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COUNTY CORRESPONDENCE, AS* LETTERS FROM OUR SPE CIAL CORRESPONDENTS. ana of Interest From all Parts of Snmtver and Adjoining Counties. NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS. Mall your letters so that they will Peach this office not later than Mon? day when Intended for Wednesday'* gasper laid not later than Thursday #ar Sau. r day'n Issue. This, of course, applies only to regular correspond !In case of Items of unusual value, lend In Immediately by telephone or telegraph. Such stories ure acceptable up to the of going to press. Wednesday's la printed Tuesday afternoon Saturday's paper Friday after LYNCHBURG. Lynchburg, Sept. 18.?After a lorn? niaese of ten weeks, Mr. J. H. Crlbbs. am employee of tbe A. C. L. Railroad Company at this place breathed hi* last at tbe Sumter Hospital yesterday morning, and the remains were laid to rest at the Lynchburg cemetery to at 11 o'clock a. m. After the fun ? in the Presbyterian church the Knight of Pythlaa took charge and performed the uaual ritea. Tba deceaaed waa very popular and by bla upright deportment the eateem of all the best peo He was a man, who while kind accommodating, waa extremely attentive to hla own bualnesa, and never Interfered with any one elae's agfaJra Mr. Crlbb was from Marlon eoemty. and came to this place sev? eral years ago to take charge of a section on the railroad. He leavea s erlfe and five children and a host of friends to mourn hla loas. WI8ACKY. Wlaacky. Sept. U.?The long dry npell of rtve weeka duration waa brok? en yeaterday by a gentle rain that has refreshed everything very much and the probability is we will have sev? eral days of rain, which hau brought ootton picking to a atand still. Tbe health of the community is aaoderately good at this time. Miss Mamie Gibson, who has seen very with fever. Is Improving. Timei are dull and gloomy, and rws Is scarce. Mr. F. A. Neil, of Winnaboro, agent sr lands known as the Bratton prop has been making a canvass of A counties recently and took ns last week, and while here vlaited A frlenda in Blshopvllle. He much pleased with the town, and loud In his praises of our new house. P FISGAH. Ptegah, Sep . 18.?The long and hot drought waa broken In the svrround la* sections, but not much here. It will help to aotue extent peas and po? tatoes. Cotton picking is well up with. In there Is very little to pick. The an running on half time, and same of them less than that, and yet they say a big crop. Where is It V Net here where on aomc places It will take 12 to 16 acres to make a hale. The people are hard up for a veg? etable diet. No gardens. Peas and potatoes are things for the future If ttiat future comes to them. Turniph have been repeatedly sowed, but the and hot weather kept them from mlng up. Ftah and beef wagons roam the atry and our people are well sup? plied In that way Mra. Joel E. Brunsen, of Sumter. name up to the ladles missionary so? ciety st Phiah last Sunday. Mrs. Brunson has many friends here wh? ere always delighted to see her. Mra. J. J. Coolay. of Darlington. -*3?Ue<1 b.er daughter, Mrs. J. L. Ulllls this week. ^.?One by one those who so bravely '?allowed the starry cross are rapidly leaving us. Sumter county has again been called upon to give up a most gallant son In the person of Hon. H. /. Abbott, whose death was received here by his numerous friends with profound sorrow. He was a brave soldier, a high toned Christian gen? tleman. Chivalrous in his bearing, ?ran and Intelligent In his conviction saT right. It waa In the quiet of his hos pttable bnme that the finer qualities of hla heart shone forth. No truer ever drew a sword In behalf of country than he. A good friend d loyal son to his county and State h a death Is a distinct loss. Newa haa reached here that an ether gallant soldier, Mr. John Alfred McLeod, of Cypress. Florida, h'is gone to Join Lee and Jackson. Me lived hare many years and a better friend, neighbor and kind hearted man the writer never knew. In the beginning of tbe war he was desperately wound ad and he never recovered the use of himself. Years ago he connerted him? self with Plsgah church and died a gegeafcef of Ii rinv \Tf i r: Prlv.tlecr, PJmPX 21.--Messrs. Mo ?aal and u pntchatd spent Cup day In Columble. 