The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, July 26, 1905, Image 4
4?tatc?maa at? ?$o??|roii.
-? ?? --
WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 1905.
The Sumter Watchman was founded in
^850 and the True Southron in 1868. The
^Watchnm? and Southron now baa the com
. %ined ci reola tioc and influence of both of
%be old pap?is, and is manifestly the best
advertising medium in Sumter.
Weather and Crops.
Co&sabia, July ?5.-The week end
? ^ag i?onday,? July 24th had a mean
temperature about 2 degrees per day
.^tewe normal. The extremes were a
Maximum of 100 degrees at Black?
ville and Florence on the 20th and a
^minimunt of; '67 degrees at Charleston
Cae l*th and at Greenvale on the
: ^?tb. lt wa* somewhat cooler at the
Tdose of the^week. ; The sunshine was
formal, or slightly above,. and was
^highly beneficial. There were a few
&ecal high winds, but ho serious dam?
site -was done.
There were practically no rain over
*She eastern half of the Sate; in the
<fcentral counties there were numerous
^ocai showers, some of which were
*fceavy; there were also scattered light
??shovrers over the western counties,
^hat rain fell, was .highly beneficial,
5&s iz cccurred in localities that nee:"K d
Over the greater portion of tne j
v entral and southern counties the
Aground has become very dry and rain
%s needed. " WhereV the rainfall was
3beavy last week, ' "crops did excep
l tonally well, but where it was light
$L&st week.and none fell this week,
Barops suffered sud generally deteri?
orated, cotton "by wilting under the
^sigh temperature, and rusting, turn?
ing1 yellow and shedding; corn by fir
%ng and wilting. Cultivation made
^air progress and over a large portion
the State, crops have been laic
although this work will not be
Completed, for several weeks.
- ^Cotton continued to make rapid
^growth generally and has too large a i
^areed and too little fruit over the (
greater portion, while a number of
Areports indicate that growth has
stopped, and that the plants' are
?blooming to the top. There -are
^ewer reports of damage-from insects, j
-sand more of rust and shedding and
plants turning yellow. Cotton is
r5*ega*m?ng to open in lower Barnwell
^?sonnty.
-?CSaere is a general improvement in
^both old and late corn, although the
?ormer is too nearly ripe to be great?
ly benefited by the recent rains. Fod
<?er pulling- has begun. Some old
?om "fired" to the ears. Bottom
?ands that were flooded are recover
5asg slowly. The heat and insects have
JinxedV growing tobacco; select- j]
ing and curing are active. Peas
?or forage are promising. Rice is
^e^niiing to head in the Colleton dis?
trict; Jane rice being cultivated in the
"^Georgetown district. Pastures ex?
cellent. Peaches are fairly plentiful
felt many are rotting on the trees.
3LeConte pears are rippening. Sweet
potatoes and cane are doing well.
Weekly Crop Summary.
' "Washington, July 25.-The weekly'?
Orop report of the feather bureau to
<fey says: ]
Although improvement is indicated < j
parts of nearly all of the cotton j <
?S, it is neither general nor {
rket. While the staple has grown ' <
-rapidly,, and is generally fruiting well j]
$tt portions-of'Georgia, Alabama, Tex- j
.33ts acd Missouri, complaints of unsat- j ]
?Sssfaciory fruiting are received from j j
"She Carolinas, Mississippi, ^Alabama, j i
?tennessee and Oklahoma and rust or p
Shedding from ali sections. Insects j i
-?re causing considerable damage to 11
?cotton in localities in Texas, but gen- j ]
-??xa?ly no great-injury is reported. Thc |
?*trrop is opening in the southern por?
tion of the belt, and picking is uxider
^ray in southern Te-ia5?.
Tobacco has ma^^ raf. id growth
.?&lld is generally in -;^tisfvictory con?
mixti?n. The crop is weedy and some
3&as been drowned o.it in Kentucky,
Managed locally by rain; in Virginia
saucd is poor on li^ht sod in Maryland,
bopping is in progress in New Eng
.Sa&d and Ohio, and caring is beeoid
kag general, with good results in
iCoxth Carolina.
OFF FOR COLUMBIA.
From the Daily Item, Jujy 21.
? .guard from the State penitentiary
<S?gfc over from Columbia this morn
.iag; for the prisoners who were tried
?35?firicted and sentenced during the
'?Sipe-seiU term of court. They were
35arJaed over to him by Sheriff Epper
and they were taken to Columbia
?he 9.S0 train.
