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Cin COUNCIL MEETING. ADMINISTRATION III 1LDING TO HE ERECTED ON LIBERTY STREET. Building Committee Report \V?? Strongly In Favor of I'ndertaklng? The EatlmaUHl Cont of Which ht ? II.OOO?Tin* l lty Hell to be En? tirely Abandoned for Munkipal l*urpo? *? Board of Health Make* ll4i-imini.litlloiH? Mr. J. L. Ai? nu! Applle* for iim* Franchise. city Council met Tuesdy night in regular session with Mayor Boyle and all aldermen present Tho mlnutee of the meeting of March 9th were read and confirmed. It. E. g. Booth, president of the board of health requested the adop? tion of an Ordinance requiring physi? cians to report all eaees of tubercu loela as In other contagious diseases, to provide fur microscopic examina? tions of indigent patients; for com? pulsory connections with sewers, of soda fountains, laundries, etc., in thickly settled parts of the city, and to prevent construction or use of dry welia. He was advised to have these suggestions formulsted as rules of the board of heslth for ratification by council. Mr. J. U Alnut applied for a gas franchise, such ss was heretofore granted to Mr. W. H. Ingram, and requested that 10 days be allowed for acceptance and for execution ol $1. 000 bond for performance. On mo? tion of Mr. H. C. Hsynsworth the franchise, in such form as msy be agreeable to council, was held open for thirty dsys for compliance with terms. Mr. O. 0. Doollttle, representing the A merit an-LaKrance Fire Engine Co.. presented the merits of Are de? partment apparatus manufactured by his company. Mr. Bar nett for the Finance Com? mittee, reported that all claims refer? red to them had been approved ex? cept that of C. B. Dalge Co., $ 14 4.40. for disinfectants which had not been ordered by council. Mr. Finn for the Fire Department Committee, reported that permission had been given Mrs. C. R. Oregg to alter her residence In the fire limits as requeeted on Ith instant. Mr. H. C. Haynsworth for Commit? tee of Public Works reported that the work on Wsshlngton street had been completed, and the clay work start? ed on Bast Calhoun street He stat? ed thst the county chalngang had been taken from the city, but would return In a few days to finish their work as agreed. He had met the county commissioners and presented tha request of council that the county would unite with the city In work on Turkey Creek. No conclusion had been reached end he would consult with the board again. He requested that other aldermen be appointed to act with him In the matter. Report of the superintendent of mtreetf for two weeks was submitted showing the following amount ?pent In repairing and cleaning the streets. $801.10. Number of men 32. carbi 10. This report was discussed at length. Mr. Uffon moved that all committees he required to meet once In every * wo weeks and digest their reports before presenting them to council. The motion was adopted. Mr. A. J. Stobbe offered title to lend for the extension of S. Sumter street to city limits, provided council nwe the street opened. His offer vai accepted. Mr. R. F- Haynsworth. chairman of the Fire Department Building Com? mittee submitted the following re? port Sumter. S. C, March 23, 19o.?. Mr. Mayor Tour committee appointed to look Into the best means of securing suit? able and ample quarters for the city's Are department beg to submit. With the uld of your architect we have as? certained that to build a two-story brick building for the fire department with room for stables, hose-wagon* and hook and ladder equipment, bed. bath and lounging room (all of which Is necessary) would occupy 50 feet of the property belonging to the city on West Liberty street, which de? in, i in the 76 foot lot owned by the city would leave 25 feet, which would be practically worthless If left unoccupied or unused for fire department purposes*. Th.? r.?*t of the f bov? equipment or building J be according to your arc-hit.-. I tjhfl t 99.000, and would have to bo two. ?forte* snd of brick. We then asceitalned the cost of converting thv down-stair*, or present very Inade? quate quarters of the city officials, mi'o suitable, or your commit!SS pre? fer* to say. habitable quarter* for t?, .mho ?I itluji ..f tli.? cleric ami treasurer, water commissioner, health orflc* r. c hief of police, and recorder's COW. snd also to put In sanitary 0Ofl? ij'tio \ the guard hoii*e. which will cost front $1.500 t<? |S,0tt, making a total of about 910.500 and then have i i, r-< ?