Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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6fJMTE.Il WATCHMAN, ruu^ilidHted Au?. 2,188 Cbt Qdtattbnian anb ?outbron. Publi c n il Every Wednesday, ?BT? OSTEEN PUBLISHING COMPANY 8UMTBR, & a Ter***: It.10 per annum?In advance. Advertisement*: One Hquarr flrat Insertion.$1.00 ?Vary subeequent Insertion.60 Contracts for three months, or loafer will be mads at reduced rates. All communications which sub? serve private Interests will be charged rr aa advertisements. Obituaries and tributes of respects will be charged for. MS BUST REMAIN Is JAIL. i i COURT REFUSES BAIL 1X> ALLEGED WIFE-SLAY Kit. Pope IMsaaat* From Do? of Associate Jastioc* Gary Josse* Pefeadaat 1? Wealthy est Union Coaaty. ^ Columbia. Dae. II.?The supreme snart today filed Its order In the case of W. T. Jones, refusing ball to the defendant-petitioner, and also filed the formal order dismissing the ap? peal from Judge Hydrlck's order re rasing bail to Jone* and sustaining [ Judge Hydrlck. In the latter decision } Chief Justice Pope, and Associate J eat less Gary and Jonen ail concur, bat la the order refusing ball on the motion la the original Jurisdiction of the court. Chief Justice Pope doee not concur. Associate Justice Woods doee ? not sign either order, being unable to consider official business by reason of Illness In hlt family. The result of thes? orders Is that Joaee must remain In Jail at Union anttl the nscit term of the court of general sessions at Union when the a cane la which he Is cerged with the f minder of his wife will be called. Whether or not the case will then be tried hi, of course, yet to be deter sained, ae other motions may be mads. The eaae la one of the most un neaal In the history of the State, eine** f Mrs. Jane* I* alleged to hs- e died from poisoning, and the theory of the prosecution Is that Jones administer? ed to her the poison, or at leant com? pelled her to take It, and evidence has bean secured to show that slie was aot In the condition claimed by the defense. Several affidavit* were slso preeented during the hearing lor ball to show that Jones had endear >red to force his wife Into Intimate relations with a negro In his employ, and also a white man, the supposition being that Jonee latended to aoprehend the two In the act and kill both. Theso and other festure* of the c?s< make It one of the most revoking that ban ever been known In this 8tate. THE HKMINOLK DEAL sswiltiern Lifo mi bail's an AsdrnnVd Steten tout. Columbia. Dec It.?In a nupple ?atary letter to Insurance Commis? sioner McMsster. Mr. C. J. Cooper, the treasurer and general mani.ger of the Southern Life Insurance Com? pany, hae added additional Interest to the deal with the Semlnole Securities Company, by giving* an additional ex? hibit which was not Included In his original report of the transaction. This Ii as follows: ' EXHIBIT M." "The treasurer of the Southern Life Inauran? * Company was only paid 1101.211 72 In settlement for the IU0.00I stock. Instead of IIIS.000. The former amount was accepted be? cause the executive committee Instruc? ted the treasurer to close the deal on the be*i possible terms to the com? pany, leaving the matter In the hands of the treasurer, as per resolution of the executive committee. The price actually paid being $201.r>2 for each 11 oo stock." a ?iing to the statement f t the officers of the Semlnole Securities Com? pany, there was paid 1211 per 1100 ?hare, end a total of II2I..000. It appears from the statements of the Southern Life that th*> par valu< of the "hares In thst company Is $50 per shaie, snd thst three thousand share* were sold to the Semlnole Se? curities Company In the desl. making the totsl par value of the stock $150. ?00. and a price paid of $108 per $50 share. Between the two ststments from the two companies, there Is a little dis? crepancy of $22.714 18, ill of which may be duly erplslnsd. T J. Singer, colored. w*s shot and killed by Ous Brown, also colored, In Greenville County. They quarrel el ever a pair of trousers. ?lied April, ISM. 'Be Just a I. SUMTER ?IE DEAL REVIEWED. INSURANCE COMMISSIONER .IS? SUES A STATEMENT. Mr. Mr Muster Given a History, as Far as Ills Office lias Been Informed, of the Transaction by which the Sem? inole Securities Company Became PoMMCMHed of a Large Block of the Stock of tho Southern Life Insur? ance Company. Columbia. December 14.?Insurance Commissioner McMaster today gave out the following statment, covering fully the recent transactions in which the Seminole Securities Company and tho Southern Life Insurance Compa? ny are concerned: "If the full page advertisement In th* State yesterday morning conveys th< impression that the Southern Life Iniurance Company, of Fayetteville, N. C, is licensed to do a health, acci? dent and liability business In this State as well as life Insurance, a wrong Im? passion Is created. This compsny Is licensed in South Carolina to do only a life Insurance business. It never msde application to do accident and liability business until December t, 19( 8. In view of the developments concerning the Seminole Securities Company, the commissioner returned the tendered license fee and declined to issue the license to the company to do an