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mnn o nd fHB dOMTEK W ATCBSAH. ?atablished April. IS SO? 3?? Inst and Fear not--Let all the Ends thou Alias i at oe wy Country's thy God's and Truth's. THE THUS SOD THRON, Established June, 13? Coso!!dated Aug. 2,1881. SUMTER. S. C.. WEDNESDAY. JULY 19. 1905. Sew Series-Vol. XXIY. So. 52 Pzciisisd Swry ^Todaesday, OSTEEN PU3LISHIWG COMPANY,1 I SUMTER, 8. C. T*RKB : $1 50 per aoancD-io advance. A57 IR?ISlIIIi: 0 e Square first insertion...... ..$1 {,0 E ery sabee?ue?t insertion........ 50. Contracta for three months, or longer fil* b made at red aced rates. AH comraanMarions which aa bserve private interests' wil? be charged for as ad ver tie mea ts. Obit naries and'tributes of respects will bf ?harged for. THE LAST HAZARD. Russian Army in Manchuria Will Make Grand Stand Play to Im } press the World That Umpire Is Not Whipped. . Tokio, Jury 17.-An unofficial re? port from the front says the Russiar forces in Manchuria are estimated at 400,000 men. It is believed that Gen. eral Linevitch is planning: to make a [grand warlike demonstration simulta? neously with the meeting of the peace plenipotentiaries. This action will be taken, it is said, to make it appear that Russia still has a chance to re? cover hex? lost military prestige for the effect it may have upon the nego? tiations. LADY ASSAULTED. Wife Of Former Atlanta. Mayor Felled on Peachtree Street By Negro. Atlanta, Ga., July II.-Mrs. Living? ston Hims, wife of Major Mims, and one of the most prominent women , in the social and religions life of the south, was knocked- down by an un? known negro on Peachtree street, near North avenue tonight and is suf? fering from bruises and the shock. The robber secured nothing for his pams, and Mrs. Mims was very fortunately little injured. Mrs. Mims takes a short walk every evening about 7 o'clock on Peachtree street, and has never thought of the possibiliity of a hold up. Mrs. Mims knew nothing of her danger until she was hit on the head from the rear over the right ear. She was dazed for the moment and hardly knew what had happened. The man caught her by the arm and in her dazed state of mind Mrs. Minas ^thought for a , moment that it was some kind person about to help her np. She was undeceived the next moment when a second blor. was struck. The snatch thief secured noth? ing, as Mrs.. Mrs. Mims had failed to take h"-r pocket book with her. She thinks that hev made a search for it, bnt was unable to find it. She saw him walk leisurely across the street. Fi? nally she was able to get up and walk siowly to the thorne of Mr. Wilkins. SUICIDE ES KERSHAW. _ Yoting Man Kills Himself Beca use His Father Reproved Him. Camden, July IL-^Vernon Nettles, a son of Mr. Hiram Nettles, shot him? self in the head today with suicidal intent. He died late this afternoon. It seems his father reproved him severely on Saturday,? and he had re? fused to eat anything since. The sad affair is regretted here very much. His home is in West Wateree. Mr. Dalton McLeod had some words with one of the floor bosses at the Hermitage Cotton Mill today and shot at him without effect. .... ^_ DARING PLOT To Abduct the Governor's Son and Hold Him for Hansom. Santa Fe, July 12.-A plot to ab? duct Governor Ottero's son has been exposed. Eight ex-convicts are _said to have formed themselves into a band to carry out the scheme. It -.was planned to carry the boy off into rn the wilds and hold him for ransom. The governor ?has the mounted police and secret service men of the territory' on the lookout for members of the gang and will leave no stone unturned until the entire party is captured. A Peremptory Order. Columbia, July ll.-The railroad commission tonight issued a per? emptory order to the Southern and Coast Line roads, to publish and en? force inter-line rates on the Union and Glenn Springs road. This order follows up the one pre? viously issued,, and unies obeyed will go into the courts. Cairo, Egypt, July 13.-Reports re? ceived from the various sections of the cotton growing area show that the crop will be excellent. THE DARLINGTON TRAGEDY MR. PEGRAM DARGAN" PURCHAS ED POISON FOR HIS BROTHER. He Was Present When the Fatal Por tion Was Swallowed-Remained in Locked in Room Until His Broth? er Was Dead. ! _ Darlington, July ll.-Robert Keith Dargan, formerly president of the In? dependent Oil Company and of the Darlington Trust Company, committed suicide between 8 and 9 o'clock to? night by taking carbolic acid. Mr. Dargan was on the streets this afternoon and appeared in his usual manner. He had been reticent since the recent troubles of the large con? cerns of which he had been the head, and this afternoon he made appoint? ments to meet several gentlemen later in the evening, one of these being Mr. W. F. Dargan, who states that Mr. R. K Dargan told him he would go to Mr. W. -F. Dargan's office within an hour from the* time they were talking. According to the statement of Dr. Edwards, Mr. Dargan swallowed four ounces of carbolic acid. When he drank the acid he was" in his father's law office. His brother was with him when he died. Physicians were sum? moned but it was impossible to save his life. Mr. Dargan left a statement that he had taken his life on his own accord. His friends think he had hoped, to straighten out his affairs and had ex? pected that the oil company would be reorganized but after the action in the federal court he lost his hope and be? came noticeably despondent Mr. Dargan was about 40 years of age. He was married, his wife being before her marriage Miss Jermain of North Carolina, They have two chil? dren.