The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, March 17, 1897, Image 1
atth m nn
TBS SIJMTJCR WATCHMAN, Established April, 1850.
"Be Just and Fear not-Let all the Ends thou Aims't at, be thy Country's, thy God's and Truth's."
Consolidated Aug. 2,1881.
SUMTER, S. C., WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 1897.
THZ TR CE SOUTHRON, Established Jane, 1366
Sew Series-Yoi. XVI. So. ?
Cfit W&a?tfam mb Bm?)m
Published Erery Wednesday,
KT, C3-. Osteen,
SUMTER, 8. C.
TER3?S :
$1.50 per an nam-in advance.
ADVERTISE MEST: r
One Square first insertiou..................$1 00
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Contracts for three months, or longer will
% be made at red need rates.
AH commcnications which subserve private
interests will be charged for as advertisements.
Obituaries and tributes of respect will be
charged for.
The Police Maddie.
Seven Aldermen Block the
Removal of the System.
j ? The Charleston metropolitan police
matter is still tied ap The un
expected action of some of the
alderman of that city on Monday in
refusing to sign the agreement which
Governor EUerbe reqoired is the only
canse. From all that oan be learned
when Mayor Smyth was in ; the city
last Saturday to see Governor Ellerbe,
the governor gave him an agreement
fdr the aldermen to sign, pledging
themselves to ose their influence in
enforceing the dispensary law -and
promising if thej did sign it that he
would at once remove the metropol?
itan police
A secret meeting of the council
r?as held Monday"'a nd all except
seven aldermen signed the agree?
ment. Governor Sllerbe was notified
of the fact yesterday morning and
immediately afterwards telegraphed
to Mayor Smpth that the police board
of commissioners -consisting of
himself, the secretary of state atd
the comptroller general-would not
issue an order of removal until all the
alderman has signed the agreement.
3o reply has been received from
Mayor Smyth and the matter seems
to remain in this position.
The agreement signed by a ma?
jority of the alderman was received
by the goveoor yesterday, though no
minority report has been received by
him. The agreement reads :
Whereas, the State board of offi?
cers authorized by law to appoint
polcie commissioners have consented
to discontinue the government of the
city *of Charleston in the manner pro?
vided by an act entitled "An act to
provide for the appointment of a
board of police cotnmssioners, and for
toe the reorganization of the police
and to provide salaries for the same,
io cities and incorporated towns,
when deemed necessary and ad visa
able for the better enforcement of law
in cities and towns/7 approved Dec.
24,1894, upon the express condition
tba$ the city council will faithfully
and efficiently to the best of their
ability execute all the laws of the
State of South Carolina and especial?
ly the dispensary law and that the
mayor and aldermen will individually
and offiia?ly pledge themselves so to
?do.
Now we, the mayor and aldermen
of the city of Oharlestn, indviduaily
hereby promise and pledge out selves
to the said board to do everything
we can officially to execute the dis
pensary law and to enact all ordi?
nances necessary for this purpose,
and to rigidly enforce such ordiances,
as well as to execute all other laws
of the State of South Carolina
. J Adger Smyth, mayor; Geo W.
Williams, Jr, G P. Costello, R G.
Rhett. Zimmerman Davis, Thos: Rod
dely. R. M. Masters, C S Gadsden,
P. Broderick. A. F. C. Cramer W.
. E Holmes, J. Fred Liiienthal, W.
F. Strong. J. M. Pearlstine (opposed
to dispensary). H Buck, Jos. F.
Kracke, C. A. Roessler.
Accompanying this was a letter
from Mr. George W. Williams, Jr.,
saying that he did not think it neces
sary to sign the above as his oath of
office for alderman covered the some
ground, but he did- so as the gov?
ernor desired it. Mr. Kracke and
Mr. Roessler said the same
The aldermen who refused to sign
the pledge are : Messrs. Schmidt.
Percival. Beckman, McCarrell, Mat
thies and Pregnall. The reaeons they
gave for declining'to sign the pledge
to enforce the law are as expressed
in the following paper, which they
signed :
"We, tha undersigned members of
city couHcil, desire to enter a protest
against any change, for the following
reasons :
"We are of the opinion that under
the present suspices, with the com?
munity at large so opposed to the
provisions of the dispensary law,
that the only practicable way to en?
force the law is a police operated as
it is now constituted.
