Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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: W. T . • i. W' wmmBF" THE LARGEST Circulation of Any Newspaper in the Fifth Congressional . District of S. C. The Ledger SEMI-WEEKLY-PUBLISHED TUESDAY AND FRIDAY. Vvc. GUARANTEE The Reliability of Every Adver* User Who Uses the Col umns of This Paper. A Newspaper in all that the Word Implies and Devoted to the Best Interests of the People of Cherokee County. ESTABLISHED FEB. 16. 1894 GAFFNEY. S. C., TUESDAY. MAY 5. 1903. $1.00 A YEAB. MORE ROTTENNESS COMING TO LIGHT And Investigation Has Only Just Begun BIGGEST OF SCANDALS InvegtigratioEB In Po.tofllre Department at WastunKtou Have Hrought to Light Steal ing on a Huge Scale by the Republican AdmlnUtration. (Correspondence of The Ledger.) Washington, D C., May 4—Some . of the roll eoness of the republican ad ministration of the Post Office Depart ment is at last coming to light. The investigation has only just begun, but it has gone far enough to let us see that this will oe the biggest scandal ever unearthed in any department of the national government until the democrats get in control and take a look at the books in the War and Navy departments, and the things that were done there during the war with Spain in connection with the purchase of supplies for the army and the pur chase of vessels for colliers and for the transporation of troops. When this investigation into the doings of several bureaux of the Post Office De partment was ordered by the Post master General, he did not expect to find anything worse than a few irreg ularities, and which could be easily remedied, but he comes back here from a pleasure trip and finds an enor mous scandal being turned up to the gaze of the public, and be is badly scared. He talks very bravely about continuing the investigation and al lowing no guilty man to escape, but; he would be glad to shut it off right now. If he does not and goes the full limit, then we may expect to see some of the pets of the administration wear- ** ing stripes. This game of graft and specuiacion has been going on for sev eral years. When Senator Hanna in augurated the moit stupendous cam paign of bribery and corruption in 1896 ever before attempted, one of his most active lieutenants was Perry Heath. He was rewarded for his pe culiar services by being appointed First Assistant Postmaster General. He, in turn, selected others who bad been active in the debauch of the ^ voters, amongst whom were Neely and Rathbone, who were sent to Cuba and were convicted of robbing the govern ment there of thousand of dollars. The same game was inaugurated here, only in different ways, and so that it could be covered up for a longer time. All sorts of schemes were started for making money out of the government jobs held by certain people. . Two of these people have already been forced to resign, viz: Assistant Attorney General Tyner, who had charge of the law department of the Post Office De partment, and Mr. Beavers, superin tendent of the salary and allowances division. It was discovered that Tyner had been rendering decisions that gave the get rich-quick swindling con cerns of the country the benefit of the use of the mails in order to rob the people of the country. We do not yet know all that Beavers has been doing, but we do know that be got out as soon as the fire was started in bis rear. It is believed that one of the charges against him will be that he was at the bead of a syndicate that was selling increases in salaries. When a man designated as entitled to an increase in bis salary was sent in to Beavers it is charged that he was notified that he must plank down not less than $25 or the increase did not go. We all know that Beavers lately built a residence in the city of Brook lyn that cost not less than $35,000, and on a salary of $4,500 a year. Other things are now coming to light. Fine furniture was allowed, or some times forced, on postmasters all over the country, and all of it was made by one concern. Typewriting machines have been distributed lavishly, and all of them of the same make. The old-fashioned good iron mail boxes were supplanted by sheet iron boxes, and all of them painted alike and with the same firm’s paint, and paint- V ed by men sent out from the depart ment when it could have been done much cheaper at home by some firm iu the city where the painting was done. The farmers along the rural free delivery routes were not allowed to furuish their owu boxes, but were compelled to pay for the kind of box prescribed and sent out by the super- intendent of the free delivery service. Whenever a new rural free delivery route was to be Inaugurated some firm that furnished wagons and other . things to the department or to the ^ carriers was given the tip and got into the game before any other firm knew anything about It. And out of this comes good graft for the men behind the scenes. The obanoes are that the thing will be ao stupendous that the republican party will refuse to allow the facts to be given to the pubic, and the people will know nothing of it until a democratic Congress com pels publicity. The people can get the facts about bow many thousands of dollars have been wasted and stolen from them only by electing a demo cratic Congress. * * ¥ Whenever the people of this coun try elect a democratio