accident and liability busi? ness until he was satisfied of the con? nection of the Southern Life or any of its officers with the Seminole Se? curities Company. He immediately so advised the company, and, therefore, until the license to do ao accident and liability business Is Issued, the South? ern Life Insurance Company Is not licensed to do such business In South Carolina. "The commissioner has been advised by telegraph and by letter from the Southern Life Insurance Company, thai It will forward a complete and dcttJled statement of Its connection with the sale of Its stock to the Semi? nole Securities Company. He has not yet received this detailed statement, but in a letter received from Mr. J. C. Cooper, manager of the Southern Life Insurance Company, the following statement is made: 'We state em? phatically that no officer charged with the transaction between the two com? panies or any other officer connected with the Southern Life Insurance Company, has participated, directly or Indirectly, either near or remote, In any part of the commission paid, and we have no evidence it our command to lead us to believe, or justify us in charging that any officer of the Semi? nole Securities Company participated In the same.' "In this connection, it may be well enough to review for the public the whole situation so far as the depart? ment of Insurance is concerned." says Mr. McMaster "Shortly after the organisation of the Insurance department, when the commissioner was seeking to requlro all companies within the jurisdiction of ti e department to take license and to make statements of condition to the <: epartm? r t. he set sfoot an inves tlgat on ' to learn whether or not he should require the Seminole Securities Company so to do. He cannot give the exact date, but his recollection Is that It wss In April or May, he called upon Mr. W. A. Clark, and in? quired as to the business that ''the Seminole Securities was doing. He was Informed by Mr. Clark that he, Mr. Clark. Mr. T. S. Bryan and Gen. Willie Jones were the trustees of the Seminole Securities Company, which bad been organised as a holding com? pany. That at the present time, the I Seminole Securities Company had no Interest In any insurance company or any insurance agency. That it was not then, nor did it expect to do an Inaurance bualness. such not being within its charter rights. But that it did expect, when it had 1150,000 in the treasury. t( organise the Sterling Accident Company. It was proposed to capitalise the Sterling Accident Company at $100.000. and In order that this capital should not be Im? paired, the Seminole Company would bear the expense and care for the los? ses under a contract with the Sterling Accident Company, until the Sterling Accident Company could lhOW a profit and there would be n?? danger of Im? pairment of Its capital. That When the Sterling Accident Company Wai or? ganized, it would apply to the laaor* ance department for license, and that the Insurance department would hav< full notice of it* organisation. Thai In the meantime the S. mlnole Seeurl? tie? Company did not have, directly or Indirectly, any OOBaectlOfl w ith any In? surance company or any Insurance agency "So far as the commissioner could learn, lit this time and later, the only bualness of the agents of the Seminole nd Fear not?Let all the ends Thon Air .. S. G . WEDNESDAY Securities Company was that of selling stock in said company. "The commissioner consulted Attor? ney General Lyon and Assistant Attor? ney General DeBruhl at this time, and from time to time after, and these gentlemen Informed him promptly that the Seminole Securities Company did not come within his jurisdiction. "Later in the summer, Mr. Clark, Mr. Garlington and Mr. A. C. Todd, of Laurens, the latter as attorney for the Seminole Securities Company, called upon the commissioner and informed him that they were about ready to or? ganize the Sterling Casualty Company, but vere undecided whether to or? ganise under the law's of this Stat? or borne other State. They were In doubt as to whether the laws of South Caro? line were ample enough to permit them to do buoin"ss In other States, if they should take a charter from South Carolina. The commissioner attempt? ed to show them that the organization under the laws of this State would per? mit their qualification to do business In any State in the Union. They left, the commissioner being under the Im? pression that In a few days the Ster? ling Casualty Company would be or? ganized and license applied for. Noth ing further was heard of the matter, however, until advertisements appear? ed, the latter part of October, stating that the Seminole Securities Company had purchased a controlling Interest In the Southern Life Insurance Com? pany, of Fayettevllle, N. C. "On October the 86th the commis? sioner called upon Mr. J. T. Garling? ton, president of the Seminole Securi? ties Company, and made Inquiries of him as to the business that the Semi? nole Securities Company was doing. Mr. Garlington atated that the Semi? nole Securities Company was then do? ing, aa it has always done, almply sell? ing Its own stock, but that It had de? termined to purchase a controlling in? terest in the Southern Life Insurance Company, of