"Both municipal and State mana?
gement have been restored to to sup?
press the illicit sale of liquor in this
city since the passage of the dis*
ensary law. and a comparison of the
work performed u?uer each system j
demonstrates the otter impossibility
for us to conscientiusly take the
position that this law can be enforced
wider municipal management, and
we therefore desire to be placed upon
record ns refusing to sanction a
coarse that would stultify us before
the public at large 7
Mr. W- Gibbs Whaley and W J.
Motte of Charleston were up to see
the governor about the matter yester?
day and to arge that the system be
retained The governor remained
firm in bis determination as expressed
in his telegram of yesterday to the
mayor of Charleston.
This covers the metropolitan police
situation up to date so far as this end
of the line is concerned -The State,
March 10
GEN. LEE DISGUSTE?
WITH THE BUSINESS
Investigation Into Dr. Ruiz's
Murder is to Be a Farce*.
?
. Habana, March ll, via Key West,
Fia , March . ll.-Monday night a
band of weil known Cuban patriots
entered the strongly fortified town of
Bejucal, In Habana province, sacking
all the stores of the place and burn?
ing 15 houses. Details are lacking.
It is also reported that another party
of rebels, commanded by Castillo,
captured the town of Qoivican and
burnt several houses of the place. j
The brutal murder of Dr. Ruiz,
which raised such a just cry of indig?
nation in the United States, is still
occupying the attention of Consul
Lee Persons in close contact with
the consul general say that he is
greatly worried over the affair. As
already reported, Spain has ordered
a fresh and thorough investigation of
the facts which led to Ruiz's death
Bat Consul Lee is quoted as saying
that be does not clearly see how the
investigation can be properly carried
oat. He naturally cannot understand
how an impartial trial can be held
since no witness will testify against
Major Fondeviela or the warden of
the jail. They reasonably fear for
their lives, which certainly would be
endangered if they should honestly
tell the troth of what has occurred.
Besides, uo Cuban lawyer would be
willing to take up the case as none
would haye the courage to confront
any of the miscreants and charge
them with the dastardly deed. Con?
sequently the point remains that no
matter how willing Spain may be to
have a clear investigation and an im?
partial trial, and despite the promises
and inducements she may make to
the witnesses, they will never testify
or give evidence that will throw light
on the case In view of these facts,
it is understood that General Lee
will not take part in the proceedings,
as he has been requested by the
Spanish authorities not to appoint
any lawyer, as required by th? Span?
ish laws, to represent him in the
case
Personal friends of General Lee af?
firm that as soon as he shall have set?
tled all the pending matters he has
on hand and got them in proper
shape, he will resign bis post and re?
tire to the United States Ile appa?
rently feels tired of the Spanish
"business'' and disgusted at seeing
that ail his efforts in behalf of the
rights of the American citizens on the
island have been in vain so far.
A letter received from Santiago de
Cuba, dated the 4th instant, refers to
an incident which shows the utter
lack of consideration the Spanish au?
thorities have for the foreign powers.
By order of the chief of police, the
house of Mr. Robert Mason, English
pro consul, and acting Chinese
consul, was thoroughly searched,
but nothing found of a compromising
nature. Mr. Mason . was not present
during the search and as soon as he
heard of the outrage, he at once re?
ported the fact to the British consul
general, Mr Frederick Ramsden,
who immediately called *bn the civil
government and ample apologies
were given on the spot
Peace at Any Cost.
Chicago. March ll -Crittenden
Marricott, the Record's correspondent
io Havana, declares General Weyler
has received positive orders from Mad?
rid to end thc Cuban war at once, even
by goiog io the extent of selling the
island to the insurgents, if need be, to
accomplish that object. General Wey
ler therefore set out for Villa Clara to
find General Gomez and to undertake
negotiations. Weyier himself bas said
tba war will end within three weeks
General Weler's orders are, it is claim?
ed to seeure peace at any terms, and be
is instructed to offer Gomez bribes, au?
tonomy or the island itself. Fear as to
President McKinley's position is given
as a leading cause for the Spanish
change of policy.
