Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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?OEWSY LETTERS FROM OUR SPE? CIAL CORRESPONDENTS. of Interesst From ail Parts of Sumter and Adjoining Counties. KOTICE TO CORRESPOXDEXTS. Mail your letters so that they will aeach this office not later than Tues dtay morning. When the letters are received Wednesday it is almost an impossibility to have them appear in the paper issued that day. Rf SMITHVILLE. i Smithville, December* 16.-The * changeable weather is now being felt by the most of our people in various ways, principally colds. Mr. J. E. Wilson had an attack of ? -grippe" on Friday^ which lasted for several days. Mr. C. L. Kirkley was confined tc bis room and bed for several days on account of "grippe." AWsg Lydia Osteen has been quVte * sick for some time. She is now a little better. We learn that Mr. W. S. Mathis and - "family will soon move to St, Charles V to Eve. We ?re the loser and St, Charles is to be congratulated for Mr. Uar th is is one of the best citizens to be found in this or any other commu? nity. l>r. J. E. McLure, of the Bishopville telephone Company, and Mr. Tren bolm, of Darlington, representing the Bell Telephone Company, passed through here last Tuesday on their -spay to Boykin's depot on business in connection .with the telephone system 1 through here. Mr. W. S. Smith left here on last Tuesday spending a short time in Sumter and then on to Charleston for ?everai days on business. Rev. S. H. Booth is now in attend? ance at conference at Spartanburg. Mrs. S. H. Booth, is visiting Mrs. C. j 35- Humphries a few miles below Cam- | ?en. Miss Mary Russell, who has been spending some time with her sister, Mrs. S. H. Booth, has returned-Jo her borne at Williamston, Rev. E. P. Easterling, of Clio, S. C., iras here on Wednesday in the inter? est of ?he Welsh Neck High School. This school has been founded and Jargeiy endowed by a philanthropist ?who now desires that the school ?should be owned by the' Baptist de? nomination. To. arouse the interest *& the Baptists of the surrounding counties he offered to give a dollar for every dollar raised by them. It Ss file aim and work of Mr. Easterling and others to raise $25,000 which will i?L_Jy heing doubled, give them a hand? some endowment The foundation of file church is the school and now is a splendid opportunity for the Bap fist to add materially to the strength of the denomination. The Smithville High School is pro .gressing nicely under the management of Mr. S. S. Leigner as principa:. The 72um ber of senoiars is added to every . . jfew days. Quite a large number are expected to attend after the holidays. MAX. Max, SN C., December 18.-Miss Maude Hart left Saturday for Spar? tanburg where she will spend two weeks with her parents before return ins: to her schooL The collection Sunday afternoon at 3ethel which was $18.40 was given tc a family that has had continuous lockness. v At the wedding last Thursday of 3fc. Willie Jordan and Miss Annie Kir? by one of the groomsmen said that -was the 34th time he had acted as groomsman, and he does not go empty banded. The marriage of Miss Millie Nettles and Mr. Andrew Tilton is announced to he at the home of the bride's par? ents, Mr. and Mrs. W. Elijah Nettles, JDecember 24-at 2:30 o'clock p. m. Beulah school will have an enter tainment and Xmas tree Friday night. The Bay road school will give an entertainment and Christmas tree on Monday night. Mrs. Elijah McElveen is slowly re? covering from a tedious spell of ty? phoid fever. \ DARK CORXER. Ttetrk Corner, December 16-We are baving some damp weather which is filling up the millpodns, etc., for which we are all glad so we can get good meal again. Blanding Ardis has moved here from near Paxville to the place he has bought. Felix Brown has moved from near Privateer Station to the Bracey broth? ers (Richard and Rans) and will work with them next year. Mrs. Susan C. Kolb of the Syca more, is critically ill with bronchitis, which it is feared will run into pneu? monia. She is quite an old lady, be? ing about 82 years old. There are a great many colds and .coughs in this section at this time. There is more cord wood piled up at Broadway siding on the M. & A. railroad than I ever have seen and no cars can be obtained to carry it off. I don't think there has been a car left there in two or three weeks. Some of us have wood to haul, buv there is no place to put it, as all of file space is covered with the wood al ready hauled. Hope it will he better after Christmas. We were indeed sorry to hear of the death of Coi. Altamont Moses, for surely a good man, one that tried to do his duty by his God and his feliow man as he saw it. And I fear that ! it will take us a long time (if we ever : do) to get one to fill his place. It had I been my pleasure to know him fo; about 35 or 40 years, and I have al i ways found him the same pleasant gentleman that I did in 1S6S when he j was a clerk in the store of A. A. Soi I omons. I always claimed him and his j brother Clem as two of my friends in 1 Sumter, but they have both gone. I where I will soon follow, into eternity. REMBERT. Rembert, December 19.