The Horry herald. (Conway, S.C.) 1886-1923, September 21, 1911, Image 5

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ft/"* r4" . HANGED THEM ' ? j liciiNl Juries Hsrc As Habit sf Dt^ ill Up Mm Wbs Kill lifts. TWO YtRY NOTED CASES , Famoufi Cases in Richmond, Where, / on Purely Circumstantial Wviclence ^ Men Were Hanged, Having filled One His Wife and the Other His Intended Wife. The suburbs of Richmond, so lately the scene of the sensational Beattie tragedy, has furnished the setting ^ for two other murders that lor melodramic mystery equalled the now famous Beattie ease. They were known respectively as the Jeter Phil! lips and the Cluverius cases, after the men who paid the penalty for the deeds, the law fastened upon them. Like the Beattie case, a woman in ' most intimate relation to the accused was the victim and in further t analogy the evidence in both cases was wholly; circumstantial. Here are the brief facts: The Phillips Case. Early in February, 18G7, a farmer named Drinkard discovered hidden under a brush pile on his plantation, ~ about five miles from Richmond, the ' body of a woman, who evidently had been dead some weelfc3. There were marks of violence on her, notably a bullet wound in her head. For some months the detectives failed to idena I \ I my nur. i On the adjoining farm was young overseer named Jeter Phillips. No one knew from whence he had come when he obtained his position the previous year. At the time of the <M?covery of the body lie was paying court to a young woman in tne neTgitborhood and rumor had it was engaged to marry her. in May, some months later a relative of this young woman picked up a letter, presumably dropped from Phillips' pocket while on a visit to his sweetheart, wherein the writer, t g a woman, addressed Phillips as her husband and stated that she was y gel ling tired of separation and would join him shortly. It wot dated in January and came from a small postoffle in a distant county. Inquiry then developed it that Phillips had, the previous year, married this woman, leaving her at hei home while he went in search of employment, and that she had left | there lute in Japuary to join him r.ear Richmond. Jn June, 18G7, more than four 1 months after the discovery of the ibooy, hPJllips was arresteu, irieu auu though the evidence was wholly circumstantial, lie was convicted and hanged at Richmond. Shortly before the execution he confessed to the murder, his motive being to make 0 way with his wife that he might n arry his later sweetheart. The Cluverius Case. The Cluverius case was one of the most melodramic murder cases in Virginia's criminal annals. About fche middle of February, 1885, some boys strolling iajong the embankment of an abandoned reservoir in ^ the outer suburbs of Richnond, saw what they thought was the dress of a woman, floating in the water. They reported it and the next day there was brought to light the body of a woman in an advanced stage of decomposition. The sudden serial sation died down after an exhaustive inquiry failed to disclose any woman missing either in Richmond or any other part of Virginia. About that time a couple of girls came up from Yorktown, about 4 0 miles distant. Having an hour to wait for their train, they strolled to the morgue to see the body of1 the unknown woman. The features were not recognizable, but the clothing was in a fair state of preservation. 4 % "That looks like a dress Lilian Madison used to wear," 'commented one." "Yes," replied the other, "but Lillian is over in Ilath county teaching."' However on their return to York-f town they casually mentioned ti to an aunt of Lillian Madison. The aunt assured them that Lillian was in Rath county, but, recalling that she had not heard from her for a couple of months, addressed a letter to her. It was returned with a note stating that she had left just I after Christmas. The aunt later positively identified the clothing as that of her niece. Around the old reservoir there ran a high picket fence, and about this, encircling the lake, there ran a graved walk. On the path at this point the detectives discerned evidences of a struggle, but all obliterated by the weather; but close examination disclosed a watch key. * There was nothing peculiarly dis* tlnctive about the key. But a shrewd detective observed that it had once undergone some slight repairing, and on this flimsy clue, without even remotely suspecting anyone, the ferrets took up the trail. They took this key to every Jeweller in Richmond, Petersburg, Norfolk, Lynchburg and