McCormick messenger. (McCormick, S.C.) 1902-current, May 21, 1931, Image 1
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TKUIC TO OURSELVES. OUR NEIGHBORS. OUB COUNTRY AND OUK GOD.
Twenty-Ninth Year
8 Pages — All Home Print
McCORMICK, S. C. * Thursday, May 21, 1931
Established June 5, 1902
Number 51
Lincoln-McCormick
Highway Discussed
Meeting Ttiesday
ENGINEERS AND OTHERS IN
TERESTED TALK OVER MAT
TER OF LOCATION OF ROAD
AND BRIDGE
#
Engineers from Georgia and
South Carolina and business men
from Lincolnton and McCormick in
a meeting held in McCormick court
house on Tuesday discussed the
proposed road from McCormick to
Lincolnton as a connecting link of
Route No. 43 from Columbia to
Atlanta and the location of a
bridge over Savannah River at a
suitable point between the two
towns.
One route would be a straight
shot from McCormick over Little
River through the Fork section and
cross Savannah River at a point
near Fortson’s Ferry, where it is
said by proponents of this route, a
bridge could be built cheaper than
at any other nearby point. Those
favoring this route also claim that
It would be more suitable to the
town of Lincolnton and the upper
end of Lincoln County, as the dis
tance from Lincolnton to McCor
mick would be a fraction over 13
miles, and that that would make
Lincolnton five miles nearer Mc
Cormick than Washington, as it is
18 miles from Lincolnton court
house to Washington. That, as
they say, would naturally make
McCormick the freight station for
Lincolnton and the upper end of
the county.
On the other hand, those favor
ing the lower route, or the loca
tion of the bridge at a point a
short distance below Chamberlain’s
Ferry, claim that Savannah River
would be the only stream of anv
consequence to be bridged, and
that inasmuch as the bulk of busi
ness McCormick got from Lincoln
County before the railroad was
built to Lincolnton, came from the
lower end of Lincoln County, or
below Soap Creek, that it would be
to McCormick’s interest to get the
road located through that section,
which they believe, for other rea
sons also, is the logical route.
According to the s > information
Tbe* Messenger is able to obtain,
Lincoln County authorities are
ready to build the road from
Lincolnton to Fortson’s Ferry, pro
vided the South Carolina authori
ties agree to the location, and will
extend the road from McCormick
to that point. No definite action
was taken at the meeting.
It is said that McCormick has a
very favorable freight rate for
Lincolnton and the upper section
of Lincoln County, and is believed
toy some that those in lower Lin
coln County would haul freight
from Augusta over the new Au-
gusta-Lincolnton highway.
• Surveyors started at McCormick
yesterday morning on the two
routes mentioned in the foregoing,
that is bv Fortson’s Ferry and by
Chamberlain’s Ferry. The McCor
mick delegation is enthusiastic
over the proposition and both
Senator J. J. Dorn and Represen
tative W. D. Morrah are doing all
they can for the early promotion
of the project.
X
Oconee Ordered
To Pay Fund For
Death Of Negro
COUNTY MUST GIVE $2,000 IN
LYNCHING BY MOB
De la Howe School
Closes On 24-25
ALTHOUGH APPROPRIATION IS
CUT 12 PER CENT. — SCHOOL
HAS R PER CENT MOBlfe
CHILDREN THAN LAST
YEAR
The De la Howe State School,
the Legislature’s Orphanage for
the normal poor children of the
State, will have its commence
ment exercises Sunday, May 24th,
and Monday, the 25th. The ser
mon will be pi'eached 'at 11:00
o’clock in the morning bv Rever
end Edward Long, Baptist pastor
at Clinton; and the Monday even
ing address will be 'made by Sen
ator S. C. Hodges of Greenwood,
who was a former trustee of the
De la Howe School.
The following young ladies will
finish the eleventh grade: Misses
Evelyn Armstrong of York County;
Elizabeth Beauford, Abbeville
County; Louise Bishop. Greenville
County; Mamie Lou Lewis, Abbe
ville County; Thelma Miller, Flor
ence County, and Savannah Rans-
dall. Richland County.
