VOLUMES X.XII. LAURENS SOUTH CAROLINA, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28,1917.
LACONIA CASE IS CON
STRUED AS OVERT ACT
0 1 Dispatches Confirming the Death of Americans on
mer .Which Was Sunk Without Warning Tend to Es
lish Case as "Overt Act" in the Opinion of Washington
-No, Action Taken.
WTashington, Feb. 27.-Official dispatches confirming the death of
Americans on the Laconia torpedoed without warning, establish the
(-Ise of ain "Overt act'.
TJhle sinliig of the Laconia is regarded as another Lusitania case
inl principle.
The situation is the same as the President left it yesterday, but the
sinking of the Laconia is expected to hasten action by colgress.
It is indicated the government's fir;t step will be to arm Aterican
liiC' e lt alit ilieli.
lresident Wilsonl and tlie state departnieit took the position that
no further steps sholilI le taken initil congress had al. opport unity to
a1t on tle president 's re(iluest.
Ii'esidlit Wilson, it is said, is oiposed to calling all extra session
oI eon gress unit less it is absolitely lecessariy. Worl has been coiveyel
to him that the reptibli ica 11s may filibuister inl anl effort to force an extran
sessioll
MANY DIED FROM E I1OSLRi.
Lond(on, Feb. 27.-Ainnrian Consul Frost at, Queenstown tele
graphol tle Amiferieini cihassy tlit . lIary 1". Ioy and (lauhter,
Ihliziabeth, Aliericanl passengers aboardl e I aeonia, died of exposure
aid were buried at sea.
A Centiral news <1ispatch froi Queenstown said eight Anerican
nieg firiemien on the Laconia. also died froi exposure. According to
Frost tie total iimbiiier landed from the Laconia was 281 out of' 29-1
boa rI.
Six Per)sols are in QNeeistown hospiitals but their Condition is not
A Queenlstown <lispiltel says the LIaeoinia was torpedoed il coi
paratively (almi1 weather. The first torpedo struck the ship near the
Stern anl when the vessel was striuck i. second time she listed to star
board. The boats got away with diffitulty but there was no panie
aiong the piassengers or crew.
TWELVE DEAD OR 1MSSING.
New York, Feb. 27.-The follow)ung cablegram n'as rceived b
01una1rd linie oflieials from their Liverpool ofliees: '' Regret to adise
irs. Iloy and (lauigliter; also C. P. Ivat, of London, dead ald bIn-ied at
sea . Dr. Fortunat Zyndel an( Villiim I. Robinson, cabin passengers.
iunaceointed for. In the secOlnd cahibin W7illiaIm lEva inissing as are
t wo firelmen, three coal trimillers anil(]i i lh i brber fronm crew, naking a
totil of twelve, <lead and iissing from ship.''
SURVIVORS' ACCOUNTS.
Queenstown, Feb. 27.-A'ter beiing landed Fat her Wareing and
R 1. Gibbons deebared the voyage hadl been very lleasant up to the
time the subiallrine torpedoed the ship. Sundlay night, they said they
were startled by an explosion of the first torf -to which str'uck the
ship by stern. The vessel kept steady and tle crew with great disei
pline got boats and )roviled passengers with life belts. All hands
took to boats, the pisselgers first. Shortly a second torpedo struck the
vessel am1 i(shil. She sank in twelve minutes.
Of RT IN MARCI* )TeSWAIN MAY JIUN.
Court of Gel'ai Sessiojis to Vonven0 rominent Greenville Lawyer Me.