Fayettevllle. Instead of organising the Sterling Casualty Com? pany. That the charter rights of the Southern Life permitted it to do the very things for which It was intended te organise the Sterling Casualty Com? pany, and that an agreement had been entered Into with the Southern Life, whereby this company would develop the accident and liability business per? mitted under tta charter, and that It would open headquarters for this business In Columbia. Mr. Garlington stated that Mr. A. W. But tolph. a consulting actuary of Indiana, had expressed the opinion that on the showing made to him, the stock of the Southern Life was worth on its books fill, but that other consideration en? tering, the Seminole Securities com? pany had paid $216 therefor, Mr. Gar? lington stated that the stock purchas? ed wa* treasury stock and being asked what treasury stock was, stated that It was stock purchased directly from the company and that the money paid therefor went Into the treasury of the company. "Mr. Garlington stated, according to the recollection of the commission? er, that $162.000 In cash or securities had been paid over to the Southern Life Insurance Company, and that obligations had been made for the bal? ance due the Southern Life of the other $162,006. which would be paid from time to time, as the Seminole Securities Company sold Its own stock. Mr. Garlington stated that the insur? ance commissioner of North Carolina had passed upon this deal, and that the securities given the Southern Life were acceptable to him. "Commissioner McMaster immedi? ately reported the substance of this conversation to Commissioner Young of North Carolina. Under date of Oc? tober 28, Commissioner Young wrote that he had not passed upon any deal between the Securities and the South? ern Life, nor had he been called upon so to do. and that he would look into the matter and advise later. "Subsequent to this a number 0* communications passed between the commissioner and Commissioner Young, and Commissioner Young fi? nally advised that Investigation into the affairs of the Southern Life be delayed until December 20, a* he was advise,j by the Southern Life that the ?leal would be consummated. In the meantime, however. Commissioner McMaster called upon the Southern life for a atatementi ami he received several letters from the southern Life and Vice Prealdent Lacy and General Manager Cooper came to Columbia te him. Manager Cooper, however, did m?t meet Commissioner MeMalter until November - v a? tin--- meetlni the transaction! between the Seminole and the Southern Life were thorough' ly gone Into, Mr. cooper stated to the commissioner that the deal be* tWOOn the Seminole and the Southern Life hail been negotiated by Mr. C. J. Hebert, who had brought Mr. Gerling? ton to Fayettevllle, and that they had told the management of the Southern ?g't at be thy Country's, Thy God's ai f. DECEMBER 23, 1 - -i. Life that they had undertaken too big a job in organizing and establishing an accident Insurance business and that they wished to purchase stock in the Southern Life and have this com? pany develop this feature of the busi? ness; that on or about September 20, a deal had been closed between the two companies whereby the Seminole Securities Company had purchased and paid for $160,000 worth of stock in the Southern Life, and had paid therefor $160,000, $16,000 in cash, $90,000 in certificates of deposit, due between December 1 and December 20, and $44,000 in notes. That the Seminole had also contracted and agreed to pay for $9,000 more of stock at the same price as the $106,' 000, or about $141; that $35,000 more of stock had been purchased from parties at prices ranging from $118 to $140. "Mr. Cooper disclaimed most em? phatically to have any connection with the Seminole Securities Company or to have more than general informa? tion of Its affairs. When called to his attention that Mr. Qarllngton had stated that $216 has been paid by the Seminole for the Southern Life stock, he stated that he knew that to be the fact, and when asked as to the differ? ence between what had been paid in to the treasury of the Southern Life and the amount actually paid by the Seminole, he stated In a general way that a whole lot of commissions would account for that. "Mr. Cooper stated most emphati? cally that the Southern Life had de? clined to Issue the stock In the name of the Seminole Company, but had in? sisted upon Its being Issued in the name of W. A. Clark, T. S. Bryan and WiUe Jones, trustees, with power of voting the same for 10 years, in and for the best Interests of the Southern Life. "Commissioner McMaster immedi? ately reported to Commissioner Toung his conversation with Mr. Cooper, and Commissioner Toung wrote on Novem? ber 30, stating that he had sent hie actuary to Fayettevllle to get inform? ation. "Commissioner Toung has gone to Chicago on important business, and the understanding between himself and Commissioner McMaster le that upon his return such examination as will be necessary will be made Into the Southern Life. There are no doubts in the minds of either commissioner as to the complete solvency of the Southern Life. But Commissioner Mc? Master desires to have full and com? plete information as to the