Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

THE SPANISH SWINDLE. Kl I \Tl\ i in BP un miX i?i:\n\n \io\i \ PROM this a >t n niv. Hc\ernl fn*>ks Have \ppi ein-mi? ni h?| I riod li,it no l ar llaxo N<>1 l ii I 't'Oliglll to .lllxllir. The Department ol St.n- . at Wash? ington, has reee|\ed a report from th?- American dnsul-t Jenoral at Par celonu. Spain In regutd p> tin band of swindlers Operating in various towns ami <-a ? s in Snain. \\h<? make a practice <?f writing t" persons In the trailed states respecting the im prl?'um*>nt ??f a relative end the guardianship of a child. Tli c *'-ul lienornl states that the alh-ged prismer uciit rally ?1? scribes himself as a political prisoner from Cuba; he si u Um point of death and has but tfct friend?the prison priest?through Whosi foe 1 offices he Is enabled to smugg? an occa? sional M ? r it ??f tin prison Tort. The prisoner is rich. Me has a fortune In cash on dep. ylt In the United States, but the ?ertlflcate of deposit Is concealed In a secret recep? tacle of hin valise; th 1 valise Itself has been taken possession of by the court at Cartba^ena. which tried and cond. fe#d him. and will be held un? til the prtsonef or his representa? tive has BatlsAed the costs of the trial. The prisoner has an only daughter: dylnu In his prison, his sob- thought Im of this beloved off? spring. He has no friend or relative In Spain t ? \\ ho?o c ire he can c ?m nllt her. In this emergmy his thoughts turn to the distant relative In the l*i ted States \\h?m he has never s?-cn and of whom he knows only thro igh hearsay or the family tree. Will the distant relative as? sume the guardianship of the darling slaughter, ami the darling daughter's fortune of about $30.01111? If the dis? tant relativ, accepts the trust one fourth <>: the prisoner's entire for? tune will he tue material reward. The good j,l iest will go at once to the Unit. I st it. s and take the darling daughter with him. There Is but one condition: the ready money wlhch the prisoner brought with him to Spain his be- n exhausted; the dis? tant relative Is therefore requested to aend enough \>< liberate the valise con? taining th secret receptacle and the certificate of deposit. This money Is to be sent to the good priest at an ad.lv? ss Indicated, and. b r ing re? ceived It. the good priest will at once ???eure the valise and start for Amer? ica, the "land of the free and the home of the brave." with the darling daughter. The above is generally the first let? ter of the series. It is quickly fol? low. 1 b\ another In which the pris? oner pathetically states that his strength is rapidly lading and the end Is near. He beseec hes his dear distant r- lathe t<? assume the trust and be a IovIht fnth? r to the darling daughter. The third letter Is from th-- ? I priest himself, who In brb f. touching terms, and hopelessly bad English, anuoun. es the death of the unhappy pris mer; the good priest adds that the darling daughter Is under hi* care. He Is ready t ? put his ei on. ; r . 1 ? \ > ? 1 a 11! n ail -a a-: f ?r the I nn- i st;.???s as soon as he shall have reeslvad the atoestary fund-: from the divaut relative. The good prb?s: fre , 1. ntly InekNBM with his I? lief a b hi it aewspaj* r ellp* pi"- ? u ? the d< ath la prlsjn at llarc? b BS of the fam -v.s Cuban patriot (SOmetlnn * calle.j Augustln I^nfb ioe); the newspaper notice also speak* ( inningly ..." the ( isjflsjaaltd . vails. ". 1 11 darling daughter, It is slmpl) a schemes but present? ed .n *ueh a plausible eray that el m vst an] niuruspcctlng "distant rela< the" of Buropean extraction would be more !?-s.- deceived by tin- glad projj eei iiiii g h< h t 1 the agree* able eudody .!' a darling daughter with 1 big Ibrti .u : 1 one-fourth Interest therein as an ? IdltV nal n tetap* mm, SCatarally Ihe find Impulse of iht distant r II ? s 10 ash a lauy.-r Of a laehN or some authority what course )yt might to p irs a In the pfi - n?is. m i..,i M he II Inks r?f doing this his atb niton n u hea by tie warn? lag In tie- prisoner's letter bt m ehlng him b t to m.a | n |1 ,,, ?>. r to any It o # ?;? \ o the - et ?>?; the vails,, and ? n ! Idi i- ti ??? , table be m-dlsci etlj 1 ?? 1! 131 The ralbe ter all, all Its con? ?aaled e+rtlrlcati o( deposit, is the key to the ;? 1 i ... ifwl posai sston must b. taken - i It (.