Mairchi 12thnt .fOr C'ongress,
'1 Court of general sessIin will Greenville, Feb. 2-4.-Congressmnan
convene here Monday mocrning, M\archi Sam JT. Nicholls of the Fourth Souih
12th, for tlic spring term. Judge l-aynie Carolina districvt will haye opposli lop
F. Rice, or Alken, Is to Ipeside. II. in (lie primary election next year all
S. Blackwell, the newly elected solied- the candidacy of J. J. McSwain, n
tor, will represent the state here for ''tmmero h l~lbrom-n
the first time. Hie will haveo had COn.- cieintmbe of th Genlbar aony
siderabe experience befor'e the Lau ahemeatn of ~mt comeniee C-t
rens session, however, as howvill serve eora~toe n':rutie. lomee, ye
in Abbeviloe, Greenwood and1( Newber- jtrding tpoi gnormlatoerited yes--~
13'Couiiieii lefie hesesionhOC. r.I Me~waln preferred not. to makihe
l'he jury oemmnissioners met Friday positive announcement at this stage of
morninag antld drew thle new gv ra nd jut- the gamine, lie Intlimated strongly 1 ua
ors and the petit Juror-s. Th'le hold- he Is inteorested in the conlgressional
overP gra'ndi jnrors are WV. 1. Giriffin, raco.
('uilbertson, 1N. I". F'incher amid A. I. eiMoe i r hee
N abors. The new grandl jurors are~'i'Lnrn5 Mti '1-()i
tw tnp; 1 I.. Woodrooff, Suile-s h ad Onl exlhibition for several days
townrs i; Jno W . T oodli-, Cro. H ll- ono of thei new', model I aynes Tlwelve
J.v O. lton . andW . u iiii Sim p on , W at1er o mofIbI les. The car Is equil iped withi
lo; (). ~tit. aydbison, il nT WJ. r *,. ire wheels and all the latzst im
li o n,. t Jakis; S.i R. NI ln ,~; .1 . sul i rovem entIs and~ is one of I le pre' it est
~lrnjisn, JcksH. I. Nlso~, arll e (ver seeni in Laurens. Mr Me
The petit jiurors were drawni as fol. K liresident of the local comp lany,
lows.states that this 1,3 the first car of this
Laues: TonhpU .Jns .model brought to the south.
S. Dlovd, WV. II, (oenell, C. M. Dur-- ~~-- =:=
goss, J. 0. Wvham, J1. 11. Tiumbin, WV. Waftcrloo---W. WV. Culbertson, .io.
IT. Coleman, A P Templeton Ii. Durton, 0. WV. Moore,
.Jacks--Jno W. Riser, Suillivan--W. F". Bolt, WV. WV. Aber
Youngs-J. 0. Garrett, S. C. Hrown- Cromnbie, Jr., Ernest. E. Simnlioni, J1. C.
lee, J1. RI. Franks, A W. Rhodos, J1. Den Deeks.
Ilunter. tutrh.A orU .ClC
DtIls--J. D. Woods, W. C. Gray,C.ln,.XV iyo o.P.Bw,
XV. horhombe, . P.~uiry, . L. C. C. BaIley, J1. D. Dlolandh, F. C. Smith.
Thnnett.Cross JIIII-R. C. Smith, J. (I.
~uffotown--, WV. Little, bon
ONlY THl'lEE STATES
IN SOUT UNTOUtlED
Florida, Louisiana and Texas Only
Ones Which Are Not Made llone Dry
by Federal legulation.
Atlanta, Feb. 21.-Into only three
States In the South-'Florida, Louist
ana, and Texas-may liquor in any
quantity be imported legally for per
sonal use after June :0 next. They
alone have retained local option.
Congress by its action in adopting
the Iteed amendmont makes absolute
the Statewide prohibition legislation
of Virginia, North Carolina and South
Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and .\lis
sissippl. Thus they join the "bone
dry" slates-Arkansas and Tennes
see--which already had enacted
statutes forbidding the import ation of
liqoir.
The Florida legislatuire at. its blen
nial session In April Is expected to
adopt a resollition providing for a
referendlim 1 onl State wide prollibition,
allhologh there are only live oit. of
-2 countlies in the state where liquor
(aI hw sold legally. Ilry forces in
l'ouisiana are preparing to ilght for
a Statewide bill at the Iext session of
lgeislature in 191S. About half of the
Louilsia na parishes are dry inder
the local option law.
Virginia became dry only on No
vembei' I, last, as the pliople had d
elared for prollibitioni by 30,001) ma
jority on a referendu il III Sete)(millber,
1911.
