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VOLUME XXXI. LAURENS, SOUTH CAROLINA, WEDNESDAY. JANUARY 54q956 ' NUMBER2 PROHIBITION [M C[Q8[S DISP[NSARI[S Fifteen Counties Swing in to -Dry Column ACT NOW ALLOWS GALLON A MONTH Legislative Action Required to Dis pose of Surplus Stocks. Rush of Business Marks Final Day. Total Income for Last Year More than 8,000,000. Manning Calls Upon Peo ple to Aid Officers. Columbia, Jan. 1.-When the sun went down yesterday afternoon at 5:25 o'clock, the official closing time, South Carolina swung into the dry column. At midnight six other States, Iowa, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Arkansas were added to the list. Under the prohibition law indorsed at an election held last September dispensaries in the following coun ties were officially closed: Aiken, Beaufort, Bamberg, Barnwell, Char leston, Calhoun, Dorchester, George town, Jasper, Florence, Orangeburg, Lexington, Richland, Union and Wil liamsburg. The sales in all these counties dur ing the past ten days have been un precedented in anticipation of the final closing. The Bamberg county board reported to L. T. fultman, the State dispensary auditor, several days ago that the entire stock had been disposed of. ''he disposition of the surplus stock 'eld by practically all of the coun ties, it is believed, will requi:'e legis lative action. Gov. Manning has ro fused to take action, declaring that it was a problem to be decided by the general assembly. While no figures- have been pre pared by the office of the State dis pensary auditor, an unofficial esti mate places the total sales by the dis pensaries in 15 counties at more than $3,000,000. Nanning WilAgq , Gov. Manning in a statement issued yesterday promised to use the power of his office to enforec the law. He called upon the people of the State to aid in the enforcemenit of the new *ensure. '1 M#= The prohibition referendum elec tilo was held last September when the dispensaries reeived their "walk lig papers" at the hands of about 56.000 voters. The election afoted only 15 of the 44 counties in the state, bu~t the question was submit ted to the entire electorate. ra Columbia yesterday was marked by a constant stream of liquor par hasers. From early morning until ide eight dispensaries....were , cled about 5:25 o'clock yesterday after noon the clerks were busy, too busy te wrap up the bottles, which many of the customers carried away un ashamed in "their pockets. All kinds and conditions of people, the major ity in most of the dispensaries being negroes, got some hrand of whiskey in exchange for their money. Good order was maintained, members of the piolice force being stationedl in eachu dispensary in the afternoon. T~very bill1 incurred by the county dlispensalries, all running expenses and incidientals have been paid by the county beard, which coiits of . W. II. D~uncan, chairman; James S. Verner, secretary, and Sam T1. WVes berry. Mr. Vernor said yesterday he would have about $50,000' in cash and about $25,000 worth of stock en hand at its cost price. The sales yesterday aggregatedl more than $12,000 which was docuble the receipts of the preed ing day. The sales for December will amount to about $125,000 in Rich land county. The liquor loft over, consisting .princip~ally of cheap rye and corn whiskey, will be stored in the ware house, whore it will be kept until the legislature provides some lawful means of disposing of it. A dletailed rort of the amount on hand and the rcei4pts wili be submitted. Mr. Verner thinks tha't there will be not more liquor held ovce than could he disposed of in two weeks of ordinary sales. All beer, all Scotch whiskey and practically all wines have been soid, and the pick between the brands of rye and corn was exceed inglr limited. In the early part of December certain reductions in prices were made on hulk stoods.-Tho State. DI. W. A. SIIANDS HAS PASSED AWAY Died At His loe in Clinton Last Fri. day Night. One of Clinton's Most Prominent Citizens. Clinton, Jan. 2.