The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, September 23, 1914, Image 1
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VOLUME XXX.' LAURhNS, SOUTII CAROLINA, WRIDNISDAY, SEPTEMBER 23,, 1914.NJMW9
Jos. G. 8JLIIV4N
GIV[N SIX 'YEARS
Guilty of Manslaughter is
Jury's Verdict
POSSIBLY APPEAL
TO SUM@EME COURT
Ater Keilialniig out All of Thursday
Night, Jury Ilendered- a Verdict Fri
day Morning about 11 O'Clock. De.
fendant Out on Ball.
Joseph G. Sullivan, the prominent
Young Sullivan township farner, in.
dicted for killing John M. Cannon, the
Laurens attorney, -at Gray Court on
May 12th last, was found guilty of
manslaughter in the second. trial 'of
his case which began last Wednesday
morning and was sentenced to six
years at labor on .he public Works of
the edunty or at the state penitentiary.
Defendant's attorneys flied notice of
an appeal to the supreme court and
pending- this appeal ball was granted
in the sum of45,000. Tle ball was sat
isfactorily arranged for and Sullivan
is now out on bond. The case was giv
en to the jury Thursday afternoon and
Friday morning at 11 o'clock the ver
diet was rendere(d.
Evidenc' in the second trial was
largely a repetition of fthat of the frst,
when a mistrial was ordered. Several
additional Witnesses were put on the
stand by the state, one of Whom,
Jesse A. Wood, denied the statements
attributed to him by other witnesses
that he said to Col. Cannon at: Gray
Court. Immediately preceding the trag
edy, "You have not treated me and
the Oullivans right." Mr. Wood de
nied that he included- the Sullivans at
all, though lie admitted Is true, that
part of the testimony which related
to him and his own family. Consider
able weight was attached to this part
of the testimony as upon it largely
rested the contention of the state that
Sullivan entered into the altercation
with Col. Cannon deliberately. The
defense put up testimony tending to
discredit. thu testimony of Mr. Wood.
The state also placed on the stand
hliss AlNilcia Stone, who was In the
waiting room with the Sullivans after
the trial ofyoung Humbert Sullivan
ard immediately preceding the homi
cide. 'Miss Stone's testimony was in
tended to lend .weight to the State's
contention that the Sullivaha follow
ed Col. Cannon from the room intent
upon bringing on a difficulty. She tes
tified. that the Sullivans left the room
after Col. Cannon rather than before,
as intimated in the testimony of the
defendant. However, on cross exam
ination, she stated that the Sullivans
](ft the room to get ice cream upon
the invitation of Joseph GI. Sullivan.
thus largely counteracting the effect
o the direct testimony.
The complete story of the killing is
still fresh in the minds of the rendiers
of The Adver'tiser. The testimon)Ty at
this trial add~edl little or nothing to
that alr'eadiy published. To make a
hr!ef review of thecase, it will be re
'inembleredl that at a trial before ai
townshlip magistrate at (Gray Court
M'ay 12th, in which Hlumbert SulliIvan.
a brother of Joseph)1 (. Sullivan, was
the dlefendlan t. Col. ?hanngxn represent -
ed Miss Sharpe the proseenting wit
ru as. The- trial was the result of al
leged unsegmly conduct on the part
of Humblert Sullivan at, school. Feel.
ing was already at high tension wvhenx
the trial 'vas called in the G)ray Court
r'ail road stat ion. During the trial the
Sull ivans took exception to the man -
ncr In which C'ol. Cannon cosdlutedI
the case. After arguments In the
('ase, Sullivan and Cannon met on the
outside or theo hbuilding where the al
tercation anatted. Thxe state contendedl
I that Sullivan followved Cannon out of
the room wvithu thu intention of creat
lag a disturbance, testimony being i'n
traduced to showv that he left the wait
ing room w~ith his arm undernea~th hib
coat as if prepared to pull his pistol,
A very heated argument was already
in jirogress between Col. Cannon and
Mr. Jessa A. Wood when the Salllivanx
arrived on tiheseone. Joseph (1. Sulli
vani. became involved in the altorca
tion andl the lie was passed, but wheth,
er first uttered by Cannon or Sullivari
testimqny conflicted. A blow . fron>
(o1.' Canson's light walking cant
aeuiosa Sullivan's forehead was follow.
ed by a shot froma Milijven'a pist~it
einmaly followed by 9thU I'ITha -at~ti
9HORTAGE MUST
43E MADE GOOD
Taigistiate Creiws 11uiled iII Vonte
of Court and Given ,11a11 Se lien Zce,
ConittIonally Suspended.