Congress and a democratic administration there will come forth revelations of rottenness and corruption in the departments of this government that will stagger the nation. The truth is that every de partment of this government in this city is honeycombed with rottenness and all of it has grown up since Mc Kinley was inaugurated in 1897. The Post Office Department seems to have been conducted by and in tbe interest of the grafters, the Treasury Depart ment in the interest of Wall Street, the Navy Department in the interest of the Steel Trust, the War Depart ment in tbe interest of General Wood, the Interior Department in the inter est of the Glass Trust, that wants to grab the gilsonite beds in the Uncom- pagre Ute Indian reservation, and the Department of Justice in the interest of the trusts in general. The new De partment of Commerce and Labor has not got into the game. How long do the people intend to stand it? * * * This administration is hitting the Civil Service with an axe. The Wash ington Post is authority for the state ment that, “since President Roosevelt came into office a large portion of the important offices in the United States Treasury Department have been filled with new men, or will be filled before a long while. Something like a clean sweep has been gradually put into effect, but it has been done quietly, and as a rule with little publicity.” That is a pretty serious charge for a newspaper with strong republican leanings to make against tbe Presi dent, who boasts of his Civil Service Reform antecedents and who was sup posed to be still an ardent disciple of tbe same cult. It is also stated that more post masters have been removed and ap pointed during the last two years than ever before in the history of the department. The fact is, the Preii dent is building up his own little ma chine and he is going after that nomi nation without losing a trick. Charles A. Edwards. CHANGE OF MANAGEMENT. Mr.Wm. I.. Hetton I.ettKeii the Commercial Hotel and Will Conduct It. Mr. Wm. L Betton, of Taliehassee, Fla., has leaded the Commercial Hotel property from Messrs. Goudelock, Jefferies and Wood, and will conduct the business of that hostelry in the future. Mr. Betton took charge last Friday,the 1st. He is an experiensed hotel man, having last season con ducted a resort hotel at Palm Beach, Fla. He comes to Gaffney well rec ommended by Bishop Edwin G. Weed, bishop of Florida, Ex-Gov. W. D. Bloxham, of Florida, Attorney Gen eral James B. Whitfield, Geo. Lewis, president of the First National Bank, G. W. Saxon, president of the Capitol City Bank, and Francis B. Carter, judge of the Supreme Court. Besides these he bears excellent recommend ations from numerous business men with whom he has bad dealings. It will be the purpose of Mr. Betton to run the Commercial in the most ap proved style, as he desires to make his hotel one of the foremost in tbe State. He brings with him two ex perienced co^ks, but retains the other help of the hotel. Mr. Betton will doubtless prove a valuable addition to the business interests of Gaffney, and we bespeak for him tne liberal patrqnage of the traveling public. W T ith the change in the manage ment of the hotel “Uncle Sam” Hop per retires from active hotel life for the present. For several years he has conducted the business for tbe owners of the property, and although he bad a hard fight against genial Cal Parish, he managed to do a nice busi ness. His retirement means a dis tinct loss to the traveling public, especially the commercial men, with whom he was a great favorite. Mr. Hopper has aanojnced no future plans, but we all wish him well in whatever sphere his lot may be cast. Gaffney People at the Festival. Gaffney people not only stick to Gaffney but are always liberal patrons of other towns, as is evidenced by tbe large number of our people who at tended tbe festival at Spartanburg last week. Among tbe large number who attended were: H. K. Osborne. J. A. Willis, T. L. Brown, T. B. Clarkson, W. H. Gooding, W. A. Turner, Kyle Davenport, J. C. Jefferies, W. 8. Hall, Dever Little, Mrs. W. B. DuPre, Mr. and Mrs. G. G Byers, Rev. and Mrs. A. G. Cree, Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Carroll, Misses Mary Williams, lone Littlejohn and many others whose names we have been unable to get. All were well pleased and are high in their p/aise of the event. THROUGHOUT THE PALMETTO STATE. items of Interest of Passing Events. ALL OVER THE STATE. Brents that Have Taken Place from One Knd of the State to the Other CoUed from Exchanges for Quick Reading by Scores of Busy People. The postoffices at Clifton and at Converse, in Spartanburg county, were broken into Wednesday night, but the robbers secured nothing to repay them for their trouble. In the case of the postoffice robbery at Greers which was tried in Green ville last week, the robbers, Lang, Rogers, Wilson and Wood were each sentenced to five years imprisonment in the Atlanta penitentiary. Elizabeth Gray, of Columbia, hav ing died without issue and without relatives, her property on the Garner’s Ferry road, 18 miles south of that city, has been “escheated” or taken possession of by tbe sinking fund commission for the 8tate of South Carolina. Wednesday while scouting about the woods and hollows of tbe Holly Soring section, above Spartanburg, State Constables Ewbanks, Cudd and