Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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'• V *• ' ^ " •' - ' " 3? OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF BARNWELL COUNTY. L im. J*Ju»( Llk« a M«mb«r of Family' VOLUME LVIIL BARNWELL, SOUTH CAROLINA. THURSDAY, MAY 2SRD, 19S5. Bo Miller’s Escape to Be Investigated ' " ^ Blay DecUres Negro Allowed to Leave State Farm Without Permission of Governor — Columbia, May 16.—An investiga tion into the escape May 12th of “Bo” Miller, negro, from two State farm guardis while %n a visit To his sick wife, who lives jiear Blackville, was oidere^ by the house of representa tives cf South Carolina yesterday, Speaker Claude A. Taylor appointing Representatives Solomon Blatt^- of Barnwell; M. M. Johnson, of Kershaw, ajui J. D. Poag, of Greenville, to make the probe. The work is to cost not more than $100^ The resolution, calling for an in- vestigatidn of this escape, -knd for — ascertaining the reason for taking “Bo” Miller to Barnwell, was intro duced by Representative Blatt Mr. Blatt said the negro had given officials of Barnwell County consider able trouble. He said the man had been arrested’ for killing a negro, had given bond and then had ^‘skipped,” and that the courity spent about $500 in having him apprehended in New York and grought back to jail. Some - time later, supplied with a hacksaw* by a visitor, Mr. Blatt sftid he sawed I him -from New York. his way out, releasing several other prisoners. About $400, he said, was spent in having Miller again arrested in Massachusetts and brought back fcr trial. In Dcember, 1934, Miller was tried and was sentenced to^ serve 15 -years for manslaughter. “Two or three times, without the permission of the governor, this negro has been brought to Barnwell and allowed to roam the streets,” Mr. Blatt said. “Last Sunday he was brought there by two guards. Later he went to his wife’s “home and es caped. “I called attention of the governor to the matter and! he was upset about it. Officials were advised of the na ture of this negro and told that he would get away. “Now he has gone. I am satisfied* there is something behind it, and I want an investigation in fairness to the governor.” The resolution was promptly adopt ed and a little later Speaker Taylor appointed the committee to make the investigation. Seen and Heard Here During the Past Week A Little Senae and Nonsense Abont . People Yon Know and Others ^ ^ You DoaVKnow. Pretty young stenographer asking she could get her money back af ter the collapse of the “chain letter club” here last week.—;—.—.—Aik local business man saying that he fought shy of membership in the club Friday afternoon, only to find shortly before the bubble burst that friend wife had “invested^’.. . . •. . Ex- piessions of regret on the part of late comers that Governor Johnston had: taken action to stop the lotteries be fore they had the opportunity of “cash ing in.” . . Estimates that not more than $100 changed hands in the few hours of “frenzied finance.” . . J. B. Mixson find Charlie Marsh ar riving in Barnwell for the “cuke deal,” this being the latter’s first visit here in. several years. . . The appear ance of the first liqucr advertisement in a South Carolina daily newspaper, the law prohibiting such advertise ments having been repealed by the en actment of the liquor license law. . . . . Johnnie Scoville with a card board puzzle that friend wife brought A LOCAL DIONNE. , A setter dog owned by Prof. W. W. Carter, superintendent of I \ the local schools, recently gave | * ibirth to a jitter cf 16 puppies, «► thus qualifying as a canine Dionne. Several of the puppies died within a few clays after birth. Local bird dog fanciers say that such *—large litter probably establishes a new rec ord. Dunbarton Girls Run Afoul of Georgia Law Two Hughes Sisters Arrested and Later Released FoUowing Shoot- ___ ing of G: E. Bell. Longest Session Has Adjourned Sine Die 81st General Assembly Came to Close Saturday Night.