University of South Carolina Libraries
BROKE HLdlP t Alfred M.rrit Biases J*ha D. Rsckei i Preacher for BIS FINANCIAL RUIN |?jrn tlic Preacher Induced Him to Borrow Money From ltockefeller, ml 'i'lntl lf/wk ??f I?i? TooK AiIvaii- ' W\* A*wva%v?x/?ji^a ? ? ? I tugo of Hiiu and Fleeced Him of All Ills Stocky and Honds. Alfred Merritt, of Duluth, Minn., the first president of tlio Duluth, Mis- , sabe & Northern Railway, who styled himself a "lumberjack unacquainted . with the methods of the money trust," told tlio house steel trust investigating committee today that through loans of less than $ 1,000,000 from John 1). Rockefeller ho had lost p Ids holdings in the Missahe Iron ' mines and the railroad's properties now owned by tho United Steel cor- J p-oratlon and estimated to be worth , today as high as $700,000,000. Merritt declared that lie was induced tlirough F. D. Gatos, Mr. Rockefeller's secretary, "in charge of his charitable work," to put up all his holdings as collateral for loans from Mr. Rockefeller in 1 892 and f 1893. One loan was for $420,000. Others were for various sums. Gates, ( he said, was a Baptist preacher in , whom he had confidence and who t assured him that by placing a call loan lie would not bo pressed and that he would bo takon care of. The witness related how, two months after he had put up his collateral with Mr. Rockefeller, during the panic of 1893, Rockefeller called he loan, giving him 24 hours to laise $420,000 and that being unable to ( raise tho money he and his b: other lost their property, lie admitted that < Mr. Rockefeller ottered him- 3n op- j pjrtunity to buv his property back j ( within a year but declarod that tho ] oil king told financiers "to ket-) , hands off" and that he was unable if. ( raise money any whore a The Merrill's were first pa"tios to ( "a a transaction with Mr Rockefeller , | and others in tho formation of tho j Lake Superior Consolidated Iron t mines. In this tho mines of the Su- t perior region and tho Duluth, Miss- r abo & Northern were consolidated. t Onf nf tlii? n suit by the Merritls . VfUV v...? ^ J against Rockefeller developed on the r ground of niisreprosentation of tho j value of mining properties turned in j by th? Rockefeller interests. Subse- j quently, Rockefeller paid him tho Merritts $525,000 in tho settlement j for this. , Refore this settlement and after ho had lost his stock holdings and f Refore this settlement and after | he had lost his stock holdings and c 1 /% lw\ ?*i?nal<lon t ra I L UUitnuu IW IJU jd noiuuiit uL tuu iu? road, Merritt testified that F. D. r If Gates came to hi in and said Mr. j Rockefeller wanted him to continue f as president of the road for another e year. "Was that the Baptist preacher Gates who came to you " asked Chairman Stanley. rj "Yes," Merritt replied. "He said Mr. Rockefeller had confidence in a me, and knew that I, through my acquaintances with the boys on the range, would ho able to get more shipping business than any one else h could do. I guess that was true." "The Rev. Dr. Gates seemed to be serving the Lord and John D. Rocko- " ^ felled, didn't he?" the chairman in- J torrupted. "But I refused the offer," Merritt s answered emphatically. "I told Gates j a that I could not retain my manhood 1 and work for John D. Rockefeller." 8 The intricacies of the transactions - - - - - f. wore involved and with difticulty ~ were drawh from the witness. Representative Reall of Texas Anally summed the matter up: 1 "You do know this, then," said Mr. Reall, "before you dealt with R ^ John D. Rockefeller, you and your a brother had valuable stockholdings 0 in tho Lake Superior ore regiou and in this railroad and after your deal- a ings with him you had no stock?" a "Yes, that's it," said Mr. Merritt. w "I want to emphasize further that before I dealt with Rockefeller I had .j 1-10 interest in tho Duluth, Missabe & Northern railroad which last year made $8,000,000, and that now I have nothing." "T am inclined to blame tho ,1!, preacher more than I am Rockefeller. He deceived mo. I don't blame Rockefeller so much. lie belongs to tho <L money trust." al "What reason did Rockefeller have for closing in on your?" asked Representative Gardner. "Did ho need the money?" "lie wanted that property. I am convinced that he sent the hands off" m