The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, December 24, 1913, Image 1
VOLUME XXIX. LAURENS, SOUTH CAROLINA, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1913- UM 22
T[L[PHON[ COMPANY
WANTS B[TT[R RAT[8
Says Present Rates Are
Not Remunerative.
IMPROVED SERVICE
IS PROMISED
Railroad 'omminIsion Held henring
Hero Thursday on Petition of the
Laurens Telephone Company Ask.
ing tighh to Raise Telephone Rates.
To (live eiter Service.
Pursuant to a petition to tho rail
road coimmission and to a notice oft a
hearing published in both the Laurens
newspapers, the Laurens telephone
company, through its president, Mr. W.
R. 'Richey, appeared before the con
mission here Thursday to ask for the
right to raise its present rates in or
der to place the company on a pay
ing basis and to make it possible for
the. company to make improvements in
the service without entailing a loss in
operating expenses. The hearing was
held in the court house at three
o'clock in the afternoon, John G.
Richards, . chairman of the cominmis
sion, and 1. L. Caughhnan, another
member of the commission, 'being
present. U. MclDuflie lampton, the
remaining commissioner, was absent.
About half a dozen citizens of Laurens
appeared to listen to the arguments
and to 'place a counter petition with
the commissioners opposing the raise
of rates. .Mr. W. L. \iray represented
the counter-petitioners. The petition
'-laced in the hands of the commission
by Mr. Gray was signed by about sev
enty-five alleged patrons of the tele
shone company, though Mr. Richey
contended that there were twelve sign
era who were not subscribers and pa
trons of the telephone company and
that there were twelve more who
Would not be affected by the proposed
ates, as they were already paying the
rate asked for.
The petition of the telephone ce.:n
pany sets out, in brief, that the com
pany is capitalized at $5,000; that it
has operating, maintenance, deprecia
tion and office expenses of $9,403.18
and an income of $7,899.00 to cover, the
same, showing a net loss yearly of
$1,604,18. Therefore it prays that the
commission allow it to raise its pres
ent rates to meet this deficit and to
make needed improvements. The im
provements contemplated in the -peti
t'cn are the placing of all subscribers
on metallic circuits and making of re
pairs on the switchboard now in use.
The rates now in effect and the an
ticipated raise in each case are as fol
lows:
Business telephones, special lines,
metallic circuit, each now $2.25; the
company asks to be allowed to raise
this to $2.50, being 25 cents per month
more.
BTusiness telep~hones, special lines,
ground circuits, each $1.75; to- be0 put
on metallic circuit and raised to $2.50.
Rlesidence telephlones, special lines,
metallic circepit, each $2.00; to remain
as at present.
Residence telephones, speciail lines,
ground circuit, each $1.50; to be 1)1ne
ad o0,ypetallic circuit andl raisedl to
$2.00.
In additllon to tils thle petitionl pro
vides 'for business phlones, party lines,
metallic circuit, at $2.00 per mlonth,
a and the same service for residences
at $1.50 per monthl.
The1 .-petition states that by putting
all telephones on a metallic circuit
hearing over all the lines will be0 made
more distinct; thlat those patrons now
paying for metallic circuit do not get
the benefit of the extra expenditure
when talking to a patron using the
ground circuit as the ground circuit
telephone is inferior 'to the metallic
circuit.
Trho petition (lees not state on what
terms subscribera will be given long
distance telep~hone service, but Mfr.
ihey statedq when asked about tile
umatter yesterday, that the rate for
-long distance service is fixed by the
Southlern Bel'l Telephone Co. wile owns
the Toll Lines. If the' rates for tele
phone service are raised then all sub
scribers will be 'put on a metallic cir
cuit and will be allo'wed to talk over
the toll lines by paying the usual fee
for long distance tlis.
At present all bu iness telephmores
with a rate of $2.25 per month hlave
long distance connection and rosi
PARDONING OF BATES
CREATED A SENSATION
Former Officer of the Law YiWho Killed
ills One-Time Paramour Arrives in
Spartanburg, Having Been Released
From Penitentiary.