-The State. . The Case in the Court. Charleston, July ll.-As a result of the conference of a "number of lawyers and others interested in the financial troubles of the Independent Cotton Oil mill of Darlington there is a possibility of the order of the federal court in the appointment of the temporary receiv? er, pending the bankruptcy ruie hear? ing, being rescinded but this will de? pend upon a further conference of parties interested and the consent of the court. It appears that the parties are all agreed that the action in bankruptcy was .the proper step, for if it had not been taken by Charleston interests, it would have been inaugurated by for? eign creditors, who would not be as friendly to the cause, but the differ? ence of opinion only enters in the fed? eral court temporary receivership. The interests in the case seem to hold to the opinion now that Judge Watts' order in the state court is sufficient for the temporary adjudication of the troubles and that President Bright Williamson's hands should be free, as the state court order allows for the settlement of many matters, which a joint receivership, under the federal court, might handicap. It is likely that in the next day or two an order may be prepared and submitted to the federal court rescind? ing the receivership while making no change in the status of the bankrupt? cy matter, the motion in which case will come before the court in July 27 when the affairs of the corporation may then be turned over to the trus? tee in bankruptcy. Darlington, July 12.-The sad and untimely end of Mr. Robert Keith Dargan has cast a gloom over Darling? ton. At 9 o'clock this morning Coron? er J. N. Clanten summoned a jury for the purpose of holding an inquest. The members of the jury were: E. R. Cox, T. E. Sligh, E. S. Howie, R. W. Coggeshall. C. K. King, J. K. Doyle, G. E. Kirby, D. W. Cunningham, W. B. Brunsen, T. H. Coker, Jr., and Thom? as H. Rogers. Mr. G. K. King was elected foreman. The jury met at the court house and marched from there to the residence of the deceased, where they viewel the body as required by law, and thence to the iaw office of the Hon. E. K. Dargan, where the awful deed was committed. I After viewing the office and taking ?in the situation the jury marched back to the Court House,, wwhere the inquest was to be held. On account of the physical as well as mental con? dition of Mr. Pegram Dargan, brother of the dead man, who is the principal witness, the jury concluded to ad? journ until 9 o'clock tomorrow morn? ing. ? This afternoon at 8 o'clock the funeral tock place from his late residence on Cashua street. The body was buried at the Methodist grave yard in the presence of a large crowd of people. The circumstances of the suicide all indicate that it was most delibe? rately planned. There has been no testimony and no statement concern? ing what had transpired in the law of? fice where Mr. Dargan took his life has been given out, but the facts, as gath? ered from reliable men, are that Mr. Pegram Dargan went into the. drug store of L. B. Phillips some time be? tween 4 and 6 o'clock Tuesday after? noon and bought the four ounces of carbolic acid. He was alone and did not go in the direction of the law oi fice when he left. The two brothers, Mr. Pegram Dar? gan and Mr. Robert Keith Dargan, went to the law office of their father opposite the Darlington Guards'- ar? mory building before 8 o'clock and * locked themselves in. One of them poured out most of the four ounces of acid in a glass aind the rest he poured in a small bowl and mixed about a gill of rye whiskey in it. This concoction was to be used to deaden the pain from the raw acid, but only a part of it, if any, was taken, as the bowl, which is in the possession of the cor? oner, still contains a sm?ll quantity. After a portion had been taken, Mr. Dargan remained in the room with his brother until life was extinct and then notified their cousin, Mr. W. F. Dar? gan, who in turn quickly called Dr. Edwards, but their arrival was too late for human aid. The suicide had left a brief state? ment which stated that he had ended his own life and that his brother had procured the (here he made a dash) and that he may have mismanaged but he was not a coward. He also left a letter which was not addressed, but is said to have been for his wife. All these facts, it is expected, will be brought out at the coroner's inquest in the morning. The Coroner's Verdict. Special to The Daily Item. Darlington, July 13.