Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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& ; !^jf FIVE IN JAIL * - ? V-A > >* .*-' ? * . >V. / . / '." Aa Aikea Ceaaly Tnicdy Ceases Great ' Eiriteatal Nor Setae.' M - , AN BRUTALLY BEATEN JLody Dies From Shock Caused by Beating of Husband and Nephew by Parties Seeking to Prevent Marriage of Young Man and the I>augliter of One of tlib Prisoners. i Five white men were lodged in the Aiken county jail Friday night, charged with implication in a most horrible affair Thursday night at Mo JP" netta, in that county. The men are: Dock Cockman, A. L. Holstein, R. H. Holstein, Sidney Holstein, and J. C. Holstein all of whom are prominently connected. As a result of the visit of a party " of men to the home of the Spradleys, near Monetta, Thursday night, Mrs. i Nettie Spradley lies a corpse in her home and her husbapd is in a critical condition, with their nephew, Cof lumbus Spradley, disappeared. His whereabouts are not known. f He has not been seen or heard of since the difficulty Thursday night. Whether he was murdered and now lies hidden in the woods or whether i he was freightened and left the * neighborhood remains only a matter of conjecture. No eye-witnesses are knowr? ?o this awful tragedy other than the parties involved, and the elder Spradley, not having regained consciousness, the story has not been told and may never be unless Columbus Spradley is located alive, as the physicians do not entertain hopes of the elder Spradley's recovery. The story as told is that Columbus Spradley was to be married to j Julia May Holstein. The implicated men under arrest are the father, uncle and cousins of the girl. 'More arrests are expected to follow the coroner's inquisition. It is said that Thursday night a party of white men "visited the home of the Spradley's, the elder Spradley was thrashed into /insensibility, sustaining serious injuries, from which he Is not expecty od to recover. iMrs Spradley, who was in the] house was freightened to death. She ; fainted and never regained consciousness. Columbhus Spradley, about whom the entire affair occurred, can not be found. His friends believe that he is dead or seriously wounded. Mrs. Spradley gave birth to a j^buby five weeks ago and the baby survives her. The affair is one of the most horrible the county officials have ever known and particulars are eagerly sought after, but are hard to get on acount of the distance from Aiken and the remoteness in which the tragedy is shadowed The coroner's inquest is likely to veveal a liorriA)e state of affairs. Both families are fairly well to do and are prominent in the section of the country in which the flogging occurred. When the parents of the young lady found that they could not break up the love match, members of the Holstein family went to the Spradley home Wednesday night and v-jp;illing Columbus Spradley from the house took him to a nearby field and ! began flogging him in a merciless manner, telling him meanwhile that he would have to leave the community. Ben Spradley followed the Hol% steins and Cockrell to the field, and when he attempted to interfere was treated similarly, being so severely flogged about the stomach that he is still in an unconscious condition and t ..ii.iolnloria onv Vin Vina Uttlo pVinnpn nf UUJ 11V ?1M>U At V V* W VMM4.VV/ X,. recovery. Columbus (Spradley has not been seen since he was beaten. The affair caused igreat excitement in the community where it happened. Mrs. Spradley, formerly Miss Ettie Sawyer of Aiken county,, was the rjtoother of a five weeks old baby, and in her weakened condition, hearing the screams of the flogged men and probably seeing the flogging going on, succumbed to nervous fright. She was found dead the following mornAuil in the Spradley home. The report that Mrs. Spradley had been roughly handled by the mob, is de nied and the statement Is made that she died of fright after seeing her nephew flogged. Close Investigation in Augusta does not bring Columbus Spradley, nephew of Mrs. Spradley, to light in that city. Spradley, who is a young man, about 28 years old, appears to be very well known throughout that r> section Reports received from Mon' netta were to the effect that he had left that community for Augusta, af! ter being flogged by the mob. FrI day night the information was to the effect that it is not known whether he. left for Augusta or whether he v was so seriously whipped that he had ^vwandered off in the swamps some, ..Hrhere, and is either in a eemi-con/ ecious condition or is dead. * ? ? + Five Persons Drown. 