Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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DENIES CHARGE Kicfcard Aberaatby Says He Did Nat Haider William A. Abbetl. BE RECITES HIS STORY Abbott Was Killed in the Old Smutsville Section of Spartanburg County, Hut Ahernathy Claims That He Did Not Murder the Man Or Know Who Did. Free for thirty-two years, but * * * t ? i I- - llfl- ~ o ? cnargea wun taxing me me 01 a ioilow man, Richard Abernathy occupies a cell at the Spartanburg County jail and oflicers and relatives of t.lie man, who, it is said, was murdered by Abernathy, are endeavoring to secure evidence that will send this old man to the gallows or confine him in prison for the remainder of his life, for a mistake that he may have made in the year 18 79. Speaking of the case The Journal says: James Abernathy lived near Spartanburg until four years ago, according to statement made by them to a reporter through the heavy iron bars that stand between him and his home, where he makes seats for chairs, out of peculiar kind of woo ihairs, out of peculiar kind of wood He said that the reason he moved to Blacksbure from his former home, near this city, four years ago, was that there was 110 more of the particular kind of wood in this section and he had to go where he could get other. Abernathy stoutly asserts his innocenice, and all efforts to make him vary his first statement were fruitless. He has told his story and it is thought that he will stick to it. He is charged with the killing of William A. Abbott, on a Sunday in 1879. It is alleged that after killing the man, he put the body on the railroad track and a train passed over it. It is also said that the body was cold when the engineer jumped from his engine and examined it. , From what .can be learned of the killing from older residents, William Abbott was returning from a camp meeting service, which was held at Cannon's Camp ground. He was riding horse back. The last seen of him alive was when he rode from the ' ? t 1 1 1 _ P meeting, ana wnen next ueu.ru ui, ma body was found immediately after being run over by the train and was cold in death. It is claimed that there was a party of men on the road to iSpartanburg and that these killed Abbott because he had improper relations with a woman named Dora Abernathj', the wife of a cousin of the accused man. Some history of that section of Spartanburg County will be interesting at this time. Of course, it has changed entirely from what it was in 187 9, and a resident returning would not know it. The name of the section was Smutsville. Its reputation as geing a bad place extended far far and wide. Strangers dred not pass through Smutsville at night, and few went .through it during tne nay. it is said that there have been numerous murders committed at or near Smutsville in years gone by. There were three families who lived in Smutsville, buf there were several branches of each family, The names were Satterfield, Abernathy and Finely. They have all scattered now, but in recent years many Abernathys came to Spartanburg and sold homo made chairs and "llghtwood." There is not a resident in Spartanburg who has made this city their home for ten years, who is not familiar with these people. The only other occupation that ho had besides selling chairs and firewood was begging and raising children. The Abernathys were past masters in both of these arts and for years it seemed that a new Abernathy child would appear at the doors of Spartanburg's homes each month. There was one more resident of Smutesville, besides these families. He was Will Ilincs, a negro, who was somewhat of a "king pin" in that community. It is not known whether or not ho is dead or alive. These people did not live in houses made of wood or of brick, like the other surrounding homes. Their abodes were constructed of brush piled up and covered over with mud, which, when hardened by the sun, made a warm house but devoid of the comforts of the model n homo. Abernathy, who is now in jail, is one of the three brothers. One of his brothers was shot and killed. The son of the dead man was tried for the crime but was not convicted. Much could be written of the history of the Salter fields, Finleys and Abornathys. A reporter talked to Abernathy In his cell at the county Jail. Ho is an old man and has long grey whiskers. He is not tidy, his clothes are dirty, his hair and beard are dismantled. His eyes are small grey eyes and he glares at one until the staro ta returned. He then looks away. lie talks rapidly. Asked his age he says that he don't know, but he does know tie is forty some odd; he says he was born since