The Legislature, which has just
adjourhed, in reducing the ex
penditures for the State govern
ment for the year 1931, felt it
necessary to reduce the De la Howe
School appropriation by 12 per
cent. Although the school has 8
per cent more children in 1931
than in 1930 it is the full inten
tion of the superintendent to use
every means to live within the
budget. It is realized that the
State is in bad financial condition
and that economy is necessary
wherever possible. The school is
taking care of 201 bo vs and girls,
who have no homes, from all parts
of South Carolina. The year past
has been an exceedingly good
year in every department of the
school, and there have been no
deaths with a minimum of sick
ness.
Winterseat And
Hannon Murder
-txt-
Dowtin Club Held
Meeting May 14th
The rfowtin H. D. Club held Its
regular meeting in the home of
Mrs. T. A. Dowtin, May 14th.
Mrs. T. A. Dowtin presided over
the meeting. s
Cradle Song was used as opening
number of the program.
Scripture: Proverbs 15.
During the business discussion it
was decided to meet at the Robin
son school house during the sum
mer.
Miss Annie Chiles was elected
secretary and treasurer to succeed
Mrs. Paul Dowtin.
The club voted to omit the June
meeting, since Mrs. Stallworth will
be at Winthrop.
Mrs. Stallworth gave a very in
teresting talk on screening un
sightly places about the home. Af
ter Mrs. Stallworth’s talk the
flowers were judged. First vote
went to a high bowl of Lady Hill
ingdon Roses, grown by Mrs. T. A.
Dowtin.
Mrs. Dowtin served delightful
fried chicken and pickle.
Reporter.
x
Jersey Sale At
Greenwood May 26
COLUMBIA, May 15.—Oconee
county must pay $2,000 because a
mob there took Allen Green, Wal-
halla negro, from the hands of the
county sheriff and lynched him
the state supreme court held to
day.
The court ordered J. A. Pace,
Oconee supervisor, to include the
$2,000 item in the next appropria
tion bill for the county.
Green was lynched last year
after he had been accused of at
tack on ^ white woman.
Corrie Green, wife of the lynch
ed negro, brought suit against W.
W. West, treasurer; Ralph M.
Pike, auditor, and Supervisor Pace
for the $2,000. She secured a rule
to show cause why they should not
be compelled by a writ of mand
amus to levy a tax upon the tax
able property of Oconee county,
sufficient to pay the amount of a
judgment of $2,000 plus costs and
interests.”
The county officials replied they
had no authority to levy a special
tax for the purpose, and that the
only funds on hand were specific-
ly appropriated for other purposes.
Justice M. L. Bonham in his
opinipn on the Green proceedings
declared the court has no right to
compel a tax levy, but issued a
writ of mandamus for the super
visor to place the $2,000 in the
next appropriation bill. He point
ed out that a county is liable un
der the “lynching statute” for not
less than $2,000.”
The opinion included the stipu
lation that interest must be paid
from the date of the judgment
jintU it was paid.
Thirty-three head of nure bred
registered Jerseys will be sold at
Greenwood, S. C., May 26th. This
is the 5th annual consignment
sale put on by the leading Jersey
breeders of the state.
The sales committee selected on
ly high quality, desirable animals
from the most outstanding herds
In the state, including mature
sows, bred heifers and open heif
ers. These animals will be sold
it auction at the Greenwood fair
^rounds at 12 o’clock, May 26th.
These annual sales offer a won
derful opportunity for the farmer
to get good foundation animals.
There is no by-bidding at these
sales. Evervone is sold to the
highest bidder.
Farmers of McCormick County
that are interested are asked to
attend.
The Jersey banquet will be held
the Monday night prior to the sale.
Plates are 75 cents each. If any
one wishes to attend the banquet
E lease notify the County Agent and
e will make arrangements for the
plates.
E. L. ROGERS,
^ County Agent.
XXX
Ice Cream Festival
At Sullivan School
There will be an ice cream festi
val at Sullivan School House on
Friday, May 22. at 8 o’clock p. m.,
sponsored by the Sand Rock Home
Demonstration Club. There will
be many interesting games, follow-
!ed by Virginia reel. An evening
!of fun is expected by all. The pub
lic is invited.
MRS. J. J. MAYSON,
1 . Secretary.
