The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, February 20, 1909, Image 8
COUNTY CORRESPONDENCE.
jntWSY LETTERS FROM OUR SPE?
CIAL CORRESPONDENTS.
of Interest From ell Parts of
and Adjoining Co on tire.
WOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS.
Mail your letters so that they will
lh this office not later than Tue*
morning. When the letters are
gejeelVMl Wednesday It Is almost an
Impossibility to have them appear in
Mae paper Issued that day.
Max. Feb. 18.?The death of Mrs.
A. K. Chandler last Wednesday at her
lu olanta. cast a glocm over
little town and surrounding coun
Bethel church Is giving potatoes to
sufferers and exchanging corn
Wtth I hem.
Oats are recovering from the back
set given by recent cold.
Mine L. B. Truluck attsndsd the
sectors and box party at Shi loh last
Jrrtday night and reported a pleasant
Man*
Mies Annie Chandler has given up
teaching at the Bayroad school and
fbturned home to help care for her
another's mothsrlses babe. While
Sanne can object, all regret It very
-Mneh.
Mrs. Wlllism Whltehead of Lake
Oty. Is spending some time with her
slaughter, Mm. W. K. Moore, whose
Why continues sick.
Mrs. J. A. M. Carraway. also Mrs.
m% C. Truluck are recovering from
asiceat sickness.
Bob OreenY (colored) wife died
tasH Monday.
Mrs. B. C. and Miss Pearl Truluck
Wlslted Mrs. Ellen Waraham last
Mr. Severance ryt Darlington, has
STJoved to the Hoyt Tom Mr,son pises.
STTATBBURG.
v" Stateburg. Peb. 17.?Mrs. P. H. Mc
sVeod sad Miss Janle Nelson were the
Of Mrs. Charlss Plncknsy on
Mr. R. C. Richardson. Jr., spent
Bcsday wtth rslattvss In Sumter,
Maw Virginia ?andere Is visiting
at Ha good.
Emms Baarnwell and Julia
epent Monday In Sumter.
Masters Sereven and Charlie Moore
were the guests of Mr. and Mrs.
snmrlss Ptnckney for a few days dur?
ing the pest wssk.
Mrs. Jamas Caldwell hss moved
from Mullens back to her old home
Mm our midst, where her friends
Heartily welcome bar.
Quite a number went to Clarendon
here today to attend the Nsl
? Richardson wedding, whhh took
at high noon.
Mrs, Si B. Nelson has issuod invl
amtloae to a reception on Thursday
?seeing, Feb. 11th. from 8 to 10.
given in honor of Mr. aad Mrs. V.
SX Nelson.
Dr. F. M. Dwlght is spending sever?
ed daye in Charleston this week.
Mr. W. D. Prterson Is on a visit to
E. N. Friereon. at Cherry Vale.
Rev. W. H. Bamwell spent Wed
ly la Clarendon.
Mrs. F. M. McLeod Is visiting hsr
another. Mrs. S. E. Nelson.
aTTATEHOOD BILL DEFERRED.
Mot Likely to Act This See?
on Arisona and New Mexico
Waahlngton. Peb. 18.?The Mexl
m aad Arisona Statehood bill, which
the houss yesterday, today
referred by the senate to the
imlttee on Territories. This action
taken after considerable mano?
euvring on the floor, and the discus
soon Informally of a number of sug
asset Ions looking to the passage of the
sail at the present session. The prop
aettlon holding the bill on the table,
esjbject to call, was first advanced, but
the counting of noses demonstrated
that there was insufficient support for
the bill In ths ssnsts to prevent ref
race to the committee, which la
?ught to be hostile to action by the
?at congress. It was suggested
that the bill might be referred to
committee with Instructions to
within one week, but this
iltlon also lacked support, and
My ths bill was referred without
debate and without condt'on. The
itttee on Territories will meet on
Friday to consider ths bill, but It Is
met believed thst it will be reported
favorably or adversely In the
time thst retr.slns of the pros?
tat sseslon.
LKCTTRE IN PINRWOOD.
J. W. Daniel Will Tslk About
Ttie Southern Mole.
Rev J. W Dsnlel. D. D.. of Colum?
bia will deliver his well known and
ewer populsr and entertaining lecture
?The Southern Mule." at Plnewood
Thursdsy night. February 25th. The
people of Plnewood and vicinity have
a reel treat In store for them.
