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HE IS VINDICATED. Mr. L. Spa DD Vinson, Who Was Charged With Setting Fire to His Store is Clearad. No Case Made Out at the Preliminary. State's Witnesses Testify on the Stand j They Were Offered Money to Ghi Evidence Against Him. Mr. Marius B. Saunders the Prosea;- j ting Witness Arrested Immediate? ly After the Hearing on Another Charge. From the Dallv item. Februnry 15 OD Wednesday the people of this city were i greatly surprised to learn that a warrant had j been issued by Trial Justice Wells, oo the j affidavit of Mr Marius Sanders charging Mr j Spann Vinson with having on the j morning of January 14lh, (Tuesday) set j fire to the store he occupied at Hagood, The store was the property of Mrs Harriett R. Saunders, the mother of the young man making the affidavit, and was burned oe the same night that the stores of J S Booth & Co, and R F Jackson were burn? ett being the last to catch and burn. At the time it wa3 evident that the store of J S Booth & Co, bad been robbed and then fired, and from this store the other caught. The stores were all near together, ?.be Vinson store being the most distant-the distance beiog estimated at 50 to 60 yards. The warrant was not executed and Mr Vinson was not arrested. He learned that the warrant bad been issued and that the pre? liminary would be held this morning, so be was on band when the hour arrived. As the office of Trial Justice Wells could not begin lo accommodate the crowd that as? sembled, the bearing waa bad in the Court House. The State was represented by C. M. Hurst, Jr., Esq., and Vinson by R.O. Purdy, Esq. The charge entered was that of a tenant setting fire to premises, and not arson, as at first rumored. The testimony was as fol? lows : M. B. Saunders-"On the night of January 14th two buildings owned by my mother, Mrs. E. R. Saunders, and three owned by Dr. B. McLaucblia were burned. The two atores of my mother were occupied by J. S. Booth & Co., and L. S. Vinson. The first information I bad of the burning ? of the Vinson store was when I sent two negroes around to see about some bedding eayed from Dr. McLaucblin's office. They said-[stopped by attorneyj. When I first saw smoke rising from the store, I asked Mr Vinson to open the store, which he refused to ?0. In about fifteen minutes my mother and sister came down to the store and ordered Mr. Vinson to open the store. He then did so. I then entered the store in company with Mr. Dowell. We discovered fire in tbe western side of the rear room, on the second floor. On tbe inside cf this roora there was no indication of fire, except where the fire was burning, in the corner and on the wall above j there could be seen where oil or some o'her ingredient bad been poured up and down the floor, and on the walls in the corner After seeing this and establishing beyond doubt that the store had been set on fire, I went down stairs and asked Mr. Vinson to give me a bucket and assist in putting out the fire. He refused to give tbe bucket or assist. After I left the store, Mr. Vinson locked tbestore, io the absence of my mother, and refused to open it, so that I, with assis? tance I had secured, could put it out. When my mother returned and ordered Mr. Vinson to open the store, the fire had extended into the roof. Interrogated by C. M. Hurst, Jr:-'-Was the store totally destroyed ?" "It was." "Whico store was burned first?" "The one occupied by Booth. The store occupied by Mr. R. F. Jackson was the next to burn. It was distant about 60 yards." "There was no fire to be seen from the out side, except from the back. There was no way in which the fire could have been com? municated to the building from the other stores." "Twenty or thirty minutes before the fire was discovered in the store, Mr. Vinson was in his store, and was then asked if he wanted any assistance. He said he needed cone, as be could save ali he wanted. He refused to aliow any one permission for the removal of his goods, giving as his reason that if the goods were removed and lost he would get no insurance. Said so in presence of wit? nesses." Did you know of any reward offered for the conviction of the parties setting fire to these stores? "I do." "Did you go to Columbia to see the Gov? ernor about the reward ?" "I did not, but I wa3 in Columbia on busi? ness, and I saw the insurance agent/' "At whose instance was the reward of? fered?" "At the instance of tbe insurance agents." "What was the reward ?" "The State offered $200 and the iosuran companies $300 " "Were the stores insured ?" "The store occupied by J. S. Booth & C was insured tor S500, nod the Vinson sto for H like amount " "What was the value of the