Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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The Gaffney ledger. A NEWSPAPER IN ALL THAT THE WORD IMPLIES, AND DEVOTED TO THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE OF CHEROKEE COUNTY. ESTABLISHED FEB. 16, 1894. GAFFNEY, 8. C., FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1907- $1-00 A YEAR. * NEWSY LETTER FROM WILKINSVIllE MOVEMENT OF THE PEOPLE OF LOWER CHEROKEE. A HORRIBLE CRIME. Pei-sonal paragraphs c oncernin a pop ular People ana Short |tem s of General interest. Wilkinsville, Nov. 27.-—Before what we are now writing appears in print another national Thanksgiving day will be numbered with the eternity of the past, and we asfe ourselves what have we to he thankful for? Have our blessings not been great enough, or could not our misfortunes been worse than they were? These each one must answer for himself or herself. Nearly all last week it was raining and very little was done. Our peo ple didn’t get to wash or scour, think ing each day the next would do. But It didn’t. Last Monday morning your corres pondent got up—as he usually does— in time to tell the stars good morn ing. He told his bettor half she could get to wash and scour now if she wanted to. She asked, “Has it clear ed off?” “No, ma’m.” we answered. “Wlhy, do you think it’s quit raining?” she enquired. "Yes; it’s done for a week,” we‘told her. "The big star will pass north of the moon today, and it’s going to clear off." “Tut. tut. tut; what has that to do with it?” she asked. “Just as much as irood Friday has to do with planting beans or anything else; Find a good deal more,” we told her. Mr. W. F. Vassey has had a bale of cotton to get away from Mr. Jack Kendrick's gin mysteriously, and no trace of it can be gotten Tip. We suppose somebody has taken it through mistake. We hope he will yet be able to locate and recover it. Sam Strain has been driving a dou ble team since the roads have got so muddy. David Livingston Strain came to see u s last Sabbath and stayed until bed time, when he was accompanied home by his grandma and Uncle Sam. We are often asked why we only speak of those for whom we have a kind word. That is plain enough as we have often expressed ourself along this line. What w e have to say of people we want them to appreciate if possible. If they are worthy of notice, or if they are our friends, we don’t want them to die and then tell it to somebody else. This L too much the case with most of us. A man’s faults is all he ever hears tell of from some people. Of these he should be reminded in the right way and in the proper spirit. Just let some poor friendless man or woman die and if they ever did a good act it will be remembered, but not before. We’d rather have a cheap boquet given us this very day, Than tons of roses, white and red, Placed on our c°fiin when we’re dead. Broad river has been too full for ferrying during most of the wet spell. Our roads are in bad condition since the rain sot in. In many places the mud is half spoke deep. We have repeatedly called attention to the places in the roVl R needing repairs. One plae* in particular is in front of the Dr. L. R. Blackis home. Some body will have to have a team pulled out of the gully there some day if it’s not fixed soon. Mr. Whisonant has laid in a large stock of goods and the business he is doing is poor proof of the money panic on hand. Boyce is a hustler. The irrepressible Ben McCulloch, from down in the folk, was up this way yesterday, with a load of hay. Owing to llie rain the local Farm ers' Union did not meet at the school house Saturday night. One of our colored neighbors started ’possum hunting a few nights ago ami his dogs got after a ghost, which R o puzzled the canines that they just gave it. up. That’s what he report?; it’? not ours by any means. To Mosdames c. W- Whisonant and J. l. Blackwell we are indebted for a lot of substantial table comforts and delicacies. May neither of their shadows never grow less. Mr. Philip Lowery has a large graphophone with which to entertain his customers. Phillip is all rizht. He Is clerking for Mr Whisonant. at WilkinsviUe. J. L. S. He Fought at Gettysburg. David Parker, of Fayette, N. Y„ who lost, a foot at Gettysburg, writes; "Electric Bitters have done me more good than any medicine I ever took. For several years I had stomach trouble, and paid out much money for medicine to little purpose, until I began taking Electric Bitters. I would not take $300 for what they have done for me.” Grand tonic for the aged and for female weaknesses. Great alterative and body builder; Sure cure for lame hack and weak kidneys. Guaranteed by Cherokee Drug Co., druggists. 