-Raffing i Creek Township elected three dele j gates last Saturday to attend the coun jty meeting of the Cotton Growers' .Association to be held in Sumter Jan? uary 1, 11)06. Most of the -white planters il this township responded very -promptly and paid their assess? ment of 3 cents per bale, but the ne? gro planters did not respond. I am glad to report that the acreage in this township another year will be the same is this year and I trust will be so all over the cotton'Mb^elt Miss Daisy Bowman, principal of St Matthews school, will give the school children a Christmas tree on next Friday afternoon at 3 o'clock in the chapel adjoining the school and the community is invited to att?nd. The farmers in this community are busy this week making arrangements for another, year, and while labor is not so scarce as in some sections, still they they are demanding better pay and a liberal cash allowance to take Christmas. From what I can gather nearly every family in this neighborhood will pay "Santa Claus*' a visit in Sumter this week and I hope the weather will continue good so that the little ones can take in the sights also. Mrs. S. lu Keels has gone to Ben nettsville to visit her daughter, Mrs. Phil Miller, and will be away until after New Year. Your correspondent sends greetings to The Daily Item and wish you all a happy and merry Christmas. PRIVATEER. Privateer,,December 19.-Miss Lil? lian Harvin, of Manning, is spending sometime at Mr. S. A. Harris'. Miss Ida Cain, who is attending the Edgefield South Carolina Co-Educa? tional Institute, is at home for the holidays. Mr. W. S. Lynam spent Saturday and Sunday in Stateburg at Mr. S. H. Ramsey's. Messrs. James Cuttino and Mr. Johnnie McKnight, of Sumter, visiteo in Privateer Sunday. Messrs. J. M. and Thomas Griffin, of Silver, spent Sunday in Privateer. Miss Katy Susong will close her school Wednesday and spend the hol? idays at her home in Newport, Tenn. The young men decided this after? noon to have their tournament on Wednesday, the 27th inst. Mrs. D. W. Osteen is reported quite sick. Old Mrs. Susan Kolb is quite sick with typhoid pneumonia. STATEBTJRG. Stateburg, December 19.-Mr. 'Nel? son Murray returned last week from Trial, wliere lie lias been visiting: his sister, Mrs. P. C. Kirk. Mrs. H. S. Gaillard spent Sunday with Mrs. James Pinckney. Mr. Earley Mellette, of Ashpole, N. C., spent Sunday here with relatives. Mr. and Mrs. A. Fraser Neal visited friends at Congaree last week. Mr. J. Singleton Moore, of Sumter, spent Sunday at "The Ruins." Mr. E. F. Holmes an? Miss Annie Holmes are spending today in Sum? ter. Miss Georgia Dargan spent Satur? day and Sunday in Sumter. Mr. Harry Bull is at home from Chester, where he is teaching, for the Christmas, vacation. EDWARDS. Edwards, December IS.-Mr. C. L* Britton was in Sumter a few days of last week. Mr. J. W. Weldon has gone to Camden today. Mr. A. B. White will soon ba ready to move into his new house. Miss Essie White spent a few days of last week with her sister, Mrs. J. E. Wilson, of Smithville. Mr. W. T. McLeod and Mr. James Jenkins of Remberts, visited in the community last week. Mr. F. G. Peebles was in Camden on last Wednesday. We have no sickness to report. Clarendon News Notes. Some miscreants upon mischief bent, on last Saturday night, entered the garden of Mr. C. C. Thames at Silver, attached to the postoffice, pulled up Un- cabbage and other vegetables, car? ried them a considerable distance to where Mr. Thames lives and put them down in his piazza. They also went to^his stables and turn.-d out his horses, and scattered them over the community. This is malicious mis? chief, punishable by daw. A few nights before, so we are informed, a burglary of the postoffice was com? mitted, the entrance being made through breaking in at a window, about six dollars belonging to the post ornee being stolen;-. Last Wednesday afternoon Mr. J. G. Plowden, of the Fork, while driv? ing across Black River causeway was overtaken by an automobile from Sumter. Kis horse became frightened overturning his buggy and throwing him into the swamp. Mr. Sob Ryt tenhurg, who was in charge of the machine, brought Mr. Plowden to Manning, where he got medical atten? tion. He was painfully hurt and is still suffering. The automobile party was very much distressed about the accident and did everything they could to alleviate Mr. Plowden's suf? ferings.