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THE LARGEST •Circulation of Any Newspaper in the Fifth Congressional District of S. C. The Ledger. SEMI-WEEKLY-PUBLISHED TUESDAY AND FRIDAY. Wt GUARANTEE The Reliability of Every Advci - tiser 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 12, 1903. $1.00 A YEAR* .THROUGHOUT THE PALMETTO STATE. items of Interest of Passing Events. ALL OVER THE STATE. Event, that Have Takes Place from One End of the State to the Other Called from Exchanges for Quick Heading by Score* of Busy People. It is estimated that 10,000 acres of land around Charleston have been put in truck for this season. It is now almost certain that the government will establish a naval training station at Paris Island, Beaufort. Georgia May Parker, a little girl living in Bamberg, wa* poisoned last week by a druggist’s clerk, who, in filling a prescription, gave the child corrosive sublimat instead of calomel. There is on exhibition in Columbia a handsome gold headed umbrella, inscribed with appropriate insignia, and is to be presented during the re union to the oldest visiting veteran. The State summer school will be held in Winthrop College, Rock Hill, from June 23rd to July 22nd. The best instructors will be secured and excellent courses of study will oe provided. A little negro girl of 10 years was burned to death at her father’s home in Lancaster. She lived long enough to tell that a rat knocked over a lamp, the lamp falling in her lap and set ting her afire. The secretary of State has issued a commission to the Magnolia Mine company of Charleston and Yorkville, which is capitalized at $300,000. The ^company proposes to develop mining property in York county. Ernest League, colored, was ar rested in Greenville Friday by Patrol- uiaii Gtorge Dawson, of that city, on the charge of having stolen a gold watch belonging to R. J. Hankinson, a student at the Furman Fitting school. Gov. Heyward has granted a respite of thirty days to Judson Beck, a ne- . gro, who was convicted of murder at the recent term of court in Barnwell and sentenced to|be hanged. An ap peal in the case is pending in the Supreme court. Dr. J. H. Burnett, of Graniteville, wishes to know if the State of South Carolina ever aided Eli Whitney, the inventor of the cotton gin, by appro priating $50,000 to his use. Dr. Bur nett has seen the statement made in a well known and recently published encyclopedia, but wishes to have it verified if possible. Carolina Jones, an old negro, was shot with bird shot^near Acton, in Richland county, Wednesday morn ing. The shot entered his side and bis injuries fortunately were not fatal. Sheriff Coleman was notified and sent Deputy Sheriff Catbcart to the scene with the fine pair of bloodhounds which the sheriff owns. With a view of establishing a per manent colony nearCbarleston a party of French Canadians from Fall River and New Bedford, Mass., visited Charleston and inspected the truck farming lands near the city and made other investigations of the advantages offered to settlers who desire to lo cate there and engage in agricultural pursuits. Admiral Beardlee’s two Japanese servants are now engaged in caring for at least a million of silk worms at Beaufort, recently brought from Japan for the purpose of testing the utility of the silk industry in that section. These industrious servauts, encouraged by the admiral and bis good wife, are trying to establish be yond a doubt that silk culture can be made a success here in the future. The attorney general has had a question submitted to him of con siderable interest A rural mail route carrier wants to know whether If be ^ carries a pistol he must carry one of statutory size, which must be twenty inches long and weigh not lees chan three pounds. He says he doesn’t want to violate the State law, but does not want to carry such a heavy gun. No opinion baa been rendered yet on the question. W. F. Creek, a prominent mer chant of Camden, was shot dead by Spain Kelly Thursday afternoon while driving along the country road. At the first shot Creech fell out of the 4>uggy on bis kcees and begged Kelly not to shoot sgsin. Kelly shot him three times more. Creech wsa ssld to have made