University of South Carolina Libraries
VOLUME XXXVII, LAURENS$ SOUTH CAROLINA, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14. 1921 S[SSIONS COURT CONVENED MONDAY Judge Edwaad Mciver of Cheraw Presiding HEAVY DOCKET FACES DOCKET On Account of xiinierous Cases to be Tried a Special Ten of Court has been Ordered )y Chief Justice. Judge Melver Makes Strong Charge to Grand Jury. The court. of general sessions con Vened Alonday morning with Ilis Honor, 10dward McIver, of Cheraw, prosiding, Court Stenograipher Syfan and other officials in their accustomed places. In his charge to the, grand jury, Judge McIver made reference to the prevailing crime wave. lie said he was not aible to give a cause for it, but that a strict enforcement of the law, with swift and impartial justice, was a remedy for its prevention. lie touched also on the duties of the grand jurors as regards education and urged them to see that the schools were effiloiently run. "To make a pro gressive state," he said, "every boy and girl must be given at least a com mon school education." The docket was already crowded iwith cases brought over from the last term and many new cases have been added. Solicitor Blackwell has sought relief from the congestion through a call for a special term. This has been ordered by the Chief Justice and -will be held the first week in October. The first case heard Monday was that of William Mitchell, charged 'with bigamy. .Nitchell was cleared. Both wives alpearod in court to testify against him, the prosecution being brought by the father of his alleged second wif, who was Miss Bertha Purdy, of Goldvillo. Wife No. 1, who was Miss Minnde Lovings, testiied that she was married to Mitchell In Union. Mitchell alleged that 'when he found out that she was the wife of another man by a common law' mar riage, that he left her, considering his marriage to her as null and void. He afterwards married the girl dn Gold ville, but her father interfered with the marital plans and the married life of the two was of short duration. Jim Irby, accused of breech of trust and larceny, the specific charge being that he sold a load of seed cotton and misapq)ropriated the funds, was found not guilty. J. C. Wilson, charged width statutory ,rape, case was nol pressed on payment of costs. J. H. Holmes and P. G. Kanolos, charged with violation of the prohi bition law, had their cases nol pressed on the payment of $500 each and for feiture of $1,000 additional in lieu of the Cadillac automobile they were drivling. It will be remembered that these thvo men were captured by lo cal 'policemen last year with a large load of whiskey, were fined several hundredl dollars in mayor's court and were later tried and convicted on the same offense in federal court at Rock Hill' Tom Johnson, for stealing a ham and a 24-lb. sack of flour, plead guilty and received a sentence of three months. (Box Miinus, plead guilty to the viola tion of the prohibition law and was given a sentence of six months or $500, sentence being suspended on goodl behavior on the ipayment of $150 or serving 30 days. C. 0. Trodd, Robert R. Baldwin, Jodlie Gambrell, Ilamp Vaughn, Ben Cannon and James Vaughn, indicted for dlynamhiting fish, pllead guilty. A sentence of 1! year and $500 each was suspended (luring good behavdor on the ipaymetilt of $25 or serving 30 days. W. S. Ghapman plead gujity to as sault and battery of a high arnd ag gravated niature and 'was sentenced to 3 months br $150, sentence 'being sus pended on the paymet of $25 or serv in'g 20 dayb. The grahd juify had not made its anal presentmerit when court ad journed yesterday evening. The court was then engaged in the trial of Vance Blakoly, colored, charged 'with the murder of Oliver Gary, at Clinton, lait~ January. Bllakely has set up a plea of self defense. Mr. Henry ~Berger, of Lynchburg, Va... visited friends in the city last IRBY KNIGHTON KILLED AT ENOREE T. B. Alierson Kills Irby Knighton, Shoots Knighton's Brother, Lea renee, and Receives Scalp Wound Himself. Held for Murder. Irby Knighton, a young man who lived near Lanford Station, this coun ty, near Enorce, was shot in the head and mortally wounded FrIday night 'by Tom Alverson, well known character of tifat place, and his -brother, Law rence Knighton, was painfully though not seriously wounded at the same time. Alverson, himself, received a flesh wound in the head at the hands of Lawrence Knighton, who claimed self-defense, and gwas carried to the Spartanburg hospital for treatment. Later -he was placed under arrest charged with the murder of Irby