-.... nnythlng can be dosj s? said, Thlj ... un nlngly s??t foi lh bj h pi nnerj wry ? 1 Meat to th< disi nt rei aid so lie quite frequently preserves the *. Stet ild id, and in ..| ...... suiting a lawyer or wrttli g I - th< Ami ri. in Coasul-Qenerul if Luircc lona he <i ii- |!> s?.nds a dr.i ? >r il sum d manded la the good priest an*1 awaits resnlba Ol course he waits In eara, tad the i.r, dead prison r and Hm 1.1 priest and the darUni da igi.'. r 1!. in ? on s#- ol tifil DeUHl out of his Ii e forever, b avin.-, him only 'in um >m forte bit memory e the money ht ?.? cheerfully eoatrl butod to the confidence K?me. For nearly twenty years this same knaves have been practicing their swindle, and it is needless to sur u??>;t that they are very carefully or? ganized; they have confederates m-t <?nly in the l'nit< d BtatSS but in RlOtl Other countries. The confederates In question select ? man and tlnd out all they can about him; tin y get hold of family names, family origin, and family sharacteiisttcs. This informa? tion la transmitted to the rascals In Bpaln, ami leiten ere at once writ? ten to the prospective victim. The i ?Herne is preeented end developed In a very plausible way end many of Ottf fellow-countrymen have ??bitten" promptly and cheerfully. Under the Spanish laws i felony must be c rnsummoted b< fore the po? lice may net, end ? mere attempt le obtain money bj falee pretenses does not appear lo warrant arrest . The moaey must be actually paid over and the prosecuting witness must be preeenl In proprls persona to testify; otherwise prosecution would be use? less. Recently the Piters Written to tht distant i? l Hive have varied some what from the original; the political piiaonef baring beeoms n noted Rus? ?lan banker who abseonded, learing n deilell of some millions of roubles, killed in a Quarrel in Bngland an? other Russian, and Anally took re? rage In Bpaln, where he was eppre hended and ehargad with man? sis nghter. Thai change of character, howerer, is Immaterial, and in the future more neu characters will probably be In? troduced by the gang, The scheme Is the same, and the public Ifl warn ?d to place no credence in such or simlfc? lette v, Bvery effort has been made by the Department of state and its represen? tatives in Spain to unmask these scoundrels and bring them to Justice, and the Spanish authorities have also hi en aetlrt and several members of the gang have been apprehended and held fof trial, but so far no convic? tions have resulted, owing probably t.i thi peculiarity of the Spanish law referred to in the report of the Con Bul-Genera] at Barcelona. \?. Otliers see i a Bumter was one of the countlei whleh recently declared against the lej 1 control of the liquor traffic, and the natural result has OOms to pas;, anarchy in that traffic Warrants have been Issued fior tw enty-eich*. Of hi r citizens. White and black, BOm 1 >f them mighty pood citizens, charged with eelllng liquor?blind tigers. Do y? ur parents who would save your P.>vs from "the curse of drink" think that they are safer with twenty eight leaks in some of them most eminently re peetable, through which liquor Ii supposed ti? come Into the community, than they would be with the vale re stricted by the law and under the Ob servatlon, not only of the poile<\ but of every citizen? Do you think thai Buaster is ? better place for your buy than Florence f fDo you not puppet that as Ion- as there is a d.-mand for liquor that there will be someone t > supply that demand? It does Seem to us that WO ni<> far bitter od here In Florence than our good iielghbors, carried sway by the disposition to eeeompllsh a moral reform ? Flor? ence Times. Sonn- of the lo, :ii adnur- rs of Joe Grim, the Italian pugilist, of Altoona, have been telling a story on him late? ly, siys Tb" l'ittsbui>: < la/, ttt -Times. It hi a well known fact that Joe will light almost anybody who conns along, and that he hi absolutely fear It nk Bs pays no attention whatever l? class and hi appears to regard i im ?st ? v ry new name that he hears lighter he ought t<? me< t. Not i in o they were arranging a I for .i"t, in Altoona. ami ther< rai some btekerlnq over the percen? tage. I Inally it a*as pointed out to Jo? thai Altoona vvaa n Rood show i town. ??Why. Maxim Elliott played , io 1 1,000 house lo re tbt> other ; hi " i ild ons of the fight promo ' t ?s. Quick as a fli It .1 ? <? iliappti 1 I i-ark "i n Bght that \M ix' BJW itt. : mate from forest Urea In Maaaachu [s.tts in Itot smounta to 1238,478, I There w r. I,SSI different Arcs, and I.