stores?" "The Booth store was valued at $1,750 ar the Vinson store at $850." "On the Dight of the fire, and while lt store occupied by Spann Vinson was burs in?, did you or did you not say to a negr man in tbe presence of Rev. J. W. Dowel 'Go up and ask mother if Sbe wants the o'. racket store to burn.' " . "I did. . Explained : I said that at prese? tbere were no indications, ?s the sparks ha not turned that way. I intended to pet o the top and save it if the sparks turned th> way." "At the time you approached Rev. J. W Dowell and asked him to testify as a witne; 10 the case against Spann Vinson, did you c did you not say to him that if he would corn down and testify against Spann Vinson yo would divide the reward with him?" "I don't remember anythiog about it. am not willing to answer either ye3 or nc I cao tell what he said to me. Am wil?n for Mr. Dowell to go on the stand and testif to what occurred." "Did not notice any odor ot oil, es it ha burned to too great an extent. Knew it wa 011 bv the splashes on the floor and walls where it had not bumed. The oil covere about a foot or a foot and a half in diumeter ' "Are you actuated by any hope of obtain ins the reward ?" "lam actuated by a de sire of seeing justice done, and if I can ge the reward, will take it." "If he, Vinson skived any goods it was before 1 went to th store." Rev. J. W. Dowell-Sometime before day light my wife and I were up with a sid child. We heard some noise, but while th light was burning in the room could se nothing on the outside. When the light wa extinguished we saw the Booth store two thirds enveloped io flames. I weat to th store as scon as I dressed. When I go there the Jackson store was buring. We te moved articles from Dr. McLaucblin's office which soon caght from Jackson's store Some minutes afterwards I saw some one ii the Vinson store, and thought he called fo help. I went there and found Mr. Vinso: moviog some goods out. We brought out i barrel of sugar aud one or two otber articles Mr. Vinson then closed the store and saic that the goods might as well be burned in tb? store, if it caught, as to have them stolen i they were put out in the cotton patch, then went over to the depot to warm and ge out of the wind. After about a half or three quarters of an hour, I went back to the Vin? son store, and heard that it was on fire Several parties asked Mr. Vinson to open ?h< door, but be refused. When Mr. Marlu* Saunders asked him to open the store, saying that he had a box of sbeils or some othei articles in in there, Mr. Vinson opened tb? door at once. Mr. Saunders went in and ] followed bim. We went up stairs to the i back room, where I saw a fire burning in the corner on the floor and up to the ceiling on an exposed stud, where the partition was j joined. I did not see whether the fire wai ' burning between the outside wall and I plastering. Did not detect any odor of kero ? sene aad saw no indication of any oil, There was some smoke in the room, but it seemed to be going j up into the lott through the ceiliDg. ! Mr Vinson was about half way i up stairs at the time He called I to me to come down as the fire was up in the loft and it was dangerous. I went down, as I did not care to run into danger. Smoke was coming out of the roof at the time and before I went into the store. After we went out of ibe store, Mr. Vinson locked the door and refused to open it, giving as his reason that if the goods were taken out and stolen he would be unable to collect an insu? rance." When asked whether he heard Mr Marius Saunders send a message to bis mother ask? ing if she wanted the racket (Vinson) store burned, replied that he did hear him send the message by a boy, and that the boy returned and said to Marius that Mrs Saunders said, "the store is insured." Questioned further he said that this was all that the boy said. Asked by Mr. Purdy whether Mr. Marius i Sauuders bad offered him a part of the re i ward if he would testify against Spann Vin j son. He said that .Marius Saunders had had j a number of conversations, extending over j seveu to ten days, and that he gave him the impression that be, Marius, would divide the reward with him. Marius had talked about 'me" and "us," and he had j told him that he would tell exactly what he I knew and nothing more. a3 it was his duty j to do so if summoned, but wouid not toucha j nickle of the reward. Mr. Saunders bad not ! offered to bribe him, but had talked as if he : would divide the reward, and had said, ; when he refused to touch any part of i', that there would be no harm in his taking a part of the reward. i Royal Kirkland-said that when he came j up to the fire all the stores wers burning except the one