Knighton. The killing occurred just outside the door of Alverson's place In 1lioree, according to testimony at the inquest, and followed an altercation between Alverson and Irby Knighton in which Alverson, according to the testimony of Lawrence Knighton, was the ag gressor. Lawrence 'Knighton was shot, according to hi stestimony, while he was in the act of supporting his brother as he fell. The testimony of several of the eye iwitnesses of the tragedy, as taken from The Spartan-burg Herald Sun day morning, was as follows: Lawrence Knighton 'Lawrence Knighton, aworn, said: "I was on the outside of the store, Tom Alverson and Irby were on the inside. Tom told Irby to get out. He said all right and came on out, and Tom came on .behind him, with pistol in hip pockdt. Tom told Irby he didn't want any more of his d- fool ishness. Irby said he didn't want to hear any more of yours, either. When he (Allverson) .went in his ipocket for his pistol it fell out. He grabbed it up and shot Irby -Knighton in the head. I grabbed irby and Tom shot me in *the back'- Then I tutned my brother loose and grabbed Tom. lie shot two or three times after I grabbed him. Then I saw a piece of iron In front of the store, picked it up And struck him four or live times to keep him from killing me. My brother had no weapon. The place had a bad rep utation." Witnessed the Tragedy Ray Gwinn, sworn, said: "I live at Enoree, S. C. .1 am not related to the dead man. 1Have known these two men eight months. I was at T. B. Al verson's when this happened. Law rence and Irby Knighton and 'Sam Sim mons, and some others I do not know, and T. B. Alverson, also. He was drunk. Irby iwas sober. I was stand ing in the door. Knighton and Alver son were back in the store. Knighton had his sleeves rolled up rubbing his arms. Alverson asked him what was the matter, and he replied, nothing. Alverson told him to get out. Knigh ton re ptied that he did not have to. Both were laughing. Knighton came out, standing by the door, facing Al vernon. Alverson went behind t-he counter and came out, with pistol in his hand. Looked to 'be a large pis tol, didn't know what number; stuck it in his right front 'pants 'pocket. Came .to the door and staggered back. Sam Simmons said, 'Look out, Tom, you're going to drop your gun.' lie came out door with pistol 'in his hand. Walked between me and K(nighton. Irby Knighton add, 'Look out, Tom, don't draw that gun on me, put it up.' Toni Alverson turned around and said, 'What are you made at me for?' lie said 'Nothing, Tom.' Tom called him a d-- *ar. Irby gave him another Lie. Then he shot him, he was about four feet from him, shiot him one time on the left side of the headi, and I left them. Beforo they came out of the store they had not been fussing. Knigh ten did not -have a'ny arnie. Alverson's rep~utation was bad." Roy Waddell Ifoy Waddeli, sworn nays: he lives near Enoree and is 19 years old. "I wan sitting out in front oi' Alverson 's place about nine o'clock. Irby Knigh ton andl Tom Alverson came out of the (leer, and Ir'by walked up to the dloor facing and Tom said Irby, we have been good friends all our lives, and lrnby said yes. Tom Aiverson said I am not going to have any more of your d- dragging. Irby says that I don't want any more dragging ever me. Then Tom .walked around with pistol in hand and Irby told him to put it uvp, then Tom -fired, hitting him in *he head. Lawrence threw out his (Continued on Pago 5.) . W. G. WILSON DEAD Native of Ireland, for Maniy Years a Merchant of Laurens. W. 0. Wilson, for about thirty years 'identified vith the business life of the city, pa4red away at the Clinton hos pital Saturday. Mr. Wilson had been in failing health for several yedrs and during the past few months he had steadily grown weaker. On Sept. 4th he was carried to the Clinton hos pital where he could receive hospital attentions. The end was rapldly ap proaching, however, and he -passed away before a week was up. The body was brought to Laurens Saturday afternoon and carried to the home of Mr. J. (I). Wattsfi where he had roomed for many years. From there the funeral was held Sunday af -ternoon at flve o'elock, the services being conducted by Rev. P. F. Kilgo and Rev. Wilmot S. Holmes. The ac tive 'paill bearers nwere Mills Hunter, Lawrence :Barksdale, J. W. Dunklin, L. G. Balle, R 'R. Nickels, T. C. Swit zer, F. 0. Anderson and W. G. Lan caster. The honorary pall bearers were 'Dr. W. D. Ferguson, C. M. Clarke, W. L. Oray, J. F. Tolbert, W. H. Dial, 0. B. Simmons, R. E. Babb, S. G. Mc