The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, March 25, 1891, Image 4
Sot?? Reflections on the
Keels Case.
The Statement of the Attorney Gen?
eral skjws tbat.be could not properly
have dtfoe otherwise than approve the
bond of County Treasurer Keels, of
Sumter. The feet that the County
Commissioners bad rejected the bond and
that tfce Grand Jury afterwards present?
ed it as insufficient are strong points ;
bot it should be renumbered that they
wefe in a better position to know the
financial responsibility of tbe sureties
on the bond than the Attorney-General :
be had to be governed entirely by
affidavits, aod those presented to him
- ?ere very strong, and scarcely left him
any alternative.
Our purpose in mentioning this mat?
ter, however is not to either commend
or condemn the course of the Attorney
General, bot to eal) tbe Compiroller
Gfeaeral's attention to some figures pre?
sented in the affidavits submitted to the
Attorney-Genera! as to what tbe sure?
ttes on the bond are worth, and also to
tbe figures in the certificates of the
Auditor. Treasurer and Clerk of Court
on the same subject.
. ^The Comptroller-Getier*! bas ?bowo
a very earnest and proper desire to have
bank stock returned at its true value.
Now let ns have things done fairly.
Nobody connected in any way with this
newspaper owns any bank stoek ; but
we want to see justice done the banks
na weil as individuals ; and if the Comp
troUer-General is looking impartially
for evidence, in tbe matter of assess?
ments it seems to us be could Sud some
in the mets set forth io tb is Keels case.
According to the County Commis?
sioners, tbe total value of property re?
turned by tbe sureties is $24,640 in
which there are homestead exemptions
amounting to ?13.500-leaving only
$11.140. And tbe Clerk/of Court
finds in his office judgments against
several of tbe bondsmen amounting to
over $5,000. So there is left about
$5,000 worth of property to stand
fiable for a $20.000 bond.
Tbe most interesting part of the
whole transaction, though, is a com?
parison of values as they appear in the
assessments for taxation and as they
appear in the affidavits. For instance :
Joseph E. Wilson, one of the sure?
ties, returns bis property for taxation at
$6,590-G. M. Barrett swears "I
consider the said J. ?. Wilson folly
worth $1^ 000, exclusive of debt aod
property exempt by law from levy and
sal?."
M. L. Keels returns bis property for
taxation at $600-J. W. Wilson says
on oatb that Mr. Keels is "worth
$2.500 over and above all liabilities."
K Pennington returns his property
for taxation at $280-T. B. Reame
says on oatb that Mr. Pennington is
worth over $5,000.
Jacob Keels returned his property at
$6.200-Mr. Carroway swears that
Mr. Keels "is worth $10.000, at
least, over and above all liabilities."
And so it goes. The following table
is a good object lesson :
Bondsmen. Pav Tnxes on. Worth.
Joe. S. Wilson^....^.1*6,590 $15,000
M. L. Keels..................... ?00 2,500
if. Pennington......... T..... 280 ~ 5,000
Jacob Keels_ 6,200 10,000
R. F. Keels_?_ 4,130 10,000
X. J. Goodman_ 1.940 3,000
J.T. Trnlock_. 2,850 6,000
Totals-._?,_.$22,840 $51,500
It is true that some of the bondsmen
may own property and pay taxes out?
side of Sumter County and some may
own bank stock upon which the banks
pay taxes ; but we venture io say that
this would cover a very small portion.
According to the affidavits, these
sureties oo Mr Keels' bond pay taxes
on less than half the value of their j
property -Nmherry Observer.
? - i i -
Crimes of the Murderous
Mafia.
The New Orleans Branch of the
Assassin Band.
The following resume of the case,
from its beginning, will . no doubt
prove interesting :
New Orleans is always an excitable
etty. This is because of its polyglot
Smutation, mainly of Latin blood,
ut never has there been a period of
such angry excitement as has existed
since October 15 of last year. At 9:45 |
that evening Chief of Police David !
