Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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TIE FOLK TBA6EDY. ?agistrate Richard C. Folk KiHed hy Bat! Fro? His Ow? Pistol in a Difficulty With County Ssper/isor Seale. From the Daily Item, Aug. 25. A deplorable and greatly to be re? gretted tragedy occurred, at Provi? dence this morning, bj which Magis? trate Richard C. Folk lost his* life. In a difficulty, which occurred be . tween Mr. Folk and County Supervis? or W. H. Seale, in the publie road in front of Mr. Seale's home, a pistol was discharged and, the ballet lodg? ing in Mr. Folk's bead, caused death within two hours and a half. Tbe shooting occurred between 8 *and 9 o'clock and although every pos? sible effort has been made to obtain a - circumstantial account, it has been im? possible to do .so up to this hour,. Im? mediately after Mr. Folk was 3hot Dr. Cheyne was summoned and went at - ^o?ce to Providence to assist Dr Foster who was the first physician to ha call? ed in, but the wound was mortal and ; nothing" could be done td save Mr. Polk's life. He died two and a half hours after being shot, without regain? ing consciousness and without making an anti-mortem statement Coroner Flowers was notified immediately and left for Providence to hold the iaquest mt ,12 o'clock. Until the inquest has i been held and the evidence taken thereat is obtainable it is impossible to gire the particulars ot. the trigedy. Mr. Seale accompanied by hin son, Mrv W. J. Seale arrived in the city about 12.30 o'clock and went to the Sheriff's office to surrender, but as both Sheriff Scarborough and Itepnty Sheriff Gaillard were absent from the city, Mr. Gaillard having started fdr Providence as soon as he received a telephone message informing him of the shooting, Mr. Seale surrendered to Mayor Geo. W. Dick. Mr. Seale was asked for a full stated ment concerning the di faculty, but he said that ira did not care to make a statement until he result of the Cor roner's inquest was made public, if thea. As far as can be ascertained the facts'relative to the unfortunate affair which resulted in the death of Mr. Polk are as follows : There.seems to have been in circula? tion certain reports 'concerning' the docket of Magistrate Folk, which he regarded as reflecting upon his official character and for which he thought Supervisor Seale was responsible. Be? tween 7 and S o'clock this morning Mr. Sam Folk, s brother cf Magis . trate Folk, went tc the house cf Mr. Seale, they being next doer neigh-1 bcrs, an asked him about the reports | concerning the docket of his brother. Mr. Seale told him he-had circulated no reports, and when asked about the m-dtter bad stated exactly what Rich? ard C. Folk had told him and nothing more. ' - . Sam Folk stated, that he had heard that it had been stated that Mr. Seale had said that Magistrate Folk's docket had been stolen ; and he. Seale, tole him that R. C. Folk had said that" bx* docket wa3 in his (Seale's) office and he and Col. T. V. Walsh, j Clerk of the board of county commis^ ; sioners, had made a search of the office I and* could not find it. . Sam Folk1 then said the docket had been found | and Seale then 'told him if R. C. Folk would bring it to him he would exam- j ine it as County Supervisor, and if he found it correct, would mark, it so and . thus set at rest ali rumers and all re? ports would be stopped. Sam Folk told Seale he would go and get Mr. Richard Folk at once to bring his docket and have it exaruiue'd, and asked Seale not to leave. Mr. Seale told bim he wanted to go to-Sumter today and to come right back. Just before train time, the Folks not hav? ing arrived, Mr. Seale telephoned Mr. Sam Folk that he was obliged to go to Sumter and Mr. Folk answered, "'Wait, we are coming." In a few minutes they drove up in separate buggies. . Mr. Seale asked them to come in but. Mr. Richard Folk replied j that they could talk outside. After some discussion it was decided that ! they should come to Sumter to settle the matter and Mr. Seale went back' into his house for his coat and hat, and ordered his buggy bitched up. He came out and me discussion was resumed and he walked along side of Mr. Richard Folk's buggy to end of his avenue at the public road. Mr. Sam Folk following in bis buggy. Just as they reached tbe pubiic road Mr. Richard *Folk called Mr. Seale a G-? d-n liar and attempted to draw his pistol. Mr. Seale grabbed him in tbe collar, ano in the scuffle. Mr. Folk fell out of the buggy and the two of them fell