Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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<Li>? tfi?itliXJjUi?il ciiiu ^JiUl)tOk WEDNESDAY, JULY 12, 1905. The Sumter Watchman was founded in 1850 and the True Southron in 1866. The Watchman and Southron now bas the com? bined circulation and influence of both of the old pape? s. and is manifestly the best advertising medium in Sumter. Colonel Watterson wrote ecstatic? ally about Munich beer, and a lot of bis constituents on this side really think he drank some of it. * * ? ... Should there be a few more mis baps th# -Panama Canal will be as long building as the waterworks in - Secretary Taft's home city. ? * ?. Mr. Rockefeller is not the "slow" man he has been taken for. He is a patron of the sports. He has just Civen a million dollars to a university. * * * .Secretary Taft delivered an address * lately in which he disparaged the jury system. He probably had an inkling Tof what the Chief Engineer of the Panama Canal was going to do. * * ?r The patent on chloroform is about to expire, but the breaking of the monopoly will not be of much practi? cal benefit. War is now the means of putting thousands of people to sleep. . . * At the encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic at Denver there "Will be an American flag one hundred and fifteen feet long and fifty-five feet deep. And there will probably be enough blowing of brass horns to keep it afloat. . ? . Governor Herricks cannot be justly blamed for his expression of pleasure at the nomination of Mr. Pattison by the Democrats. No doubt Mr. Patti? son is equally congratulatory over the renomination of Governor Herricks by the Republicans. . * . England has no fear of war with German iaywhich "France" would bave to do most of the fighting. It will not require a telescope to see Governor Folk when the Democ? racy begins to look around for can? didates for 1908. . . . Oyama figures>that the most practi? cal way to make the Russians "cease hostilities" will be to take them all prisoners. * * . That convention of Indiana poets Will be sustained by public sentiment if it adopts a plank "viewing with ?darm" the work of the Indiana prose writers. ft * * -?s a trustee of the Equitable Gro? ver Cleveland will hold himself ready to crush under the weight of his ."heaviest adjectives" any ?official who may resort to improper business methods. ? ? * As the United States has become a World power Castro now feels that he ?an visit it without a loss of prestige. % . . If those New York trains were to 5?y the track, somebody might go in? to eternity in even less than eighteen &ours. ? . . . . If somebody does not call Oyama off there is likely to be no Russian army when the time comes for arranging the armistice. President Roosevelt's efforts to make the department clerks at Wash? ington earn their salaries in the base? ball season, are a little short of bar? barous. It wasn't Mayor Dunne's idea, how? ever, that he would be sandwiched in between two Harrison administrations Sts mayor of Chicago. President Roosevelt doesn't see why Stations that need exercise cannot Work off their surplus energy in "con? structive war." ?Iowa bapJk deposits have increased $115,000,000 within the past twelve months, showing that all the govern? ment clerks of that state send their earnings back home. K Mr. Dalrymple were to express tkLsa&elt frankly about the possibilities ?rf reform, he would probably suggest thai the first thing Chicago ought to ?<io is to hold a prayer meeting a? Philadelphia did. "Peace" is something with which the Czar has had so little experience, | that he approaches a discussion of it "With natural diffidence. Cannot President Roosevelt exert feimself a little and bring the Franco Cerman war to a close before it ?tarts? Overworked Kidneys. Murray's Buchu, Gin and Juniper is prescribed and endorsed by eminent ^physicians. It cures when all else fails. Prevents Kidney Disease, Dropsy, Bright's Disease, etc. At all drug .stores $1.00 a bottle or direct from the ateray Drug Co., .Columbia, S. C. COURT PROCEEDINGS. Heyward Smith Acquitted-True Bill Against Geo. W. Murray. ! The grand jury reported on the fol j lowing bills: ! The State vs. Colclough Stukes. j j murder. True bill. The State vs. Sam Howard, ob? structing a neighborhood road. True bill. The grand jury returned a true bill in the case of the State vs. George W. Murray, perjury; made the final pre? sentment and was discharged Wednes? day afternoon. The trial of Heyward Smith for the murder of his wife which was in prog? ress Wednesday, was concluded in the afternoon with a verdict of not guilty. The trial of Jane Williams for mur? der was concluded