|? ?urobw of ?cre, fc r?.a .? wa? i I2.S0S, Analysing these ttgur< i, the 1 SI ? fore tor lind i thnt the < ;???? b ? In a.Ilandi i .miry dur ? i ? ,i ? r mei Itlce, of i,. Ice ombalmli on in am if ho look the i UK it ?\ i lie a I.i; to defend hia ndi nation. \\v can think of no one wh would i? id ;t except pa elbly Beere Kary Knoa, Neu fork Sun. "TURNING STATE'S EVIDENCE." Attorney General Lyon Contends That Tlie EvldeiK*e ol Un IceomnMce Should Not be Discredited by a Judge. Columbia, March 1.?The right ot :i circuit judge t.> i barge a jury that it la unsafe to convict on the uncorro? borated testimony of an accomplice has been put up to the Supreme Court for r flnai decision by Attorney Gen? eral Lyon iu his argument In the case of the Mut?- against John Bowell, Wil? liam Gardnei and M. Truesdale. Th?- defendants were Indicted for housebreaklng and larceny In the day time end were tried before a jury and found guilty. They were sentenced by .Judge Klugh, end an appeal was tali en to the Supreme Court. The attor? ney general says: "Considerable space has been devoted to so much of the circuit Judge's charge us seta forth the law of this state to be that it is un? safe to convict on the uncorroborated i tstlmony of an accomplice, for the reason that it Is deemed to be highly Important to the public that this court shall lare whether there be such a rule snd whether such practice is per? missible under our constitutional pro? vision forbidding a circuit judge to charge upon the facta." \ flnai ruling as to the testimony of an accomplice icing commented upon by a circuit judge in his charge to a Jury will prove highly Interest? ing on account of the recent dispen? sary graft trials, for it was generally reported that the jury acquitted J. s. Pamum because ,T. B. Wylie turned. State's evidence. The fallowing is a part of the fifth exception in the argument of the at? torney general, "Another point raised by appellants la found in the motion for a new trial. That the jury did not regard his hon? or's charge that they should give the defendants the benefit of any reason? able doubt, but concluded that the de? fendants were guilty, not upon the State'l evidence, and were seeking for aome rule of law which would allow them to disregard that testimony, not? withstanding the Tact they believed It to be true. Upon this point the circuit Judge charged them properly, In so far as he said that they might con? vict on the uncorroborated testimony of an accomplice; that it was wholly a mattl r with the jury as to whether they would believe the accomplice or not. But as we have undertaken to show herlnbefore, it is submitted that his honor, the presdlng judge, went beyond the rule of law in favor of the defendants and contrary to the con? stitutional provision herelnbfore cited, Whoa he charged the Jury in addition that 'human experience has found that the testimony of a man who says that he is the accomplice of somebody else in crime, that is. that he is a con? fessed criminal, is not t? stlmony of the highest credibility, bcaUBC it comes from a person confessing that he is guilty of committing a crime, ami only needs the judgment of the law that he is a felon to debar him from giving t? stlmony. The testimony of a person Of that sort must come with more or less doubt as to the worthiness of the party who maks it to er? deuce. to belief and in also further charging the Jury that it Is not a safe thing for juries to convict on the unsupported testimony of an accomplice, The attorney general, bearing dl rectly on the testimony of the accom? plice, Amos Clark, says: "The third exception complains that the confession of Amos Clark, one of tie accomplices, was used as evidence an il ist th other accomplices who were on trial. An examination of the record will show that this < x-j ceptlon is not well founded, for the| reason that Amos Clark was duly ?worn as a witness and testified at the trial ins knowledge of the facts and circumstances attending the com mission of the crime. The fact that dark has m de b co ifessli n could la I no wise affect the compctney of his testinn-ny given In open court. His, testlm my waa u stntemi nt of hi.s per? sonal knowledge, and not a confess? ion, >'o evidence of his confession waa offer d. The ruling ot tue cir? cuit .v ? aa to Clark'a testimony is c!