to the ground together. About this time the pistol was dis? charged. The bullet grazed Mr. Seale's coat on the left side and pass? ing upward entered Mr. Folk's head in the right temple and came out to the left of the median line of the skull. When Mr. Richard Folk curs? ed Mr. Seale and mad? the movement to draw his^ pistol Mr. Sam Folk jumped from his buggy, grabbed Mr. Seale in the back of his coat collar and drew bis pistol W. J. S?ale, Mr. Seale's son, who was walking alongside of Sam Folk's buggy, knock? ed tbe Distol from bis bann an.i seized him. It was all over ic an instant, and when Mr. Sealr got up from the ground to which be had fallen when he grappled with Richard Folk, he saw blond on Richard Folk's face and two pistols on the ground. He assist? ed in carrying Richard Folk to the bank beside rhe road and sent for water and -helped to wash the blood from his face. The two pistols were left lying on the ground, no one b< - ing permitted to toncb them until 3?aj. H. F. Wilson arrived, aud then in his presence, in reply to the qaes tions of Mr. Seale, Mr. Sam Folk ac? knowledged that one was his aad the other Richard Folk's. Mr. Seale tel- ! ephoned for a doctor and had his bug? gy brought and sent Mr. Folk horne, the horse of Mr. Richard Folk having mn away in one direction and tue mule of Mr. Sam Folk in the other, during the difficulty. Mr Seale stales that he was unarm- j ed at trie time, i hat his pistol was in a drawer in bi? office in the Court House, and that no one could possibly regret the occur re . ce more than he; that all that be did was to make ao effort to prevent Richard Folk from shooting bim. The Inquest, Which Was Held on Thursday, Concluded With a Verdict That Does Not Fix Responsibility. Testimony of Supervisor W. H. Seale ?and Other Eye Witnesses. From the Daily Item, A og. 26. No occurrence cf recent years lias, created the same amount of excite? ment or given rise to such general in? terest as the unfortunate killing' of Magistrate Richard C. Folk at Provi? dence yesterday morning, and little else has been discussed on the streets since the news reached the city soon after the tragedy. Coroner Flowers proceeded .to Provi? dence immediately upon the receipt of information of the death of Mr. Folk at a few minutes before 12 o'clock. As soon as a jury could be sum? moned he began the inquest, which was j not concluded until after 8 o'clock I last night. . The jury was ' composed of the fol-1 lowing well knoven citizens of the Providence section : C. L. Williamson, foreman, C. L. Jonds, M. F. Boykin, J. A; Bo y kin, Jr., J. A. Boykin, Sr., E. W. Par? ker, R. L. Burkett, E. A. Parser, J. T. Cummings. J. B. Raffield, Jr., M. L. Moore, C. R. Durant, W. S Boykin. After hearing all the evidence and due deliberationx the following verdict was rendered: "That the^said R. C. Folk came to his death by a pistol shot wound in the liands of a party or parties unknown to thisiury." The following witnesses were sum? moned before the the jury and examin? ed by the coroner : C. M. Boykin, \ R. W. Bennett, H. F. Wilson, J. S. Folk, Julian. Seale, W. J. Seale and iWi fl. Seale. Dr. Waiter Cheyne who made the post mortem examina? tion also testified. There are given herewith the foll statements made at the inquest by J. S. folk, W. J. Seale and W. H. Seale. Mr. Julian Seale was the only other eye witness of the difficulty in ' which Mr. Folk was shot, and his tes? timony merely eoroborates the testi? mony of his father, W .H. Seale and his brother, W. J. 'Seale. Messrs. " Boylan, Bennett and Wil? son, made statements relative TO the position of Mr. Folk and his condi? tion when they arrived on the scene shortly after the shooting. They all stated that two pistols were lying in the road when they arrived and that at the request of Mr. W. B. Seale, Maj. Wilson took possession of them. Maj. Wilson stated that Mr. i Sam Folk in reply to a question by I Mr. W. H. Seale admitted that one of the pistols was his. The other was established by the testimony of all the witnesses to have been the property of Mr. Richard C. Folk. Mr. W. H. Seale who was summon? ed by Coroner Flowers late yesterday afternoon to appear -and testify before the jury went to Providence and appear? ed before the jury, being the last wit? ness ^examined. , - He spent the 'night at home and returned to. the city this morning. He is afc the home of Mayor Geo. W. Dick, to whom he surrendered yester? day, but he is not in custody for he was not charged with killing Richard