Daniel, R. B. Terry, W. H. Gilkerson, M. J. Simpson, T. P. Kendrick and Albert 'Dial. Mr. Wilson was a native of Ireland, having been born in County Antrim about 74 years ago. Sole surviving members of his immediate family, con sisting of a sister and two -brothers, reside at Belfast, Ireland. One of these 'brothers, Mr. Thomas Wilson, spent abou-t a month .here with the deceased during the past summer. When he first came to this country Mir. Wilson settled in New York. Af ter leaving there, 'he came to this state, residing In Columbia for a num ber of years. He came to Laurens about thirty years ago and, with an Dther brother who died in 1902, opened a mercantile 'business here which he conducted until the time of his death. Besides his store, he was said to have left 'moderate real estate holdings in this chy and Columbia. As no will has been found, hits property will go to his relatives in Ireland. Mr. Wilson was a merchant of the rld school, conservative in all of his lealings and adhering to practilces and traditions of many years ago, but keeping well in line with the trend of the markets. With a high sense of honor and integrity, he was held in high esteem by all who knew him and hip 'feath was a cource of much re gret in the community. NEGRO KILLS ANOTMt Will Hudgens Ells Anderson Sull. van. Said to Have Been Shooting at Munch Mi1am. As a result of an. altercation at a card game in a ipatch of woods about a quarter of a mile from Barksdale Station Saturday afternoon, Anderson Sullivan was fatailly shot and Will Hudgens, who did the shooting, is be hind the jail bars awaiting trial, which will probably be held at the present term of court. TIudgens is a negro about 40 years old, while Sullivan was a younger negro who was with the A. F. F. In France. AC rding to some of the eyb-wit nesses, the fight started between Hiud gens and another negro, Mutveh Mllam. Hudges had drawn his pistol and An derson Sullivan'told him not to shoot. Hiudgens turned on Sullivan and shot him once in the arm and twvice in the stomach, using a 28 calibre laltol. Sullivan lived about .30 minutes after being shot. Afteir the shooting Hudgens went to the house of his landlord, 'Maj. B. R. Todd, and 'was later taken in charge by Mr. J. A. Todd, landlord of the dead negro, and brought towards 'Iu r'ens and turned over to the sheriff who had started up to make the ar rest. T'o Open Branch Offie Announcement has been made from the Atlanta ofmce of the Fox Film Company that a branch office is to be. openedl in Charlott-e, N. C., withi Gil bert. M. Tyler, well known in this city,. as manager1. Mr. TPyler wIll have. supervision of all 'Charlotte terrri-1 tory and will have an oficee force of about fiftee~n men under him. 'life .has, been traveling for the Fox 'people for| the ucast year or two and this comes as a distinct .promotion. Mfr. Tyler 'willi make his home In Charlotte, hot Mrs., Tyler and tho 'bahy will remain here with Mrs. Tyler's aparents, Mr. und Mrs. W. R. Richny, for neeal mnths. ELEVENTH PASSES THROUGH Col. Halstead and 1,600 Men 1Passed Through Saturday Morning. (While most of Laurens was still asleep Saturday morning, the 11th U. S. Infantry, on its hike from Camli Jackson to Camp Thomas, Ky., passed through the pubilc -:quarc in a - umn a imile or more long, about 1,40C men and 200 head of stock. Col. Frank lalstead, the regimental commander, rode at the head of the column and piloted the regiment on Its march. A few people, not very many, were out to see them ipass. They camped at Owings about '10 o'clock .In the morn ing, sient the night there and passed on their way farther north the next day, arriving in Greenville Sunday afternoon for a two day rest. The regiment was advertised to camp near Laurens Friday night. (However, a suitable site was found about midway -between Clinton and Laurens, just on the Clinton side of the Bois.-Terre country club and here the little dog tentg were pitched In long straight rows Friday morning. Son 'N. B. iDial visited the camp shortly after the regiment's arrival and inspected the camp on the invi tation of Col. Halstead. 