Spartanburg, Dec. 22.-The pardon
ing of Joe Bates, a murderer, by Gov.
Blease today, created a sensation in
Spartanburg. Bates arrived in Spar
tanburg this evening and was taken
to the home of his father.
Bates formerly was a policeman and
at the time of his crime was a chain
gang guard. On Sunday morning,
August 29, 1909, he shot and instantly
killed Mrs. Docla Bolter, eighteen
years old, wife of .1. R. Bolter, a farm
er living near Fairmont, at the home
of W. 13. Cox in this city.
At the same time Bates shot and
seriously wounded Mamie Cox, eight
years old, who was standing nearby
with her baby sister in her arms. Mrs.
Boiter formerly had been the mistress
of Bates, leaving him to marry Bolter.
At Gray Court-Owings School.
On Tuesday, Dec. 30th, at 6.30 therd
will be an oyster and ice-cream supper
at the Gray Court-Owings school. The
entertainment -s being given by the
Rural School Improvement association
of that school and Is given for the
benefit of the school. All are cordial
ly invited to he present.
At Rocky Springs.
The Christmas tree at Rocky
Springs has been postponed until Fri
day, Dec. 26 at 2 p. in. The public is
invited.
dence telephones with a rate of $2.00
have long distance connection. Others
have not.
As grounds for its petition, the tele
phone company cited rates of several
cities in the approximate class with
Laurens where rates are as high or
higher, as follows: Abbeville and
Greenwood pay $2.50 for business
phones and $2.00 for residence phones;
Darlington, Florence, Orangeburg, Un
ion and Newberry pay $3.00 for busi
ness phones and $2.00 for residence
phones. Greenwood has the so-called
"Common Battery system" of connec
tion where subscribers do not have to
ring to get the attention of central or
ring off to be (disc ...eted.
The counter-petit. ll offered on be
half of certain patrons by Mr. Gray
asked the commission to refuse the
request of the telephone company on
the grounds that the rates now In
force are not too low and that they
compare favorably with the rates of
other towns ,having similar service.
The rates for telephone service in the
town of Clinton was the only one quot
ed by Mr. Gray, Clinton rates being
$2.50 per month for business phones
and $1.50 for residence phones.
Mr. Richey stated yesterday that the
reason the subscribers at Clinton were
getting residence phones at $1.50 per
month was that the Bell Telephone
'Co., when it bought the Clinton ex
change agreed to only chlarge $1,50
for r'esidlence phones. Tile Bell comn
pany made tIs cheap rate for resi
dence phones ill ordler to get Clinton
for a cenltral location.
Outside of thle Ipetitionls and argu
imenlts of Messrs. Rtichey anld Gray,
roting else took pllace inl theC meet
ing and~ after these genltlemlen 11ad va
catedl the floor, Chairmlan RIchards
.<tated that the commission would take
the petition and( counlter-etitionl unl
decr adlvisemlenlt andc r'eachi ai decisionl at
as early a (late as possible1.
-It is Interesting to note in Article
11. of tile telephlone petition, that "the
Launlls Telephone Comlpa ny recently
appllied to the City Council of Lau
lens of the City of Laurens for a per
ipetual Franchlise wIth tile iight to
chlarge t'-0 and 50-100 (10l1lars ($2.50)
ler' month for business 'phlones and
two dloliars ($2.00) Per mlonthl for' res
idence phones, and on1 October 8thl,
1913, thle City Council of thle City of
IUaurenls, granted -unto the Laurens
Telephono l00mpany a 'perpetual
Franchilso, and by saidi Francise gave
to tile Laurens Telephonle Compatny,
its successors an~d assigns, tile :ight,
pewer and authlority to charge its pa
trons and sulbscribers" the same raites
asked for in tile petition to the ril
roadl commission.
Tile petition to tile r'ailroadl commis
sion is dated October 24th and14 the (late
for the hearing was asked to 1)0 No
vdlmber 22nd. Tile com~mission was
utnable to give the hlearinlg ait thlat
time requestedl and ordered the hlear
lagnfr ee nmhe 2Rth, 19132
THE RENNO SCHOOL
COMES TO FRONT
Takes First Place in Contest for Prize
Offered for School Taking Most In
terest in General Improvement.