North 'Carolina became a prohibi
tion State on .lanary 1, 1909, afte r
the people had ratified a Statewide
bIll by a majority of I1,000 at a ref
crendilli election in May, 1908.
South Carolina adopted prohibition
by a referenu(lm vote in September,
1915, after having had a dispensary
system since 1891. The law permit
ted each person to receive a gallon
of whiskey, beer or wine a month.
Georgia has bcon classed as a dry
State since January 1, 1908, but tho
prohibition Iaw was not strietly en
forced in some of .he cities until May
1, last when a drastic law abolishing
locker clubs beenmr. effeetive. tnder
this law eaclh person3 was limliited to
a monthly shipment of Iwo quiarts of
wi skey or one gallon of wine or P%
pints of beer.
Alabama eilisted under the prohibi
tioni banneri in) 191:1 after several in
effectial efforts to make the State
dry under Ihe administration of (;ov.
Comer from 1907-11. The prohibition
law imrllittd41 a citizen to receive a
shipmloent of two qua1rts of whiskey,
two gallons of wine o3 fouir dozen3
bo'ttles of beer every two weeks.
Mississippi has prohibited the man
iifacturc and sale of liquor within its
border since 1908 bull. no limit was
set on im portat ions until 191-t, when
a law was passed restricting each in
dividual to a shipment of a gallon at
a time. In 1916 a more drastile law
was passed making it, unlawful for any
person to receive mare thant a half
gallon of vinuous liquor or three gal
lonq; of nmaltlcd or fermnenited lIquors
or' onO quart of .spii'tuous1 liquor with
in 153 days.
Arkansas v'oted for Ptatewvide pro
hlibition by 50,1000 mlalority last fail
an be1 icamie t he Ilrst "bonle dry"' state
In the South.
Tenudste adoiited !rohiibit ion in
1908 but1 thle Iawi was not enforced in
the larger' cities until 1915 when the
legisl atuire enaeted( nilisance and (311
ter' laws aimed at city oileials ivho
failed to enforce the prohiibition laws.
At a recent session the legislaitnN
Pa sscd a~ libone (1ry" bill pr'ohi biting
'thle shItIpm 'lt of 1liqu(or In to thle state
after M\arrh 1, next
Nairrow leeng for' N cttro (ildl
TMli 144me4 at 1'ai .1'a rker, a cal
I nid 33an1 ilin (on the Place ofi Aii
by lightninltg (tne day list week 13m1
achild in 11t'heiuse (eCape(d death by
pan almosiat iraculous marigin. Thii
:1 ightIninug struck thle r'ablle end (of t h
-- house and entIeed t he room ini whicl
lie clihild was sleeing oil a he(d. Th'l
(end of 0thIle house was ailmiost totail
lies troyedl, as wns thle lied thle (chi1
Swansi seepintg On but3 the chil d escape
hi without a scratch.
".. "heo Chinstlan"', the~ fourth of til
big seiles of attranctions being sho0
18 lat the Idle Ilour Theatre and whli
e- was scheduled to) be shiownf tomlorr'o
a- andl~ Frtidaiy wiill not be showni utn
is Mar'ch 15th aid 10th, accor'ding to
announeent.li made by Air. Porr'y.
J. J. PLUSS DIED YES'TERDAY
AFTER A SIORT ILLNESS
Had Been in Declining Health for Sev.
eral Years. Native of Switzerland.
Mr. J. J. Pluss, president of the Pal
metto Bank and a long time resident
of Laurens, died yesterday afternoon
of pneumonia after an illness of sev
eral days. Mr. Pluss had been in de
clining health for several years and
his weakening constitution was un
ablo to stand the attack of this recent
malady. The fiuneral services will be
held this afternoon at 3:30 o'clock, the
interment to take place in the Laui
rens cemetery.
