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DEBASEMENT AND DISGRACE. Penalties of Lynching to the People Who Commit It or Tolerate lt. ;A STRONG JJETTER. To the Editor of The State Lynching is an evil that is not only retarding the material prosperity of oar State, but, what is of far I greater consequence, is injuring the morals of our people I make no comment on any particular case and except no particular crime, for the root evil is the same in all ; and so long as the officers of the law and public opinion tolerate any case of lynching, there will be frequent oc? currences, some of them in the mode of capital punishment prevalent in civilized communities, and others with tortures that characterize sav? ages. I write with no feeling of pity for the accused If this death and his sufferings were the only conse . quence, I would be silent, but, alas ! the evil to him ends in a short time, while the injury done by the perpe trators to themselves and to society goes on indefinitely I will assume that in every instance the victim has been 'guilty of the crime with which be was charged and that in no in? stance has the treatment of death or torture, from his standpoint, been worse than the enormity of his crime deserved. But I assert that in every instance all who particpated have violated the laws of God and man, and have done that which tends to ? debase their own nature and to dis? grace their own people, and their immunity from prosecution has les? sened respect for law and thus weak? ened the power of tbe State to sup? press crime. Indeed, lynching logi Cally induces crime, for if it be con? ceded that three, twenty or a hun? dred raen .may lawfully determine that a crime has been committed worthy of death, that the captive is the guilty one and must die, and the death penalty is inflicted by them, why may not one man lawfully so determine and so execute ? The one mao has as much right as a mob of men, but weither has any right at all This right belongs to the govern ment The whole people have so / delegated it. and its exercise by a r . fraction of the whole is without au? thority of law and tends to anarchy. ? No legislature would enact a law .---declaring it lawful for a number of citizens, in case of the commision of certain designated crimes, to capture and summarily execute the person whom they believe to be the perpe -trator We dare not pot such an enactment on our statute book. And yet that would be far better than to sanction by acquieeence such execu tion at the will of the people of the neighborhood, without legislative permission With such popular or even toleration, the ten aency will inevitably be to add to rape, the crimes of murder, arson, burglary and larceny, and, perhaps geueral bad character, as offenses to be punished hy the neighbors with out trial-and sometimes, experience justifies me in saying, to put to death after cruel torture The death pen ally is a function of gov rnment, and if the machinery of government is defective, it can be remedied and made more effective. If courts are dilatory, require of them more expe ditton , if proper material is wanting in the jury box, change the mode of ,drawing jurors-the ante-bellum mode will correct tba? evil If ap peals enable too much di '-y, the legislature can easily apply the cr rective But under no circumstances should any number of p<*..ple ;?ke upon themselves the functions ? the courts and the executive, without promptly feeling the strong arm of the law. It should be distinctly un derstcod by all that the intentional killing of a human being, however wicked and guilty he may be, other than by legal sanction, is a crime by the law of God and man. and that the State officers charged with the suppression of lawlessness, will bring to tm! f vesy one who participates! therein ls lynching to #o on without res- j traint ? Many of our citizens de- j plore it and ' very instance of it and j the convention of 1895 has, in j f strongest terms, declared it to be un- I lawful and yet the sentiment of the people as a whole is misjudged be- ? cause of their seeming acquiescence : in this crime against civilizitio?. -h I should be prevented The governor : of the State, if so minded, can do much to stop it, as governors h ive done in other States, but for his ef forts to be effectual, public opinion must-sustain him ; and judging from ; the experience of the last tew years, public opinion in the county of oe currence will not sustain him, in its i present temper. IIow is the senti ment of all the people to be improved as to this matter ? Individuals, by boid utterances, can do much, but the most potent factors are the press and the pulpit. The press should speak out with no uncertain sound. It should make no exception in case of any crime, where the law makes none, because, if excusable at all, no authority exists for making distinctions. No legal sanction exists for an exception, but il depends only on the will of the j writer and will vary in kind and in j number with several writers of dif j ferent temperaments, and furnishes no criterion for a correct judgment Tiie press should denounce a lynch ing in the home couuty as vigorously as it denounces like acts in other I counties and in other States It should not excuse by saying, "If lynching be ever justifiable, this one was." It should declare emphatically that lynching, without regard to the particular features of any case, is never justifiable. It should not at? tempt to excuse what it knows to be unlawful. It should not editorially denounce lynching as a crime, and then weaken its denunciation by flip pant headlines to news items of like occurrences in other places For the good of the state and the good of our people, the press must be influenced more by the desire to educate public sentiment than by the fear of losing subscribers or offending friends As much, perhaps more, can be done by that noble band of self sacri ficiog men who fill the pulpits of the churches in South Carolina Many of them would yield their life, if need be, on heathen altars for their love of Jesus Christ. Surely they are wil? ling to risk less on the altars which the public opinion of their congre? gation bas erected, by boldly preach ing the gospel of their Saviour, which radically opposes lynching. Obedience to constituted government is a part of that Saviour's teaching j No church and no mildster will dar?? to say that the law of God doKS not condemn lynching ; and it is clearly their duty to proclaim that law, whether agreeable io their bearets or not Their preaching is against the sins which encompass their peo pie. Is not this deed a sin ? Is it not of far too frequent occurrence ? How many ministers of the Gospel have declared from their pulpits in South Carolina within the last 10 years that lynching was a sin and a crime? We trust many-let there be many more With public opinion so educated by individuals, press and pulpit, a manly governor of high character, impressed with the responsibilities of his office, and more desirous of an approving conscience than of votes, would be supported in his efforts to suppress this crime. Sheriffs would then be found to swear out peace warrants against leaders of mobs, as they HOW swear tbem out against an individual who threatens violence to another. Coroner's juries would then, in their verdicts, give the names of those who had committed homicide without authority of law, and present them for trial. Individuals would feel it to be their duty to swear out warrants and give the names of wit nesses. Solicitors and grand juries would then discharge their duty, and at last save the good people of their community from the reputation of giving sanction to acts of lawless ness. And at length petit juries will apply the facts to the law as charged, and rendered verdicts of guilty I question the propriety of sing ling out any crime as so preeminent that one taking office should swear to refrain from it during Iii '-but, such an oath has been applied to duelling-, and has eradicated it Ia lynching less criminal or less inju? rions to the welfare of the State? If we cannot reach the end of this evil, let us at least try to reach it and so minimize it. And what I have coun8elld others to do I have done myself, by writing this letter and signing my name thereto. Robert W Shand January 12, 1897 Tbs Lynchings. We deeply deplrwe the lynchings of the past week in our State. We are ?o' prepared to say much in reference to the killing Simon Cooper Tee crimes and course of that horrible mon? ger were such that to destroy him was like slaying a ma*l doc which was bit? ing fatally every man and woman it met. Cooper was a mad man-not insane, bur. p O??