The Renno school, of Jacks town
ship, has been awarded the piano of
fered by AMr. .John F. Williams, of
Greenville, for the school in Laurens
county making the most general in
provements and taking the most inter
est in school affairs during the past
year. The final decision was -received
Wednesday, after a committee coum
posed of Mr. 11. L. Jones, Mrs. R. F'.
Fleming and Mrs. S. M. Wilkes, had
visited this school and the Trini .y
Ridge school, between which the final
decision had to be made. Other schools
had been eliminated from the contest
previously although several of them,
notably the Hickory Tavern school,
had made splendid showings.
The Itenno school is a handsome
four room brick structure, recently
erected. It is situated on a large four
acre plot of land given by Mr. "Bille"
Bell. Before building was begun, the
'patrons of the school gathered togeth
er and leveled off the school plot so
that now it makes a splendid appear
ance. No special tax nor bonds were
voted to build on, but the patrons went
down into their pockets and raised the
required sum of money. The building
is a very pretty one, both on the ex
teror and interior, being a model for
rural con muunities. Altho'agh the
school has a 1am uch smaller attendance
than many others in the county, it is
a very progressive one. There were
thirty seven children on the school
roll last year and the average attend
a.nce was thirty six, a splendid show
ing.
Extra Service at Post. Offiee.
During the unusual rush incident
upon Christmas shipping, the postal
employees are having all that they can'
attend to in meeting the demands of
the occasion. Although the local post
office has been doing a big parcel post
business and many packages are be
ing handled, they are yet ahead of the
game mnd are handling with dispatchl
all packages entrusted to them. Rural
route carriers have been pressed into
service for city duty and have geen as
sisting in the delivery. Monday night
and last night the general delivery
window was left open until after the
usual hours to take care of the rush
and tonight the window will be open
again until nine o'clock or as long as
the rush lasts. Christmas imorning
there will be no delivery of mail, but
the general delivery windows will be
open until 10 o'clock for the receipt
and delivery of mail of every descrip
tion.
J. D. W. WATTS OUT
FOR SUPERVISOR
Definitely Stated Yesterday that He
will be in the Race on Platform of
Good Roads.
Mr. John tD. W. Watts, the Vromi
nent Trinity-Ridge farmer, statedl de
fluiitcly to a ropresentative of The Ad
vertiser' yesterdlay that lie wvould be.
in the race for county supervisor next
summer to succeed Mr. Ilumbert, who
it is expectedl will also be in the race.,
.\r. Watts said that he had receivedl
considlerab~le encouragement from all
sections of the county and that. lie was
conlflident of making a goodl race. lHe
saidl that his prinicipal platform wvould
be good roadls.
Another now being spoeken of as a
prosp~ecttve candlidate for this office is
Mir. Wright Sims, of Waterloo town
ship. Mr. B. RI. Todd1, Mr. Geo. C. Hop
kinis and Mr. Ilumbert have already
been mentioned in these columns as
prosp~ective .candlidates, all of these
with the excoption of Mr. Hiumbert
having definitely made their intentions
known.
Entertained C'onrt Officers.
Mr. andl Mrs. C. A. Power entertained
the officers of the court house Satur
day night with one of those 01(1 time
oyster, o'possum and~ birdl supp~iers.
The table was bountifully supplied
with all the good things of the season
and the repast was greatly enjoyed.
All of the court house officeers enjoyed
the hospitality of Mr. anid Mrs. Power.
James Ii. Clarke D~ead.
JTames B. Clarke, the youngest son
of Rev. W. A. Clarke, of this city, dhiedl
at his home at Wards, Thu rsday. 110
had 'been in ill health for sonic thne as
the result of nn-nffnetion of the thrat.
ATROCIOUS DEED
NEAR ORANGEBURG
L.onely Widow Attacked by Negro Wu
san and Seriously Wounded in
Many Places.
Orangeburg, Dec. 21.--As results of
the most atrocious deeds ever colm
titted in this county, Mrs Sue C.