30c. Best thing on earth for colds and grip. Nature’s Cough Remedy and Grip Tablets. If a 50c bottle of Nature's Cough Remedy and a 25c box of Grip Tablets don’t cure that cold we will refund that 75c as cheer fully as we took it. The Gaffney Co. 2 a. w. tf. Subscribe f er The Ledger; fl a year. Young Girl shot as She Opened the Door. (By Brian Bell.) Davidson, N- C„ Nov. 27.—Davidson lias been thrown in the wildest state of excitement by the foul murder committed almost at her very dolr. Nothing else Is discussed and enquir ies as to any possible developments can be heard on every hand. The tragedy shows the following facts: That between the hours of 7 and 8 o’clock last evening some one rapped on the door of a smal house about eight miles from Davidson, near Huntersville, occupied by Mrs. Neely Pryor. Becky Pryor, a thirteen-year- old daughter of Mrs. Neely Pryor, re sponded to the knock. Seeing no one county, found Helms at the home of hig brother-in-law, Milas Hilton, nine miles northwest of Qharlotte. When inquiry was made it developed that he was there but asleep. His brother- in-law announced that his feet were sore and he was sound asleep. The officer wag carried to a rear room of the home, where the accused man was found sound asleep. He was called, and as soon as he opened his eyes Sheriff Wallace enquired when lie came to Hilton’s house. He re plied. “Yesterday morning.” Hilton had already told the officers that he had come this same afternoon, and started to say something when Helms made his reply but was checked by the officers. His feet were examined and found to be swollen. Helms asked no questions and nothing was PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONFERENCE A SYNOPSIS OF YESTERDAY’S WORK. >■ ti&h ■ t'v • ;■ ^ -V>--. '•••••• ,-V -Vk. ■ ^ v\ v+ y *, '-i ■: ” i ' • ■■ ■ •St: A- • .,^*7 V; . J.. 7v < ; 7V v. - -v > ■., “i»-kr7V ■: 7. t ' 7 77 ■ V .v- 7 ■ - A; ' W,.. DR- HENRY N. SNYDER, of Wofford College, who delivered the address before the Epworth League Wednesday night, at Buford Street Methodist church. she supposed that some neighbor in a playful mood was making an at tempt to frighten her. so she cried out that she was not afraid, and that whoever It was to come in. This brought no answer, so Ella, an eighteen-year-old daughter, arose from he r seat within the room and step ping to the door, swung it open. A? the door opened a shot was fired, and the girl fell, crying, *T am shot.” The alarm wag at once given and numbers qnlckly gathered from all over the surrounding country, to make a determined search for the as sassin. A gun belonging to a young man of the neighborhood was prob ably the weapon used to commit the awful deed. While out hunting that afternoon this young man had stop ped at the Pryor home to get his supper, and loft his gun sitting out side the door. Later he went off and forgot his gun, leaving it by the door. An empty shell was found near the gun, w’hich was found sitting by the door, and it is generally believed that this weapon was used. An im mediate search was made for eviden ces of the presence of a stranger on the premises. Tracks were found v here a fellow had crossed a wet place nto] mirej U p over his ankles. Dp firmer ground it. was seen that a man wearing a No. 7 shoe, with a lew place in one heel, had been there. The tracks led down a hill to a wire fence, where a post had been dis lodged in the rapid progress made by the runner. Two gullies on the way showed that a man had fallen in them, the imprint of a man’s body Ic ing plainly visible. This morning by dc.ybre ak every man in (his cemihun- ity was at the Pryor home and every thing hearing on the rase was gom ove r fully. At the suspicion that the murderer was a jealous lover of the young lady, all who had made any pretence of paying her any attention were discussed. The young man. the owner r 'f the gun, bore such a repu tation that he could not lie coupled with the crime, but it was a subject of much comment that a man should go to a home to commit murder and not he prepared to do so. The first clue that assumed anything like reasonable proportions was the testi mony of a young fellow who lives within three miles of the place of the tragedy. He testified to having seen Amzl Helms about dusk, and to his inquiring the location of the home of the Pryors. Upon being in formed as to its whereabouts he is said to have replied that he had in- tended to spend the night with a man who lived near the river but that he believed he would go to the Pryors. Upon enquiry being made at the Pryor home, it is found that. Helms did not put in an appearance there. Wili. a brother of the dead girl, says that Helms wag a regular caller up on his sister up to last August, when they quarreled at a picnic. He gives the cause of the quarrel as Jealousy on Helm’s part, because his sister had favored another young man. These facts