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• % • ; * '< •* «*■ • - -•^J. C. JEFFERIES,-J- UREBNViLLE, S. C. Attorney ;'nd Counsellor at Law. Practices in All the Courts. Collections a Specialty - ^ Will Be in Gaffney on Saturdays • i The Ledger To Reach Consumers in this Section Adver tise in The Ledger. A Newspaper in all that the Word Implies and Devoted to the Best Interests of the People ofCherok.ee County VOL. IV, NO, 15. GAFFNEY CITY, S. C., THURSDAY, MAY 27, 1897. §1.00 A YEAR. CHEROKEE’S FIRST TRAGEDY DETAILS OF THE DEATH OF ROBERT OWENS. The Leaden Missive of Death Hurls a Youthful Soul into Unknown Regions from Whence None Return. AYhile a large portion of (lallncy’s citizens were assembled together last Sabbath morning discussing and de vising the best means to promote the spiritual welfare of the community almost within sound of their ears the sharp crack of a pistol shot broke out upon the stillness of the Sabbath day carrying with it a leaden missive of death and destruction, and as a result a promising young life went out and another’s usefulness is prac tically destroyed forever. The evi- tdence adduced at the coroner’s inquest Lshowed the tragedy to he the result ’of a too careless handling of firearms by thoughtless young men. Week before last Robert Owens and Chas. daggers, two young men of Chester, arrived in the city with a flying trapese machine which they located on the lot in front of the Smith Hardware Company’s store. They did a thriving business appar ently. The young men had sleeping quarters erected in their tent. Sun day morning a crowd of young men congregated in the tent to while away the time, daggers had some whiskey and had taken several drinks but was not intoxicated. He and Owens were joking each other in a rough manner. There were two pis tols i/i the place. Owens hail the pistols on Ids cot. He picked them up and playfully' pointed them at a egro who was in their employ and mpelled him todance. daggersaf- wards secured the pistols and nted one at Owens. It was dis- rged. The ball struck Owens ut two inches above the heart, gers immediately went to Owens endeavored to render assistance, [e wound proved fatal and Owens ired in about five minutes. Chief CaTfap was soon on the scene and placed daggers UMier arrest. Cor oner A. J. McCraw was summoned and the following ury'of inquest en- pannelcd: C. C. Hams, d.L. Bry ant. d. A. Gaffney, O. L. Goforth, T. G. McCraw, I). It. Lavender, C. T. doncs. It. E. McCraw, J. R. Reason, d. F. Fincken, G. T. Green, d. P. Shuford, T. B. Cole and It. O. Bul- lenger. The jury viewed the remains and then repaired to the mayor’s court room, where tlio evidence was taken. •*Cbl. T. 13. Butler appeared for the /defence and Hugh Long for the prog’ ecution. Mason Millwood, Ben Bonner, Abram Willie Jenkins. Bud Davis wore the eye witnesses. Each of these testified substantually to the facts above stated. Dr. B. I). Bates made the postmortem examination and testified that the wound was suf ficient to produce death. O. C. Rus sell testified that he was passing the tent about ten minutes before the shooting oecurcd and that there was a good deal of noise going on in the inside. They were cursing and rais ing a general racket inside but he did not know whether they were mad or not. After hearing the testimony the jury returned a verdict that “Robert Owens came to his death by a pistol shot wound in the hands of one Char ley Jnggers.” ♦ daggers was sent up to the Court of Common Pleas. Mr. J. A. Owens, father of the de ceased, came up from Chester. Sun day evening and Monday convoyed the remains of his dead hoy to his home where he will be laid to rest. Charles M. daggers, the man who held the fatal pistol at the time of the shooting is a son of J. H.daggers, of Chester. He is twenty-three years old, of medium size with a sandy mustache and dark hair. When seen by a Lkdukk representative in his cell at the guard house Monday he seemed perfectly composed. He would not discuss the affair at all, having been advised by his council not to talk to anyone about it. He said, however, that he and Owens had always been the best of friends and never had hud a quarrel in their lives. They had known each other since boyhood. Robert Owens, the unfortunate victim of this Sabbath day tragedy, was about twenty years old. He was the son of J. A. Owens, a grocer, of Chester, and was in charge of the flying trapese, Neal & Stalin, of Ches ter, being the proprietors. He