Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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BARNEY EVANS HELD FOR MURDER. CAPT. J. J. GRIFFIN SHOT TO DEATH IN EVANS' ROOM, No Witnesses co the Deed but Circumstances Point to Evans as the Slayer. EVA? S SAYS IT WAS SUICIDE Colombia, S C , April 12 -This afternoon at 3 o'clock Capt. John J. Griffin, commercial agent of the Norfolk and Western Railroad, was shot to d??ath in the rooms of Major Barnard B Evan9. in ?bis cit j Tbe arrest of Major Evans subsequently created a pronounced sensation The two were alone and occupants of adjoining apartments were at din ner Major Evans summoned a physician, saying that a man was bart in bis rooms Dr R W Gibbes found Capt Griffin lying in a dying condition and speechless on Major Evans's bed A forty four calibre Colt's revolver bullet bad entered j?st above the left nipple When Dr Gibbes announced that Griffin was dying be declared that Evans, who bad been drinking heav iiy, became wildly excited and ex claimed that Dr Gibbes lied, that Dr Gibbes and not he himself had killed Griffie The physician, under pretext of replacing a broken instru ment, managed to get out of tbe room, altbongb Evans declared that he ebonld not do so Di Gibbes summoned the police and they were refused admittance until Judge Ernest Gary, a cousin of Evans, arrived and demanded admission and sabm?88?on to the officers Evans struck Jndge Gary and was taken to jail in a state of hysteria, having declared that Griffin bsd taken bis own life In tbe room were evidence of the fact that one or both of tbe men bad been drinking. Aside from this there is no reason why Griffin should have killed himself or that Evans should have shot him Tbe dead man's face was bruised on both sides and there was an abra sion of the skin on the bridge of the nose. His walking cane, clotted with blood, was several fest from where blood marks indicated that the fatal shot had taken effect. Tbe right forearm of the dead man showed pow der burns, but none were visible ic the neighborhood of tbe wound Capt Griffin served in the Con federate army with a company from Macon, Ga , and after the war enter? ed the railroad service He bad held the position of general freight egent cf the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia, and subsf-quently vee it to the Norfolk and Western Two years ago he was assigned to this territory. Major Evans is a son of Brig Gen N. G. Evans and a nephew of Major Gen Mart W Gary of tbe late Con federate army. He is a brother of for mer Gov John Gary Evans, who was a Jndge in Havana in 189S. and was himself iu the Havana postoffice department at that time He is weil known in militia and political circles having twice received a large vote for railroad commissioner. Columbia, April 14-The coroner held the inquest over the dead body of Capt .J J Griffin this morning. The following was the most important testimony. Mr. W R Muller, of Moller & Sons, was the first witness Hi testimony was meet interesting H^ said : * I could not be accurate a? to time, but in my opinion it was be tween 2 and hail' past I heard the re port nnd remarked that it sounded like s ?roe one shooting arid ? walked towards the front dor and looked o?t on the stref.t and ? saw no corn motion Everything seemed to b quiet and I went baok into the store and it parsed out of on mind Short ly ?fter that about 10 or 15 minutes, as I have said it was long f-nouj^h to pass cut of my mind, Mr Evans cam? into the1 stor* and came up to mn at the desk and he said 'Rufe, teiepbone for Dr Taylor,' and I started to say something, and he s*id 'go on and do it ;' so I went to tbe telephone and ask^d if Dr Taylor was at the houwe Some one answered the 'phone aed said that he was there. Then I gave the message: 'Mr Barney Evans wants him to come right down to the Greenfield building ' lie said 'that is not what I want at all,* and he took the telephoue and was evident ly speaking to Dr. Taylor himself He asked Dr Taylor if he would not come right off to the Kendaii build ing. Dr Taylor evidently could not come ; he must have given some such reply. He then left the tele? phone and i went with bim to the front door, put my hand on bis shod* der and said : 'Barney, old man, are you in any trouble V He replied that he waa in great trouble and be said come up in my room for a minute. I put bim off and I did not want to go up there and told bim 1 did cot ?sve a minute to spare and could not go op there then He asked me again, 'come up io my room : I won't keep you but a few minutes ' He then went up to his room by himself ; ??????????????????? and io a few minutes came di again, went right to the telepb and rang op Dr Taylor. I h( him aa? that he woold like vety m for him to come