There Is no grscs In a benefit that
stroke to the fingers?Seneca.
TORNADO DEVASTATES TOWN.
Cedar Muff, Mies., Practically De
etroyed by Heavy Windstorm?One
Killed, Four Injured.
Greenville, Miss., Feb. 15.?Reports
received here today fram Cedar Bluff,
Miss., state that that town was prac?
tically destroyed by a tornado late
yesterday afternoon. Five houses
were completely blown away and tim?
ber fell in all directions. The storm
came from the Northeast, was accom?
panied by very heavy hall and mowed
a path about 200 yards wide. Wires
are down and tracks blocked with de?
bris. \
Miss Mary Ellis was killed out?
right; Alfred and Frank Ellis were
injured, and Miss Jane Stevens w??
Inured internally. Will Aaron *iad
a leg broken.
CALHOUN TRIAL. RESUMED.
Heney Calls Down Witness Who Made
Threats.
San Francisco, Cel., Feb. 16.?At
the trial of Patrick Calhoun, on an
indictment charging bribery, assistant
District Attorney Francis J. Heney to?
day resented the demeanor of a wit?
ness on the witneee stand, and declar?
ed that he had "drawn a line over
which no living man may step" in
vllllfylng him.
Samuel Leake. who was summoned
to the stand during the examination
of venlremen because of an allegation
that he had endeavored to purchase
an Intereet in the haberdashy busi?
ness, conducted by a brother of one
of the Jurors, warned Mr. Heney that
he could make certain revelations
concerning the prosecutor's past. Mr.
Leake, who had been questioned as
to his visits to a saloon said:
"I think it very Improper for you
to refer to these things, Mr. Heney, I
could tell of pieces I saw you?."
"I want you to atop that right
now," Interrupted Mr. Heney. "I don't
propose that you shall make any
more threats. Tou arc here to an?
swer qseetlons."
"There is one conversation you
don't dare to refer to," retorted the
witness. There was one when you
went up the back way Into the Call
office and tried to go back on Phelan
and Spreckels?"
"That's all there will be of that,'
said Mr. Heney. "I took this sort of
thing from Henry Ach, (attorney for
Abraham Ruef.) for monthe, until it
led to an attempt at assassination,
and after this I want it understood
that I won't take it from any man
living. If I am going to be shot
again, I'll be shot In front, not from
behind, nor from the side."
Lewis F. Bylngton, of the defence
here took exception, saying:
"We believe that the district attor?
ney should recognise the limits of his
duty in examining a witness."
Mr. Heney, rising, pitched his voice
so that it penetrated beyond the
room, and aald:
"This district attorney is doing his
duty as auch, but before I am a dis?
trict attorney I am an American citi?
zen, and In that capacity I want to
say right here and now that I draw
the line over which no living man
may step. For months I took all the
vllltficatlon that could be heaped on
me merely because I dared to do my
duty, which some one had to do, but I
am through with It. and I want this
thoroughly understood."
The panel of twelve tentative jurors
waa broken by the discharge of one
peremptory challenge: and two alleg?
ed cases of Jury tampering were made
public.
SUBJECT OF CZAR COMING.
|M. Friede, of St. Petersburg, to
Study South Carolina Agriculture.
Boeton, Mass., Feb. 9.?Commis?
sioned by the Csar to learn all the
modern methods in agriculture as
practiced In this country, Miss M.
Friede, of St. Petersburg, a daughter
of the Russian nobility, has an?
nounced here that she will tour South
Carolina, and particularly plans to
visit the agricultural college at Clem
eon and a similar institution in North
Carolina. In her own country Miss
Friede has attained considerable dis?
tinction through her observations
along agricultural lines.
BAI IN WELL BARBER KILLED.
White Man Shoots Negro Wlio Had
Cursed Him.
Barn well. Feb. 11.?Julius Green, a
colored barber, was shot and killed
here at 2:10 p. m., today by Mr. C.
F. Baker, a painter. The killing oc?
curred In Green's barber shop. It
seems that there was some trifling
trouble between the parties and that
Green cursed Mr. Baker, who left the
shop and returned In a few minutes,
when the killing occurred.