-Manning Times. OIS CHICAGO BANKS GO TO THE WALL. -^ Assets Involved by Failure of John R. Walsh, c? (fiiicago National Bank. DEPOSITORS WILL BE PROTECTED. The Amount of the Liabilities and As? sets Not Stated, But the Failure is a Disastrous One for Chicago. Chicago, December 18.-The failure of the Chicago National Bank, the Home Savings Bank and the Equitable Trust Company was announced a. 3:30 o'clock this morning by repre? sentatives of the Chicago Clearing House Association, after a session last? ing eighteen hours. The assets of these institutions it was asserted were involved in the coal and prailroad properties of John R. Walsh, president of the Chicago Na? tional Bank. Depositors will be protected by the Clea c House Association. A careful investigation of affairs of the three institutions by the Clearing House Association show that all de? positors can be paid in full upon de? mand by the Clearing House. The banks have pledged themselves to this result, thus putting all resources of the Chicago banks behind the deposi? tors of these institutions. The diffi? culty of the institutions has been that their investments, had been made in connection with the enterprises of John R. Walsh, the head of all three and the assets have not been imme? diately available to meet the de? mands. The assets have been taken over on terms which will enable the i institutions pay creditors in full. The Chicago National Bank has $18,000,000 public moneys deposited with it. The bank was oranized in 1884 and has resources of $21,000,000. Both of the other institutions have re? sources sufficient to make good all de? posits. \ \ Hon. J. O. A. Moore Dead. Darlington, Dec. 17.-J. O. A. Lioore died here last night and was buried this afternoon. Mr. Moore was more than 70 years old. He came to Darlington from Charleston more than fifteen years ago, and was in the brokerage business until a few months ago, when ill health and old age compelled him to retire. Mr. Moore represented Darlington County in the Constitutional Conven? tion of 1895 and held other places of honor in this country. He leaves several children and at I the time of his death was living with his daughter, Mrs. Walter J. Parrott, ?in Darlington, Sudden Death Near Bishopville. ? Bishopville, December 18.-News has just reached Bishopville of the sudden^ death of Mrs. Gabriel Jones, wife of a farmer, living about four miles from this town. Mrs. Jones was apparently well yesterday, at? supper as usual and retired to bed. About 2 a. m. she awoke and com plained of acute pains near her heart. Dr. Baskin was sent for, but upon his arrival she was dead. She leaves a family of nine children, two of whom are twins. Dwelling Burned. Mr. Lad Montgomery lost his dwell? ing by fire last Monuay night about i: O'clock. The fire started in the pan? try and it is thought to have been the Work of rats. Mr. Montgomery lost his gold watch and one that belonged to his father and nearly all of his household .ecects. What was saved was badly damaged. The family had a narrow escape from the fire. The insurance on the house expired only three or four day? before the fire and Mr. Montgomery did not know that he had a dollar's worth of insurance until informed by Mr. W. M. Reid, manager for the Bishopville Insur? ance Agency. It is a good thing to do business with men who promptly look after your interesi as well as theirs. -Bishopville Vindicator. Columbia. December 15.-The State board of canvassers was to have met yesterday to declare the result of the dispensary elections in Anderson and Williamsburg, but no quorum was present. Attorney General Gun? ter is ill at the hospital and Secretary Gannt and State Treasurer Jennings are both sick at their homes. SULLY'S SUCCESSOR. Some Facts of Interest About Joseph Ii. Headley Who Made Millions Bulling c^ton. I After an interregnum extending over*' a period fruin Ivlarch 18, 1901. to the present, cotton has found a nev; king Iiis name is Joseph H. Hoad ley and no more' unique and interest? ing figure has ever donned the fleecy robes and diadem thai gave his su? zerainty over a product which in it.