down While was at the 'phone I pot on my and went out and went up to dab and when I got there it wa? minutes to 3 He acted very excii ly-it was suppressed exciterai He impressed me as being und excited and just pure alcohol it lo ed wouid not have excited hioj much .He was in a horry when he ca into the store and seemed anxious get right to the 'phone. I got i hack and rode up to the dob was not over 20 minnies to 3 woe left the club aod it conld not bi taknn over two or three minotes go to the club-at the Hub come Mr Moller was positive he he? the shot between 2 and 2 30 o'clo DR GIBBES' STORY Dr Robt W Gibbes waa then ci ed. He was told to relate what knew of the case He told how bad received a telephone call come to the boilding He had i received any name and on reachi there did not know to whom to \ He went into Mr Mailer's store a ?sked if any ooe bad telephoned him from there Mr Melier repii tbst Mr Barney Evans had be there "l then went to Mr Evai room and knocked at the door ' Evans opened the door, pointed to man on the bed and told me to i what I coald for him After a sin examination I told Mr Evans t mao was dying Mr Evans beean very much excited and paabed n away from the roan's side I tbi told Mr Evans that I would go'ov to the drug store and get an instr ment I woo'd need in attending tl case Thereopon he forbade n leaving the room and grabbed me t the sboolders " "What force did he use ?*' "It was more of a threatenic character " "Re was then wiidiy excite* After some diacussioo with him 8QCceeded io getting away from h room, and immediately went to polk headquarters and reported the ci cum8tances Officers Donning an Willingham retorced with me to tb room After 15 or 20 miDotes, pei baps, Mr Evans was removed fror the room, aod I stayed with M Griffin anti! be died at a quarter of o'clock He was in bed on bi back, covered partly over Mr Griffi was rapidly dyiog tod was oncoo scion?. He was totally onconeciooe The room was not in a disorders cooditioo generally Blood was scat tered about the foot of the bed. floo aod so oo. The pistol was on th table aboot the center of the room On the side of the table farthest fron the bed was the revolver partial!] covered with a chamois I als< noticed a walking stick somewben on the floor between the table an< the bed. There was a Derby hat ot the table It was dented in severa places (The hat was shown him He was also shown the stick Bot! were identified ) Dr Gibbes did not take a towel of the rack and put over the dead maru face Mr McCormick and Dr Pbilpoi were in the roora He "afterwards noticed blood in the brain, bot knew bow it got there Mr Evans washec his hands in the basin, but he had got this blood on his bands after he was told Mr Griffin was dying-he robbed Mr Griffin's hands and gol blood on them that way " He ' no ticed powder barns on the shirt and on che back of Mr Griffin'? righi band He accused me of killing' Mr Griffiii in a wild, irrational and frenzied sort of way " He bad given Mr Griffin a hypo? dermic injection He did not think Mr Evatie responsible then for what he was saying or doing. At Judge Crawford's request the coroner had Dr Gibbes to explain more folly what he did in Mr M ul ler s store Dr Earle testified as follows : '1 waa called about 4 30 or 5 o'clock to make the post mortem on the body of Mr J J Griffin I found Mr Grlffiu in .Mr Barney Evana' room, 'ying io bed, dressed, partially cov? ered ; noticed blood stain on the front of the shirt and an opening on the Mt side of the shirt front ; powder marks on face, right hand and wrist ?nd shirt front The cloth' ing was not scorched, showing the pistol conld not have been (ie98 than) within 5 or 6 feet of h;m when fired Several bruises on forehead, nose, right and left cheek and chin. Fouud several pools of blood on carpet near the foot of the bsd and blood on the top and outside of the footboard of the bed Blood smeared on side of bed and sheet, indicating that the deceased had been dragged into the bed ; no blood under the bed Also foond blood in basin *Bd a bloody towel. The body was viewed by the coroner's jury ; then removed to the undertaker's room, where I heid post mortem Found a gunshot wound aboot half way between the left nipple and left collar bone, foor inches to the left of the median line Ball passed io, slightly downward and backward, between secood aod third nbs, throogh left lang, catting the left palmaaary artery, throogh the posterior part of the fifth rib and lodged onder the left shoulder blade about four inches to the left of the spinal column Death waa doe to internal hemorrhage There were no other marks (Dr Gibbes theo pre sented-the ball ) I think this about a 44 calibre bullet. Taere was blood on the bottom-the sole-of the right shoe " The jury