Magistrate W. H. Chestnut has a fine crop of Irish potatoes on his property near the otiioe of Conway Lumber Company. Mr and Mrs B Woflord Wait lef* the latter part of last week to spend A! ? ? -? A . 1.. ? i . U some time jij f\u>viici, vibiiiu^ ?uq mother of the latter in that euy. The telephone line recently constructed into the country the direction of Dog Bluff tow hip iproving a great conveniep' to the farmers in that community. There was another killing last, week in the negro quarters at Allen S. C., this being one of several hoini cides occurring amoug the negroes at that place since the plants were located there. Conway had still another fire last Moudav morning. A spark or cigar ette caught among the sawdust near a wooden ice house in the rear of The Cooler Company. At 4^.0 o'clock it was discovered, in time to extinguish the flames. ' a m %. m * i _ T T7\ /\ case oeiore wagisirare o. ii. Prince, between J. D. Siugletarv and Bell Bros., had been set for trial ai Loris last Friday, but before thehonr fixed for trial, all differences were settled by the attorneys. No trial was had. A negro minstrel troupe showed in Conway last Thursday and Friday nights. It is the same show which was nearly burned out at one of the towns in this State some weeks ago, accounts of which appeared in the county papors at the time. J M McKeithan, beginning: to-day will run the Steamer "Carolina' from Conway to Georgetown and r^Turn each day. He will carry nothing but passengers. He has secured the services of Capt R G. Dusenbury, and he has severed his connection with another Company and is now in town. The peop'e served by the post offices at Haskell, Dongola and Wol*if? are injured verv much in their mail facilities by the change recently made in the route leading from Conway to those points. The Herald does not reach them until Saturday, while the people living in Britton's Neck, in Marion countv, get the paper a diy or two sooner. A petition will be gotten up and presented to th* department asking the gov ernment to replace the services they formerly had. The Herald hopes the people will get the relief they need in this matter. DIED. Sidney A. Timiall was born No vember 28th, 1849, and died at his home in Bucks township A^ril 23rd, 1911, after having lived a long and useful life in and near the place of his birth. The funeral services were conducted by his pastor, Rev R O. Hendricks, at the State cemetery near the Tindal home. Mr Tindall was married twice during his span of life, First to Miss Lizz'e Williams to which union ten children were born, throe of which have preceded mm to the better world. His second marriage was to Miss Adell Jordan to whom one child was born. The cUldreu are all married but two who reside with the bereaved widow at the old home, The home has lost a worthy and kind husband and a good father, the community an ideal neip-'bor and Greenwood Baptist ch h a worthy and valuable memb v, having served as deacon for several years. We sorely regret our loses but rejoice with Christian hope of his eternal gain. His Daughter, Pearly. Farmers. Last cargo Nitrate Soda to arrive about May 20th Book your orde. s at onoe. T. B. Smith, Manufacturers' Agent. I Ten Pages. | No 4 "T Sales Last Monday Q lite a number of legal 9 lies were made in front of the court bouse last Monday by the Sheriff of County, and the Ciei'K of tbo Court, Some of the laud sold brought good pricer while others did not bring more than nominal sums. Most 01 the sales were made under foreclosure of mortgages, and in foreclosure cases. There are hardly t ver many bidders against the mortgagees. Thirty acres claimed by Albert Rodgors in Fioyds township, were sold for the sum of $10 00, There were two other claimants to this land who appeared at the sale and made objection thereto. Ten acres of laud in b'loyds town ship were sold as the pr perty of L. C. and W P Causee, and was purchased by W W Riberts for $25 00. Twenty two and one half acres in Little River township the Arthur Alford place, went to the mortgagees, Messrs Burroughs & Collins Company, for the sum of twenty live and no I 100 (25.00) Dollars All of the light wood and dead long leaf pine timber on 100 000 acres of land, was purchased by r? 1 0- /-i ..ii: i..... ? .. X>uri"UUgns OO V^U.U1IJ2> uuai jjau _y, t?3 tLie result of foreclosure proceedings against Standard Turpentine Co., the b.d being $500,00. This Compmy some years at'o was located VVi laung ton and Kayo tie vide, Is. C. md other points in North Carolina, and was extensively engaged in he manufacture of products from light-wood. It seems that they did not find that hand ling of light wood in Horry County very satisfactoiy, no doubt due to the distance from t heir factories. A tract of two hundred acres of laud couve.yed by John N. Lee to his grand children, the children of John B. Lee, was sold for partition and went to D. A. Spivey for the si.in of $1025,00, Blanche Items. . i ? ir 1.1. in ?it.. r.unor nuruiu; rifu,^ iinuw mu space in your valuable paper for a few more words from Blanche. Health of the community is genet ally good at tiiis writing Farmers are about through planting their crops. Jasper Cunuon and Misses Lottie and Sadie Graham, of Willow, visited friends and lelatives here recently E, N Johnson, Bill Ray and Sam T. Johnson, made a flying trip to rubor last Saturday afternoon, P. M Doyle.aud family were called to the bed side of Mr Doyle's mother, Mrs Henry D jyle, of Jordan villa, last week. We all sincere ly hope for her a speedy recovery. In reply to the Twins, can say in return, you are just as interested in Mr Dooly as he is in you. You would be just as crazy about Mr Dooly's horse and buggy as you are about Mr Strickland's if he would notice you and let vou ride in it, but I am happy to tell you that you ne3d not be interested in Mr Dooly it would all be in vain. Am still awaiting an invitation to one of your chicken stews or potato peelings. I am quite sure I'll attend as usual and know I cau report a good time afterward. I am ignorant like you. I don't know much about our governor, Mr Biease, but they tell me ho is a friend to the poor people, and if he is you need his assistance as well as myself. Come again Mamma's Beautiful Twins and give us more history of Mr Strickland's hor&o and genteel boy driver, we like to read about them. VV. P Gasque and Tomie Rabin, two lisheruaeu of the Cool Spring section, went down to Hughes' Lauding on a fishing trip recently and were attacked by a man who i.imnA^u/1 T f\ Itn I'M'/ir WHS tUV> J O M J/ pV/OVV? VV/ W Vft MM J I ^ WW well armed with a pistol and briteh loading gun After having caught and cooked fish for their supper, he stepped up and began to talk. They asked him where he was from and he said he was from Darlington and then named several other places which he claim jd to be from. He took the li b which they had caught and cooked and ate them himself and then comma ?ded the fishermen to get some splinters to prepare a light logo giggi ig in shallow water. They were oil and instead of getting the splinters hooked up their mule and drove very rapidly to Jordauville where they camped out for the night. Our sympathy is with the fishermon who had to give up their fish after catohi ig and cooking them for iheir own pu pose. I will ring otf my barking, g' ye the Twins room to howl. No weddings to report, Mr Dooly. Conway Methodist Church. Services for M iy 7to: Sunday school at 9.$5 a m. Preaching at 11 a. m. Subject: "What wo 13 jlievo." The sacraments of Biptism and the Lord's Supper will be administered, and several members received in o the membership of the Church. Epworth League ai 3:H0 p. m. Preaching at 8 p. m. Subject: "Preventive Religion." Preaching at H;mewood Sunday af| ternoou.