-: unmanufactured state is worth moro than $600,000,000 and forms the basis of the world's greatest industry. Not since the downfall of Sully has tho cotton market had a "king." It ba? its leaders, men of resources, wealth and power, but none of which exer? cised that almost supreme authority which the cotton market one-' in a great while recognizes in an individ? ual. Cotton is a commodity that loves a master. It has seen many dynasties come and go. Most of the reigns have been short and every one has re? sulted in ultimate overthrow. It is a long and distinguished list-Inman. Labouisse ,Steenstrand, Ranger, Price and Sully. The present cotton situation is from every point of view the most remarkable in. all history. After the Sully year of shortage and high prices the South preceeded to raise a cotton crop the like of which had never been imagined except by some Jules Verne among planters. It amounted to 14, 000,000 bales, and the supply seemed unlimited enoug?? to start the world with a surplus that never would be depleted, provided reasonable crop conditions were the rule. Everybody was talking six cents and even five cents for cotton in the south. But here is where a mistake was made. Dazed by the magnitude af the yield, everybody forgot about how the warld had practically starved for cot? ton in the four years previous; that the spindles of the world were naked, the warehouses empty and the shelves bare of manufactured goods. In ad? dition to this great deal of heavy cot? ton duck that used up raw material very fast was taken by both Russia and Japan during the war. A great revival spread over the textile indus? try. It amazed everybody. Lancashire which only a year before complained of being one vast pauper district, put up scores of new mills and added nearly 6,000,000 new spindles, the largest single increase in any one year in the history of cotton. So the great 14,000.000 bale crop was cut down to a surplus of only about 2.000.000 bales by the time the new crop was begin? ning to move. Something else was happening in cotton. This had LO do with a very unfavorable growing season. In Mis? sissippi Tennessee, Louisiana. Arkan? sas and north Texas the season was very backward and planting was from three to four weeks late. May, June and July had their drawbacks, and the Government condition figures showed quite plainly that this was not a "cotton year," as they say in the South. As the season grew older it became quite certain that the crop would be short. With the consumption of cotton on a scale never known before, and with the new crop undeniably short, what else was needed to make a great bull campaign? Just one thing-a leader Th-ey didn't gret another Sully, but they did get a dashing leader. Joseph H. Hoadley is not a mem? ber of the Cotton Exchange. Any old time cotton man who has bought and sold a few hundred bales of "spots" in the course of a year probably would regard Mr. Hoadley as an "outsider" in the cotton business, notwithstand? ing the facts that he is a stockholder in twenty-six New England cotton mill corporations, that he has built the power plants for about 70 per cent of the New England cotton mills, and that today one of the most cher? ished of his great industrial projects is an up-to-date system for hadling. warehousing and marketing the great staple of the South. Eut Hoadley did not "know cotton." He had never sat on the end of a bale whittling away on a silver of pine while he dickered with the owner for its purchase. He had never been a. planter and probably would not know a cotton field from a potato patch. But, in spite of these shortcomings, which were far from insuperable. Hoadley had admirable qualifications for leadership. If he did not "kno^v cotton" he did know speculation. He knew what it was to feel the thrill of I the tape between his fingers. More? over, he had been a central figure in several aggressive Wall street cam? paigns, which nobody but a man of nerve and big resources feels justi? fied in entering. Moreover, he had money and could command plenty more. Just because a Wall street man i> likely to take a flyer at anything. Hoadley was not an entire stranger to cotton speculation. IL* once saved Danio! J. Sully from ruin by going behind that operator for $1.000,000 and bringing io a successful conclu? sion Sully's famous "May deal" of 1903. Since thon he lias dabbled more or less in cotton, sometimes hav? ing a small interest and sometimes playing on a big scale. He is said to have been pinched once or twice, but. j as he is "quick on his feet," it h ! never taken him long to get on t. ! right side. One of his big cotton des this year -.vas pulled oil* this sprin when he joined hands with Theodo H. Price in an effort to boos: cott< from the seven-cent level. Price g tired a little above eight cents ai played for a turn on the bear sic j Headley persevered in his origin I course, and inside of a -?