Madrid, March ll -It bas beeo de?
cided by the Government tosend 15,
000 additional troops to Philippines.
Phosphate Royalty.
The Companies Tell What
They Want.
The pbospbat companies have ad?
dressed tbe following to tbe Phosphate
Board in refereoce to the proposed r??
daction ?D the royalty. As the matter
i* one io which the whole State is inter?
ested their letter is reproduced :
Charleston, S. C., March 6. 1897.
To the HOD. W H. Ellerbe, Chairman,
and the Members of the Board of
Phosphate Commissioners.
Gentlemen : We notice with pleasure
that the Legislature bas passed an Act
giving to tbe Board of Phosphate Com?
missioners full power and authority in
the matter of phosphate royalty, with
full power to increase or diminish as
ihey deem proper
We write to invite the members of
the Board to come dowo to Beaufort as
early as possible and inspect the mines
io person They oan theo see the situ?
ation on tbe ground and may perhaps
get information which wili eoabte them
to act with more knowledge in the
premises. We venture to ask that
ibis visit be paid as soon as possible be?
cause the condition of the trade con?
tinues as bad, or even worse, than it
was wheo we had tbe pleasure of see?
ing you aod immediate action if any
relist whatsoever is to be extended.
In this connection we desire also to
say that we were notified that af'-er our
meeting with the B>ard, the Board de- i
cided, if they bad the power, to afford j
us relief by reducing the royalty to 25
cents a ton. such redaction to last until
tbe 1st cf January, 1898, not to apply
to phosphate rock on hand, bat such
rock to be sold first at fifty cents a ton
bitore the compaoy having it would be
entitled to any reduction, and that tbe
increase in royalty should commence at
$3 instead of $3 50. ? We beg leave to
submit the following views in reference
to ubis action on the part of the Board :
As to the r?duction, of course that
is what we asked. As to the limit, of
course the Board can limit it as they
please. We would venture to suggest
that tbe Board would make the reduc?
tion subject to modification whenever
the Board sees fit to do so, rather thao
to fix a cast iron date at which time it
may be that the rate will have to be
continued at the reduced figure.
As to the $3 limit, we would say
that this matter is one io which we
think tbe companies have been put
down to a pretty low figure, but we
will make no objection to that.
The only seri?os matter is the te
quirement that the rock on band by the
companies must be sold first at fifty
cents a ton before such campany is en?
titled to the benefit of the redaction.
This strikes us as nullifying practically
the benefit of the reduction we asked.
Roughly speaking, the Coosaw Com
p^ay has on hand about 30,000 tons;
the Formers' Mining Company about
14.000 and the B2aufort Company
about 5,000 toos. La?t year in twelve
months the Coosaw Compaoy sold only
37,000 tons. With the reduction lim?
ited to the first of January, 1898, only,
this would require the Coosaw Com?
pany in ten months to sell 30,000 tons
of rock at fifty, cents a too ; io other
words they would daring the whole
period of reductioo be selling at the
old rate aod get no benefit of the 25
cents reduction at all.
So with the Farmers' Compaoy ; they
would get no benefit of the redaction
?o til they bad sold 14,000 tons, which
would take them one-third or one-half
tho period, while the Beaufort Com?
pany would have to sell 5,000 tons,
which would also oarry them a long
space into the current year.
Another objection is that it would
make a discrimination between the
companies, inasmuch as the Beaufort
Company would get on the 25 cents
basis as soon as it bad sold 5,000 ; the
Farmers' Compaoy when it had sold
14,000; the Coosaw not until it hid
sold 30,000 toos. Therefore, we
would have the Beaufort selliog rock at
25 cents against the Farmers' at 50
cents as soon as the Beaufort sold
5,000 tons, and the Coosaw would be
selliog at 50 cents against both the
Farmers'and the Beaufort at 25 cents
as soon as the Farmers' sold 14,000.
This would be a severe discrimio on
ar d would, we thick, tend to make tho
companies suffering by it unwilling to
go on. They could not be expected to
continue business when the companies
alongside of them were selling rock at
half the royalty they had to pay.
