University of South Carolina Libraries
THE MASSACRE AT MA. Further Reports Would Appear to Confrrm the Hews. THE TURKS ARE SLAUGHTERS Bulgarian and Greek Men, Women and Children indiscriminately. Sofia, Bulgaria, Sept. 18.-Further reports from Kasto?a say the city is burning and that the massacre of its population (estimated to have num? bered 10,000 persons) was indescrib? ably terrible. The Turks slaughtered indiscriminately Bulgarians and Greeks, men, women and children. A Turkish war balloon is reported to have been seen hovering for the last three days close to the Bulgarian frontier, in the vicinity of Easkovo. A severe fight has occurred at Ula vitza, in- the mountains of Kratovo, between 2, COO Turks and 80 insur? gents. It continued for eight hours. The insurgents used bombs with dead? ly effect. About one hundred Turks are reported to have been killed and many were wounded. The insurgents had two men wounded. A fight is also reported to have taken place at Rupel Paso, near Seres, where insurgent bands recently sur? rounded and annihilated a whole com? pany of Turks. The bands then fled to the mountains. BEIRUT IS QUIET. Washington, Sept. 18.-The follow? ing bulletin was posted at the navy department today : "Admiral Cotton cables from Beirut, 17th inst., that Beirut is quiet and nothing of importance has occurred since Saturday last. Some definite news about the cae of the vice consul is expected soon. " BULGARIA'S FIGHTING FORCE. Paris, Sept 18.-Advices to the for? eign office from Sofia says the 13,000 men being mobilized in Bulargia will j bring the present effective force up top 500,000 troops. % TURES KILL 300 BULGARIANS. Sal?nica, Sept 18,-Three hnudred Bulgarians have been killed in a fight between insurgents and Turkish toops between Okriad and Dibra. The Bul? garian dead included many officers, one of whom wore a Rusisan decora? tion. A battalion of redifs attacked the Christian gendarmes at Mitrccitza Sept 16, and several of the latter were killed and wounded. The rest of the gendarmes took refuge at the Russian consulate, where they are be? sieged. The situation at Mitrovitza is extremely critical. ATROCITIES UNDERESTIMATED. Loudon, Sept 18.-The Westmins? ter Gazette says a well-known London journalist cables from Belgrade as fol? lows: "Starting with Pro-Turkish sympa? thies, I have found overwhelming evi? dence convincingly proving that the Turkish atrocities are rather under? estimated in the reports of British * consuls, bankers and unprejudiced people. Foreign Minister Tzokoff tells me he knows cases of starving women in the forests killing two of her own children to preserve the third. The forest wanderers will all perish of cold wi hin two months." London, Sept. 21.-The Daily Mail's correspondent at Sofia telegraphs: * ' One of the revolutionary chiefs has in? formed me that the rsvolutioists are massing thousands of men at various points on the frontier, and their lab? oratories are working incessantly to replenish their stocks of bombs and explosives. They do not count much on war between Turkey and Bulgaria, buc on the day they hear that the meeting between the Czar and Emper? or Francis Joseph has not had the de? sired result for Macedonia the world will witness the beginning of massa? cres, burnings and destruction com? pared with which the Turkish atroci? ties will seem child's play. The ban? ner of revolution, my informant says, will be unfurled in all the border dis? tricts. Every city and village, wheth? er the inhabitants are friends or foes, will be destroyed, and such a state of anarchy will be caused that the Turks will step out voluntarily and leave the country to the Macedonian survivors. We have settled the frontier districts for these final operations, 30 that Europe may hear the despairing cries j of the dying nation which the Turks would stifle," Sofia, Bulgaria, Sept 19.-The revo? lutionaries are now concentrating all their operations in eastern Macedonia, the latest dispatches from which locali? ty report a general rising was fixed to begin today. The insurgents claim to have accumulated vast stores of arms and ammunition and dynamite to be prepared to enter upon a serious cam? paign. Fighting already is proceed? ing at Melnik, province of Seres, which place is besieged by bands of insurgents under the leadership of Stoyanoff, Rankoff, Zograto and Dar vinhoff, all of whom were formerly Officers in the Bulgarian army. The town of Melnick is a very important strategic point in the mountains com? manding the road between Demi rh is sar and Razlog. Those besieging it number 1,500 while the Turkish garri? son is believed to consist of only one battalion. The result of the attack upon the town is not yet known, but a telegram from Ketcharinoo says that additional Turkish troops are going thence to Melnik. I Severe fighting iff reported