retired and remained out only about 10 minutes when it return 1 ed with the following verdict, already , written out : "We find from our best belief that J J Griffin came to bis death by a gunshot wound inflicted by the hands of B B Evans " Sudden Death at Winthrop. Rock Hill, April 14 - Miss Flor erics Loryea, one of tbe Winthrop students, while sitting watching the Saturday evening play of her com panions, suddenly collapsed and be? fore any aid could be given her had breathed her last She was a special music pupil in the college and this was her fitst year here. At the Lime of her sudden death she waa in the college dormitory where she roomed A fortnight ago she had measles and had apparently about recovered President Johnson at once notified her parents, who reside in St. Mat thews, and they arrived this evening The Plague in Michigan. Chicago, April 14 -A dispatch to The Record Herald from Ann Arbor. Mich, says : Dr Victor C Vaugao, dean of the medical department and one of the most coted bacteriologists io the country, appeared before the State board of health yesterday and practi? cally acknowledged thai the cas?e of Student Charles B Hare is one of bubonic piague He assured the board that there woald he no spread of the disease, a9 ali precautions had boco taken to prevent it, and the smdeot witJ recover. New Orleans Aorii 13 -Judge Par Uoge, ta the Uaited States circuit court today handed down a decision dismissing the f-uit for injunction brought by Boer representatives here with a view to preventing the shipment of mules and horses out of New Orleans to ihe British army in South Afrioa Judge Pariauge holds that the transac? tions between cinz?ns of the United States acd the British government were conducted under the order of private citizenship and that the oourtg bad absolutely co jurisdiction to interfere. The horses and mules, the court said, were bought in a central territory Appendicitis Epidemic. Dr Lucas Champonniere, of Paris, is one of the world's most eminent physicians He has recently written an article on "Appendicitis," which is attracting attention in Europe and America His several propositions are that appendicitis is really a new disease ; that it is a sort of epidem? ic ; that more frequently than not At ie merely a localizing of grip and that its prime causes are improper purga? tion of the digestive organs and the excessive consumption of freshly 8!anghtered meat From extensive research he draws the conclusion that while appendicitis is not actually a new disease-ibr the appendix always existed and bas always been susceptible to divers alterations-it is so increased in frequency and virulence, that as far as the physician goes he is forced to accept the proposition tbat he is dealing with a problem that never or rarely troubled bis predecessors, and that, since he must begin at the beginning, discover causes and in vent new forms of treatment, he is to alt intents and purposes combating a new foe to human heaith and life. Ir.fluenz* and meat eating are. he thinks, thn main producing causes of this disease He says : "in the old days the farmer and the artisan, iiving peaceful, natural lives, could sustaiu strength on fruit and vegetables, with meat a relative ly unimportant part of their diet The terrific nervous strain of today, what Americans call the 'strenuous life/ demands more powerful stimu? lation, and so meat has become the great fo ;d stapie Children are given meat when their diet shouid be purely lacteal and I have ever, heard men b-ast that they never, under any circumstances, ate vegetables, fruit or oread " A>< there are a great many meat eaters who do nut have appendicitis, this is a doubtful statement, but the doclor declares that be bas never seen or heard of a vegetarian attack cd by this disease and adds that "in countries where a vegetable regime still obtains, appendicitis is practical? ly unknown, and finally in the two countries whero meat eating bas its greatest vogue-Eog'aud and the United States-there ?re more cases of appendicitis than in the rest of the entire world put together "-Au gusta Chrouicie - - ? ? ? ? - - Milwaukee, Wis, April 14.