The Horry herald. (Conway, S.C.) 1886-1923, May 16, 1912, Image 1

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

. r ? \ -V N 4 ( % ' ? VOL XXVI. [fllJMl By Failure of the Officers to Capture Brute BLOOD ROUNDS ON TRAIL . / On Monday When it Became Known That a Negro Had Entered the Bed Room of an Estimable Lady Residing in the Northern Suburbs 'of Conway the Community was Stirred from Center to Circumference. Posse Organized and With a Blood Hound Trailed the Fiend a Circuit ous Way to the Dipot. A Negro Answering inscriptions Arrested at Tabor, N. C., But Aurhoritics Refused to Surrinder i Him For Obvious Reasons. On last Sunday night about the hour of o'clock, noighbors were alarmed by screams coming from the residence of a young widow lady living in the Gully residence.section of the town. Mr Hudson Russ, who lived nearby, was the lirst who was awaken by the noise, and taking his gun, went to the scene of the difficulty. lie got there just in time to miss a mulatto negro who had entered the dwelling by some back window, and becoming frightened by the screams of the inmates, had lied through tho front part of the house, and made good his escape. The matter was kept quiet during Monday, and not many uf tho par ticulars could be obtained. It was '?th? msin mi tared from a MltlllCU UIIU u Viiu ?? -? window, the sash of which he had noisiessly raised, somewhero in the rear of the house. He went into one of the rooms in which be found nobody except the children. In the next room, he had advanced to a point oetween the two beds, which the room contained, and struck a match. There were two ladies sleep in# in the room, The striking of the match doubtless awakened one of them, and she screamed, waking the other. When the intruder saw that he had two to contend with, he lied as above related, making good his escape j isb before the arrival of iMr liuss with his gun. The authorities wired to Whiteville, N. C., for blood-hounds, which would arrived on the mid day train. The lady livjd alone in the house with her small children. On this particular night her sister was a visitor at her house, and this fact - - j . i probaoiy prevuuLL'u iuu out of a dastardly crime. The dog arrived from Whiteville with bis owner on the 1:15 train, and the Sherill, with Chief L H Ambrose and a party of others took the dog to the house immediately. The negro had left the house through one of the windows opening on the front porch, and the 3ash had a curtain. The negro had handled this curtain in making his exit. The took a scent at this curtain, trailed oil the piazza, thou along a stretch of road, finally reaching the railroad track, which was folio wed for some distance. The dog then left the railroad track, went out among some tenant houses, and finally took tho sidewalk down Main Street, trailed to tbe negro waiting roomut tho depot, and up to the ticket window, then out side into the yard, and at a point near the end of the depot where passengers get off and on the trains, sat down and wagged his tail. On Sunday, as is related elsewhere in this paper, two negro men had a row over cards on the bill section of the town, and one shot the other fhirmirh the hand. The one who """ " -? ? - - was shot was arrested and lodged in jail, the other made good bis escape, The authorities bad telegraphed to the authorities at that point in an clTort to head off' the negro who had used the pistol on Sunday Unuer these instructions a negro had been apprehended at Tabor, N. C., he haviug evidently gone there on the early train on Monday being hauled over by the conductor. His description, which was nearly white, with gold in the front teeth, seemed to lit the description of tho negro who had done the shooting, and who it was thought had attempted another crime while tryiug to elude the Sheriff on Sunday night. Kiug Seals was holding hi in at Tabor. After the dog had trailed the scent to the train, it was believed that tho two crimes hud been committed by one andthesame person, and Chief Ambrose was sent to Tabor, N. C., on tho aftornoon train Monday evening. When he arrived there to ta?e tne negrc back to Horry, he fouud that the authorities would refuse to give h'm up. It had been discovered that he was the sauce negro who had killed a constable at Max ton, N. C, some months ago, and had escaped, and there was something like a thousaud dollars offered as a reward for his capture