Cannon, about -15 years old and a
widow, is In this city desperately
founded, and Mlary Gaillard, a negro
woman, accused by Mrs. Cannon of
attacking her, was at last reports,
surrounded by a posse in a swamp in
the vicnlity of Vance, near the scene
of the assault, which, it is greatly
feared, will tenttnate in a tragedy. In
fact, it is said, the doctors attending
Mlrs. Cannon hold out little hope of
her recovery, so serious are the many
wounds she received,
irs. Cannon was brought to Or
angeburg Friday night for surgical
and medical attention, after her phy
sician, )r. W. II. Lawton, of Vance,
had taken more than twenty stitches
in(d her wounds. She is now at the
home of her (laughter, Mrs. W. J.
Morgin, wife of the well known At
lantic Coast Line conductor on the
P'regnall branch.
Children Save Mother's Life.
The fiendish attack on Mrs. Can
ton, of which Mary Gaillard is ac
cused, was made early Thursday
night. at M1rs. Cannon's home, on her
plantation at .lillican's, a small station
on the Coast. Line, near Vance. Mlrs.
('annon was alone at the time, her
children, a boy about It and a girl a
little younger, having gone on a visit
to neighbors, and returning just in
time to witness part of the attack and
prevent. the assailant applying a match
to their mother's clothes, which site
had saturated with kerosene.
Although fearfully injured, Mrs.
C'annon has been able to talk about
the attack, which she declares was
made for the purpose of robbery, and
during which a sutti of money, for
which she had sold some cotton, was
taken. She asserts positively that
Mary Gaillard was her assailant. It
is sai(1 that the Gaillard woman has
been it the Vnce coimmnttttity about
two years and bears a )ad reputation
amtong both the negroes and white
people.
The substance of \irs. Cannon's ver
sion of the dilliculty in -which she re
ceived what may prove fatal injuries,
is about as follows:
Victims's Recital.
She declares that while alone in
her home about 8 o'clock Thursday
night, Mary Gaillard came to her
house, but the woman's presence be
objectionable Mrs. Cannon ordered her
away. The woman stated that she
had come to see about a pattern and
also spoke about some sewing she
probably wished to have Mrs. Cannon
do for her.
Then, without giving the slightest
intimation of her intentions, Mrs.
Cannon says, the woman struck her
on the head with a billet of wood,
shte began slaishing her with a razor,
also striking her with a bottle. Mrs.
Cannon further declars that her as
sailant grabbed her' telling her' thtat
she wa~s going to break her arm,
whlich shte proceeded to (10 by twvisting
the membel~r until the bone wvas frac
The womant thea, says Mrs. Gannton,
stuck a knife into hetr ear anid twisted
it aroutnd several tities, causitig ex
cruciating pain andI inflicting one of
the 'itost ser'ious of her mtanty wounds.
Mrs. Canntott says her' clothtes were
snturatedi with kerosenec by the wo,
mant, wvho was abtout to apply a match
to thte oil-soakedl garments of lier' pros
trarte victim, avhlen the chtlldren arriv
ed, finding their mnother barely able to
speak. The negtro woimn then ran out
of the hack (loor' and presumably, go
ing into the Santee River swamp.
ENTERT'AINMENT FltlDAY.
In the Presbyterian Chmurch by Two
of The Church Organizations.
Next Friday evening, 'Dec. 26th, at
7:30 the Covenantor Company and
Miriam Club of the Presbyterian
church will give a Christmas enter
tainmient in the main auditortuin of
the church. 'The entertainiment 'vil
consist of special Christmas songs andI
'recitations by the tmembers of the
two societies. The youtng people who
will take part have beeni practicing
dlaily and the ent(ertainment pr'omises
to be a most initeresting one. Thte pubh
lie is most cordially invited to be
presgent. A silver-Offerintg will be taik
en dnrintg the eveninig.
JAM[S H. SLUIY4,
.MA[ 80JP[RINH
.lames Ii. Sullivan, son of the late
Ji'red I). Sullivan and a well known
young attorney, was selected by the
state board of education Monday to
I fill out the unexpired term of Super
intendent of 1ducation Geo. L. Pitts
who handed in his resignation to take
effect the first of the year. Mr. Sulli
van's tern in oflice will be for one
year, unless he is re-elected during the
coming summer campaign, for the
four year teiliL.