'At Crystal Falls, 111., a launch carrying a party of seyen herry pickers capsized near the mouth of the Fence river and five of the occupants drowned. John Holmes, owner of the launch, and one woman managed to reach the shore, ' . ' ' : ^ " ' THIRTEEN SHOCKED BY A STROKE OF LIGHTNING AT COLUMBIA FRIDAY. Electric Ball Plays Pranks About Three Houses.?Several Stunned and Burned?All Resting Well. The Columbia State says thirteen persona were stunned on Friday when a bolt of lightning played pranks about three houses at "State Park," the site that has been acquired for the new State Hospital for the Insane. Several were knocked down by the force of the bolt. A white man standing 111 the door ci one of the houses was th)own Severn feet into the yard. Seveinl of those stunned described the bolt as a shot from a cannon oh a dynamite bomb. The bolt struck the first house on the corner, knocking off eome shingles. The lightning then leaped to the next house, and taking a clothes wire was conveyed to the third house. Silas i^ee was situck anu seriouaiy injured as he walked in the yard. J. W. Bunch, the treasurer of the State Hospital for the Insane, was the first to iglve aid to the injured. Dr. J. W. Bab cock was called and gave all assistance possible. "It seems almost incredible that there should have been no fatalities," said Dr. Babcock in talking of the accident James Iloopnaugh, white, was the most severely injured, being knocked unconscious Dr. Babcock said Friday night that Hoopnaugh was resting well L. D. LMedlin, a white foreman, was slightly burned. Joe Barer, a negro, sugered a burn on the shoulder, Huber Cannon was severely shocked over his body and was unconscious for one hour. Turner and Emily Bobley were bturned. Those injured were employed at "State Bark" and had gone to the home when the rain commenced to fall. * PLEAD HIS OWN CAUSE. ? Alleged Safe Robber Tried at Spartanburg on Friday. William Howard, alias Portland Ned, was tried at Spartanburg Friday for .breaking into the Enoree Manufacturing Company's safe 011 November 12, 1D02, and, together with partners, taking over $8,000. He plead guilty in Federal Court in Charleston to robbing the postoffice which was situated in the same building. He was. sentenced to serve eight years in the Federal prison, in Atlanta. This was completed on July 4. and he was then brought to tpial at Spartanburg. (Howard acted as his own attorney and questioned each of the 22 witnesses with (great skill. Ho was well versed in the law of evidence and raised a number of objections which were sustained by Judge Watts. He cross-examined Detective Gregory with great care and his case was conducted with much ability. The defendant then made a plea in his own behalf before the jury, which was very touching. He reviewed the evidence, pointed out the weak parts and asked for mercy. In part, he said: "The biggest mistake I ever made in my life was the signing of the plea of guilty before Judge Brawley, in the Charleston Court. I re gret that more than anything else, and the poor advice of my attorney is what induced me to do so. "I meet you as man to man and ask that you turn me free. I have served seven years in jail. Give me a chance, men, and for the sake of my God do not send me back to another living hell like the Atlanta prison." ? ? DEPENDS HIS PARDONS. Blease Advises Farmers Union to Get Into South Carolina Politics. A special dispatch to the State from Lancaster says it is estimated that fully 5,000 people attended the annual reunion of the Confederate veterans and the Farmers' Union rally picnic at Heath Springs Thursday, nothing occurring to mar the pleasure of the two events. Prominent veterans spoke and Gov. Blease made an address. There was nothing unusual or sensational about the Governor's remarks He eulogized the veterans, advised the Farmers' Union to go into politics, defended his exercise of the pardoning power and reiterated his wellknown views as to the negro rapist. The governor was well received and liberally cheered. Somebody in the audience cried, however, "Hurrah for Featherstone." * * Family Seems Fated. Third of a family of children to m6et a violent death, Robert Carter, eon of a farmer in Valdasto County, Ga, died Friday as the result of being bitten by a big rattlesnake in a corn field. A stort time ago the lad's little sister was bitten by a cat and quickly died, and a few years ago a .brother was choked to death while at play. Kills Baseball Player. Failure to dodge an hishoot caused the death of Fred White in Leroy, O., last. week. He