-The coroner's jury empanelled to inquire into the cause of the death of Robert IC Dar? gan completed its work this morning after a brief session. There was no sensational testimony and few facts not already published and none of these important, were brought out. The verdict of the jury was as fol? lows: "Robert IC Dargan came .to his death from the effects of carbolic acid, administered by his own hands, as per witness statement of the deaceased." GENERAL NEWS ITEMS. Parr^raphs of General Interest Gath? ered From all Sections. St. Petersburg, July 12.-It is now reported that the arrest of . General Stoessel yesterday was due to the dis? covery of new data and evidence bear? ing on the surrender of Port Arthur, where he was in command at the time of its capture by the Japanese. Gibraltar, July 12.-Ten men were killed and several others injured in an explosion of steam pipes aboard the British battleship Implacal today. New York, July 12.-Samuel Levin, 22 years old, committed suicide by jumping from the roof of the Brook? lyn police headquarters where he was taken to be pictured for the rogues' gallery. He was arrested on a-charge of arson. It is believed he was con? nected with many incendiary fires in which lives were lost. K?stenji, July 12.-The battleship Kniaz Potemkine which was sunk by mutneers was refloated today. The machinery of the battleship was also tampered with and is in such condition it cannot be relied upon. London, July 12.-The Princess of Wales gave birth to a son this morn? ing at Sandringham palace. Both mother and child are doing well. Four of the former five children of the Prince of Wales are boys. Some dis? appointment was felt, it being hoped the new arrival would be a girl. Columbia, July ll.-A. M. Wallace, of Columbia, was shot by John M. Glenn this afternoon, at Wallaceville, a few miles north of Columbia. Glenn is the postmaster and became involved in a row with Wallace over an inspection of the books. The ball entered the hip and narrowly missed the" main artery- Wallace was found on the railroad track and brought to Columbia by ^the Green? ville train, and Glenn has not yet been arrested. Washington, July 13.-Ambassador Meyer has officially reported the ap? pointment of M. Witte as the chief peace plenipotentiary in place of Count Maravieff who has resigned on accouru of ill health. M. Witte is ex? pected to reach here on August 1. PROMINENT PEOPLE DBOWNEQ. YACHT COLLIDES WITH STEAMER AND IS SUNK. Woman and Two Men Lose Their Lives in the Hudson While Out For Pleasure in a Millionaire's Yacht-No Names are Given. New York, July 12.-Little addi? tional light was thrown tooay on the mysterious drowning of a woman and two men in the Hudson river, near Dobb's Ferry, last night. That the wo? man was some one of wealth and po? sition is indicated this morning by a reward of one thousand dollars for the recovery of her body. The pi:rty offering the reward declined to give her name or to give the name of the woman drowned. She said, however, it was her sister and at the time she was drowned she had a large amount ot jewelry in her possession. The wo? man was drowned aboard the steam launch Normandie, owned by G. W. Dumont, a millionaire. .From scattered facts it appears there were six in the party aboard the yacht which was run into and sunk by an unknown steamer. About hal* an hour after the yacht was sunk three men were seen on the shore, having been saved by Swedish sailors in a row boat. They hurriedly lett, refusing to give their names. HARRIS- WHEELER. Daughter of General Joe Wheeler to Wed Resident of Cedartown, Ga. Atlanta, Ga., July ll.-The Journal today says: The announcement comes from Washington today of the approaching marriage of Miss Julia Knox Wheeler, daughter of General Joseph Wheeler, to \r. William J. Harris, of Cedar town, Ga. No announcement in recent years will be of more interest in southern social circles. Miss Wheeler, who is a daughter of the famous Confederate cavalry leader has a distinction all her own in her charming personality and the wide circles of friends she has won. She has been*extensively entertain? ed in northern and southern capitals, and no young woman is more sincerely admired in this section. In the north, where she has spent some time since completing her education, she repre? sents the true type of the southern womanhood ol today. Miss Wheeler finished her education in New York and Paris, and has traveled extensively abroad. RUSSIA IN EARNEST. Selection of M. Witte is Evidence That the Czar Wants Peace. St. Petersburg, July 13.-The selec? tion of M. Witte as Russian ranking peace plenipotentiary in place of M. Muravieff is regarded here as best ev? idence yet given that the czar is really ready for peace. Witte's views favor? ing immediate cessation of hostilities are too well known to leave any doubt in the minds of the officials here that active steps will be taken toward bringing the war to a close when the peace commissioners actually get to? gether. There is the greatest rejoicing over the selection of a man who is virtually leader of the peace party. FLYER WRECKS FREIGHT. The Pennsylvania Eighteen Hour Train Has Remarkable Escape. Harrisburg, July 15.