to have ! taken place at Okrida. A band of j revolutionaries operating near Brijeni ? surrounded a force of Turkish troops and a fight ensued which lasted throughout an entire day. In the even? ing the insurgents, reenforced by bands under Saradon* attacked the Turks on all sides and routed them. The Turks lost 9D killed. It is reported that the troops will now move only in bodies of from 3,000 to 4,000. Turkish soldiers are reported to have burned five vil? lages in the district of Katsoria. ?J The Second Regiment Band has been engaged to furnish music at the I Opera House for the entire theatrical season. The band will be present at every performance from the opening night until the close of the season next spring. j THE ULLIN TRIAL SET FOR HEXT MONDAY. "Lexington Lawyers" Wanted Lex? ington Cases Tried First. THE SOLICITOR WAS OVERRULED. Grand Jury and County Officers Also Asked That the Tillman Case Come Last. ! Special to The State. Lexington, Sept. 21.-The trial of James H. Tillman, charged with the murder of N. G. Gonzales, was today informally fixed by acting Judge Frank B. Gary to begin next Monday morning. Solicitor Thurmond for the State snggested that Thursday be fixed for the trial and made .a brief but clear and strong argument in favor of i that day, but the judge, influenced, as he said, by a special presentment j of the grand jury and a petition from j the fiscal officers of Lexington county, I complisd with the earnest plea of the attorneys for the defense, delivered in five arguments, and named the first day of the second week of the sessions. The prisoner was brought into the court room at 5.30 o'clock this after? noon. It became known at an early hour today that the arraignment would be had in the afternoon, but as the day wore on and the court contin? ued to occupy itself with other cases; it seemed to the spectators that the programme had been changed. However, argument in the trial of a riot case was finally suspended and the solicitor announced that he would enter upon the arraignment of defend? ants charged with murder. A few minutes later Sheriff Caughman en? tered with his prisoner and immedi? ately behind him came his lawyers? Senator B. '3>. Tillman, who had been in the court room for a short time in the afternoon, left just before the prisoner was brought and came back with his party. Senator Tillman shook hands with his nephew when they j faced each other within the bar, as I though they had not met since the senator's arrivai in Lexignton. Mr. Croft, the leading counsel for the prisoner, arose and asked that the following be entered on the record as counsel for the defense : P. H. Nelson, Johnstone & Welch, George R Rem bert Efird ? Dreher, G. T. Graham, W. H. Sharpe and himself. A few ? moments later he requested that the ! name of Cole L. Blease be added. It will be observed that ex-Judge Bu? chanan's name was not announced as counsel. He was, however, present. Solicitor Thurmond announced the following for the prosecution ; G. Dun? can Bellinger, Andrew Crawford, Wil? lam Elliott, Jr., E. L. Asbll, T. C. Sturkie and himself. Mr. Croft arose and said that it would be agreeable to the defense to waive the formalities of the arraign? ment, the three days which the pris? oner may claim between arraignment and trial to date from today. To this the solicitor assented. The formal arraignment will take place at the be? ginning of the trial. THE SOLICITOR'S ARGUMENT. 3 At this point Solicitor Thurmond moved that the trial be fixed to begin next Thursday morning. "This," he said, "would be for the welfare of all concerned, owing to the fact that a great number of witnesses had been subpoenaed on each side. It would be' well to dispose of the case as soon as practicable." He read a leter from Attorney John J. Earle of Columbia, stating that the latter would represent the prisoners Weston and Doyle, white men indicted for murder in Lexing? ton, that he was ill with chills and fever and while able to be up in his room could not attend court this week. Mr. Earle, therefore, tasked that the Weston and Doyle cases be postponed, until next week. A certificate from Dr. Knowtlon of Columbia accompan? ied the letter, stating that Mr. Earle could not attend to his professional business for & few days. The solicitor then stated that in his opinion all the other criminal business could be dis? posed of by Friday, that the postpone? ment of the Doyle and Weston cases would be inevitable in all likelihood, that other cases would necessarily have to be tried after the conclusion of the Tillman trial at all events and consequently no harm could result from taking up the Tillman trial on the day named. As to the costs of the county, nothing would be added as all witnesses could Jbe discharged pend? ing the Tillman trial. Mr. Efird of counsel for the defense, a Lexington