was struck on the head and died within a few hours. i - ' r,.'; " ? i WILL FIGHT IT OUT SIMON FLEES FROM HATI TO ESCAPE HIS ENEMIES. / While Two Negro Generals Are Apt to Fight for the Presidency of the Little Republic. A dispatch from Port^au-Pdince says Antoine Simon, the fleeing President of Haiti, sailed Friday night for Kingston, Jamaica, the refugee of H^yti's fallen heroes as the warship "17 Decembre," which took its name from the day he was unanimously elected president of the black republic, .boomed a doleful farewell. He follows in the wake of Nord Alexis, whom he overthrew in 1908, and he leaves the capital in the pos session of Cincinnatus LeCorite, whom he had driven into exile with his deposed chief, and Antenor Firmin, a rival for the presidency whom he placated by sending as minister to Cuba. Nord Alexis ruled for six years. On December 31, 1908, Simon, then at the height of his popularity, led an overwhelming revolutionary army into Port-au-Prince and was everywhere proclaimed as a savior of the country from tyranny. He appeared to have the country united behind him. Nord Alexis, who had found safety on the French cruiser Duguay Trouin, jater boarded the German steamer Sarnia and proceeded to Kingston, where, embittered against his county men, he died in the spring of 191.0 To the last he refused to admit that he could understand the hostility of the people. With Simon disposed of, attention has turned to to his successor, and there is much uneasiness regarding the future. Da Con to and Firm in both are avowed candidates for the presidency. They head rival revolutionary armies. Neither leader has arrived at the capital, but their followers are in posession of the city and the feeling between the two parties is far from friendly. The danger now is t.liat neither i.ogro will be disposed to retire in favor of the other and that the issue must be laterally fought out. The diplomatic corps is doing everything possible to avoid a conflict. But as nothing seems to please the negroes of the Haitian Republic better than revolution, it is doubtful if they succeed. Early Thursday evening Simon and a handful of followers with their baggage were transferred from the Auiorican schooner Bradford C. French to the Dutch steamer Prinz yerderlanc'tir. and an hour later* the vessel sAi'rd for Kingston As the vessel passed out of the harbor and Simon had whot may prove his last view of the capital, the three Haytien warships gave h'.ru a parting salute. ? ? WHITE MAN SHOT BY NEGRO. From Ambush While Riding Along Country Road. -The News and Courier says while riding on horseback Friday afternoon on the public road near Mc Clellanville, not far from the Awendaw bridge, where he was superintending some roads work in his capacity as township commissioner, Horace W. Leland, son of A. W Iceland, a member of the Satte House of Representatives and a well konwn planter, was shot from ambush and his horse wounded by lsaih Brown colored. /Immediately after the shooting a posse was organized and the negro captured and taken before Magistrate Beck man, by whom he was dispatched to the Charleston County Jail. It is said that there was some talk of doing the negro bodily harm and haste was made to get him to Charleston. iThe only cause which could be assigned for the shooting was that the negro and Mr Leland had been seen in a dispute on tne Fourth of July. Mr. Iceland's wounds, which are in his left thigh and wrist, are said to be serious, but the physicians believe he will recover. ? ? DEVIL IS A JOKER. ' Preacher Declares Satan Is as Wiley j as a Politician. "The devil lis a reality He may be a joker but .he is no joke. He * is as subtle as a Twentieth century 1 politician and the .biggest liar the ages have produced ." This statement was made by the Rev. C. D. Kin,?, pastor of the Norwood Park Methodist Episcopal church, at the closing session or tne riny-secona annual Desplaines cainpmeeting in Chicago, 111. "Man has not changed ! in the essentials of his character since the days of Adam and Eve," < continued Dr. King. "The bold out- 1 lines are the same. Adams program l of innocence, sin, guilrt, sofTrow, < struggle and salvation still is our program." Says They're Dying Out. Dr Ernest C. Levy, chief health officer of the Richmond health department has come to the conclusion af- < ter close comparative study of the mortality statistics o fthat and other cities that the American negro is < slowly and steadily dying and will be /Ylrually extinct in the 21st century. -? 