Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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^ rem S??TBB WATCH KAN. Established April, is 50. " '3e J ase and Fear'not-r Let a!l the:Erids rhou ^iras t at oe itv Country ?? ?.hy 'God s and Truth's THE ?5t? SOUTH BOM, E,?t?fc;i?bed June,2S># CosoHdated Aug. 2,1881. ~ SUMTER. S. O. WEDNESDAY. MAY 17. 1906. . New Series-Yol. XXIV. No. 43 ! f|e mailman mb S3?%?it -BY ?STEEN PUSLISHrwa COMPANY, SUMTER, S. C. TSRKS : .- \ i 50 per anona-io advaooe. a o vi a T i s P x i s T : ? eSqoare first ia8erti?o...??.?.^."....$l CO S ?ry aabseqcent ioser?cn....... ......... 50 j. Contracts for three months, or longer will 1> o*de ar reduced-rates. All eosQQoieanooe which subserve private interests will be charged for asadvertiemeots: Obituaries &ed tributes of respects will be saarged for. m WELLS HOME. DETAILS OF THE; KILLING OF CAPTAIN D. E. WELLS. A Horrible and Blood Thristy Butch? ery Which Was Evidently Pre? meditated. From Tue Daily Item, May 12. ? Capt. DavK E. Wells, one7of the largest land owners and most suc? cessful farmers of Privateer town? ship, was brutally killed today be? tween 12 and 1 o'clock by Colclough Stokes, a negro laboror who had been in Captain Wells* employ for some? time. The : story .of the "murder that "has reached ths city is meagre and want? ing in detail. No -fuller particulars was to be obtained by telephone from Tindals, tt?e nearest telephone station to the scene of the tragedy. The:facts, as ascertained are,:that Stakes attacked' Capt WeHs with a knife,, stabbing him first rn the back of the neck, Capain Wells fell to the j ground and Stukes put his knee on j him and cut ard slashed him until life was extinct Several negroes saw the beginning of the trouble, but when Captain Wells fell and Stukes lumped on him they became thor? oughly panic-stricken and fled leav? ing Stukes to work his will on his helpless victim without let or hin? drance No one knows how many times Stukes^stabbed Capt Wells, how long ?3^p*-?xe remained by t?t>e body, or where he-j ' went after the kHIiag. When the news was spread throughout the neighbor? hood some of Capt Wells* neighbors went to the scene and found' him dead on the grass, and Stukes gone. Coroner Flowers wa? notified of the murdertand- he went over toehold the inquest Colclough Stukes, the-murderer, is a negro of rather a bad reputaton and was recently under indictment for disposing of property under lien. Capt Wells went on his bond and took. him into his employ. Stukes and his wife lived in a part of Capt Wells': house and the woman kept house and. cooked for Capt Wells who had no family and lived alone. From The Daily Item, May 13. The murder of Captain D. E. Wells, of which mention was made yester? day, the bare'facto being, stated, was the sole topic of conversation on the sfc-eets .yesterday afternoon. The de? tails of the crime, which was one of AL the most brutal ever committed in Sumter county, were not known until Coroner Flowers, Deputy Sheriff Gail lard and others who accompanied them to Privateer returned to the city about 7 o'clock, and then all the bloody circumstances of the killing were told and retold to curious ? crowds. Deputy Sheriff Gaillard brought Colclough Stukes with him and com? mitted him to jail. .. As related yes? terday Stukes left the scene of his crime as soon as he was satisfied that Captain Wells was dead and follow-' ed the public road toward this city. He stated then and still says that it was his intention to come to this city and surrender. But .be that as it may he met Pritchard in road who told him that he must go back and that the sheriff, was already on the way to Captain Wells. Stukes returned and was delivered to Deputy Sheriff Gail lard. Coroner Flowers empannelled a jury and held the Inquest on the scene of the crime. Mr. W. M. Broad? way was foreman of the jury . After taking the testimony of the five witnesses of the killing and hear? ing the statement of Dr. C. P. Osteen, who made the post mortem examina? tion the jury rendered the following verdict: "David E. Wells came to his death by knife wounds at the hands of Col? clough Stukes." The tragedy occurred in the pas? sageway of Captain Wells' house, which is what is kn-jwn