the war. He told of Abbott's death as follows: "I was at the Hardfn place, about two miles from mud cut, on that Sunday afternoon and heard the whhitle pt the train blow. I thought that the 4 AUTO TURNS OVER ? ONK MAN KILIi?]I) AND MAN AND WOMEN BADLY HURT. Chairman Butler of tho American Automobile Association Was Killed Near Tifton, Ga. IS. M. Butler, of New York City, was instantly killed near Tifton Ga., Wednesday morning when tho automobile which he was driving in the Glidden tour was overturned. T. J. Walker and his wife were injured. Mr. Butler was chairman of the ' * * 11 A .. I A .. | contest uoarii 01 uiu /unci n an **u' tomobilo association. Walker is the referee of the Glidden tour now in progress. The accident was caused by the steering knuckle on the oar breaking The car was wrecked and Mr. Butler was instantly killed when lie was crushed by the wheel hub. Referee Walker's injuries are believed to be serious. Referee Walker is president of the California Automobile association. Mrs. Walker's arm was broken. The injured people were carried to Tifton hospitals. The fatal accident took place at 0:20 o'clock three miles from the city. The machine was running at a good speed, when the steering apparatus went wrong. It plunged forward on its nose and turned a somersault and settled on its side. Butler was caught beneath a wheel, while the other occupants were thrown to the road. Other machines came to tne rescue and with the aid of a rope pulled the car off Piutler's body. lie was badly cut and crushed. Ilis body was placed aboard a train and brought tc this place. The Walkers, who also are from New York, were brought to a local hospital. Walker has a dislocated shoulder and broken collar bone. Mrs. Walker is suffering more from shock than from her broken arm. Charles P. Kellman of Rochester, N. Y., was in the same car, but esA TRAGEDY OF THE DESERT. ? Thirsting Family Drink Water From a Poison Spring. One of the most pitiful tragedies of the Mojabe Desert in recent years was discovered in Inyo county, Cal., when a party of teamsters on their way across the sandy waste came upon the family of George McDermott. McDermott and family, consisting of his wife and five children, started overland several weeks ago for mill valley Utah. Becoming short of water, it is thought, they drank from cue of the numerous poison springs on tho desert. Their horse and cow became sick and the cow died. Tliep McDermott fell ill and died six days later. The distracted widow and mother then took up the reins and drove the nearly dead -horses for miles over the desert in search of water until she too was stricken. When the teamsters found the family the mother was near death and the children, all sick, were clinging to her. All were taken on to Mill City and it is thought the mother will die. ? SETS FIRE TO HER HOUSE. ? Hums Up Herself ami Six Children With Her lime. Apparently laboring under a mental strain, Mrs. Alex Johnson, wife of a farmer living near 'Braddock, N. D. locked herself and her six little children in their home and sot the house on fire. All were burned. Mr. Johnson was working in a field some distance from the house when the tragedy occurred. Neighbors believe Mrs. Johnson locked and barricaded the doors and nailed down the windows of the house. Then saturating the room " -i. - ?l ? J ~ ^ Willi Oil, 81115 H|)J) 1115(1 cl 111 it I I'll. nci^iibors rushed to the house, but rescue was impossible. The bodies were found in a corner of tbe living room under tbe smouledring mass, where they had huddeld together when the flames surrounded them. train had killed one of father's yearlings and I went up there to see. I saw the Hankies pass by the mud cut, but did not seo the body of Abbott. Tbe train had gone by the time I got there. I had never seen Abbott but once or twice and don't know if T would know him In the street. Dora Abernathy was nothing to me. I did not caro about her. It did not make any difference to nio what Abbott did. She was my cousin's wife. And that is all I know about it." George A. Abbott, brother of the man who was killed thirty-two years ago, heard recently that Abernathy had made statements in Blacksburg that he committed the crime. He at once began an investigation. lie employed J. C. Duncan, formerly chief of police at Gaflfnoy, to work on tho case and when the prosecutors thought that sufficient evidence had been secured. Abernathy was arrested. Solicitor Otts has atated that he has six witnesses of Rlacksburg who heard Abernathy state that he killed Abbott. It is thought that Abernathy talked too much when he was possibly Intoxicated or when he had been