occupied by Mr. Vinson. "I SHW no fire in this store natil about a half or three quarters of an hour after I got there. I then saw fire in the back room up stairs. Saw it through the back window. Window had no sash or blinds, but some bars nailed across it. Window was in the end of the store, while the burning stores were at the sine Wind WHS blowing between the stores, but it shifted now and then." R. Cassidy-"I know nothing about the fire. I saw Mr. Vinson in his store the afternoon before the fire. That night when goirg home I saw two wagons, loaded with barrels and boxes coming from th^ direction of Hagood. Did not know who owned the ; wagons. Did not know where they were : going. Edgar Dinkins-"Was at the fire, but did j not see the Vinson store catch fire. Saw the fire sometime after it caught. I rhen saw it through a broken down window in the back of the store We made no effort to put out j the fire. Made no offer to help put it out. Ransom Long "I was at Hagood, while j the stores were burning. When I got io! Hagood Mr. Jackson': store was nearly burned down. About a half an hour, or three quarters of an hour afterwards, I saw Mr. Vinson's store on ure. I saw the fire through the back window, and I saw a man j in the upstairs room. T cannot say what he j was doing, bat he looked like he was trying j to put cut the fire " Mr. Purdy asked: "Do you kuow Mr. j Fnrman Jackson ?" "Yes" "Have you had any conversation with him ? about this case?" "Yes " "Did you tell him that you had been of? fered ?50 to come here and testify agair.st Mr. Vinson?" "Yes." Questioned by Trial Justice Wells. "Who made you this offer, and what were the cir- j curastances?" "I was told 'bat I must come here and lei! what I knew about the fire, and ! that is what I am doing." "But who told you that you would get j S50?" "Mr. Marius," meaning Mr. Marius B. Sauoders, the prosecuting witness. This concluded the testimony. Mr. Purdy spoke briefly, and was followed by Mr. C. M. Hurst. Jr. Trial Ju3tice Wells reviewed the evidence and declared the case discharged on the grounds that a prima facie case bad not been made out. In making this decision he said that throwing out the case at this time would not prevent the prosecutors bringing another case should they discover additional evidence, or they could go before the grand jury and demand an investigation. Immediately after the case was discharged, Mr. Marius Saunders was arrested on a war? rant charging bira with selling whiskey. The warrant was issued by Trial Justice John B. Ralfield on the affidavit of Mr. Lirken Jer; nings. The arrest is the outgrowth of the feeling engendered by the arrest of Mr. Yinson. It is said that there is abundant proof that Mr Saunders has been selling liquor for months, .ind no one has cared to take the responsibility of having the wartant issued. When Trial Justices Wells rendered his decision throwing out the case, the crowd that filled the Court House, oroke into an enthusiastic cheer, and some of them were j so enthusiastic that they cheered lifter they I got out on the street. They crowded around j Mr. Vinson to shake bis band and congratu j late him, and express their gratification that ! be had been vindicated and set free. Health Officer's Beport. Births reported to office for week ending Friday, February 14. 4 white males. 2 white females. 2 colored males. E. I. REARDON, Health Officer. Cure For Headache. As a remedy for all forms of Headache Electric Bitters has proved to be the very best It effects a permanent cure and the most dreaded habitual sick headaches yield to its influence. We urge all who are afflicted to procure a bottle, and give this remedy a fair trial. In cases of habitual constipation Electric Bitters cures by giving the needed tone to the bowels, and few cases long resist tbe use of thi; medicine. Try it once. Large bottles only Fifty cents at J. F. W. DeLorme' Drug Store. 2. It Leads Them all. ? The time-honored Southern Cultivator ana ; Dixie Farmer gets brighter and better as the j years roll by. The January nuruoer, which ? begins the fifty-fourth year of its usefulness, j is on our table, with its columns replete with instructive and entertaining matter. The j table of contents contains an interesting j variety that cannot fail to benefit its readers, j The front cover page contains an illustration i of a typical Southern scene, picking cotton 1 in the field, a familiar one to Southern people. ! We are specially pleased with the number of ! the departments in The Cultivator, ?ill filled with choice, practical suggestions. From composting manure to keeping one hundred, henson an acre, and from managing the brood sow to the culture of