Baker admits having shot Green,
and the verdict of the coroner's Jury
was in accordance with this admis?
sion.
Baker la now lodged in the county
Jail. Motion for ball will be made by
his attorney in a few days.
CARMACK MURDER TRIAL
FIIIST DAY AVAS FULL OF SUR?
PRISES.
Mrs. Eastman Who Was Talking to
Senator Carmack When Me Was
Shot Down Tells The Story of the
Tragedy?Lawyers for Defense Fail
To Shake Her Testimony.
Nashville, Tenn., Feb. 16.?Filled
with dramatic incidents and marked
by scenes that bordered on the sensa?
tional, the first day of the actual trial
of the Cooper-Sharp case closed to?
night with both sides claiming to be
well satisfied with the progress made.
Whether Col. Duncan B. Cooper,
Robin J. Cooper and John D. Sharp
killed Former Senator E. W. Car?
mack in self-defense or as a result of
conspiracy is the sreat issue.
The taking of the testimony began
with every seat in the big new court
room occupied. Scarcely had the at?
torneys been rapped into order than
sensation No. 1 was produced. Mrs.
E. W. Carmack, the slain senator's
widow, was half carried, half assisted
into the room. She was gowned in
deepest mourning. She is petite and
slender. Her black veil fell nearly to
her feet. Her knees gave way as she
neared her seat and she was moaning
as she was placed in her chair. Her
little son. Ned, aged 10, stood by his
mother, patting her shoulder and try?
ing to keep back his tears.
Surprise No. 2 came when the State
called Mrs. Carmack as its first wit?
ness. A few questions were asked
her, but she became hysterical and
was excused. She was not in Nash?
ville at the time the tragedy happen?
ed.
Sensation No. 3 followed Mrs. Car
mack's leaving the stand. As Mr.
Lander and her sister half carried
the fainting, sobbing little woman to
her chair, Ned Carmack turned
squarely towards where the defend?
ants sat and fixed upon them a look as
full of hatred as It is possible to Im?
agine.
Then came the testimony of Mrs.
Eastman, the star witness for the
State. Mrs. Eastman Is nearly 60
year* old. Her hair is snow white but
her features are those of a girl and
she is graceful and active. When
called upon to do so she seized the
revolver said to have been found near
the dec* editor's body and reenacted
the tragedy. When she had finished,
her breathless spellbound audience
seemed to feel that it had witnessed
the tragedy and at least one spectator
broke into appaluse.
Her cross-examination was severe,
but she held her own, smiling and
calm.
When the attorney general read
the Indictment and' as he reached the
words "did willfully, maliciously and
with malice aforethought, slay and
murder the body of E. W. Carmack"
the widow collapsed and the eyes of
the two daughters of Col. Cooper,
who sat near the defendants, filled
with tears.
The State called Its wtlnesses and
swore them. The defense waived this
privilege with a statement that at the
proper time their witnesses would be
called and sworn.
Nashville, Tenn., Feb. 17.?Marked
?y bitter quarrels between attorneys
and by new and startling testimony,
the second day of the Cooper-Sharp
trial for the murder of Former Sena?
tor Carmack closed tonight with the
State highly elated and the dcnfense'l
visibly perturbed. The tension be?
tween the factions has tightened visi?
bly, too. This Is Indicated In the
court rooom by bitter passages be?
tween opporing counsel and outside
by more bitter talk by partlzans.
While It was clearly a field day for
the prosecution, It must be remember?
ed that the testimony was given by
the State's witnesses only and that
the defense is yet to be heard from.
There were three star wtlnesses,
all of them women. Miss Mary Skef
fington, the State librarian and a
young woman of excellent position
socially, was the first. She told how,
on the day of the murder, she left the
State library and walked down Sev?
enth avenue. When within 200 feet
of the scene of the shooting she met
John Sharp, one of the defendants,
whom she had known for 10 or 12
years. Just as she greeted him, she
heard three shots and asked Sharp
what it meant. Without turning
around to learn, she says, Sharp re?
plied: "That's Dune Cooper shooting
Senator Carmack."