1 Mr. F. G. Rivers, of Eastover, spent Sunday at Mr. E. W. Klvers. Mrs L. B. and Miss Marie Jenkins have moved to Sumter. Miss Bulah Stukes. of Sumter. spent a few days the past week at Mr. Jim Davis". Mrs. Ben Bradham is visiting rel? atives in Manning. Cotton and hay have been damaged to some extent by the heavy rains of the past few days. There is to be an oyster supper at Bethel church Friday night, the 29th. We are glad to report the sick of the neighborhood as being convales? cent. I T1IK KIND OF ENUMERATOR*. Farmers and Crop Reporters for the Cenmift of Agriculture. Washington, Sept. 20.?Forty-five thousand enumertors out of the esti? mated grand total of 65,006, will be engaged April 16th next in gathering the required information concerning agriculture for the 13th decennial U. S. census. Director Durand purpose making every effort to secure pro? gressive farmers and crop reporters for these places. His action is based upon the recommendations of Chief Statistician LeGrand Powers and 4.he advisory board of special agents com? posed of professors of economics and farm experts who have been assisting in the formulation of the schedule of inquiries concerring farm operations and equipment. It is believed that the selection of this .class of men, al? ready familiar with statistical meth? ods of securing data and reporting it in comprehensible form, will add greatly to the efficiency of the census and to the scientific value of the in? formation obtained. Director Durand does not anticipate any difficulty in procuring enumerators of this kind as there are In every State of the Union, hundreds of crop reporters acting for the department of agricul ture, representatives of State boards of agriculture, etc. The agricultural schedule which is to be placed in the hands of these enumerators is nearlng completion by the census bureau. The advisory bosrd who are acquainted with prac? tical agriculture. Its varying condi? tions, and who are active in their re? spective States In assisting the far? mers to Improve their farm methods, have been most earnest and no effort is being spared to make the schedule as simple as possible, and yet secure the greatest amount of important in? formation concerning agriculture. JDy means of the census schedule an effort will be made to secure an ac? curate statement of the total number of acres of land In the farms of the country, by States and counties; als< the Improved acres, number, and s!z( of farms. On account of ths growir?" importance of tenancy in many parts of the country, considerable informa? tion wjlj be secured as to whethe farms are operated by owners, ten ants or hired managers. Information about the value of farm, buildings, and other permanent improvements: and of the farm equipment, both ma? chinery, implements, and live str?k will be secured. An important part of the scheduh will be that enabling a study of thr crops and crop-products of 1900. Th< enumerators will ask about areas, quantities produced, and value of crops. In the case of all the principal crops grown in all parts of the Unl ted States. This Inquiry covers grain and seeds, hay and forage crops; pn< all Important special crops such ftl fruits, nuts and vegetables, cotton tobacco, rice, hemp, potatoes, broom corn, etc. By-products, like fl:" straw for tow and twine, and such manufactured products a? wines, ci? der and vinegar, dried fruits, sugar syrup, etc.. will not be overlooked 1 y the questions in the schedule. The inquiries concerning Jive StoeV and their stock products, also Include cattle, work animals, sheep and goats, swine, poultry and bees. The fact" M to the number and value of ll"e stock at the time of the enumerate are to be secured in some detail, tak? ing into consideration ages, sex and use of animals, furthermore, data will be secured "elating to the nun ? ber and value of each species of ani? mal raised, purchased, and sold, and the quantity and value of animal pro? ducts, such as milk, cream, butter and cheese, wool, eggs, honey and wax. A few special questions of a gen* eral nature may be Included to secure valuable related Information. Among these is one which will be made con? cerning the area and character or woodland in farms. There will be but one schedule for agriculture. There may be a small schedule for the enumeration of ani? mals in cities. This will b<? carried by the city enumerators and It will cover horses, milch cows, ohloksns, etc.. housed In Warns, stabh-s. etc., In ttlf cities. No attempt will be made to ami the area Ol city gardens or va? cant lot cultivation. It rsftlM Was shameful in that Brooklyn doetOff to steal Peary's pro? Visions In the Arctic regions and then ('<?ok the explorer's goose!?Philadel? phia Record. HOCK Hllili