as a double pen log house. There is a piazza in front and the passage divides the I house into two parts. Captain Wei 'occupied one side and Stukes and h .wife the other. Captain Welis w; found lying face downward in tl passage "just where he fell. The full story of, the killing is to] in the testimony taken at the inques which is reproduced in full herewit] along with a statement made t Stukes. ? * i . Fraser Gibbes: "I was standing ju: beside him and there was a kind < tangle talk b'etw?e? them. Mr. Wei sadd Colclough had no business goin on with his wife^ in. the house. Col I clough ?ol? him she was nis wife; an h? w'as gofeig tb rule periand he di n<|t think Mr. ' Wells had anything t do with her. Colclough went off las rd^ht and he came back this morn in? 'just- before daylight and Mi wjells did not' like it. Today befor li o'clock Colclough Stukes sent fo his wife and got at. her for somethin; ai|d told her that he wanted her t ccfme over .to^Mr/ "Vf ells/ house a?' 1 o'clock janet- he toidi the boys he wa gckng to show us- he Vas a natura man. Mr. Wells told Colclough tha if he did not stop quarreling with hi wife he would get oft his bond. Mi Wells told Boot Washington to go fo Magistrate; Ingram a|nd tell him t< come oven' for ?tukes,* and" just as Mr Wells turned his back Colclough hi him in the back with his knife.. Th< time he hit him the, first lick Mr Wells : turned and hollered one tim< and fell. After he fell Colclougl stood over him arid kept stabbing After he stopped cutting him :Stuke? walked down the passage out on th< piazza and called for his wife. I saw Colclough when he'cut Mr. Wells th< first time." , * ' - Rober*. Dollis: "I heard Mr? Wells say: 'Colclough if you don't do bet? tet I "ant going to come" off your bond Trient neard him-call Boot (Nathan) Washington and tell him to catch a mule, and go^ over to the Ingrams and tell him to come and bring a pair o? shackles with him. l?e said {Col? clough is' doing no.better; instead o? doing better he is getting worse and I ara going to put" him on the chain gang. I did not hear anything more. When I saw them again Mr. Wells was lying on the floor and Stukes was kneeling" over him .cutting him, T was in4 the "yard, did not hear Mr. Wells holler-was about 30..yards from the hojise. I heard Strikes say in the field today that he was going to show .? . .. . us {something today. . * . ? Moses Weeks: "I-was n the field ank Colclough called me and said: 'Come, to me quick.' He said, Tt is no us? to do any more work because oM man Dave is dead. I killed him.' l?e satd that' he had taken one man's wife and he had attempted to take his." Nathan Washington: "When I got to the lot this morning. Colclough asked, me if I -had gained any rounds OIK him yesterday-Fraser told Mr. Wells that me and Fraser had gained some rounds on him while he was standing in the shade, and I told him that I did not remember gaining any rounds on him at all. He then said that Mr. Wells said I had gained two or : three rounds on him the- other ev?nng plowing in the cotton field. Mr. Wells said it is not the rounds they are gainng on you, but it is the way you are going on1 and staying off at night. Toil promised me that you would stop fooling with that girl over the branch if I would go on your bond. Stukes and his wife were quarreling at 12 o'clock. I heard Mr. Wells --tell Stukes that he had prom? ised him that if he went on his .bond he would leave, ofl% with women and stay at hom? witn his wife/ I did not see Colclough cut him with the knife. I was lying on a bench on the piazza and did not hear anything until he I was dead." Dr. C.