Heonessy left bis office at the city hail,
on Camp street, and proceeded to make
an inspection tour of police precinct No.
1. The evening was rainy and very
dark. As be passed by an alley on
Girod street, near the corner of Basin.
Chief Hennessy was fired upon. Six
beavy reports were heard almost
? simultaneous . in their occurrence.
Persons living near, and others passing
along ran toward the flashes of the guns.
They found a man lying where be had
. fallen, absolutely riddled with bullets
and heavy shot. His left side, which
was next to the alley, from the midriff
to tbe knee, was one mass of toro flesh,
blood and broken bones.
Examination showed that the fallen
and desperately-wounded man was the
chief of police. At 9 o'clock Thursday
morning be died. Examination showed
that nine large bullets had pierced the
abdomen, intestines and all, from side to
side. Four others had broken the left
leg in as maoy different places. How
the man lived an hour, much less
almost twelve, after such injuries, was
tbe am seem en t of every physician who
saw bim.
* * *
Day id C. Hennessey was a few
months past bis thirty-third birthday.
He stood five feet ten-and-a-half inches,
and measured forty two inches around
the chest. He was one of the best
amateur boxers in the South, a trained
wrestler and an excellent all-round !
gymnast. He had been a leading mem?
ber of the New Orleaos Athletic club,
aod delighted to "put. on the gloves''
with a good pugilist, who could ta^e as
well as give bard knocks. As a "gun
fighter''-as those who fight with i
pistols are called tn New Orleaos-he |
was deadly. H had five notches upon j
bis favorite "gun." The weapon in
which he most trusted was sn English j
Tranter six-shot re vol vcr. The Tranter
is perhaps the best revolving pistol
made ia Europe. It certainly is
tbe most expensive, costing about $30.
It is manipulated with the first and sec?
ond fingers. It has two triggers, like a
double-triggered rifie. With the mid
die finger the hammer is raised by a 1
gentle pull oo the rear trigger. Theo j
a touch oo the front trigger with the j
forefinger, and crack goes thc bullet to
its mark. By reason of their careful :
workmanship-for they are band-made j
tit through and accurate rifling, sight
jag and testing they are the best pistols
in their correctness known to ths pistol
using world. So Hennessey put on his
Tranter whenever he knew
was likely to be quick, close abo
and bot work. '"What s sweet
this is," he said to the writer one
morning in 1888, as Ire prepared f<
usual stroll. "It is fit fora ma
shoot with for bis life "
Four years ago Hennessey was
chief of police, vice Bache min,
A better man could not have
chosen. The fcown was fall of thi
robbers and all sorts of sconce
originally- brought there from ?
nation by the gread exposition. I
ing business good and the eli
agreeable, they had stayed. Gan,
bad negroes were indulging in ?
thefts, knocking down women and
bing them, or attempting a still i
hideous crime. These Hennessey <
with in a swift, summary way. Ca
in the act they were simply killed
so many dogs. He hunted down
glar aiter burglar, till the town w;
quiet as an old time New Eng
village. ? famous Calabrian brig;
named Eposito, was "wanted*' in
native Italy for the trifling offeost
killing twenty-five or more people
objected to bets g despoiled by hil
their goods. 'He came to New Orl
with a good deal of money, to
among his people Hennessey bear
him. The man possessed great s tren
was as savage and dangerous as a v
and swore he would kill whoever um
took his capture. Hennessey i
after Esposito himself, got him, and
midnight rowed out to an Italian i
that was anchored in the middle of
river. He deposited Esposito on bot
receiving from the Italian coe
general a certificate to that effect,
drew from the Italian treasury a t
amounting to 5,000 American doll
receiving besides au autograph le
from King Umberto's secretary com
meotiog his dexterity and courage.