-,> <?' fr >m a Milldlng that MM met the city 992,000. but an addition? al ecpenee of maintaining not only this $32.000 building. Inj? the fire de psrt nent building, which must now be built. Now, after laborious re? search Into the matter, and Investi? gations which we made with a great deal of pains, we have come to the conclusion that as a matter of econ? omy, health and we might say of re? spectability, we recommend to you, and this honorable body that you erect on the property owned by the city on East Liberty street, a build? ing such as the plans herewith sub? mitted represent, to cost according to f?Mt architect $11,000 for a turn key Job, and which will accommodate all the officers, and officials Including the lire department, and will be a credit to our city Aside from the cost of this building and the convenience of it we think It our duty to establish and maintain offices, where ladies can go to transact such business as they may have with our clerk and treasurer, water commissioner, health officer, or other officials of tho city without the necessity of being sub? jected to unpleasant and humiliating situations, such as are afforded In our present quarters. As another argu? ment In favor of this building, Mr. Mayor, we will say, that the present quarters In the opera house can be converted into stores, or other apart? ments which will readily rent* thus creating a revenue for the mainten? ance of this very costly building, which we are now robbed of by using It as a city hall. The above, Mr. Mayor, we respect? fully submit, and request that you take Immediate action, as the fire de? partment are now without comfort, or actual necessities. Mr. Ligon moved that the plans of the combination building be accept? ed. Mr. Stubbs moved to lay Mr., Ugon's motion on the table. The mo? tion to table waa defeated by the fol? lowing vote: Yeas?Stubbs, Barnett, Bultman, H. C. Haynsworth. Nays? Finn. Llgon. R. F. Haynsworth, Wright and Boyle. The original mo? tion was then adopted by the same vote. Committee on the court house sew? er line wi s granted further time to report. Bids for a hook and ladder truck were received as follows: American-La France Co., with tank $1.97f>. with extinguishers, $1,675; J. C. Weir & Son. with tank $1,975. with extinguishers. $1,700; Anderson Co.. with tank $1,420, with exting? uishers. $1,075. Bids on steam fire engines as fol? lows: National Fire Engine Co., f. o. b. Sumter, $4,750; Ahrens Fire Engine Co., f. o. b. Sumter, $4,900; Amerl can-LaFrance Steam Fire Engine Co., f. o. b. Sumter, $4,900. These bids wore referred to the Fire Department Committee and fire chief. Bids were received from the Sum? ter Ice. Light and Power Co., to furnish street lights, not less than 50 at $75 each per annum, all night and every nlgh,t schedule. Their plant to be exempt from all municipal taxes and licenses. The bid was re? ferred to the Police Committee. Request was mado by Mr. W. B. Costln for the privilege of keeping a coop of chickens on the sidewalk In front of his store on W. Liberty street and referred to the Police Commit? tee. Claim of Mr. H. L Benbow for services as convict guard was order? ed paid. Inventory of tools and pipe left over from aewer work was referred to the Committee of Public Works for consideration of values. On Mr. Finn's motion the time for compulsory connections with sewers In the fire limits was extended to .January 1st. 1910. Mr. Ltgon suggested an ornamental fountain at the Intersection of Main street and Manning avenue in place of tho water trough now located at that point, and same referred to the Fire Department Committee, as also was arr suggestion by Mr. Barnett to require hotels to provide fire escapes. Council then adjourned. STATE LEAGUE REORGANIZED. Rock Hill. Chester, Gaffney and Cam den Form Temporary Organiza? tion. Rock Hill, March 23.?At the Matt league meeting here this evening. Chester. Camden and Rock Hill were personally represented and Gaffney by letter. A temporary organisation, was formed with the above towns. Mr. Pnul Kardlfl Of Chester WSJ chosen as temporary president and Mi. It M. Ixmdon of Rock Hill, t?-m t> rtry secretary. The league will meet in f'hesterth" ? isalaf of Ma eh II. At tat Cht i Bgeetlni all lowni desiring to sntsr miMt be represented and have read) f<>r tiling a bond for $300 for faithful ?finance <.f contract. Permanent officers will then be chosen and ruloi adopted It Is hoped that at that m**etlng there will be created a six city league. When n girl marries she exchanges tho chainv of pleasing ? lot of men for the tSftalnt] Of displeasing Jytt one. IT WAS A FAMOUS CASK. The Lot* Conviction and Hanging of A Man In TIiIh State for Negro Stealing. The Laurena Herald contained an Interesting account of the conviction and execution of a white man, Dr. Thomas W. Klnman, at Laurens for negro stealing in 1854: Sometime in the spring or summer of 1853, Dr. Thomas W. Kinman was brought here from Greenville county (then district), a prisoner, and lodged In Jail charged with felony, in that he had stolen and carried away a cer? tain negro the property of a citizen of Laurens district. A few days after his imprisonment Klnman was admitted to bail under a heavy bond for his appearance at the approaching term of court for trial. The sessions court at that time was held twice a year?March and Octo? ber. One Sunday evening before the op? ening of the October term, Klnman was promptly In attendance, stopping at Simmons' Hotel apparently in the best of humor and spirits, where the writer saw him for the first time. He was a man of rather fine personal ap? pearance, quite six feet in height, florid complexion with light or sandy hair, a man of intelligence, In posses? sion of considerable property in lan,. and negroes, and up to the time of his arrest bore a