deal made between the Seminole Securities Com? pany and the Southern Life Insurance Company. "It may be stated in closing that the authority of the insurance commis sionar of North Carolina and of other States extends to invtetment compa? nies, building and loans and such like companies, but no such power has been conferred upon the Insurance commissioner of South Carolina. Com? missioner McMaster states that during the past summer he discussed the mat? ter with Hon. W. L Smith of Camden and Hon. M. W. Coker of Columbia, both of whom expressed their purpose to confer such power upon the com? missioner by act of the general as? sembly. "However, (Commissioner Young under date of October 28, in reply to the first communication from Commis? sioner McMaster. stated that applica? tion has been made to him by the manager of the Southrn Life to allow the Seminole Securities company to go into the State of North Carolina to sell stock, but that he had refused to allow this unless the Seminole would qualify under the law, which requires a complete showing of all of their transactions. He stated that he sup? posed that the Seminole Securities company was not willing to do this, as they had not yet done so. "All of the above information has been on file In Commissioner McMas *er's office, and he has placed it at the disposal of all interested inquirers .vho have called upon him for infor? mation. He has absolutely no more authority over the Seminole or any other investment companies chartered under the laws of this State than a probate judge, and it was only after the announcement* the latter part of October, that the Bemlnole had pur? chased stock in the Southern Life, that he lias been able to get any informa? tion on the subject." CtlHttlHfll Trag at Plsgah Church. The Sunday school at Pisgah church will have a Christmas tree on Thursday, the 24th, inst., ut 2 p. m., for the little tots and hip ones too. The public is cordially invited to ua tend. Congressman Ellerbe has asked for a government appropriation of $50, 000 for the development of the Pee Dee river. id Tru?i'ii." TI?E TRTJ 908. vew Serii KNOX Bj TAFT S CABINET. PENNSYLVANIA SENATOR. AC CEPTS PORTFOLIO OF STATE. President-elect Makes Announcement From Augusta?Well Pleased at Appointee's Decision to Accept Of? fice)?Recognition of Keystone State. Augusta, Ga., Dec. 18.?William H. Taft, president-elect of the United States, announced the apolntment of United States Senator Philander C. Knox of Pennsylvania as secretary of state In his cabinet. The announcement followed the re? ceipt by Mr. Taft of a telegram, which came late this afternoon, conveying the information from Mr. Knox that he would accept the premiership of the Taft cabinet. Mr. Taft without delay made the announcement that the matter was setled. In giving the details of the negoti? ations, he said that the offer was made to Mr. nKox last Sunday morn? ing in New York. That since the offer he had not heard from Mr. Knox until the telegram he received today. After a consultation with Secretary Root in Washington last Saturday af teraoon, Mr. Taft, said he made an effort to see the Pennsylvania senator there, but was informed that he was in New York to attend the dinner of the Pennsylvania society. He wired Mr. Knox to see him at the Henry W. Taft residence Sunday morning. The appointment was - kept. Mr. Knox concluding his visit in time for Judge Taft to attend the morning church service, but remaining at the Taft res? idence until after Judge Taft had gone to church. ALLEGED MURDERER OF JAMES MASON. Negro Captured at aBrnett for Killing Augusta Hal broad Man?Says He is Murderer's Half-brother. Warrenton, Ga., Dec. 18.?Jeff Jones, alias Will Jones, a no fro, thought to be the mui derer cX Con? ductor Mason, who was killed while on his return on the Augusta Southern railway in Washington county In June. 1907, was arrested at Barnett, in ihtfi county, early today and is now in jail here. Conductor James Mason was a citi? zen of Augusta. His murder was most heartless and brutal. He was slain while in the faithful performance of his duty. A negro on his train refused to pay his fare, raised a row and Con? ductor Mason attempted to put him off the train. In his struggle he got the negro to the door and was about to put him off when the negro drew a revolver and shot Mr. Mason three times, killing him. The killing aroused much feeling, as Mason was well liked and was gen? erally respected as a good man and as a fine railway conductor. A few days after the killing the Washington coun? ty authorities got on the track of a ne? gro who was believed to be the mur? derer, but the negro eluded his pur? suers. From that time until the cap? ture of Jones at Barnett today io trace of Mason's murderer has bein seen. The negro in jail here claims that he is the half-brother of the murderer of Conductor Mason. Jeff Jones savs he had no hand in the commission <>f the crime. He is being held here on a charge of carrying a concealed weap? on, for he was armed when arrested, and also foi identification by the au? thorities of Washington county, who have been notified of his capture. Whether Jones is really the mut derer of Mason is not known here, but the authorities say they believe