* P. Osteen: "Upon examina? tion . of the dead body of D, E. Wells I find twenty knife cuts, any ono of eight of them b-iing of sufficient grav? ity- to cause death. The wounds are situated chiefly upon . the posterior surface of the body ranging fcom the top of the head to the small of the back.' One upon-' the left sde of the neck' and extending forward under thc skin in front of the spinal column, almost severed the head, cutting the carotid artery, jugular vein and oth? er important structures. This wound caused almost instant death. Six of the wounds on the back, near the spinal column-just to the right penetrated the pleural cavity and lungs. Three of these cuts divided the ribs near their attachment to the spinal column. One or two cuts are situated on the right side of the face and two on the left hand. All of the cuts are of the most brutal character in appearance, each being several inches deep, apparently the full length of the blade of a large pocket j knife and some of them four to eight j inches on the surface." A reporter of The Daily Item cal at the jail this morning and Stiil made the following statement "to hi Stukes' Statement. "On the day previous to the tras dy I sent one of my children over its grandmother's and Mr. W< c?me to me and told me not to se rriy children anywhere without fi consulting either my wife or hims before doing so. I told him as t child was mine I thought I. had right to let it visit its grandmotr at any time. I felt ? disposed. ? Wells then said that if I ever sent o bf my children off again without co suiting him he would put me on t chain gang, as he had'me under co tract and could do as he.pleased wi me. j I said* nothing more*- and we away perfectly friendly. "Night before last I went, to 21 mother's for a visit, and when I r turned home I immediately went bed as" I had to get up early." As w my custom I got up at 4:30 and we out and rang the farm bell and th? went to Mr. .Wells', room to get tl keys to feed the stock. Mr, We] said to me that Fraser Gibbes hi told him that I had lost a -lot of tin the' day before in the field. I was tl foreman of the plow gang. ? to him that there was some mistake, h?d lost rio time. Mr, Wells th? said that . Nathan had done mo: plowing than I had. J said.no si captain, I; can prove by Mr. Wilsc Johnson that I kept ahead of tl plow hands all day. He then said the other hands would tell him thi I ;had7 lost no time 'it would be -a right. The other hands told him. thi I had" been 'making full time, an everything" seemed to be "satisfactor with Mr. Wells.. . . , fl then ;wer.t to work aild plowe ali the morning and during the earl part bf the morning my wife came11 the field and told me that Mr. Well had approached her, and had aske her if he "sent me to the cb? "n gan would she remain with him and sh co^d bim no. Mr. Wells then told m wife that she could not help herser: as he had her bound by contract an she would ;have: to stay, and woul have to do as he said.} I told my wif to get my motlier and two of h,e family ar\d have th?m present when saw Mr. Wells about the matter. "When ;I. went to the house at 1 o'clock Mr. Well6 asked me if^ I wa going to "send for my mother, and ?.oid him that I was, as I wished ti have her 'here, as I wanted tb tall with him. Mr. Wells .then told on of ', the boys- to j hitch a. mule to thi buggy and go for my mother, but be fore the boy left I said to Mr. Well: chat I thought I: had a right to die tate to my wife as to what I though was ' best, but from what had beei told me by others it seemed that 'h< (Mr. Wells) thought different t H( chen said to the boy in the buggy no togo for my.mother, and then callee to TXathan ; Washington and. told hin? co go for Mr. ? Ingram and tell him tc come over and bring a: pair bf hand? cuffs, a^ he intended to have me pu\ on the chain gang, and would.then dc as .he pleased ' with my wife and children. . "We-were then sitting in the hall of the house. Mr. Wells in a chair and I was sitting on the water shelf. "I then "told Mr. Wells that before he ! put rue on the chain gang about my wfe and child* en. I had rather he would take them, as he seemed. to think I had no control over them, any way.I I also told : him that I had lived up to my contract with him, but it seemed that he wanted to get rid of me for some cause. "He was sitting directly in front of me smoking a pipe. He jumped from his chair, throwing his pipe and to? bacco on the safe, and started to? ward me and struck at me twice. I was sitting on a high place and knew that if he knocked me off the fall would kill me. My wife and Frazier Gibbes were standing there at this time, and as I started to get down Frazier Gibbes, left, my wife remain? ed after I cur- Mr. Wells and he fell to the ground at which time she left Mr. Wells cursed me after I had cut him the first time and also reach? ed for a