remarks shout Kelly’s sister. Kelly escaped. Creech de nied with his dying breath, that be had aver wronged Kelly. Miss Mary, the 15-year-old-daugh ter of Mr. T. H. Lesslle, of Hickory Grove, was the innocent victim last Wednesday night of drunken rowdy ism of a most reprehensible and in excusable character. As the result she is suffering great pain from a pis tol shot wound in her knee. The wound was inflicted at the Wilkerson school house about three miles from Hickory Grove, whore au entertain ment was in progress. Several young men in the gathering were drunk and were firing their pistols promiscuous ly, one of them accidentally bitting Miss Lesslie. Program ot S. 8. Union. The next Sunday school union of the northern section of the Broad River Association will meet with the Arrowood Baptist church on Friday before the fifth Sunday in May, 1903. PROGRAMME. Meet at 10 o’clock, a. m. Intro ductory sermon’by Re7. W. G. P. Ezell. Intermission, forty-five minutes. Call for the reports of churches and enroll the delegates. 1st query: What is pure and un- defiled,rtligion? Speakers, Revs. A. J. Bonner and C. M. Teal. 2nd query: Do we live in full fel lowship with each other in a Chris tian sense? Speakers, L. B. Davis and others. Adjourn. Meet*Saturday at 10 a. ui. Fifteen minutes’ devotional exercises by the president. 3rd query : Are the unions benefi cial to the cause of Christ, and if so, why do Christians take so little in terest in them? Speakers, Rev. C. F. Felmet and others. 4th query: Why do our churches retain members on their church roll who are able to help support the gos pel and do not do so? Speakers, Bro. K. D. Edwards and others. Inttrmission, forty-five minutes. 5th query: Do sisters who wish to work in t!ie cause of religion receive the encouragement from the churches at large that they ought to receive? Speakers, E. R. Sepcch, R. C. Sarratt and others. Question box. Adjourn. Meet Sunday morning at 10 o’clock. Fifteen minutes’ devotional exercises by the president. Sunday school mass meeting, arranged by the presi dent. Missionary sermon by Rev. R. J. Tate. K. D. Edwards, President. M. B. Vassy, Clerk.J lieaverdMiu Mrevltiei*. (Correspondence of The Ledger.) Beaverdam, May 11.—The wind is blowing very cool for this time of year. Cotton is trying to come up, but it looks like the wind will kill it. Most of the people are through planting cotton seed; and corn plant ing is the order of the day, now—our people having nearly finished with it. Wheat has the rust some, so a large crop is doubtful. We were told that Mr. Ed Sellers killed two hogs, five months and three weeks old, that netted 167£ lbs each. They were of the 0.1. & C. stock. Mr. Sidney Graves, of Gaffney, was visiting in this section yesterday. He was the guest of Mr. W. T. David son. Mr. Andrew Sellers, of Butler, ac companied by Misses Mamie and Nannie Sellers, visited Mr. H. S. Mullins Saturday and yesterday. Mr. Acy Tindall visited Mr. D. C. Tindall yesterday. There was preaching at Thickety yesterday evening. The preacher was a woman belonging to the Wesleyan Methodist (or Holiness) church. We did not attend the services, but we were informed that the congregation was small. We notice that the pension money has come aud is ready to be paid out to those who were fortunate enough to draw. We are not opposed to any one getting this money who fought in the .war between the states, but there are some who draw who are able to live without it, and others who have nothing do not get a thing. This is not right. Who is responsible for it? Baylos Mrs. Harris Entertains. Mrs. C. C. Harris tendered a dinner Friday to a number of her lady friends in honor of Mrs. Sam Daniels, of Alabama, who is her guest for a few days. The ladies who formed the dinner party were: Mrs. W. S. Sparks, Mrs. Brobawn, Mrs. J. F. Garrett, Mrs. N. H. Littlejohn, Mrs. J. A. Carroll, Mrs. T. R. Wilkins, Mrs. S. S. Ross, Mrs. R. C. Sarratt, Mrs. J. B. Bell, Mrs. J. T. Humphries, Mrs. W. J. Wilkins, Mrs. S. L. Hopper, Mrs. AUe Carpenter, Mrs. P. V. Gaffney, Mrs. Bam Hopper, Jr., Miss Lillian Hopper and Miss Helene Brobawn. It was quite a pleasant gathering, and it is needless to say that every one enjoyed the occasion, for It Is well known that Mrs. Harris li an Ideal hostess, and Mrs. Daniels’ friends were glad to greet her agala. CLOSING EXERCISES A GRAND SUCCESS, Commencement at the Wilk erson Schoolhouse- A LARGE ATTENDANCE. The School of Miss Clara Fleming: at Wil kerson Schoolhouse, near Hickory Grove, Closed Wednesday Nights with Appropri ate Exercises—A Young Lady Shot. (Correspondence of The Ledger.) Etta Jane, May 9.