by the North Caro liua authorities* Mr Ambrose re ' / '' ' *"* Wkti Court of Reference. There was a hearing at the court house last Thursday before W L | Bryan, the Clerk of the Court, a? special referee, in the case of G Ji Jenkins, as Admistrator of the I estate of A W Jenkins, Pla'ntifT. aiminst R H Rhodes. Samuel Uabon "n ? and J T Barker. Many witnesses had b?rtn summ(med and were sworn | iothecae. Tho case grew out of the foreclosure of a mortgage of five acres of land, which had been eonveyed to Samuel Rabon by J T Barker in 1898, Robou making a mortgage to Burker to secure the suui of $50.00 of the purchase money, A short time after wards, J T Barker transferred tho nole and mortgage to L B Sarvis, and a short time after that Sarvis transferred to A W Jenkins in a mule trade. Some years past, Rabon got dissatisfied wi'h his trade,and refused to p \y up , He had never recorded tho deed that j Barker gave him for the five acres. Out bis mortgage was duly recorded Finally Barker bought the interest of Rabon back, and some sort of 1 transfer was passed between them, and Rabon gave Barker back the deed ho had made him for tho land. ; Barkor then made a deed to R H Rhodes. All this time the mortgage was held by Mr Jenkins, and now 1 since his death Mr G B Jenkins is < collecting it as Administrator. The land is situated at Round Swamp, . and is a fine location for a country j business. Rhodes lives cn the laud and perhaps has a store thereon, i Rev. and Mrs J M Fleming and ( daughter, Miss lunmu, of Lumber- < ton, N. C , passed through Conway < Monday, en-route to the Pee Dee ( section where thev will visit rela lives. Mr. Fleming is pastor of Baker's Chapel near Adrian, and < will fill his regular appointment j there Saturday night and Sunday. < turned to Conway on Monday night without the man, and the Sheriff ' and his deputies were again bafilod. , During his stay in the town lookup at Tabor, the negro made two attempts to break out, and was almost successful in getting away, but a i strict guard is being maintained i around the place. There is another feature of the case that demands attoution. One of the boys sleeping in the houge stated that while partly asleep he heard some one in the rear of the house call the name of the lady three times, before coming in. That just a few minutes after the calling, the negro entered the room where the boy was sleeping and struck a match, and the boy stated that he covered up his head to avoid the light, and that he did not think of ' any danger. But he distinctly remembers the calling, and that it was in a strange voice. It is aiso stated that this first room into \frhich the brute entered, was the room where the ladios usually slept, but on this particular night, this room had been given to some of the childred, and some visiting children. I one oi tne ironi; ruurjs wao taivcu I by the lady and her sister who was visiting her with ber children. The negro was discovered in the room of the lady by his striking a match. Before striking the match, he had raised the sash through which he escaped, and had propped it up by the use of a stick that he had brought with him from the first room he entered. The lady of the house was not awakened at first The visiting sister was awakened by the light from the match, and boiug a woman of steady nerves, she first managed to try to awaken the , other lady, Quickly she jumped ! out of the bed, asking the other if she had just struck a match, pretending that she did not realize the presence of the negro in the room, aud quickly going to the bureau, lighting a lamp with a match, and gave the other woman a rapid shake got her awake. It was about this time that the screaming on tho part of both took place, and the negro during tuis time had been standing near the foot of the bed, holding his face averted so it could not be seen. ' It frightened him it seems wl^en he realized that he had two instead of one to deal with, and made a quick dive for the window where he had ' already proped up tho sash. He1 > broke out one of the panes as he ' " 1 *"" lUivMi/rh fliu twin. wem, UIIU to luiuu^u miu 1T1Hdow jumped on the oed, causing the ; slats to fall out. The negro who was shot in tho band on Sunday in jail. As the 1 negro at Tabor now under arrest is i a stranger here, as can easily be i proved, it is hard to understand how ,ho knew the name of the house and called before