.lohn Jean Pluss was born in Swit
zerland in 18-14 and camte to this coun
try In early life. lIe stayed a short
while in Newberry and then removed
to Laurens, where he has since made
his home. As a young man be engageid
iII tle Ilumn ber business. In 19;S'5 he
and the late Dr. I, M. Caine founded
the Bank of Laurens. lie served that
institution as cash ier tintil elected to
the presidency of the newly forie(;
Palimetto Bank In which posit ion he
remained until hiIs death. Ia 187.1 he
was Imtarried to Miss Susie Hyrd Davis,
daughter of the late Captain .ames
Davis of this county, and she survives
him. No clildren were born of the
union.
The deceased was a man of wide
ymilmthies and initegrity of purpose.
He was partleuilarly linterested iII the
young and took a great deal of inter
est in public education. lie was ae
tive in the Inauguration of the first
graded school liere and was for iany
years, in til lils resignation, a inein
her of the board of trustees. He was
a liberal giv'er to many good causes
and aldedi many struggling young peo
pl iI their efforts to succeed in life.
In his business affairs lie was known
as a man of the highest honor and in
tegrity and always held the respect
of his associates. Ite was a steward
in the Methodist church and dlisplayed
niieli interest in cliurh life. In his
passing the city loses one of its best
tmen.
TIE EST 31ALE, Q 'A It'l"l-.
Coburns 3instrels to f'onme With an
Unusually Finle Show.
Joe Coburns Ihg ilinstrels al ways
brings a cracker jack attraelion with
oldtime features and,up to the ninute
clean enjoyable novelties delightfully
intermingled in a real Iministrel Imle
lange which never disaoinitns their
patrons. One feature that never grows
old is the male quartette when its a
good one. The Ragapation .iinstrel
Four this year Is the best tiey have
ever carried. Lester Lucas the well
known Basso, Clyde E. Clif'ord who
possesses a iagnifleent robust barri
tone with dramatic ability to display
it, Perce Dilcher robust leel tenor and
Earl H'owland first or top'tenor com
prise a real quartette that is one of
tho really enjoyable niimbers of the
show. Don't miss them SaturdaY
night at the Opera Illuse. Each are
soloists and appear singly in the
Americn Hunt Clhub in Imlia first
part. Mr'. Lucas as tb ihjah r'enders
twvo neCw miemtbei-s "Th'e Port of MlIss
laDSi wnQ~u Dieep in a Suibmariine''
a nly Luna can sing. Clifford's
"WIll-O-The W\isp" aind encore, are
sp)lendid numnber's, wvhile IDilchier and
11owlands sentiinentalI selectionus are
beautifulliy r'ender'ed.
Paissedt Thruio ugh hIIock~ade '/oie.
Newv York, Feb. 2.;.-.--Twvo freightl
steamushtils, thle Fal kl1antd, Not'w~egian
fr'om .\i 'lies Ier, and . the Mlanx man
flitish, fronm Gea arivedl here to
day, after' lissage thtrough te Glerniar
sutbminile zone. Thei ('Iel giani st eami
shIp Escaiit sailb I fo ati "nunme
iport in l1:1eirole.
Muiig-air iDest royed by3 ire.
Nowv Yorki, F~eb. 211..-Suer al n't a
$100,000 Vii w h.de royedi by tire eari;
todaiy on bioard thto ii.tlsh encinsIt
Dlay Sura, whieh wuas -C'ii oeg
wIth cargo for the all1 it riiool
hyn Ipier.
I~e~Iui liiA Potplonedl.
On aec, mit of th bad weather' ii
niusie recital a- c 3S~'StPit ~
Frwayob Mgh, an at Gray Court-Owinl
Fridy nih', Feb. 23, has beeni li0
Ponled unjti'
i Thursday night Alai'ch b
Ae. e~M v. A. Clarke Iil.
htomr , W. A. Clarke is very ill at t
, 4o'tu East Mlain street. On a
,* a of his advanced age and1 the x
,Ab -of htis illness mutch uneasiness
Afit ovo3 -his condition,
AUTHORITY
kMERICAN LIVES
;sed by Grave Occasion. Na
:)rs Request is Made Not For
an Lives and Commerce. Re-.
equest.