'Geo. H. Bills, president of the Bos-Terre Club was also soon on the scene and tendered the use of the club house to the of ficers of the regiment. Col. Ifalstead and other officers of the regiment were guests at an informal reception at the club Friday evening, the regiment's crack band furnishing a musical 'program. Dancing iwas en joyed until a -late hour, many of the younger dancing set 'being present. The officers expressed themseloys as 'being delighted with the Bols Terre club and the warm recaption igiven them -by the Clinton and 'Lau rens people. On account of the dis tance of the camp from town and the limited space at the club, little atten bion could be shown the enlisted (men. MASONS ENJOYED MEETING District Convention Held Here Thurs day Afternoon. The Tenth 'District. Masonic meeting held here last Thursday proved a sue ,ess in every way. The meeting was 3pened at 3:30 o'elock in the after soon, I. R. Nickels presiding. After ) welcome address by Jas. H. Sullivan, ihort addresns were made by Geo. T. Bryan, of Greenville, and W. P. Jacobs, of Clinton., 'At 6 o'clock the meeting adjourned to the barbecue- grounds where a sumptuous barbecue , dinner was served. After the barbecue the meet ing was convened again and the Mas ter Mason degree conferred. Between 250 and 300 visitors were here and twere so well 'pleased with Lhe meeting that they voted to return igain next year. DOCTORS TO MEET HERE r'hird District Medical AssociaiJon to Meet at Country Club Sept. 29. The annual meeting of thie Third District Medical society, com'uposed of p>hysicians from the counties of Green wood, McCormick, Abbeville, New berry and 'Laurens, will be held at the Bois-Terre country club Thure day, Sept. 29th, according to an an nouncement sent out Friday by Dr. Rolfe E. Hughes, of this city, presi rlent of the society. The meeting will open with a luncheon at 1 p. m. and will be'followed .by the scientific pro gsram. The local doctors are looking for ward to the meeting with a great deal of interest and they plan to make .it one of the most profitable and enjoy able that the society has yet held. Schedule Announced The high school footaball team, un der Coach T. C. Bolt, assisted by W. H. McGowan, Chas. Crisp and 'Prin cipal Z. L. Fey, Is raspidly rounding into sha'pe and is getting ready for the opening game with Greenwood on t'he 23rd. The following schedule has been announced: Sept. 23---reenwoodl in Laurens. Sept. 30-iUnion in Union. Oct. 7---Abbeville in Laurens. Oct. 14--Spartanburg (pending). Oct. 21-Oaffney in Laurens. Oct. 28-,.New'herry in Newberry. Nov. 4-Clinton in Laurens. ,Nov. li--Anderson in Anderson. Nov. 18-Il onca TPath in Laurens. Miss 'Mildred Sawyer, of Salleys, -Is visiting Mrs, Dan Sawyer at the home of her 'parents, Mr, and Mrs. Aug. nfuf SLAYERS OF TAI GO TO ELECTRI( LABRE SCHOO0L ENROLLMENT Supt. If. WV. Oausine Olves Figures on tle Enrollment of Children In City .Schools. Supt. H. W. Gasque has given out the enrollment figures for the graded school year which began Monday morning, Sept. 5. A total of 741t chil dren are enrolled in the white schools of the city, including the Lanrens Mills school, while 275 were enrolled in the negro school, making a grand total of 1,016, the largest enrollment in the history of the local schools,. The following are the figures by school and grade: Grade Pupils 11... .-.................31 10 .-- - - --. .... ..... ..40 . .... .... .... ............. 40 8 .... ...................... OA .... .... .... .. ..........35 vA .... .... .... .... .... .... 5 4 and GB .............. ....35 4A .... .... .... .... .... ....43 3A .................. ....28 3B ---..................,25 2A .... . ... .... .... .... ....28 2.. ....................29 1A .... .... .... .... .... ....29 IB .........................29 Total ...................601 Laurens Mills School Grade Pupils 1 .-..-............. ....54 2 .----...................27 3 ..........................45 4 .... .... .... .... .... .... ..14 Total .... .... .... .... ....140 Negro School Grade Pupils 1A . ....................64 1B .......,.................32 ...... .................... ..50 3 ......... ...........42 4 .... .... .... .... .... .... .. 3 6 .... .... .... .... .... .... ..23 6 .... . ... .... .... .... .... ..18 7 .... .... .... .... .... .... .. 7 Total ....................275 Grand Total White Children .... .... .... ..741 Negro Children .... .... .... ..275 Total.....................1,016 POWER RBLEX DISCUSSED Son. Dial Met with City Council Mon daj Night In Regard to Emergency Plant. Sen. Dial appeared before city coun cil by invitation Monday night and in formally discussed the emergency steam power citation proposed at a re cent meeting of the council. Sen Dial said that as president of the Reedy River Power Company, he was not able, to make a dlefinite .proposition iwithout conferring with electrical en gineers, hut that he would take up the matter with them at once andl adlvise the council as to what could 'be done. The idea prevalent among the coun cilmen seems to be