notice to financiers with whom I ai ^ tried to raise money to redeem my s' property. lie told financiers in Clevo4 land whom I approached that the property lie got. for $10 a share was not worth $.r>, and I could not get a fa cent. se After Chairman Stanley had indi- 111 cated that ho would be very glad to \a hear from Mr. Rockefeller An the ? matter, Mr. Roall made a motion that be ho be served with a subpoena duces sc tecum. George Wellman Murray counsel for Mr. Rockefeller, objected be and suggested that Mr. Rockefeller . sa PLUNGE INTO fUVLR A TRAIN IN FRANCH FALLS < THROUGH A RRIDGtt. Tliirty or More Passengers Lout Their Lives by Drowuia^ Rcfore They Could He Saved. Many passengors, it la estimated, lost tlioir lives when a train plunged into the river Thouet Thursday morning, owiug to the breakdown of a railroad linage on mo siaio uanwuy at Montereuil-Hellay, in the departnient of the MaJne-ICt-Loire, Franco. Tho train, which had started from Angers, was traveling to Poitiers.. It carried about 100 passengers. While it was crossing tho bridge over the Thouet, the structure, which had been greatly weakened by recentj floods, broke down, crashing with the j whole of tho cars into tho swollen stream. Many of fho passengers who succeeded in getting out of the cars through tho windows tried to save themselves by clinging to the tops of trees which showed above tho surface of the water. In most cases, bowever, they were quickly washed away by the rushing currents. All the boats in tho locality had been carried off by the inundations, so that it was impossible for the peo I>Io of the neighborhood to assist much in the work of rescue. No exact information is yet available as to the number of victims or as to those rescued, but it is believed that between fifty and sixty have been drowned. FilOATTIU CONFKSSMS GUILT. + Before Death Admitted lie Killed Ilis Young Wife. Henry Clay Ileattie, Jr., was electrocuted in the state penitentiary at Richmond, Va., Friday at 7:2?. a. in. One minute after the shock ho was pronounced dead. Before his execution he confessed that he murdered lis young wife. The statement, which was given out. in the rotunda >f a downtown hotel, follows: "I, Henry Clay Deattlo, Jr., desirous of standing right before God and nan, do on this, the 2Jrd day of Voromber, 1911, confess my guilt of he crime against me. Much that was jublished concerning the details was lot true but the awful fact, without ho harrowing circumstances, renains. For this action I am truly lorry, and, believing that I am at leace with God and am soon to pass nto His presence, this statement is nade." Heat tie's confession was followed >y this statement by the attending ninisters: "This statement was signed in the iresenco of the two attending minsters and is the only statement that :an and will bo made public by them. "Mr. Heattie desired to thank tho nany friends for kind letters and eriresslons of interest and the public or whatever sympathy was felt or , ixprossed." ?. Pit AVE I) FOR GUIDANCE l'Iioii Slew lfer Husband She Says to Save His S011I. As a witness in her own behalf irs. Frances O'Sliaughnessy took the tand and told a Now York jury rliicli will decide whether sho shall Ivo or die of the events which led I) to her killing her husband, leorgo, "to save his soul." A year after her marriage, she aid, Ceorge began to stay out late t night. Sho suspected another wolanJVBho said, but was not sure until lie saw George with this woman? lie cashier at the store wheio ho waa mployed. A bundle of notes which Mrs. t'Shaughnossy said sho found under er husband's pillow was handed to lie jury. The notes wcro from Teste Hayee, the other woman, she said, nd In them the writer calloi Georgo ndoaring nanios. Mrs. O'Shaughnessy had read them 11, sho said, then prayed tor guidnce before she shot her nusband. he decided that by killing her liusand she would keep him from vloiting the seventh commandment and icrehy save his soul. Two Men Are Killed. Two men were killed and four were ijured at Chlcopee Falls, Mass., hursday night, when a temporary levator used in construction work : the Flak Rubber Company's plant : Chlcopee Falls fell three stories. ^ Dynamited and Robbed. The Rank of Odell, Texas, was en re i eariy i nursany. xne saro was n unolisbed by an