Thursday after? noon with a verdict of guilty 'with a recommendation to mercy. A motion for a new trial was made by her attorney. The trial cf Colclough Stukes for the murder of Captain David E. Wells was commenced last Friday. Consid? erable time was consumed in the se? lection of the jury but when finally it was secured it was composed of as good men as the county affords. Hon. R I. Manning was foreman. Solicitor Wilson was assisted in the prosecution by R. D. Lee, ESQ., and H. D. Moise, Esq... Stukes was de? fended by J .J. Camey, Esq.. of Sum? merton. The examination of witnesses was conducted by Mr. Lee for the state. Up to the hour that the court took a recess for dinner only four witnesses had been examined, viz: John B. Barfield. J. D. Jones. Coroner S. F. Flowers and Dr. C. P. Osteen. None of these witnessed the killing and the case developed no sensa? tional features then. The only important testimony of the morning was that of Dr. C. P. Oste?u, who de? scribed the wounds that caused tm, death of Capt. Wells, and that of Cor? oner Flowers who testified that Stukes admitted to him that he killed Cap? tain Wells and identified the knife with which the deed was done. Messrs. Raffield and Jones testified to one fact that had an impor? tant bearing on the case-the finding of blood stains on the door facing of Captain Wells's bed room and bloody finger prints on the cash drawer of the iron safe in the bed room. The Trial of Colclough Stukes Contin? ued-Stukes on the Stand. I The trial of Colclough Stukes was continued Friday afternoon until I an unusually late hour, Judge Purdy J not ordering an adjournment until I 7.30 oclock. That afternoon the first wit ' ness was a little boy Leslie Burrows, who said that he saw Stukes in his room sharpening his knife when he passed the door on his way to the lot to hitch a horse to the buggy, having been sent to do so by Captain Wells. About 15 minutes later he heard an outcry at the house The other witnesses examined dur? ing the afternoon were Elladora Farmer, Sam Hudson, Fraser Gibbes, Nathan Washington, Robert Dallas, Nathan Amos, Lucius Epps, Mr. J. A. Hodge, Mr. L. L Parrott and Mr. C. G. Rowland. The most important witness was Fraser Gibbes, a young mulatto farm hand who was the only eye witness of the killing. He was sitting on the same bench with Stukes while the conver? sation preceding the murder was go? ing on between Captain Wells and Stukes. He gave a clear and graphic account of the tragedy from the be? ginning of the talk during the noon hour while they were resting in the back hall of Captain Wells' house to the flight of Stukes after his victim was dead. Omitting the details he swore that Stukes attacked Captain Wells when his back was turned, he being in the act of getting his pipe and tobacco from the top of a safe in the hall. Stukes first stabbed or cut Captain Wells on the back of the neck, and as Captain Wells turned, he continued cutting him until he fell to the floor on his face. Stukes then stooped or knelt over him and stab? bed him in the back. Gibbes went out of the fornt door and around the house. Stukes went to the front door and called his wife who was not in sight. He then turned and went into Captain Wells' bed room. Gibbes then went to the back of the premises where he saw Stukes' wife with her children and then across the field to a neighb r's house, being afraid of Stukes. While going across the field he saw Stukes going across the field on the opposite side of the house in the direction of his mother's place across the branch. The next most important witness was Nathan Washington, another farm hand who was lying on a bench on the front piazza of Captain Wells' house. He could not see Captain Wells and Stukes but heard their con? versation. Heard Captain Wells say he was going to get off Stukes' bond and send him to the chain gang, and heard Captain Wells call him to go foi Magistrate Ingram and tell him to come for Stukes with a pair of hand? cuffs. Next heard a scuffle and some? thing fall. Jumped up and looked uown the hall. Saw Captain Wells lying on his face with Stukes leaning over him stabbing him in the back. He then ran off. The other testimony was principally cumulative and in confirmation of the testimony of Gibbes and Washington. Mr. Rowland stated that Captain Wells sad drawn $50 from the Farm? ers' Bank and Trust Company a few days before the killing. Mr. Hodge stated that he had paid Captain Wells $50 in cash in the pres? ence of Mr. L. L Parrott a. few days before the killing. Saturday court convened at 9 o'clock. The following witnesses for tho state testified: J. D. Jones, L. I. Parrott, A. H. Weeks, J. E. Gaillard, J. R. Wells, Ben