We understand that the Board feel
that inasmuch as the Farmers' and the
Beaufort Companies have sold down
more of their stocks with tbe royalty at
50 cents, than the Coosaw did, that it
is only right to protect the Farmers' and
the Beaufort Companies by requiring
the Coosaw to sell its rock on band at
50 cents. We desire to say that whilst
the Farmers' aod Beaufort Companies
appreciate any consideration shown
them by the Board, still if there be
any advantage to the Coosaw Company
in this, the others waive it, and do not
ask the Board to give them any such
protection or to show them any such
favor.
In fact it is in the interest of all the
compaoies and of the State that all of
them be allowed to sell as quickly as I
possible all the rock OD band. It is to
the ioterest of the State aod the com?
panies that the Coopaw and the Farmers
and the Beaufort. Companies should be
turned loose to sell in the market all
the rock that they have oo hand, so as
to retain if possible as much of the
trade as they cao reach. They must
be in a position to fill as many orders
as possible It would be a disadvan?
tage to the other companies as well as
to tbe State, if the Coosaw Company
were forced to hold back its 30.000
tons and sell it at 50 cents. It would
naturally make them much slower in
sale, and keep tbe rock mach longer
off the market.
We ventare to suggest these reasons
to the Board in order that that tbey
may carefully consider tbe matter and
be prepared to discuss it with us as soon
as they make their visit, and with this
end in view webend a copy of this let
ter to eaoh member of the Board.
Again urging respectively the necessity
for aa carly visit and prompt action, we
are, yours very truly.
The Coosaw Co.. J. E. Adger, Pres;
FarineT' Mining Co , C. C. Piockney,
Pres ; The Beaufort Phosphate Co.,
Jacob Paulson, Pres.
mmn mm
Dispensary Insurance.
The following circular has been
issued to County Dispensers:
At a recent meeting of the Board
it was ordered that hereafter all
County Dispensers will be required
to place the insurance on the goods
in their respective Dispensaries with
some local agent representing a
thoroughly reliable insurance com?
pany, the amount of policy which
you carry to be determined by the
State Board of Control aod the poli?
cies to be forwarded to the State
Board of Control for safe keeping.
Your present insurance will expire
on the -, at which time you
must take out insurance on your stock
to the amount of $-, for one
year, with a local agent representing
some reputable company and pay the
premium and forward the policy to
this office.
Wilie Jones,'
Chairman
S W. Scruggs, Clerk.
A Small Crop.
The advisability of curtailing the
leaf tobacco crop this year appears to
be almost generally recognized. Our
recent editorial, advising that the
planters do not undertake a larger
acreage than they can give the best
possible attention, is being repro?
duced with endorsement in a number
of county newspapers in this State
and South Carolina. We are much
pleased to see this advice receiving
Bach wide circulation.
We are likewise glad of news from
various parts of the tobacco territory
that growers, appreciating the situa?
tion, have definitely made up their
minds not to overdo the thing the
approaching season In the old
"bright belt*' of North Carolina the
acreage promises to be very much re?
duced ; it will, from all accounts as
suredly be smaller in the eastern sec?
tion of the State, and it is pretty cer?
tain that the South Carolinians have
learned the lesson that it is folly to
attempt too much.
The need of this year of grace.
1897, ie a smaller and better crop of
tobacco than we have had for the
past several years.-Southern Tobac?
co Journal.
The Bermuda Watched.
Jacksonville, Fla., March 10.-A
dispatch to the Citizen from Fernan?
dina says that the steamer Bermuda,
Captain Murphy, arrived there to day
from Bermuda. Captain Murphy
said that he came for orders. The
Bermuda on her arrival was searched
by an officer of the revenue cutter
Colfax, but nothing of a filibustering
nature was found. The Colfax has
been at Fernandina for two weeks
awaiting the arrival of the Bermuda,
and will probably stay until the Ber?
muda leaves Captain Murphy said
that he had been lying to off Fenian
dina for five days repairing her en
gines, which were a little out of
order Nothing appears at Fernan?
dina to indicate that a filibustering
trip is proposed The Spanish Con?
sul was on hand to meet the Bermu?
da, and he has a force of men busy
keeping their eyes on her.