There are in New Orleans and
sugar-growing parishes of Louisi
perhaps 60,000 Italians. They are
only emigrants that stand the clim
well. The fish and oyster trade,
well as ths-.t in foreign trait, is pt
?ically monopolized by these peoj
Besides those named there is a resp*
able mercantile element in the ci
which is rich, and composed of gen!
men of the highest integrity, comm
cially and socially. The Italian lab
ing man is a curious study. He
industrious, faithful, frugal and che
ful. He is not a shirk but does
days's work honestly and as well
he can. At gardening and small fr
culture they are unexcelled. Th
never forget a kindness nor an injui
They are not drunkards nor spei
thrifts, and will live and get rich
what an American would consider pc
wages. But you must not excite th
jealousy nor compliment, too adenine
ly, the, wife or the daughter's pre
eyes. The stiletto is the natioi
weapon of the Sicilian, Calabrian a
Neapolitan. North Italy and t
Genoese rather affect the cuchillo,
two edged knife. You offend ooe
these people, some night you are pa:
ing a dark alley, a man 'slips out I
hind you with a cat-like tread,
seizes you by the collar of the cc
with the left hand, with the right 1
drives his needle-pointed weapon rig
down through the soft spot betwe
the n< k and the collar bone till tl
steel touches the heart. There is :
blood outwardly; only a little bb
wound one would scarcely notice. B
the thrust waa so terribly sure that ti
stricken man never knew what ha
bim.
sj: dc jfc
There are two secret societies arnot
the Italians at home and here. Th<
are the Camorra and the Mafi
They both had their origin in tl
times when the people were tyrant)
cally ruled, and had to unite for se]
protection. The Camorra is the mo
aristocratic of the two, and its mee
bers are from the higher social rank
Both orders are simple enough in the
creeds. They stand by each other I
the death, and will not hesitate to cou
mit perjury to save a fellow m em be
They were originally organizations f>
mutual self-protection. Each "band
.-as the organizations denominate loc;
lodges of themselves-has its ow
passwords, and two branches of tb
Mafia or Camorra may be at dead)
feud with each other, as far as can t
learned-for no outsider ever koon
much about these '.biogs, and he ha
better not try to know-there is n
great central bea I to the Mafia, thong
there is to the Camorra. The pries!
have done their best to suppress thea
orders, but; without avail.
Of late the Mafia has been usio?
fire-arms in their vendetta. In the pas
two years there has been fifty-tw
assassinations in and near New Orleans
the killed being Italians in every eas
but Hennessy. The assassins who us*
fire-arms prefer the old United State
smooth-bore musket, with the barre
sawed off to about eighteen inches ii
length, to any other weapon. The;
load this with au enormous charge o
powder and from twelve to sixteet
heavy buckshot or large moulded bul
lets They never shoot more than
fifteen or twenty feet, and either at the
j abdomen cr head, and usually kill.
t The fuei by which Chief Hennessey'!
! death was caused began last spring
?On the night of May otb, 1890, sia
men, all Sicilians, were driving along
Esplanade, one of the most aristocratic
streets of New Orleans. The night
was very clark, and fitful gusts of wind
brought sharp showers of slanting rain.
The men had been late at their work,
unloadiog a cargo of Sicilian fruit.
Suddenly ;heir wagon was stopped by
i some obstruction, and then six shots
! were fired from all sides into them.
Four were killed dead. The other two
died only the next day.
Chief Hennessey declared that he
would put a stop to this killing, and
arrested seven persons. 13ut no case
that wonld hold could be made, though
three of the persous charged were con?
victed. It afterwards appeared that the
witnesses for the State, ail Italians, had
perjured themselves awfully. He was
warned then that he had better let the
matter alone, that the truth could not
be got out of these people, but he would
not heed. Finally a few Italian gentle?
men frankly told him his life was in
danger. They said they dared not tell
him how or from what source this in?
formation came. He continued bis
jvestigations, got together a mass of
evidence that involved nearly one hun?
dred people, and was killed, as he was
told he would be.