(By Mrs. T. A. Dowtin of
Dowtin’s H. D. Club.)
Winterseat was located near the
banks of Hard Labor Creek. This
creek rises south of Greenwood in
middle western South Carolina and
flows southward near White Hall,
once the home of Gen. Andrew
Williamson. At Winterseat Bridge
it passes out of the original Abbe
ville County into Edgefield County.
Its waters are carried by Stevens
creek . into the Savannah River.
Winterseat was one of the stops on
the trading route between Lown-
desville and Charleston.
This section around Winterseat
Bridge was settled by a band of
Germans just before the Revolu
tionary War. They built St.
George’s Lutheran Church on the
west side of the creek about 1-2
mile from the bridge. Rev. George
Sibert was the first and only Lu
theran minister. Years later they
organized as Methodist, named
their church Tranquil and moved
it two miles west of Winterseat.
This church was moved to a site
on the Abe Russell place about
1875. . From there it was moved to
Troy and is now known as the
Troy Methodist church.
Winterseat was an important place
in the history of that early period.
It served as postoffice, inn, store
and a place for auctioning off
property. Many travelers with
droves of animals found accommo
dation there.
Winterseat first belonged to the;
Perrins and later to the Cothrans.
Here the late Judge Jafties Cothran
was born. John L. Harmon moved
there in 1852 and lived there until
his death in 1876. A year or two
later this land was bought by
Captain Youngblood, who said that
in his old titles he had a grant to
this place from King George of
England. It is still owned by his
daughters.
On Tuesday night the 26th of
May 1876 several negroes came in
to Mr. Harmon’s house and engag
ed in conversation. Austin Davis,
who had been working by the day
pretended that he wanted to hire
for wages by the month. While
Mi;. Harmon was sitting atjdis desk
figuring the wage, Steve Lake, who
lived on the place, came in with a
club. He slipped up and knocked
both Mr. and Mrs. Harmon sense
less. Lark Holloway turned them
over and Steve cut their throats.
The negroes then poured kerosene
over the bodies and laid a chunk of
fire nearby. The fire burned a hole
through the floor and the chunk
fell under the house, but the blood
kept the house and bodies from
burning. Mr. Harmon was found
the next morning with the pencil
gripped between his fingers.
It is thought they got little
money. Mr. Harmon had a little
silver that he had said he did not
intend to spend. The whole amount
was not more than two or three
hundred dollars. They plundered
the house, carrying off everything
they could.
The next morning Bet, the cook,
found the dead and went and call
ed Steve Lake. Steve went up,
looked in and then gave the alarm.
Wardlaw Perrin, a neighbor, ar
rived soon. He suspected Steve
Lake because he had on a clean
white shirt- on Wednesday morning.
Steve was held. It was afterward
produced in evidence that he had
burned his shirt the night before
because it had blood on it.
After a day or two Austin Davis
was missed. He was found at his
wife’s home below IJclgefield. He
had Mrs. Harmon’s gold watch,
bracelets and pistol. When caught
he confessed and brought in five
others. He, Steve Lake and Lark
Holloway planned the murder and
Steve and Lark did the killing.
They had cut the club the after
noon before on a hedgerow between
the Hibler and Harmon places
where Lark was plowing. He said
Jesse Lake, Jeff Settles and Mar
shal Perrin were included and that
others were there but he did not
know them. Lark Holloway had
been licensed to preach on the
Sabbath before, and he intended
to get money to go to a seminary.
In a few days, more than a
thousand men had gathered. They
could be heard a mile away cross
ing Winterseat Bridge at a gallop
by day and night. These men had
come to stay until the murderers
were found. Some had food cooked
there and others put up with the
neighbors. The grain was cut
from the fields to feed the horses.
The country was thoroughly J
aroused. The people were tired of 1
negro rule and its unbearable
crimes. This was the straw that
broke the camel’s back.