The day has brought forth no
further filibustering developments at
Pensacola, Carrabelle or Apela
chicola. The people of Talla?
hassee were much surprised
to have a party of twenty strange
Cubans, none of whom speak Eng?
lish, arrive there this morning with
no apparent object in view It is
supposed that they are members of
the expedition that, it is rumored,
would have cleared from Apalachi?
cola the other day if the appearance
on the scene of a man-ofwar had uot
nipped the project in the bud.
A Talk With Tillman.
His Views of Judge Simonton
and McKinley.
Tte Charlotte News of Wednesday
has the following interview with Sena
tor Tillman :
"Senator B. R. Tillman, late of
Sooth Carolina, bat who oow bolds a
6eat down in the ?Dired States senate,
passed throogb Charlotte this morning
en route to Clerosoo College to attend
the annaal meeting of the board of
trustees of that college. As the vesti?
bule pulled np in the Southern's yard this
morning Senator Tillman stepped brisk?
ly off, and to a News reporter said : 'I
am on my way to Clemsoo College to
atteod the meeting of the board of
trustees We always have this meet?
ing soon after the legislature adjourns
to make apportionments and to attend
to the usual college work that comes
ap.'
" 'What is the news in Washington,
senator V asked a News reporter.
" 'Well those fellows have it their
way this time. Washington has been
and is now filled with pie banters, and
some of them are going home with a
mighty mean taste in their mouths.7
This was attended with one of those
peculiar winks of the eye that the sena?
tor used during the famous Tillman
and Butler senatorial campaign. The
very wink that Editor Gonzales, of the
Columbia State, bas noticed so ofieo.
'Well, I tell you, 'Mac' is a dandy.
He is cot going to let Hanna do much
with bim. He is one of these men
that thinks as well as plans for himself,
and all this overriding that you hear of
is all stuff. You may put it io your
hat, McKinley is goi?g to be-Presi?
dent.'
" 'Your legislature bas adjourned,
has it aot V When told by the report?
er that they still lioger in Raleigh, the
South Carolinian smiled one of his sar?
castic smiles. 'I see yon all are io a
h-of a muddle down here about
railroad matters, well you may ex?
pect Judge Simonton to give the South?
ern anything they want, for they own
bim body and soul.'
''About ibis time the conduotor yell?
ed 'all aboard V and tbe interview 'was
cut short.
"Senator Tillman will be away from
Washington several days. He will go
dowo to his old home io Edgefield be?
fore returning to the capital.
NEWS OF THE THREE C'S.
Tbe O. R. & C. to be Built
to Spartanburg.
Spartanburg "U have a new line
of railroad within a very 6hort time.
It will be a competing line and
will bid heavily for Eastern business.
- For a year or more we have had
surveying corp3 in the field making
preliminary surveys in the direction
of Gaffney from Blacksbnrg Three
lines have been run and the route de?
cided upou. The permanent line has
been run and the rails have been
bought.
Gen. W. W. Russell, the railroad
contractor, of Russell & Fretwe!!,
has just returned from Gaffney,
where he went to meet President
Samuel Hunt of the Ohio River and
Charleston Railroad, formerly the
Three C's.
While Mr. Hunt was called to
Cincinnati on account of the floods
injuring his property there, and Mr.
Russel did not close the trade for the
grading, he ascertained that suffi?
cient progress has been made in ne?
gotiations to make the building of
the road an absolute certainty, and
within the next few weeks the grad
ing will commence.
This road will be built from
Blacksburg to Gaffney, with a view
to touching Clinton and on to this
city.
The Clifton Manufacturing Com?
pany is giving the project substantial
encouragement. They are anxious
to get a competing line and have all
the while promised to give fair treat?
ment to the first line that would
break the monopoly.
The road, if built before the com?
pletion of the electric line, will prac?
tically kill that enterprise and Mr.
Tenny will lose the cost of grading
from this city to Glendale The fac?
tory people have been waiting and
hoping for results from the electric
line and now they are looking else?
where for relief.
The Ohio River and Charleston
Railroad works with both the Sea?
board Air Line and the Atlantic
Coast Line and its affairs are said to
be in excellent shape -Spartanburg
Herald.