'lagist rate WI. T. Crews, of Laurens
township. was adjudged in contempt
of pourt and given a six months' jail
sentence by .ludge T. S. Sease In ses
Sjions court Frtiday for failure to iake
suflicient answer to .the rule to show
cause issued previously by Judge i.
W. Bowman why he should'not submit
his criminal docket to the County
Board of Comm8isd oners and why he
should not pay over' the fines collected
by him. The grand jury in its pre
sentient pointed out that Magistrate
Crews was $1,174.66 short in his ac
counts, less salary due him of about
$600, inakitig the net shortarge of near
lv $600.00. The sentence is suspended
for twenty days to enable the ninagis
irate to pay over' the shortage. The
order of Judge Sease is as follows:
This matter comes before tile %imder
an order passed by his lionor, F. It.
Gary, Presiding judge, at the .Ilune
'Tern. I9i , or this Court, said Order
directing the Respon(ien t to comjply in
every Iespect with an Order. passed
by his lionor, I. W. Bowman, Presid
Ing .Judge on .I arch I 4th, 191 1, direct
Ing that mag. W. T. Crews be, an1(d lie
is hereby required to show cause, on
or before the ilrst (lay of the next term
of this court, why he should not be re
(Iuired to submit his criminal docket
to the County Board of Commission
ers for examination, and pay over to
the County Treasurer all fines collect
ed by him.
The said Magistrate made return to
said Rule on the 16th day of -June, 1914
which Return was continued until
this term of the Court by order of his
Honor, Judge Gary.
It, seems to me that the Returnt is in
su11eient and does not show any coin
pliance with the Rule, and no reason
for a failure so to do.
It further appearn that the Grand
Jury of the county finds the said W. T.
Crews indebted tq the county of Lau
rens by reason 6f fines collected by
him as_ Magistrate, 10leven Hundred
Seventy-fodr and 66-100 ($1174.66)
Dollais, whlich amount he has failed
to turn over to the County Tre-isurer
as requireld by the Order of this Court.
It frirtier appear's that said inagis
trate failed to submit his crii inal
dochet to the County. Iloard of Coin
mi.ssioner 4 as ru'ired by order of
this Court.
-IT, IS, rTTIFIRMFORlT ORDFE)1,
AD1 UDGI), AND DECRt01WN), That
the said V. T. Crews is in contempt of
this Court in falling to comply with
.the Order and Rules above referred to,
and it is the sentence of this Court
that the said W. T. Crews be attached
by the Sheriff and committed to the
County Jail for a period o?' six (()
months. This sentence, however, is
suspended for a 11eriod of twenty days
from this (late, and if the said W. T.
Crews shall, during said twenty days,
pay over to the County Treasurer the
amount of money found to 1be due by
hlin to the County of Laurens, that
said sentence be indefinitely suspend
ed.
Dated at Laurens, S. C..' this the
nineteenth (lay of 'eptember, A. 1).
191-i.
T.S. S'P]ASI,.
Presiding .udige.
R1ev. Rtanini to llospital,'
Rev. C.- F. Ra4'nkin, pasto'r of the
F irst Presbyterian chutrch, left Mon
da~y miorning for Atlanta, where hie
wvill enter a hospital for treatment. H~e
was accompianied by Mir. Aihert C.
Todd1, a member of his congregation.