Folk by the jury of inquest and no warrant has been issued for his arrest as yet. Coroner Flowers held that under the finding of the jury he had no grounds for ordering the arrest of anyone and his ruling has heen sus? tained by his attorney and a number | of other lawyers whom he consulted ! today.. The testimony of the eye wit- ! nesses ? above mentioned was as fol? lows: Dr. Walter Cheyne, who made- the pos-t mortem4 filed the > fol lowing written statement : 1 found a wound in the right tem? poral region, midway between the top of the right ear and the angle of the right eyebrow: entry being through the temporal bone. Powder marks surround the point of entry. The exit of the bullet was in the frontal bone a little to the left of the median line. The frontal bone was broken, a j comminuted fracture. The brain ti>sue was markedly lacerated. A probe passed through the entire dis? tance between the point of entry and I the point of exit Cause of death was this wound of the brain, through hemorrhage, shock and destruction of brain tissue. J. S. Folk, sworn : On yesterday afternoon Mr. Charles Emanuel told me Mr. Seale had told him at Dalzell that the grand jory bad called for Richard's docket and he, Mr. Folk, said it ^vas stolen, and Mr. Emanuel then said, that is the reason I am fighting RicJjard in this election. I said to Mr. Emanuel that I was at tue first of it. He asked then if any? thing of - that kind had ever occurred. I told Mr. Emanuel that about a year and a half ago 1 thought Richard .either sent or carried his old docket that was filled np. After that he ordered a new docket and he went to Col. Walsh and asked him for the other docket. He wanted to see the last case he reported on in it, and CoL Walsh told him it was not there. He made another search for it and could not find it in his office. After that lie found it in the Clerk of Court's office. He looked after it and left it there. Mr. Emanuel said to me, I will write Mr. Seale a iett2r tomorrow and ask him to explain the matter to him so I can undo what I have done against Richard, for that is the only reason 1 am fighting him in this election. Mr. Seale said to Mr. Ernauuel that a number of heavy fines had been paid in to Richard. Mr. Emanuel tola me that all he wanted wa:- the matter ex? plained to him aud he would undo what he had done. I came by Mr. Seale's this morn? ing and after talking with him awhile, I asked him about the docket and he said that the docket was gone. I asked him ii it was the old docket? He said a member of the grand jury had called on him for it and be looked in the office and could not lind it and I a*ked him if it was the old docket and he said if it was it was nor where it ought to be and ought to be in his office. Then he said to me to see Richard. I told him 1 would, and I came on down home. Alter 1 got home Mr. Seale called me up and told me for Richard and I to come ny bis house. We went by there. He came out to the buggy and Richard asked him what it was about the doc? ket and he went ou to say that be had looked for the docket and could not find it. [Richard then asked hi which ?nember of the grand ju: wauted it. He said he would not te ! him. Richard told him he thong] be ought to know. He said he had i right to tell. Richard told him tl only docket that was eyer lost was tl old docket. Richard said he ha been to CoL Walsh and asked for tl old docket and the Col. could cot fin it. Afterwards he found it in tl Clerk of Court's office and it was le: there, and he said to Mr. Seale, au you have approved my new dock( once or twice since the old docket W? lost. Mr. Seale said this had on] been a month or two ago. Richai said, Mr. Seale, you are mistaken an Mr. Seale said Mr. Folk, I am uoi And Richard said we will go to Sun ter and see CoL Walsh and if he sa j I am wrong I will yield to it. Mi Seale went back in the house an put on his coat and came out an Richard said, get in my buggy an I will drive you to Sumter. He sai he would not, he would go in his ow buggy. The lie was then passed b both Mr. Seale and Mr. Polk. Mx Seale said to him, you are in m; yard, follow me out to the road am I will settle it with you. Richart said,, you nor any man ever invite* me anywhere I did not go. He turn ed around in the, road and said to him You damn s-of a b-, I will settle i with you. I then said to Mr. Seale don't have any difficulty, there is n< ase of it. When they got to the roa< Richard turned his horse toward hom? and Mr. Seale was in the road. H< ran