110rrow by the senlate foreign 1elation
co mlillittee.
The presidetl's long exieCted ac
lion, while received lit the maint w[ith
expectations, of supoot, threatens to
force an extra session if congress.
Repitb!lans, d isi nclin tied to gr an t
him0 blanket au 11toit0 while! ('ongless
is inl Iecess. give cvdence of opposing
the logislation the presidenit nesks,
Not. forl Ohwurus of withhlolding" it,
hut 14o force co'reeo in pia! ses
:donl to) take a hand inl the wnxt -sfveld
which they feel will lead lo ar
The reimlic~anls a1re reCeivinle- pas..
sive suiport frni iihe dotinocialte ele
otnt (lissed asw, a~ifit.
The presid .' I's vd. ).er IS dl:ore tik
sitiation) for its effect ill G rmany,
wheieO they ale collvilccd it wilt feed
the official imression t hat ennl1ress
will nlot suplport the 11residenlt "If hto
filds it lccessry11* I') go to wa. and
that he i.- no :peakin t hve ion: 1men,
of a united ountr1y.
DOUTV COMM.IISSIO.NER DE iP,
J. T. 1,4141, of Ci ont ijo , Diell 31411111y
A .1r Long' liss.
A. osoph T. Todd, a iemiber' of th
board of contiiy colissioner died
at. his home in Clinton .\Monday after
an ililness of several montIs. .Mir.
Todd was stricken with paralysis sev
er3al moln ths ago and never fully rtecov
erled his lealth. ife was buited ntear
his11 old ho3e t hile Long Branch sec
tion yesterday, his finlerial being
largely atteilded froii alt the sit'
0111ding tei't'tory.
M1r. Todd was .ust Iltoring his see-.
Ond terml as countly comi ss-;ionler, at
teady bi)ltlg at an advanced age. Il
had lived in thIe Lonlg l rallth Section
uint'ig ilost of his lif 111) until sev
ral years ao whe114 hE' ove; to
C(lintin. 1M, was 0 vtoeran of thIt(%
Civil War, haviin fougillt thioug11hout
that great 'oiflict as a memberliict' of Co.
F. I i 8. '. I nfatry. lie was wouind.
cd anI aplt11ed dlring the hatt ls o1
The Wild'.1sa tml nld paro!vd after a.
long imlpr-isolmnent. Aftr-r hli,, p-1rol0
10 ntered the rans 1 again anld f(Iought
11nt!il 1t11 w.v was endled. Ili, was a
*! lv:sit, 3pl: tt citi;:e , a mIaember of
the A. it. 1'. chrich and a(irI ted for
his holesty aiI upr ightn1ess of pur
I IoseC.
l1e is survived by his wife and sir
chihldien, as follows: Alessrs Samuel
.J., .1. Heid and Clyde Todd, all of Clin
ton: Alis. (1. W. Cunningham and
Mir;. Wess ionnan, of tills county, and
Mir:S. Bob Dolnnan, of Greenville.
('hitnhtler (' ('om lIerce to Meet.
IThe fir1st. rogulJar meet01ing of tho
lhambher of C'ommlerce is to be held
liext Tuesday eve'ning at eight o'clock
ha I he ('3our10t i~ hous3Th metin en15cn-.
nilt he held in the' i nwl y ae'j uiredl
(Iuart ers bedause the furnbure03 han
not ye0t ai':ed. As this5 Is thle litrst
is to be atte'nded to, a fultlit m iine it
1(e' '.01. halve a further roelr lo mako1(
and1( the dlitOetors wilt announcefli tht
(harm n the di, ret.p wns
ShoIh lit me 11' t iite' h ir s fi
lh o n e Va 3 ( 'II l <' It.~ b . 1 i as
Gr- a n ttood 51'i01i l ti.-' ((th ' at
n laon ': !:3-in. he ths (h::', b11n.