White found 15 gallons of corn whis key in the ground, buried several feet below the surface. The booze was con fiscated. No arrests were made. Mrs. Stuart, a lady living in tbe mill village at Belton, was fatally burned Tuesday. It seems that while sue was cooking dinner a fire brand dropped from the stove unnoticed and set her clothing afire. She was horribly burned from head to foot be fore assistance could reach her. She was still living at last account, but was expected to die at any moment. A penitentiary guard came up to Yorkville Wednesday morning and took the following prisoners, con victed at the recent term of the court of general sessions for York county, to Columbia: Samuel McCraven sen tenced for two years; Maggie Mc Creary, two years; Ezekiel Ford, one year in the state refermatory. Mc Craven is white. The other two are negroes. H. S. Jones, of Columbia, fell off an Atlantic Coast Line train Wednesday night near Magnolia crossing, in Charleston, and his arm was so badly mangled by the wheels passing over it that the member was amputated early next morning at the city hos pital. Jones had been in Charleston for several days and was on bis way to Lanes preliminary to returning to Columbia. He is unable to spy how he fell from the car or tell anything about it. Governor Heyward is writing to all tbe membere of the legislature, ask ing for an opinion on the appropria tion for an exhibition at the St. Louis exposition. This matter was not defi nitely settled while the general as sembly was in session but the seuti- ment seemed to be against it, owing to tbe expense which tbe state would have to meet. However, since Senator Tillman has succeeded in securing $90,000 owed South Carolina by the United States government, tbe mat ter has been revived with hope of a creditable display at tbe exposition. Jamee Lowry, the negro desperado, who is wanted at Shelby, N. C., for the murdir of Chief of Police Jones, of that place, about two years ago, has been captured again, this time in Tennessee, and there is reason to be lieve that ho will show up as the iden tical James Lowry who is wanted. A York county man who was at Jellico some weeks ago, and who knows James Lowry well, learned from some York county negroes that the murder er was working on a railroad near Jel lico,' and this York county man put the authorities on the trail of tbe fel low. The Jellico authorities have tel egraphed Shelby that they had the man in custody. E. L. Depo, a negro, who lives at Santuc, was in Union last week to consult a lawyer in regard to a certain letter, signed by “White Citizens of Santuc,” and threatened him with “death, hell and destruction await thee.’ While in Union he said he was shot at about 25 times tbe night before by unknown and unseen par ties. They used 44 bullets, be said, and to show that they were 44 pro duced one which be said had been shot in his house. He had been off somewhere during tbe night and was returning home, having just reached within a few hundred yards of bis bouse when tbe firing began. He is sure that It is not tbe "white” citi zens of Santuc, but some of his col ored enemies who are making the threats, and be believes some of them did tbe shooting. NEWS OF THE WEEK IN LOWER CHEROKEE From Our Correspondent at Etta Jane. PERSONALS AND LOCALS. Interesting Faragraptis anti Recent Hap penings In Lower Section of the County Gathered Up by Onr Regular Correspon dent for Benefit of Ledger Readers. (Correspondence of The Ledger.) Etta Jane, May 1.—Tbe mission of the secular newspaper is to edu cate the people on all matters of gen eral interest. Tbe editor is expected to glean from his exchanges tbe most popular or unpopular expression of opinion on maters of general interest and present them to his readers with or without his approval or disap proval of the issue in question. In the exercise of this prerogative he (the k editor) becomes a teacher in every sense of the word. The freedom of the press gives to every man the right to express his views on matters of public concern; but at tbe same time he is held re sponsible for any violation of the rights accorded him—he must keep within the lines of propriety or take the consequences. The editor is the official head of the paper over which he presides; and, of course, his views are the sentiments of his paper. No paper can afford to assume responsibility for the views of its correspondents. It may or may not agree with them in toto or in part, and hence each writer becomes a target for the editorial pen as well as to draw the fire of tbe journalistic fraternity. A correspondent may or may not agree with the editor, in which case his letters will receive the same attention so long as they are couched in becoming language and are in accord with the rules of jour nalistic propriety. If the liberties of the press are rightly enjoyed there is no reason why one man or set of men should control public opinion. Every man can have a part in its promotion if he will exercise his right to do so. His influence may, and often does, effect things negatively, but that is a mat ter of bis own concern. We can’t fairly estimate the power of thought—whether it move a thou sand men individually or collectively, it is a source of power. How to get them to exercise it rightly is a prob lem for tbe psychologist to solve. In talking to one