Tire prisoners were Jane Williams
?2fe sentence for murder.
Willie Fraser, housebreaking, two
^?ears in the Reformatory.
William Lawrence, housebreaking
.sat?d larceny, two years in Reforma
Jefferson Wilson, housebreaking
?ifcad larceny, two years in Reforma
^Sary.
Joe Davis, placing obstruction on
^??read track, two years in Reforma
Jesse Nelson, assault with intent to
-?ztsx?jsh, thirty years in the peniten
NELSON AT THE BAB.
TRUE BELL RETURNED AND HE
PLEADS NOT GUILTY.
-- ^
The Court Appointed L. D. Jennings,
Esq., to Defend the Prisoner-The
Solicitor Was Assisted by Marion
Moise, Esq.
ft
From the Daily Item, July 19.
When the - hour of 10 o'clock ar?
rived this morning Judge. Purdy sus?
pended the business of the Court of
Common Pleas, the case o? Cain vs.
the Atlantic Coast Lone Railroad
Company being on trial, and had the
grand jury called. Thirteen mem?
bers responded to their names.
Solicitor Wilson, who arrived in
the city from Manning last night, had
in rea?iness the bill of indictment,
charging Jesse ?^elson with an as?
sault with) intent to ravish, and it was
turned over to the grand .iury after
Judge Purdy had made a very brief
charg?. He defined the duty of the
grand jury in the premises, saying
that all they nad to do was to exam?
ine the witnesses for the state to as?
certain if the facts sustained, the in?
dictment. If the evidence indicated
a probability of the guilt of the ac?
cused a "true bill" should be return?
ed; but if the evidence was^ not suf?
ficient to make out a case, their duty
would be to return "nobhill." J.
The grand, jury had the case un?
der con&der&t?on; about a half. hour,,
during whicfr. time the . young lady
upon whom the attempted assault
was made, the little giri, who was
with her-at the time, and three men,
were examined. Returning to the
court room the grand jury returned a
true bill and was then discharged.
The prisoner Jesse Nelson, was
brought into court by the regular
deputy and without and extra guard.
At the request of Judge Purdy
Mark Reynolds, Esq., acted as coun?
sel for the defendant while he was
being arrainged. Nelson was placed^
In the dock, the indictment was read
by Clerk of Court Parrott, and he
entered a plea of not guilty to the
charge. When questioned by Mr.
Reynolds he stated that he had no
witness and was ready to go to trial.
Judge Purdy announced that it
would be necessary to conclude the
trial of the Common Please case
which had been temporarily suspend
ad before the trial of Nelson could be
^mmenced. This case would be con?
cluded this afternoon and he would
set the trial of Nelson for 10 o'clock
tomorrow morning. Witnesses and
?urors were requested to be on hand
promptly at 10 o'clock,, Judge Purdy
ilso directed Sheriff Epperson to noti?
fy Olivia Nelson, of Manning, the
mother of the prisoner, that her son
?vould be placed on trial tomorrow, so
mat she may be present if she so
elects.
During the proceedings the Court
Eouse was crowded, the audience be?
ing composed of almost as many ne?
groes as whites* The crowd was
luiet and orderly and there was no
semblance of excitement.
During the trial tomorrow Judge
Purdy will very properly exclude the
public froth the Court House, only the
20urt officials, jurors and witnesses
ind' others necessady to the conduct
>f the $rial being permitted to be
present.
Jim Taylor, the negro who was ar?
rested as a suspicious character be?
fore Nelson was captured, and who
?vas sent to Columbia Sunday night
vas brohght'back this morning. Af
:er court convened and the true bill
lad been found against Nelson, Judge
Purdy directed Sheriff- Epperson to
-elease Taylor, there being no crarges
igainst him.
From the Daily Item, July 20.
The trial of Jesse Nelson for as?
sault with intent to ravish, was taken
ip this morning quite unexpected
y, as the Common Pleas case of Cain
rs. the Atlantic boast Line Railroad
Company, which has been on trial for
?everal days was not concluded. yes
;erday and the indications were that
t would take up the greater part of
:he morning session. When court
convened, however, Mr. J. L. Jackson,
5ne of the jurors sitting in the case, j
ivas too ill to sit and Judge Purdy |
suspended the trial until 3:30 o'clock.