-Fifteen hundred Hebrews held a meeting tctay io the interest of the Zionist movement sod demonstrated approval of tho plan which, it is hoped, will restoro tho aooieot prestige of the Jews as a nanoo The plan is to raise a fond sufficiently largo to parohase th? land .f Palestine from the Tarka, and auk? it a haven for the oppressed Jews of every land Ooo of tbe branches of the organization is boated in Milwau? kee, and bas a constantly increasing membership Dr Caro, of this city, one of tbe obief promoters of the movement, says the osase is to be prosecated with fervor. The Loot of China. The United States Loses Most by Spoliation of China. Washington, April 13 -Secretary Hay i? beginning ro wake up to tbe rac. that throogh bia vacillation policy, the great central Chinese provinoe ot Pechili bas been laid waste, the par chasing power of its tr;habitants destroy ed for at least ten years to come, and (hat this has b:eo d>:ue almost who ly at the expenes of the United State?. It was :n this province that American trade had made the greatest advances, taking almost entire possession cf tbe field to the practical exoloeioo of the j European powers, who deliberately prolonged the warfare, oocbecked by tbe United States, while preserving peace in the north and the sou.b where their interests were paramount. lo consequence of this belated enlightenment, Mr Hay has directed Mr Rockhill to pretest against the huge indemnities demanded by the powers with the intention of still far ther orippliog China As the power? will Dot consent to China's imposiog farther duties on imports, the greatpr part of whatever tax is assessed mast j be raised from the provinces directly. the larger part of it oomiog from those which are nearest to the seat of govern? ment at Pekin-that is to say, from the unfortunate Peohili province, still fur? ther crippling United States trade Germany bas pat io a bill for $80, 000,000 fer the services of her soldiers and the losses ?ustained by her euhjects io China. Great Britaio, which bas suffered a great deal more tuan Ger? many. and ba* furnished nearly as mar:y troop?, will Gafaraily claim a similar amount, and Russia, France and Japan will demand as mach as may be allotted to Germany and Eog land, and are equally entitled to it. This makes a total ot $500.000 000 to start wirb without counting the modest claims of Belgium, Italy and other ooootries which are really oot entitled to anything. The losses suffered by American citizens were greater than those suffered by the subjects of any other oarioo, and their claims foot up 25 000,000, wbicb Secretary Hay now professes himself willing to scale down, if oeeessary. The Germans ?ill find it difficult to faraish items for their $80.000.000. aod it id understood that ibey will net attempt to do so They will simply pot io a claim and fight for it. Aootber point oo which tbe dissi? dence of the Uoited States from the deci ion of the powers bas Dot been marked enough to produce aoy good effect is the question of punishment, ic was urged some time ago, tbat to demand from the emperor the deaths of his chief powerful princes would result mereiy io driving these i?to revoit, indefinitely prolong hostilities and the consequent suspension of United Sfatts trade. The other powers wbicb had no trade worth speaking of, io Peohiii wer eperfectly willing to prolong tbese. but it seemc strange that Seoretarv Hay could no; have realized their object quickly enough to put some ginger tuto his protest. He conteoted himself with mild disapproval, however, and the result has been just what was predicted, Geo Tung Fa Siao and Pricce Tuan, who were chiefly responsible for the trouble at Pekio last summer, and who led the attaok upoo the legations, hav? ing inaugurated a rebellion against the emperor because be assented to the demands of the powers for their pun? ishment They have left the court at the head of an army of Mohammedans and retired to the province of Kao-So, where they bavo defied the emperor and are likely to make a good deal of trouble both for the Chinese govern mcnt and for the foroigutrs, who will probably be compelled to put the rebellion down, obtaioiog farther loot and indemnity for so doing-all at the expense of the United States Some newspapers and some of his riends have found it necessary to come to the defense of Gov McSwee ney on account of some pardons be has recently granted It appears that the governor has commuted some death sentences to life imprisonment in cases where it is believed the facts would not warrant, and he has been pretty severely criticised The sag gestion has been made that he needs a guardian or a board to consider each cane and recommend the course to be pursued. Whatever may be the merits in the cases recently before him, the governor should be very slow to undo the work done by the courts, when it is so hard, usually, to get convictions It is especially difficult to secure convictions in cases where the accused are white, and when the courts finally succeed in convicting a white man the pre? sumption is that he deserves it, and the governor ought not to interfere unless there is overwhelming evi? dence in favor of clearing A free use of the pardoning power on the part of a governor may be, and osoally is, very demoraliziog -Bap tist Courier. Yon will waste time if jon try to caro in? digestion or dyspepsia by starTir^ yourself. That only rookes ir worse when jon do eat heartily. You always need plenty of good food properly digested. Kodol Dyspepsia Cure is tbe result of >ears of scientj?c research tor cometh!oj that would digest cot only some elements of food but every kind And .? is tbe one remedy that will do lt.