—Important Measures Enscted. Clasi of Seventeen Will Be Graduated Chain Letter Chibs Come to Abrupt End Annusl Exercises Will Be Held Fridsy Close in Barnwell add Elsewhere When Evening With Presentation of Class Play. ^r-Cr Flossie. Hughes, estranged sweet heart of George Edward Bell, and her younger sister, Lucille, arrested in connection with the shooting of Bell Monday night, were released from the Richmond County jail Tues- dy afternoon when officers said they were convinced that Bell shot him self. _ Charges—against the two \rfVlUl O* yuuiig Eitibon saying that the last crates of j women were dismissed, the officers said, their investigation indicating that neither of them was implicated in the shooting of Bell which occurred at the White Way Tourist camp on the Milledgeville road. Bell who sustain ed a bullet wound above the heart, is in the University hospital where he is reported to have an excellent chance for recovery. Deputy Sheriffs Walter E. Kent, Jesse L. Watkins and W. C. Wilker- son, who investigated the shooting, asparagus and the first hampers of cucumbers recently left here on the same train, a most unusual occurrence. A letter from a Citadel cadet'Quot ing Coach Tatum Gressett as saying that the military college expects to have an even better freshman foot ball team this fall than the champion ship “rat” squad of 1934. . . An gus Patterson trying to get some in formation aboutthe new liquor license law from Romulus Reese, secretary of the State anti-prohibition orgenizu-, sa '^ to ^ Ih 61 * 1 when they arrived tion. . . . And a dispatch from,l our i s ^ eamp, that he had shot Columbia to the effect that D. H. Ful- i himself. His statement was supported mer, of Blackville, and Lucius W. Bus- [ hy his estranged sweetheart, who said bee, of Springfield, are the first in J he fired the shot into, his shoulder as this section of the State to apply for a Future, carefully placing it where retail licenses to sell whiskey. . . . A heavy black cloud) from the south moving in a north-easterly direction it would not be fatal, after she had broken their engagement. Bell is charged with violating the about the time of the BranchYille tor-,t ate Prohibition law, carrying a pis nkco, and a later report that a hard ^ w **hout a license and operating a rain had fallen at Hilda Nick Coclin saying that he had ap- Exercises Enjoyed in New Auditorium Baccalaureate and Dedicatory Services Held Here Sunday and Monday ■ f ■ . Evenings. . Large congregations attended the baccalaureate and dedicatory services held! in the spacious auditorium of the Barnwell high school building on Sun day and Monday evenings, and at the conclusion of the last service the visi tors were given an opportunity to in spect the new building, which has just been completed at a cost of $50,000. The baccalaureate sermon was preacned by Dr. Jienr5r Phillips, rec tor of Trinity Church, Columbia’, who substituted for the Rev. Lewis N. Tay lor, the latter being unable to come to Barnwell on account of a death in his family. Dr. ^Phillips’ discourse was delivered) in his usual masterful way and greatly enjoyed by the entire congregation. On Monday eve: Jesse F. Carter, assoc the State Supreme speaker of the occasion, •place of the Hon. Neville nuisance. He recently acquired the tourist camp which he operated until plied for a license to sell liquor but, Mondiay night when he shot himself “refusing to divulge” the location of, an argument with Miss Hughes, the liquor store. . . . A Williston^* 16 officers said, visitor who got hooked in the “chain 1 ^‘ ss Hughes said she formerly letter club” last wtek. . . Victim | lived in Charleston, where she was a of a recent automobilte wreck being, c *£ ar maker, but recently her profes- asked if his car was badly dfamaged, s ' on * s buried alive, which she and replying, “Not so bad and right 80 id is more remunerative. She said bad too.” ... So you probably she came here several weeks ago with know the exact extent of the damage. | w h°m she was engaged. She . . . Supt. W. W. Carter being said the ^ remained in separate cabins loudly applauded at the dedicatory ex- eemp and a short time ego her ercisaa in the new high school build-| 8 ' ster ’ Lucille, came here to stay ing Monday evening . He has been a! w ^^ er * said she - was living with tireless worker during the construc tion of the handsome new building. ite Gout the Hon. justice of was the king the ennett, who suffered a painful. injury\to his hand last week in a tractor accident. The Hon. J. H. Hope, State superin tendent of education, was also unable * to be present. „ > ~ The address of welcome was deliver ed by Senator Edgar A. Brown and the honor guests wer^. introduced to the assemblage by Ool. Solomon Blatt. Greetings were extended by S. P. Clemons, J. F. McBride, W. H. Willis, Waller Bailey, Capt. J ; . L. M. Irby, L. P. Slattery, FT Arthur Hazard, H. J. Crouch and John Kelly. The color ed janitor, Sam Jones, was loudly ap plauded when he was introducecHrom the stage. Sam admitted that he has "been a faithful servant for many years. > Special . musical programs added greatly to the enjoyment-of the ser vices on both occasions. TRY A EttSIXESS BUILDER FOR SATISFACTORY RESULT* Governor Johnston Warns Bootleggers Calls Upon Sheriffs and Other Offi cers in South Carolina to Do Their Duty her parents in Dunbarton prior to coming here. She said she is a native of Barnwell County.