R1ev. Ii ankin Is uiniversal ly poilar In
the city and his ear ly recoveryv is hop-)
cont en tin wats that Col. Cannton
struck Xull Ivan with his cane whien he
saw Suill ivant reach' for his Ipistol and
t hat the blow wt defensive rather
t han an l offenslve measur'e. The dle
feundanit himself test ifleti that Col.
('annon first enig~d him a 4hir and
struck him withI the cane, staggering
himii asd that while recovering *from
the blow lie ANCol. Cannon reach
to his left hi p pocket as if to get a
pistol and thtat then he used his pis
tol. e. textiltied that, about live in- i
iites elapused between the blow withI
lhe cennte antd the shot. Other witness
es testtiehd that Ithe, blow and t he shot
were almost simultanieous. Mr'. C. T.
Ow inigs t esti fled thtat. Can non wtas iiot
armeii(d on the day of the tragedy.
Argument of the ease .consignedI
about four hours. Messrs. Rt. A.
Cooper and F, flarron (Grier', of Gireen
wvood, represented the state, and WV.
R1. Richey. of Laurens, C. C. Feather
stone, of GreenWood. A. H. Dean and
TF. P. Cothran, of Greenville, -repre..
sented the defense. Robin J. Cope
land, Jr., of Clinton, acted as fore
~nap of the juiry.
LIR[NS M[RCANTS
1,500 BAL[S Al
"Buy-a-Bale" Movement
Here Mondy, Will All
The "Buy-a-Bale" .movement was
auspiciously launched here Monday
when the merchants of the ciyy agreed
to handle as many as l,.547 bales of
cotton on a ten cents basis. During
the afternoon two meetisgs were held,
one by the merchants df the city and
t,he other under the auspices of the
Chamber of Commerce. At the first
meeting a large number of the city's
merchants pledged theiselves to allow
cotton to be applied on accounts or in
trade at ten cents per pound, basis
strict middling or better.
At the meeting in tie claniber of
commerce a committee was appointed,
composed of Messrs. 1). A. Davis, 1, 1I.
Burns and T. C. Switzer, to canvas the
city for cash purchasers of cotton C.11
the lluy-a-Bale plan. This committee
will probably mahe a envas of the
city today.
The offer of the merchants was put
into tangible shape by Ricans of a res
olution Subscribed to in writing by
different inembers present. These reso
lutions with the subscribers are found
below, the number of bales subscribed
for each merchant being opposite their
names. The offer expires on October
15th, after which it wMl be olptional
with the merchant whether or not he
will leave the offer open. As the ipro
position stands now, any farmer has
secure as much as ten cents per pound
in trade for a limited number of bales.
Tie resolutions and subscribers are
as follows:
We, the undersigned merchants of
Laurens, agree to become members
of an association calling itself-"The
Laurens Buy-aw-1ale Association'
whose object is to aid in prokiding
andi maintaining a profitable price for
the South's greatest product.-cotton.
As members of this association we
agree to take in trade or on account
one or two bales, at the option of the
_purchaser. from each customer, to the
amount of bales opposite our names
at the price of ten cents per pounsi for
cotton grading middling or better;
this agreement to be in force until
October 15th, 1914, or later as agreed
upon by the association:
(Signed) * .
.T. H1. Sullivan .... .... .. 100 Bales
Hunter & Co .. .. .. .. .. 100
John A. Franks ..... .... .. 100
Davis-Roper Co. .......... 100
A. L. Mahaffey ........ 50
Todd-Simpson Co. - 50
Brooks Hardware Co. ..5..50. "
Switzer Co. 100
Who's Who Ir
40
If
PhtobyAmrianPrssAsocato
Pant byag inressn mAyscnatth
tia and Servla. Franc, with
to usia. France .wonld like to recol
WOLD TA[
I T[.N CENT8 A POUNDI
Enthusiastically Launched
low 10 Cents in Trade.
-J. C. litrns & Co. ........150
.\lnter Comlaniy ......... 100
-.- M. l'hilpot .. ..5......50."
Kesncedy Bros. ..5...... 50 ..