drinking. j WILL BUSY The Geaeral Assembly Will Have Muy Important Cilices Is Fill. SEVERAL NEW JUDGES Insurance Commissioner Directors t of the Penetentiary, State Libra rian and Several Minor Olllces Are All to bo Filled by the Legislature When It Meets. Much of the time of the general assembly which convenes early in January, will be consumed with elections. There are a number of important positions to be filled, and a large number of candidates are already being discussed. The friends of the candidates have commenced to .prepare for the battle of 'ballots among the members of the general a.ssem bly. Among the most important elecions will be that for the justiceship of the supreme court. Ira B. Jones of Lancaster, has resigned as chief justice and several have been mentioned'for his place. He will retire from the bench on January 9, the day before the legislature con venes. An additional justice will be elected, as provided by the constitutional amendment of 1911. The legislature failed to elect this justice at the last session?a deadlock lasting for several weeks with the vote for the leading candidates unchanged. The same candidates, and others, will agan be in the race for this position. C. A. Woods associate jusice will be reelected.' Ilis term expires next year. At tlio .ln?t sfQ?ion nf tli?> trpnprnl VliV/ V v ? - -- w QV..>r. ?assembly providing for a tenure of ten years for supreme court justices was adopted. This will cause ail election every two years with live members on the bench. Three circuit judges will be elected at the next session of the general assembly. The terms of J. W. DeVore of the 11th circuit, and S. W. G. Shipp, of the 12tli circuit, will expire next 3'ear. They will be reelected. A successor to the late J. C. Klugh, of the Eighth circuit, will be elected. There will .he two vacancies on the board of directors of the state penitentiary. The terms of J. D. Deas, of Camden, and VV. H. Glenn, of Anderson will expire. The general assembly will elect a state librarian. The only candidate q ii nrtnnnnrl cn fur 1c \Tiea T. T-T T.n Horde, who has filled the position so acceptably for the past several years. F. IT. McMaster is the only candidate that has 'been announced for the position of state insurance commissioner. He was the first insurance commissioner elected and has built up a strong department. COW TAKEN FOR YEGG. Grassville Has Nothing on Sleuths in Sheridan, Pa., The good people of Sheridan, Pa., have been troubled for months by a gang of safe crackers. Extra policemen have been appointed and 3 0 odd citizens have been deputized to respond at the call of an alarm bell, jump into their hoots and shoot to kill the first prowler they see. Last week an officer saw a dark object walking toward the door of the First National bank. "Safe blowers, by hcck!" he soliloquized. The dark figure tried to force open the bank door. "Halt!" demanded the bluecoat. There was no reply. Without wasting another moment, the police ran to a fire omrine house and ramr the bell. Thirty deputized citizens and police! responded to the signal. | "There he is, trying to get into the bank," shouted the policemen who gave the alarm. Thirty shots rang out simultaneously, and the robber at the .bank door fell under the shower of bullets. The sleuths had killed Pete Sliaughnessy's Jersey cow. A THREE CORNERED TRAGEDY. +. . Man Shot and Killed by an Ofllcer at County Fair, At Fayetteville, N. C. R. J. Chason was shot and instantly killed by Township Constable Al. J. Plate, after Chason had inflicted who may prove a fatal wound on the officer as a result of a row between Chason and a youthful lemonade vender outside the grounds of the Fayetteville fair. The lemonade man, In the rush of the home-coming crowds, spilt Bomo lemonade on a woman's dress when Chason who was said to be intoxicated, took the matter up and attacking the vender, stabbed him in the hack. Constable Plate intervened to save the life of the younger own throat. He ran and killed his own throat. He red and killed his attacker almost instantly. Every man should endeavor to deserve the good opinion he has of himself. | ' HER THROAT CUT FEMAYJ3 IMXTTOIt FOUND DEAD IN HER APARTMENT. * Hor Ilody Was Found by Her Assistant), Who Delayed Reporting It For An Hour. At Indianapolis, Ind., Dr. Helen Knake was found dead, her body cut and bruised, in a bed room of lier apartment Tueeday. The police are satisnea sue was muruereu. Dr. Knabe's bodj was found when her assistant, Mliss Katheriue IMjcPhorson, entered the apartment. The body and the bed upon which it lay were covered with blood but no weapon was found In any of the rooms