—The Augusta Chronicle. ' SPECIAL SERVICES AT LOCAL M. E. CHURCH Beginning Monday, May 27th, we are planhing to hold a series of special services at the Barnwell Metho dist Church. The Rev. M. W. Sevier, pastor of ‘ the Greenville Methodist I Church, and American Legion chap- ilain for the department of South Columbia, May 16.—Governor Olin D. Johnston .yesterday warned opera tors cf unlicensed liquor shops to, close them immediately and threaten- ! Carolina, will be with- as- to preach, ed a Statewide cleanup drive in the*^rvicra '»’» be hrttfeach morning at ' • ’ ■ ~ -- All near future. “I am taking this method,” he said, “of calling upon evexy sheriff and i other officers in South Carolina to do their duty to see that no person bootlegs liquor any longer but quali fies under the existing law to sell liquor.” The governor, charged with enforce ment of the law as 9:30 and each evening at 8:15. ary urged to attend each all visitors will find members service, and an visitors win nnd a vry hearty welcome. J. C. Inabinet, Pastor. Dunbartpn High School Finals. Dunbarton, May 21.—Baccalaureate services of the Dunbarton high school a whole, said! will be held next Sunday morning at violators would be prosecuted to the j 11:30 o’clock in the local Baptist fulhextent of the law. In subordinat- j Church. Dr. W. M. Jones, of Barn- ing hie personal views to the mandate well will preach the sermon, of a referendum last summer to sign} The graduating exercises will be the act, jje called upon the citizens held in the high school auditorium oh for supportun enforcing it. unirit. The law allots the g^iynor’s office c ^ oc l c $60,000 a year jor enforcement, and! ^ P^ a y wili be thousands of applications were report ed to have been received! from would- be constables, but members of his of fice staff said none-had been employ ed yet. * Friday evening, May 31st, at 8:30 o’- Miss Irene Johnston has returned , ( to her home at Kline after a delight ful visit to friend and relatives West Palm Beach and other points 4n the “land of flowers.” — presented at the class day exercises. The leadSng characters have been assigned to Hie seniors, with members of the ninth and tenth grades assisting. After the play, diplomas will be awarded to seven/girls and three hoys. The salu tatprian is Ida Whaley and the vale rian is Vincent Harley. The public is invited to attend both of these exercises. Advertise la The People-Sentinel Columbia, May 19.—When the 81st general assembly of South Carolina adjourned its 1935 session just before midnight last night and its “members departed for their homes in the 46 ccunties of the State, It left behind it several measures of major importance. The liquor law, the law permitting the sale of naturally fermented wines; the law creating the rural electrifies- « tion authority; the law extending the school term to seven menths and in creasing teachers’ pay from $66 to $75, by the State; the workmen’s compen sation measure and.the'act providing for a rental system cf textbooks,- The session was the longest in the. State’s history, extending over 131 calendar days. When the members ar rived in Columbia January 8th, they were wearing overcoats, when they left last night, many of them were in white linens. J At 11:40 p. m. the presiding officer of the senate named Senators Parker, Jeffries and Hughs to notify the house that the upper body had! com pleted its business and at 11:44 Speak er Tayloi* named Representatives Witherspoon, Ponder and Chick to bear word to the senate that the house was ready to call it a session. The governor then sent his final message, and at 11:50 the house ad journed, the sente following five min utes later. Bidding the lawmakers adieu, Gov ernor Johnston said, “Till we meet again, permit me to extend tb each of you my most sincere good wishes for the health, happiness and prosperi ty of yourselves and your loved ones/’ The last day was consumed largely\ in adoption of free conference reports on various measures, one of these the workmen’s compensation bill. The report met with some oppoeition in both houses, but was finally adopted