Dial Co. ................135
II. Terry. - .- ........ 25
S. Al. & J!. 11. Wilkes & Co 50
Lautrens Hardware Co. ..100
Clardy & Wilson ........100
Laurens )rug Co. ........50"
liennett & Owens . . .. 25
11. W. Willis-........ 25
Owings & Owings .. .. .. 100
lHudgens & Itoper...... 25"
l'owe D1ug Co. ..2.......2
.1. C. Sheill & Co. .. .. .. 25
Leveret t lu rn itt are Co. .....5 "
Total -...--..... ..1,517 Bale"
loth mieetings were largely attend
er1 by IrepCrsen tative Citizens. Consid
erable discussion of tle situation was
elitered Into an many divergeit views
Were exPIressed 'as to the best way to
deal with the situation. The opinion
prevalled, however, that the people of
Lairens shotild co-operate with those
of other sectiols of the soul Iin i the
iovelest already inaugu rated. viz.,
the "iliy-a-lIcl" movement. There
were no remarks made In the meet
ings that would convey the idea that
the movement was in any sense a
charitable one. On the other hand,
as in other places, the movement was
endorsed as a co-operative measure
for the mutual benefit. of farmer and
merchant.
In last week's paper it was noted
that Mr. W. B. Sloan had purchased
two bales at 10 cents per pound. Since
then lie has purchased another and
other members and employees of the
firm of Owings & Owings, where he Is
eiployed, hav e bought bales In the
following amounts: Owings & Owings
5 bales. Mrs. M. A. Owings 1 bale, M.
.1. Owings 1 bale, 1I. G. Strawhorn 2
bales, L. P. Nabors 2 bales. This makes
a total Q 1-1 bales these gentleijen
Iavis bmtght,
On Saturday 'Mr. C. M. Clark bought
for cash. for the Asheville Milling
Company, Ashville, N. C., one hale at
10 cents. In ills letter notifying The
Advertiser of this ) 1rch1A'Se, Mr.
Clark says "Let others do like these
people and lp the farmer."
Anyone wishing to aid in the "Buy
a-Bale" movement by purichasing a
,ale of cotton at ten cents per pound
for. cash may communicate with either
p. C. Witzer, L H. 10 Burns or ). A.
Davis.
k Europe's War
Frnbreulcwientrerddn
in badfrcdi'hewrbtwe'
Engbamnd, h ond in the rileentAente
rer Ahance- Iorr'nine.
NEGRO WOMAN IS
BRU [ALLY KILLED,
Took l1inay 3leit, inife and Sei4red04
Iher hlead Almost, Ien (Cut Her I'p.
G reenville, Sevpt. 21.- -lecause 1h.
I tended (.1h11creh last night against h1;
ordeirs, Il wife of, Nelse Farmeir. c,d
(W(1. was last ilght killed by her en
J'iiuri ated husband who (I ragged h er
from the Hlollin e.0ss church and carried
he'r Into a butcher shop Oil Nichols
street where ie chopped ler, head off
with a big Meat knife.
At a late hour last night the sheriff
an( his Iposse and Chief of Police
lolcombe, Call Officer Bridges anl
s'veral of the others oflicers were s1111
heating the bushes in that part. or the
Cmiuty searching for h111im.
It would be hard to inmagine a kill
ing more brutal and feeling among
the colored people in that section was
riu nnhbig high. It seems that Farmer,
who goes by the nainte of "Dig Iloy"
had3 orde, red his wivlfe not to g- Io
church. She venf, lowever, wtI io,
aunt, with vhoni she and her hun
link IId imlade their. holine. life cn.111
homne and found her gone(.mi-I v.4.111
to thie clmroh for hier.Th mm..
who sIw the tragedy si:' t- that he Q
mar"lched up thev lisle. pulled her outf
of her seat nild draggf'd in' ;ca.
ing to I1he.. butcher shop, which Is in
the rear. of a1 soft-drink stil at tlhe
crossing of the C. & (". riulroaIl.