np to Richard's buggy and '. jumped out of my buggy and ran u] to Richard's buggy, and Mr. Seal? caught Riobard in the collar and said "You damn s- of a rp-" and strucl him in the month. By that time J had got to Mr. Seale and caught hin in the back and tried to pull hin away from Richard, and Mr. Seale'! two boys caught me and held me bael and Mr. Seale jerked him, out pf th? buggy. He fell on his left hand whil< Mr. Seale had him in the collar, anc he said to Mr. Seale, don't shoot me, and the pistol fired. I heard only om fire. I saw the pistol in Mr. S?ale'? hand. I saw Mr. Seale shoot him. W. J. Seale, sworn: This morning I came in from the back of the house. My father* Mr. W. H. Seale, was al the front gate talking with Mr. San Folk, who was sitting in his own bug? gy. After a few minutes Mr. Foli drove off. A short time after thal the 'phone rang. My father said, Well, I am glad you found it. I will be here all the morning. Then I wenl in the back yard again and hitched my horse to the boggy and drove oui to the front. Found Mr. Richard JBolk in his buggy talking to my father. Mr. Sam Folk was in his buggy, not exactly between the othei buggy and the gate, but several feet nearer. Mr. Richard Folk said, yon saw my docket some time ago. Mr. Seale said, I did not. Mr. Folk said, I will bet $50 yea did. Mr. Seale said, I do not care to bet. Mr. Folk said, I caa prove it by Col. Walsh. Mr. Seale said no use of that, you have your docket at your house and my signature is there, if inspceted when you ?say it was. Mr. Folk said, it is there and the date is Aug. 1903. Mr. Seale added, you said I saw it two months ago, which I know I did not. - Mr. Folk said, we will go to Sumter anyway and see Col. Walsh. Mr. Seale said ail right sir, I will get my cost. . He stepped up on the piazza and some one handed his coat to him. Mr. Richard Folk said, you ride with me. Mr. Seale said, 1 will go in my own buggy and told me to have his horse hitched up.. I told him to take tnt} horse and buggy I had. He told R: chard to get the docket and carry it OL to Sumter. Mr. Folk said, I be damned if I propose tjo show yon toy docket at all. Mr. Seale said, I do not care to have any fuss with you at all, but if you use that kind of language, I will ask you please to leave my yard, as my wife and chil? dren are in the house there. Mr. Folk said, God damn it come in the read, and turned his horse's head toward the road and drove off with Mr. Seale walking off in line with the front wheel of the buegy. They were talk? ing, but I could not tell what was said. Mr. Sam Folk then turned and drove off behind that buggy and I walked about five steps behind his buggy. Mr. Richard Folk said, I'll be damned if I ever back. Mr. Seale said, you can't say that I ever did, you damn s- of a b-. They were then about in the road. Now Mr. Folk said, if you say, something. I did not hear what, yofc are a God damn liar. My father jumped to the buggy. Mr. Sam Folk caught him in the back of the collar and had his right hand about his hip pocket. I caught him in the throat ancUknock ed the hand he bad on his pocket down, jerked him loose and pushed him up in the cotton field. About that time Mr. Seale and Mr. Riehard Folk fell to the ground together. Sam Folk and myself were in about three feet of them. When Mr. Rich? ard Folk fired the pistol my father was on his-knees and Mr. Folk was on Lis back trying to raise himself in a sitting position. When the pistol fired it was in close contact to my father's body near his hip. ? thought he was shot until 1 saw the blood i coming from Mr. Folk,'s head. I saw ' two pistols lying on the ground. One was half way under Mr. Richard Folk's right thigh I did not hear but one pistol fire. I saw the pistol fired while in Mr. Folk's hand. I am snre the pistol that was fired was a hammerless 'AS calibre, lt was the same, or just like the pistol, I often saw Mr Richard Folk with. W. II Seale, sworn, says: This morning about 8 o'clock or a little before I was sitting on my piazza with R. M. Brown, who spent the night with me. We heard a vehicle comino; up. I got up to where there was a slight opening" in the vines. I saw it ! was Mr. Sam Folk. I walked to the door and asked him io come in. Said he did not have time, but wanted to sec me. I went out to the buggy. He say^. til ere is a hell of a dust being kicked up about Richard's docket and I want to know what you know about it. 1 said, a part I know I trot from Richard and one of the grand jurors. There