bore the reputation of being a steady and industrious young man and was not addicted to drink. The body was taken in charge by friends before the arrival of his father and turned over to Mr. Owens on his arrival. An incident that gave rise to a re port that the young men had quar reled wa^the fact that Holmes Mur- ) G. W. Bonner Curuth, colored, Crosby and Will phy, a cousin of Owens, and who was also an attache of the enterprise, had been drinking considerable last week and Ownes and daggers had both upbraided him for his conduct Murphy hud taken exception to their attempt to keep him straight ’and left town on the 11 o’clock ’ train— about an hour before the shooting. The quarrel that Murphy had with Owens and daggers oceured Saturday night. This was Coronor McCraw’s first case and lie conducted it in such a manner as to reflect credit upon himself and county. It was also the first killing that had occured in Cherokee county. May it be the last. IN SYMPATHY WITH INDIA. |Special t > The State.] Cmestek, May 21.—The people of Chester were shocked this morning when the sad news of the killing of Bob Owens was received here. The circumstances surrounding the un timely death of this young man are peculiarly sad. He left his homo about a month ago in charge of Neal’s trapeze with the determination of employing himself during the dull season of summer with this work and was making a success, financially, for himself and employer. He was given full control of the business and selec ted as his helpmate, Charlie daggers wiiose notoriety for mischief-making is well known in this section of the State, daggers, however, was a good worker, and Bob Owens felt satisfied that he could manage him and would have no trouble with him. In York- ville some days ago daggers got into a shooting scrape which seemed justifiable and which was compromis ed. and after this trouble Owens car ried his trapeze over to Gaffney City, where everything was working smoothly until yesterday, when dag gers again used his pistol with this sad and terrible result. The facts of the shooting are not positively known here, but it is known thatVm one or two occasions Owens and daggers have had'some words over the management of the business and the people here who know daggers are not ready to believe that the killing was accidental. Bob Owens was in the nineteenth year of his age and a very popular young man. He fully intended re turning home after his summer’s work to again engage in business with his father. His remains ar rived here on the southbound vesti bule at 11 o’clock this morning and were interred in Evergreen Cemetery this afternoon at The funeral services were held in the Methodist church in the presence of a large number of friends, all of whom fet 1 a deep sympathy fo.* the bereaved and grief-stricken family of the deceased. week the type Boole when it CHRISTIANS SHOULD FEED THE STARVING HEATHEN. The “Kernel” Gives Us an Interesting Batch of Fresh News Items from Etta Jane and Im mediate Vicinity. Sunnyside Locals. (Correspondence of The Ledger.) Srx.vvsiDK, May 24.—Since the warm weather set in the cotton lias b^gan to grow. Corn is looking fine at the present. Wheat is fine considering the cold, dry weather, but oats are not so fine. Hurrah” for Flaw Bicker, we are glad to learn that he has come to life again, and compliment him on his piece last week. Let us hear from you every week Old Flaw. Smith Wood, of Spartanburg, was down on his farm again last week. He also Jput up some tombstones at Skull Shoal’s cemetery in memory of Mr. and Mrs. James Usment’s chil dren. By misprint last made me say B. Z. ought to have been B. Y. Boole. L. A. Buice went to Gaffney last week on business. Messrs Thomas Betty and Sidney Walker of your city were in our town not long ago. Sarah Brocter died at her home last Friday morning about S o’clock., Mr. and|Mrs. Lodspeich, of Gaff ney. have been visiting friends and relatives in our town for the past week. Mrs. William Hughes and her daughter Lillie, and Mrs. B. Y. Bool of Gowdoyville visited Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Bool of our city last week. Wo had quite a wind storm here last Friday evening, and a very good ruin. G. G. Hodge of Kelton was over in our town several days ago. The Rev. Mr. Isom filled his regu lar appointment at Mesopotamia yes terday. He preached a very able sermon from Luke 1. 