-J S Hu^bsou k Co. WASHINGTON GOSSIP. Political Jobbery Goes on All the Time. Washington, April 15.-Senators are mach amused at a 8emi?offi :ial state? ment that has come from' the state d?partaient, denying thai negotiations had been openrd with England for a new Isthmian Canal treaty, aod par porting to teil wbv noFUoh negotiations were under way. The reason given in this statement is ?hat Secretary H27 ha? not yet ascertained what sort of a treaty two thirds of the senate will be willing to vote for. It is perfectly true that no negotiations have been started with England for a new treaty, but the reason given is only half trae. If Secretary Hay has not been able to asoertaio what sort of a treaty two 'hirds of the seoate will vote for, be bas been very plainly given to anderstand what sort of a treaty two thirds of the seoate will vote against or amend, and the information is strikingly near to what Senator Morgan said on the floor of the senate, jost before oongress ad joaroed-that Mr McKinley would find oat that he could not get two thirds of the senate to agree to any treaty lees strongly pronounced in favor of Ameri eau rights than the amended Hay Pauncefoto treacy, which England would not have. That is the real reason why there have been no negotia? tions Gov Candler, of Georgia, is io Wash io?ton for the purpose of fettling accounts between Georgia andtheFede ral government for the equipment of troops for the war wiih Spain Of those accounts he said : "The law Dro vided that vouchers in oertain forms shcuid be made for every expenditure. Io some cases the military authorities, did not issue any vouchers at all and that has caused some delay in the final payment*, but the state will lose but | little. The governor denied that his trip east was to borrow money to pay the school teachers of the state, bat admitted that if the treasurer of the state refused, on account of his con? struction of the law, to pay warrants issued for that purpose out of fonds, which are being held to pay bonds tbst will not mature for 15 years, he woald eveotoally have to borrow money to pay the teachers. According to evidence given before United States industrial commission, the paper trust has added more than $4 800,000 a yeir to the cost 0? news print paper io this country. One witness said that he knew of two news? papers which were each paying an increase of $150 000 a year ia the price of paper used by them The same witness paid that all the promises made by the trust had been violated and that instead of reduicng the cost of manufacture, it had been increased, and was now greater than under individual ownership of the paper mills Although the war department has tried to poohpooh the reports of exten? sive frauds io the commissary depart ment at Manila, the official action of Secretary Root in largely increasing the force of officers- io the inspector general's department io the Philip pin???, is ao acknowledgment of the truro of the. published stories. It is stated st the war department that the system of i- spcetioo in the Philippines has been very lax because a sofficiert number of officers had not been detail? ed f?>r that purpose, and that in cons?? quence there bas been a number of cages of petty frauds in both ?he com m.is?ary and quartermaster's depart meats It i? known that these frauds have been so numerous for some time, that it has been found necessary to establish a sort of secret service to watch for them There has been only one officer-Col Garliogtoo-on strictly inspection doty io the Philippines and be bae only recently returned to doty from a two month's sick leave. Noth ing shows plainer 'bat. the government has been robbed extensively in the Philippines than the fact that tbe aver age annual cost of maintaining a sol dier over there has increased in she year moro that ?100 As there in round cambers 75.000 soldiers over j there, this is no small matter Adjutant Gen Cirbio. who is about the Slickest politician teat ever held a commission io the army, and who by means of his political manipulation? was practically in command of the army during the war with Spain, has again slugged Gen Miles beiow thc belt, ?cd the latter's fighting blood is. conse? quently, pretty near boiling. Asasaai. it was done through Corbin's political pull. He not only succeeded in setting tho reeommendatioos of Geo Miles either Col Rodgers of the Fifth, or Col Guenther, of the Fourth Artillery-for appointment, as chief of