Wilder, W. G. Wells The state rested when Mr. W. G. Wells testified. The state's case was strengthened by the evidence brought out. but no new evidence was brought out except the statement of Stukes to Policeman Weeks that Captain Wells had no weapon. For the defense the first witness to got on the stand was Cain Burrows but it was ruled that his testimony was irrelevant. Colclough Stukes, the defendant, was then put on the stand and told his story of the killing. The cross-ex? amination had not been completed when a recess was taken at 1:30 o'clock until 3:20. Stukes stated that the trouble arose over an attempt on the part of Captain Wells to break in? to his (Stukes*) room on the night previous to the killing, during his ab? sence from home and an attempt to assault his (Stukes') wife on the morning of the killing while he was at work in the field and Wells and the woman were alone in the house. He was talking to Captain Wells about it and asking for satisfaction and Wells finally told him he would get off his bond, put him on the chain gang and do what he pleased with his wife. Captain Wells told Nathan Washington to go for Magis? trate Ingram to come for him (Stukes) with a pair of handcuffs. Stukes told Captain Wells not to do that but give him time to get some? body else to go on his bond, and then release him and his wife from their contract. Captain Wells said he would not do it, and jumped up, collared him and began beating him on the head. Stukes was sitting on the shelf and had to hold on with one hand to keep from falling out. He drew his knife with the other hand, opened it against his leg and reached up and cut Captain Wells until he (Wells) released him and fell to the floor. He then went to his brother's house across the branch, got him to hitch up his buggy and started for Sumter to give himself up. He met Mr. Pritch? ard on the way who told him the deputy sheriff had come out to Cap? tain Wells', so he went back to the house and surrendered. Stukes Convicted and Sentenced to Hang August IS. Saturday afternoon the trial of Col? clough Stukes for murder was con? tinued. When the court was convened at 3:30 o'clock Colclough Stukes, the defendant, returned to the stand and continued his testimony. On cross examination he adhered to his state? ment that he was talking with Cap? tain Wells about the assault by Wells on his wife and related his story- of cutting Wells when he collared him and began beating him. Maria Stukes, wife of the defend? ant, stated that Captain Wells broke into her room about 1 o'clock on the night preceeding the killing and at? tempted to assault her and that again on the morning of the killing he came to her room and made an attempt to rape her, of which occurrence she told her husband. She denied having signed any affidavit, relating the facts of the killing, in the presence of Magistrate Ingram, W. G. Wells and J. R. Wells. She said she signed a paper in their presence which they told her was a release from the labor contract with the late D. E. Wells. Sarah Stukes, the mother of the prisoner, told of his being at her house until ll o'clock the night before the killing of Captain Wells. She also stated that before Captain Wells went on Stukes' bond, Captain Wells had proposed to her that she go on the bond with him and they could defraud Levi Bros. out of all Colclough Stukes owed them, and that she had refused, telling him that if her son owed Levi Bros. he must pay them. In reply the state put Magistrate Ingram, W. G. Wells. J. R. Welis and W. S. Cherry on the stand. W. G. Wells and J. li. Wells reiter? ated their former statements in ref? erence to the affidavit of Maria Stukes. Magistrate Ingram related the cir? cumstances under which the affidavit of Maria Stukes was taken and con? firmed the setatements made therein. W. S. Cherry verified the statements contained in the interview with Col- ? i clough Stukes published in The Daily Item on May 13th. Court then adjourned until 9:30 o'clock Monday morning. When the court convened Monday morning the arguments were com I menced. Mr. H. D. Moise spoke first for the prosecution. He spoke for i one hour and ten minutes, reviewing the evidence in a clear, forcible and comprehensive manner. Mr. J. J. Cantey, for the defense, ! followed, speaking for a little more than an hour. He based his defense j on the ground of the higher law and that Stukes was justified in killing Da? vid E. Wells for his assault on his wife. In his speech he arraigned the dead man in the most severe manner, laying bare the secret sins of his life j and characterizing him as a low down j scoundrel, a vile, vulgar, degraded vil lian and immoral lewd