It..Is said that ie took a sI:i:ll
plodket knife at first and slashed her
over tile face( and,(I arms untiI '~e ellI
upon ier k nees, reamk rom Ioss of
blood. A negro who saw th! whlo!e
tragedy then stated that Faimer Luol*
a meat knife and holding his wife by
the hair, bent her heard forward and
with a mighty stroke all but severed
her head. le then took the knIfe land
jabbed it down the neck cavity sev
eral times. punching it tile full lenlgti,
of the lade. He,, calmly w alked41 0111
the back door and while passing an
Old colored m1an111 about a bloke ir
ther away, struck the old tIiuai a
leavy blow Over the head, cutthg all
utgly gash. 'I'le old in1111 was c, irrled
upl) town where his wounds wvere,
dressed by a physician.
Farimier Is from li artsville and has
been here about six weeks, working
for thle I )ougla liv11~ery stale1. lIe 1s
described as being tall and wvell built,
Ibout, 25 years of age and Is said to
be-, a light ginger-cake color.
Dr. C. .). Enst Dead.
Dr. Collier Downs East, who has
practiced medicine in the viciiity Of
(oldville for a long term of years, (11ed
at tile residence of his brother-in
law, Nir. Ro)in1 .1. Copeland, Sr., at
Cli-nton S1un(lay night. His body was
carried to Hlopewell Methodist Clhuc'll
loniday ifterilooln. where it was In
teirret iII tile ceictery nearby. Dr.
Ea"ist. Was originally from tile upper
portion of tile coulnty, wher'e le hai
Swide( flily onlilectiOll. Ile was
Veryl highly esteliled by all with Whom
h e me inl Contact lnd his deati Is a
Ioss to the commiity which he 1i ser'v
il. I )r. l'ast. was never' marri'ied.
(County Force~ I unreased.
Thell ('0unty3 roadl Iforce was sublsi an1
illy inIeesed Aliny by3 thle add11i
tioni of seven white1 mei n uriled overI
bly the4 City auithiorities aflter' (onviC
tioni for' vagrancy'3. TIhese m1n1 wvere
ro11unded upi by~ thle 1))1llee' force in (one4
0of tile mill villages and 1in thle railroad
3 aid. w.hereL they had bee hinin
seemi to lbe par I tiul arly per Itur oI iCl(v
er' theO senitences,8 be4ing apparentii'l Ily
hin~ 'ig lthree Sthliar mea111s daL)ily. (-on..
sidera'Lble Iicrease in1 valgraueyo hasi
.SIet at ew'V Days3 .\go and1( .\rreed to
litlld Cott on for 310 1)ay s I'nless
Price ('han iged.
The'i f'armiier of 01'rospectL S(chool I )ls
triict No. 2, held a mei(etinlg on thle Ithi,
('0tton. Afteri a long discussi5ion ofI the4
'1 i(e theyi ' slgSed .il an greemenilt
"e(s' thenmelve'.i not1 to sell cotton1 ait
the a:ar'ket prlic( for :30 day13s. Th'Ie chuli
ha s a membershl'11 ip of I about 1. an Ld thii
dlsisssins of tile coitoni problemyl
wer'e inlteresting andi instr'uctive. A
,comilttee complosed of (G. WV. Pr'ofitt
MlooreSllivan ad T. S. Langston
was app1olnted to confer wIth oUhet
school dIstrict delegations onl tih(
same subject. Besides a discussIon of
the cotton situatIon, the members talk.
ed oyer ihe lahor, situntian.
4 V[RY BUSY W[N
FOR S[83I0JS COURT
Sullivan Case and Others
Keep Court Busy
GREENWOOD ROGERS
TO ELECTRIC CHAIR
jingistrate W. T. Crews Presented to
the ('ourt. by the (traidi .Jury for
Siortage in Accounts and Giien Ia
Suspended Seiteunee by the ('ourt.
With forty-olle IIiexse the Slla
iban IIIIIrider case, six it(her rlitider
(ls8es, oi arso Case alal eII 1 verl oth
or vases of minlor charm--tvir the ourt
of geleral sessions %was kpt very busy;
hist week, adjourning :atur-day at
ool after a very satisie.etory sioln.