John A. Barker, the radical
Trial Justice, held the inquest. All
negroes suspected were brought
before the ipauest jury. All de
nied any knowledge of the murder
except Austin and Steve. Steve •
said that he and his brother Jesse
were there. The inquest lasted four
or five days. Finally, the people:
became so wrought ud that they
threw a sack over Sheriff Rich
ardson’s head and took the six
negroes. Barker left the place at
once. The mob carried the negroes
.about- 300 feet.Jrom -the -front of
the house. When told to pray
Mrs. Touchstone Gives Further Time ; Daniel Believes Idle
Dies In Columbia
WAS FTTRIED IN GREENWOOD
MONDAY AFTERNOON
Funeral services for Mrs. Annie
T illipn Touch^ton^. wife of S. G.
Touchstone, who died at her home
in Columbia early Sunday jnorn-
ing. were conducted at the First
Baptist church in Greenwood Mon
day afternoon at 2:30 o’clock by
Dr. Charles F. Sims and interment
followed in the Methodist ceme
tery on Cambridge street.
Mrs. Touchstone was the daugh
ter of Isaac N. and Annie Coleman
of the Liberty Hill section of Mc
Cormick County. Besides her
husband she is survived by one
daughter, Mrs: Roy L. Cecil, of
Waycross. Ga.. and one son, Will
iam Newton Touchstone, a student
at the University of South Caro
lina; three sisters, Mrs. P. P. Penn
and Mrs. J. C. Penn, Greenwood,
and Mrs. Cornelia Witt, Augusta,
and five brothers, H. N. Coleman,
L. C. Coleman, A. W. Coleman and
W. M. Coleman, of McCormick and
G. L. Coleman, of Greenwood. She
was 51 years of age.
Mrs. Touchstone was prominent
Jn fraternal work, having served
as worthy matron of her Eastern
Star chapter and as high priestess
of White Shrine. Also she had been
an officer in the grand chapter of
the South Carolina Eastern Star.
She had been prominent in char
ity, active in the Richland County
Tuberculosis association, and was
generally beloved.
Active pallbearers were: C. F.
Mercer, F. B. Spigner, G. H. Nich
ols. William Connelly, A. M. Dixon
and P. C. Hamrick; honorary, W..P.
Hamrick, C. W. Boling, P. M.
Mooney, T. P. Norton, Peter Mc-
Keller, Eugene McKeller, J. E.
Burnside, S. C. Hodges, Dr. G. P.
Neel, Jake Rosenberg, John Rich-
ler, W. L. Bolton, L. M. Long, W.
H. Harth and T. A. Heise.
XX r
George W. Edmunds
To Be Buried Today
(Augusta Chronicle of yesterday.)
The many friends of George
Whitfield Edmunds, widower of
Mrs. Lavadar Clary Edmunds will
be grieved to learn of his death at
the residence of his daughter, Mrs.
A. R. Powell on Schultz Hill yester
day. He is survived by one daugh
ter, Mrs. A. R. Powell, Schultz Hill;
two sons, F. C. Edmunds, Savan
nah, and W. O. Edmunds, Decatur,
Ga., one sister, Mrs. G. D. Price,
McCormick, S. C.. seven brothers,
C. H. and J. F. Edmunds, of Abbe
ville, S. C., John A. Edmunds. San
ta Barba, Cal., A. A. Edmunds, Ed
gefield, S. C., R. N. Edmunds,
Parksville, S. C., F. F. Edmunds,
Spartanburg, S. C., seven grand
children and several nieces and
nephews.
He was born in Abbeville, S. C.,
May 7, 1878. a son of J. A. Edmunds
and Mrs. Lizzie White Edmunds.
He was a member of the Grace-
wood Methodist church. He had
resided in Columbia county and
was a farmer, having been con
nected with W. C. Clary 35 years.
He moved to this city five years ago
to live with his daughter.
Funeral services will be conduct
ed at the graveside in Harlem
cemetery at Harlem this afternoon
at 4 o’clock by Rev. E. C. Sheridan,
pastor of the Curtis Baptist church.
The following wil Ibe pallbearers:
honorary, H. A. Edwards, G. P.
Ging, and C. E. Lloyd; active, L. C.
Poole, C. C. Bramlett, A. Hemlen,
W. H. Hughes, Fred Herring and U.
S. King.
tXT
Schedule Of Home
Demonstration Work
For Next Week
Monday—May 25p McCormick
High School Sr. 4-H club.
Tuesday—May 26, afternoon,
Wideman H. D. Club.