- te PP ed by ibo d^vil. Living, he was a menace to all people Thc public safety demanded what was necessary to restrain him-eveu to his death. Therefore if ho bsd been shot on sight, we could not find place for a word The men who knew his crimes and career had rea? son to u?o extreme measures, specially as the Governor telegraphed that h" he "fakpo dead cr alive." The grave error io the case w:-s tn treat with rii?> j murderer and ravisher, and to allow j any pledge of protestier: to him. After that was permitted, the protection should have been given at all hazards The Orangeburg lynching was ut? terly without fxcu.-e Th* man. if .ju?ty, would have been punished. <nd .here was no danger in waiting : if not guilty he should not have died. We again beg our fellow countrymen to stop this awful sin. And we charge our officials to punish f.he deers of this dr ed if they can be foukd -Christian Advocate Cure For Headache. As a reiut;?Iy ?for all fortas of Headache Electric Bitters has prove) to be the very best It effects a jar ?na nen t cure and the most dreaded habitual sick headaches yield to its influence. Wc crge ail wno are afflicted to i procure a bottle, and give this remedy a fair ' trial. In cases of habitual constipation 1 Electric Bitters cures by giving the needed tone to thc bowels, and few cases long rerist the use of this .medicine. Try it once. Fifty cents an-J one dollar at J. F. W. DeLorme's Drag Store. 2 The Item Attacked. -0 Editor Gonzales Vauquii Mr. Sturgeon. To the Editor cf The Stale. I ??ee by tile Sumter Item of J*n. 8 tl is "an unj'i?ti'i.i?lf and outrageous deed tbe good pennie of Sumter county to one of the . brutal murderers tba >tate beard ut Now I mk the editor o Item what, in bia opinion, is "justifia Does be coincide wiih murderer Co (I believe in the law so ?or?g ns the office their duty, but wn^-n they fail, nod ta no other redros what are our ?loud p-o do? Wheo one of the roo9t highly resp families of Sumter coooty ?re ali mur by Simon Cooper and then the editor o Sumter item io say ir. is au 4 outrace" f< people to execute tbe law, which the ol bad failed to do, what remains for ns ti Again he says it wa* not a ''brave e tion." I will admit that ant one couid lynched Simon Looper afier he wes capt tut were they not brave men w.:o surre ed the house tb-it Cooper was in, knswi; the"same nme that he was armed with a cbester'rifl:-? Ag*?in, be seems to think that there v lot of humor eonnected wiih the trae Had he been oo the scene, ?9 I w.i?. hs tainly wou.- never have toought of uncalled fjr remarks. If lyncbog a c lup.'e murderer is ac outrage, then i7bat protecting our firesides consist in? J. M. Stnri'fo Lake City, S C The editor r.f rhe Sumter ???CJ quite capable i-f an-;we:in? for hicu on all occasions, but Wr> arr- unwii that, such a letter ai this *bail appe* the State without reply freon us. Docs the editor of "ha 1'em coinc wirb murderer Cooper? agka Mr St geon No; he ..coincido*'' wiih judgment of the Almighty, pronoun ?t Sinai, the di-taren of humanity. Constitution and law.* of Sourh C? 1?D2, n ade hy nod for Mr. Srurgi and the rest of the people of the St* and with that elementary rule of h esty and honor, the keopiog of pligh faith. The defenders of the slaugh of Cooper made a mistake instead attacking Editor Osreen they shot direct their assaults against the Da logue, the Constitution, the code morals and the mandates of honor, these are the things that really offe them. If they can be done away w there will ba no editorial cau^e offense. The claim of Mr. Sturgeon that t law offered no redress is ontenab (looper had been arrested ; he was tbe band* of the law ; the imaginan" cannot, conceive of a jury of the viei age who would have acquitted him ; I; death was a certainty. There had be a failure to arrest the murderer, b-pfore killed the Wilson family, bat after th there wa? no neglect of legal dut; he was in the custody of a posse wbi he was lynched. Mr. Sturgeon asks if the men wi surrounded the house Cooper wu- i knowing bim to have <? VViochest ri?-*, were not brave Some of the doubtless were Had they advanced the open and stormed the cabin undi fire they would all h.aye proved fhva selves so beyond question We do n know how many exposed themselves Cooper's roots, so we caonot say ho many showed courage or possessed i Of f>ne thing, however, we are ver sur*--the met? who shot and hange Cooper after his surrender on the stare conditions were cot brave. They wes coward?