entering. > The negro at Tabor claims the 1 one ho shot is his partner in the i gambling business, while the one in I jail hero says that he does uot 1 know the other. , No stone will be loft unturned to i bring this miscreant to justice. In i addition to the authorities, there I are others who will leave nothing - undone to find him and bring him to justice. S ?m CONWAY, S. C., TE erne uiiiir fim oiuL nnin luiiulu Gathered by a Herald Man on His Rounds. CAUSHT OK THE BOUNCE. Stray Bits of News Gathered by the Wayside for the Information and Instruction,' of Herald Keadcrs-'ilappctilnigrs of interest About the Clt.v. E P Johnson was in Conway on business last Monday. I A Bell, of Bu.yboro, visited Con way on business one day last week. J G Rhodes, of Boris section, spent Thursday in Conway on business. D V Richardson, of Bucksport, was in Conway last week on business. "Jones, at Justice beats 'em all. He gives a pound of good cc ITee for i dozen eggs." tf. S&muel Rabon and W G Sarvis were both in Conway last Tuesday :>n legal business. Dr E A Stulvev, of Socastee, was unong those visiting Conway the latter part of'last week. C T"Hurdee, of Dog Bluff town-hip, was among the farmers visiting Conway recently on business. The frequent showers last Saturday and on Sunday were needed by some of t.he young crops. The weather had been getting rather Iry. J H Long, of the Ebenezer section )f this county, was among the people in Couway last Tuesday. He was me of trie wituesess in the case of Jenkins vs Rhodes. lion R B Scarborough will make an educational address at Pisgah Church Sunday, Ma}r 26kh, 1912, at 3:30 o'clock in the afternoon. Tho public is cordially invited. Burroughs & Collins Company has one hundred acres of Irish potatoes on their farms near Myrtle Beach, this year. They will soon be ready to place on them the market. Moore Thompson and wife, of Little River, passed through Conway recently on their way to Wilmington, N C., returning here on the following day, on their way home. W L Hardee, of Longs, SC., was in Conway last Thursday having been summoned as a witness in the case of Jenkins vs Rhodes, in a hearing of the case before the Clerk of the Court as special referee. The delegates recently elected by the County convention to represent the county in the State Convention of the Democratic party left here yesterday for C ilumbia, to be present at the convention which comes olf to-day. Two negro men foil out on the hill last Saturday over a card game, and one shot the other in the hand. Some negro women ran after the Sheriff, but when the officers arrived at the scene, the wielder of the pistol had tanen his leave for other parts. It is reported form Myrtle Beach that Steven Vereen of that place, died on Thursday, May 9th, at the age of 102 years, being at that age, it is believed, the oldest man in Florr}' County. His death was due to the infirmities of his age. Mr B L Housend brought to the Herald office one day last week, a specimen of Chiuese mustard, which was a good examplo of what is is possible th do in the raising of vegetable*, even in the small gardens of the town. This plant was as large as a cabbage, and at the same time was tender and crisp. I B Parker was in Conway last Thursday having a hearing before Magistrate Chestnut, in the case of a negro named Graham, charghe with stealing several hogs from Mr Parker. The evidence was oircumstantial but was held sufficient by the magistrate to bind the defendant over to the court of General Sessions. The Herald has this week the card of Mr C F Best, who is a candidate for the House of Representatives. His father was the late E V Best who was cut off in the prime of life a few years ago, to the great sorrow .of many friends, and leaving the son ? U!?l, WILLI rt-'^MUU&LUUILltTB, WUIVJU he has bravely and successfully met. The father was twice elected to the office of Superintendent of Education, and was the only one in the county who has had this distinction. The son reflects the good character and stability of the father. He will make the stock law the issue. As many know this question is one which is bound to come up again, and is one which must be settled, The large timber areas are fast desappearing, so that the conditions are fast changing from what they onoe were. 1 :rKW ' ' | : IURSDAY, MAY 16, 1912 Marriage Licenses. During the week ending May 15th the following marriage licenses were issued, none of which have been returned to the Ciork of the Court's oflii e No 221 Issued Ma3* 9th to Benjamin Jones and Eliza E Dewitt, both of Oonwav. 