reprobate and associate of degraded negro women. He was also extremely severe and caustic in his allusion to Magistrate Ingram and W. G. Wells. It was alto? gether the most plain spoken and bit? terest spech that the writer has heard in the court house during fifteen years' experience as a newspaper re? porter. Col. R. D. -Lee closed for the state in a, speech an hour and forty min? utes duration. He was at his best and made an argument that covered the who'e case. His reply to Mr. Cantey and his arraignment of the -dead man's character was particularly strong and effective. At times he was intensely and forcibly dramatic, par? ticularly in his description of the slaughter of Captain Wells and the grewsnme appearance 1. . body pre? sented as it lay upon the floor welter? ing in his blood after Stukes had worked his will upon it. When Col. Lee concluded Judge Purdy adjourned court until 3:30 o'clock, reserving his charge to that hour When the crowd was coming out of the court room and down the steps Mr. John B. Hatfield, a brother-in law of the late Captain Wells, made a violent assault upon Mr. J. J. Cantey, the attorney for the defense, kicking him several times :.n the rear as Mr. Cantey preceded him down the steps. Mr. Cantey did not retal? iate and there was no fight. When the court reconvened at 3:30 o'clock Judge Purdy charged the jury briefly, confining himself to an exposition of the law relating to mur? der, manslaughter and self defense. The jury retired and in a few minutes returned a verdict of guilty. Judge Purdy then sentenced Stukes to be hanged on Friday, August 18. After the conclusion of the trial of Colclough Stukes all cases remaining on the criminal docket were contin? ued until the next term. The following prisoners who were convicted last week were sentenced: Jane Williams, alias Tvktie Williams, murder with recomendation to mercy, j A motion for a new trial was made and refused. Sentenced to the re? mainder of her natural life in the pen? itentiary. William Fraser and William Law? rence, housebreaking and larceny. One year in the state reformatory. William Fraser, William Lawrence and Jefferson Nelson, housebreaking and larceny. One year each in the state reformatory for Fraser and Law? rence and two years for Nelson. This concluded the business of the Court of General Sessions. On yesterday the Court of Common Pleas was opened and the civil cases requiring a jury were taken up. JUDGE PURDY Comments on the Evils of the Dispen? sary System. In passing sentence on a young white man at Kingstree recently Judge Purdy expressed himself forci? bly on the dispensary. He made several remarks as to the evils of the dispensary and in conclusion said: "We have put this liquor under the operation of this law into the hands of the defendant, and we prohibit any one but an officer selling it. Yet when a man under these conditions assaults another as in the case before the court we punish him for it." SOUTH CAROLINA MILITARY ACADEMY. CHARLESTON, S. C., July 6, 1905. One vacancy in a State Beneficiary Scholarship to be filled by competi? tive examination exists in Sumter county. Application Blanks may be obtain? ed at once from Col. C. S. GADSEX. Chairman. Charleston. S. C.. or from the County Superintendent of Educa? tion. These applications, fully filled out in every particular, must be in the hands of the Chairman on July 31, in order to receive consideration. (Signed.) C. S. GADSEX, Chairman Board of Visitors. July 12-3L TO QUALIFY FOR GOOD POSITIONS GUARANTEED IN WRITING. 590 FREE SCH?j^-SHips OFFERED QA.-ALA. BUS. COLLEGE, MACON, QA .... :. :. .._ - . LIFE INSURANCE. New Orleans, Jv.ly 8.-"Southern lire ii surance policy holdens are reap? ing only a minimum reward from their I thrift and industry. For years they I have been thrwoiug their money into j the Easr, when it i-boold have been kept at borne developing their own in? dustries..'1 The above statement, made by a prominent Louisiana banker to an- j other at the St. Charles Hofpl last j week, resultea in developing a highly ! interesting story due, so the banker ? explained, to s? me deep thii king be i baa lately <:iven a subject of utmost impoitance to even* wage earner and investor in the South. "Nearly all of the life insurance companies are located in r.he North," | said he, "and accumulate huge'sums : there from premiums, which are in- j vested to a very large extent in north- | ern s?curit?s. This practice cf invest- ! ing funds, which are nothing more | than the savings of the people of the entire country, in one scetion of the I country has immensely benefitted that ! section, helping in a thousand legiti- j mate wajs every industry and giving employment to millions of wage earn- ? ers ana opening up profitable invest- i ments to capitalists. Were this same I principle applied to savings bark-, and j ali the savings sent to New York for investment, the one-sidedness of the j practice weald be still more apparent. . "From the view peint of the financi- i er and the policy-holder in the South, ? a big life insurance company, doing ; business all over the country but in- j vi-sting most of its accumulations in | the Scntb, would go a long way in ad- ' justing the balance, and its .success witina a few year.