had been j some complaint about Richard ? bringing in bis docket regularly land I had been asked by one or two gentlemen about the mattel I had had a talk with Mr. Emar uel and had pointed out the plac in the road where we had th talk. He says, by God, it mus be straightened up; I will go ove and get Richard and come back I told him to hurry back, I wan1 ed to knock around a little, an< with that Mr. Folk drove off. I waited a reasonable time. Th phone rang and I went to it. J lady answered, I think it wa: Richard's sister. I asked if San or Richard was in to come to thi phone; Sam came, I asked if h? was coming over. He said yes wait on us a while. Richarc found his docket. I said, I an glad he has. In about 20 minutes they came driving up. Richarc in front in his buggy, Sam be hind, some 20 or 30 steps behind Richard drove up and I spoke tc him and asked him to light. He says no, I wanted to see you. He turned his horse side ways to the gate. I walked out and put m} foot on the step of his -buggy. Sam drove up and put his buggy between the gate and Richard's DUgtTy* I noticed that both look? ed a little excited, I paid no atten? tion to it. Richard says, I came over here to find something about these r eports about my docket. ] says, I have nothing to do with the reports about the docket. He cursed again. Then I called him down* and said, I do not wani to have any fuss with you, bul don't propose to have such talk before my family. If you will use such language we will have to get a little further off from the house. Some time ago I was in Sumter, Richard was there and asked about his docket, I want it before the Board. He says, it is inyour office. I. says, you are mistaken. He says, I am not, I left it there. I says, I will go and make a search for it, but I am almost sure it is not there. I looked and told him it was not there. He says he could not account for it. The above occurred in Sum? ter some time ago. Whenhe drove up to the house, Mr. Richard Folk informed me he had his docket there. Then was when he began to use pro? fane language, and I asked him to stop it. I says, well Dick, you can bring it over and I will take it down and have it examined at the next meeting. He says, we are going to Sumter and we will take it with us. He says, you cati ride with me. I went in and got my coat, and I said I would go in my own buggy, and he be? gan cursing again, and said he refused to go to Sumter and re? fused to show his docket. I said, let's get further from the house, I don't want my family to hear this language. Ile turned his horse and started down the avenue. I walked alongside his buggy and in an angry tone of voice, said: This is a damn po? litical dodge. We were then nearing the mouth of the avenue, in act of entering road. He turn? ed his horse's head slightly to the left in edge of road. 1 was standing not three feet from the buggy wheel. 'He said, if you say I left my docket in your office or lost it you are a God damn liar. Just as he said, you are aliar, he threw his right hand to his hip pocket. He was sitting on his buggy seat leaning forward. I grabbed him to keep him from shooting me. I was not armed. It was all done as quick as thought. I had him in tho shirt front. Just as I caught him, some one caught me in the back of my collar. I could not catch his hand as he was leaning over so, (indicating), I caught him the nearest place I could. Ne jump? ed out and we both fell. Just as we hit the ground I heard the re? port of the pistol. I felt a jar on my left hip, thought I was shot. I looked in Folk's face. I saw blood coming from his right tem? ple. As soon as I saw he was disabled I turned him loose. I had my hand somewhere on his chest." 1 don't think I broke my hold after I caught him. I heard William say. you can't get to those pistols. When I looked around there were two pistols on the ground. One was a bright, hammerless pistol, the other most o? it was buried in the sand.. You could see a part of the bar ? rel. It didn't seem to bc new looking like the hammerless one. The bright pistol was almost in the place Richard was lying the old pistol two or three feet from it. When I turned and saw those pistols it was the first time I had seen either of them that day. William was keeping Sam back from the pistols. Sam, it appears, was trying to get to them. Here is the coat (indicating) I had on when the shot was fired. My left side was next to Mr. Folk. I don't think Mr. Folk was exactly on his back, he was partly on his side in trying to raise his head and body up. I was pressing his breast, trying to hold him down, I was bendinj down over him when the pisto j fired.