the soil, its read? ers will find its pages profitable. The edito? rial pages tpem with live and progressive thoughts, maintaining its pre-eminence as un agricultural journal of the first rank. Every one interested m farming should take it. The subscription price is very low for so val? uable a publication. Send Si to The Cul? tivator Publishing Company. Atlanta, Ga , and get the paper. We will send Thc Southern Cultivator and Dixie Farmer and the Watchman <y Southron one year for $2.05. Send ip your subscriptions. Revelations, 1 Chap., 1 Ter. Reformer Willoughby Begins to Expound. From The State. While I give you what I know about Calvo's receiving $500 from Shull and McLaurin for the purpose of booming them, I ask your indulgence while I reply briefly to some oth?-r matters The hext day after McL-iurin's speech at Spartanburg (Sunday) a cau? cus was hehi at the Spartan inn. D P. Duncan. YV. H. Eilerbc, J. L. Farley and brother, Ivor au-r, editor of the Reg? ister, W. I). Evans, J W Bawden, W. A Neal, J L. McLaurin. G W. Shell and perhaps others were present as well as ir? j self. Then und there ; McLaurin and Shull attempted to make up a subscription to protect the Coluro- : bia Register from any loss caused by ; its defence of Shell and McLaurin j And since J. L McLaurin his furnish- \ ed to Appclt and others my private ' correspondence.and the Register's- filthy 1 atrack on me, I feel ar. liberty to tell i what took place at that conference McLaurin subscribed ?250, as did j al.-o Shell. On the same afternoon I [ saw McLaurin and Shell, at the counter of the Spartan inn, turn over to W. A. Neal a roll of money. About two weeks later I asked Neal it McLaurin and Shell had paid lo CMvo through him the full amount of ?500 as per promise, and he said "Yes." I will say to the charges of the Co? lumbia Register, "that ? would be found in the ranks with Samps Pepe and Cal Caughman," that I denounce any imputations going to lessen my at? tachment for the Reform movement as a malicious falsehood out of the whole cloth. I did not come into the Reform party for profit., have made none out of it and expect, to stick the closer to the party and continue to do all I can to drive out the time-servers and boodleis. I can say of my own knowledge that the Register swelled its subscription list just prior tb the convening of the pres? ent general assembly, without compen? sation or the promtse of it. T. C. Willoughby. The letter of Appelt is that of J. L. McLaurin seeking to destroy the Re? form movement. He puts some one before him to attack those who endeavor to expose his treachery. "The voice is that of Jacob ; but the hand is i bat of Esau " The letters of McLaurin published in your issue of the 3rd io st. prove beyond peradventure the falsity of the charges as to the McBee railroad pass, the post office matter and the pulling of McLau rin's leg for money. I am not surprised that McLaurin should endeavor to re? pudiate, through bis henchman, the intimacy between bim and M. C. Butler as it is now of disadvantage to j bim ; but unfortunately, ''the accursed j spot will not out." ! Appelt says McLaurin refused to consider my name for the postoffice here, for the reason that I had been a resident for a short time-and in the same breath, says McLaurin went to Florence and offered the place to me j if I would get up a petition. Again he I says that McLaurin wrote me that it ' would be useless to recommend me ? for the office, as my attack on Butler j in the Ben Perry letter would cause ; Butler to oppose me Well McLaurin i stated to his friends here, that he I could not get his appointments made j without the assistance of Butler, as j Irby was always drunk and pointed I out Strait and Latimer as examples of those trying to work without But? ler's help. He said he was only j using Butler for his purposes. Appelt was appointed a postmaster ; -did he pledge himself to support But ! 1er if it was necessary that I should? ? What about all the other appointments that McLaurin -got? That Perry let? ter vindicates me, but what can be said by the actual appointees? I may have mentioned Butler's name in a letter to McLaurin but when Appelt attempts to imply that t would support Butlerfo r his influence, he lies. He overlooks the Perrv letter, when an office more lucrative was offered me and I rejected j it with scorn and indignation. I only allude to the contradictory : statements of this man Appelt to show ; that he falls short of the qualification ? of a "good liar" as contained in his quoted maxim, in that his memory is j deficient, in other respects I yield the i point without controversy, j I could name several others of Mc I Laarin's friends