Wednesday—May 27, afternoon,
McCormick H. D. Club.
Thursday—May 28, De la Howe
4-H Clubs.
Friday—May 29, Modoc, H. D.
Club.
Saturday—May 30, office.
TXX
Along about the time when we
dream of the day when there will
be no more ashes to empty, it’s
time to begin spading for garden.
Lark’s prayer was “Lord make
Steve bring back that gun.” (The
shot gun was never found.) Simms
told him to get up and then he
shot him down. Fire was., then
opened and all six were killed.
Several days later Wardlaw Perrin
had the negroes buried in one
grave. I
Thus ended one of the worst
homicides of this section. With it
came the turning point in radical
rule. This stirred the people to
rfse up against republican and
negro rule. Records show that
the local election of 1876 was car
ried by the whjte for Democracy. *
Extra Pay Tangle
w o
SUPREME COURT ORDERS GEN
ERAL ASSEMBLY CASE HELD
OPEN UNTIL JUNE
(The State, of Sunday.)
“Extra pay,” which kept an ap
preciable number of members of
the general assembly on the anxi
ous bench during the lengthy ses
sion which closed May 9, has not
yet quit its tantalizing ways.
Whether it is “to be, or not to i
be” remains the mooted question. I
The South Carolina supreme 1
court, before which the question of j
the constitutionality of the action ;
of the members in voting them-!
selves $260 over and above the sal
ary allowed by law, has twice been
argued, wants full opportunity giv
en for others, who may desire, to
be made parties to the action.
And so the court, by an order
handed down yesterday, sets the
first day of the June session of the
court for hearing on the matter.
This additional time is allowed
so that members of the general
assembly, those favoring extra pay
and those opposed—indorsers of
checks already issued but held up
by injunction,'and others who may
hold these checks, may be made
parties to the action, should they
so desire.
Order of Court
The order of the court, signed by
Eugene S. Blease, chief justice, was
as follows:
James B. Scroggie, petitioner,
against Julian H. Scarborough,
state treasurer:
“It appears to the court upon
hearing the petition, rule and re
turn herein, that certain classes of
persons having an interest in the
determination of the issues in
volved, have not been made par
ties as they should have been, to
wit: (1) members of the general
assembly who have received from
the comptroller general warrants
upon the state treasurer for the
item of expense amounting to $260
each, contained in the appropria
tion bill of 1931, and are in favor
of the constitutionality of the ap
propriation attacked by the peti
tioner; (2> members cn the gen
eral assembly who received such
warrants and are opposed thereto
and (3) assignees, indorses or oth
erwise holders of said warrants or
checks of the state treasurer.
“And that upon the provisions
of the code of civil procedure it
was made mandatory under such
circumstances to require that they
be brought in as parties to the
proceedings
“It is ordered, That the petition
be amended by making such per
sons parties thereto and copies duly
served
“And it appearing that it is im
practicable to make them all par
ties on' account of their great
number, under the code one or
more of each of the named classes
be made a representative of the
class to which he belongs,
“It is further ordered, That the
above amendment and service be
perperfected in ten days from the
date of this order and that the
cause be set down for hearing on
the first day of the June session
of this court at 10 o’clock a. m.,
upon the petition and rule as am
ended and the return which has
been filed, ancL such as may be
filed within ten days after such
service
“It is further ordered, That any
member of the said classes who
shall not have been made parties
to the proceeding and who may
desire to do so may intervene as
party defendant herein.
“It is further ordered, That the
temporary restraining order be
continued until the further order
of this court.”
Sketch of Case
The appropriations bill of 1931
passed by the general assembly
carried $260 extra pay for each
member, this being in addition tc
the $400 allowed by the constitu
tion.
The auestoin of the constitution
ality of this extra $260 was raised
and last Monday, A. W. Holman
Columbia attorney, reoresenting
James B. Scroggie, went before the
supreme court and secured a tem
porary ini unction, restraining the
state treasurer from paying the
members the extra $260 until *lv
matter could be argued and a ml
ing made by the court.
The question of making this in
junction permanent was argued
before the supreme court Friday.
By the order of the court issued
yesterday, the restraining order is
continued until the court can hear
the case further at the June term,
after which it will render its de
cision.