The case of the state vs. Jesse Nel?
son was then called. Mr. L. D. Jen?
nings, bv appointment of the court, I
3efended the accused while Mr. Ma- ,
rion Moise assisted the solicitor in the j
prosecution.
Tho state put up some witnesses. I
The testimony was brief and little- ;
time was lost in examining them.
The young lady, who is not yet 1&
years old and her sister. 10 years old,
were the only eye witnesses of the
attempted asault and they relau-d
the circumstances briefly but clearly
They were positive in their identifica- '\
tion of the prisoner as the guilty
man.
The other witnesses testified to- cir?
cumstances following the attempted
assault, thc search for the negro, the
capture of Jim Taylor as a suspect,
the final capture of Jesse Nelson and
his identification. AU the testimony
was to the effect that the search was
for a negro of Nelson's general ap?
pearance and wearing precisely the
sort of cloths that he had on when
cuptured, this description having
been given by the young lady imme?
diately after she was attacked.
When she was on the stand she ex?
pressed no doubt of Nelson being the
man, and there was no hesitation in
her manner.
One of the other witnesses stated
that he saw Nelson in the vicinity of
the Betts Lumber mill Sunday morn?
ing. Another said that Nelson said
to him that he had stopped at a flow?
ing well near an old barn to get a
drink of water. Another stated that
Nelson denied ever having seen the
place before where the old barn and
flowing well were pointed out to him,
but admitted having told the other
that he had stopped to get a drink-^f
water.
Supervisor T. C. Owens of Claren?
don county was the last witness for
state. lie stated that Nelson escaped
from the chaingang last Thursday,
ana was shot with No. 3 shot by one
of the guards when he made the
break for liberty. He produced the
convict's striped coat which he found
in the woods near Manning where
Nelson made the change of clothing.
; Nelson was the first witness put on
the stand for the defense. He told of
his escape and of his movements from
the time he left the gang until he was
captured about three miles from
Mayesville Sunday night. He stuck
to th? story that he never left the
railroad between this city and Mayes?
ville exceptio get water from the
well at Bett's mill. He denied the at?
tack on the young lady and said he
had never seen her until carried be?
fore her Monday to be identified.
Policeman A. H. Weeks was put
on the stand as an expert on identifi?
cation. He said that from the descrip?
tion telephoned him from Betts' mill
Sunday afternoon he would never
have arrested Jim Taylor who was
much blacker and heavier and was
dressed much different. On the other
hand if he had mei Nelson in the road
he would have arrested him on the
spot because he fitted the description
in every respect
In the meanwhile Jim Taylor had
been sent for so that the jury might
see the two men who had been ar?
rested. There was a long wait, but as
he had not been brought in from the
mill at 2 o'clock Judge Purdy ordered
a recess until 3:30 o'clock.
THIRTY YEARS FOR NELSON.
JUDGE PURDY IMPOSES THE
MAXIMUM PENALTY.
The Jury Rendered a Verdict of
Guilty After Only Nine Minutes
" Deliberation.
From the Daily Item, July 21.
When the trial of Jesse Nelson was
resumed at 3.30 o'clock yesterday
afternoon Jim# Taylor, the suspect
first arrested was brought into court.
Mr. Jennings did not put him on the
stand but merely presented him be?
fore the jury for comparison with
Nelson. The defense the* closed its
case.
The State in reply put several of
the witnesses back on the stand and
they were briefly examined to bring ?
out certain points more clearly and |
forcibly.
Maj. M. Moise opened the argument
for the State. He was followed by
Mr. Jennings for the defence and
Solicitor Wilson closed for the State.
Judge Purdy charged the jury on
the law, consuming only a few min?
utes.
The jury retired and in nine minutes
returned a verdict of guilty.
The maximum sentence of thirty
years at hard labor in the penitentiary
was then imposed, the sentence to
commence at expiration of the sen?
tence Nelson was serving at the time
he escaped. As he was sentenced on
July 6, 1904 to serve six years on the
chain gang or a like period in the
penitentiary, he has thirty-five years
lacking a few days, to serve. In ordi?
nary cases this would be the equiv- i
aient of a life sentence, but as Nelson
is only about 17 years old he may
live out his sentence and regain his
liberty when a middle-aged man.