1 No 222 Issued May 14th to W E Wilkes, of Green Creek, N. J , and Nettie Long, of Litt'e River, S C. No 223 Issued May 14tb, to George L Hardee and Zilla Jackson, b^th of Howard. No 324 Issued May 14th to Carson Grainger and Sallie Jackson, ooth of Tabor. Governor Blease has appointed W M Long, of R. F. D. No 1 a Notar/ Public. Athens Items Editor Herald:?Health of this' community is generally good at this writing. We have been having some more good showers recently. Crops are all looking fine, bu people are having a tight time fight ing general green. Miss Luna Stephens and brother Lealand, visited relatives and friends near Clarendon, N. C., recently Bo^t wishes to the Herald and its many readers. Lonely Heart. James I*. Mincy. After several wee?s of suffering with that dreaded disease consumption, James P Mincy departed this mortal life and entered into eternal rest on the 29th day of April, 1912 He was born February 29th, 1878 and was married March 13ub, ,1907 to Mrs J Hattis Smith and to them one child was born. His widow little daughter and a step-son survive - " him. His remains were iaiu iu icno in the Thompson Ceme ery on the following day. A brief burial service was conducted by Mr W H Lewis, a friend and neighbor of the deceased Brother Miucy was a kind husband and father, generous friend and neighbor a conscientious citixen. lie suffered much, but his sufferings are over for he died in full assurance of the rest that remaineth for God,a children, For several days before his death his greatest wish was that death might come quickly and easily He was a home-sick child, extreemly anxious for a s'ght of his Heavenly Father's mansions, While we deeply feel our loss we know that it is his gain. J N J. N E Hardwick, of Loris R F D No 2, was in Conway on business last Monday, and while here left his card announcing his candidacy for election to the cflice of County Supervisor of Horry County, subject to the Democratic Primary. Mr Hardwick is one of our most progressive and well-known citizens, and has been favorably known in politics before. He was County Supervisor during the years 1897 and 1898, having been elected to that oflice in 189(i. He served that term with ability, and to the entire satisfaction of his constituents. He was a mem ber of the County Board in 1901), retiring from the position for personal reasons. Mr Hardwick has many friends and will make a good run. W J Langstou will preach as announced, D V, noxt Saturday night at Buck Creek, Sunday 11 a m at the same place Pleasant Plain in the | af ernoon Sunday 3 o'clock and again at Warn pee at 8 p in, The public is cordially invited to all o( these services. Notice of Election. By virtue of authority vested in us by the County Board of Education, the undersigned hereby give notice that an election will be held at the Evergreen School grounds, Saturday June, 1st, to vote on a special levy of 4 mills to supplement the School funds of District No. 2. Polls open at 8 a. m. and^ close at 4 p. m. t r? D ^ u ? J J . X~. 1WJUCI to, R. J. Beverly. W. H. King. Trustees. Salt Under Execution. Under an execution issued in the case of McCaskey Register Co., va H W Mishoe, to me directed I have levied upon and will sell at public auction before the court house door at Conway, S C., during legal sale hours, on salesday, June 3rd, 1912, all that certain tract of land in Bayboro township, containing 60 acres, more or less, and bounded north by lands of H J Graham, east by Placard Road, south and west by Burroughs & Collins Co., being known as the Nettie Martin Place, and conveyed to H W Mishoc by B J Sessions, Sheriff of Horry county, in case of Phipps vs Martin. TERMS OF SALE?Cash. Pure has er to pay for papers. B J SESSIONS, Sheriff of Horry County. May 14, 1912. H H Woodward, Plaintiff's Attorney. 