nor was it apparent a robbery had been committed. All the windows were closed, though the phystcian, who was devoted to physical culture, habitually slept with the windows open. Dr. Knabe was last seen alive by Miss McPherson, to whom she had said late Monday that she intended spending the evening in studying. She lived and had her office on tho ground floor of an apartment liouso in a prosperous and quiet neighborrood. No persons, so far as has been learned, heard sounds of a struggle in Dr. Knabe's apartment Monday night. Augusta Knabe the physician's cousin, and tho latter's stepfather, Franc Kropp, told the police that Dr. Knabe had no enemy so far as they knew. She was .15 years of age and a graduate of the -Indiana College of Medicine. The police put aside the theory of suicide when they examined Dr. Knabe's body and saw that though the throat had been slashed, there was 110 blood on the dead woman's hands and when no knife was found in her rooms. She was in her night gown. Reports of Dr. Knabe's death were not made to the police for an hour after her body was discovered. Dr. Knabe, though she had a wide acquaintance, is said not to have had an intimate friend among tho men she knew. Jefferson Ilaynes, the negro janitof of the apartment house In which Dr. Knabe lived, was taken to police headnuarters to be questioned as to his whereabouts at different hours Monday night and whether or not he saw any one about the Knabo apartment other than Dr. Ivnabe. KILLEIt OF HOUSHEE CAUGHT. * Jfe Was Heavily Armed When Taken into Custody. John Henry May, who killed Henry Roushee at Union on Saturday nisrht was eantured Tuesday night. In the afternoon he was located in the house of "Buddie" Smith on the outskirts of the city and Deputy Sheriff J. G. Long Jr., Chief of Police Milo H. Evans and Policemen J. C. Gregory and Robert O'Shields went to the place in an automobile and surrounded the house. May was commanded to surrender but refused, and the automobile was sent back for the sheriff and additional deputies and rifles. May finally ailed Deputy Long into the house and agreed to surrender to him and Chief Evans saying that he refused to surrender to the others. By the time the sheriff was approaching May had been taken into custody and was being brought to the jail. lie was at once transferred to the automobile, and between Sheriff Long and Chief Evan.s was rushed to the county jail where he now is held. When found in a room in "Buddie" Smith's house he had three revolvers. It is evident that he has rot been very far from the scene of the killing since the officers have been looking for him. He made no statement after his arrest. , ? NEARLY A MILE A MINUTE. Two Naval Officers l)o Some Fast Aeroplane Flying. After a night in a hydro-aeroplane, 14 5 miles down coast from Annapolis Md., Lieuts. S. Gordon Ellison and' John G. Towers, U. S. N., landed late Wednesday on the broad reach of Buckroe Beach Va., three miles from Fortress Monroe. The officers were suffering from the hit| ter cold when they landed and hur rio<i io sneiter. Lieut. Ellison, who Is In charge of the naval aeronautic school at Annapolis, and Lieut. Towers made their descent after the most remarkable and successful flight in the history of naval aviation having flown from Annapolis, a distance of 14 5 miles in tlio remarkable time of two hours and twenty-seven minutes. The flight was made without stop or mishap. The flight was the second attempt in as many weeks, the plucky aviators being forced to return to Annapolis on their former attempt, owing to engine trouble after covering half the distance. Over Old Point the engine was stopped and the hydro- aeroplane was allowed to settle in the water which it did with the grace of a gull. The gear was changed to the propeller shaft and the machine was run ashore. JEUttK 01 (Jonwa Has largest capital and surplus of than the combined capital and sur] CAPITAL STOCK.. . SURPLUS LIABILITIES OF STOC1 "SECURITY OF DEPOSIT DIRE< Robert B. Scarborough, EL L. Buck, GEeorge J. Holiday, We offer our customers every ac< will justify, and we robert b. scarborough, I President. We continue to pay 5 p< |FIRST NATI( /ft OONAW ? CAPITAL STOCK SURPLUS PROFITS TOTAL ASSESTS ?DIKEC J. A. McDermott, John i ?B. G. Collins, H. L. 1 M. Burroughs, C. P. Qu Successor to the Bank o ^ Wnrrv Conntv. and a nioneer ^ ly allied with the recent deA Republic. Racked by the & United States Bonds, we are i ^ tomers any reasonable acconn H. A. SPIVEY, /|S Cashier. FLIES LIKE BIRD ? ORVILLE WRIGHT GOES UP HIGH WITHOUT POWER. Result Of Experiments Under Trying Conditions Leads Him To the Hope Of Great Results. At