-The Pennsyl? vania flyer, the eighteen hour train between Chicago and New York, struck and wrecked a freight train while running at top speed, west of Port Royal at 5:07 this morning. The flyer remained on the track and no? body was injured, but the engneer of the flyer, Calvin Miller, who jumped, sustaining an injury to the back of his head. Fireman Garman stopped the train and brought it to this city. The engine was only slightly injured. The Harrisburg wreck was caused by a car of che freight train buckling. TROOPS GUARD JAIL. Alabama Officers Protecting Five Ne? gro Criminals at Gadsden. Birmingham, Ala., July 17.-Troops still surround the jail in Gadsden to prevent the lynching of five negroes held as suspects in connection with the criminal assault and murder of Mrs. S. J. Smith, the white woman whose naked and mutilated body was found yesterday morning in an alley. A mob hung around the jail all ni?ht and this morning some remained at a distance in front, but no clash came. THE LUMBERMEN MEET. PROPOSITION TO UNITE WITH N. C. ASSOCIATION CONSIDERED. Immigration Commissioner Watson and 3Ir. D. W. Alderman Discuss tlie Labor Situation and the Use of Foreigners in the Lumber Industry. The South Carolina Lumbermen's Association met in the Lodge room of Masinoc Temple at ll o'clock Friday morning with president William God? frey, "of Cheraw, in the chair. After the meeting was called to or? der the regular reports of the secre? tary and treasurer were made and oth? er business of a strictly routine nature was disposed of. Mr. H. L. Scarborough, who was sent to Chicago as the representative of the association to attend the meet? ing of the National Lumbermen's As sociation^made his report. The election of officers was held and resulted as follows: President-D. T. McKiethen, of Lumber. First vice-President-R. J. Alder? man, of Alcolu. Second vice-President-William Hickoun, of Cheraw. Secretary and Treasurer-J. P. Brunson, of Lumber. The special business of the meet? ing, the proposition of the North Car? olina Pine Association, whose head? quarters are in Norfolk, Va., that the two associations be combined, was then taken up. The proposition was presented by Mr. John R. Walker, secretary of'the North Carolina Pine Association. He went into the matter at some length, explaining why and in what way it would be mutually advantageous to the lumbermen composing the asso? ciation that they be combined. The proposition was discussed quite generally, the debate developing a sen? timent about equally divided as to ac? cepting or not accepting the propsi tion. Among those who participated in the discussion were: R. J. Alderman. William Hickson, George Burchell, R. M. Cooper, William Godfrey, William Otis. Mr. E. C. Harrell, of Tifton, Ga., secretary of the Georgia Inter-State Lumber Association, who was present by invitation, by request made a short talk on the subject. On motion of Mr. H. L. Scarborough Messrs. D. T. McKiethen, of Lumber, T. W. Boyle and William Godfrey were elected as a committee to meet a similar committee from the North Carolina Pine Association to go into the matter more fully and to report back to their respective associations. The time and place of meeting was left to the committee to determine. State Immigration Commissioner E. J. Watson who was present by invita? tion was requested to give the meet? ing information? relative to the possi? bility of securing immigrants to sup? ply the labor that the lumbermen so seriously need. Mr. Watson stated that since he had held the office he had made every ef? fort to supply every demand for la? bor that had come to him. Finding when he first went into office that he was not able with the resources at his command to secure the number of im? migrants called for, he had endeavor? ed to secure them through regular la? bor agents, who make a business of engaging foreign laborers, either raw immigrants or those who have been in the country for some time, for those needing them. These agents charge a fee or commission varying from $2 to $5 per head, and those who employ them are expected to pay the railroad fare from New York to their destina? tion. If the laborers remain with their employer six months the fare goes to them as a bonus, but if they desire to leave sooner the amount is deducted from their wages. Through these agencies he ho J so cured quite a number of laborer* for | parties in the state, a case in point be- I j ing Mr. D. W. Alderman, for whom a gang of thirty jad boen engaged at j one time, and ihat gentleman would ! relate his experience with thom. In ! selecting the men foi Mr AMeriian ! he had made a personal e??ort tc get isO'd men suiv-i tv ti e work they were expected to perform, ito .