* * sjc
A New Orleans mob is a terrible
thing. The writer bas seen three, and
wishes to see no more. The city is j
upon the very verge of what will be
the most awful outbreak ever known i
the South. The people of Ne
Orleans are slow to wrath, but wbe
they do wake up their vengeance
terrible. A week af?er ?he Henne6se
murder a great mass-meeting was bel
to decide upon some measures th;
would bring the killers of the chief <
police to justice and put a stop to thi
Ma?a business. A committee of fifn
composed of the most prominent an
wealthy men in the city, was created
They issued an address to the Italia
population that had no uncertain sound
It notified them that the people nf Nei
Orleans meaut to stop this assassinatio
and have the murderers brought t
justice., "peaceably if we can, violentl
and by force if we most." Ever
member of this committee bas receive?
warning from undoubted sources tha
his life is in danger, and anonymem
letters have reached them by tbe score
Every leading back president in th?
town is on this committee, and all gt
armed to the teeth.
Notwithstanding all this, the com
mit tee raised $27,000 to aid the Stat*
in the detection and protection of thi
Hennessey murderers. In De
cember, 1890. nineteen men were ar
rested. Their trial began a fortnigh
ago. They had the ablest lawyers ii
the State among their counsel, chief o
whom was Hon. Thomas J. Semmei
the head of the New Orleans bar
Who paid for this array of expensive
legal talent no one knows. The prose?
cution was equally strong. But from
the first there was a fear in the com?
munity that the jury would not have
the courage to do its duty.
Nearly every person summoned as a
possible juror was told he had "bettet
be careful.''
The more daring of the Italians who
were arrested openly said they would
never be convicted. And they seemed
to have judged rightly. But they had
not counted upon the determination of
the people of New Orleans. It was
proven beyond question that six of the
persons ou trial had shot Hennessey to
death. No case was ever more clearly
made out. But the jury was cowed.
They were persons from the lower walks
of life, and had no great stake in the
community. So the citizens, finding
they could trust neither to law nor ju?
rors, took the matter into their own
bands. The story is graphically told
in the telegraphic columns.
What the end of this strange concat?
enation of crime will be it is not pos?
sible to conjecture. But one prediction
may be made with some degree of cer?
tainty. At the first overt act the Ital?
ian quarter will be sacked. The police
hate the Italians, and would be of no
use in suppressing au outbreak against
them. The Italians and all that
strange mass of people from foreign
Mediterranean seaports, which is so
large un element of the foreign quarter
of New Orleans, who are commonly
called "Dagoes" (a corruption of Diego,
the given name of them,) are all armed
and will fight like wild cats, with that
strange fury that upon occasions charac?
terizes mobs of the Latin race, mad
with fury and fright.
It will be an awful fight if it does
come. The meddling of the Italian
consul and his threats have greatly em?
bittered the sentiment against the whole
race. The Italian priests are peace?
makers, but are powerless. The next
fortnight is full of peril. Whether the
prosecution will be effectively pushed or
not cannot now be told. Enough is
known to prove that the mayor, Mr
Shakespeare* his secretary, and six
councilmen are marked for the stiletto
or bullet. What the ending will be
God alone knows.
OUR VE KY BEST PEOPLE.
ConSrm our statement when wesay that Acker'*
Knglish Remedy is in every way superior to
nny and ail other preparations fur the Th oa'
a.ul Lungs. In Woooping Cough r.nd Croup
it is magic and relieves at once. We offer yon
a sample bottle free. Remember, this Remedy
is Rold on a positive guarantee bj J. F. W.
DeLorme. 3
NIAGARA AT STUD.
jfife* The grand thoroughbred,
055N| NIAGARA,
T^fi"*MP** by Luke Blackburn, dam Ivy
Leaf, Bramble's dam, will make the season
1891, at Hagood and adjacent pointe, where
the patronage warrants it.
TERMS:
$20 00 for the season with privilege of re?
turn. $30 00 to insure.