—Last Wednes day night we had the pleasure of at tending the closing exercises of Miss Clara Flemming’s school at the Wil kerson schoolhouse, and we must ad mit it was a grand success and speaks highly for the lady who has been so diligeot and painstaking in her work, as well as the patrons who have given her their cordial support. A very large crowd was present—not more than one-half of whom could get inside the bouse. As The Ledger goes into the homes of hundreds of the relatives and friends of the school, as well as some of its patrons, we take the liberty to append the programme and say that the teacher, pupils and patrons of the'schnol are to be congratulated up on the success of the entertainment as well as the splendid work they have done for the community. Following is the programme: 1— Prayer, by Rev. J. H. Simpson. 2— Opening song. "Oh come, come away from labor now reposing,” etc. Sung by the school. 3— Words of welcome—Miss Ola Childers. 4— Recitation, What the freckled faced girl said—Miss Lena Wilkerson. 5— Recitation, Nobody’s child— Miss Ellen Stephenson. 6— Recitation, Dolly’s birthday— Miss Jemima Robinson. 7— Little boy’s speech—Sam Wil kerson. 8— A boy’s lecture—Daisy Bolin. 9— Recitation, An obliging little sister—Miss Eula Wilkerson. 10— Bootblack drill—by nine little boys. 11— Music, Youngjrecruit—Messers. Hood and Robinson. 12— Dialogue, Assisting Hezekiah, nine characters—Hezekiah Spriggins, a bashful young man—Mason Wilker son; Ebenezer Hunkerton, another not quite so bashful—Tom Buice; Jerusba Metilda Slocum—Miss Bar bara Brown. 13— Recitation, When Huidah ex pects her beau—Miss Annie Porter. 14— Recitation, The new church organ—Miss Viola Brakefield. 15— Song, Baby’s luifaby—by seven little girls. 16— Speech, Settin’ the old "Blue Hen”—Lonnie Bolin. 17— Speech, Arathusa’s torment— Fred Brown. 18— Music, Soldiers quickstep— Messrs. Hood aud Robiuson. 19— Dialogue, “From Punkin Ridge,” nine characters—Jonathan Scruggins—Mason Wilkerson; Mr. Smith—Walter Wilkerson; Agustus Simroy (often called by the others “Slimboy,”) a pretended English nobleman who turned ont to be a highway robber—John Cobb; Harry Clifton—Wade Buice; First Police men—Tom Buice; Second Police man—Claude Wilkerson; Belinda Jane Hopkins—Miss Bertha Cobb; Miss Elizabeth Smith—Miss Barbara Brown; Annie Smith—Miss Ada Cobb. Special mention should be made of Mr. John Cobb and Miss Barbara Brown who took part in this “Punkin Ridge” dialogue. Mr. Cobb is the young man who took the side of the nobleman, afterwards turning out to be a highway robber. After plowing all day he would walk three miles at night to practice his piece, and ac quitted himself with great credit. Miss Barbara Browu, after she had all she could do, took up the other side and memorized twenty seven pages of closely written matter. They, with the others, threw them selves soul, mind and strength into the work and made a success of It. Too much credit cannot be given all such Herculean efforts in a praise worthy cause. 20— Recitation, The Cruiser Dixie— Beattie Wilkerson. 21— Music, Dixie—Messrs. Hood and Robinson. 22— Speech, "Ain't I right, eh?”— Grover Brown. 23— TbegHatobet drill—by eleven little boys. 24— Tablean, Faith in red, white and blue—Jenlma Robinson. 25— Recitation, A naughty girl’s life in a hotel—Ola Wilkerson. 26— Speech, "On annexation of Coby”—T. W. Wilkerson. 27— Song, AJ bird in tbs hand— Misses Ola Wilkerson, Barbara Brown and Mary Robinson (old maids). 