4 - . ' f , DEATH ON THE RAIL ONE MAtf KILLED AND ANOTHER SERIOUSLY HURT. ? Mrs. Arthur Jeter of Santuc Section Meets Sudden Death With her Chlldrcn, One of Them an Infant. Friday about two o'clock, Mrs. Arthur Jeter and two small children were killed about one mile north of Santuc, In Union county, by an engine on the Southern railway. Mrs. Jeter and her four children had been to Santuc to attend a religious meeting and all five were in a buggy returning to their home The road approached the railroad at an angle, and when the vehicle reached the track 1 twas struck by the engine going in the opposite direction. It is said that the engineer was endeavoring to reach the siding at 'Santuc before meeting the "Carolina Special" from Columbia. Mrs. Jeter and two children, one a baby only a few months old, wers ir.stantl killed, while the other two children were thrown from the track without any serious injuries Mrs. ?'oo th/i wlfn r\f Arthur Tptor I J Utv, 1 n?0 l. IIV TT A \y A. A.A.A VA? V* A V Wv. y a substantial farmer, and citizen of the Santuc section of Union county. Friday afternoon about 5 o'clock, the second fatal railway accident of the day for Union county occurred. The Union and Glenn Springs train, while en route to Buffalo and about a quarter of a mile from the depot, ran over and killed Bud Lipsey, a white man. It is said that Lipsey was rather deaf. It is also understood that he is a married man about thirty years of age. H. It Whitmffn agent for the Seaboard and Bennettsv ille and Che; aw roads at Kollock across the river from Cheraw was injured probably fatally, Thursday night in some unknown manner. It is thought tha? he was struck by a northbound SeaIboard train about midnight. His skull was fractured and thigh broken and he has bad cuts on his back and ribs. * FREAKS OF LIGHTNING. Holt Singes Locks Off Twenty Heads in New York House. Twenty men and women had their hair singed when lightning struck a hoarding house in Monticello, N. Y. Not one of the persons in the house who numbered 60, was injured seriously by the .bolt and the house was not damaged to any extent. A bolt set off a charge of dynamite in a mine at Pottsville, Pa., last week, causing tho death of Philip Ellinger and George Gollestene, expert tunne} drivers.. The bolt went underground on a telephone wire. Robert Collins, of Bridgeport, Conn., was hurled from his automobile while driving at the rate of thirtyfive miles an hour and wasn't even scarred. He landed on his feet. In a recent storm <M.rs. Henrietta Williams of Grover, Cal., was struck while eating soup. Her spoon was melted in her hand and the clothing torn from her body, .but she was not injured. David Emory and Thomas Brown were shocked while working 2,533 feet under ground in the tunnel of the Catskill Aqueduct at Cornwall-On-the-Hudson, N. Y. George P. Fletcher, a farmer liv'*> ?>nn > oaa u/n?j ntrnpk it? ft uuai i aiiiitv/ii, AVi.Muu.| i? w? %??? while embracing his wife and killed. Carrying a baby in her arms and leading a son by his hand, Mrs. Chas. Steele, of Indianapolis, Ind., was instantly killed. The children were not injured. COTTON IN BAD SHAPE. Menaced by Caterpillars and Boll Weevils in Many Places. A dispatch from Grand Cane, La., says reports of the ravages of the cotton caterpillar in that section continue to come in, farmers resorting to the use of Paris green for relief. Planters say that continued rains are also making the boll weevil worse. Also the caterpillar has already made its appearance in the Plancherville section and fear is entertained for the safety of the crop. Rains and the boll weevil are also tending to shorten the harvest. The cotton caterpillar and the boll weevil are playing havoc with the cotton in the Mansfield section, accordjng to report brought here by planters. A shortage of paris green is causing much uneasiness Admiral Togo Arrives. Admiral Count Toga, sea fighter and conquerer of the Russian fleet In the Russo-Japanese war, arrived at ^ew York Thursday night from Eng land on the Lusltania and was welcomed down tho bay ,by representatives of the government at Washington and the Japanese government and carried to Washington on the derelict destroyer Seneca. ' All Records Are Broken. The 115th company of coast artillery at 10-inch gun practice at San Diego, Cal., Friday blew its target out of the water at 8,500 yards with the fifth shot and had to stop. Col. Fred K. Marsh of the department of coast defense expressed belief that all practice records for 10-tnch guns at that range had been broken. ! FOUND IN AUGUSTA SPRADLEY TKIAS THE STORY OF HIS WHIPPING. Did