and sent to the goverhor, who said last night he had not had opportunity to. read it and; so did not care to say what his action would be. In the house Phil D. Huff, of Laurens, and L. Mendel Rivers, of Charleston, members of the conference committee, urged accep tance of the report, saying it provid ed for five commissioners and placed the number of employes at 15 in con cerns that would be exempted. John W. Duncan, of Aiken, other member of the conference, claimed it was “a * ' non-suit bill.” The senate debated it at length but finally adopted it. ^ Get Official Expenses. * The governor signed the supplemen tary appropriation bill in the after Governor Johnston Took Action in Columbia noon, this alldwing among other things, $260 to each member for official ex penses. The pay vouchers were promptly is sued and most of the members drew their money before they left the State House, the office of the comptroller general and! the treasurer being kept open after office hours in order to ac comodate the members. Veto Is Sustained. Interest in proceeding in the house in the afternoon centered largely in the vote on the veto of the governor on the so-called Lewis anti-adminis tration bill. This measure provided for a $3 auto license plate and also for election of 14 highway commis sioners by the legislative delegations of the 14 judicial circuits. Now the highway commissioners are appointed by the governor. Woman’s Missionary Society. Recently e standard of excellence was set as a goal for increasing in- teiest in the various activities in connection with the Woman’s Mission ary Society of the local Methodist Church. The rivalry between the four circles to attain the highest standing tends to inspire greater zeal and interest in going forward with various phases of missionary work. The Jennie Bates Hagood Circle (Mre. Hagood,.teacher) attained this honor for the month of April, having led in the following points: ■/ Highest in attendance at auxiliary meeting. Highest attendance .at circle meet ing. . Highest average contributions. Highest number of social visits made. Highest amount' raised for activi- tives in local work. at 8: lb, o’clock, In .the" new ium, at which time 17 young ladies and gentlemen will receive diplomas. A part of the exercises will be devot ed fo the presentation of the class play, “The Rosy Pathway,” the scene of which is laid in the home of “Rose Collins.” The cast is as follows: Rose Collins—Elizabeth Mace. Guy Oakes—J. F Readyr Grancy Garwood—Mary Brown. Gang Members—Seniors. — Historian—Myrtle Creech. Prophet—Edith Birt. Poet—Otis Sandlers. Lawyer—Ehrllst Still. Juniors. Imaginary Grancy—Helena Brown. Wisdom—Harry Dewey. « Preparedness — Martha Frances Grubbs. Sincerity—Pearl Thain. Character—Maria Coclin. Earnestness—Sarah Hogg. Service—Nellie Mae Riley. Greatness—Geneva Birt. LoVe—Vanderlyn Sanders. Special music will be played by Eugene Easterling, violinist, and Miss Grace League, pianist. Part Two of the program will be as follows: Class Song—Senior Class. Salutatory—Polly Faltes. . Valedictory—David Cooper. Presentation of Diplomas—H. J. Crouch. The members of the senior class are: David Cooper, J. F. Ready, Otis San- drs, S. E. Moore, Edith Birt, Mary Brown, Myrtle Creech, Mae Creech, immie Ann Creech, Margaret Croft, PdUy Fales, Lois Fields, Elizabeth Made, Latate Peeples, Zelma Morris, Ehrlist Still and Elizabeth"Fails. The annual graduating exercises of A “chisel-prooij chain letter the Barnwell high school will be held club” in Barnwell collapsed for lack tomorrow (Friday) evening, beginning of new members Friday night and over the State when Governor Olin D. Johnston had his constables raid an establishment on the 1200 block of Main Street in Columbia that afternoon, others closing in the capita) city and elsewhere in • hurry to avoid the same fate. The local “club” was started early Friday afternoon and for several hours did a rushing business, as local busi ness and professional men, clerks, steogmpbers, housewives and! what have you “bought memberships** and" hurriedly endeavored to secure new “members” in order to keep the chain unbroken and get “in the money.” The Barnwell chain was a dollar proposition, with 25 cents additional for notarial fee. There were eight names on each letter, the idea being that when the bottom name reached the top on a complete chain, the lucky person would have received $1,024, al though it is claimed that $256 was - the correct amount. The only trouble was that Barnwell is hot large enough to carry one such chain ‘to a success ful conclusion, to say nothing of all of the members cashing in on the idea for the full amount, or even a frac tional part thereof. As It was, a few who got in “on the ground floor” re ceived amounts varying from $2 to $15 one sister, Mrs. H. C. Folk, of Bam berg Teachers Re-elected. Blackville, May 21.