28— -Dialogue, Married by the new Juatloe of the Peace, four oharaotera —John Dodds, Justice of the Peace— John S. Wilkerson 4 Finian Fackett— Claude Wilkerson:; Eliza Ann Garter —Ella Mitchell; Cicero Snowflake, a little "nigger” witness to whose pres ence the bride strongly objected— Beattie Wilkerson. This scene was laid np in one of the Connecticut towns where the Justice of the Peace had just been elected. Taking in ail of its phrases, and particularly that pertaining to the competency of the witness, made it one of the funniest scenes in the programme, every one of which, though, was splendid. 29— Patriotic drill—by eleven lit tle boys. 30— Recitation, The Last Hymc— Miss Mary Robinson. 31— A Flower Song—by nine girls. 32— Declamation, The Anglo Saxon Race—J. Mason Wilkerson. 38—Solo, Father, Come Home— Miss Barbara Brown. 34— Tableau. Liberty, Peace and Prosperity—Misses Oia Wilkerson,El len Stephenson and Eula Wilkerson 35— Music, Shiverliers march— Messrs. Hood and Robinson. 36— Speech, Lecture on ‘‘Old Woman’s Rights”—T. A. Wilkerson. 37— The Flag drill—by eleven girls. 38— Dialogue, Master of the Situ ation, three characters—Pompey Jefferson, a colored gentleman vw.o liked his morning dram—Will Wil kerson; Evelina Dianah Jefferson, his wife—Tom Wilkerson, dressed in woman’s clothes; Peter Washington, a colored neighbor—Morgan Wilker son. The only thing that happened tn mar the pleasures of ,.,the cccasion was the accidentia), careless or mali cious shooting of a pistol by which a little girl was wounded—a matter very much to be regretted by ail good people, and especially by those connected with the school who were not in the remotest sense responsible for it. It’s time for all good people who have the best interest of thir country at heart, to rise on their might and say that the practice of carrying pistols must and shall be discon tinued. When drunken bullies and outlaws are allowed to enter the so ciety of good, law abiding people— mo8t*oi whom are women and chil dren—and terrorize them by their disgraceful presence and conduct, it’s time to shut up our schoolhouses, discontinue our church services, fill our pockets with pistols and whiskey, tear down the temples of law, justice and liberty and go into barbarism right. Shame, shame to any man or set of men reared in an enlightened country amid all the beneficent influences of Christian civilization who can or will condonen 8uchJcowardly|and disgrace ful practices. j. l s. Lawn Locals. (Correspondence of The Ledger.) Lawn, May 9:—Notwithstanding so much rain during the early spring, our farmers will get their crops planted in preUy fair condition and in very good time. A great many of them will finish up their planting this week. Messers Will Painter, of Stevy, and "June” Whelchel, of Bowlinsville, were visiting relatives in our town last Sunday. Gome again, boys. We are sorry to report that, Smith, the invalid son of Mr. R. 8. Snencer, who has been in a helpless condition for several years, has been suffering extremely for several weeks. Mrs. VV. D. Alexander, whom we reported in our last letter as being seriously ill, Is some better. Her children, Mrs. I. Y. Sage, of Atlanta, Mrs. Johnson, of Gainesville, Ga., and Mr. W. B. Alexander, of Nashville, Tenn., returned to their homes Tues day, the 5tb, inst. Supervisor Whelchel is having some much needed repairs done on our roads this week with his good roads maebiuery. J. T. Whelchel, of Jeter, was in our town the first of the week, looking after bis farming interest here. On the fourth Sabbath of this month, there will be a missionary rally at Mt. Ararat church. Rev. A. D. Davidson will preach at 11 a. m., and the Rev. A. C. Cree, of the First Baptist church of Gaffney, will preach at 2 p. da. Everybody Is Invited to come and bring dinner. We are needing rain, now, about as badly as we were needing dry weather a few weeks ago. Both corn and cot ton are very slow about coming up, therefore poor stands are the present indications. w. Towels Without Cost. Every forty-eight pound sack In which "Clifton” flour Is packed will make two good towels, the regular towelling goodf being used in the manufacture of the sacks. Ask for "Clifton” In-the towel sack. W. J. Wilkins A Co. 1 —Hay,Coro, Oats, Bran and other feed stuff at W. J. Wilkins A Co. We discontinue each subscription prompt ly at Its expiration. 