of the best busi ness men iu the county not long since he made this strange yet reasonable assertion : “In all my business affairs I have found that it’s tbe common people who are the source of our prosperity, and not the more preten tious clats of citizens who think they are the ones who an holding the world together. It’s those who spend their money rather than those who hold it that move the business world. For instance, that class of people whom circumstances have conspired to make them give mortgages and buy ou liens at time prices; many of them are just as honest and true to their| obligation (aud often much more so than those who count their wealth by the thousands), and they are the ones on whom all tbe money powers depend for sustenance.” “I find in my business,” he con tinued, "that to tbe poor white man and negro I owe wbat I am worth. They have made possible what ever financial success I have ob tained. There are others of consid erable wealth with whom I deal that in my dealings with them I have never yet made a clear nickel. Why ? Simply because they trade for tbe gain there is iu it. Usually, but not always, theirs is a cash trade. They come to my store and call for an article and I price it to them. They then begin to squirm and jew and find fault and are never willing to pay tbe lowest cash prices I ask for my goods, while tbe other class of customers call for wbat they want, and believ ing me to be honest, take it at my price without a word. "I will tell you of one instance, and from it you can draw your odd conclusion: There is Mr. Blank, —(and he is a blank)—a man who has money in tbe bank nearly all the time, to my certain knowledge. He came my tojstore and wanted a certain article and I priced it to him. He said that it was too steep. I told him it was the best I could do to come out ou|lt. He said be could get it eliewbere for less. I then told bim I didn’t see bow any other mer- chant could sell it for less without losing money, for it actually cost more than that laid down iu my store. He replied that be couldn't tell, either, but it was just that way or somethlug to that effect. Thinking it better to lose a small profit than a oustomer I said to him, ‘If any body else can sell it for that I can, too;’ but reminded bim. on the honor of a gentleman, that it was below cost. “I wrapped up the goods and de livered them to him, tbioking, of course, that the cash would be forth coming. when, to my surprise, he re plied, ‘Just charge it, and walked out; and don’t you think that that bill hasn't been paid yet, and it’s nearly a year ago. While all or most of my other customers to whom I sold goods on time at a living profit and took lien and mortgage to se cure payment, have come up and paid me the last dollar I have against ihem.” We have often heard merchants say that on account of their making so many bad debts they had to charge a good profit on all to cover their losses. But it seems from the '.’ore- going tha: their lossts come ia from the extreme wings ofsociety—the rich as well as the poor—the unwilling as well as unable. , We are glad to hear a good report from Rev. Sam T. Creech’s meeting at Pacolet Mills.J The many fri^ids of Lieut. Gilliam H. Jeter wil^ regret to hear of his death, which took place at his home near Sancuc, Union county, last Tuesday. We can say for him what we can’t say for all: "He was the noblest work of God”—an honest man. Peace to his ashes and calm to his memory. j. l. s. CASHION AND CURTIS. Hotb Houncl Over t<» Next Term of Court for Their OffenxeH. (Correspondence of The Ledger.) Blacksburg, May 3:—Ernest L. Cashion, who was arrested at Pine Bluff. Ark., and orougiu b-i :k here by the chief or police of ibis place for having, it is alleged, obtained money ou worthless checks, was given a hearing before the magistrate last week, and bound over to the next term of the court of general sessions at Gaffney. Iu the absence of bond, he was committed to jail. W. O. Curtis, who was arrested here last Wednesday by the government authorities for obstructing and re tarding the passage ot the mail, by wrecking the fast mail on the South ern railroad, near this place on the night of March 31st, was given a hearing Friday and bound over to the United States court at Greenville. W.C. Curtis, formerly superintendent of tbe knitting mill here, but now at Cross Hill, S. C., and who came here to see his nephew through the trouble, was arrested for complicity. His case was heard the next day, and he was bound over to court. It seems that while young Curtis was directly connected with tbe wrecking of the mail train, W. C. Curtis, his uncle, knew of the wreck ing of tbe train but did not allow his nephew to tell anything until he had gotten out of tbe way Carl Scott Hornaday, a first cousin of bis. Then young Curtis told the officers about it, though be and his uncle denied knowing anything about it at first. He said Hornaday was tbe one who placed tbe rocks on tbe rails. Curtis Given a llearinK r TM The Ledger readers will remember that some weeks ago tbe fast mail train, No. 97, on tbe Southern, was thrown from the track near Blacks burg by some one placing a stone on tbe track. Since that time Detective Haney has been working diligently on the case, and last week Messrs. W. O. and W. C. Curtis, both of Blacksburg, were arrested by United