chair, and if he had not done this I would not have cut any more. I always liked Mr. Wells and regret very much this unfortunate affair. "I do not remember having cut Mr. Wells but three times. I have heard that he was cut about twenty times, and also it was said I got straddle of him and cut him, but if I did I do not remember. I do not remember any? thing after I cut him the third time. "I went to the piazza and called to the boys to come back that I had cut Mr. Wells but did not know how se? rious, and that I was going to Sumter to give myself up to the authorities. "I then went to my mother's and j my brother hitched a mule to the bug- ? gy and we started for Sumter. About ' the time we reached Mr. Tindal's place on. our way to the city,. Mr. Pritchard hailed me and told me .that the officers were at Mr. "Wells' house. I told Mr. Pritchard that I had start? ed to to town to give myself up, but would go back to the house and sur? render to the officers, which I did. * "2 regret the affair very much. I had known* Mr. Wells all my life and had always thought a great deal of him," ' " RAILWAY MOTOR CAR.. '. Revolution in Railway Motive Power Car Constructed Under E. H. Harriman's Direction. New Tork, May 12.-To celebrate the completion of the first gasoline motor car for for railroad purposes E. H. Harriman has approved a plan for an ocean tour of the novel ma? chine just finished and turned over to, the Union Pacific. Officers of the Southern Pacific, Union Pacific and the Oregon Navigation in Chicago are now arranging for an elaborate long distance test of the new car, which embodies the ideas of Mr. Harri? man himself, he having some eight months ago given his officers the con? ditions of the problem which they have now solved. The car is to be operated from Omaha to Portland, Ore., exhibited a few days at the Lewis and Clark ex .t i- . ' '? ' position, thence run to San Francisco ovjer the Shasta route, from there to Los Angeles, to New Orleans and thence to Chicago, via. St. Louis. When it reaches Chicago it will make a speed and hauling power run from that city to Milwaukee and return. The motor will then be taken to New York via Buffalo and tack to Omaha by way of Washington, Pittsburg and Chicago, thus circuiting the conti? nent. " This is for the purpose of testing its long distance abilities, power, on grades and to ; satisfy the curiosity of railroad men between the two oceans who have manifested unusual inter? est in' the inn?v?tion. At ail impor? tant places airiple time will be al? lowed for inspection cf the machine. Recently the motor made the run fr^m Omaha to Grand Island, Neb., 154 miles, in 5 1-2 hours, an average speed of 27 1-2 miles an hour. The maximum speed '-on this run was 40 miles an hour, :and but for the fact that the car is not yet fitted with fu? trucks, only'four wheels being under it, a much higher speedy could have been attained. It ran cool the entire distance and arrived at. Grand Island in ; first class condition^ Officers . of the Union : Pacific 'are enthusiastic over the; success of the history-making -machine and do not hesitate tb pronounce ' it " a practical motor .car for railroad work. . The motor is capable pf hauling at least one heavy passenger coach. over mod? erate grades. i '? Chicago railroad men are talking of little'else1 nowr but the new motor, believing it .is destined to supplant another forms of power in the trans? portation world. . On steam roads it will quickly displace the present en? gines for short hauls and suburban'" service, abating the smoke nuisasnce in ^arger cities, leaving only the long through runs for steam, and on these it is believed the little gasoline ex? ploder wrill eventually1 be king. Director of Maintenance Krutt sChnitt, of t-he Harriman' lines, said: "Gasoline as a motive power is at? tractive. We have at last what we regard as a practical gasoline motor for railroad work, the first in the world, and that m,eans almost as much, as the . first steam - engine." The car was built under the per? sonal supervision of William R. Mc Kean, superintendent of motive pow? er of the Union Pacific. The im? mense saving, in. fuel under steam is not the only advantage of gasoline. The low cost of operation would mean more