mil ri^vii m r fVviit., Wright in his glides Wednesday in a fifty niilo gale wont aloft and remained virtually stationary nearly ten minutes, and maintained an altitude of one hundred and fifty feet. The record-breaking "flight" was the seventeenth of the series that began Wednesday when thorahl ceased. The first glide lasted only 5 4 seconds, each lengthening until the final one. When Lorin Wright and Alexand^ er Ogilvle, the English aviator, brought out the machine for the initial flight the wind gauge showed that the gale was 35 miles and freshening. Sand carried by the wind pelted the aviators, the tiny particles cutting like 9mall shot. In the opinion of the experiments no more trying weather conditions, under which to make the test of the machine, could bo round. Th? glider was equipped with a rear rudder of 24-foot spread. In front, to pr?serre the balance, a 10pound bag of sand was swung on the end of a rod extending eight feet in front of the aviator's seat. The ailerons, or balancing wings on the sides of tho machine were adjusted and Orvillo Wright lifted himself into tho scat. "Let it go" he shouted. Lorin Wright and Ogilvie thrust the glider into the face of the rising gale and it shot up. Again and again this was repeated until for almost ten minutes Wright soared dike a brooding buzzard on the crest of a fiftymile gale. Orville Wright admitted his satisfaction with tho results and declared the conditions under which the flight was made were unusually severe. The success of tho experiment is understood to mark a long step forwa/rd in the science of aviation and to point the way toward solving the problem of automatically preserving the equilibrium of hoavier-than-air machines, j CHINESE} GENE HAL SUICIDE. Had Heen Convicted of Cowardice and Was to be Shot. News was received by the Chan Sai at San Francisco Tuesday Yat Po> that Gen. Chang Piao, of the Imperial troops, who was sentenced to death for cowardice, had commit* A ,1 /...Ul ,1 A. Till. A.. ? A* IOU I1U1UU1U. V lUtJIUy > U1U VyllCU^, U1 Hu Peh and Hu Nan provinces, escaped before he could ,b? punished for a similar offence. In Nanking, the viceroy is disarming the new army, in fear of treachery, retaining arms and military supplies while sending these soldiers to stations in the loyal povinces. The finding of thirteen cases of dynamite there yesterday gave the Government geat alarm. Hundred Horses Ilurncd. At Milton, Mass., one hundred horses and forty thousand dollars worth of hay, harness and wagons were burned last night in a fire which destroyed the Winslow Contracting company's plant. u T HORRY, " .y. S, C. any bank in Horry county. More ' plus of all other banks in the county. .. ..950.000 12.500 ^HOLDERS .. .. 50.000 rORS .. .. .? ..112.500 CTORS D. V. Richardson* d W. A. Johnson, "Will A, Freeman* :ommodation which their accounts solicit your business. X V. Richardson, will a. freeman Vice Pkesident. Cashier . ;r cent, on yearly deposits. ONAL BANK| LY, S. O. A $25,000.00 ^ 2,600.00 125,000.00 A rroiis: ? rn mi . Spivey, D. T. McNeill, /k Buck, W. It. Lewis, D. jL attlebaum, D. A. Spivey. f Conway, the oldest Bank In 2k In Eastern Carolina. Closerelopment of the Independent Govern men t and secured by XL prepared to extend to our cue- ^|? modations. ffS B. G. COLLINS, President. || PROFESSIONAL CARDS, H. H. WOODWARD Attorney end Councelor At Law* CONWAY, S. C. \ T R. B. SCARBROUGH CONWAY, S. C. Attorney ?t Lew. * H. H. BURROUGHS Physician and Surgeon. CONWAY, 8. C. B. WOFFOKD WAIT. At; to me j at lav/. ^ Bank of Horry Building. | '] CONWAY, 8. C. HE WORLDS GREATEST SEWING MACHINE l||?' ftw want either a Vibrating Shuttle. Roto^, 4 buttle or a Single Thread [ChainaliichX J Sowing Machine write to ^ JM SEW HOME 8EWINI MACHINE COMPAO, Orange* Mass. j MaWMwtne machines are made to ael! \ fMKtr(but the New Home is made to wee1 v Oar ruarantr never runt ont, I .AM If aathorlned dealers arf|K> ) 'w roe sets mi DUJKKUUUtlM 4b UULJU1AH Conway, H. O. ? ? * STOPPED HINPOKl) PICTURES. Came Near Having a Riot About It Though. At Durham, N. C., a riot was narrowly averted Tuesday when police put a stop to tho display of moving ^ pictures of Beulah Binford, the 17- A year-old "girl in the ease" in the recent Deattie murder trial in Richmond, Va. Tho proprietor of the picture theatre threatened ,Ho kill Sergeant Pendergrast when the oflbcer attempted to stop the machine. An angry crowd hooted the police, who quickly swore out warrants and stopped the show. Manager Wilkinson was admitted to bail. The police acted by virtue of a resolution adopted Saturday by the city council, prohibiting reproduction of the picture#.