15:1(5. The Rev. Simpson Blanton our Township superintendent was at Mesopotamia yesterday and gave us good little talk. He also appointed some missionaries to do some mission work in the Sunday School. Wo have a goood Sunday School at Mesopotamia. F. A. Goforth being our superintendent. Uncj.k Jok. "It is the Best on Earth. That is what Edwards & Parker, merchants of Bains. Ua., say of Chamberlain’s Pain Balm, for rheu matism, lame back, deep seated and muscular pains. Sold by DuPre Drug Company. (Correspondence of The Ledger.) Etta Jaxk, May 24.—I attended the meeting of the A. R. Presbyteri an church at Hickory Grove yester day. The Sacrament of the Lord’s supper was administered. A very large congregation was present. Rev. J. S. Moffett preached. Mrs. Jane Hughes, of Gowdeysville, extends her grateful thanks to the people who have so substantially re membered her in her loss by fire some time ago, an account of which has already appeared in these columns. A cyclone with an accompaniment rain and hail, passed over this sec tion about (5 p. m. yesterday. It un roofed the gin houses of J. T. More- head and d. M. Greer, tore up the timber generally, hut did no other damage that I have heard of. i spent Saturday night with Mr. and Mrs. H. B. McDaniel, of Hickory Grove, Mr. Dick Harris, of Santuc, was in this section yesterday. He came for Aleck Parker to go and see his dying mother. , Mr. W. A. Whisonant, of Blacks burg, was down at his plantation lust Wednesday. Mrs. M. K. Strain and Miss Jessie, visited Mrs. T. J. Estes last Thurs day. Your correspondent went too, and took dinner, We extend the editor and The Ledger correspondents, a cordial in vitation to attend the memorial exer cises at Salem, on the 2flth instant. Wo are having fine weather for farm work, and farmers arc taking advantage of it. Everything that cun guide the plow or wield the hoe is in the field. Mrs. P. S. Webber and Mrs. J. L. S. are “whoppers.” They weigh 85 and !>2 lbs. respectively. Precious metals are put up in small packages. Several in this section have got styes on their eyes. Will somebody give a remedy for them? The cool weather made the little cotton look sickly the first of last week, but it seems to be all right now. Tom (Gunter) Fowler used to say that cotton was a summer plant, and he was about right. • * The Fowler Brothers have put their river bottoms in fine fix for plant ing. They have not finished them yet. “laid and Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Blackwell went to the County seat last Thursday, and bought some of the goods adver tised in The Ledger. They are staunch Ledgkrites—“I just tell you Bill wouldn't be without the paper for anything.” Our mathematical school is getting along finely. Every Saturday night it meets and spends two hours study ing arithmetic. We have almost as many married men as boys in the class. As soon as crops arc by” we will run it in day time attack some ether studies. The fol lowing four test problems arc given out for next Saturday night, 2'.)th in stant : If the hands of a watch coin cide every 05 55-7 minutes whether will it gain or loose time in a week— and how much? Explain your method of placing the decimal point in the quotient when one decimal is divided by anoth er. The sum of $50 is made up of half- | dollars, quarter-dollars. ten-cent pie- ! ces, and five-cent pieces—the value j of all the coins of each denomination | being the same. How many coins are there in all? Four bells commence tolling to- ! gether; they toll at intervals of J, ]£ 1 1-12. 1 7-10 seconds respectively; after what interval will they toll to gether? The best way to reform wayward church members is for those without faults to do the stoning. To obtain a well rounded-np edu cation we cannot omit the study of the bible in that spirit which its sa credness demands. It denounces vice without feeding a dangerous cu riosity. It dignifies virtue, not as a means of getting on, but as success and happiness now; and best of all, it gives the young man or young wo man the one exclusive way in which vice is vanquished and virtue attain ed. It penetrates the disguises of elegant sin, and exposes the sophis try of cultivated Iniquity. It flashes its revealing rays upon the opening abyss to which the temper leads. It unmasks the voluptuous angel of light and shows the malicious fiend. In that homo where the bible is not held in reverence there is no real genuine happiness. I am very much in sympathy with our Draytonville correspondent in what he says, in regard to the famine sufferers in India. Now