Mr. Jennings, who conducted the
defense at the request of the court,
performed his duty with marked abil?
ity. He made the strongest and best
fight possible for his client and if ?t
had been possible to save Nelson the
argument made by Mr. Jennings
would have- done so. But the evi?
dence was clear and convincing, his
guilt was too plainly established and
the jury could not do otherwise than
find him guilty.
Solicitor Wilson, in beginning the
closing argument for the State,spoke
of the proud record of Sumter coun?
ty for the respect for law and order,
referring to several instances that had
come within his personal observation
during his sixteen years term of office,
where they had, in the face of the
greatest provocation, refrained from
mob violence and had come into
i I
court for an orderly administration
J of justice. The men of Sumte
county, he said, had done no moi
than their duty as good citizens ri
quired, but this respect for law an
self-restraint is so unusual that th
record of Sumter is one to be prou
of, an example that other countie
would do well to follow. Ke sai
he could, understand and sympathiz
with the feeling that prompts me
to avenge a wrong to their womer
but the courts were here for tha
purpose, and the people of Sumte
county need never fear that a guilt
man would escape his just punish
ment when brought into a court o
Sumter county. He also referred t
Mr. Jenning's cheerful, conscientiou
and able performance of a disagree
able duty at the request of the courl
When Judge Purdy come to sen
tence the prisoner, he said tha
the dreadful situation which Nelso:
occupied should serve as a lesson an<
as a warning to others. That Nel
son's fate showed what would be th?
result of disregarding the lessons an<
example of good parents. That Nel
son had good parents he knew of hi:
own knowledge and that had he ha<
the reputation that his old mothe:
and father had in Manning he wouh
have been able to come into cour
with many witnesses to testify in hi:
behalf instead of coming as he hae
come, friendless and alone, with a bac
reputation, a fugitive from justice
He said also that the sentence h(
would impose should serve as a warn?
ing to all men that to lay hands on 2
woman will bring punishment, swift
sure an severe. It makes no differ?
ence what the race or color. may bc
the punishment, is certain. Only s
short time age he had sentenced 3
white man to the penitentiary for life
for an assault on a white woman
Any jury and any court would enforce
of themselves an act that would have
the law and punish the guilty mar
with severity. The men who had
captured Nelson and brought him
into court for a legal trial had acted
wisely and as good citizens they had
performed a duty and had strengthen?
ed the hands of those whose duty
to enforce the laws and administer
justice, had they dipped their hands
in the blood of Nelson when in the
heat cf passion they would have
violated the law, outraged
justice and made murderers
destroyed their peace of mind for all
time and left them with an uneasy
conscience from blood guiltness.* In
this case the law had been respected
and justice vindicated. The prisoner
had been given a fair and orderly
trial and he had had the benefit of
able defense. His guilt had been es?
tablished beyond doubt and he would
now receive the punishment prescrib?
ed by law.
The docket of the court of com?
mon pleas was scarcely touched dur?
ing the term that closed Saturday. As
usual very slow progress was made
and few of the cases were reached,
but in addition to this the trial of
Jesse Taylor broke into the Common
Pleas term and brought the business
to a standstill until it was disposed of.
Puts light in the eye, tints the
cheek with nature's bloom, loosens
the tension of life, brushes the cob?
webs from the brain, that's what Hol?
lister's Rocky Mountain Tea will do.
35 cents, Tea or Tablets.
China's Drug Store.
Esia'e of Mrs (atheriaeR Frierson
DECEASED.
I WILL apply to the Judi;e Probate
of Sumter County. S. C.. on A rgust 'IC,
1905. for a fir:al Discharge *s Executor of
aforesaid Estate.
J. T. FRH.RSOF,
July 1:6-it. Executor.
Wofford College.
HENRY N. SNYDER. LL. Dv Prest.
Two degrees, A. B. and A. M. Four
courses leading to the A. B. Degree.
Nine professors.
Departments-Ethics and Astrono?
my, Mathematics, Physics, and Geol?
ogy, Biology and Chemistry, Latin,
Greek, English, German and French.
History and Economics. Library and
Librarian. The W. E. Burnett gym- |
nasium under a competent director, j
J. B. Cleveland Science Hall. Ath- j
letic grounds. Course of lectures by j
the ablest men on the platform. Rare j
musical opportunities. Next session .