good character and was highly respected. Notwithstand? ing these facts, and the gravity of the charges against him, the case had excited little or no Interest until he went and even then, no one seemed to think that he would be convicted and hanged, as under the law of South Carolina, at that time no other penalty attached to the crime of ne? gro-stealing, slightly different now. There was very little direct or po? sitive proof against Klnman?nearly all circumstantial but the circumstan? tial evidence proved, in the end dam? aging and fatal, as will be seen later on. -It developed In course of the trial that Kinman passed through this place In possession of a new light two-horse Cox and Gower wagon, the cover of which was tightly drawn by strong cords at front, rear and aides, so that no one could see Its interior. Witness testified that the same de? scription of man and wagon crossed the Saluda river at Swansey's Ferry. Another witness, a citizen of the town of Abbeville, testified that the identically described man and wa^on passed through that place. It so hap? pened that the Abbeville witness wanted just such a "wagon as the de? fendant had, wanted it at once, and offered to pay a much larger sum for It. than the usual cost of vehicles of that size, but his offer was not only refused but he was forbidden to look inside the wagon, when he attempted to do so. This action on the part of the defendant* for some reason, it seems, excited the suspicion of the witness, and he so testified, identify? ing Kinman as the man m charge of the wagon. And it was firmly be? lieved, thought not proven, that Raid negro was secreted in said wagon. It transpired from the evidence' that Kinman adopted the scheme of the great "Land Pirate"?as the no? torious John A. Murrell used to be called?made repeated sales ?'f the same negro. He or his confederate with him, would sell the stolen negro at a certain place, secrtely give him a pass with Instructions to meet him at another place, a few days later, where the negro would be sold again, signing of course, a fictitious name to he pass. These sales were repeat? ed several times, a pass being given In each Instance. And it was these passes that betrayed him and finally broke the neck of the accused. One of the witness testifying against Klnman was from Alabama, and was one of the unfortunate pur? chasers of the stolen negro, but like other unfortunate purchasers, was not able to identify Kinman as the man from whom he bought the ne? gro. The passes given the negro, three of which the prosecution man? aged to procure, were signed with the fictitious signature of "J. H. Smith," except one of the three which was signed "J. M. Smith." Why this change of initials from "J. H." to "J. M." should have been taken by the prosecution as -a suspicious circum? stance was not apparent at the time, save that ail three passes were proved to have been written by the same hand; and witnesses familiar with Kinman's handwriting swore that all three passes were written by him. 'Ibis seemed to "pin the basket" 'L.tinst the defendant, and was toe state's case, it is not remembered at tills lapse of time whether the de tense Introduced any evidence, but think none was Offered, though th prlaoner was badly defended by th ? '? Il??n. Charles 1?. Sullivan, om i ? -f the able lawyers of the Laurent The Slimier Clothing Company. bar, at that time justly ranking as on^ of the ablest in the State. The case was tried before Judge O'Neal, who was then a circuit judge, and before his elevation to the court Of ftpptgls. Jacob P. Reed, an able prosecuting officer, was the solicitor. The charge of Judge O'Neal, however was much stronger against the pris? oner and more influence with the jury than the even very able speech of the solicitor, as at that time a presiding judge was permitted to charge on fact, or on evidence, as well as on the law (and it might as well or perhaps better, if for? mer prerogative were in vogue now.) Judge O'Neal was thoroughly con? vinced of the prisoner's guilt and the jury saw it, which doubtless material? ly aided them in arriving at a quick agreement, returning as they did, within less than half an hour with the fatal verdict of guilty of the crime as charged, the only expiation of which was death on the gallows. There were no degrees of modifica? tions in those days for the crime of negro stealing. Among other things in the course of Judge O'Neal's charge he told the jury, substantially he himself conced? ing the facts: "That while there was really no positive proof of theft against the prisoner?that it was mainly circum? stantial, unbroken chain of circum? stantial evidence all going to estab? lish a fact, was oftentimes better and safer than even sworn evidence, as a witness will sometimes, and often do, swear falsely." When the verdict of the jury wa* announced Mr. Sullivan made motion for a new trial, which being denied, gave notice of appeal and carried the case to the appeal court, which body sustained the action or verdict of the lower court and then sentence of death was pronounced upon the de? fendant. Mr. Sullivan fought the case with his characteristic