is the time to make our work effective. The gos pel of bread will open the way for the gospel of the bible. Man’s ex tremity is God’s opportunity. One car load of provisions will do more in one day than one hundred missiona ries can accomplish in ten years to ward bringing these heathens to Christ. What are prayers, sermons and bi- bies to a starving world? Christ made it part of his work to feed the hungry multitude. To let .Jhis op portunity pass without making use of it is to put tiie missionary work back one hundred years or perhaps longer. If the church fails ♦o do its duty now the heathen will find out it’s sailing under false colors. Let the whole line of Christianity advance, and let the Sunday schools be the first corps of that grand army to scale the battlements and plant the banner of our Redeemer’s King- j dom in the very heart of heathenism, and the world will be won for Christ. Mercy is Jove intensified, and its re ward is wrapped up in the bundle of everlasting life. It is my desire to visit the Nash ville re-union next month, and give the readers a succinct account of the Confederate re-union, together with such other matters as may be of in terest to them. Since my feeble “write up” of the county has been published I have re ceived quite a number of inquiries as to tliis, that and the other matters pertaining to the several educational and industrial natural resources of Cherokee county—all of these it is difficult to answer in detail. I will say. however, that the best way is to come and see for themselves, that the truth lias been fully told. There is not a word of “taffy” in it, gentle men. So far as the character of the people or the resources of the county are concerned they are inferior to none. If those who come to see or settle among us will behave them selves, they will bo respected and protected by the best people in the land. So far as Cherokee county is concerned, although she is one of the youngest daughters of the State. We intend she shall he none the less at tractive, yet we do not wish to give rise to any undue jealousy in the States’ household. On my recent trip to Gaffney I was very glad to meet my old friend, John Ross, who has been very sick for a long time, but is now aole to be about again. He is one of the oldest and most substantial citizens of the coun ty. Wish we had more such men among us. The present legislature is destined to go into history as the prince of bunglers. The best thing it could do to retrieve itself is to meet and inter pret its interpretation of the laws now so ambiguously set forth in the acts of 1SH7. Rev. Wilks, of the colored Bresby- terian church, was on this side of the fiver last Saturday. He is a man of unusual culture for his race. Attorneys Butler and Bell, of the Gaffney bar, were in this section last Saturday, on professional business. To Miss Grace Gary Whisonant I am greatly indebted for a cordial in vitation to attend the commencement exercises of Jones’ Seminary, ut All- Healing. N. C.. on Tuesday morning, June 8th, at 10 o’clock, a. in. The programme is a good one, and I am satisfied the young ladies will make the occasion quite interesting. Don’t forget the old ladies’ meeting at Elbethel church next Sabbath, ifoth instant, and come out and bring your family. J. I.. LATEST COTTON MILL NEWS. Injunction Against the Standard. A bill for injunction and relief, and, for the appointment of a receiver, was hied in the I’nited States Cir cuit Court at Charleston. S. C.. this week, by A. Klipstein ifc Co., of New York, against the Standard Cotton Mills, of Rock Hill. S. C.. the Central Trust Co., of New York, as trustee, James Tuleott, et ul. Judge Bimonton issued an ordor for the mill company to show cause before him on May 31 why a reciver should not be appointed. In the meantime the company is en joined from making way with any of the property now on hand or paying out any money on debts until after the case is heard in the courts. ITEMS OF INTEREST TO TEX TILE WORKERS. North and South Carolina Mills, The:r Improvements and their Ad vancements—Opera tive Pertonals. Chas. J. Trippe, for the past three years overseer of spinning in the Bam berg (S. C.) Cotton Mills, eloped a few nights ago with Mrs. Ella Garves, leaving behind a wife and child. Mrs. Garves was running the warpers for him. The Best Remedy for Rheumatism. From the Futrliuveu (N. Y.) le-sister. Mr. James Rowland of this village, states that for twenty-five- years his wife bus