- would be followed i by the organization ot others which , in time would keep hundreds of mil- ! lions of dellars of money in the South which is now being utilized >n ouild ing up the North. "I have ' talked with a numb?r of j bankers and Sombren policy-holders : and I am convinced the orgnization j of such a company would be generally j encouraged in the South. The organ- j ization should be along the strongest j lines possible, and tbe contml should j be in the hands of the policy-holders in fact a? well as in theory. It should j be a stock company with a million cr : more capital, every share of which is to be retirable at the pleasure of the company, ??u-jh concern would be patronized, and the ?oath would take pride in promoting ir* success. Such a company would do ja>t as mach for it policy holders es a.-.y ether, and at the same rime help, through its high class Souther:: investments every legitimate Moutbern industry. A number cf prominent bankers and bu>in- ss men are already deeply in? terested in tbe matter, and may take it np definitely some day soon. The Presbyterian College. The Clinton Chronicle makes the fol? lowing remarks in regard to the col? lege matter: The Board of Directors of the Presbyterian College of South Caro? lina has appointed a committee to meet with the Clinton College Asso? ciation and prefer a request that the College Asociation deed all its pro? perty, consisting of the Dormitory and the recitation hall tracts of land, to? gether with their buildings, to the Eoard of Directors, in fee simple, without conditions as to the College remaining here. This request is to be made, not? withstanding that -the College is now advertised to be knocked down to the highest bidder. We congratulate the majority voters of the Eoard upon their remarkable exhibit of nerve. Either they take the local College Association for an easy mark, or eise they imagine that by the boldness of the proposition they may overwhelm the locals. We do not remember of ever hearing of just such an example of pure gail. Murray's Iron Mixttui Xow is the time to takea spring tonic. Ey far the bes: thing to take is Murray's Iron Mixture. It makes pure blood and gets rid of that tired feeling. At all druggists 50 cents a bottle or direct from the Murray Drug Co., Co? lumbia, S. C WK GUARD OUR PATRONS' INTERESTS The Farmers' Bani and Trust Co. Capital Stock $60,000. -:- Undivided Profits $4,000. Deposits June 30, end of first quarter after organization, $113, 459.17. . Liability of stockholders, in addition to capital ?tock, $60,000. A general banking business. Solicits your patronage and guarantees every courtesy con? sistent with good business meth? ods. THE SUMTER IRON WORKS. Phone 237. JOHN I. BRUNSON, President. W. E. BRUNSON, General Manager. E. W. MOISE, Jr,, Sec. and Treas. I We are now in a position to furnish you Engines, Boilers, Saw Mills of the follnwing'makes : (Engines) Liddell and Wa? tertown : (Boilers) Lombard, Nagle, Erie City Iron Works and. ako, B-ilers manuf.ctured by The Sumter Iron Works : (Saw Mills) fclager Mill, Chase Turbine Mfg. Co 7s Mill and, also, The Chattanooga Machinery Co. Improved Drag Saw ' The J I Case Traction Engine and Trashing Machines and all other machinery necessary for the wants of the people kept in stock at all times. We also make a specialty of repairing engines and boilers from 1 to 100 horse power ; also machine shop work and mould shop work, castirgs made from 1 to 3,000 lbs, such as iron sills, columns gratings, ventilators, andirons, fire backs, etc. We also handle The Deering ^1$r^ harvesting Machine, including Reapers and Binders, Corn Harvesters and Threshers, Mowers and Rakes, Peg Tooth and Disk Harrows. Hay Balers. The above machinery being the best sold, the only ball bear? ing machines on the market. We are also in a posh ion to oiler the public the lb lowing wagons: The Weber Four Wheel Broad Tire, and The Colum? bus. And to the Mill men we oifer the Hattiesburg & Lindsay eight wheel wagon. Come and see ns, Corner of Washington St and Oakland ave One block north of the Southern Railroad Depot. Sumter, S. O