September 20. '
Board from $S to $16 a month. For
Catalogue or other information, ad- j
dress
J. A. GAM EWELL, Secretary,
Spartanburg, S. C. 1
Wofford College Fitting School. I
Three new brick buildings, j
Steam heat and electric lights.
Head Master, four teachers and Ma*- ?
tron live in the buildings.
Situated <>u the Wofford Campus. j
Students take a regular course in '
the College Gymnasium, and have
access to the College Library.
$115.00 pays for board, tuition, and
all fees. Sons of Methodist ministers j
do not pay tuition. Next session be- '
gins September 20. \ \
For Catalogue, etc., address \?
A MASTYN' DuP13^. H>a.d Master. 1
July l?-Int Sp;<na?ib.:rg, S. C./
?
The only department in our s ores that shows any surplus or
summer goods is our shoes, and this is the result of a little
extravagance on cur part in reordering, and partly due to some
of our factories being ^low in shipping, the goods arriving when
the season was too far advanced. We are deterniiLed co un?
load this surplus . . . .
Let The Loss Be What It May.
There is not an old or shopworn pair of Shoes in our offering,
all this season's goods and our standard brands. If you do not
need a pair of Oxfords now it will pay you to luvest in these
and carry them until nest year, it would pay us to do so rather
than sacrifice them as we are doing, for every pair sold repre?
sents
An Actual Loss To Us
But we need the room and are obliged to haye it, for our Fall
Stock which is now beginning to arrive.
E. P. Reed & Co's. Oxfords in Tan and Black.
$3.00 and $3.50 grade at - - - $2.25
$2.00 and $2.50 grade at - - - - - $1.50
Irvin Brew & Co., Oxfords in Black Only.
The $2 00 Quality at - - - - $1.25
The H. C. Godman Oxford.
The $1.25 grade in Canvass at - * 85c
The $1 25 and $1.50 grade in black and tan - $1.00
There is no better wearing shoe on earth for the price, than
THE GODMAN.
fIEN'5 OXFORDS.
King Quality and the Celebrated "Just Wright"
Brands.
$8 50 and $4 00 grade at - - - $2.50
$2.75 and $3 00 grade at.$2.00
The assortment of styles in the above is very complete, all
the new toes being represented in black and tan.
While our line of sizes at present is quite full they are liable
to be broken very soon at such sacrifice prices and those inter?
ested would do well to make their selections as early as possi?
ble Be*r in mind there are three months yet in which you
e-m wear Oxfords
eU g Company
THE SUNTER IRON WORKS
Phone 237.
JOHN I. BRUNSON, President.
W. E. BRTJNSON, General Manager.
E. W. MOIfeE, Jr., Sec. and Treas.
We are n*-w in a position to furnish you Engines, Boilers,
Saw Mills . f the f Hawing makes : (Engines) Li.ideil and Wa?
tertown ; (H iltrg) Lombard. Nagle-, Erie City lion Works
and. also, H iiers manuf ctured by The Sumter Iron Works ;
(-aw MdL?? Hauer Mili, Chase Turbine Mfg. Co rs Mili and, also,
The Chititanoogi Machinery Co. improved Drag Saw
The J 1 i ase Traction Krgioe and Treshing Machines and
all other machinery necessary for the wants ot' ihe people kept
in stock at a l times.
We also make a specialty of repairing engines and boilers
from 1 to 100 horse power ; also machine shop work ??nd mould
?hop work, oasti: gs made from 1 to 3,000 lbs, such a* iron sills,
columns gratings, ventilators, andirons, fire backs, etc
We also hand'e The Deering
v^j3j?^. ; ' Harvesting Machine, including
^??^5^^^r^^^^^ Reapers and Binders, Corn
?i^l^^y^^^tf^^^^^ Harvesters and Threshers,
^^^^^^^^i^^S^PW ^owers an<* Rakes, Peg Tooth
^k^????^^^^^^^zr^L and Disk Harrows, Hay Balers.
e^g^gs^^^^^^S^^i- Tne aDove machinery being
^^m&S2?^' - *" " the best sold, the only bail bear?
ing machines on the market.
We are also in a position to offer the public the fo lowing
wagons: The Weber Four Wheel Broad Tire, and The Colum?
bus. And to the Mill men we offer the Hattiesburg & Lindsay
eight wheel wagon.
Come and see us, Corner of Washington St and Oakland ave