Bristol, but not one could identify it. The spring had passed and the summer nearly orer when these tireless detectives, m * GIVES GOOD ADVICE SAYS THE COTTON FARMERS MUST STAND AS ONE. President Barrett, of the Farmers* Union Tells of a World Wide Hear Campaign. IPresident C. S. Barrett of the Farmers' Union in addressing the Southern Cotton Growers' conference at Montgomery, Ala., Wednesday declared that all reports of a bumper cotton crop are absolutely baseless. He liaewise denounced as false any statement to the effect that the Farmers' Union is a combine to hold up civilization, and before he concluded he charged the existence of a conspiracy to hammer down the price of cotton. After a few introductory remarks Mr. Barrett said in part: "I state unequivocally that reports government or otherwise, foreshadowing a large cotton crop this year, are absolutely unfounded in fact. I can speak with authority, ror uie machinery employed by the Farmers' nion has ascertained that cotton conditions in every state are different and the crop will not come up to expectations in volume. The man who is looking for a bumper yield is deceiving himself or has been deceived. "If I correctly interpret the purpose of this meeting it is to stand between the farmers of the Southern states and the loss of several million dollars through unwise marketing of cotton. The Farmers' union has just concluded its annual convention at Shawnee, Okla., and 1 am confident that there the representatives of more than two million farmers formed plans that will bring to naught any conspiracy that may exist to secure for less than its real worth the staple that is still the South's main dependence." lie invited the cooperation of every man in a movement to bring for cotton what it is worth. Mr. Barrett then entered into an explanation of the mission of the Farmers' Union. 11 Viat w o " w nen aiiyunc lcho .. are in a combine to hold up civilization," he declared, further along, "use my authority for announcing that person as either a wiflul liar or a man of absolute ignorance. I have been informed on excellent authority that there exists at present a conspiracy almost worldwide to 'bear* the price of the cotton crop. I am not afraid that such a plot will succeed, but if it should, the Southern farmer, and of course the Southern buslnes man, would be poorer by many millions of dollars. "Cooperation, rigid, faithful, unswerving cooperation, will banish the last chance of that posibility. The Southern farmer has his fate in his own hands. He can get exactly what his crop is worth. We should forever abandon the folly of disposing of our cotton in a one-sided deal?of letting the buyer name his price and tamely accepting it. We deserve nothing better of fate if we do not stand up for our rights, if we do not realize that the staple is worth a certain price to the world and that the world will pay that price if it sees we are determined to get it." ? ? m YOUNGEST GItANDMOTHEIt. * ?j11einimo Tim#- Distinction i ft Ullt'.l % 111v7 \ >I(??iiio ...... Over Atlanta. A dispatch from Jonesville, to The State says in The News and Courier there was an article of news from Atlanta, Ga., of Sepember 10, with the caption "A Grandmother At Thirty," a Mrs. E. W. Bender of that city, and claiming that she is the youngest grandmother on record. Jonesville can beat that record by two years. There was a woman, M's. Edith Fowler, who lived here in Jonesville, but died a few years ago, who became a mother at fourteen years of age. The child was a girl and grew at fourteen she became the mother to a girl child. So that Mrs. Fowler was a grandmother at 28 years of age. * having been into nearly every town and village In Virginia, at last found Yorktown, tho home of the murdered woman. They entered the oflice of Cluverius, ti rising young lawyer, and arrested him. Among his papers thev found letters from Lillian Mad ison, which told a pitiful tale of how ho had won her affection and then betrayed her. From the purport of the letters he had agreed to marry her and had written her about Christmas to meet him secretly in Richmond. Cluverlus admitted all the letters implied, but denied responsibility for the death of the young woman. He was tried for murder, and the Jury after two hours' deliberation found him cuilty and ho was hanged, protesting his innocence on the gallows. Phillips confessed, Cluverius did not, what will Beattie do? themselves in a small cubby-hole of a watch-repairer's shop on a side street of Alexandria. The white-haired old Jeweller