-1)r. W. A. Shands, an old and highly esteemed citizen of this place, died here Friday night at the Lesh infirmary after a linger ing illness covering several months. The end came shortly before midnight. The funeral services were held Satur day afternoon at 4 o'clock at the First Presbyterian church, being conducted by the pastor, 1)r. Dudley Jones, as sisted by the Rev. E. M. Lightfoot of the First Baptist church. At the cem etery, in the presence of a large as semblage of sorrowing relatives and friends, the final sad rites were said, the service being in charge of the Ma sonic lodge of which he was a faithful and long standing member. Dr. Shands was born in 1839 in Spartanburg county near Glenn Springs. At the age of 16 he had se cured a common school education and had decided to study medicine. He moved to Cross Anchor and made his home with his uncle, Dr. A. C. Shands. In 1858 he entered the Charleston Medical college to pursue his study In his chosen profession. lie was in college at the time that South Carolina seceded, and in 18110 after his graduation he volunteered and along with other comrades he was sent to Richmond, where he en listed in Company F, Fourteenth South Carolina division, -McGowan's brigade. In 1861 he was elected a lieutenant and in the battle of the Wilderness, he was wounded twice. in 1866 he was married to Miss Evie Pitts, daughter of Robert Pitts. At this time he was enjoying a large practice and was kept busy from early morning until late night. He took an active interest in politics and in 1876 was elected one 9f the execu tive' -6f nitteenidn froW hid county and at the county convention follow ing shortly thereafter, he was named a delegate to the State convention in which Wade Hampton was nom inated for governor. In 1879 he moved to Clinton and soon after mar ried his second wife, Miss Rebecca Copeland of this place. Later lie was elected to the legislature by a large vote and in this capacity he served for two terms until he was forced to give up the work on account of ill health. Later he ,.Tjs elected mayor of Olinton In which position he served the city well for 15 years. HQ was the first man to agitate, the building through this section of the Seaboard Air Line railroad and made surveys and secured capital stock with which to begin the operation of road. In 1900 he gave up his theo ge prac tice and retired to private e. He Was elected a member of the board of trystees of the Thornwell orphanage, a position he held up to the time of his death, and he was aloyal friend of the institution. He was a, deacon in the Presbyterian church and always manifested a deep interest in all church work. Dr. Shands was a man of decided character, firm convictions and a high sense of honor. Those who camne in close contact with him were deeply impressed by his personality andl splendiid qualities of heart. liis love for others had no self-consciousncss ab~out it, but was implulsive and~ spon1 taneous and1( flowed from a sincerity of nature as deep) as his heart. lie was always true andl loyal to his friends and family, lie was well known thr'oughout the State and held in high esteem, lie was a bravo soldier un decr the South's great generals, and in his passing lhe leaves the record of a loving, honorable and useful life. Hie is survived by his second wIfe anid three children, Mrs. M. 10. Middleton of 'Clemson College, WV. H. Shands of thIs city and Claude Shands of Whit mire. J. J. Croswell D~ead. News was received in the city Sat urday morning of the death of Mr. .1. JT. Croswell, at his home in lFayette ville, N. C. Mr. Croswell was the brother of Mrs. Mary C. Bowen, of this city, and was well known here. For forty years he was route agent for the Southern Express Company and was always held in the highest estimation by his employers, Hie 'leaves a wife and one son. Ho was the son of the late W. J. Croswell of Sumter MEETING OF COUNTY T'AICHEIlS NEXT SATURDAY First Meeting of the Year will be Ad. dressed by Professor Patterson Wardfaw of S. C. University. The first regular meeting in the new year of the Liiurens County Teachers Association will be held in the school auditorium of the Laurens (iraded School next Saturday, beginning at eleven o'clock in the morning. Prof. Patterson Wardlaw of the University of South Carolina will be the princi pal speaker at this meeting. Ills sub ject will be "The Making of a Success ful School." Ills addresses on school subjects have always been interest ing and illuminating and his thorough knowledge of the subject he has se lected for Saturday assures every hearer of a valuable address. The first forty-five minutes of this meeting will be spent demonstrating and discussing methods of teaching composition. Subjects selected for the County School Fair contests will be used. The following is the pro gram: 11:00 to I:45-First, Second, Third and Fourth grade discussion will be led by Miss Alliene Franks. (Graded school Auditorium). 11:00 to 11:15-Fifth, Sixth and Sev enth grade discussion will be led by Miss Agnew. (tRoom Five). 11:00 to i1:-15-1Eighth, Ninth and Tenth grade c:iscussion will be led Ily Miss K bler. (Room Nine). 11:45 to 11:50-Reecess. 11:50 to 12:35--Address, by Prof. Pat terson Wardlaw. 12:35 to 1:00-Business Session. 