artillery, & posi? tion created by the new army law 'urn? ed down, and Col W F Randolph ap? pointed, although be was ranked by both the other men, but in getting the chief of artillery made a subordinate of the 8ojutant general, although the l*w orcaMog tho posiMon says the holder shall be on the star? of the lieutenant general commanding Gen Miles bas made a vigorous protest to thc secretary of war against this violiarion of law, but DO notice has yet beeo taken of it CASTOR IA For Infants and Children. The Kind You Haie Always Bought Bears the Signature of A NEW PARTY. Senator McLaurin Said to be Going to Lead it in the South. New York, Aprii 13 -A special to the Herald from Washington says : Senator John L McLaurin of South Carolina, who split away from the democratic party during the last session of congress on the ship sub? sidy bill and other measures which were indorsed by the republicans., will define his political position in a speech before the Cotton Manufac? turers' association of the sonta, which will meet at Charlotte, N C., next week The senator wiil not apologize for deserting his party associates He will plant himself on the proposition that be has acted for the best interest of the south, 3nd that no section of the country is more vitally interested in territorial and commercial expan? sion and in building the American merchant marine than is the sooth. This speech will be the beginning of Senatcr McLaurin's campaign for reelection to the senate. It will be a challenge for any South Carolina demociat who wishes to take issue with him and oppose the politics which bo contends stand for the prosperity and commercial progress of the southern states. It may be that this speech will mark the practical launching of the white anti democratic party in the sooth, of which there has been a great dea! of talk for several months. There are elements in the d?mocratie party in all the southern states which are not in harmony with the policies that party hae championed under the leadership of Mr Bryan Up to the present time, however, they have been held in the democratic ranks by the race issue. ASSISTANT REPUBLICAN REWARDED. John G. Capers Made District Attorney. Washington, April 15 -The presi? dent today appointed Jobo Q- Caper? to be attorney of the United States for the district of Sooth Carolina The appointment of Mr Capers to be district United States attorney of Sooth Carolina will be a great sur? prise to resideots in that State, al? though rumors of it have been afloat for some time. Mr. Capers will suc ceed Abial Lathrop, the preseot dis? trict attorney for South Carolina. Mr. Capers is at present an attorney in the department of jostice io this city. He has beeD io the departmeot about eight years, having come here from South Carolina during the Cleveland administration Io 1896 he refused to sopport Bryan for presi? dent and again worked against the Democratic candidate in 1900 He never has aligned b*'m3elf fully with the Republican party, however. Lathrop was appointed four years ago upon the recommendation of E A Webster, Republican national committeeman from Sooth Carolina. It is understood no charges were made against Lathrop The War in South Africa. London, Aprii 16 -The British newspapers and magazines, comment* ing opoo the alternating periods of hope aod apprehension wnich charac? terize the later stages of the Sooth African campaign, compare these with the later stages of the American war of independence, as though to emphasize these fluctuations While the letters of responsible correspondents in Pretoria depict the situation in a rather despairing mood, the Pretoria repiesentative of The Da'ly Mail sends today a dispatch of the mosi hopeful character "The next six weeks," he says, "wil! see a resumption of active campaigning L ?rd Kitchener wiii renew his sweeping movements He has au army of 250,000 efficient troops, including 60,000 mounted men, with a good supply of horses. 40 ODO having been secured in Cape Colony alone. The army is in good spirits, and Lord Kitchener is satisfied with the progress of events, slow though it seetrts. KITCHENER MAKES REPORT. London. April 15 -The war office has received the following dispatch from Lord Kitchener dated Pretoria,, April 15: "Col Sir Henry Rawlinson's column rushed the south laager, northwest of Klerksdorp at daylight. Six Boers were killed. 10 wounded and 23 takeo prisoners. He captur? ed a 12-poooder, one pompom com? plete, and two ammonition wagons, with ammunition. "Our casualties were three wound? ed. "Col Plumber oaptured a field cornet and seven men with 10 wagons and 18 rifles ' During Col Pilcher's operations in Orange River Colony, seven Boers were killed Gre? card board for picture mounting at H O O?teeo ? Go's nook store