who traveled to Wash ; ington upon McBee passes if desired. After ? learned that McLaurin had : pledged himself to McCown, I supported j McCown. After McLaurin reported that McCown was ineligible, I support I ed McKenzie, and it was only after : McLaurin was offering the office LO j others that I agreed to accept it. And any charge that I was false to cither McCown or McKenzie is without foun? dation. ? never approached Butler OD the subject of office. As to the telegram quoted, ? ackoowl edge sending it in my friendship for the man. Thc letter to "My dear ; Appelt" was so ingeniously drawn I overlooked the slander it contained ' But when I went to Washington and saw thc double dealings of the man, thee I had more light upon the sub? ject As to thc parading of presents, all thar [ or my family have gotten from McLaurin would not have paid his board ii' it had been charged. This matter ? regret to have to allude to. As to the motion for change of venue : in a railroad suit in Williamsburg county, I had been both robbed aDd ? outraged by that company to start with. ADO! when it is known that the case had been pending trial for about 10 years, I think the public will agree with me that I had been patient in not ! moving for change of venue before I did. This corporation, to prevent me | from constructing a road adverse to its ? interests, tock advantage of my absence ? from home and destroyed ni y business j under the pretense that I owed rent on fonie rails-which, in facr. ? did not . owe and had overpaid $478. which I \ afterwards collected by law. N?r cid I ever hear an insinuation against my personal character until attacked by ; this giant corporation. ? am scarcely two hour's ride (rom my nativity. Tl'.ere ii nothing regarding my charac ter tba' I can't at.d don't, point to with pride. As to the blackguardism and want of refinement in Appe?t's letter, I can't reply-I am at a disadvantage. ?My raising a rid associations unfit me to competo with this hireling. T. 0. WILLOUGHBY. Estate of Thos.^R. McCutchen, Deceased. ALL PERSONS holding Claim* against said Estate will present same duly at? tested, and all persons in any way indebted to said Estate will make payment without de? lay to JAS. M. McCUTCHEN, Qualified Adm'r. Sumter. S. C . Feh. 12, 1896-3t. [The Claitoii Kal School THE COURSE BEGINS April 1, 1896. Hospital instruction with ample facili . tits for studying special branches will be i given. For information apply to Dr. C. M. ! Rees, Wentworth Street. Charleston, S. C. j W. PEYRE PORCHER, 38 Meeting St., Charleston, S. C. ? i i_ TTTTTB il ?lUlnTTTTTWTTI I P .?? 11 ja n?n -ir^?^ 1 Fee! i ?Badly f ? To-day? i 2 We ask this repeatedly, because serious 5 J diseases often follow trifling ailments. S g i If you are weak and ? F> ? ^ generally exhausted, J H ?TI f ft Will Q nervous, have nog ? fl-/1 \J Tf ll O appetite and can't ? jg w work, begin at once ? ? I TA si takin? thc most r?- il g HS ? liable strengthening Sj a ra . J A I medicine, which is ?. S Kif f Pf Q Brown's Iron Bitters. | 3 L/UlVi VJ j Benefit comes from g ?y? i the very iirst dose. ?? ? iT CURES a *8 DYSPEPSIA, KIDNEY AND LIVER . ? NEURALGIA, TROUBLES, S S3 CONSTIPATION. IMPURE BLOOD, ? ? MALARIA. NERVOUS AILMENTS, 3 '?? WOMEN'S COMPLA:NTS. ? ? Get only the genuine-it has crossed red ? ?j lines cn the wrapper. ? g BROWN CHEMICAL CO. BALTIMORE, MD. g Are without a rival for Tone, Touch and Durability. The Highest Standard of Ex? cellence maintained for fifty years. PRIZE MEDALS: Centennial, 1876 : Paris, 1878; Atlanta. 1S81 ; New Orleans, 1384-5; Chicago, 1893. Liberal Terms. Send for catalogue. CHAS. M. STIEFF. Baltimore, 9 N. Liberty Street Philadelphia, 1204 North 5th Street Washington, 417 llth Street, N. W. Chicago, 178 Wabash Avenue. . Sept. 18. f Something new and original in tablets a: H.G.Osteen & Co.'s Sook Store. Tablets with paper dol covers for 5 cents. AJSTD ONE OAR MULES xpeeled this Week? Jan. 27, 1896 lol To the Farmers of Sumter and Clarendon Counties : We will give one ton of Berkley 2h per cent. Soluble Guano for the best yield per acre of Cotton produced by the use of said Berkley Guano. One ton for the best yield per acre of Corn. And for the best 1,000 lbs. tobacco raised by the use of the Berkley Gold Basis Tobacco Compound, to be sold on the j Sumter market, we will give one ton of the Berkley Gold Basis I j Tobacco Compound, the analysis of which is 9 per cent. Avail I I able. 3 per cent. Ammonia and 5 per cent. Potash. All the above fertilizers to be purchased from us, and con? test to be decided Dec. 31st. Respectfully, J. RYTTE&BERG & SONS, Sumter, S. C. P. S.-Rules and regulations for contest will be published later.