in that little shop looked at the key through his glass, then he dug up a memorandum book, and for some minutes pored over it. At length he spoke: "I mended that key just three years ago for a man who gave his name as Thomas J. Cluverius, of Yorktown!" The detectives swiftly repaired to VERY SAD CASE Mystery Sarrtudlvg the Death et a Girl Seta ta Be Cleared Dp. CREATED A SENSATION Two Men, One a Merchant and the Other a Physician, Said to be Implicated in the Gruesome and Horrible Death of a Young Lady at Henderson ville. Hendersonville, the celebrated North Carolina summer resort town, has a first class sensation on hand. All was excitement Sunday when it became known that the dead body of Miss Myrtle Hawkins, the 17-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. II. Hawkins, had been found floating in Lake Osceola, about three miles from Hendersonville, on the road to Kanuga. - -1-1 I. .. <1 . nnll (lhu/ltlf frO Til 1 uu g in uau l/*-uh uuuvk ? ? _ ? her home since Thursday morning, week ago and a quiet, though determined search had failed to locate her or gain even the slightest clue. Her mysterious disappearance had not become generally known however, and when word reached town that her dead body had been found a load rusu was made for Lake Osceola. The scene at the lake was one calculated to touch the hardest of hearts. Seven little boys throwing rocks in the water were greatly frcightened when a dark object was seen slowly rising to the surface and when one of their number summoned up courage enough to investigate, he shrank in astonishment that the object of his gaze was a human body and the face that he peered into was that of Myrtle Hawkins, one of the best known and most popular girls of the younger set in Hendersonville. The knowledge of his gruesome find was imparted to hid comrades and they beat a hasty retreat to the nearest house to give the alarm. A telephone message to town informed the parents of the dead igirl and the coroner, and in a short while the excited people were swarming at Lake Osceola. All was silent as the body was pulled into the bank and many an eye was damp when the water-soaked clothing was recognized as the same dainty little dress that she had worn a number of times on the streets of the town, and which she wore when last seen at 11 o'clock Thursday morning. The stillnes was intensified as the beautiful head of hair, always dressed in the latest style, now hanging loose and tangled, came into sight, and only heavy breathing could be heard as the pretty face, no*v drawn and muscles tight, was turn towards the staring friends and her identity established beyond a doubt. The body was tenderly lifted from its watery grave and placed on the soft green turf to await the investigation of the coroner. The young girl was last seen alive Thursday morning, September 7, and Snnrtnv mornimr following, her body, badly decomposed, almost beyond recognition, was found in Osceola lake, two miles from town. The body was identified Sunday afternoon by a brother of the dead girl, and the only means of identification were several gold pins and the clothing. The coroner's jury in bringing in a verdict decided that the cau.^e of her death was "unknown." It now appears that the death of the young girl was the result of criminal malpractice and the body must have been concealed in the woods near the lake until Sunday morning where it was taken by some unknown parties. Last Thursday week Miss Hawkins was seen by several parties in the company of a young man whose name is withheld. The unfortunate girl left home Thursday carrying with her a long cloak. When the body was found, badly decomposed, it was wrapped in this long coat. i no posi-iuuru-in c-.\amination developed the evidences of a criminal operation but no other marks were found on the body. Death may have resulted from the shock, or from the anasthetic. The perpetrators possibly did not intend murder, but when the worst happened they hid the body of the poor girl until a more convenient time when it was placed n the lake in the hope that the community 11 * i J- t a :^ would call 11 HllK'Kie. 11 IS an uwmi double crime and the people of the county are determined to find the man or men who are responsible. It Is now firmly established that Miss Myrtle Hawkins was murdered and in all probability more than one person had something: to do with the crime. It is laid at the door of a young merchant of Hendersonville and a prominent physician of the same place, and their arrest is only a matter of time. It