^ I did not see his'hand or the pistol when the pistol fired I felt the jar on my left hip 01 side. Richard's horse went run? ning- towards home, and Sam's mule toward Camden. As soon as I saw he was shot I told Julian to try and catch his horse and run for Dr. Foster. I'saw Maj. Wilson passing-. Sent some one to stop him aad tell him to come up. I looked towards Mr. Ben? nett's and saw some one with a white coat on. I recognized Mr. Bennett and called him to come up. When Mr. Bennett came up we had not let Sam get to Rich? ard, who wasstill kneeling there with the pistol near him, until Mr. Bennett came up. I think when Mr. Bennett came he help? ed Richard out of the road. I told William not to let Sam get to the pistol and I would help Bennett with Richard. Someone brought some water and I help? ed Mr. Bennett and my wife bathe the blood from Richard's head, but kept my eyes on the pistols all the time. About then Maj. Wilson came up. I said to Sam Folk, Sam that is Richard's pistol, isn't it? and that . one is yours, is it not? He answered yes. I then told Maj. Wilson to take charge of them as I was not armed. The hammerless pistol, Sam stated, was Richard's the other, his. Mr. Bennett then said, let's get the poor boy home. I said, Mr. Bennett, it is nearer to my house than Mrs. Folk's. If you don't think he can stand the ride take him to my house. Either Maj. Wilson or Mr. Ben? nett said, it is best to take him home: I had my buggy brought up. They lifted him. I stood on opposite side and eased him as he,was handed in. SCANDINAVIAN COLONY FOB LEXINGTON COUNTY. Ten Thousand Acres Sold to Im? migrants-Deal Arranged by Commissioner Watson. Columbia, Aug. 30.- The work of bringing colonists to South Carolina has been launched. Last hight papers were signed and delivered to an agent who will proceed at once to populate and to build up 10,000 acres of land in Lexington county which have never been under cultivation. The amount involved in the transaction is some? thing like 8125,000. Tho agent of this colonization com? pany prefers for very good reasons that his name should not be used, but it is enough to say that he has been one of the greatest promoters of the upbuilding of the great northwest, that he is carried away in his enthusiasm over the prospects here and that be? fore the end of the week he may pur? chase 50,000 acres additional for the purpose of bringing to South Carolina sturdy Scandinavian settlers who will engage in agricultural pursuits. This transaction, which it is hoped is but the first of the closing of half a dozen large options, was brought about through the commissioner of commerce and immigration, Mr. E. J. Watson, who will leave the city tomorrow to perfect the arrangements for locating colonies in other parts of the State. The body of land whic!. was sold yesterday is said to be tho very kind for truck farms, is well timbered and is cut by several water courses. The Southern's trunk lino from New York to Florida passes through this tract and it will be an easy matter to ship the produce raised on the farms. ANOTHER NEGRO KILLED IN GEORGIA. Five White Men Murder Inoffensive Negro in Bullock County. Statesboro," Ga., Ang. 29.- Sebas tine McBride, a negro man living near Portal, in the upper part of Bulloch county, was taken out of his house Saturday night by a mob of five men, carried out in the woods and whipped severely and then shot, from the effects of which he died soon afterwards. Before d?'ath came, however, he re? lated to a number of white men and colored people the manner in which he j was handled and told the names of | three of his assailants. They were, according to his statement, Perry Barnes, Henry Barnes and Westley Water?, all white men. The names of the others he did not seem to know. The verdict of the coroner's jury was obtained, and the sheriff has gone to arrest the persons named in the verd.cf of the jury. "August, ?8, 1904. We, the coro? ner's jury impanneled to investigate the death of Sebastine McBride, find that the deceased came to his death by wounds inflicted upon his body by a mob of live men, three of whom were identified by the deceased as Perry Barnes Henry Barnes and Westley Waters. We recommend that war? rants be issued for tho above named : men and thar the matter be investigat? ed." Have you read that very interest- 1 ing magazine, The Smart