1:00 to 2:00-Luncheon. (Guests of the County Board of Education). SALES IAROELY A'TENDED. A Number of Places Change Hands at Public Sales Monday. Monday being legal salesday a large number of people were in the city at tending thorn. A large amount of land was put up for sale, but some very valuable pieces of property which had been advertised were withdrawn. The following sales were made: Clerk of Court. In the case of S 0. Hughes, vs L. A. Stephens, 53 acres on Rabun creek, sold to S. 0. Hughes for $1,410. Mrs. J. W. McDowell vs C. Y. (Gar ott, 79 acres, sold to Mrs. C. Y. Gar rett, for $7,028. C. A. Power, Clerk of Court, vs H. E. Gray, et al, certain lota i the city of Laurens, bought by N. Douglas Gray, agent, for $3,600. - Sheriff. In the case of W, Hampton Cobb, as eceiver of Carolina Agency Company, Na John Y. Garlington, 2 tracts of land in Jacks township, aggregatig about 636 acres, sold to P. M. Pitts for $5 per acre; all the remaining trackm, except a tract in the city of Isurens which should not have been advertised for sale, sold to V. T. Graydon, Attorney, at $2 per acre. E~vie Fowlor vs F'rank Williams, one bt in city of Imurens sold for' $800 and 25 acres of land near the city sold for $1,250, both to Piedmont Burial ilenev olent Association. Probate Judlge. Mrs. TLola Boyd, as administratrix of M. C. lloyd, 107 aeres of M. C. lloyd home place to Mrs. Lo~la lloyd for $1,450. P. A. Riddle, adm. of D). C. Rlhode's, 19 acres D). 0. Rhodes home place, sold to D). M. Riddle for $500. INSTAILL.ATION AT (tRAY (00UlWT. Masonic Lodge Installs Offk'ers for the Year 191(6. Installation exercises of Schroder Lodge No. 144, A. Pi. M., of Cray Court, wore held in the lodge hall on Christ mas night. Trhe following ofmiers wore Installed for the coming year: J1. W. Wells, Wt. M.; A. C. Shell, S. W.; H. S. Wallace, J. W.; W. IH. Banrksdale, secretary; C. B. Shell,TPreasurer; S8. C. Hill. S. T).: J. Il. Wham, JT. D.; W. It Henderson and J. HI. Riddle, Stewards; W. W. Yeargin, Tyler. The lodge is in a prosperous condlition and a prosper(' eus year is anticipated. Moved Back to Country. Mr. and Mrs. T. J. Weathers, who have been living in the cIty for several years, moved back to their country home in the Pea Ridge section the first of the wook, Their home here will be occuptod by M~r. and Mr's. J. 0. floyd, who have been living in the Garling ton house on Elast Main street. GENEJtL ASSEimfILY TO CONVENE NEXT WEEK Seventy-First Session Does Not Prom. Ise to he a Very Exciting One. Few .New leIlbers. Columbia, Jan. 1.-The second ses sion of the 71st General Assembly of South Carolina will convene in Co lIumbia on Tuesdlay, January 11, at noon. lBoth houses are organized and the preliminaries should consume very little time. The Hlouse will be called to order by Speaker James A. Hoytt and the Senate by Lieut. Andrew J. Bllethea or, in his absence, by Senator Legrand Walker, of Georgetown, the President pro tem. The Lieutenant Governor went to Europe with Henry Ford's pacification expedition, and he may not get back until after the open ing day of the session. 'The annual message of Governor Richard 1. Manning will probably be read In both branches on the opening day. The referring of this message to the proper committees will likely be all that is accomplished at the initial meeting. New Members. There will be three new members sworn in by Speaker Hoyt in the House of Representatives. J. Terry Wood, of Greenville, takes the place of A. M. Hawkins, who resigned to de vote his time to teaching; 11. It. Del ser, of Sumter, will occupy the seat of George W. Dick, of Sutmer, who resigned to become postmaster of his native city; It. II. iicks, of Spartan burg, succeeds W. G. Querry on that delegation, Mr. Querry resigning to accept a position on the State tax commission. There will be only one new face in the Senate from Clarendon county succeeding to the seat made vacant by the death of Louis Appelt, which oc curred after the close of the session last year. The resignation of Representative Dick, of Sumter, left vacant the chair manship of the ways and means com mittee and Speaker Hoyt appointed Representative J. T. Liles, of Orange burg, to the vacancy. There are no indications on the eve of the session of any matters of unusual interest to come up. There may be considerable discussion of pro posed amendments and changes in the Tax Commission Act, but it is not be lieved that any considerable altera tions will be made. It has been inti mated that a fight may be made in the Senate on the confirmation ' of the tax commissioners for the Act pro vided that they should be appointed by the Governor, by and with the con sent of the Senate. It has been rumored that because of opposition of certain ones to the action of the com mission in assessing the banks a fight might be made when they come up before the Senate for confirmation. The names which will be sent in by Governor Manning as the members of the commission are: A. W. Jones, chairman; J. P. Derham and W. G: Querry. Another appointment which will be submitted to the Senate for confirma tion by the governor is that of D~r. C. Fred Williams as superintendent of the State Hospital foir tho Insane. The most interesting election to0 be held biy thle General Assembly will be that of warehouse commissIoner. .lohn L. .