he is the same negro whe eluded the officers In Washington county last year. (Conductor James Mason, above re? ferred to, was a former resident of Sumter, and a son of Mr. J. Y. Ma^on, of this city.) Capt. John Moorer. a prominent planter of Calhoun county is dead. Gov. Ansel has refused to pardon G. w. Bnnls convicted in Barnwell County on the charge of arson. T. B. Davis, a telephone lineman formerly of South Carolina, was killed by a live wire in Montgomery, Ala. South Carolina is entitled to the sum of $3">.000 from the government for the promotion of agricultural schools John Cuflle, a Greenville county negro, killed his wife, sat up With the corpse all night and then surrendered to the sheriff. The proposed new county of Kdisto, which was to have been formed of parts of Alken, Orangeburg and I>?x Ington counties was defeate 1 in th^ election held Tuesday. ? E SOUTHRON, Established June, 1*64 w?Vol. XXVIII. No 20, 4 COTTON PRICES 555 REGISTERED NET GAINS DE? SPITE ENORMOUS RECEIPTS. Crop Is Good, Prices Low and De? mand is Expected to be Fairy Equal To Supply. New York, Dec. 18.?Enormous re? ceipts of cotton have at times had a depressing effect, yet it is a fact at once singular and significant that, de? spite the increased business of a crop movement unparalleled in the history of cotton culture, prices actually show a small net advance for the week. Probing for the cause? of such a phenomenon, for it is practically that, they are to be found, first, in the enromous consumption; second, is a correlative of this, the reeent very heavy exports; third, the cheapness of the price, and, fourth, an overdo? ing of the short side. There have been j too many bears in all sections of the country, owing to the mammoth |s> I ceipts. But the price Is relative.y I low and this must be numbered with the most important of the bullish fac? tors. Then again the quality is ad? mittedly superior. Wall street has been buying, un? dismayed by the high receipts, weak? ening spot markets the pressure of Southern hedges and at times a pres? sure also of *oreign selling. It has ignored reports of slackening business In this country, of poor trade on the continent of Europe, of a diminished Lancashire business and an attempt in India to boycott British goods In retaliation for the sedition laws deal? ing with the unrest existing m that part of the British empire. It has. ignored reports that the Inte-slght movement by January 1 Is Hhery to? se larger than the previous high rec? ord, that of the season of.. 1904-05, when, according to cotton exchange reports, the crop was lS,s*4,000* ?jales. It has paid no attention to* private estimates of 13,100.000 to 14, 000,000 or to increasing stocks here for liberal tenders on December ;en tracts or the talk to the effect that the Increasing New York stook must inevitably have sooner or later a de? pressing effect on near options even tholugh December of late has ranged at a premium of from 3?..to 42 points, ever January. Wall street had adhered tenacious? ly to the conviction that cotton is cheap, that 1909 is to be a big year In American business, in which the cot? ton industry is bound to share, that spinners' takings will be well over 13.000.000 bale*, that the recent gov? ernment estimate of 12.900,000 baler*, however sharply attacked, . woe prac? tically correct, that there .fc? a short interest on foreign straddles here of anywhere from 500.000 to 1,0000,000 bales, that another big short. Interest exists on Southern hedges* and other bear selling. Meantime reports are being receiv? ed that the spot markets are begin? ning to resist any tendency towards lower prices. The current price le - down nearly to the cost of raising cotton. Exhaustion of supplies Is re? ported in some parts of the cotton/ country, and the "weak" long interest has been largely weeded out here. Straddles have been buying January, March and other months heve against sales across the water in securing: profits on a recent widening ef the difference of something like |1 a bale. Liverpool and Manchester have within a day or two shown a strong? er tone. Lancashire's tiade h? said to be improving. Bears are nervous about the census bureau's report on the ginning to be issued on Monday, December 21. In other words, the boot is on the other leg. Becently the market was overbought. Now It looks to many as though it were oversold. Many of the sptnners' In? terests in this country are bullish ar present prices and as intimated at the outset the market shows a resist? ing power in the face of extraordinary receipts which occasions general re? mark. The Indifference of the out? side public is a drawback, but one house alone bought 25.000 bales of March and May today. The report that J. Henry Garrison, who killed J. L. Williamson at Gray Court, had entered upon his sentence, is denied in Laurens. Pr<?f Barney Jones of the l*iin? ( s city schools, who was indicted on the charge of cruelty to children, was found not guilty. Rev. John A. Porter, a superannuat? ed member of the South Carolina Methodist Conference, died at Tam? pa, Fla.. Dec. 11th. Governor Ansel has made a requisi? tion on Governr Hoke Smith of Geor gia, for John King, who p? wanted in this State on the charge of burglary.