been a sufferer from rheuma tism. A few nights ago she was in such pain that she was nearly crazy. She sent Mr. Rowland for the doctor, but he had read of Chaimberlain’s Bain Balm and instead ot going for the physician ho went to the store and secured a bottle of it. His wife did not approve of Mr. Rowland’s purchase at first, but nevertheless applied the Balm thoroughly and in an hour’s lime was able to go to sleep. Bhe now applies it whenever she feels an ache or pain and finds that it al ways gives relief. He says that no medicine which she had used ever did her as much good. The 25 and 5o cents sizes for sale by DuBre Drug Company. Southern and Western Textile Excelsior ] The new Abbeville (S. C.) Cotton Mills are now in operation. #/,. W. J. McDonald has resigned as boss carder at the Atherton Cotton Mills, Charlotte. Siipt. R. II. Smith is severing his connection with the Wayne Cotton .Mills, Goldsboro, N. C. The sixth Southern textile club is forming at Concord, N. C. The seventh ought to he in Alabama. G. W. Ward has resigned as overseer of weaving at the Fairmount (S. C.) Cotton Mills. His help gave him some valuable parting gifts. In the Dallas (Tex.) Cotton Mills, a few days ago, three women engaged in a fight, when two were fatally and the third slightly wounded. The Mill fort Cotton Mill, Fort Mill, S. C., has all its machinery fully em ployed producing yarns from 21s to 2;»i. G. T. Kinuettis Supt. Jerry Bain, one of the accomplices in the robbery of the Erwin Cotton Mills, Durham. X. C., was convicted and sent to prison for live years. Thomas X. Lumley, of Newberry, rf. C., where he was second hand, has accepted the owrship of the Yaucluse .S. C., carding for Supt. Rennie. Allen J. Brown, of Newberry, 8. C., has accepted second hand's place in card room at Clinton, S. C. He was formerly section hand ford. R. Killian. We hear from Randleman, N. C., that a new cotton mill is to be erected there ut once, and that life order for lumber has already been given to the saw-mills. John Williams, an operative at the Dilling Mill, kings Mtn., N. C., had one of his fingers broken a few days ago by the sash of one of the windows falling upon it. The Catawba Spinning Mill, Ches ter, S. C., held its annual stockhold ers’ meeting a few days ago. It was decided to close down, and the mill lias stopped. The Franklinville (N. C.) Mfg. Co., manufacturing seamless bagging and cotton warps, will not run on full time, owing to the over stocked con dition of the market. The Durham (N. C.) Hosiery Co. finds that a continued demand for its goods necessitates a larger capacity, and they have commenced by putting in a new four ton press. Win. II. Norris, who was to leave Mtn. Island. X.C., to become Supt. of the Harden (X. C.) Mfg. Co., has changed his mind, and will remain as overseer of spinning. The men who manage the Tucapau Mills. Wellford, S. C., are about t he same age; Supt. G. C. Pruitt is 29, overseer of carding is 28, overseer of spinning is 28, overseer of weaving,29. The American Spinning Co., Green ville, S. C., held their annual meet ing u few days ago. J. H. Morgan was re-eiected Bres. it Treas., Jas. L. Orr, Vice P.; and W. B. Boyd, Secy. The employes of the Piedmont (S. (*.) Cotton Mills, and the Pelza (S. C.) Cotton Mills played a mutch game of ball recently at Pisdmont, which resulted in a victory for Bclzer; score (5 to 55. Treas. T. E. Moore, of the Tucapau Mills. Welford, S. •€., will leave shortly for Hopedale, Mass., and other Northen points for the purpose of buying a Jot of new machinery for the mills. The annual meeting oftheTuca- pau Mills, Wellford, S. C., was held on May 11, and in addition to devel opments and improvements during the year, a dividend of 3 per cent, was declared. 1). X. Kirby has accepted second liana’s position of carding for J. R. Killian, at Newberry, 8. C., being pron o.od from boss picker man, whose position has not been filled us yet. A first class man wanted. \V. H. Winn, for the past two years overseer of dyeing at Altamahaw Mills is now in charge of the dyeing at Proximity Mills, Greensboro, N. C. Findly Smith, his fffrmer second hand,is in the dye house with him. The annual meeting of the Whit ney (8. C.) Mfg. Co. was held on the 14th. The report to the stockhold ers showed that they had almost doubled their capacity. The com pany is in good financial condition. The steam plant at Minneola Mill, Gihsonville. N C., is almost com plete, and will, it is expected, start