Is strange story and from all appearances shockingly sad and peculiarly atrocious. The real story however is one of peculiar grief. The girl died as the result of a criminal operation and the body was hidden away for three days and then carried to the lake and placed in the position in which it was found. Her little pocket book clock was found right at the edge of the water and it was stopped at 9:30. This is an incident going to show that the body was taken to the lake VERY STRANGE CASK. Says He is the Victim of Some Force He Can Not Ilesist. "I am a disgrace to myself, to my country and my friends," said William B, Ford when arraigned before a magistrate for sentence on his plea of guilty of stealing two 5-cent subway tickets in New York. "Hut I am not responsible. I am the victim of some force 1 can not resist, I used to be a decent man." Ford graduated from the University of Tennessee and was counsel for the Fort Worth and Denver railroad for 12 years. He served as a lieutenant in the Spanish-American war, was wounded in each of three engagements in the Phillipines, and following a sunstroke was honorably discharged. His descent dated from this time. On returning to America * t t C?.. ? 17* M lie worKeti as a lauurer m ouw r??ncisco, then reenlisted under the name of Allen LeFort. He secured a commission as lieutenant and while stationed at Fort Schuyler stole $2,000. He was sentenced by courtmartial to five years in Leavenworth prison, but was declared insane and transferred to an asylum. A nephew then took him to Oklahoma, but he eluded his watchers and came to New York. Ford pleaded to be allowed to return to Tennessee, but to no avail. He was fined $500 and sentenced to one year in the penitentiary. WOMEX HOLDING OFFICE. ? All of Tliem Elected by Men Except the Woman Mayor. A political census of Kansas, just ... it'nmon ?i I'ft I'UIIIJIHJlfll, ?I UMt n ? UIMVI1 ?I V nu.M. ..c elective otlices in the State as follows: Forty-five County School Superintendents. Five County Clerks. Five County Treasurers. 'Six District Court Clerks. Ten Registers of Deeds. Two Probate Judges. One Mayor. Total, seventy-four. All of these women are holding office by virtue of the votes of men alone, except the one woman Mayor, who was elected by both men and women. More than 2,000 men are in the public service in Kansas, elective and otherwise. Women somewhere now hlod every county office in Kansas except Sheriff, Coroner, County Attorney and County Commissioner. They do not loaf around the corner drug store, they do not play cards during office hours, and they do not stand any nonsense from the men. HUNTING FOIt A FIEND. w Kidnapped and Held a Young Lady a Prisoner. A hunt for a fiend has bjen under way for the last forty-eight hours between Snow Flake, Manitobia, and the United States boundary following the kidnaping of a pretty young school teacher, Eleanor Gladys ltrice, by a man alleged to he Henry Bill Wilson, alias Bill Miner, of Hanna, North Dakota. All during Wednesday night a posse of It0 0 armed men pursued the fugitive through the bushes and many shots were exchanged when he was surrounded In dense woods. Bloodhounds picked up the trail five miles from the school house where the man captured the girl Monday afternoon and held her captive all night. She returned home in a dazed con dition Tuesday night. The population is in an infuriated state and the score of constables directing the pursuit, it is feared, will be unable to protect the man if bo is captured. CONDEMN HINI OKI) El EMS. ? Moving Picture Censors Vrge That They He Suppressed. The national board of censorship of moving pictures Tuesday notified the police of all the large cities of the country that they had condemned the films posed for by Keulah Kin lord, one or the ligures in nio isoaitie murder case at Chesterfield, Va., and requested the authorities to follow the example of New York and forbid their exhibition. In its report the board says regarding the pictures: "Their sole and only appeal is to morbid curiosity. They fail to teach any lesson except one of sentimental toleration for the girl who goes wrong." Maine Keeps Out Itoo/e, On the face of the returns from Monday's special election the question of the repeal of constitutional prohibition collected and complied by the Associated Press, Maine retains prohibition by 3 65 votes. The first returns received have been verified and revised in all but seven instances. Saturday night. The sad fate of this young girl ought to be a warning to all young women as well