This is wbat the standard authority, the
Turf, Field and Farm, of New York, says of
Niagara :
"The Chestnut Horse, Niagara, foaled 1884,
bj Luke Blackburn, dam Ivy Leaf, (dam of J
Bramble, Brambaletta, Bazar, &c,) by im-J
ported Australian ; second dam Bay Flower, j
(full sister to Bayonet, Baywater, Preakness, j
&e.,) by L?nngton, and third dam Bay Leaf,
by imported Yorkshire. Niagara is one of j
the beat looking and best bodied thorough
breds in the country, a hoise of fine size and !
great substance. He was not only possessed I
cf a rare turn of speed, but could pack any
weight and ?ro a distance. He twice rana,
mile in 1:42, once with 124 pounds, and
again in 1:41 1-5. He combines the bonnie
Scotland and Australian blood with a double
cross of Lexington, and will prove a great ;
acquisition to the breeding interests of South
Carolina."
Apply to, ' JAMES DWYER,
Manager,
March 4-1m. Hagood. S C.
HARDWARE.
Paints^ (Regal Brand Oils, Varnishes and Brushes.
DuPont's Powder.
SPORTING GOODS A SPECIALTY.
Agricultural Implements, G-uns, Pistols,
CUTLERY.
AGENTS FOR
Garland Stoves and Ranges,
Studebaker Wagons and Road Carts,
Buggies, Phaetons, Surries and Carriages.
The largest Assortment of Harness in the City.
IRON PIPE, PUMPS, MILL SUPPLIES, HUBS,
Rims and Spokes, Tinware, Woodenware, Rubber and Leather
Belting,
We flatter ourselves that the above lines are complete in
every particular, and we would ask before buying that you call
and examine the stock of
GAILLARD & LENOIR,
Sumter5 s. O.
Nov. 19
ri
X
THE LAST.
Positively the last for this Season.
Parties wishing to purchase will please take
notice that I will receive about March 10th,
One Car Load Broke Mules,
And about March 25th,
One Car Load nice Driving and
Work Horses.
Sumter, S. C.. March 7, 1891.
a
Ttl
.*svi aux
JUST ARRIVED.
CAM LOAD OF FINE DRIVING HOUSES.
TWO CAB LOADS GOOD Ul UL ES.
One Car Load Old Hickory Wagons.
CELEBRATED SPIRAL SPRING CORTLAND CARTS.
Also, a few of the
PAEEY; CAETS.
All kinds of
CARRIAGES,
S?rrys, Buggies and Phaetons
HARNESS.
A few hundred bushels of na?
tive Red Rust Proof Oats.
M. GRAHAM.
December 3
Furniture
IS OUR SPECIALTY.
Tf you want an unequaled assortment to select from,
come to us.
If you want the newest designs, come to us.
If you want fair treatment and no misrepresentation,
come to us.
If you want the lowest prices, come to us.
If you want first-class goods, come to us.
If you want polite attention, come to us.
_NO ORDER TOO SMALL OR TOO LAROE.
We also carry a large assortment of the celebrated
Cream Colored (porous) Flower Pots and Urns,
which we are ottering very cheap. Examine them and we arc coniident you will buy no others
OUR CHEVAL SUITS TAKE THE LEAD.
DURANT & BELITZER.
March 18
THE SUMTER
TEA AND COFFEE
EMPORIUM.
Finest Variety Christ'
mas Delicacies.
JUST KECEIV?NG :
Maple Syrup, in out glass decanters,
65 cents.
Godilot French Sardines, finest ar
tide, 20 cents.
Roullord French Sardines, choice ar?
ticle, 15 cents.
Preserves, Thurber's Gold Cap, in
glass, delicious, 75 cents.
PreserTes, Thurber's Gold Cap, io
glass, delicious-, 50 cents.
Mince 3iea?, Thurber's, loose, per lb.,
12?
Baker's Broaa, J lb. boxes, 30.
Baker's Cocoa, |"lb. boxes, 30.
Raisons, an elegant article for cake,
per lb., 15.
Evaporated Apricots and Peaches,
per lb . SO
Olivas, loose, per quart, 50.
Olives in bottles at 15, 20, 2&, sad
50c. each.
Evaporated Apples, something fine,
per lb , 20c.