* On ibis pciot we make a appropriate quotation from the Yor? vitie Enquirer : There being no longer any danger, tr. moogrt-1 crowd whicb remained hf hint ?hi'e. brave meo were riskirg their live; came rushing or: the sceoe. They iiiimedi^ti ly br-tfio, so io speak, to kick a maa who down,H?d when the now helpless t;u; sui) d< fiant negro replies, somebody shoots him i the back-m?rk the place-in the rack, ai. the ?non begins to howl for his blood. We are not acquainted with all the detail io thec^se; nut we are orepared io Bay ibu thnt shot in the back was not fired by Mi Stansill, or any o-e of the fifteen or twent men who went across that ope-i sp*ce at th rsk of their Iive3. We are prepared aiso t say ?hr?i not one of tat? men who thus rx poied themselves, and afterwaids picmisei the negro that he should surrender, had any toing to do with the hanging which occurred a little later, and nof one of them could hav found tbe least pleasure in firing a shot inti the negro's body afier he waa de*d. Tb' men who aid a:i this work, we are more thai willing to wager, came dom the crowd wbici stood oftck out of the range cf that drmdei Winchester, until siter the negro was cap lurrd and their precious c?rcnsse3 were cu of danger. And it is this that makes mob law eo ob jfCtionah?p. Really brave men rcany aiwn\i oe trwsied to ac; in accordance with the die tates of their better instincts; but oot sc with cow?i?s. A*?? they nired is o;por duchy, and with opportunity a;c Safety io themselves, they quickly derel op the ferocity of a brute, ?uahie or unwil? ling to dis'.inyuish between light und wrung, they are not the proper p-rsons to be iru?te.1 wiih the administrai OD of justice in ant fofOi ; t:.r. ?ran'tri eve?i th? rcasi acense in o. e case, ?bete it appea.-j io he justifiable, they are inclined to t e iou apt io iske Uce?se i m another case where there is no apparent j justification In other words, this class of j people would join a mon beal on eveniog-up j apri.ate grudge as readily as they wouM proceed upon an expedition to avenge a pub? lic wroi't.; '"If 1)aching a quintuple murderer i* un outrage," asks Mr Sturgeon, "then ivua: does protecting our firesides con ?is? iii V Wc have al rcaoj eaid toa: j if Cooper, while (.'eiying arrest and us j ing or attempting to usa his rifie against j his pursuers, Lad been snot down, we would not have ;i word of criticism lo j express We would have approved it, . Tho Sut::tcr licui Would have approved i ir, everj law-rcspec ing person would have endorsed ic. The point nf criti ! C:SGJ \r- no-- his killing, but tho iim^ :u:d i ruaucer of ii. ile had Leen promised that he T.Vi?L.ld not be lynched if ii-: abacdosed bis ar?is and surrenderc himself He left his ri?o in the i , n:;(i cf:tn:: out. VT? t h his hands up. M ? i wc? oot attacked until he wa* in c*is ti.dy, which is proof that the men who I eurrouoded hiui, with gu??s ia 1 ir I hands, did cot believe that he intei to shoot them. After he was a prisoner aod helpless be was shot from behind, and theo hanged. Toe law. wc ar;i-wer Mr Sturgeon, was established to "pro tect our firesides " In this eise r he las? would surtir have dene its app.iiarc-d p i r t. Si-a on Cooper, dead by ibo decree of the law would have been s testimony of the law's majesty, an <-s ample to ail evil-minded men tba* our firesides must be respected. Simon Cooper dead by the wii! '.f a mob a:;d by breach of fa:ib, dead by coercion of the iaw's effie^rs and at the bands of men unpunished, is testimony that the law is not efficient, thu ic is n??t .-u preme, that it is nor a menace, thai ir can be defi-jd at will ff law is ro he effective i; must be allowed to d:> its work ; it mus? ont be spurned by those who should uphold ir Sinct; receiving Mr. Sturgeon's br? ier we have seen The Sumter [r?jm of Tuesday, to which Editor Cateen stares briefly, in a?.-wer to a similar a'taek. rhu reasons for his criticisms. We cannot o!oi-e thi* article taoro appropri? ately ihan by quoting thia paragraph : Cooper Ct UH oat of the house vritb hi? '.and? np, and u:i i?r the oroers" th-?l h ; s lite wetiid be spired for thu time. The editor cf the Item was with those who rr?;;e the near? est to the house in which Cooper w ?, and objected to the promise bein-2 re^ct. We wfre in a position io drive him from bis stronghold, when he would doubtless !;aie itj f- r ihe tate tie deserved, but r?ei ri ir in dueed by a csjsrity ofotbrrs to ce*ieour dv [M i> opemtioos, nod Ccop?r bein? a!lo* ed to surr".rjfi>-r, -.ve rn rm o I approve ot' his he':D<? iben sl"j(.t do'.vj in violation of the promise tn*.