-.nd made a trip t . New Yoi ?; and had given much ti-.ne to the mailer. He regretted that the experiuien: had nol resulted satisfactorily and there had been a misunderstand-ng in reference { to some of the details of tlie trarsac- ' tion, but as long as human beings be- | have as human beings, one could not guarantee what they would do or how they would behave. He selected the best men he could and it then rested with the employer to work out the re suits. His office and the work is now bet? ter organized and he has established an office in New York with a first class man in charge, for the purpose of engaging laborers. The fee has been reduced to $2 a head and every care is exercised in selecting the men sent to this state. He has also an agent working in Holland and will soon have one in Germany. He has an office in Glascow with agents working in Scotland. He is endeavoring to draw immigrants from the rural dis? tricts from among the agricultural classes, who will be best adapted to the conditions in this state. He ex? pressed confidence that his office will soon be in a position to supply all calls for labor and he hopes for good re? sults when these immigrants begin to come in. For immediate calls the only source is New York, Philadelphia and other large northern cities where the labor? ers must be recruited from the for? eigners who have been some time in the country. The scale of wages for men from those cities is, as a rule. $1.75 to $2.50 a day for common la? borers. But he has made arrange* ments whereby he can secure men who will work for from $1.25 to $1.50 per day for 10 to ll hours work. He said that he expected better re? sults would be obtained, however, from tb> immigrants who come dire"? frr A\ Holland, Germany and Scotland as the result of the work of his agents in those countries, but he did not ex? pect many to arrive until the crop sea? son closed, as the, element' he was looking to secure would not leave until the crops were made. Mr. D. W. Alderman of AIcolu, said that labor was the great need of the hour. That at present his mill was not working more than two-thirds of the time and unless conditions im? proved and more laborers can be ob? tained he would have to go out of business. Labor conditions have been growing worse for several years, but this year they have been more unsat? isfactory than ever. In reference to the foreigners he had brought down to work he would say that it had been a failure. As to the misunderstanding with Mr. Watson's office he would say that both were probably to blame. He had not understood, ., that he would have to pay any ..^ggt?j&n^had wanted raw agents ^^^?BB?^ *"*e under? stood that he would have to advance railroad fare. He had engaged thirty men at $1.25 a* day. When they came they were mostly. Hungarians, with a few Germans and other nation alities in the crowd. When they ar? rived they said they understood all about.the kind of labor they were to perform and the character of the log camp, his letter explaining these mat? ters having been read to them in New York. .They had made contracts with the labor agent for ten hours work for $1.25 a day. The matter of hours he had arranged satisfactorily, for while they were on duty more than ten hours, owing to interruptions, they actually performed less than eight hours work a day. They had good quarters and an abundance of good food prepared for them three times a day. Yet the experiment was a signal failure and within a few days all ex? cept four of them left The trouble was with the debt they owed for transportation and they seized the op? portunity to get out of paying it. The four Hungarians who remained were ail raw immigrants and were good workers. Becentiy he had sent one of these men to New York to engage more laborers. He picked out fifteen and sent them to AIcolu. They un? derstood all about the place and the work before they came, and so stated when they arrived, but nine of them quit the next day. He thought that if the raw immi? grants who w?.re accustomed to hard labor could be secured, better results might be obtained, but the experiment with present conditions was a failure. Going into a general discussion of the labor situation Mr. Alderman re? lated his experience with the negro labor. A few years ago there was no trouble in getting all he needed for the mill, but it was difficult to get farm hands, now it is no trouble to get all the farm hands wanted for $6 to SS a month and rations, while mill hands cannot be had for 90 cents to $1 i. day. He suggested that efforts should be made to induce the legislature to enact a labor contract law that would apply to other classes of labor as it now does to farm hands. When Mr. Alderman concluded there was a brief general discussion of the labor situation, all agreeing that it was the most serious problem con? fronting the lumber business of this state and other Southern states. Before adjournment it was an nounced that there would be a con catenation nf the Tinn-Hoos at 3:30 and another at D p. m.