Dried Apples, something fine, per lb.,
15 cents.
Pickled Salmon, 12| cents.
Mackerel, Thurber's, Sea Coast, in 5
lb., tins at 95 cents.
Mackerel, in tubs 10 lb., $1.50 to
$1.75.
Mackerel, large and fat mess, each
15 cents.
Mackerel, mediums, a nive article,
per doz., 40 cents.
Salmon steak in cans, Cook's oelebrat- |
ed, 25 cents.
Teas, Teas? Teas.
Remember we are headquarters and
do not sell common grades. Our prices
are from 50c. to $1.00.
Coffees, Coffees.
We also lead on and keep every
variety Rios, raw, per lb., 28 to 30o.
Mocha, raw, 35 cents.
Laguayra, raw, per lb., 30 cents
Maricabo, per lb., 30 cents.
Flours.
Curtis' Pastry, finest patent flour, all
kinds of, with graham, oat meal, oat
flakes, &c, &c.
Confectionery.
This department incomplete. We want
no disappointed sweet hearts and have
carefully considered their interest in
our selections.
Crockery.
We have now on road novelties in
this direction, remember we keep the
best (VV KTB)
Lust but not least, dont forget us on
the celebrated Ferris meats, hams and
breakfast strips, which we pride
ourselves on.
Send for monthly price list.
T B CURTIS,
Monaghan Block, MAID Stree:,
Dec- 10. Sumter S. C.
We have received our fall stock of
Dry Goods*
Notions, Clothing,
SHOES AND HATS,
andar? prepared to offer.spe?
cial inducements to buyers.
Our line of
DRY GOODS
have never been as large and
complete as this season. Our
line of plain and figured "Wors?
teds and Flannels are very neat
and are offered at
ROCK BOTTOM PRICES.
Let us show you before buy?
ing and we will sell you, that is,
if prices and quality are any
inducement.
We have an immense line ol
Gents' and Ladies'
UNDERVESTS,
ranging in price from 20c. to
$1.25 each. Our shirts for
men at 50c. will equal if not
surpass anything on the market
at 65c. In our
SHOE STOCK
we have many bargains in
men's women's and children's
shoes. Our leader for ladies'
at $1.75, and men for $2.00
can't be duplicated within 25
to 50c. per pair.
We can save you from ?1.00
to $2.50 a suit on
CLOTHING
if you will give us the oppor?
tunity. All we ask is for you
to look through our stock and
get our prices. In
PLAIN AND FANCY GROCERIES
we are the leaders. "We sell
nothing if not of the first qual?
ity and our prices are the
lowest. Our stock is fresh and
well selected. We have every
kind of canned Meats, Vege?
tables and fruits, all fresh goods
of this seasons' pack. We give
special prices on can goods by
the dozen.
You will find our salesmen pleasant
and attentive to all customers-perfect
iv willing to show goods at all times.
All goods delivered to any part of the
city promptly and free of charge. Full
weight Guaranteed.
Kingman I Co
October 1
I _____
j
I
t
! Grand Display of
I
Spring Novelties.
! GOOD VALUES,
i
i
CONSTANT ATTRACTIONS,
j
POPULAR PRICES,
With never-ceasing attractions are better
j than mere display. Each day sees
? GOODS IN ML Oil DEPARTIS^
Sees constant changes of
NOVELTIES AND STAPLES
at prices that quickly sell.
Your own interests can not be better served than by familiar?
izing yourself with these goods and prices.
Recollect, no matter what prices others may
ask, we are determined to beat them.
NO MISREPRESENTATION.
Everything as represented or money
refunded.
We mean business and plenty of it.
FINE GOOD?
-AND
LOW PRICES
WILL DO THE WORK.
No one talked to death. No one urged to buy. Study your
own interests. You cannot make any mistake.
You know what we have done in the
past. Come and see what we
can do for you now.
J. ROTENBERG & SONS.
Samples sent on application.
Mail orders will receive prompt attention.
March 25