\eLauirin is tile presenlt, 'omilS sloner and he will be opposed for re election by .John .1. .\lc.\l ahan of Ce Ilumnbia, at present. a mem beri of the delegation from ltichland county. This lIght is beglining to attract. att m~ition and may take oin consider',ih of a iiolitical signitleanice heferm' it in through. An effort to strengthen the local oip tien comp~ulsory school attendance law may be made ini the legislature. Some of the advocates of compulsory educa tion are not satisfied with the present Act, but want to make it State-wvide immediately. Othgers priop~ose to make the change gradually. One of the recommendations which will be made by the governor in his annual message will be the passage of tihe Trorrens system of land registra tion, and there are indications that this may be done. Th'le governor will point out that tIts step is necessary before a rural credits system enn be enacted, and it is believed that ho will umake strong recommendations towarL id the passage of a system of ruriai cred its. The recommendations to strengthen and pierfect the State warehouso sys tem, education, rural credits, diversi fled farming and economy will be (Conntinued on Page t~onr.) 'OV R $5,000 1)ISJIItSEI) IN CORPORATION DIVIDENDS Stockholders Receive (hecks at the teginnlng of the New Year. The hearts of the bank, trust con pany and cotton mill stockholders were made glad on the first of the year by the receipt of dividend cheeks from the various institutions of the county. According to the figures con piled by The Advertiser over $50,000 was disbursed at this dividend period, banking houses generally paying 4 per cent semi-annually. Several of the younger institutions paid less or voted their surplus into reserve fund. Cotton mills, also, divided up pro fits among its stockholders in most in stances. The following are the amounts paid out by the various con cerns: Enterprise National Bank, 4 per cent on $100,000 .. .. .. ..$ 4,000 Peoples Loan & Exchange Bank, 8 per cent on $100,000 .. .. 8,000 'aurens National Bank, 4 per cent on $50,000 .. .. .. .. .. 2,000 Palmetto Bank, 4 per cent on $~0,000 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,000 Farmers Bank, 2 1-2 per cent on $50,000 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,250 Laurens Trust Company, 4 per cent on $47,000 .. .. .. .. 1,880 First National Bank, Clinton, 1 lpr cent on $50,000 .. .. .. .. 2,000 Commercial Hank, Clinton, .1 le'r cent on $35,oo .. .. .. .. .. ..1,00 Hank of Cross liill, 1 per cent Oil $25,000 J..... ...........1000 Bank of (;Gray ('ourt, 1 per cent Oil $25,000 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,000 Bank of Waterloo, 1 per cent on $25,000 .. .... .. .. .. .. 1,000 Commercial Loan & Trust Co., Clinton, .1 per cent on $25,000 1,000 Laurens Cotton Mills, 3 per cent on $250,000 .. .. .. .. .. .. 10,500 Clinton Loan & Trust Co., 4 per cent on $25,000 .. .. .. .. .. 1,000 Clinton Cotton Mills, 2 per cent on $300,000. ....0,000 Lydia. Cotton Mills, 2 per cent on $150,000 .. .. .. .. .. ..3,000 Banna Mfg. Co., Goldville, 3 1-2 per cent on $100,006 (approxi mately) preferred stock ... ..3,500 Total .. .. .. .. .. .... .. 50,530 MRS. JEFF D. SEXTON. Died at Her HoRne in This City Friday Afternoon. ?Iurfrj Saturday. Mrs. Lida Taylor Sexton, wife of Mr. Jeff 'D. Sexton, died at her home in this city Friday afternoon just before six o'clock. She . had been sick for only a short time, so her death came as a great shock to her numerous friends. The burial services were held at the Laurens cemetery Saturday afternoon, being conducted by her pastor, Rtev. J. R. T, Major, of the First Methodist church. Mrs. Sexton is survived by her bus band, two daughters, Mrs. Herbert Chaney, of Laurens, and Mrs. Paul Alexander, of Spartanbrug, and one son, Alderman S. Boyd Sexton, of ti6 city. Two sIsters, Mrs. R. [i. Sexton, of Spartanburg, and Mrs. Imtmas Templeton, of Cross Anhcor, als. sur vlve her. Mirs. Sexton was a faith'fai member of tile Methodist chruchl andl was a womanl of many3 fine traits of chIaracter. hiGG'bESTi ll1'Si NESS EVE II. lied I ron itacket Rieports limxrest Hits. iniess In lt~s (areer for 19i1.. Th'le lied Itoin Itacke&t cnl is at ten (Ion to its New Year let tet and ae cotrdtng to the sta temen'its of tihe man ager It has occasionl to feel grateful for the year's butsiness. Mr. Buriins of thte Company says that tile Green wood store has had tile biggest and[ best bulsiness It hlas ever enjioyed in (Greenwoodl. Thle lRed li'on Racket is onle of tile big and1 persistent adlver. tlsors of thIs section and the fact that business han grownl so is proof of the( value both of advertIsIng and also of the value of hlaving for sale thle goods 0o10 adlvertses.