States Marshal Pursley, at tbe in stance of Post Office Inspector Pulsi- fer, charged witn obstructing and re tarding the mails. The Messrs. Curtis were carried before United States Commissioner Trescot last Thurs day. They were represented by Hon. T. B. Butler, but after the hearing Commissioner Trescot held them for court in a $1,000 bond. No Mayor’s Court. Tbe mayor made a water haul yes terday found himself before a blank-docket and quietly adjourned his court In due form, tut when Judge Bridges seated bimielf ou tbe woolsrack it was different. He found two citizens of tbe Limestone Mills town before bim, charged with being drunk and disorderly. They both plead guilty, and both being well known la his court, tbe judge sen- tenced each one of them to pay a fine of $25 or to serve thirty days on tbe ebaingang. After reflection, they both chose the days, and now they have only twenty-nine more of them to serve. They were white men. Towels Without Cost. Every forty-eight pound sack in which “Clifton” flour is packed will make two good towele, tbe regular towelling goods being used iu tbe manufacture of tbe sacks. Ask for “Clifton” In tbe towel sack. W. J. Wilkins & Co. THROUGHOUT THE TAR HEEL STATE, From the Mountains to The Sea.’ NORTH CAROLINA NEWS. —Best Flour at W. J. Wilkins & Co. Interesting: Items Concerning Our Neigh bors Beyond the Line Which May Frove Entertaining Reading for Hundreds of Ledger Readers Tbe Carolina and Northern Rail way Company are breaking ground to erect railroad shops at Kingsdale in Robeson county. The number of pounds of tobacco sold on tbe Henderson market during the present season amounted to eight millions. This is the largest quan tity marketed in Henderson in sev eral years. Frank 8. Eldridge, of Greensboro, who disappeared two months ago while en route from Philadelphia to Richmond, has been located in St. Louis. He writes his wife that he is well, but says nothing in explanation of his strange conduct and long silence. Sandy Stevenson, one of the white convicts who was sentenced for a term of thirty years for murder, near Winston-Salem, tried to make his es cape Tuesday while at work on the mountain at Hillsboro, and in the at tempt was shot and killed by one of the guards. C. J Kent, who at one time repre sented one of the furniture houses of Charlotte, was arrested in Macon, Ga , Wednesday afternoon, charged with the larceny of a bicycle valued at $35 and the property of Mr. W. J. Moore, of the Queen City Cycle Co.j of Charlotte. It is undtrstood that a number of gentlemen from the North have' leased several thousand acres of land in Clay and Green townships, in the southeastern part of Guilford county. During the coming winter the lessees will expend a large sum of money in bringing the land up to a high siate of cultivation. Cross Edmondson, white, in the Columbus county jail charged with the murder of Jesse Soles and a negro named Jim Stanley, in an isolated section of the county and burning the house upon their dead bodies, after they had been robbed, has made a confession implicating H. B. Reg ister and his son, Jabel Register, who have fled the county. Mr. Thomas Monahan, the New York detective who came to Charlotte after Claude Ingram, the negro boy who was charged with the theft of a lot of jewelry, has written to Chief Irwin of that city asking what the courts did with Ingram. Chief Irwin replied and informed the New York officers that Ingram has been sent to tbe roads for a term of 12 months. Fire at Newton Friday morning came near destroying tbe court bouse. It was discovered about 4 o’clock, and by prompt and efficient work was soon under complete con trol. It is supposed to have caught from a lighted cigar or cigarette, which some one had thrown care lessly down during the exhibition of young Fayssoux, the hypnotist. Tbe loss is several hundred dollars. Walter B. Williams, aged 28 years, a painter of Wilmington, ended bis life Tuesday by taking an overdose of laudanum. He was a native of Fay etteville and moved to that city several years ago. He leaves a young wife and his mother. During tbe Spanisb-American war young Wil liams was a member of Company A, Second North Carolina volunteers, under Capt. Huske of Fayetteville. * James Byrd, white aged about fifty years aud employed on the street force of Wilmiugtou, disappeared Saturday night from his home in the southern section of that city and is as completely bidden as if the earth had opened and swallowed him up. He lives with two grown daughters and a number of smaller children,and one of tbe latter accompanied bim to market Saturday night. He bought some beef and sent it home by tbe child and since that time, though diligent search has been made, noth ing has been beard of bim. The family of Mr. Will Flannigan, a young man whose home is some distance from Charlotte, are troubled over bis absence. Monday latt young Flannigan went to Charlotte with his father, Mr. A. W. Flannigan. Tbe two started home in tbe after noon, and as they reached tbe forks of tbe Lawyer’s road, just out from the city, the young man insisted oo returning to the city. His father at last consented for him to ges out of the buggy aud after talking with his sou a few minutes, left bim seated by tbe road-side. This is tbe last time that any one of the family has laid eyes on the young man. v a I ] '.5