lawyer, stated that the Tillman case was not "a child of Lex? ington but an adopted child." The courts and people of Lexington would do their best to perform their duties with regard to it, but Lexington liti? gants and Lexintgon taxpayers were not called upon to look after the in? terests of the adopted child in prefer? ence to their own interests-Lexington county's. Floods in the month of June had prevented the attendance of the presiding judge and no court had then been held. Consequently, the busi? ness of the criminal court had largely accumulated. When the Jones murder case of Edgefield county had been transferred there had been no request to commence its trial until after local business had been disposed of and he was informed that the same course had been pursued when a case had been transferred from Richland to Ker? shaw. The court should not be "switched off" to this case at the ex? pense of the people's pocket books. All day an under current of excite? ment had been visible in the court room. It was due to the Tillman case. The effect of its trial would be to end the criminal business of the court be? cause at its close the court "would be worn to a fraz." The solicitor, he be? lieved, miscalculated when he said that the local business could be con? cluded by next Friday. He then al? luded to the special presentment of the grand jury who, he said, had carefully considered the necessity of taking up the county's cases first. The special presentment of the grand jury, to which Mr. Efird referred, re cieved by the court during the morn? ing hour, was to the effect that the number of Lexington cases with the witnesses attending upon them was large, that to take up Tillman's case, j not a Lexington case, would necessi-1 tate the attendance of these witnesses for ten days or two weeks at the coun? ty's expense and that therefore the reason was urgent that they be first tried. This was fortified by a petition to Judge Gary of the same purport signed by the county's fiscal officers. Mr. Sharpe of counsel for the de? fense followed with an argument on the same line, declaring that he was speaking not in the interest of the Tillman case but in the interest of the county. He was associated, he said, with Mr. Earle in the Doyle case and at the proper time would move for a continuance in that case. He was in? terested professionally in nearly every criminal case before the court and he knew the mind of the people-they wanted those cases disposed of. Mr. George T. Graham, also of the prisoner's Lexington counsel, argued in a similar vein, declaring that little business had been done at the Febru? ary term while no court had been held in June. j Solicitor Thurmond replied briefly. He would be the last to impose a bur? den on Lexington county but to take up the Tillman case Thursday would impose no burden, for the witnesses in county cases would be excused for the time an could draw no per diem and mileage. It would be a simple matter to discharge them, for example, until Monday, one week. The grand jury and the fiscal officers were evidently under a misapprehension of the facts, though he did not doubt the genuine? ness of their solicitude for the coun? ty's interests. Mr. Earles' letter indi? cated, not that he wished his cases continued, but merely postponed until he could attend court next week. As to the undercurent of excitement men? tioned by counsel, if it existed that fact was an argument for the trial of the case causing it and so relieve the tension. "How many days do you expcet the Tillman trial to consume, Mr. Solici? tor?" inquired Mr. P. H. Nelson. "Eihgt or nine," Mr. Thurmond re? plied. "Speaking for counsel for the de? fense not members of the Lexington bar," Mr. Nelson continued, "we have nothing to do with the differences of opinion between the solicitor and the Lexington lawyers. We are not here to^make dilatory motions and we are quite as anxious to go to trial, if not more so in this case, than the prosecution. The main question is that next Monday morning another panel of 36 jurors will be here drawing pay at the county's expense, with nothing to do if. the Tillamn trial be? gins this week. In addition to this, the jury in the Tillman case might perhaps be confined by his honor dur? ing Sunday, and this also would add to the county's expense." "We do not wish to be placed in the attitude," Mr George Johnstone said, "of interfering in this contro versy between the solicitor and the bar, the grand jury and fiscal officers of Lexington countty." Mr. Nelson, he added, had omitted to point out that were the Tillman case commenc ! ed this week 12 jurors who had served from today would be compelled to serve throughout the greater part of next week, and they were reasonably entitled to expect their discharge from duty at the end of the week. He com? mented on the busy