about June. The entire plact has been remodeled, and they will have more power. It is hoped that they will run steady, 8. C. Thomas, boss weaver at the Edna Cotton Mill, Reidsrille, X. C., is starting new looms as fast as ho can get weavers. This mill has 550(> looms running on 39 inches. The 2i(i new looms are 44 inch Icoms. Good weavers make fromDOc. to $1 per day on (I looms. M. D. Harris, overseer of carding at the Buffalo Mill, Concord, N. C., was in Charlotte on May 20 and won the one-mile handicap bicycle race; the prize he receved was a $35 dia mond ring. The lime Mr. Harris made was 2. IN. This was the second heat to decide, his first mile having been made in 2.14. Harvey White, of Graham, N. C., who has lived at Lexington for the past ten months, has accepted the superintendency of the Alamance Factory. Burlington N. C. He suc ceeds d. Walter Williamson, who will go into the wholesale business at Bur lington with his brother. Finley L. Williamson. The Fort Mill Manufacturing Co., of Fort Mill. 8. C., lias shipped 700 cases of their cotton cloth in the lust three months. All the above company’s carding and spinning is kept on the run night and day, however, their looms only labor by sunshine. John Gilligan is 8upt. • The stockholders of the Laurens (8. C.) Cotton Mills met last Satur day, and the yearly reports were read, showing a prosperous condition. The board of directors and officers were re-elected. Among fjie stock holders present, other than local, were E. Smith of Charlotte, and D. D. Little, of Pacolet. The directors of the Patterson Mfg. Co., China Grove, N.C., held a meet ing on May 153. They declared a divi dend of 5 per cent., and 1 per cent, was tpplied to the sinking fund. All the uld officers and directors were elected except D. B. Coltrone, who has sold his stock in the mill. Dr. Stephens was elected in his stead. The Prosperity (S. C.) Cotton Mill Co., met last week and elected direc tors : D. H. Wheeler. George S. Mower, of Newberry; A. H. Hawkins, G. Y. Hunter, J. M. Wheeler, A. H.* Kohn, W. A. Mosley, L. 8. Bowers. J. B. Bowers and A. G. Wise, of Pros perity, and E. T. Fearing, of Boston. I). H. Wheeler was elected president; A. H. Kohn, secretary and treasurer; E. 13. Hayden, agent. The work of erecting the building will begin as soon as the artesian well is tested, and the water supply found to be suf ficient for the purpose desired. d. A. Smith, president of the Rich mond Cotton Mills, and Petersburg Cotton Mills, but who lives at Bes semer City, X. C., had a serious en counter a week ago at Petersburg, Ya. A saloon keeper there accused him on the street of keeping him out of a license, and swore at him. A justice of the peace happened along, and Mr. ^mith asked him to indict the man, which he was proceeding to do, but the man was running away, and Mr. Smith called him back. The sa loon keeper returned and assaulted Mr. Smith, who drew out a knife and stabbed him 22 times, dangerously wounding him. Mr. Smith is under bond. The big fly-wheel at the Tuekaseege Cotton Milis, Mt. Holly, X. C., sud denly hursted last Tuesday. The mill is driven by water power and the upright shaft from the water-wheel is fitted with crown gearing, beveled cog wheels, which drive the main Shaft— a six-inch horizontal one—on which is placed the large driving wheel. The wheel is 15 feet in diameter, with 18-inch face, and carries a double 18-inch belt. Everything was run ning merrily enough when the jolt came. The ponderous wheel flew to pieces and crashed through the floor above. The belt was torn to rags,the crown gearing was wrecked, and the huge six-inch shafting was badly twisted. The damage is over $1000. No one was hurt. George Rusher, a lad employed in the Bowman Knitting Mills, Salis bury, X. C., while clecning up last Saturday got his hand caught in some gearing, and two lingers were mashed off, one leaving the hand immediately A Valuable Prescription. Editor Morrison of Worthington, Ind , “Sun” writes: “You have a val uable prescription in Kletric Bitters, and I can cheerfully recommend it i for Constipation and Sick Headache, and ns a general system tonic it lias no equal.” Mrs. Annie Stcble, 2025 Cettuge Grove Ave., Chicago, was all run flown, could not eat nor digeet food, had a backache which never left i her and felt tired and weary, but six bottles of Electric Bitters restored her health and renewed her strength. Prices 50 cents and $1.00. Got a hot' - ' tie at store of DuPre Drug Co. . • \'