Not Know of His Aunt's Death Until Told.?Wedding Had Been Arranged ??Will Go Back. A special dispatch from Augusta to The State says Columbus Spradley, the younger of the two men outraged by the Holstein crowd in Ward's township, Aiken county, on Thursday night, was located there Saturday afternoon. He freely told the story of the entire affair, so far as it related to himself, but knew nothing of the nttnr>lr niirin (TiIr unolo SJnrnrllov MVVMV.. V. ^ f and did not now until he was informed of the death of Mrs. Ben Sijradley, as all of this occurred after the crowd had left him at the lonely spot on the roadside, from which he made his way to Johnston by walking the 15 miles distance during1 the night, arriving there in time to catch the Southern railway train to Augusta and reaching that city at 11:16 o'clock. Back of the whole story is a romantic Jove affair .between young Spradley and Miss Gussie Mae Holstein, the daughter of Augustus L. Holsteln, said to be the leader of tlie attacking party, and it seems that the Holsteins took this means to intimidate Spradley and break the *match by driving him forever out of the community. But their efforts will probably fail, as the young man fully* expects to return to Monetta and claim the girl to whom he is engaged soon. The young couple had planned to meet at 9: HO o'clock. A horse and buggy would be waiting and they were to drive to Saluda, where she would sign the certificate and the ceremony would be performed. The , girl had concealed her hand baggage in a vacant house, known as the old John Grice house. Ben Spradley and his wife knew nothing of the engagement and knew nothing of the planned elopement and were innocent vistims. Young Spradley went to Monetta Thursday prepared to carry out plans for the elopment and marriage at 9:30 o'clock that night. While he was sitting on the front piazza of the house of his undle, Ben Spradley, between eight and eight-thirty o'clock, he says, two men appeared at th front gate and halloed. Co lurabus answered them and in reply to their question told them his name. They called him to the gate and as he approached he declares he recognized the two as Richard Holstein and Grover Holstein, nephews of bis sweetheart's father. Spradley had stepped up to them, he says, when Richard Holstein leveld a double barreled shotgun at him and Grover Holstein covered him with a magazine pistol, and both ordered "hands up!" He obeyed this command, and one of the Ilolsteins searched but finding no pistol or other weapons they informed the young man that they wanted him and he was marched down the road to a buggy about 100 yards from the house, into which he was placed and driven some distance, perhaps a quarter of a mile, to the old John Grice house, whre the other members of the party were awaiting them on the roadside, in the semi-darkness. Tn this group were six men, of whom Spradley says be recognized Gus Holstein, the father of the Miss Gussie May Holstein; his son, Albert Holstein; Sidney Holstein, another nephew, and Doc Cockrell, who, he says, is not related to the Ilolsteins. The two other men he could not recognize They were all armed with guns or pistols and were careful that their prisoner should see them. When the buggy had been stopped the men backed off a short distance and held a conference as to what to do with their helpless victim, now that ho was at their mercy, but watching him sharply against his escape . Spradley says he could hear all that was said and it almost made his hair rise on his head when Gus Holstoin insisted that they hang him !o a large tree nearby and shoot his brains out, but this was objected to by the others, who said that they did not want to kill him iThe young man cut their argument short by telling them he would leave the country if that was what they wanted. He says he was pulled from th buggy and dragged to the roadside where every member of the party, displaying their weapons, -prodded him with them ITe declares he was stripped to the skin, thrown face downward to the ground and held, while A. L. Holstein plied his hack with a buggy trace until he was all but insensible, and telling him to leave the community and never return. Spradley was left lying on the ground in an almost nude state, while the mob drove away. He walked from there to Johnston and came to Augusta. He knew nothing of the flogging of Ilten Spradley or the death of Mrs. Spradley, not having igone back to the house nor having! he(ard anything from there since he was flogged. Pass it Over Veto. /Democratic leaders In the House