-eek Price w back on the bull side again. Cott< went on up to eleven and a quart cents. Price turned bear. This tin he was a real grizzly with rippi; claws and thick hide. Headley st remained bullish. Cotton went dow and there was gossip to the effect th. Hoadley had'lost a iot of money, he did his face never showed it. Co ton declined about a cent and thro quarters. Price was triumphant ar predicted an immediate drop to nil cents and below. Hoadley was ju as cheerful and just as bullish. E said cotton would sell at tweive cen before nine cents. In the end Hoadley won out. H profits must have been great. He fo lowed the advance steadily up fro; nine and a half cents to twelve and half cents, to say nothing of holdir an enormous line of long cotton ov< the census report issued on Xovembe 21, when prices jumped 100 points j five minutes. On account of its rapid action, co ton speculation runs into mone; either for or against one, faster tha any other commodity. Even makin large allowances for exaggeration, M Hoadley's "holdings during this rise < 300 points have been sufficient to m him several million dollars. The most unexpected developmer of the Hoadley campaign has been th rout of Theodore H. Price. The situ* tion has its ludicrous side when on stops to think that Theodore Price ': considered^ the best-informed cotto man in the world, while Hoadle laughingly confesses he knows noth ing about cotton. And the strange part of it all is tha Hoadley is said to have gone to Prie and begged him to join him in a bu! campaign. Price, still imbued wit the idea of a, bumper crop, refused. "I can't conscientiously bull cotto: at these prices," replied Price. "You'll be buying a little, just th same," laughed Hoadley. "Not as a hull," replied Mr. Price. "Be that as it may," said Mr. Hoad [ley. "A scared bear sometimes buy a good deal faster than the most en thusiastic bull." And so it proved. Price stood it a: long as he could. At first he regarde* the advance with amusement an< then with mild respect. Then it mad* him angry and he fought it. Then h< sulked for a while. These traits ano actions are ~Dt peculiar to Mr. Price They are generic to all bears on th< cotton maket. But the last stage wa: yet to come. Mr. Price got frighten? ed. Just as it is impossible to tell what Hoadley may have won, it is also im? possible to tell what Price may have lost, and, besides, it wouldn't be polite, Giving him credit for candor and sin? cerity, it is safe to assume that Mr. Price had a large chunk taken out ol his bank roll as a result of the big rise. Moreover, he didn't know where the top lay. As a matter of fact, he had been reaching for the top for I some time past himself. He had some large commitments on the bear side outstanding. The market was nerv? ous. The situation was ticklish for him. Moreover the circulation of some cowardly and unwarranted ru? mors regarding his credit did not add to his peace of mind. One night, so J^ie story goes, Price met Mr. Hbarlley at N an up? town cafe and acknowledged his de? feat. All he asked were hon? orable terms of surrender. He asked to be given the market for the next two days. He knew perfectly well that if Headley caught him covering his shorts on the sly there would be skyrockets. So, frankly and without any pretends he acknowledged defeat and merely asked for the liberty of leaving the field as unostentatiously as possible. One Saturday he finished covering his shorts, and the markets of the world were treated to a sensa? tional rise on Monday morning. Hoadley was left undisputed master of the field. Hoadley's methods have been unique. He has worked almost entirely with the producer or the consumer. With the middleman or broker, he had little or nothing to do. His New England connections are extensive. He controls the Corliss Engine Com? pany at Providence, R. I., and at Worcester. Mass. These two great es? tablishments have built most of the power machinery for the New Eng? land mills for years. By this tic he has come in close touch with spinning interests in this country, and he has formed close associations in Great Britain. There is no man in America who has a clearer view of cotton mill needs. For several years Mr. Ho'adiey has had in mind the perfection of a more up-to-date method of ginning, com? pressing, handling, warehousing and mai'keting tim cotton crop. Tins idea linds concrete expression in the South? ern Cotton Corporation, the future of which he believes will be very bright. Tn addition to this he has large indus? trial interests