Cash Should Be
Invested In Lands
SAYS PLENTY IDLE CASH AND
CREDITS TO PURCHASE ALL
LANDS FOR SALE IN THE
CAROIAN IS. GEORGIA
AND FLORIDA
To the Editor of The State:
Please allow me space in your
paper to publicly express my
thanks and appreciation to the
numbers who wrote me letters of
appreciation from all over the
state for the work I did in the
recent injunction hearing on the
matter of “extra pay” voted by
the last general assembly. I am
asking this because of the fact that
it would be quite a task to thank
each one by letter.
The case is now in the hands of
COLUMBIA, May 21.—“There is
enough idle casl> and credits in ev
ery community in the Carolinas,
Georgia and Florida to purchase
every farm that is for sale,” declar
ed F. H. Daniel, president of The
Federal Land Bank of Columbia,
here today, when discussing the
sale of farm lands in this terri
tory. And he added. “These
farms can be bought with a small
amount of cash as an initial pay
ment and at prices lower'than can
be recalled by this generation.
“Every evidence points toward an
awakening upon the part of the
public to the fact that farms are
on the bargain counter and when
they are operated by people who
know how to farm, they will not
only pay the taxes and interest and
make a living for the operator but
pay a worth while dividend on the
investment as well. This fact has
been obvious for sometime to those
who follow closely the trend of
farm values and returns from
farming and the general public is
now gradually becoming conscious
of it.
“Farmers themselves frequently
exhibit a thrift and prosperity
which is entirely contrary to the
general conception of the status pf
farmers and the farming industry,”
continued Mr. Daniel. “Not in
frequently we make sales of farms
for all cash and occasionally to
farmers who live in the more re
mote communities not served by
banks who bring in the hard cash.
Farm land is again being recog
nized as one of the safest invest
ments that can be made.
“Idle farms not only produce no
revenue for their owners but they
contribute nothing to the prosper
ity of the community. At prevail
ing prices, no community can af
ford to permit land to be non-pro
ductive for we have a need in the
southeast for the products of every
tillable acre. Although freight
rates to northern markets favor
this section, we are still importers
of a number of staple agricultural
commodities which can be pro
duced cheaper than they can be
purchased, and until this condition
is changed there is ample room for
local initiative in putting idle
acres to work.”
txt
Gooding Here
On May 15th
P. H. Gooding, Extension Poul-
tryman of Clemson College, was in.
the county May 15th, visiting
poultry record keepers with County
Agent, E. L. Rogers. One of the
greatest menaces to growing chicks
is a disease known as coccidiosis
says County Agent, Rogers. The
symptoms of this disease are us
ually drooping wings, sleepy ap
pearance, bloody droppings and
rapid loss in weight of the chicks.
The disease usually develops when
f he chicks are 4 to 8 weeks of age.
The least indication of the disease
should result in a thorough clean
ing of the house and the practicing
of strict sanitation. The house
should be cleaned every day for a
coupte of weeks.
The first step in tTeating for the
lisease is to give salts in drinking
water at the proportion of 1 pound
to 400 pounds of chicks. The weight
of the chickens may be estimated
and the correct dosage given in
drinking water the first day. Then
put one-third teaspoonful of pow
dered catechu to a gallon of drink
ing water and keen before the
chicks for 5 or 6 days. A large
quantity of milk must be fed. This
may be done by adding 25 pounds
of dried milk to each 100 pounds of
mash. This mash should be fed
for a couple of weeks, with grain
discontinued.
Will Install Pastor
Willington Churchi
THE REV. CHAS. E. SULLIVAN OF
COLUMBIA GOES IN AS PAS
TOR SUNDAY NIGHT
On next Sunday night. May 24th,
the pastor of the Willington Pres
byterian Church, the Rev. Chas. E.
Sullivan of Columbia, will be in
stalled as pastor. The Rev. D. J.
Woods, D. D., of Clinton, and Rev.
Mr. Patton of Laurens and others
will take part in the services. The
public is cordially invited.
our supreme court, whose decision
will be a final determination of
this interesting question in South
Carolina.
I also wish to thank you and the
press for the splendid co-opera
tion and enlightenment of the
people. -
A. W. HOLMAN. ,