Set? THE PRIMARY ELECTION. Incomplete Returns Show There Will Be Second Primary for Sheriff and Prob? ably for Coroner. With several boxes still to be report? ed it is settled that the old Legislative delegation, Fraser, Clifton and Moses have been reelected by large majori? ties. Supervisor Seale is also reelect? ed by a big majority over both his op? ponents. Horace Harby, Jr., has been elected Magistrate for the 3rd district by a majority of 14 over Mag? istrate . H. L. B. ells. There will be a second primary for Sheriff, and the indications now are that the Coro? ner's contest will be thrown into the second primary. The clubs still to be heard from are Rafting Creek, High Hills, Shiloh, Pleasant Grove, Tay? lor's and Manchester in part. The clubs reported give the follow? ing totals, for the several candidates for offices in contest : House of Representatives-T. B. Fraser, 945; Altamont Moses, 992; J. H. Clifton, 1,063; John M. Knight, 537; H. G. McKagen, 432. Supervisor-W. H. Seale, 821; W.M. Sanders, 171 ; Frean M?llett, 340. Sheriff-W. H. Epperson, 565; W. S. Dinkins, 125 ; J. E. Gaillard, 340 ; C. W. Stansill, 383. Coroner-S. F. Flowers, 624; A. G. Warren, 165; T. M. Jones 454. Magistrate,. Second District-G. T. DesChamps. . Magistrate, Third District-H. L. B. Wells, 441; H. Harby, Jr., 455. Magistrate, Fourth District.-T. H. Osteen, 81 ; J. Jj*. Ingram, 93. RESULTS OF STATE PB1MABY, Lack of Genera! Interest in the Various Contesis. . The only State office over which there is a contest is railroad commis? sioner. The candidates were : Railroad Commissioner-?[ames Can: sler, of York: Jno. H. Earle, of Greenville ; W. Boyd Evans, of Rich? land ; C. W. Garris, cf Bamberg; Harry J. Gignilliar, of Oconee; Jno. G. Mobley, of Fairfield. There will be a second primary for this position. The figures available do not settle absolutely whether the sec? ond primary will be between Mr. On?; G. Mobley and Mr. C. W. Garris or M r. Mobley and Jno. H. Earle. The returns are straggling and without definite figures from many of the larger counties where the local contests absorbed the time and inter? est of everyone, and no reports what? ever were made on the State ticket there being only one contested place thereon. In many instances the cor? respondents reported their inability to secure figures on the commissioner's race. FOR CONGRESS. First District-Geo. S. Legare, of Charleston. Third District-D. Wyatt Aiken, of Abbeville. Fourth District-Jos. T. Johnson, of Spartanburg. Fifth restrict-D. E. Finley, ol York vi Ile. Seventh District-A. Frank Lever.-, of Lexington. In the 2d district there will be a sec? ond primary, in which Mr. S. G. Mayfield will be one of the contest? ants. The second contestant will be Mr. J. O. Patterson. The returns ar far more complete than usual for a first night's figures. Mr. Williams seems to have failed to make tn&secs. ond primary. ?n the 6th district, there is a very close race between J. W. Ragsdale, James Norton and J. Ed Ellerbe. W. F. Dargan will not make the second race, but one of the other three can? didates may be in the second race. FOR SOLICITOR. First Circnit-Peter T. Hildebrand, of Orangeburg. Second Circuit-John S. Wilson, cf Clarendon Fourth Circuit-J. Monroe Johnson, of Marion. Sixth Circuir-J. K. Henrv, of Chester. Eighth Circuit-Julius E. Boggs, cf Pickens. In the. 2d circuit,- J. E. Davis, the incumbent, bas a decided lead and will win against G. M. Green on the firsfcv ballot. In the 5th circuit Mr. Geo. B. Timrnerman will make a second race with one of his fonr opponents, S. McG. Simkins, Geo. R. Rembert, G. P. Logan or N. Geo. Evans. In the 7th circuit Mr. T. S. Sease, the incumbent, will win against his opponent, Mr. R. A. Cooper, of laurens. ^_ A Suicide. Minnie Gosa, of Spartanburg, au inhabitant of the under world, who has been residing here for the last three years with Georgie Williams on Green street, under the assumed name of Stella Johnson, committed suicide yesterday afternoon by taking laud num. She had been on a drank for three days, and while under the infiu i'iice of liquor, took the poison in the presence of a negro servant. The servant immediately informed other inmates of the house, and medical at? tention was promptly summoned: but it was of no avail, for the drug had taken effect before the physicians arrived. She died in a very short time. No inquest was held over her body, as the cause of her death was so evident. At present it is not known what disposition will be made of her body.