8o watch your label aud the date and renew before ’tis too late. THIOIMUT THE TIR HEEL STATE, From the Mountains to The Sea. NORTH CAROLINA NEWS. Interesting Items Concerning Oar Neigh bors Beyond the Line Which May Prove Entertaining Reading for Hundreds of Ledger Readers The dining car department of the Southern Railway Company which has headquarters in Charlotte, has just received two new dining cars, the cost of which, completed, is about $25,000 each. The Old Fort Lumber Company has just signed contracts for the cut ting of 10 000 feet of lumber at a cost of $60,000. The contract provides that the lumber is to be cut for the company within the space of three years time. An afternoon paper to be konwn as the Evening Chronicle will appear in Charlotte May 25. The new publi cation will be conducted by the Ob server company, the publishers of the Charlotte Observer, and will be served with news matter by the As sociated Press Commencement exercises at Peace Institute in Raleigh will be held as follows: May 17, 11 a. m., baccalau reate sermon, by R«v. Egbert Smith, D. D., of Greensboro; Monday, May 18, 5 p. m., annual concert; VVednes- day, May 20, 11 a m., graduating ex ercises f address by R- v Frank String- fellow, of Boyaton, Va. An old white man, Henry Foard, who lived, alone in a little log house near Pioneer Mills, in Concord, awoke Friday night to find his house on fire over and all about him, with a little window as his only meam of escape. Through this he succeeded in escap ing cremation. He lost all his effects. He is about 82 yaers old. The negro who was arrested at Jel- ico, Tenn., recently iri the belief that he was James Lowery, the mur derer of Policeman Jones, of Shelby, turned out to be the wrong party. The York county, 8. C., man con cerned in the arrest says there is no doubt of the fact that Lowery was at Jelico, and gives it as bis opinion that the Jelico police made a bungle of the job. The Veterans’ Camp of Charlotte held a meeting Thursday night at which it was resolve d to attend the Reunion in New Orleans. Capt Har rison Watts will be in command and it is expected that a company of fif teen or more veterans will go from Charlotte. Miss Julia Alexander of that city will be first maid of honor and herald for the Mecklenburg Camp and Miss Janie Patterson spon sor. D. C. Keever, better known as "Neill Keever,” died at Hickory Fri day afternoon, after a sickness of only a few hours. Mr. Keever was not only one of the widest known grocery salesman in western North Carolina, but was particularly popu lar with all classes of business men, and controlling a large trade for the we'l-known boose of Harvey, Blair A Son, of Richmond. An attack of meningitis was the cause of his death. Dick aud Weldon Panther were taken to Rutherfordton Sunday and jailed by Deputy Sheriff Rollind, from Logan’s Store township, charged with carrying concealed weapons. Deputy Rollins bad two fine races after both these men. After be got them tied, Dick got loose and another chase was on for a few minutes. The third one was also arrested Monday. He gave bond and is back at home. The other two men are in jail, and will be tried at the next term of court. Mayor James F. Hart, of Yorkville, has been advised that the North Car olina supreme court has sustained the court below in the case of Pharr vs. the Railroad. This is the case in which Pharr, as administrator, sued the Southern railroad for damages on account of the accidental killing ot Mr. D. W. Hartness i n Charlotte some time ago. The court below gave a verdict for $8,500, and the opinion just banded down by the North Oarolina supreme court prac tically settles the litigatiou. As the result of a fearful holier ex plosion on the government tug Cyn thia, 10 miles below Wilmington, at 2 o’clock Friday afternoon, Engineer Augustus Dyoksey, of the boat, was so horribly burned that be died npon reaching Wilmington about an hour later, aud two firemen, John Warren, white, of Sampson county, and F. W. Jackson, colored, of Southport, were so badly burned that they bad to be taken to the Marine Hospital for at tention. The cook, Ambrose Lovlnler, white, was blown overboard with one of the firemen and was also badly ■oalded. POLL TAXES. The Law for the Payment of Same in the United States. The question as to what persona are