AM) WINTHROP. Meeting Attended by 12? Business end l*rof*\ssloiiaI Men; (?ook on Record Regarding School HuiUling. Rock Hill. Sept. 15.?The citizens' meeting held here yesterday after? noon at 5-.30 o'clock was the biggest thing ever seen in this city. The meet? ing was scheduled to take place in the parlor of the Commercial club, but such a crowd came in that the meet? ing had to be transferred to the au? ditorium of the city hall, where 126 s earnest and serious business and pro? fessional men gathered to discuss the serious problems confronting the schools. Such a meeting has never before been held In this city. It was digni? fied and business-like from start to finish. j Dr. J. Roddey Miller was elected chairman, with Mr. J. A. Jenkins sec? retary, and with their election the meeting at once got down to business. The ball was started to rolling by Mr. J. B. Creighton offering the fol? lowing resolution: "Resolved, That it is the sense of this meeting that the stand taken by the minority members of the board of trustees of the Rock Hill school dis? trict?Messrs. Cherry, Jones and Wil? son?Is contrary to the best interest of the schools in the district, and 1p dispproved by a large majority of o ? citizens." This was adopted by a vote of 95 to 1, amid great applause. Senator W. H. Steward offered the following resolution: "Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed by the chairman to circulate a petition among the qualified electors of Rock Hill 9chool district, No. 12. for signatures, asking the members of the York delegation in the general assembly at its next session, to amend the present charter so that the trustees can be elected by the people and to make such other amendments as will suit the growing needs of the. school district." This was adopted by a vote of 114 to 0. The chairman this morning ap? pointed Mr. T. L. Johnson, Mr. J. Boy l Creighton and W. M. Dunlap. Esq. Col. J. J. Waters, the only member of the school board who was present, expressed his unqualified approval of the above resolution. Walter M. Dunlap, Esq., then by re? quest introduced the following resolu? tion: "Resolved, That any attitude of an? tagonism anywhere toward Winthrop College does not represent tbe senti? ment of our citizens; but that, on the contrary, we are in full sympathy and accord with the plans for the enlarge? ment of the college and broadening of Its scope and influence." This was adopted by a unanimous vote. NEW STATE UNLIKELY. Constitutional I?rovision Will Proba? bly 1*revcnt Division of California. Washington, Sept. 19.?The recent threat of a body of citizens in Cali? fornia to establish another State within California borders, because of 'issp.tisfaction with taxation methods, ;as attracted the attention of official? 'iere. The United States constitution provide! that "no new States shall be formed or erected within the Juris lictlon of any other State; nor any Uate 1 e formed by the Junction of '.wo or more States, or parts of States. - ithout the consent of the I^egisla rrs or the States concerned, as well ..e the Congress*'' "'his constitutional provision, ti? rather with the manner In which Cal? ifornia was carved out of other terri? tory are pointed to as reasons why *ueh a threat would probably never reach more definite form. It is not the first time that the question of the division of California has arisen, for taxation was a problem that started uch an agitation as long ago as 1849. A t that time, during the Constitution? al convention at Monterey, there was talk of overthrowing the Northern in? fluence in California, then a territory, ind BO to make possiMe an ultimate ivision of the Stute in case the southern part proved to be adapted to slave life. Not long before the outbreak of (he civil war there was renewed talk of division of the State, and there have been meetings in I^os Angeles ind Santa Barbara county, and else? where at various times, in O sporadic fort slong this line. COL. QEO, II. M. HARVEY HURT. New York, Sept. 19.?Col. QeO. B. Mi Harvey, president of Harper & BroBj publishers, was found today t<> have suffered a triple fracture of tin* left shoulder bone when the automo? bile turned turtle and fell upon him near llarnegat. n. J? yesterday. Coli Harvey was examined by X-iays at his home In Deal. n. J.. today and his chest was found to have been crushed considerably. His physicians say there is no serious danger, but that he faces a rat*.er long period of considerable suffering from nls in? juries. TO TRY GRAFT CASES. FIRST