Mr. Sullivan goes into the oflice well
IS SAFE CRACKER
AGAIN IN TOILS?
Spartanburg Police lave a Man They
Think is Safe Cracker Recently
Paroled by Illease,
Spartanburg, Oce. 20.--"John Kin
ney," a prisoner in the county jail,
serving thirty days for vagrancy is
none other, according to the pollee,
than William McKinley, a noted safe.
robber, who was one of the 1:t con
iets liberated by Gov. ile;'se last
month in honor of 'I'hankse~ivi ng.
Alor-cover, the police say, tIey have
evidence that MclKinley attempte'd to
blow a safe within three weeks alter
he was freed from the penitentiary
and will bring hit to trial for the al
legel crime a s soon as he op'letes
his vagrancy sentence.
A warrant. has been sworn out
against cleinley charging him with
the a ttonpted safe robbery, and .lag
istrate Robert J. Glant~t will hold a
preliminary investigation Monday af
ternoon, when it is said much addi
tional evikence will be disclosed.
The man was found camping in
woods near Spartanburg ,lnietion by
Robert I-. Miller, a special agent of
the Sout hern Hallway. lie had a sack
of coal which he admitted having tak
en froni the railway's goal .yard and
was arrested and convicted before
Magistrate Gantt.
On being taken to the county jail
Kinney, or McKinley, was hailed as
an old acquaintance by another pris
onei, Elmort Wright, vho said the
new arrival was in the penitentiary
at the same time that lie (Wright)
was serving a life sentence there for
murder.
Wright, like McKinley, was paroled
by Gov. IBlease, but after lie was
liberated shot another lman, and lie,
too, is back in prison again.
Two (lays before McKinley, alias
Kinney was arrested, an attempt
was made to blow open the safe In
the general store of Renard Frey, at
Fair Forest, S. C., about eight miles
fromn Spartanburg. A charge of nitro
glycerine was exploded but the safe
resisted the assault. The explosion
was heard by a negro in the neigh
borhood, but the robber was not seen.
The Bitton ('lew.
Tile neCxt mlorinlfg a button, with
a little tuft of cloth attached, was
found undlcer the window of Frey's
store, It is bliieved to have beenl
tor'n from the irobber's clothing as lie
enter'ed the building and wuas lire
seirved as of possible value as evi
dence.
Wheiin Kinlney was ideiitified by
Wright as Mcinle y, thle safe i'obiber',
ollicers examinedi Mcl(inley's ciloth
lng. They found a button missiing,
anad also d iscovei'ed, it is alleged, t hat
the butttoni found in Frey's stor'e was
identically the same as- the reainli
lng btuttons oin McKInley's ('ltes
andl~ that the cloth was the same as
the little tuft attachled to the button
refei'ied to.
McKinley's repuatation as a profes
sional safe i'obber andI the evidcelC of
tile button, taken in connection with
the fact that lie wuas arrested as a v'a
grant withlin a coupile of miles of
Frey's store, constitute the case
against him, as at piresenit dheveloiied.
Postoflice inspectora hiavr.- been in
vestigating iln the belief thait McKin
Iey may hav'e had accomplices and
that the gang may have been respon
Bilie for other robberies in tils see
110o1. Two muen in .the Spartanburg
county jail, chiargedl with robblig the
saufe in the p~ostofllce at Saludta, N. C.,
ai'e not believed, however, to have had
tany conntection with McKinley. They'
clahnl to be "followers of the race track
who were "beating" their wvay to
C'har'lestonl.
McKinley, who at first was very vo
inbile In nrotesting antt s aiestv
YOUNG ATTORN[Y
ND[NT OF [DIJCATION
elluiiped to fulfill its duitie4s. Ie Is a
graduate of the University of South
('arolina and1(1 a member of the bar,
having read law under lion. F. P. Mc
( owan. It(e has been practicing in
this county for several years as a
muenber of the firm of ir"by &. .allivan.