explosion of dyna- ^ lie and about $4,000 in currency id silver stolen. Posses are in pur- (| lit of (lie robbers. ti tl Tivo Children Fatally Hurt, () At Cincinnati, two children were tl tally injured and a number of men f( riously hurt when fire destroyed tl 0 plant of the J. Raums Safe and u >ck Company at 017 Front street. n ? a > required to send the contract deribed. tl "I am sure Mr. Rockefeller would tl 1 glad to comply with any request," tl id Mr. Murray. p: THAT LOAN PLAN Presides! el State Farmers Utico Dei! Not flunk It Nccessmy WISH IT WILL BE GOOD Hays He Hopes That It Will bo Help, Hut lie Believes That Its Object Has Already Been Achieved, But It All Depends oil the Farmers. E. W. Dabbs, president of the South Carolina Fanners' union, is rather doubtful how the farmers of it. - ...til t h/x r fU/t lilt? oune wilt iweivt' tuu ju.ui ui liiu New York syndicate to lend $25 a bale upon the cotton crop ol South Carolina. Its success will depend, lie said, upon whether the planters embrace the offer of the syndicate. He also said that ho could not see any noticeable effect of .lie syndicate's scheme, as he thought the main desideratum to he obtained by the plan, in his estimation, had already been obtained through action by the Farmers' Union. Nevertheless, if the plan seems good to him when he lias had time to examine its details, he will lend it iiis heartiest support, lie hopes, he said, that it will prove successful in helping tho farmers to secure a fair price for their cotton. "While I do not wish to throw cold water on the New York syndicate's plan of advancing $25 per bale on flio South's cotton crop," said Mr. Dabbs Tuesday night, "I do think that the promoters have overlooked two points. One of.these, as I pointed out to C. S. Uarrett, president of tlio National Farmers' Union, is the question wneiner tno rarmers win embrace tbo ofTor of the Northern syndicate. T suggested to him that instead of one trustee, as proposed in the original plan, there should be three for each State, and that one member from each State should constitute the central board of control. Mr. Barrett seemed to think that the more important point was to secure the confidence of the financial men, while I maintained that the farmer's trust should first be gained. To this end I made my suggestion as to the appointment of three trustees. "That second point that the promoters seem to hare overlooked is the efTect that will ho produced by the action of the business agents of the Farmers' Union, which urged that fho farmers refrain from buying fertilizer at high prices. Will make for a substantial reduction in acreage even without the trustee movement. "I had thought that the effect of tying up 2,000,000 bales of cotton in the hands of trustees would he a very strong tendency on the part of ilie farmers to rod nee their acreage next year. The knowledge that there were 2,000,000 bales of cotton that might be carried over until the next crop was put on the market, 1 thought, would lead the planters to see tho futility of excessive production. "This purpose, however, 1 think, has been subserved by the present conditions. With cotton selling at nine cents and below, ana with fertilizers high, I think the rarmors will :ake the advice given by tho business igents of tho Fanners' Union in their meeting at Columbia. Conditions ire such now that farmers, by redueng their acreage and cutting down .lieir purchases of fertilizers, will so curtail production that another excessive crop is unlikely. This, then, lisposed of ono object of holding the cotton by tho trustee system. This condition seems to prevail wherever have been of late. "Now as to tho success of the dan. It depends, as I intimated before, on whether the farmers will unbrace tlio offer of the financiers. "So far, I can see no notable efcct. The action of the Farmers' lTnon business agents and tho action vo took at Sumter yesterday will ireveut the sacrifice of cotton to pur base fertilizer. The matter of reluct Ion of acreage will he aceomdislied by tills means without the .pplicatlon of the trusteeship plan, bulging by the response to the dodges to hold cotton and reduce creage, 1 do not think that tlio (lantern will readily embrace the r position made by the syndicate. "I should like to seo the