as young men, and it is to?be hoped that the parties who are responsible for her death will be caught and made to suffer for their dastardly crime. Miss Hawkins was the daughter of a well-to-do highly respected people, and her tragic end has caused great sorrow for tKOST. FARMERS MEET Cotloi Growers Heel to Refute tbe ies About Size if ibe Crip SMITH MAKES SPEECH -? At Gathering; in Interest of Better Prices for Cotton, ftoutli Carolinian lloumlly PenoutiecN Gamblers and Criticises Department for Inaccuracy of Cotton Iteports. One thousand men from every cotton growing State in Amercia met Tuesday in Montgomery and con fcrred to devise ways and means to rebut the figures of the Federal cotton report and to secure a better price for cotton. There were present Congressmen, United States Senators, the commissioners of agriculture or their representatives from every Southern State, together with hundreds of farmers, bankers, business and professional men whose homes are scattered throughout the South. While nothing further than organization was effected officially, Tuesday's meeting of the cotton growers proved their earnestness by the appointment of four committees to be known as the committee on resolutions, marketing and rinancing the cotton crop, national legislation and statistics, estimates and conditions of the cotton crop. These committees were appointed early in the day and made fo consist of the commissioners of agriculture of each state, three delegates from each State and President Garrett, of the Farmers' Educational and Co-operative Union. One of the principal speakers of the day was Senator E. I). Smith, of South Carolina, who in scathing terms denounced the so-called gamblers of Wall Street, Liverpool, New Orleans and foreign markets, and cried that the Southern farmer must declare his financial independence of these people. He said the farmers should demand a fair profit on his cotton and ventured the assertion that if the New England farmer had such a monopoly crop as the cotton crop he would demand and receive 30 cents a pound for it. Senator Smith also made an attack upon the accuracy of the Government cotton report; and said that the Southern farmer had lost enough money because of it to establish an insurance department; or to insure proper figures. He declared too, that Attorney General Wickersham wanted to break the so-called monopoly to boost the price of cotton but crushed no illegal combination to force prices down. When Congres meets again in December, Senator Smith said, he is goiiv<r hi i 11 fmdnr.n n bill to reouiro the Secretary of Agriculture to show in his monthly rotton census, not only the amount of cotton in the field, but the number of bales in warehouses and who owned these bales. Throughout his speech, Senator Smith was heartily cheered, and he spoke until faces in the auditorium could not be diestinguished. > The Convention was called togethj er at noon. Capt. Reuben F. Kolb, | commissioner of agriculture for Alaj sama, was made temporary chairman, lie presided until Comisioner of Ag| ricu 11ure 10. ,7. Watson, of South Carolina, was made permanent chairman. The Rev. C. A. Stakely opened the Convention with a prayer. Addresses of welcome were made by Capt. Kolb, Lieutenant Governor Zeed, Mr. R. B Evins, representing Governor O'Neal, President Gunter, of the city commission, and President Kolin of the 'Montgomery Commercial Club, in behalf of Alabama and the city of Montgomery. These addresses were responded to by State Senator I. A. Bush, of Georgia. The convention will bo brought to a close Wednesday night with a demons* ration in honor of the Hon. Oscar \Y. Underwood, loader of the National House of Representatives, who will reach tins city with a party of good roads advocates from RirniiiiRham. It is thouRht that Senator John Sharp Williams, of Mississippi will also be in the city by that time. Dual Tragedy Stirs Town. The Town of Many, La , Friday was the scene of a dual tragedy, when Mrs. Holly Turner, keeper of an eating house, was killed by her former himhimd Clarence Turner of Lessville in the presence of an oftlcer, who was attempting to avert the tragedy. Turner, after killing his wife, shot himself dead before tho oftlcer could reach him. The woman was fleeing down the street when killed. Stock Perishes in Five. Two horses and a cow perished in a tiro which destroyed the barn and stables of Emanuel Taylor, a prosperous farmer of tho Pond Pranch section of Lexington county Tuesday night. Two buggies, a wagon and harness, and a lot of feed, was also consumed. ? Gov. Please has not yet expressed himself on the candidacy of Chief Justice Jones for his job, but we feel sure it surprised him. :W fj] STARVING COLONISTS 1 I RESCUED BY STEAMER AND TAKEN TO NEW YORK. ?