believe they have enough votes to pass the wool tariff revisions over President Taft's veto. If necessary. I ' " ''% ? > --'.rj t + ROBBED LADIES A Federal Nave) Oficcr Wka Ofcjedc 4 I* Nwtkcra IclMs ( CONDUCTING WARFARE <* Received a Most Sarcastic Reply From his Superior Officer, Geo. lleast Butler, Who Was One of the Most Brutal and Rascally Officers in the Northern Army. The State says Capt. Perry M. DeLeon, who is visiting in this State, was a visitor to Columbia Friday, en route from Sumter to Camden Capt. Del^eon is well posted on the events of the War between the Sections and talks interestingly about them. He told of the experience of a lieutenant, F. A. Roe, a gallant officer of the United States Navy, who objected to robbing women and children, with Major General I3enj. F Butler, better nown as "The i>?iisi. i ne loiiowmg letter from Lieutenent Iloe, to Gen Butler moor fully explains the incident: U. S. Gunboat Katahdin. Mississippi River, Sept. 11, 1SG2. 'Sir: I was overhauled yesterday by Lieut. Canimonding Lowrey, of the Scotia, while at Bonnet Carro Point, and directed him to follow on as convoy of three transports of the United States army. Upon arrival at Donaldsville this ,ady the transports landed at the upper part of the town, landed a party of troops and commenced receiving 011 board sugar and other merchandise. A few hours after 1 received positive information that a company of these troop? had entered a large mansion, situated near to the landing of the steamer St. Maurice, had pillaged it in a brutal manner and carried off wines, liquors, silver plate and clothing belonging to ladies. I am informed that several of the soldiers were intoxicated from the use of wines and liquors thus appropriated. Tho house was inhabited in the morning. During this time tho Katahdin was at ancor with her guns trainupon shore over St. 'Maurice for her her nrotection. 'I respectfully request Instructions if the guns of the Katahdin are to be used for the protection of soldiers upon a marauding expedition and if I am to use them to protect drunken, undisciplined soldiers in the wanton pillage of a private mansion of wine, plate, silk dreses, chemises and female apparel, to say nothing of the confiscation of sugar, which I believe to be without proper and lawful reasons therefor. I confess, sir, that I blush to report that while the troops of the St. Maurice were thus engaged in this unsoldierly and ungallant, not to say disgraceful, operation I opened my fire upon guerillas hovering in the rear, apparently occupied in preventing such acts of the United States troops. I feel quite ready to place the Katahdin and her guns under the fire of an enemy; I am desirious of encountering enemies, and of injuring them in ever manly manner; but I can not further prostitute the dignity of my prefession, as I conceive I have done today, without an earnest tnnd respectful appeal to your authority. It is disgraceful and humiliating to me to be ordered on guard duty of soldiers employed in the pillagingof ladies dresses and petticoats and respectful appeal to your aube relieved from such service. very respeciiuuy, Your o.bedient servant, F. A. Roe, Lieutenent Commanding. Commodore Henry \V. Morris, Commanding Naval Forces, New Orleans, La. Commodore IMorris forwarded the protest to Butler, who replied toit with characteristic brutality, questioning the truth of Lieutenant Roe's statement and speaking of him in contemptious terms, to his own disgrace. Here is what Butler said: "The acts of the troops in pillaging (if true) are without palliation or excuse. Certainly no more to bo justified than this is improper, bombastic and ridiculous rhodomontade of a sub-lieutenant ?f the navy. .Benj, F Butler, Major-General Commanding. But what could one expect? Roe, a brave sailor, a gentleman of loftty ideas, and a chivalric foe; Butler a political igeneral of no military capactiy and brutal and vindictive. Time brought Its revenge. Roe became an admiral honored by all men, ?LM- 1/nnwn Q f 101* W n 1 le nuuci uvv. tmiv; nuvnu, his Petersburg fiasco, thanks to Gen. Grant's report, as the "bottle Imp," and his name associated with spoons and other spoils. Predicts Karly Frost. The rasping notes of the katydid throughout the middle west is taken to mean an early frost, as those who believe in the insect say frost follows six weeks after the appearance of the katydid. Walks Off Boat. Alex Tike, of Uniontown, Ky.# woke suddenly while sleeping on a boat near (MOrganfieM end walked off the boat and into the river where I he was drowned.