plan sue- ' eed, but I fear it. will not take with he Southern planters. "I am not at all antagonistic to ills plan; I will be glad to see anyhing succeed that will Insure us a rice for our cotton which will give a a profit. After 1 have secured a etter knowledge of Its details, if it loots my approval, I will give it my (in rUnol onnttnvt n n il nrtn n/jr a 1 5 rm " Mr, Dafobs also explained the ac-jl ion taken Tuesday at a meeting of j1 lie Farmers' Union called to discuss]1 10 fertilizer situation. The result 1 f the meeting was a recommendation hat the farmers buy no fertilizer < tr 1912 except on this condition lat the payment bo made in three istallments, one not earlier than ocember 1, 1912, and the other two s t intervals of not less than 30 days. 1 Tills recommendation, with that of : 10 business agents of the union, lat the farmers be conservative in t lelr purchases of fertilizer at the f resent prices, if followed, Mr. Dabbs ? I STRUCK BY ENGINE ? YOUNG MAN KLLLKD IfY OOA9T LINK AT SCRANTON. Illuming Across tlio Track to Catch | a Train and Was Run Orer ky lxtra Kngiae. , At Scranton Mr. Grsver Turner, j tho eighteen-year-old son of Mr. R. F. Turner, a prosperous and influential farmer of Hannah Poatofllee, in the lower section of Florence County, was knocked down and instantly killed Wednesday at. about 12 o'clock by an extra Atlantic Coast Lino engine going North. Mr. J. It. Powell, of Mailory, and Mr. J. F. Creel, of Vnnalacholia. Fla.. were standing at the depot waiting for tho arrival of! the Orangeburg train and received ! painful but not serious injuries by 'the body of young Turner bci^ig thrown against tliom when it was struck by the moving engine. Ail of the gentlemen went to Scranfon Wednesday morning to take I tho Orangeburg train for Florence, and while waiting for the arrival of the train, young Turner went to Mr. R. R. Cannon's stables, a short distance from the depot, to leavo his horse and buggy, and while at the livery staides the extra engine ran up, going North, and Mr. Turner hearing and thinking it was (he train, ran towards the depot, going diagonally across the main lino of the Atlantic Coast Line in front of the engine. He was struck by the moving engine when in about one hundred and fifty feet from the depot and his body was thrown through the steps of the depot, death resulting instantly. y\ agisiraie u. o. namwin at once empanelled a jury and held an inquest. and the following verdict was rendered: "That the deceased came to his death by running in front of a moving engine on tht track of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company." Physicians who examined the body stated that death probably was caused by concussion of the brain and internal injuries. The remains were carried home Wednesday afternoon, a distance of two miles and was buried Thursday at the family burying ground. It. was stated that young Mr. Turner had a large number of relatives and friends in that part of the country and his untimely and tragic death was a source of great sorrow and bereavement. to the community. kifi/er woman and children. Story of Cruelty Confirmed l?y Chinese Students. A cablegram from Peking, China, pays the killing of foreigners, at Sinn Fu, Shen Si province, has been further confirmed by two Chinese students, who have arrived from that city. During the fighting in Sian Fu a mob attacked the China inland mission, located outside of the city. They murdered Mrs. hcckman, who is said to he an American, and five of the mission children. Mr. Meckman was wounded, hut escaped, saving an infant. The surviving foreigners were sheltered by Chinese Christians and subsequently departed eastward toward the railway. < WANTED FOR WIFE Ml'KDEU. , ?