coming to light were 'n the opinion of the officers enough to warrant the arrest of Amzl Helms i and a search for blm was begun. Sheriff Wallace, of Mecklenburg sitid of the Pryor affair to him. He arose and put on his clothes. His shoes were found to be No. 7’s and mud stained. A whetted place was found on the heel of one of them. The toe and shape fit the tracks left by the fleeing man. The trousers were flecked with r^d mud. in search* Helms a loaded shell wag found. It was a No. 12, and the mate to the empty one found. The belief is that when he shot, if he did, that he broke | the gun, dropped the discharged cart ridge and put the loaded one in his i pocket to forestall a shot at him | should anyone come out before he | could g»?t away. Amzl Helms is now in jail in Char lotte. His father Is a blacksmith of Charlotte. He Is about twenty years of age and rather good looking. Has the habit of getting drunk occasion- ally. The murdered girl is eighteen years old. She had red hair and was freckled. She had worked hard all her life and her pleasures have been few. She and Helms were sweethearts for about a year, but the facts and letters left by her seem to indicate that she discarded him for a young man named Huskins. A Tiipov-.- most finely advanced, and one that many seem to believe to be the true state of affairs, is the supposi tion that Helms went to the door with the intention of renewing his ac quaintance with the young lady, but on seeing young men callers in the house was overcome by passion, and seizing the gun fired the contents in to her body. T’.m coroner is at work on the case, and Hi'’ 1 gathering of all the testimony will take some time. Since the ar- : ■ ?t of the young man excitement ’ r ;v and in the surrounding country has quieted down, hut the intensest ■merest is still centered in the case. Any developments are being eagerly r waited. Dr. Nelson and or. Snyder Make Ad dresses on the “Laymen's Move ment.” The Methodist conference conven ed yesterday morning at 9 o’clock. Religious exercises were conducted by Dr. Geo. W- Walker. The minutes of the preceding meeting were read and approved. The i-elis of absentees was called and those who had come in since yesterday noted. A telegram of affection from Rev. W. A. Beets, who transferred to the Missouri conference, was read. In response to the message sent Bishop Duncan yesterday, the following was received: “With much affection fo;- all the brethren, I am, “Affectnately vours, “W. W. Duncan.” A communication from Bishop E. Cottrell, of the colored M< thodist church rehiting to the education in terest of that church was read. The 20th question was called and the following reported on their \fork: T. C. O’Dell. J. 7.. Peeler, A. B. Wat son. J. A. Copeland. W. T. Herbert. G. P. Watson, S. T. Creech, T. L. Belvin, G. R. Shaffer, H. B. Hardy S. D. Vaughn. J. It. Sojourner. W. T. Bedenbatigh, J. L. Daniel and P. A. Murry. Question one, who are admitted on trial, was called, and John M. Collins Hamlin Etheridge, Francis K Dibble J. H. Brown. J. H- Montgomery. W, C. Kelly, W. H. Polk. H. L. Powell. J. 0/ Farr were admitted on trial. Question twenty was called and the following reported; J. C. Roper, O. L. Durant. G. R. Whittaker. M. B. Kelly, J M. Lawson, D. P. Bovd. J. T. Miller. A. H. Best. E. T. Hodges. H. W. Whittaker. J. L. Ray. R. W. Humphries, J. E. Strickland. E. P. Green, W. E. Bane, Foster Speer. W. I. Snyder. A. J. Cauthen. P. L. Kilgo. A. N. Brunson, B. R. Turnipseed. .1. C. Holly, C. E. Peole, Marvin Auld. J. I. Spinks, J. W. Araial. A. S. Les lie, J. L. Stokes. O. N. Rountree. W. W. Daniel. W. B. Wharton. G. W. Walker. L. F. Beaty. Dr. G. W. Walker reported on his work at Paine College and his work among the negroes. After his talk, the following resolution was adopted; “Resolved, that South Carolina con ference has heard with pleasure the report of the splendid work , t>eing l and Prof. Spencer, has been doing | fine work and is in splendid shape. | The regular services of the ch ireh. ‘ including prayer-meetings, are well i attend' d. Finances of the church arc in cxcclent condition; Collected i t' r missions $1,551.00; for benevolent purposes $ 1.23::.51; for church and parsonage repairs $2o5.95; incidental expenses $1,528.59; salaries of pas- tO] - and presiding elder $2.27<). making a grand total of $9,792.65. Bethel church, now building on South Church street, will he more ootivi lib nt for a number of the mem- bet's. ;mil on account of (Vn t nil’s !'