frequent trains, and bet? ter passenger and freight service, as it is believed in a short time the mo? tors will be. applied to freight trains. They will also enable the present steam roads to go after their enemies in competition, the interurban trol? leys, and beat the latter at their own game, as there will be no third rails, wires or power houses to maintain. One of the advantages of gasoline would be that when a motor breaks on the road it would not tie up the entire lines, as is liable to be the case with electricity. Tokio, May 15 -Japanese govern? ment bas issued order prohibiting ex portati jn of coal to Saigon, Cochin China a^ long as Russian warships remain there -?? ? ? - Mrs. J. Harlest ?ri Read was struck by lightning and instantly killed dur? ing a thunder storm at Maryville, near Georgetown a few days ago. LEE COUNTY SETTLEMENT. MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE COMMISSION HELD IN COLUMBIA. Mr. I. C. Strauss, Secretary nf the Lee County Commission, on Sat? urday Gave out the Muites of tlie Meeting Held in Colum? bia on Friday. Columbia. May 15.-The commis? sion to settle the accounth between Lee county and the counties out of which it was formed, met Friday, All members of the commission were j present , and Mr. T. H. Gibbes presid? ed. Mr. L C. Strauss was appointed secretary, r The chairman stated . the object of the meeting and read the opinion of the Supreme Court in the case of the State of South Carolina I ?x. rel. W. H. Seale, et al., as county I board, respondents, against J. O. Du Rant, et al., as county board, etc., appellants. . : . On motion of Mr. Milling, the com? mission agreed to permit Mr. R. W. McLendon to represent Lee county and present her contentions. Mr. Carrison stated the matters of difference between Kershaw and Lee counties sand that the trouble lay in the matters of taxable values.: These differences were then discussed. Mr. Rowland submitted the fol? lowing resolution: * "The matter of school funds hav? ing been settled between Sumter and Lee counties and the .'value of the chain gang equipment having been fixed and credit having been allowed therefor as directed by this commis? sion July 14th, 1903, therefore be it ^Resolved, That1 the indebtedness of Lee county to Sumter County be fixed ' at the amounts decreed " to be paid by his honor, Judge R- ?. Pur? dy,! by his order of September 6, 1904> as .follows, to-wit: Note and bonded indebtedness, $5,247.17, with interest thereon from February. 25, 1002, at 6 per cent., and balance of expendi? tures, $2,206.90, with interest from December 10th, 1902, at 7 per cent." ' \ ; : ? c I f .' Adopted. y -H * : ' Mr. O'Donnell moved tha,t Kershaw county's, expert accountant, Mr. Good ale> be- examined on oath as to the matter of valuation of taxable values, and the validity of Kershaw's claim. Mr. J. L. Goodale w?s then exam? ined on oatti, and stated that the tax I able value of ^.the property turned over tb Lee county by Kershaw coun? ty .was $120,050.00; . Mr. McFarlan .' offered . the follow? ing resolution: ; . ... ?* : - . "Resolved, That it is the sense of this board that the property, from Kershaw county embraced . in .Lee county is one hundred . and twenty thousand and .fifty dollars jn value, and that the property left in; Kerr shaw: county is three mllion four hundred and thirty-one 'thousand four hundred and sixty-five dollars in val?e; and th?t the per centage of debi (bonded) to be assumed by Lee county is therefore three and 3^-100 per: cent. (3.38) thereof. rTha.t upon this basis, the county .of Kershaw is this day indebted to Lee county- on all other matters than bonded in? debtedness, in the sum of one hun? dred and eighty-four 41-100 dollars, and that unless Lee county can and does show .some error in the said set? tlement as above stated and submit? ted by Kershaw on or before July 1, 1905, next, that then said settlement shall be and . is thereby made the judgment and' determination of this board on all matters between said counties. That the proportion of bonded debt to be assumed by Lee county ;as above stated, is $4,225, that Kershaw county having heretofore paid the interest on the whole of said indebtedness (including said $4.225) is entitled to be repaid by