0 ' %9RS Wr Tr r5 HPCSKlY f^Sr r >y^s era ML 1 win BY.: 1 A Calm Cool and Logical ' Argument in Defense THE LAW AND EVIDENCE Mr Van Norton in Reply to Mr John 1 cCaakill, a County Commissioner, Makes a Strong Argument in I)e- i fanse of His Fasition - (Jives Opini ions of tha State Supreme Ceurt ? The Right of the Individual Citizen to Inquire Into the Action of County j Officers Well Established. f There are only two statements in Mr. Commissioner McCaskill's article last week to which I wish now 1 to refer. The rest may, if they must, come up later. "If Van wishes to dipcuss our official conduct squarely, I would 1 be glad to go into it with him;" so ; says John. I wish to discuss one of : the official acts of Messrs. McCaskiJl and Lewis; their official conduct may come up later. , 1. "I'll say," says John further, 1 "that the only instructions that we had when we endorsed these claims, 1 (the Walter Misboe Detective claim) 1 was the Cary Cothran Act, which : was all Ihe law which could be pro1 1 - niiKianf nrltinll 1 TV W llUCttll lipuu lilt) Buujco*) .? .. plainly directed us to approve the , claim." These instructions is one of the things I wish to discuss. 2. But let us lirst take up the other: "The idea of our being supposed to a3Couut to Van," says John, "as to whether or not the County oflicors have earned their pay is so rediculously absurd that a decent dog would turn away from it to vomit." Johnnie must turn himself back to his vomit. John McCaskill, as a Commissioner of this county, is not only supposed to account to me for the payment of officers and of all public claims for services rendered or not rendered; but 1 can make him, com pel him, under the plain letter of the law to supply me with any individual account in his office. The law believes in public officers' accounting, whether this Bjard does or not; and it directs its members to account to any one of us indi/iduai* ly, if one wants an acoount. It may be as hard on John as his dog; but it is right and just; and it is the law. The Cary Cothran Act is referred to by Commissioner McCaskill, but he does not quote: "If they ^Sheriffs and other officers named) Nail to do so (enforce the liquor lawft, it is hereby made the duty of the Governor to enforce the same;" and the method by which the Governor acts is added: "anfi he is hereby authorized to appoint such deputies, etc, as may be necessary, the sala1 /vAinnHe frt TIGS tVIlCl Gxpoiists J1 SIIUU uiiituio i/u be paid * * * out of the ordinary county funds in couuties wherein dispensaries have not been established." The laws upou the statute books of South Carolina constantly enjoin two things, the performance of their duty by public oflicers, and the accountability of oflicers to the people, individually and collectively. And these two things, facing them in the laws on every page, facing 1 their consciences in overy official ' act, have been carefully winked at 1 by nearly every officer that has touched the Walter Mishoe Detec1 tive claims from the Governor's Commission to act to the payee's endorsement on the last check. In the pletifcitude of caution that the whiskey laws be enforced, the right is given the Governor to appoint persons to enforce it. Bst the 1 power is limited to the condition ' produced by the "failure"?not the 1 neglect, but the failuro?of the regular oflicers to enforce it, and also limited "to appoint such deputies, - etc.. as may be necossary." Tbe law says, not so many deputies, but such deputies as may be necessary, : evidently expecting the Governor to select according to qualty as well as to limit the quantity of them. Everything before the appointment and everything after the appointment goes to show that neither of theso conditions, upon which is limited the Governors's power to take the enforcement of the liquor , laws out of the hands of regular offi, cers, wore over present in Horry. ? There may have been sporadic ca> sea of neglect among our officers, doubtless^ was; but the Court records show conclusively that there was no failure. And the Court re cords should also show, both positively and negatively, that quality was hardly considered in the appointment of a person to supply tic i regular officers' assumed failure. There was no reason for the ap oointmont of a Detective in Horry to enforce the liquor laws. The City of Charleston has been wide open, tiger eaten, full of barrooms ?plenty of official failures in plain sight?where detectives could have been used to enforce the law. But 1 A J 1 # b appointing such deputies, etc., may be necessary in Charle might not be good politics; whil appointment in Horry that sec . the very best political worker in/ county may bf3 so?and would^ 4 been, in ali probability, of tme pointee had just remombetJed send up a few cases to court, e if they had all conic clear. / The next point historically: appointee as liquor Detective supply the "failure" of the regi officers, has, so far as can be lea ed. never done a single act un<. his commission, except file claims for pay. These claims came before 1 County Board of Commissioners a were regularly laid aside by t Beard until new members of t Board had been appointed by t Governor with the advise and cc sent of the Senator from Horr The new Board proceeded to a prove these whiskey detect! claims against the law, against tj facts; and, 1 might even add, again the peace and dignity of the Stat 1. The Board has never had tl right oveu to consider these clain ?. <?in/9 .,nri it.s nonsideration an HlO A-l I V V4 ) MLAV* > ? w approval of them is legally a nullitj 2. The Hoard's use of fundraised by taxes for other purpose*to pay liiis alleged indebtedness isil egal as well as unjust. These two propositions T will de Lnonstrate to you; and then I wil aot have said all that should b< said upon the matter. 1. As to the Hoard's jurisdiction to consider these particular claims. Our Supreme Court has decided: The law, providing that no claim against a county shall be audited or ordered paid unless itemized, etc., and that the county Board may refuse to audit or allow a claim unless made out and verified in the manner provided, is mandatory, so that the proper itemization of claims against a count* is necessary to confer jurisdiction on the county Board to yudit and allow the same. Itemization, as defined by the Court, is a statement in detail of the claim so that the account may be examined and its correctness tested. "When merely the different articles furnished or the ditl'erent services rendered," says the Court, J "are set down without dates, one of I the most important particulars necessary to the examination is omitted!" The Walter Mishoe Detective -i~:?, and t.hfi 1 I'ltll III D aiu U u ? Board had, therefore, uo authority even to consider them. Their consideration and approval is legally a nullity. This is the law as plainly stated from the Supreme Court decisions, and that Court gives many good reasons why the Legislature has made it so. The Court reasons that the Legislature intends for the people, for investigating committjes, for grand juries to have before them a plain statement of the specific things and particular services their money has been paid ouc for. ^ Can any one possibly suppose that this requirement does not apply to one who holds a commission to draw pay and renders no services to bo itemized? Suppose a member of the county Board should never attend a meeting, could he bo paid for his services under the law authorizing him to be paid for 30 days during the year, merely because he is commissioned and qualified? Is there any distinction between officers paid by the day? Now, compensation by annual' salary might allow a fellow merely to tote a key and draw his pay; but payment by the day, as Commissioners and whiskey detectives are paid, would certainly contemplate getting some days' service for the money. 2. The Supreme Court has deci-. ded that it is unlawful for any officer, State or county, to contract for any purpose in a sum in excess of the tax levied or the amount appropriated for the accomplishment of such purpose. The application of the rule to the conditions we are here discussing would necessitate an inquiry as to whether a whiskey constable is an officer or an employee in so far as the payroll is concerned. Such a discussion is too technical for me to undertake here. But this is plain: "It is quite clear," says the Supreme Court, 41 that the County Commissioners would have no authority to draw any check to pay Sheriff for dieting prisoners in jail until thev were first notified that there were funds in the county Treasury applicable to such claim sullieient to pay such check, even though there may oe funds in the,county Treasury at the time applica- < ble to some other object of county expenditure." 'Even for so absolutely necessary a purpose as feeding prisoners in jail, the county Commissioners have no right to issue checks without money on hand for that purpose to pay them, There has been no money in the hands of the County Commissioners vi^...... n mittfn ai f lor 1 a/) t m ul iLUl 1 jt vumu vjr | vaviava tv * ??v aaa taxes to pay liquor constables or appropriated in estimates of ordinary expenses to that purpose. The Board had made no such approprla(Contiuuod on Page 8.)