-de, un.i vrbile holding up bis ?Muds, ?ind held by ?troi:^ men. The mao who o bk ctn to that position i condemns hirnseif before thc bir of! nonor.- L ne btate. Shell's Opinion. Ex-Con gressnian Shall on tba Constabulary. Io view of what Gov Evan* has to say in bis message about the constabu? lary aod what has been said about cer? tain of their acts iu the press, the fol? lowing extracts from a letter just re ceiled by Representative B?ros from %X-Congre83mao Shell, who was one of the most noted originators ot the Re form movement, will be read by m ioy with peculiar interest, and they show that the press bas beco mild io c mpar ?800 : My Dear Burns-I have observed with pleasure your intention to prese ot some needful legislation in re>pecc to the managament of the State dispen? sary. I fully concur with your opinion about the constabulary, which more than a!l other causes has^ brought the law info contempt aod disrepute ; iu deed its management has brought strong opposition to it throughout the State, and if oootiuued wiil causo th moral t-upport and it? best influence to abandon it. The corjs-able feature as enforced under the two preceding ad? ministrations has been a farce-?ar? ter one only to blame for trying to imp Tillman and having no policy of his own The disgraceful performance of notre of the constables who. without suffieier t provocation, have been gui;ty of mur? dering their fellow countrymen in cold blood stand? wirhou; parallel io tbe history of civilization, Cuban atroci? ties not <-X3ept<-d. There eau be no, justification for such fiendish action committed by unscrupulous, irrespooM ble men who have in many instances b^en chosen for their espacia! capacity to do dirty work for their masters by assurances of pardon when their guilt had been proven I hope you will succeed in your en? deavor and relieve the State from this miserable crowd of pirates that go nrowhng around with o.urderous intent iuflictin,? d?ra'h upon innocent victims and rubbing the people of'?be hard earned taxes that cost so much toil and eacitbe * * * ir beahh will permit it is my inten? tion to vi.-it the legislature some time nest week, but at present I ara suffer? ing with grippe Boping you may have a harmonious acd profitable nessiou, I remain your friend. G. W SHELL P S.-? want to say it is my opin? ion that Gov EMerbe will do his whole ! duty and if the legislature will support him, as ['believe they will, our old dis - tra cte-d country will ere long be re? stored io a cor.di ion of ncace, harmony and good will towards all men. Ifs ?H? gf n I m W m 4^ fe & cs Made and Merit Maintains theconndeitC-' of the people in Hood's Sarsaparilla. ? ? ? medicir.e cures you vs?cn sic;-: ; it makes wonderful cures everywhere,then beyocc ali question thai medicinepcsscsscs merit That is ju^t thc truth about Hood':; Sar? saparilla. We know it possesses merit because it cures, sot cr.ee or twice cv a hundred Mines, but in thousands and thousands of ousts. We know i'< cures, absolutely, permanently, when M!I others fail to do any good whatever. We repeat Sarsaparilla i^ the best-in fact the Ono True Blood Purifier. > Klf rvn ("-ire nausea, indigestion, )? S Pl S IS biliousness. 25 cents. Should he in every family medicine chest and every traveller's grip. They arc invaluable when the stomach is out of order; cure headache, biliousness, and all liver troubles? Mild and efficient. 