*? Tarty of Twenty-three Picked Up in Honduras After Un I. rgolinj; tircm Hardship. Two heads of families, four wemon and seventeen children, survivors of a party of twenty-eight which left Polk County, Fla., and south (leorgia, some time ago to try their fortunes near Ceiba, Honduras, were rescued from fever, pestilence and starvation and carried to New York by a United Fruit steamer. They were found penniless at Ceiba, where a small collection \yas taken up to feed the almost famished colonists. Five of their number had died of fever in Honduras. Those landed at New York wero Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Lee and five children, aged 2 to 17, one aged 15, ill with fever; 'Mrs. Matt Tucker and seven children, aged 2 months to 22 years, all of Tifton, Ga.; William R. Brown and five children, aged 2 to 9 years;; Mrs. Sophia Lindsey, aged 09, her daughter, Mrs. Alice Bailey, aged 31, and baby aged 2, from Florida. Mrs. Lindsey and Mrs. Bailey, both ill with fever, were sent to the hosLpital. Eighteen members of the colony were down with fever at ono time, said Brown, and they had practically nothing when the char.ee camo to get away. 'People ought to bo careful about going to a strango country. ? ? ? NEGRO KILLED AT NORWAY. Marion Evans Shoots Charley Millions After a Game. Word was brought to this eity yesterday of the killing of Charley Millions by Marion Evans, both negroes. The tragedy occurred near Norway. It seems that a crowd of negroes gambled all Saturday night and that Sunday morning the two above named got in a difficulty about a deck, of * cards. As a result of which difficulty was shot in the arm and he then crawled under the house. When Evans started to leave the house ho was followed by Milhous. Evans turned around and told Milhous not to follow, but this chid not stop the follower, and Evans shot, killing Milhous instantly. All of the participants were fined $50.00 in Norway for gambling, thus swelling the treasury of that town considerably. Evans was brought to jthis city yesterday morning and it is said that he is a brother to tho negro that was lynched some years ago for the killing of Mr. Phillips. ?Orangeburg Times and Democrat. HOLD COTTON SEED. President Dabbs Thinks Prices Offered Are Ituinous. "At prices that have prevailed weshould use them for fertilizer rather' than sell." This statement is made by rreshdent 10. W. Dabbs, of the State Panniers' union, in urging the farmers? to hold cotton seed for a higher priceHe says in a letter sont out to they local unions that in the light for a higher price for cotton that the farmers have overlooked the ruittiooa prices offered for cotton seed. The following letter has been sent out by President Dabbs to the local unions: "In our work for the price of COtt^n hn vn nverlitnkeil the niilionff prices that have been offered for cot* ton seed. At prices that have pre* vailed we should use them for fertilizer rather than sell. I have been informed, and believe it to be reliable, that the market for cottonseed oil and by products, and tho price of meal, would warrant $?8 to $80 per ton for seed. "Take care of your seed. Pick and gin your cotton dry. Store tho 1 i.. .'"inll nll.iu litrtM ZStH'll III mild I l |' i n |'i w\ vivvi from the weather and do not sell any seed till the market advances considerably." IMitor Killed Ml it or. Krnesto Mendoza, editor of K\ Com baton, made good lhe name of bis paper by killing' Kndo'fo Fernandez editor of the Guinea do Humbou llo'h papers are pub'ished weekly at Gaines, about 14 miles proin Havana. The men met In a street of that town and Fernando/ attacked Mendoza with a cane. The latter drew his revolver and shot Fernandez. ? ? Fourteen Drowned. Fourteen men were drowned In the sinking of the schooner Whisper, off tho Niearaguan coast, according to cables received from Port Idmon. The schooner, commanded by Capt. Winston Hall of Philadelphia, carried a cargo of mahogany, wh?ieh caught tire and an explosion of gaioline sent it to the bottom with all on board. Have a Hot Time. Nine persons wero killed and more than twice that number wounded when Iteyists and Maderlsta clashed Saturday in Tuxtla Chico, a village in the State of Chiapas, near tho southern boundary of Mexico, according to reports received at the President's cfflco. ,