( !'gi miunbers hip < noire tin •tl XI hi i a good maitv of i vntn it's mem be;'s have gone to Bethel 1. La st Sundi iv ninety- seven member s wet ■e trans ferre d on certificates, le; tving Central' s pri [•sent mem! tership 7 12. But on noco unt o f tlie lai rge : iddit- ions to the n letnbe rsltip of Ce n trnl during tbo pn st t\\ ,'o years . ne ithe;- the ]i astor's s; 1 la ries nor the' of lie ■r. as- sessn lents will be reduced. nor will there likelv b< * any increas< > on indi- vidua 1 assess ments Bui bv tbis move meltt S] liirtati burg Methn dism gains in Bethel another strong church that will probably pay $1,500 or 82.000 siilai to the pastor. Rev. W. \. Mnssebeau, the paster. Iris been zealous in his labors, and these evi dences of prosperity are largely due to Ids most excellent work in both pastorate and pulpit. In the building u i a 1 Beth'i there bus been perfect bar -loic and comradeship between tin pastors and jm oph of hot'’ Cen tra! and Bethel. It i, the earnest desire of Central church that Rro. Mn.^seheaii he returned to continue ids good work. The Laymen’s Movement. < or C'c ii'o>-t interesting feat ’ires of tile annual collhTenee is the organization of what is known as the "Laymen's Movement." Tlv- la - del- ' gate? and members of the conf< rence met yesterday afternoon for the pur pose of forming an organization, M.\ (ieorge C. Hodges, of Greenwood, was elected chairman and J B. Carlisle, of Spartanburg, secretary. By invita tion Dr. N'elsrti. of Nashville, Tent), and Dr. IJ. X. Snyder, president of Wofford Coll go, addros.-ed the mass meeting of laymen. The church was full. The addresses wt re able. Dr. John I{ Nelson, of the mission ary ?e( retarie . spoke. He said there has boon an artificial division of pr-aohors and laymen; one to do the praying, the other the paying. The time is come when the preachers can not handle successfully all the enter prises of the church. lie insisted that the laymen’s movement is the return to New Testament Christianity, and Instanced Stephen and Philip as ex amples of laymen in the church of that day. As an evidence of this movement he said that only 23 per cent, of men do not work for the church. He compared the work of the A dispatch from Charlotte gays that Amzi Heims, the young man arested Tuesday night charged with the mur- dey of Ella Pryor, confessed to shoot ing the young lady, hut declares that it was through a mistake. Helms said that upon reaching Miss Pryor’s house and finding a gun he withdrew one shell and fired at a woman who appeared, intending it for a joke and thinking there wag only one shell in the gun. He says he thought he had killed Mrs. Pryor, the mother, and seeing his awful blunder wandered al: night in the woods. REV. A. M. C HREITZBURG* The oldest minister in the State. done by Dr. G. VV. Walker at Paine Institute, and ye hereby pledge him our hearty sympathy and loyal sup port in the work.” Bishop Morrison read the transfer of Dr. J. w. Wolling. Dr. Wolling has been a missionary in Brazil for twen ty years, hut now takes work in South Carolina. A Hard Debt t 0 Ray. “I owe a debt of gratitude that can never he paid off.” writes G. S. Clarlc, of Westfield, Iowa, "for my rescue from death, by Dr. King’s New Dis covery. Both lungs wire so seriously affected that death s< emed Imminent, when I commenced taking New Dis covery. The ominous dry, hacking cough quit before the first bottle was used, and two more bottles made a complete cure.” Nothing has ever equaled New Discovery for coughs, colds nnd all throat and lung com plaints. Guaranteed by Cherokee Drug Co., druggists. 50c and 91.00. Trial bottle free. Report from Central church, Spartan burg. Mr. J. B. Carlisle, chairman of the board of stewards of Central Method ist church, Spartanburg, and a dele gate to the annual conference, makes the following interesting report of his church: Central church has had decidedly one of the most successful years in its history. During the year 118 mem bers has been added to the church. The Sunday school, under superinten- dency of Mr. W. M. Jones, hits done excellent work. The league, tinder the presidency of Dr. C. B. Wtaller women fo r the church with that done by the men, greatly to the credit of the former and discredit of the lat ter. The laymen’s movement means tlie organization of the men for church work. He says the easiest class in any community to reach with relig ious influence is the men. but it takes religious men to reach them. This movement means among other things the raising of sufficient money to evangelize the world. Closing a very earnest and inspiring address. Dr. Nelson said; ‘•Oofi bless the laymen of the South Carolina conference. Their great day has come.” Dr Snyde r said that the world come by the open English Bible by the in- fluence of laymen. |t was the lay men who took up the translation and printed it. and distributed it. This is a day of organization, and of great enterprises. This brings into ef fective power the forces of the world. He also told of the great work the women are doing for the church by oiganizati