.Mr.. V C. Irby, .Jr., being the senior
member. AMr. Sullivai taught for one
year in the public schools at ruusotn,
in Ilampton county. where he won
anl env1 iable riepultation as a teacher
and disciplinarian,
as a vagrant and tmade an able -plea
to Magistrate Uant t for his (lischrge,
has since become -as silent as a cla:nn.
The oflicers say he angrily broke his
silence, however, when they informed
him - that Postoilice Inspector 11. T.
(regory, the terror of "yeggmen," was
coming here to look him over. The
prisoner cursed, it is said, and ex..
claimed that he did not want to see
G regory.
Summary of Ills Record.
l iere is ('EKine y's reco r'd so far a5
it is known here:
lie entered a store in Montiorenei.
Aiken county, S. ('.. in 19011, anid rob
hed the posto.'i'e. whicl was located
in the s;ore. I'ostotlice Inspector ii.
T. G'regorv got on the trail of the
g:tg of which cKinley was believedi
to be a mttembtler and otn .laniuary I,
1903, arrested McEKiliey inl Columbia.
The prisoner was tried in April inl the
Ilnited States court at (harlestoni and
sentenced to the federal penii teniia ry
at Atlanta for live years.
After his release from the At
lanta prison he was taken in hand bly
the South Carolina authorities and at
Aiken in .luly, 1907, largely on the tes
timoniy of Postollice Inspector Greg
ory, was convicted of burt glary and
larceny and Sentenced to the Staten
penitentiary for 15 years. lie had serv
ed six years when paroled by Gov.
1 lease.
On being taken to the governor's
o'itie .Ic Kinley said with 'inuch earn
(-tesen i reported ,that he intendl
ed to gi ip crlJiitinal wa3'5 and lead
anhonest life.
Admitl's identity..
Si mrtanburg, Dec. 42.--After a pre
I liminary investigation held in the
court house this afternoon Willhuin
McKinley, alias .dolin Kinney, alias
"Dayton Scotty," a noted safe robber.
liberated on parole from the State pen
itentiary by Gov. Blease Thanksgiv
ing day, was held by Magistrate Rob
ert .1. Gantt to await the action of the
grand jury on charges of burglary
ant d attempted safe robbery.
McKinley admnitted that he was the
convict paroled by Gov. Blease
Thanksgiving. lie said after leaving
the penitentiary he went to Georgia.
but his feet. became sore from walk
ing and wh'len arrtested here lie was
wor'king his way to Baltimore to en
ter' a hospital.
COURT WILL REVIEW
T. U. VAUGHN'S CASE
Gr'outnds Stated Upon Wlhch HIe Ap
uPented to1 1'. S. Supretme ('oturt. ii ay
lbe 3loths lie'fire D)eeisioni is itn.
deredl.
W\ashtIington., liec. 22.-T'F. I'. Vaughnrit
f'ot'merly Iin charge of the Odd Fl
lows' I lomte rot' Ghildren at G reen ville
S. ('., appieahed to (lie supr~temie ('Outt
today to set. alside his conivictioni of as
sault. tupon a 1 4-year'-old girl at the
home(. The court will review thie case
Vaughn, who was senitoncedl to be
-electi'ocuted, ckaims th'at (Itis .ptnd
tcelC cannfot he imptlosed uiponi hitm
heeauise electt'ocution was authot'ized
by a lawv etnacted after lhe had been.
indicted. lIe also clabtam that the
tr'ial judge er'redl in charging the juiry
that lie confessed to (ho technical
elharge. Vaughn's attorney clatis
that lie merely confessed to gr'eat.
moral wrong.
it mtay' be several 'months befot'e a
decision is t'etndered.
Nir. ,attmes Davis A ppointed.
Mr'. .atmes D~avis, fcir a nutmbier of
y'eart' Sall esmant at Daitvis, Hopb.- Co.,
has beeni app~oinitted city mtail carr'iert.
anitd will beg in his tiew ditties thie II rat
of I the yeatr. The postoflee depart
ment otnly recently added anothei' eart
riot' for (lie city manghw ree itt ,.ll