Kx-Secretary John G. Carlisle has
been employed as special attorney for
the Southern Railway in the fight for
the cootrol of the North Carolina rail?
road. He appeared before Judge Si
monton yesterday at Greensboro to
secure an iojunctioo to prevent the
annulment of the Southern's lease.
Memphis is Menaced.
Mississippi May Cut a New
Chanel for Itself.
Menphis, Tenn., March ll.-The
Mississippi River registers 24 2 feet to?
night and the rise has become more
rapid since yesterday. The danger
line is 33 feet, and it is thought that
the water above will ruo the river to 36
or 36 1-2 feet, which will, so experi?
enced river meo say, overflow Arkan?
sas as far as Crowley's Ridge, forty miles
from Memphis. The most serious fea?
ture ef the present size of the river is
the possibility of it cutting out a new
bed for itself through Crittenden Coun?
ty, Ark., and leaving Memphis high
and dry, or at least leaving ber on a
shallow lake. Should this happen
the $3,000.000 bridge wbieb stands
across the Mississippi will end at the
new Eastern bank of the river. About
five miles above Memphis tbe Neely
plantation is partly overflowed because
of a break in the levee. The current
through the plantation is very
strong and rivermen say that unless the
heavy timber along Four Mile Bayou
breaks the current, so that it cannot eat
out a new bed for the river, that the
Mississippi will change its course and
run through Four Mile Bayou, com?
ing into the maiD river again about
eight or ten miles below and leaving a
long narrow island between Memphis
and the river. The high waters have
already reached a very critical stage.
The ferry steamer Bryan now makes
daily trips to Marron, Ark., which ordi?
narily is three miles inland. All along
the route to Marron submerged houses
can be seen and some stock has been
drowned There has been a rise of
seven-tentbs of a foot since yesterday
morning, the height at (bis point now
being 42-3 feet, which i? 4.7 feet above
the danger line. At Vicksburg the
water stands at 38.4 feet, a rise of
fivetentb of afoot within the past twenty
four hours. Trbe danger line at this
point is 41 feet.
mm t i mm i
Republicans to Organize
Committees.
Washington, March ll.-The Re?
publican senate steering committee
met this afternoon for the purpose of
coming to some conclusion if possi?
ble on the questions pertaining to the
organization of the committees
More than two hours were consumed
in the discussion, but ro plan was
agreed upon.
The informal talk disclosed the fact
that the situation had been cautious?
ly discussed with leading Democrats
by individual members of the corn
mitte, from which the positive con?
viction was reached that there would
be formed no effectual combination
that could take the organization of
the committees from the Republicans
It is the impression that immediately
after the extra session convenes the
committee vacancies will be filled in
accordance with the existing order of
things and that this will be accom?
plished without material opposition.
There is Nothing So Good.
There is nothing just as good as Dr. King's
New Discovery for Consumption, Coughs and
Colds, so demand it and do not permit the
daaler to sell you some substitute He will
not claim there is any ching better, bat in or
der to make more profit he may claim some?
thing eise to be jost as good. You want Dr
King's New Ditcoveey because you know it to
be safe aod reliable, ami guaranteed to do
good or money refunded. For Coughs, Colds
Consumption and for all affections of Throat'
Cnest and Luogs. there is ?io:hiog so good as
Dr. King's New Discovery. Trial bottle
free at Dr. J F. W. Deform-; 8 Drug ?tore,
Regular >ize 50 cents and I 3
Backlm's Arnica Sa'Te.
The Best Salve in tbe v. rid for Cute, Bruises
Sores. Ulcers, Salt Rheum. Fevor Sores, Tetter
Chapped ..? >.> Chilblains. Corns and all
S? o Eruptions, and positivo;- riras Piles or
no pay required It ic guaranteed to give per?
fect satisfaction, or mcney refunded, "rice
23 cents per box. For ?o;? by Dr. J. F. V?* De
Lorm*.
POWDER
Absolutely. Pure.
Celebrated for its great leavening strength
aod healthfulness. Assures the food agnios'
alum and all forms of adulterAtioo co? moo
to the cheaD brande. Royal Baking Powder
Co., New York.