—The people of the Double Ponds section will be glad to know that the two teachers, Mrs. W. C. Buist and Mrs. A. B. Hair, have been re-elected for the 1935-’36 session. They have rendered ekcel- Int service in the past. or more, although some of the “win ners” spent a part of their proceeds in re-buying places on the letters. Late Friday evening, it was found that all available prospective “mem bers” had been canvassed and enthusi asm began to wane, the late comers being left with the bag to hold. A few tried to get their money back, al though they knew—or should have known—all the time that everybody couldn’t win and that some of the dancers would have to pay the piper —or was it the fiddler? Aside from the lucky “members” who joined the “club” eerly in the gams, the only ones to profit were the notar ies public who witnessed the^ transac tions and the print shop where the let ters were printed And Governor Johnston has threat ened to revoke the commissions of the notaries who -participated. In com menting on his action in Columbia, the governor .said: “I ordered the chain club closed bo- cause it was a lottery, almost a akin game. The property seized in the raid made by my constables is forfeited to the State, juet as in the case of Former Legislator Passes in Columbia Gerard L. Weissinger, of Blackville, Died Monday After Illness With Pneumonia. The many Barnwell friends of Ger ard L. Weissinger, 59, formerly of Blackville, were shocked Tuesday to leafn of his death, which occurred at 11 o’clock Monday morning at the Columbia hospital, following S brief illness with pneumonia. Funeral ser vices were held at 12 o’clock, noon, Tuesday, at his former home in Black- «•«««* in way other form of lottery or gambling. /I want arrested those who were engaged in carrying on the chain business. “I intend to cancel the commisaiona as notaries at once of all notaries con nected withr it.” ville, conducted by the Rev. J. C. Inabinet, of Barnwell,, and the Rev. J. A. Pinckney, of, Allendale. “Gerry,” as he was known to hun dreds of friends, was a former mem ber of the house of representatives from Barnwell County, and fdr the past 12 years had been connected with the State tax commission as field agent. He moved his family to Co lumbia last August. Mr. Weissinger is survived) by his widow, the former Miss Sallie Rush; one daughter, Miss Helen Weissinger, stenographer to the general commit tees of the State senate; two brothers, J. F. Weissinger, of Tampa, Fla., and Columbia, May'19.—Curtis Williams, E./E[. Weissinger, of Blackville; and sentenced -from Greenville County to Thurmond Harris to Friday, June 7 M Was Placed in the Death Houae Sun day Mcrning.—Two Other Ne groes to Be Electrocuted. REFUSE EXTRA PAY. * The People-Sentinel was infermed Tuesday afternoon by Senator Edgar A. Brown that he, together with Rep resentatives ’Solomon Blatt, ci Barn- pell, and- Winchester C. Smith, Jr„ of WUHston, hdfl refused to accept for their personal use the $269 extra pay voted by the late general assembly fee ite members. Instead, the Senator said, the money, totaling $789, will be turned into the county treasury. This is in keeping with the policy of Born- well County’s delegation in the past die for the killing of a Greenville tekicab driver, has been ’placed in the death-house at the penitentiary and unless the courts or executive clemen cy intervene, will be electrocuted Fri day morning. ' Williams is the first of the three negroes who are scheduled to die in the electric chair within the next month. Thurmond Harris, sentenced in Barnwell County for an attack on an aged white woman in Williston, will be placed in the dfeath-huse this morn ing. He is scheduled to die Juno 7th. Snake Bird, sentenced from Richland County for killing a young negro girl by crushing her skull with a rock, is still in the hands of Richland Coon- ty officers. He is sentenced to 4* June 14th. He will be turned over to pnitentiary officials within the next week or so and will be Immediately placed in the death-houa. According to law, condemned pris oners may be placed in the bouse not earlier than 20 or two days before the date of >>; :% J