season of the year, declaring that two week's absence from private business was too much to ask of the same jurors and that a new jury would be in service next week. If commenced next week he hoped and believed that the case could oe concluded by Friday, at least with the end of the week. Again suggesting I that the non-resident lawyers had nothing to say in a' matter between the soilictor and Lexington lawyers, he described the former as, speaking for the Tillman case, in a sense "per? sona non grata" to the Lexington court, so long as Lexington interests were at stake. Promptly deciding the question, the acting judge said substantially : "There is nothing in the position that outside lawyers or an outside case are 'persona non grata' here. They are properly and legally here and have the same rights as other litigants. When a case is reached for trial it should be tried, in its proper place. However, I cannot ignore those considerations brought to my attention solemnly in a special presentment of the grand jury and in the request of the county's fiscal officers, and I feel it my duty to carry out their suggestions. Be? sides, I cannot see that harm can be involved in this course." Mr. Efird arose and said that next Monday would suit the local bar for the trial to begin. Mr. Croft for the defense stated that Monday would be satisfactory and to this the solicitor assented. No formal order fixing the day for trial, however, was passed, and the court adjourned merely with the under? standing that the trial would be un? dertaken on the day named. Few if any of the mose important witnesses either for the State or the defense were present yesterday. Ap? parently, the crowd in town was not especially large and at no time was the court room crowded. Senator B. R. Tillman, Mr. Till? man Bunch, ex-Judge O. W. Buchan? an and Mrs. J. H. Tillman of the de? fendants' relatives were in the town. Ex-Congressman W. Jasper Tal? bert of Edgefield county arrived in the afternoon and was in the court room. Little or no difficulty was experi? enced yesterday in finding hotel ac? commodations, though the strangers present about exhausted the available rooms. These constituted merely the advance guard of the numbers expect? ed at the trial. Some 30 criminal cases of greater or less importance are on the Lexington criminal docket for the presnet term. Of these six are murder, including the Tillman ease. It is believed that with continuances, nolle prosses and other dispositions the criminal busi? ness will easily be concluded during the present week. The big lumber plant of C. M. Betts & Co., on the A. C. L, three miles east of this city is now in ope? ration and a great deal of lumber is being cut for shipment to the North. This plant is one of the largest and best equipped in this section of the South, and having purchased the Mc Faddin tract of virgin yellow pine timber as well as a large "acreage of timber in that section of the county from other parties, it is in a position to do an extensive business in choice pine lumber, an article that is now very difficult to find anywhere. MAGNOLIA NEWS NOTES. Yield of Cotton Disappointing-Farmers' Protective Association Selling Cot? ton-Personal Mention. Magnolia, Sept. 22.-The yield of the cotton crop, in this section, as probably elsewhere, is disappointing to many. Those taking a pessimistic view several weeks ago, as to the average of the cotton crop, were near? er right. The fine prices paid for cot? ton, if they hold on a little longer, will, in a measure, make up for the short crop, everything considered. If cotton were to jump to a dellar a pound, and suddenly fall to 99 cents, the majority of the planters would grumble and greatly regret that they did not sell sooner. Real contentment and resignation in this world is [a scarce article, under any circum? stances. Miss Viola McIntosh is slowly im? proving, but Miss Annie is simply holding her own pretty well. ' Mrs. Julia Anderson, of Mayesville, is still at Mr. M. L. McIntosh's, nursing the sick ones. Messrs. Henry and Clifford Hickson, and Magnus Watts spent Sunday with their parents in this place, and have now gone to Lake City and other points. Messrs Jack Griffin and Frankie Mc? Leod left this morning for Spartan burg Fitting School, Both are studi? ous young men, and we wish them success. Hon. E. D. Smith is selling cotton in this market for the members of the Farmers Protective Association of this and surrounding sections. He has an experienced buyer, Mr. Jno. F. Hawk? ins, to compete with, and as "compe? tition is the life of trade," we expect good results. |It can certainly work no injury to anyone. The colored lad, Paul Robinson, who had his leg amputated on the 12th inst., died on Sunday last. Mr Plummer McIntosh is still de? tained at home on account of continu? ed illness of his sister