> ? Dies at Allendale Over in Itarmvcll 1 County Fast Week. A dispatch from Ringhampton, X. i V., says William Emerson, sought by detectives and police throughout tho country for the alleared murder nf hi* wife at Endicott, N. Y., on Sept. 8, lies dead In Allendale, S. C., according to a dispatch received from c (1 rover S. Emerson, brother of the ^ alloged murderer. Death, according to the message, was caused by ma- ? larial fever. The dinpateh rays that v Emerson had been traveling through ^ the South under the assumed name of James White. Becoming ill sev- r oral weeks ago, he was cared for by n the Masonic order. The ho 'y will be b carried back to Blnghampton. Canada Hegrets I Tor Action. According to J. A. McDonald, edl- s tor of the Toronto Globe, and n ti prominent member of the liberal 'parly, Canada is sorry she rejected reciprocity. Mr. McDonald so dec lared in ^ .m address before the Sunday Even ? ing at Chicago. "The people have re- 8 turned to sober thinking and regret their action," ho said. "Tho annexation bugbear was to blame for it all." Fee KntortainmontH. ej Thero are sovoral fine free entain- 11 menls at llio Fair. The Hriokett ^ team in a wonderful aerial display jf trapeze work enUitain the crowd pleasantly. Then is 010 high divo in i net from a hight of 1 U0 foot. At '' nights crowds of jolly, laughing pco?lo battle with confetti and Liavo a jenoral good time. -? , Killed by Train, w At Buffalo, N. Y., Kennedy Alon- n< 50 Dewel and liis wife, blinded by lu he storm, drove in front of a train ind wore killed near thero recently. is hinks. will lead to a reduction In 211 icroage and will put the farmorg In i better position to hold their cotton. < (OBstooksr' WILBUR P. NESB1T . I in.^i *<,jpjrygf..i L'A^.rv.1.'^>r*V-TSOT*flWfflT?l ONE UNRISEN NECESSITY Potatoes rise till the price gives pntu; White sugar costs like the dickens, now; We yearn for slcak, and w? yearn Ir. vain; And milk??Ah, plutocrat with a cow! But lot us cheer for the one bright spot That gleams the white like a signal lump. There's one thing yet that the trusts hare not? Hurrah for the good old tvro-ccnl stamp I T-furrnh for the good old, fine old two That will stick to Its Job for me and you! And in splto of drouth or of rnin or snow Costs what It did Just a year ac?The two-oont stamp?Give it glad aewlahr For its prion is always Just the same. They raise our rent and they raise each tnx. They make us pay a lot more foi shoos; The shirts and things that go on our backs Now cost so much they gl re us the blues? But this old friend is tho one best bet; Wo buy It and have no sondor's crampTho rest Increase; It's tho same price yoi? Htirrah for the good old two-oent stauii>| Hurrah for tho fine old, good old two That w? buy today an we used to dol It's the only thins in our nntlvs land That has not gone up flt to beat tho band So cheer, boys, cheer; let us roar and ramp? Hurrah for the good old two-cent stamp! TO THE LETTER. "Take that dog off tho street, or I'll run you in," ordered the oonscien Lious policeman. "But why?" aaked tho man with the dog. "lie has a license on.' "That's all right as far as it goes, but that's a Spitz dog, and wo have strict orders to enforce the anti-expectoration ordinance." At Home Again. 3he's homo again from foreign climes. And from Its nook she'll draw tier guidebook, and she'll read betlines To boo Just what alio saw. A Puzzle Indeed. The fair young girl who was to be toino a bride on the morrow, sat in ter boudoir, meditating seriously. "Shall 1 marry Henry," she mused, or shall I shoot him? All the girls vho shoot their lovers get such love y write ops in tho papers." Hut she decided I hat her trousweau night be described in a bungling man ier by the reporters at I he trial, so he eonoluded to be married. Ooing Too Far. "This reckless speculation must be topped." said the earnest citi/.eu to 1 he trust magnate. "Indeed, It must," agreed the latter Tndeed, It must. TVhy, yesterday wo or threo fellows who are not in ur crowd at all made several thou i and dollars by taking flyers. That ort of thing won't do." His Reason. "My misguided friend," said the iirnost reformer who had strolled into le roof garden, "why do you drink < int. beer, when you could have cool, eflthfnl lemonade?" "Because," said the misguided \ lend, as he beckoned to a waiter, lecauso mo lomonaao is 15 cents a i ass lu this place." I , More Important. "My dear young friend," suld the elltntentioned gentleman, "do you ever jh\uso ai>d reflect upon what the i ituro may hold for you?" 1 "Not exactly," bald the dear young j lond. "What I puzzle ovor the most > what tho futuro will let go of lor > . C KilLLD ON 1KACT WELL KNOWI AUTOMOBIHI D1UVRK MJ9I9TS DEATH. First Day of Tuning-up Produces Aa* other Accident Also, In Which Dawson is Dndly llurt. Choosing a. ditch at the side of the course In preference