'11in Oft '((lnegin iln it h1( i'
x od-0( ln tu t sch itol'inth ier pao hr
t) fhy Acounteo. ube fyas
PRESIDENT ASKS
TO PROTECT i
Congress Listens, Deeply Impre
tion's LChief Tells Legislat,
War, But to Protect Americ
publicans May Refuse His F
Washington, Feb. 2.-President
Wilson today took the inevitable step I
and asked congress for authority to
use thle forces of the United States to
vi'oteet. American ships and lives
di iinost the German subtimarine menace
-to pmt the nation in a state of
armed neutrality.
The immediate response was the in
tui4luetioni in the house of a hill all
proved inl adva ne by thle president,
empowering him to furnih guns and
pilitiners to American imelchanitmen;
to emplov sil other ilnstritmentali
2 ies and m inhods as may beclome nive
esary, and providiln;: for a $ (10,000,
000 honld issuew In be used at his dis-_
crelion for %war hisurance to e ncolIr
Se A tmerican commerce to vt the
sitmrinile ptril. The hill m iay hw
brouight up in1 the house (itmorrow
with speciail rlles for Its in netliate
considera ti on.
A similar hi ll b If fe considered to
R.OAND l BO N 'l .i (ACT
:(*'NED-:lY THE (U0V-:THNOl
fElectionl to be 11461 31ar1chl 27th. 01th
er L-eilti live 1nt ters.
Acordin g Ito rpeorts fiom0 Colmin -
hia Uov. .lanning has placed his sig
tnature to file L.au rens ('County good
roads bii passed at (lie recent ses
sioi of the legislature. This meaiis
that on .larch 27th lIe Ieolple of this
coltity will vote on the Iuestion of
ra ising $200.000 by an issiu of honds
for the purpose of making perniient
improveien t s on fie important roads
of tle conlity. The eletionu will he
condliucted under' tle laws govern ling
general elections exeopt that it will
be uinder thfie supervision of tile board
of (ountit1y 111 coiiissioners. ,
11 ks not knlown yetI whether ()r not
111e gtvellor has signed tle other im
polritailt h)ils passed in the interest of
1hIs county. As already published the
dltetgation Irovided for a new jail to
(twf Rot exceeding $:5,000. The jail
is to be erected ider the direction of
a commnlissloni composed of the super
visor and fottir lell appointed by the
gOVernior on i the recoimenidat ion ef
fthe delegation.
The bill providing for a teacIher
tratiiing school building In this city, to
be pald for jointly by the couity and
(1ty of Tairens passed both iouse.i
and awaIts the sig nature Of the gov
ernor. Tl hill calls for an exeIidi
11uie of $36,n0 . Of' this $1-7.100 is to
be paid by the counIy and $1.7101 I b
the cIty. The County appropriation
for ti1s purpos e Is conditional on the
city's raIsing its shiari, wi ih wIll'
have to lie done1 1y hiond Issue. An~i
electionl (n this (lueStil will be or
dlred at an early date.
TIhe present logslak ure r'e paaci lieh
'tt liassed several Years ago idinei~i
for tihe e lion oif stiiool trustee (Cby
t he voters in t' res!ective d is trile.
li Ireafter (the trutstees wvill be appoint
(ci according (o thle geneicral lawis oif
lie state, by thie (ounlty b'oardl of eii
dOat*0n, except In there istrialIs hav
ns special c hartlers,
!aw by~ i exem~tinog Laurensfl counity
Ihis and1 il'ioS.Cumsi failed to get
numbii1 Ct ih r local bills t hit wtre
I -
ipropr i tn hil(l w itch ie l m ake~iid aout
'arlotlina rand otherci prvohtibit ion stat'v
\'hIoever shall oideri, purechas 'e, 0
pierIcled in inst at Ic (01iomer, CxcepI
fatr s(cintifle', saciamentaul, med(iin
e iandc miichianiIinI ttpurposes, into1 an
n~ state or tiirtory (the law oIf whi
hi stateI prohibtit the manufneactnr~e or s
wV t herini Clf Iitoxienting liquors f
I1 bievterago purp'losesi shall be pnish
.by a tine not to exceed $1,000 or e
mont hi in jail oir hoth."