Annie. Mr. T.'Eustace Rhame, after'several weeks stay at his father's here, left yesterday morning for his new posi? tion, but familiar work-that of a druggist. Our young ladies, or giris, as a body may have it, have returned from their visits abroad, and some of our young men are wearing smiles extend? ing from ear to ear, and ashamed of so much home visiting, are advocating tri-weekly "sociables," and of course, tri-weekly home visits. Well, young folks will be young folks, and because they don't do as we now do, we probably all travelled the route, or, at least, it was not our fault if we did not. A good deal de? pends on opportunities and circum? stances. Will Seigler, another "wife beater" -after laying his grievances before the Magistrate's Court in this place, has accepted a situation with the " pioneer corps" for 30 days, and will take position, as expert, above Santee Wilson, having filled this position acceptably several times before. From his own whisperings, in a very modest manner, he can get a similar position in Oranegburg county, if he would only openly make it known ; but his extreme modesty, along this line, is against his being tendered this posi? tion. Occasional. COTTON MARKET. The receipts of cotton today on the local market were heavy, perhaps the heaviest of the season to date. The future markets suffered a heavy de? cline this morning and the spot mar? ket, which has been held up above the mark warrented by the future market for some days, in expectation of a gen? eral advance in prices, broke on the slump in futures and declined 25 to 30 points. The local buyers paid 10.40 for middling to-day, against 10.65, the price paid yesterday. Cool Weather Clothing. There is forceful logic in the argu? ment by Sumter Clothing Co., in their advertisement in this issue that, it is wise to buy Fall Clothes in Sep? tember because the buyer gets longer wear for his money, and a larger as? sortment to select from. This firm handles the Hand Tailored Clothing of Schloss Bros. & Co. of Baltimore, the largest tailoring house in the world. Stylish dressers ought to take a look at their new Reliance double breasted sack suit. It is usually impossible to get all the people of Sumter to have the same opinion about any public improvemeut, but they are united and unanimous in favor of a public building for Sumter. And the good thing about it is, that we can secure one if the matter is properly worked up and presented to Congress, lt is time for the work to start and Council should take the ini? tiative. The corn crop may be short in Sum? ter county, but there will be an un- j usually large harvest of peavine hay. There has been a tremendous rush of freight over both railroads enter? ing this city during the past six weeks, and the force of freight clerks have been kept hustling all day and over? time to handle it. I The fire department was called out Sunday afternoon by a small fire in the kitchen of Mr. Walter Stansell's residence. The fire was quickly ex? tinguished and the damage was not great. SEASONABLE, SERVICEABLE, STAPLE. Fall styles of OW ARD HATS now ready l! This is the hat you want for the fall-in soft or stiff goods. The new shape is on good lines and very becoming. The quality and price is the same as ever, and every Hat Guaranteed. If it be possible to improve a good thing, W. L. DOUGLAS CO. Have done it in their line of shoes. All the new shapes and styles now appear in this line., which, heretofore, were some? what conservative. The quality and wearing ability fhave never been questioned or equaled. $3.00 and $3.50. LADIES, ATTENTION. We cordially invite you to examine our line of fall footwear in which the AUTOHAV and REGINA Are the two leaders, unexcelled in quality, style and fit by any shoes on the market at the same price. The only rewards we have to offer the wearers of these shoes are comfort and satisfaction, and every customer gets her prize at once. J. RETTENBERG & SONS. SHAW McCOLLUM MERCANTILE GO 'S ANNOUNCEMENT We beg to announce to the people of Sumter and the surrounding country that we have opened at the old stand of R. P. Monaghan, No. 13 South Main Street, a full and up-to-date line of DRY GOODS AND SHOES. Our stock embraces everything usually found in a first class establishment, and our lines of Dress Goods, Silks, Skirtings and Suitings Are of the latest weave and most fashionable shades. In our I Dress Goods Department We are showing the newest novelties, consist? ing of Melroses, Shark Skin Poplins, Pebble Cheviots, French Storm and Cheviot Serges,, Henriettas in Black and Colors, Broadcloth., Melton and Venetians. Our stock of Silks has been selected with the greatest care to meet the requirements of the well-dressed lady, and is guaranteed to wear. Shall be pleased to have you call and com? pare our prices. SHAW-McCOLLUffl MERCANTILE CO.