to plunging into a heavy wagon whi?h suddenly loomed before him on an *'8" turn oil (be automobile course, at Savannah Monday morning, Jay D. McNay, the California automobile racing driver, chose death, for bis little lowbuilt Case car ended its course against a tree, and the driver was taken from the wreck as he breathed his last. iMcNay's mechanician, FI. K. Maxwell, was seriously, but not fatally, hurt. The accident occurred on the first practice flay for the automobile races of Thanksgiving week. McNay was placed in another car an-1 rushed rapidly to the Savannah hospital, but was dea l when he got there. Maxwell is badly hurt, but his injuries are not fatal. I his was tho second accident ot trio morning, Joe Dawson, driving a Mariuon car, having been in a collision a little earlier with several other drivers and a touring car which was on the course. Dawson is hurt so badly he may not be able to enter the Vanderbilt cup race or the Grand Prize race. The other drivers in this genoral inid-up were Knipper in a Mercer and Barnes in a Mercer. They wero not hurt. Nickrent was driving the car in which Dawson was riding when a touring car came along 011 the course and the four cars ran together, tho drivers apparently becoming confused. The Mercer cars were badly damaged. McNay's remains were carried to a local undertaking establishment. Tlis body bore few marks to show what caused death, but It is believed his neck was broken. McNay began his racing career in Texas, but has been on all the famous tracks of the country. The Record says many South Carolinians saw Jay McNay at the wheel of his big Case machine during tho recent Stat? fair automobile races in Columbia, and to these sport-lovera the news of his sudden and violent end will bring a personal shock. iMcNay met many visitors to the fair and made dozens of friends. The big, clean, steady-eyed, modest fellow was signally attractive. ? EIGHTEEN 1)110 IN MINE HOHHOH. ? Only Four Rescued From Region of Coal Dust Explosion. Eighteen men were killed in a coal dust explosion, which occurred Saturday in the Bottom Creek Mine, of the Bottom Creek Coal and Coke Company, at Vivian, W. Va. 'More than one hundred and fifty men were in the mine at the time of the explosion, but all escaped excepting eighteen of the twenty-two who were tu the explosion zone. Four of these were rescued. All but two of tho bodies have been recovered at midnight. Among the men killed were: Engineers \V. Tf. Henderson, Roekville, Md.: E. R. Hervey, of Philadelphia; Tarvin Williams, of Key stone, \\. \ i\,, ana canaries nrewer, or Elkhorn, W. Va., were in a party of five making a semi-annual survey of the mine. Alexander Williams, the fifth enlgneer, was saved. Theo thers killed were negroes or foreigners. WHIPPED NEGRO PREACHER. ?. Ordered Him to Leave Community and Never I Jet urn. A report has reached Edgefield that a body of citizens numbering about fifty took George Miocker, a colored preacher, of the Antioch section, out Monday morning and whipped him with a buggy trace, ordering him to leave the community at once and never return again. It is said that Miocker incited or urged Otis Harris, another negro, to attack young Albert Lyon in the public road last Friday, it is also said that recently In some of his sermons Miocker has made incendiary statements that were calculated to arouse prejudice among the negros for tho white people. Georg Mlockr owned several huiulrd acres of land and was one of the leaders among the negroes of that community. ? ? ? - Stabbed a Fellow Prisoner. Patrick Collins, a convict in the Eddyville, Kv., penitentiary, who would have completed his term In eight months is In solitary confinement, charged with tho murder of Timina T /\n no n fn 1 1 r\ w An ? ' (HIM O u Wlivo, IV V. V- * * V/ j I I UJV II* I . ****' gered at a retort of Jones, Collins leaped upon him and Inflicted a mortal wound with a harness wnife before he could be overpowered by othar convicts. Trained Sea Lion Kseaped. Tiring of its daily routine at balmcing a ball on tlie end of its nose n a North Side theatre at Chicago, n trained sea lion flopped through a vlndow pan? and into an alley. v ?Vhen it felt the snow and sniffed tho old air, it appeared in its natural demont and started at a lively gait or Lake Michigan.