n. Either the church ha» not made the call upon the laymen In the right way, or else the laymen have failed to catch the meaning ot their relation to the church. Dr. Snyder made a powerful appeal to his fellow laymen to put themselve* and all their powers and means into the work fo r the church. This, be said, they should do, not so much to h'‘lp the preacher, but to help them* selves. The “Layman’s Movement was or* ganizej in accordance with a resolu tion adopted by the board of mission! at its annual meeting in May, 1907. A fe\v laymen met in Nashville on August 7th. They called a confer* nee for Knoxville, Tenn., which met September 17th and 18th to formulate plans for the movement. There were 53 laymen present, representing the entire territory of the church. After a full discussion the following plan for permanent organization was adopt ed; plan for Organization. !. This movement shall be called the Laymen’s Missionary Movement of the Methodist Episcopal Chuch, South. 2. There shall be a president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer; also an executive committee of seven • u be chosen by this body, so centrally located that they can act together on short notice. This committee is to have full authority to cat in the In* t rim—the chairman to be its perma- n- nt president—of this meeting. Hereafter the officers and this com mittee are to be elected annaually by a central committee. 3. This central committee shall ci nsist of one layn an from each an- naul conference, to be chosen by lay delegates to the mnual conference; or. in ease of no election, to be ap pointed by the C inference Board of Missions. The chairman of the cen tra! committee sh 11 be ex officio chair man of the e ’entire committee. They shall met • at the call of the i” eoutivo committee. I. There shall be a lay leader in each presiding elder's district, to be chosen by the lay delegates to the distiict conference. These lay lead ers, together with the member of the central committee from each annual conleronco, who shall be ex officio chairman, shall constitute the con- ference committee which shall have oversight of the work in the confer ence. 3. There shall be a district com mittee, to be composed of one lay leader from each pastoral charge to be selected by the quarterly confer- nee of each church. The lay leader in the district shall be hairman of this committee. 6. The lay leaders in each pastor al charge shall, in such way ns they may see fit, carry to the individual laymen in the charge plans, litera ture, and instructions to the move ment. 7. The centra! committee shall choose a committee of five to be call ed a committee on printing, and it shall be their duty to furnish fact! to the press. 8. All of these leaders, together with all parties to the movement, shall he within the limits and subject to the directions and constituted au thority of the church, and shall work in harmony with the parents and Con ference Board of Missions. The Organization in the Sout^ c ar0 ‘ lina conference. Under the plan outlined the lay men’s movement has been organized in the South Carolina conference not as an independent body but under the sanction of the church; to work In harmony with it and for it and subject to church authority, just as the Sunday school and the Epworth League are. The officers of the laymen's move ment it. the South Carolina conference are; .1 B. Carlisle, of Spartanburg, conference leaders. The district leaders an-: \mlerson District—W. R. Osborne, of Anderson. Charleston—Will elect later. Cokesburg—J. T- Medlock, of Green wood. Columhin—J. W. King, of Colum bia. Florence—Dr. B. G. Gregg, of Florence. Greenville—Will elect later. Marion—B. G. Collins, of Conway. Orangeburg—A. W. Summer, of O rangel/tirg. Rock Hill—J. R. Curlee, of Winns- boro. Spartanburg—L. G- Potter, of Gaff- n< y. Summerville—R. X. Lofton, of Me- chanicsville. Sumter—T. G. McLeod, of Bishop- • Hie. These leaders can obtain literature on the subject of the laym:*n’s move ment by writing to J. Campbell White, 150 Fifth avenue. New York, or to the minion de partment of the Metho dist Publishing House, Nashville, T<nn. The session of yesterday closed last night by a missionary address by Dr J. R. Nelson of Nashville. Tenn. Among the hooks shown at. confer ence i,.- the Stone & Barringer Com- pan,• is the last book by Dr. John Watson (Ian Macl^aren) <’..e author This is the Cole lecture for 1907 which Dr. Watson came to \merica to deliver, his untimely and sad death occurring the day before the date fixed for the first lecture. This hook “God’s Message to the Human Soul," is an interesting and valuable work and is having a large sale. Ex-Chaplain H. W. Jones, of the navt. was acquitted in Norfolk of the charge of larceny. Subscribe f or The Ledger; $1 a year.