in the South, particu larly In theAiabama coal and iror : fields. Mr. Hoadley has the greatest ; faith in Harvie Jordan, president of I the Southern Cotton Association. i "I consider him the real bull leader i . in this movement,^ he said. ? Mr. Hoadley started in life as a i . ? ' . . j mechanic's apprentice in San Fran? cis?e?. He was president of the Greene j Wheelock Engine Company before he I was 25. Ke was the organizer of the IHMHMMMMMBI i American Locomotive Company while ?still in his early thirties. In addition j to his engine plants at Worcester and I Providence, he controls the American ?and British Manufacturing Company ; at Bridgeport, Conn., which makes , the ordnance and projectiles of the : United States government up to ? i three-inch gun. He has the reputa j tion of being one of the greatest me '?. chanical engineers the world has ev j er known. It sterns strange that a. i man of that bent should become the bull leader in the cotton markel andi j make the old line cotton men of Eu I rope and A.merica sit up and take no? tice.-New York Press. MURDER IX GAFFNEY. Hotel Proprietor KilLs One and Wounds Another Theatrial Man For Resenting an Insult to a Lady. Gaffney, December 15.-^-This morn? ing the usual quiet of the city was dis? turbed about 8:40 o'clock by the re? port of a revolver three times in suc? cession, followed quickly by the screaming of women crying "murder."' The police responded to the call from the Piedmont Inn, conducted by Hasty Brothers.. As they went in a mart came out calling for a doctor. Investigation showed that George Hasty, one of the proprietors, had shot and instantly killed Mr. Milan Ben? nett, musical director of "Nothing; But Money"' company, wkich showed here last night, and possibly mortally wounded Mr. Abbott Davison, the comedian and star performer. It was Mr. Davison who came down the steps calling for a doctor. The sheriff and police force arrested Hasty and lodged him in jail. The coroner was notified and empaneled a jury. The jury was taken to the hotel where the dead body was viewed and they adjourned to meet at the court house at 1:30 where the testimony was heard. The difficulty which caused the kill ing grew out of a gross insult offer? the lady members of the company by George Hasty. He first addressed in? sulting remarks to one lady in the af? ternoon and during the night made three attempts to break into theroom. of another. , -> III RETURNS FOR 1906. OFFICE OF COUNTY AUDITOR, SUMTER C?V Sumter, S. C., Dec. 10, 1905. Notice is hereby given that I will at? tend, in person or by deputy, at the following places on the days indicated,. . respectively, for the purpose of re? ceiving returns of real estate, personal property and poll taxes.1 for the fiscaL year, commencing- January 1, 1906.i Tindal's Store, Monday, Jan. 8th. Privateer, (Jenkins' Store), Tues? day, Jan. 9th. Manchester, (Levi's), Wednesday, Jan. 10th. * , Wedgefield, Thursday, Jan. 11th. Statebur? Friday, Jan. 12th. Hagood, Monday, Jan. 15th. Remberts, Tuesday, Jan. 16th. Dalzell, Wednesday, Jan. 17th. Gordon's Mill, Thursday, Jan. 18th Oswego, Friday, Jan. 19 th. Mayesvilie, Tuesday, Jan. 23d. Shiloh, Wednesday, Jan. 24th. Norwood X Roads, Thursday, Jan 25th. . The law requires that all persons owning property or in any wise hav? ing charge , of such property, either as agent, husband, guardian, trustee, ex? ecutor, administrator, etc., return the same under oath to the auditor, who requests ali persons to be prompt in making their returns and save the 50 per cent, penalty, which will be added to the property valuation of all persons who fail to make returns within the time prescribed by law. Taxpayers return what they owa on the first day of January, 1906. Assessors and taxpayers will enter the first given name of the taxpayer in full, also make a separate return for each township where the property is located and also in each and every case the Number of the school district must be given. Every male citizen between the age of twenty-one and sixty years on .the first day of January. 1906. except those incapable of earning a support from being maimed or from other causes, are deemed taxable polls, and except Confederate soldiers 50 years of age, on January 1st, 1906. Under instructions from the Comp? troller General, a separate return must be made of each tract or parcel of land. All returns must be made on or be? fore the 20th day of February, next. I cannot take returns after that date and all returns made after the 20th day of February, are subject to a pen? alty of 50 per cent. J. DIGGS WILDER, Auditor Sumter County. December 20, 1905.