2b cents. SS JUSTAS COGD FOR ADULTS. WARRANTED. Ps3BC?50cts. GALATIA, ILLS., NOV. IS, 1SC3. ?ar;3 Medicine Co., St. Louis, Mo. Gentlemen:- Wo sold last, year, POO bottles o? GROVE'S TASTELESS CHILL TOXIC and have nought turne proas already this year. In ali osr ex-, periecce of 14 years, in the drug business, hava never sold an -irticle that gave such universal.sati> ?action aa your Tonia. Yours truly, ABNEY. CARR &'CQ> SOLO-No Cur?, }?0 Pav, i-\ A J China J F. W. Dr Lu i mp, J S. Hogbsoo A Co. Land Surveying. H. D. MOISE, will eive prompt attention io caU? for surveying and planing lan<t Can t?e found ai his oft'ee, next door to nffice of Lee and Mois??. Sumter, S. C. Nov. 18. D7~M. YOUNG, ATTORNEY AT LAW. Prompt ai'eniioo to all business entrusted ?0 him Office on Court House wvquarr, in B'HGdiriiT effie3 BEAUTY HATH CHARMS and all the charms which beau? ty likes best to don are shown in our grand display of fash? ionable jewelry for this season. Jewels like these would en? hance the charms of the most fascinating belle, and surely no fair one would despise such brilliant aids to her beauty. Like personal loveliness, they conquer admiration on sight ; they score new victories, at ev? ery inspection. Those who look over our stock do not willingly stop with examina? tion. Beauty may now be made ea ,ii/ irresistible by a few judicious purchases from our display of up to date jew? elry. Lr. W. FOLSOM, Jeweler and Optician, s Ki.Y OF THE BIG WATCH, Oct 16. ?ie Larps! ml 1st Collete! Er?liMt M Geo. S. Hacker k Son. -MANUFACTURERS OF DOORS, S?SH3 8LSNOS3 Moulding & Building Material. riliit* and Warerooms, King, opposite Can? non Street, CHARLESTON, S. C, ^SJ* Punchas* our make, which we gnnractt1 3Upfrior ?ivy Sold Sou*!;, auj therehj fin ve money . Window ar d Fancy Glass a Specialty October IC-0 TBS VALUE'of H NAME depends upon vs recDiKiioa, ?on bj deed:?, not words. Tiie St *ff Pi-ino bas received diplomas and awn roa without number. B?Jt it stands to dav, ag it lins done tor over half a century, unon i*9 own marita And, whilst tb is has bern ?ru", ihf-re una been ro ptfjudice of the makers against tiew ideas ct real nfcrit. Tbs utiiversvl verd ct by thoi>e who are the u,o?i compe-en! Judges ia that it is impossible to i. prove upon the richofS? of ita tone. STANDAbD URGANS. Terms to snit rou. S^ud for illustrated Ca'aloii . CHARLES M. STIEFF, Baltimore-9 N. Lir>ert_v St. Washington-521 Eleventh St. N. w The State of South Caroling COUNTY OF SUMTER. By T V. Walsh, Esq., Probate Judge. WHEREAS, JOHN N. INGRAM made suit to rae to graut bira Letters of Ad? ministration of the Es'ate of arjd effects of MRS. EMILY J INGRAM, deceased. Tbese'are therefore lo cue and admonish all and singular the kindred and creditors of the s*id MRS EMILY J INGRAM, late of said Cooa tv and Stat?, deceased, that they be ard appear before rue, in the Court of Probnte, to be held nt Sumter C. H., on Jan. 28. 1897, vex'j *f?erpublication thereof, at ll o'fiock i-. the iorer.oor, fe show c?use, if any tfcfv han?, v. bj tbe said Acniiu istraiion rh':uid no' h?> ?: r?n trd . Gifen under my hand, this 13?h day cf Jae, A D , ?897." THOS. V. WALSH, Jutige of Probate. Jan. 13-2'. Es?ate o? Rev. Wm. Wi Mood, DECEASED ALL PARSONS HAVING CLAIMS ? ii: * J C? s ? atote-aid Ess'a?**, will present 5itj,f du.lv ft'ftsied. ar.d ??1 PHS?>DS indebted to said Estate wi!! rnfike JIM; n.ent without delay to WM. R VOOJj" M. D , Qualified Exor., J*n. 13-31. Ridgeway, S. C. PATRICK BURNS Inforn s hi-" friends and the public that he has opened business in the Tuomey Block, at ?be late stand of Fra?.k O'Doonell, with a stock of GENERAL MERCHANDISE, and solicits patronage. Prices as Low as Anywhere. Dec 23-41. FOR SALE. 153 Acres of Land, in Providence Town? ship. Sumter Couotv, near Catchall, formerly ow'ifd by Thos. Beneobalj. ; subject to.a lease for 3 j ears. 70 Acres of Land, in Bishopville Town? ship, fot merty owned by O. C Scarborough, near Lyocbes River. 63 Acres of Land, in Spring Hill Town? ship, formerly owmd by Mrs Ada E. Eng? lish, being Lot No. 2 in plat drawn by C. C. Halie, D. S. 106 Acres of Land, in Kershaw County, on Hart>*rd Branch, formerly own<-d by J. F. Stokes Storehouse and Lot in the Towo cf Bisb opviiif, formerly owned by R S. Galloway, and now occupied by R. E. Carnes. Apulv to MIDDLETON & RAVENEL, Charleston, S. C. Dec 30. NOTICE. ALL PERSONS are notified and warned not io contract with or employ one boo Boliiday, and ene Aaron Wilson, said parties having signed contracts with me and received advances of eight or ten dollars oa same. S. D. HURST. Jan 6-3t. Soap! Soap! AN ELEGANT LINE OF -Toilet Soaps Fioe Extracts aod everytbiog for a Ladies' Toilet. -Try our 5c. and 10c. Soaps. Fine Vigars ! Favoiite Brai ds ! Ask for Tokios, Humboldt's and Exports. Noce better. DRUGS ! Fresh Drugs Every Week. Prescriptions Careful!}) Com? pounded Day and Eight 5 DRUGGISTS SUMTER, S. 0. mWM RESTAURANT. Reduced Price: Regular Moals 25cts. Private Dining Room for Ladies. Dec 30.