required to pay poll tax has been discussed from time to time, and as some doubt exists as to whether citi zens of foreign countries who are resi dents of this State are liable for such tax, we have undertaken to review" the law upon this subject. There is no connection between libility for poll tax and the right of suffrage, except that no one other wise qualified as a voter can vote who has not paid bis taxes, including his poll tax. The constitution of 1895, art. XL, sect. 6, provides as follows: "There shall be assessed on all taxable polls in the state between the ages of twenty-one and sixty years (excepting Confederate soldiers above the age of fifty years) an annual tax of one dol lar on each poll, the proceeds of which tax shall be expended for school purposes in the several school districts in which it is collected.” The statutory law applicable to this question is found in the code of S.C.,Vol.l, section 259. "There shall be assessed on all taxable polls in this State an annual tax of one dollar ou each poll, the proceeds of which tax shall le applied solely to educational purposes. All males between the ages ot twenty-one and fifty years, ex cept those incapable of earning a sup port from being maimed or from any cause,shall be deemed taxable polls.” This act was passed by the general assembly before the adoption of the constitution of 1895, and is yet the law, except as modified by the con stitution in respect of the age limit, and the partial exemption of Confed erate soldiers. The definition of a "poll,” as given in the statute above cited, is iu ac cord with the definition of that word as found in different authorities. Black’s Law Dictionary defines a poll as "a head,” "an individual," and "poll tax” as a tax on every head, that is, on every male of a cer tain age, etc. The poll tax or poll money origi nated in England during the reign of Charles the Second, when by an act of Parliament a capitation tax was imposed upon every subject accord ing to his degree. From this act of Parliament some confusion has arisen in regard to the right of other countries to im pose a capitation tax upon citizens of another country. The laws of England are not the laws in the several states of the United States, except in so far as such laws have been adopted. This question has been passed up on by the supreme courts of at least six of the states in the United States, and by the supreme court of the United States in the case of On Yuen Hai Co. vs Ross, 8 Sawy. (U. 8.) 384, in which cases it was held that "residence, not citizenship, fixed tiie liability for a poll tax.” Thus it will be seen that all male residents above the age of twenty-one years, and not exempted by law, are liable to poll tax. Citizen. The Meetings Closed. The special services at the Buford Street M. E. church, closed last Sunday. Mr. Steadman preached twice a day for the past week. There was a good attendance at the night services, and while the attendance at the day ser vices was, as is mostly always the case, confined mosoly to the good women of the town, considerable in terest was manifested, and doubtless impressions were made that will last through eternity. Mr. Steadman preached a special sermon to parents to a large and at tentive congregation Sunday morn ing. The duty of family worship and child training was stressed, and sev eral parents pledged themselves to he more faithful in the future. At night he preached to a large con gregation on the subject of "The Christ.” His sermon was earnest and forceful. Letter to Dr. 8. H. Uriffltb. Dear Sir :—You understand chem istry; bow’d you like to earn $100?. Devoe lead and zinc—that’s the name of oar paint that lasts twice aa long aa lead and oil—is made of white-lead, white-zinc, its color, turpentine dyer, and llnaeed oil. If any chemist finds anything elso In this paint, we’ll pay bis bill and $100 besides. It’s nobody’s business what we nut in onr paint, of course; but we want It known. For lead and zinc and linseed oil are the stuff to paint with: and lead alone is not. We want It known that one word describes the best paint In the world; and that word Is Devoe. Are you going to paint ? Youre Truly, F. W. Devoe A Co.