that the present steam plant of the city, whIch does not meet with present requirements, be equipped to meet emergency needs eit~hor 'by the city or the power com pany. Scn. D~ial said that he 'pre ferred that the city e(tiuip the splant andl sell the power to the, power comn pany when it Is needled. Preparing for Potatoes At a meeting of directors of the Laurens Potato Storage Warehouse company, held yesterday, an agree ment was entered into with Mr. M. J. Oswings by which Mr. Owings will have entire charge of the warehouse this year. 3Mr. Owings expects to have a man in charge who will look after the Interests of the warehouse and farm ers, so that it will be mutually profit able as originally planned when it was buIlt. The owners of the ware house, so it is understood, at one time thought of disposing of it or utilizing it for other 'purposes, .but In view of the need of the wvarehouse as the boll weevil has arrivedl they decided to re tain it for potato storage purp~oses. Cotton 20 Cents The cotton market has sho'wn wide fluctuatIons during the ipast week, gaining and losing from $5 to $10 a bale wIth ease. Yesterday the market closed slightly up and local spots brought from 20 to 20 1..4 ent. I DRIVER CHAIR OCT. 21ST Trials Ended in Lexington Yesterday KIRBY ADMITS PART IN KILLING ThreO Columbia Men Charged With Murder of William JBrazell, Young Columbia Taxi Driver, Found Guilty of Murder In First Degree. ALL TIRLEE j GUILTY * * The Advertiser was informed * * by long distance telephone Ines- * * sage from Lexington last night * * that Fox and Gappins, the two * * other men charged with the mur- * * der of William lBrazell, younn; Co. * * lumbia taxi driver on tke night of * * August 9, were found guilty of * * first degree murder and that they, * * with Kirby, who 'was found guilty * * earlier in thte day, were sentenced * * by Judge T. S. Sease to be electro. * * cuted on October 21. * Se * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Columbia, Sept. 13.-"Guilty" was the verdict of the Jury in the- case of S. J. Kirby, the first of the three men to be tried in the Lexington court for the murder on August 9 of William Brazell, young Columbia taxi driver. The verdict is a convictdon of first degree murder and will carry the sentence of death in the electric chair. The verdict was returned at 10:59 a. m., the jury having retired at 10:24. The sentence will hardly be passed: until after the trial of Jesse Gap'pius and C. 0. Fox, the other two men charged with the same crime. The trial of Fox and Garpina started im mediately after the Kirby case was disposed of. I-t was not expected to take more time than that occupied by the Kirby case. The tiwo men are being tried together. The Lexington trial was resumed at 9:52 this anorn Ing. The cross-examination of Kirby by the solicitor was the first thing of the morning. Kirby was excused from, the stand at 10:05. A. B. Martina at torney for Kirby, appointed this morn ing by the court, spoke for three and a thalf minutes. le .intimated'that the jury might recommend- mercy for his client. Solicitor Callison's argument occupied about five minutes. He urged the Jury to 'bring a verdiot- of' Amrst degree guilt as an- example to the qpubljc. le referred to the prevalence of crime and urged that the punish ment in this case should be in the ex treme. The charge of Judge Sease as to the law in the case. was brief. (The State, Sept:. 13.) iLexington, Sept. 12.-S. J. Kirby, the first of the trio of alleged slayers of William Brazell, Columbia taxi ,(driver, to go on trial today, charged , with murdler, taking the stand in his own defense late t-his afternoon, amended his previous confessions to abandon his hitherto stoutly main tained role of a forced and unwilling accessory to the crime, by admitting that he had assisted Jesse Giappins in holding young 'Brazeil while C. 0. Fox calmly proceeded to stab the taxi dlriver~ to death. Kirby also admi-tted that he, wvitlh Giappins and Fox, -plan ned the details of the automobile rob bery, which culminated in the killing, several days before the murder night, sintending, however, he said, only to heat the driver into insensibility, tie him securely, leave him beside the road and then make good their escape (Continued on 'Page 4.) NOTICE Teachers and Students The Advertiser makes a spe eial subscription rate to teach. era and studenits of $1.00 For the School Year Those desiring to subscribe are requiested to mali or bring in their subscriptions before leaving home, so that we may start the paper with the first issue,