MOVE TO BE MADE IN HIGHLAND COURT TODAY. Practically All Witnesses in Cases Now Before the Court Are Named In the Indictments?Dudley Not Expected to be Present at the Trials. Columbia. Sept. 20.?Of State-wide interest are the cases that are sched? uled to come up this week at the Richland Court of General Sessions. These are the dispensary "graft" cases, and the first move will be made when court convenes today. Just what the preliminary skirmishing will be is not known, but it is expect? ed that some of the cases will be reached in short order. The official announcement has been made that the cases will come up this week, and and also that the Seminole cases are thus side-tracked. Practically all of the witnesses in the cases now before the court were named in the indictments. They in? clude Mr. J. A. V. Schmidt, of St. Louis; J. L. Thorp and T. W Collins, former employees of the dispensary; Jno. T. Earley and Henry Samuels and J. B. Wylie, former members of the board. Those who followed the dis? pensary investigation closely expected that other witnesses would be called, but thus far no mention cf any oth? ers has been named except in the case I of the witnesses summoned from Charleston. The Dudley affidavit, which created quite a sensation during the recent dispensary commission sit? ting, caused many to believe that the maker of the affidavit would be pres? ent at the trials, but this will very probably not be the case. Dudley is not *in good health, having suffered a stroke of paralysis. The affidavit that he gave to the attorneys for the State and to Mr. Pat Carroll, Fleischmann's attorney, was given in the hospital. This affidavit was the first direct in? timation that members of the State board had received favors from any of the whiskey houses that was given out to the public in the course of *he investigation. But it is not expected that Dudley will appear in court. It is interesting to note that the -tar witnesses in the criminal pro? ceedings did not appear before the dispensary commission in open ses? sion during the time that the claims were being considered by that bodj. Farley was known to have been in Columbia durng the sessions of the commission and to have given evi? dence before that tribunal in executive session and dur ng conferences with attorneys. Other witnesses appeared from time to time before the commis? sion but do not appear to have been summoned for the criminal fide ol the issue. The civil matter has been separated from the criminal side all along, except that one side has neces Sarlly involved the other In either throwing light upon the claims or in giving additional information for the crimirM proceedings. Briefly, those under indictment and the charges are: J. S. Farnum, charg? ed with offering a gratuity to J. B. Wylie, and on four other counts; Jodie M. Rawlinson, John Black and .1. P. Wylie, charged with conspiring to cheat and defraud the State, this bttng the alleged relate case; in the label case L. W. Boykin. John Bell T'nvill and W. O. Tutam are charged With conspiracy; Dennis Weiskopf is charged with perjury in the labt' case; M. A, Goodman and John T. Parity are also under Indictment in the label case; H. L. Solomons, con? spiracy to cheat and detraud th%? Stale. Solomons appeared as a wit? ness at the last sitting of the commis lion GOV. JOHNSON SINKING. Wife Summoned to Bediside of Pa? tient?Doctors Reticent About the Case. Rochester, Minn.. >'ept. 18?With his wife at his bedside and his physi? cians in constant attendance. OOV. Johnson is swaying between life and death at St. Mary's hospital early this morning. In the last official state? ment given out by Dr. Charles Mayo shortly before midnight the surgeon stated: "I do not think Gov. Johnson will die tonight. If he survives tomorrow he will have an even chance for his life." Gov. Johnson showed a decided change for the worse last night and for a while his friends despaired of tiis recovery, but the message from Dr. Mayo has given them new hope. Thank heaven and there's an etui of Wellman. New York Evening Sun. Magistrate J. E. Davis, of Alken county has been suspended by Gov? ernor Ansel be ause it is alleged he failed to record the collection of costs in a case. The colleges will soon open. Al? ready we have the football overture. ?Atlanta oCnstitution, McGAHA MURDERERS FREED. Jury Unable to Agree on a Verdict Regarding Negroes Accused of Killing John McGaha. Greenville, Sept. IT.?The jury in the eaae of Alex and Dock Chapman and Romulus Peden, charged