--Grteenwoodl Index. Pl'ieWee(ing to be Held at the Lau r'ens Mill School HIouse, Monidal Night, .Jan,. 10th. Cottonwood Camp No. 725 wIll hold a plublic meeting in the school house of the0 Laurens cotton mill Monday night, January 10th, begInnIng at I o'clock. Speeches will be made by Rtev. J. A. Brook, Hon. R. A. Cooper, .Past Junior Consul C. A. Power, M. W. Bobo, Spartanburg, and others. The public Is cordially invited to attend. ON SUN[N 8HI Steamer Persia Sunk With Loss of Life DE FAIL S AWAITED OF THE DISASTER Washington. Officials, whine not Deny lug (Oravity of the Situation, With hold Comment utntil Further Details are Secured from, Survivors. London, Jan. 1.-The British liner Persia, carrying more than 200 pas sengers and a crew of between 250 and 300 men, was stnk by an uniden tifled submarine at 1 o'clock Thurs (lay afternoon off the island of Crete, in the eastern :Meditorranean. Re ports to the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation company said that nearly all on board were lost. Robert McNeely of Monroe, N. C., American consul at Aden, Arabia, and Robert Grant of Boston were on the liner. Four boats are known to have got away from the sinking vessel, each c'apable of carrying 00 persons, but it is not known if tho boats were full. I''he rescued were picked up by a steamer bound for Alexandria, where they are expected to arrive today. l'eninsular :nd Oriental line ollicials said they reeeived no details concern ing the disaster and did not know whether the Persia received warning. They also were unable to give any in formation concerning Americans on the ship. Washington, .Ian. 3.-President Wil son started to Wtishington from Hot Springs, Va., tonight to take personal charge of the nation's foreign affairs in t.hacnew crisis brought about by the sinking of the British steamship Persia with 1.he loss of at least one American life. The situation is re garded in official circles as being the most serious to confront this govern ment since the submarine operations of the central powers began. The president will probably lay the facts thus far established before the cabinet tomorrow. The destruction of the Persia following upon the crisis precipitated by the Ancona disaster may esult in the United States deter mining to settle imnediately all ques tions involved in the submarine war fare. The subject is expected to find its way to the Boor of the house and senate tomorrow when congress re convenes after the holidays. President Wilson deelded to cut short his honeymoon and rsturn to the capital at once after telephone conferences with 'Secretary Lansing and Mr. Tumulty, his private seeO tary. It was found however, that he could not conveniently start until 8:45 tonight. lie should arrive at 7 o'clock tomorrow morning. The United States is reported to night as being prepared andi deter mined to take any action that the facts concerning tile Persia may warrant, Om11cals are trying to view tile situa tionl with open mindis, but it is alp pa rent that they are distur bed by the reports r'ecei ved from consul Iar agents at Alexandria and Cairo, Egypt. 1Every (ff6rt will lhe made to es tablish the ltruth of the report, that theo P'ersia was torpedoed withbout Iwarning Seecret ary' Laniln g 'onltemnplates t ak lng no steps uti iitIhe compleite details are known. Oflials find one sorurce of gratii cation in assurances given by Haron Erich Zwiedinek, charge of tile Auls tro-H'iungarian embassy. to Secretary Lansing during a conference today at the state department. flaron Zwiedl nok is said to have expressedl the be lief that the final explanation of tile latest incident would he satisfactory. ie Is said to have assured the secre tary of his belief that if all Austrian sublmnarinle commander violated the principles of international law anti the rules of humanity his government would take action which would fully satisfy the U'nited States. Baron ZAwiedinek also sought information for the benefit of is government, SwIter To Have Sale. Tile big semi-annual Clearance Sala of Switzer Company will commence next Friday, .Jan. 7th. These salest are heldl twice each year and offer many bargains; to the peoople of th6 anuniv.