The case of Joseph (. 1llivi. s!ayer
of-J.oh n .\1. Ca nnlon at 1 " y ( ou rt. 00-..
cupied the tIlle of Ih - court Wedies
day and Thu rsdaiy, an accoun 11 t of!
whose conviction is noted (I' lowhero
inl today's imper. WVedlesI'a v moriling
the jiry ill the case of ,ohn (nn11111ag
hain. hlarged with hIIIe mu rd er of Ed.
Pubi1ankxs at (tinton, icidered a ver.
diit. of lianhlatighter. Sentelie was
passed Satuli rdiiy, he being give n ihreo
yeal.rs aIft ad labor oil the county Igang
or inl the state lepllitentiary. Ih- was
sPIlt to the (o'litty gaig. A iotion for,
;I new triali Was over-rI'led by tho
con it.
t ireen wood [logci. colored. was
convicted Friday of arson for tho
burning of the hoIle over the holy of
.\r. Geo. P. Youing, nlear. HItnno Ont
lanuary 12th, after logers andl two
other negroes had murdered him. Rlog
ers and .11unk C1aldwell were convietsi
ed at a previous term of court of tho
murder of Mr. Young and recomnitend-.
ed to the mercy of the court, both re
ceiving life sentences. ITestimony
seei ing to indicate fiat Rogers was
the ringleader in tlkc crimte, ie was i
dicted for arz'soni witichi carriesgtth it
a sentenlce of death. lie was sorftenccd
to the electrie chmit .Satuirfday. but his
attorney filed notice of al appeal to
the suipermel' couirt onl the tground ot!
former jeopiardy. 'I'oimi Younig, tho
third ttegro inplicated ill thli crimo
and who (on1tribuoted to the coniv -ictoion:
of fite other two by turning state's
evidence, by pre-airangement betwecat
attoileys was fottud guilty of imuirder
and recommended to tite ieircy of the
couirt, receiving a life sentence.
Watts Little, colored, Was COIlViCted
of manslaughter and given a five year
sen tetice.
lienry Felts, colored, was convicted
of mtanslaighter and given a two year
sentenco. I )
Isiah Richar'ds. colored, was conViCt
eil of mtatnslauighteir anld given a tei
yNear sentence.
Presentiment, of rn .ttli ur..
The graid jiury imtade its% present
imteit Tuittrsday as follows:
Wo have xassed oin l hils hand
e iiaby thy tso liier. ii II<S il
slp(ctedl tile 1)oor1 house, otyiilt jail andh
tions xin rgardi to xsame11 lhav beien car..
We lhave by reglr ennun(iiijits, ex''
ainied t he 'hooks of' the ipesint in-.
eiumblests of the 1folilwing Ofli'ts and
find samie well and4 neatly kept: coun..
ty treasurerit, ('ounity autlfifor. (lt,k! of!
I lldlnt. ofi ti liiucation).
W te hiavi aliso exainedoi tie books of'
Iiat all tinles andl 11osts ('ollie I bty
'xejption: it appearsi i frlomi 19- iiooks
of' .\lagisttrate W~. T.X Cr'ews, ni 1.irens
('. II., that. lhe hias Polledtef siln thto
7th day' of Oct ober. 1 9 f3, tihe :iul of!
Ehlcent Ilunidred iSevetfy iiiu amti
i%!00~f liiollars it lnes anti cotI hillh
13y treaxsureir ax riiredli~t by law. 1lls
books are he'erjtwi subm~itItl to Ith
by the cotiunity(on his salar tvih sum.l
or six lilndrdl TIwo), 27--0 flt ))llars,
wIchl we recommtltend~ Itbe1) nta aId to
himt till lie fuilly ac~outitt to it' -pro-.
tier aiuthotities for ll collections mtadlo
Ott lilnes aind costs. We untderstatnd ai
rlel to show cause why lie should not
account and htave his books audited,
is inow pieninlg in this courit aigains~t
htim.
The repor't of the coitnty supueri.
(Continued on Page Fonr3u