with the killing of John McGaha, a white man, made a report this morning at 10 o'clock. They could not agree on a verdict and the case is a mistrial Defendants were released on ball of |1,000 each. Court adjourned today having disposed of 26 of the 74 cases on the docket. SEXSATION IN BIGHAM CASE. Trial Promises to Produce Startling Testimony. Marion, Sept. 16.?There promises to be some sensational testimony for the prosecution, according to state? ments here, when the cases against W. B. Avant and S. C. Bigham, charged with killing Mrs. Bigham, are called in Georgetown. The cir? cumstances in the case are generally familiar. Mrs. Bigham was shot and Instantly killed about 10 days* ago! near Murrell's Inlet. She and her J husband, who Is a physician, had call? ed on Avant and late in the after? noon the two men, who were sitting! on the porch, saw a person walking J about on the beach 100 yards from! the residence. They later saw the I party sit or crouch in the sand and then, according to their statements. J they armed themselves with a double- j barreled shotgun and. approaching! within a few feet, fired, after calling, "Who's there?" Both loads entered! Mrs. Bigham's back, making a very! small wound and killing her instant- I ly. A few days later the two men j were released on $500 bond. j At Murrell's Inlet there Is gathered I every summer a small colony of Ma- j rlon county people and there have j been subpoenaed of these 3 witnesses! for the State who will tell what they! know of the case. These witnesses j are Henry Buck, an attorney; J. D. j Murchison, an automobile dealer, both I of this city, and Edgar Smith. a planter, who lives near Mullins. Two of these witnesses were seen today j and while very little in the way of definite information could be obtain- J ed from either it is evident from common talk that efforts will bei made by the State to refute some of! the statements made by the defend- j ants. j Mr. Buck has taken much interest j in the case but would say nothing J for publication, taking the position J that any definite statement just at I this time might be called into ques- J tion when he went on the witness! stand. j Mr. Murchison also said little. He j heard the report of the gun and saw I the flash but at the time paid only j slight attention to it, although he j heard a negro on an island In the I middle of the stream call out, "What J are you shooting this way for?" This negro Mr. Murchison saw distinctly, j One of the grounds for the defense is I that Avant and Bigham did not rec- J Ognlse Mrs. Pigham when the shots! were fired. Messrs. Edgar Smith and J Henry Buck, who were close to the J shooting. Went up to the scene and! what they saw there will be brought J out on the stand. Murrell's Inlet is some distance J from Georgetown and the house at J which Mrs. Bigham and her busband I visited was called "Sunnysdde." It is I surrounded by a grove of trees and in I front is the beach, which is also used j for a road. There are a number of I cottages on this beach and directly in front of "Sunnjplde" is a private j wharf near where the killing occur- I red. This is in the open. The two I men were playing checkers on the! piazza just a minute before Avant did I the shooting, although it is dusk at j the house about half an hour before j it grows dark in the open. { These are points that are talked I about In Marion by those who have I talked with the witnesses, although I these witnesses do not care to com- I mit themselves to any statement for publication that might afterwards bei brought into question on the stand.! Mrs. Bigham was formerly Missj Ruth Crisp, of Laurem County. a I daughter of Matthew Crisp, of I Mountville. She had been married | only a short time. There have been a series of troubles in the Bigham family. In the court records of Marion county, it is shown that In October, 1872, U S. Bigham. Sr., grandfather of the present de? fendant,and L. S. Bigham, Jr., father of the defendant, were tried for mur? der and a verdict of not guilty re? turned. L. S. Bigham, Sr.. was found guilty of assault and battery, how? ever. A number of Marion people will at? tend the trial when the case is called, because of the intense local inter* st and the testimony that it is expect? ed Will be brought out. A. H. B. Americans have discovered pretty nearly everything first except Ameri? ca?and they would have discovered that 1' they had hud a fair show.? New York Mail. ONCE NOTED TARHEEL DEAD. A. G. Thornton. Who \\a* Legally Married to a Negress, Passes Away. Fayetteville, N. C, Sept 17. ?A. G. Tl '-rnton, a character well known in the. reconstruction history of f,iis State, died here today. Thornton was a man of wealth and a prominent politician in reconstruction days. So far an known, Thornton is or was the o, 'y white person In North CJ*?