energy and persistence and unless the writer is mistaken succeeded in getting it be? fore the appeal court more than once, but with the same result. Yet he did succeed in getting two respites for his client, .but upon what ground is not remembered. When all hope was abandoned, Kinman set about trying to get Ms liberty by breaking jail. Some wee ts before the day of execution he man? aged in some way to get a long key hole saw and a pocket-knife and a rope. With these tools he went to work energetically, not being shack? led and came very near cutting his way out; but unfortunately for him the sheriff who slept in the jail, was awakened by the noise, late at night and thwarted the attempt to escape. The prisoner It seems had become over confident and bold In his efforts. The sheriff (the late Oswall Richard? son) stated that Kinman would have escaped in two hours, or less, but for the timely discovery on his part. It was supposed that the prisoner's faithful wife who had been permitted to visit him a few weeks previously, had conveyed the means of escape to the prisoner concealed in her cloth? ing. The prisoner's effort to escape was defeated less than a week before the day of execution. On the day of the execution a pe culary strange if not an anomalous and gruesome Incident occurred; as Kinman was being conveyed from the Jail to the gallows the writer was "WALK-OYERS" For Spring $3.50 & $4* Tlie Sumter Clothing Company. rJ>HISis to certify that 1 have sold my Optical Business and good will to W. A. Thomp? son, No. 6 South Main St., Surn ter\ S. C.,on March ist, 1909, after which time I shall discontinue here in the optical business, and transfer all prescription records to Mr. Thompson, who, by the way, has engaged the services of an expert optician, Dr. O. S. Vaughn, who can ably serve your wants in this line. Z. F. Highsmith. ' E. J. & |. L DUNNE, ARCHITECTS. Plans and Specifications for all Olsssei of Building*. Personal attentb n given the 8np< rviaion of all v\ ork. Law Range eptione 390, Sumter, S. C. 1 Standing on the sidewalk in front of a store on the ground now occupied ! y the People Loan and Exchange Hank as he passed sitting on a ?eat with the driver of a two-horse wagon, his coffin which he was soon to till, just in the rear of him. The negro, for whom he was soon to be hang? ed for stealing stood on the same side walk, (and not ten steps from the writer) and seemed to gaze with glee? ful satisfaction on the doomed cul? prit. It w as si spected that Kinman was associated with, and one of a clan whose business was to steal both ne? groes and horses and run them off, the headquarters of which was just i across the line of Laurens in Green? ville district. But was mere suspic? ion. A moment before the death trip was sprung, Kinman was asked by his spiritual adviser, Rev. David Wills who went on the scaafford with him and offered prayer for him, whether he was guilty that it was his duty le owed it to his family, himself and friends to riake the statement as his last utterar.ee on earth, and said to him: "Kinman, are you guilty or in? nocent?" His reply was, "guilty only In part." These were his last words, and as the signal handkerchief drop? ped from his nervy hand and flutter? ed slowly :o the ground, he was launched into eternity. He was pub? licly hanget1 the later part of Septem? ber, 1854, public execution then being the law or custom, and the crowd in attendance was immense some of them from adjoining districts. His laconic reply as to his guilt in? dicates that if he did belong to a thieving clan, he was true to it. He divulged nothing save as to himself and little of that, even. Kinman's was not only a sad case but a pecu? liar one. ?MOONSHINE" CAVE RAIDED. Revenue Officers Capture Still, Not Far From Anderson. Anderson, March 23.?Within six miles of Anderson Deputies Stewart and Martir, of Sheriff King's office, discovered a 25-gallon liquor still this afternoon. It was located In a cave and had b?en in operation up until a short time before discovery. The worm and still were brought to jail here, but one barrel of corn whiskey ??WALK OVER" Shoes $3.50 & $4 The Sumter Clothing Company. and three barrels of mabh were pour? ed out. The stil! was near the pub? lic road, and probably has been ope? rated some time. No arrests wer** made, as the operator- ? vidently got w ind of the raid. "WALK OVER" OXFORDS. $3.50 & $4. The Sumter Clothing Company. Readers, Read Stieffs Ads Every Week YOU will find them not only interesting, but instructive, and if you expect to buy a piano and will be guided by our knowledge gained from sixty-six years' experience, you can secure a piWio that will always be good, and buy at the Right Price. Watch For Special Bargains. Write To-Day. Chas. M. Stieff Manufacturer of the Artistic Stieff, Shaw and Stieff Seifplayer Pianos. SOUTHERN ;WARER00MS 5 W. Trade St CHARLOTTE, :: N. C. C.H. Wilmoth, Manager. (Menticn this paper.) N. Gi. OSTEEN, JR., Dentist. 18 West Liberty Street - - - - TJp Stairsv Hor rs:?8.30 to 1-P. M?2 to 6. Office Phone?No. 30 - - - House Phorie 382' 9 csjcsacsoesoesacs?csacsacsscsacsacsacs^cs H M ? ? ? ? mm u