By the eecond witness, Miss Daisy
Lee, the State laid the foundation up?
on which It will baae its contention
that the slaying of Carmack was the
result of a conspiracy. Miss Lee is
a stenographer In the office of James
B. Bradford, one of the attorneys for
the defense. Robin Cooper had his
office with Bradford's law firm. Mts:<
Lee, trembling with fright and almost
sick with worry, told how, on the
morning of November 9, the day of
the tragedy, when she arrived at the
office she found Col. Cooper already
there In conference with his son. She
heard the Colonel denounce Carmack
for using his (Cooper's) name and
declare he'd a right to protect him
self. Then she heard Col. Cooper ap?
ply to him (Carmack) epithets sovile
that she cried when ordered to repeat
them. The court permitted her to
write them, and when they were read
she covered her face with her hands.
Miss Lee then told how at 3 p. m.,
there began a conference in Brad?
ford's office between the two Coopers
and Bradford and Adjutant General
Tully Brown. This conference lasted
until 4 p. m., when it broke up and
the Coopers left together. She said
that there was a look of worry and
trouble on the boy's face that she had
never seen there before.
Miss Lee's duty, among other
things was to answer the telephone.
There are desk extensions into the
private offices of the members of the
firm. It was her custom tft answer
the telephone and call by an electric
button such member of the firm as
was wanted. A half an hour after
the Coopers left the office the tele?
phone rang, and as usual, Miss Lee
answered it. She heard a voice say:
*is that you, Jim?" and heard Attor?
ney Bradford say, "Yes."
She hung up her receiver, but not
before she recognized the voice as
that of Col. Cooper. A moment later
she heard Bradford say over the
?phone. "And did Robin kill him?
Well, I'll be right up there." She in?
sisted that Bradford was not in, the
habit of answering the telephone un?
less called by her. It appeared to be
the intent of the State to have the
jury believe that a conference to slay
Carmack was held and that the kill?
ing resulted from this conference.
The third star witness was Miss
Dora Braxter, a maid in the service
of Mrs. Lucius Burch, a daughter of
Col. Cooper, with whom he made his
home. The witness heard Col. Coop?
er come into the Burch home about
noon the day of the tragedy and
heard him tell Mrs. Burch something
that did not exactly reach the young
woman. She heard Mrs. Burch say:
"He will kill you, papa," and the
father's reply, "He is as liable to be
killed as I am," which caused Mrs.
Burch to become hysterical.
The defense made little effort to
cross-examine these witnesses except
in a most perfunctory manner, and
court adjourned with the testimony of
the State's witnesses practically un
assailed.
LAXD DEAL AT MANNING.
Greensboro, N. C, Concern Purchases
The A. L. Lesesne Tract.
Manning. Feb. 16.?J. McSwain
Woods, Esq., acting for the American
Realty Company of Greensboro, N.
C, purchased the A. L. Lesesne tract
of land lying in the corporate limits
of Manning and embracing 66 acres.
It is understood that the amount in?
volved is $40.000.
The purchasers announce that a sale
at public outcry will tcke place of a
part, say about 100 lots. This means
a great deal for the material advance?
ment of Manning, as it is deplorably
short on small houses for people in
moderate circumstances.
ORANGEBURG CLUB RAIDED.
One Barrel of Liquor Was Taken by
Chief of Police.
A barrel of whiskey was seized by
the police this morning from the Edi
sto Social Club, located in Broughton
street. The raid was made about 11
o'clock, and the whiskey is now at
police headquarters.
Chief Fischer received Information
this morning that a barrel of liquor
was at the depot for club, and he Im?
mediately made ready to seize it. It
was hauled down to town, and as it
was delivered at the door of the club
Chief Fischer took charge of it, and
notified W. H. Brown, one of the of?
ficers of the club.
The authorities have been on the
lookout for a shipment of this liquor
and when the barrel arrived this
morning it was addressed to the Edl
sto Social Club, and labeled "Explo?
sive Liquor," Chief Fischer prepared
to take charge of It
The liquor is In glass bottles pack?
ed In a barrel.?Orangeburg News.
Making National Reputation.
Representative Lever is making a
national reputation for himself and
the 7th South Carolina district A
few days ago he made a telling speech
on the subject of the referee board in
connection with the operation of the
pure food law. Demands for copies
of his speech have reached him from
almost every part of the United States
and all the big Western newspapers
played up the speech in their most
vivid colors, carrying broad headlines
and making note of It in their edito?
rial columns.