<s!'nn ever iegally married to o negro, he having married a negres- named El? sie Hargro- o by permission of the military authorities In control of the State at tbat time. Th<* El Triage was afterwards legalized by the Consti? tutional convention held in 1S68. He has lived for many years as a negro, I and his funreal will be conducted from a regro church. He leaves a widow and fi^e children. -fj \ CONVENTION OF BANKERS. Postal Savings Hank and Deposit ^ <iuaranty I>avr Ideas Scored. Chicago, Sept. 16.?Not a voice was raised today In defence of the postal savings plan in the sessions of the American Bankers' Association Con? vention, nor was there a word ut? tered in favor of a guarantee of de? posits in State or national banks. In informal reports, In speeches and in Impromptu remarks both ideas were repeatedly scored by the as? sembled bankers, who were appar? ently of one mind In oposing the two financial conditions. The morning session of the savings bank section opened with an address of welcome by Henry S. Henschen, of Chicago, who led the attack on the postal savings bank by declaring that if the good of the country de? manded that the experience of trusted i and intelligent bankers as custodians of the peoples savings be dis? regarded and the custodianship turned over to third and fourth class postmasters, the bankers would acquiesce, but that "if the welfare of the country cid not demand such ac- ^ tion the bankers would protest in no uncertain tones.'' President George M. Reynolds, the head of the Bankers' Association, congratulated the savings bank sec? tion on its steady opposition to the postal savings bank idea. A new note wan injected into the i proceedings by E. L. Robinson, of Baltimore, who in remarks on the "department of mercy," emphasised the help which savings banks could be to depositors by advising them and extending to them sympathy and en? couragement. James P. Helm, of Louisville, Ky., reported an exhaustive analysis of the \arying conditions of taxation of bank capitalization in the different States, and urged the passage of a law mak? ing the rate of taxation uniform. Comment was made by several of the bankers in the bank guaranty law and its effect in Oklahoma in direct contradiction to the praise of State Supervisor Young, of Oklahoma, at the meeting of bank superviors early in the week. Without a dissenting voice the nominating committee of the conven? tion named for pres dent of the Asso tion." Lewis E. Pierson, president of the Irvington National Exchange Bank. New York; for vice president, F. O. Watts, president of the First National Pank, of Nashville, Tenn. At the meeting of the secretaries of the State bank associations. W. F. Keysers, of Sedalia, Mo., was re-elect? ed president, and X. P. Gatling. of Lynchburg, Va., first vice president. WASTING FORESTRY RE? SOURCES. Expert in Government Bureau Says Large Part of Cut Timber is Thrown Away. Washington. Sept. 19.?A startling situatcn has developed 'he result of a taking of stock of th?? forestry resources of this country, according to Treadwell Cleveland. Jr.. expert in the bureau of forestry. It has shown. Mr. Cleveland de? clares, that the country is taking from the forests every year three and r? half times as muc.i wood as is *d ded by the n?w growth; that less than one-third Of the growing tree felled by the lumberman is ever used at ail, so that two-thirds of all the timber cut is simply destroyed. It has shown that one-eleventh of all ths fcrests is swept by tires ever:' year, and that on the average since 1870 forest fires have yerrly cost $50.000.000 in timber and 60 lives. It has shown. Mr. Cleveland con? tinues, that over 99 per cent, of the forests in private hands?which com* prise thr. e-fourths of all the forest land and four-fifths Of all the wood ?is devastated by destructive use and the sweep of unchecked Area, while less than 1 per cent, is proper? ty handled for successive crops or ef? fectively protected from fire. Probably Forester Pinehot over? states the ease when he says that '?the lines la this country are being pretty Closely drawn between those who stand for good government and those who stand for special privi? leges. ??- ?Springfield Union.