Lee coun? ty, the. amount of interest so paid on .said $4,225 of bonds from Feb? ruary 25th, 1902, at the rate of 7 per cent, per annum, and the balance:of cash in this adjustment between the two counties shall be ascertained by finding the difference in the' amount of such interest and the s?id sum of $184.41 above stated to arise on all general accounts-said bonded debt is fxed at $124,000." Adopted. Mr.. McFarlan offered the follow? ing resolution: "Whereas since the settlement sheet between Darlington and Lee counties was submitted on July 14th, 1903, it appears that Darlington county has collected the sum of six hundred dollars on bond of former Treasurer and that Lee county should be paid pro rata thereof, to-wit: $33 66-100 and no error in said set? tlement otherwise appearing, it is re? solved that the said seulement, ad? ding thereto said sum of $33.66 be and same is hereby confirmed, and made the judgment of this board, and that Darlington county pay to A MATTER ?FHEALTH POWDER Absolutely Pure Lee county the sum of six huricirecl and*'ninety-five dollars and eighty nine cents, ($695.89,) as follows: j From County Ordinary and Road Taxes. $453.55 From School Fund. 242.3* Total. $695.89 "Resolved, That Lee county sha?? make any claim for errors in the set? tlement with Kershaw county in writ? ing, and shall point out specific er? rors and not make general state? ments, in other words, shall point out: specifically all errors, such claim to? be made to the Chairman, who shalUt furnish a copy to one member frons., each county. , . . . ?* "Resolved, That adjournment, when had, to meet on July? 12th, 1905^ at 11:30 o'clock a. m." '"Resolved, That Sumter, Kershaw^ Lee and Darlington counties each pap th'eir members of the . Commissions for their services one hundred do? lars and expenses, and that sai<2 counties pay each 1-4' of ?lOCKas? compensation to the: Chairman of ttife commission and the sum of fifty dol? lars to the Secretary. "Resolved, That a certfied copy o? the minutes ' of this, meeting be fur? nished to tho Supervisor ; of each; of said four counties." * i >??*, Commission then adjourned. T. H. Gibbes, Chairman*., I. C. Strauss. Secretary. - ? - , www. - .??? FRANCE MAKES DENIAL. Official Statement That Russian Flee? Has Departed From French Waters. t - Paris, May 15:.-The French gov? ernment has made another: denial of the: allegations to the effect that the^ Russian "fleet lingered in either Kam , t. Jr.;' i . rarih Bay or Honkohe Bay. f Th?s> declaration states that Admiral, Ro jestvensky's entire, fleet left on Masr 8th, the day formerly mentioned; andi has, since remained away ?from Frencr*' waters. The Lost Motor Boat. Paris. May 15.-The motor boa? Quand M?me, which disappeared? while in tow of the torpedo boat de? stroyer Arbolete during the stormi which broke up the race between oth? er motor boats been heard from. It has arrived at Cagliari. the capital of the island of Sardinin. " This motor? boat was owned by Duke de Cares. The owner and crew of six: w-ere aboard. ; DEWEY WELL AGAIN. Ablp to Walk Cut in the Earl^ Morning. Washington, May 15.-Admirai Dewey has apparently recovered frons. r the j'indisposition which prevented hiss presence at the banquet of the found? ers i and patriots of America in New* York Saturday night. He was U?> ear?y this morning and left his housa for ::a walk. i_ - - ?_ TAX OX RAILWAYS LEGAL. United States Supreme Court Decide? That Savannah fias J'?ght to Tax. Street Railway. Washington, May 15.-The Su? preme conrt of the United States to? day decided the case of the Savannah?. Thunderbolt and Isle cf Hope Elec? tric Railway vs. the Mayor an? Alderman of Savannah by handing down a decision that the tax levied oct the railroad property occupying ih& streets was valid. Taxation by the state of Virgiaisi of vessels owned by the Old Dom in fora steamship company plying inlaid o?a Virginia waters in connection vriih the company's New York service, was rpheld, justices White and Hal? lan dissenting. Singapore, Straits Settlement, Mar--* 15.-lue steamer Jacon which arr:vs& here today, reports sighting -T? May twelfth thirteen Russian rael of war off Cape Varella, Cape Vare?? is a small promontory oft" Cocbim China, just North of Horkohe Ra*>.