It Is probable that Mr. Lever may
have something further to say on the
subject In the near future. He touch?
ed, however, a magazine when he got
to the food manufacturers, and If
present rumors count for anything,
more interesting events are to happen
soon.?News and Courier.
Deputy Collector Scruggs and spe?
cial constables of Greenville destroy?
ed three illicit stills In Greenville
county.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY CERTAIN
TO ADJOURN NEXT SATUR?
DAY.
Talks of Prolonged Session is Merely
Bluff?State-Wide Bill Unlikely to
to Come to a Vote?Appropriations
Bill Provoked More Discussion
than Usual.
Columbia, Feb. 14.?In a week the
members of the General Assembly
will be at their homes, telling their
friends and loved ones how they help?
ed make the laws of the State and,
better si ill, how they joined hands
and kept useless statutes from get?
ting on the books. There has been
talk about not adjourning before
next Sunday?Saturday is the for?
tieth day. It is all twaddle or "bluff."
The General Assembly will adjourn
some time next Saturday. It may be
soon after midnight Friday, or it may
be late in the day, but the purpose is to
adjourn on the fortieth day of the
session, and there is no reason why
such should not be done. The sug?
gestion that such will 'not be done
comes from those who favor State?
wide prohibition, and are holding a
prolonged session over the heads of
those opposing them as a sort of
sword of Damocles. They ought to
know that they cannot hold the ma?
jority of the members here after next
Saturday, and the only thing that can
interfere, with the purpose to ad?
journ is some mishap.
The general appropriation bill has
already been reported by the Senate
committee on finance, and can be
given its final reading on Wednesday,
and this jan be followed up with the
general supply bill, and any effort to j
hold the bill up, as has been threat?
ened by the "State-widers" will not
succeed.
There was an effort made yesterday
among certain of the advocates of
State wlce prohibition to reach an
agreement as to when a vote should
be taken on the pending bill. The
conference lasted for some time, and
failed because it was stated that,
while the advocates of the measure
offered to allow two hours for further
debate aid agree to fix a time on
Monday for a vote, they would not
agree to a day*1 for final adjournment.
The opponents of the State-wide bill
suggested that they might agree to
an hour for a vote if those who ad?
vocated l.he State-wide law would
agree to name Saturday for final ad?
journment. Nothing was done, and
there is no telling what will be done.
The indications, however, are that
further ?ffort will be made for a
while to get the State-wide bill to a
vote, and that after a while there
will be n > further use to worry about
the matter. The impression is get?
ting abroad that neither the Bouse
nor the Senate is going to worry
about the bill.
The Interesting phase of the situa?
tion is the sensitiveness of the lead?
ers in charge of the State-wide bill?
Messrs M. L. Smith and John G.
Richards?that they have political
aspirations back of their efforts.
Both of these distinguished law?
makers insist that they are not try?
ing to build campaign benches with
this bill, and that they are really and
sincerely In earnest in their efforts to
get State-wide prohibition, and that
they do not expect to run for State
or other offices on the "quartette"
bill. Yet they do not appear to like
this Intimation. The fact of the mat?
ter is that John Richards and M. L.
Smith are two mighty strong and
able men, and the State is fortunate
in having such strong men in its
service, but they do not know what to
do with their bill, and to pass it
would be to have no issue for a forth?
coming campaign.
The general appropriation bill has
passed the House. It provoked more
discussion than heretofore, but it is
well that there is full and free dis?
cussion on this, of all bills, because
it is Important that the members
know where and how the State's
money is spent. The bill this year
carries an expenditure of $1,692,686.
30 and the bill gives an Itemized
statement of where every dollar of
this money goes. There were two
remarkable things done in connec?
tion with the appropriation bill this
year. First, the abandonment of the
Confederate Home, which has just
been completed, and is now ready for
Its first Confederate soldier, and sec?
ond, the appropriation of $50,000 at
one fell swoop swoop for the pur?
chase of school books for use in the
public schools of the State.
The appropriation bill brought into
prominence and showed the marked
ability of two young members?Wal?
ter Doar, of Georgetown, and E. W.
Duvnll, of Chesterfield. These two
young men have had little to say, but
when the appropriation bill came up.
young Mr. Duvall. a new member,
shot right into prominence by his en?
tire familiarity with what he was
talking about, and again showing the
importance of knowing at least one
thing better than others. Mr. Duvall
is one of the promising young men of
the new members. Walter Doar
has been here before, but neither he
nor any other member has, as the
lawyers express it, fastened a de novo
proposition involving $50,000 on the
all-sacred appropriation bill.
Mr. Marion Rucker, the chairman
of the ways and means committee,
has a strong committee this year and
he and his associates managed to
take fine care of the bill In the House.
John Richards has been toting the
affairs of Winthrop College, and if
the young ladies up there believe in
the making of saints, they should fir
up a panel for Saint John Richards,
and if he continues his good work
there will have to be another panel
to Saint John Porter Hollis.
Something was said last week
about the pernicious habit of not
reading bills at least on the second
reading. Speaker Whaley yesterday
undertook to stop what was growing
to be a bad custom, and what will
sooner or later lead to serious trouble,
because, Just as sure as it is kept up,
something that was never intended,
will by accident slip through in such
a fashion. The rules, the law and
everything else require that every
bill should be read line for line on
the second reading. Yesterday Speak?
er Whaley insisted on the enforcement
of the rule when, lo! and behold,
that most careful, that most exact
and precise law-maker, Mr. T. B.
Fraser, asked for unanimous con?
sent for a bill to pass its second
reading without reading it as re?
quired by the rules. The unanimous
consent was granted and the bad
precedent again started. It is like
shooting an unloaded gun. It is go?
ing to be loaded and someone is sure
to be hurt when least expected,
Absolutely nothing has yet been
done looking towards a revision or
change in the matter of assessments
or of taxation. There is something'
wrong, and it ought to be changed.
Columbia, for instance, is paying city,
county and State taxes upon a high?
er basis than almost any other city in
the State. Richland County has a
scrupulously exact and orthodox au?
ditor, who is not constantly thinking
about vote making, and a board of
assessors that is not afraid of get?
ting, values, but In many other coun?
ties \he Idea seems to be to see how
low the values can be fixed and raise
sufficient for necessary purposes.
Something ought to be done, in av>
business-like way to reraedj this ej/fl,
and not let the State bo-rU of assess?
ors come here from year to year and
go through the quadrennial farce of
saying: "Oh, well, let's adopt the
county figures, as they ought to
know what best." This means
nothing, except drawing pay war?
rants and going home. There has
never been a systematic effort made
to get at actua values and make the
values comparative in the State?the
lands In one ccunty value as they do
In another. Mr. Jones has been try?
ing to do this for years, but be has
gotten raps for It, and his sole pur?
pose has been to equalize and not
raise assessments of taxes.
There is a substitute compulsory
education bill on the House Calendar.
It is supported by Messrs. Fultz, Mc
Mahan and Garris. Whether it will
be adopted at this session and be able
to run the gamut is doubtful.
During the week two Important
measures to the common school in?
terests have been adopted on the
House side. One is the bill of Mr.
Garris, looking to direct subsidy to
common schools in the poorer sec?
tions of the State. The Idea is to sup?
plement the local funds to the extent
of not more than $80, If the local
folks will do something themselves
towards extending the term of the
school. The second of the series of
bills looking to helping the common
schools is that of Mr. Hydrick, who
wants the real rural districts helped
by the high school law, and whose
bill, which passed the House, looks to
that end.?August Kohn in News and
Courier.
CRAFT SENTENCED FOR LIFE.
Judge Dantzler Refuses to Grant the
Young Man a New Trial?Appeal to
Supreme Court.
Lexington, Feb. 9.?Judge Dantxler
today refused to grant a new trial in
the case of Thomas Craft, the young
white man who was yesterday con?
victed of the murder of Garfleld Hut
to, with recommendation to mercy.
Craft was sentenced by Judge Dant?
zler to serve the remainder of hie
natural life at hard labor in the State
penitentiary.
Craft la only 26 years of age. Just
In the prime of early manhood, and
while the verdict of the Jury meets
with almost universal approval, there
ire those who greatly sympathise
with the young man.
Craft will remain in the Lexington
jail pending the appeal to the su?
preme court.
A five-year-cId son of Rev. Oliver
Johnson of Chester swallowed a
horse-shoe nail several days ago but
has not suffered any bad effects.
A fool uttei eth all his mind.?Bl
ble.