< r and 1 spllcll and there is nothing In it of fch!< ii d- fi ndants may com? plain. See f>dio SO, Under this ex? ception and exception 5 the appelant undertakes '? make the objection th i! the jury could n< I convict on the un? corroborated testimony of an accom? plice, and complains thai the presid? ing judge ah >uld lave charged the j try that the t< stlmi ny of Amos Clark tum may bi h 1 1 ".1 t;.> uncorrobora t led testimony of an accomplice. This ; 1 Lie la too well Betth .1 it this state to admit of 1 ? ?utr >' en ! Oi the other I hand, r sp nidi tit contenda tl.it the ? a - : . nil judg< 1 vad< I t he pro> In q of t he , jury w In n he cautloiie 1 then aa to ; the web;hi they should give he evl i d nee of a n ft< e< un pile ?. Tin nucs 1 t Ion then 1 ?ro arlsea: I "Con a circuit judge upon the trial j of a ctt e in tl.art of g- lieral *es I alous, for 1 criminal offense, wherean I accompllci hai testified to facts wluti are competent and sufficient to con? vict, Charge the Jury that it is not safe to convict upon the testimony of an accomplice without corroboratlon? "We contend that he can not with? out violation nt the constitution of the State, article ?">. section -?>? This ar? ticle ami aectlon reads: 'Judges shall not charge * juries in respect to mat? ters of fact, but shall declare the law." "With regard to this matter, its his? tory is divided Into three periods: "(l > When the common law was ol force?from Colonial 11 riles to 1868, "(J) tinder the constitution of 1868 ?isos tol i spr?. "(3) Under the constitution of 1 i95 ?ls'.u; to 1910. WRONG Vir.WS OF THE CKXSl'S. No Harm Cnn Conic To Any Person Who Answers The Questions. Washington, March 2.?Letters from the census supervisors to the Unit? ?1 states Census Bureau show that erroneous apprehension of ? considerable element of the popula? tion that their answers to the enu? merators' questions in the next cen? sus, beginning April this year, will GAUSS increased taxation, legal en tangli ments, or injurious conse? quences to their persons and property. in ordi r to quiet such unfounded fears, which would, unless removed, materially affect the accuracy of the census the bureau has prepared an of? ficial statement relative to the decen? nial census, its origin*, purpose, and Uses. This statement should -furnish com? plete assurance to those concerned that Information given the ? numera? tors is held by the census Bureau in the strictest confidence with refer nce to the Identity of tim Informants, as required by the policy of the bu? reau and commanded by the law of the Taited States. The bureau earnestly hopes that clergymen, priests, physicians, school? teachers, employers, and other public spirited citizens who come In contact with large numb* rs ef pe ?ple. will co? operate with the bureau by telling persons Who are believed to entertain erroneous opinions of the census the real facts and urging them to give full replies to the enumerators. Teachers are particularly requested to speak of the census to the school children and ask them to tell th ir parents about it. I The statement issued by the bureau explains that the Constitution requires a eensus of the population to be taken every ten years in order to reapportlon state ri presentation in the National House of Representatives, it is the means also to ascertain the Increase in the population, agriculture, indus? tries, and resources of the nation sine..' the last census. it is emphatically declared, by the statement, that the Information sought from the people of the United States is used solely for genera] satlstlcal purposes, it will neither be publish? ed nor used in any other way to dis? close facts regarding any individual or ent< rprlse. Tin- census, it goes on to Say, is not, never has been, and can not he employed to obtain Infor? mation that can be used in any way in the assessment of property for pur? poses oi' taxation or the collection of taxes. < ither national, State, or local; or for deportation proceedings, ex? tradition measures, army or navy conscript!1 n, International-revenue Investigations compulsory school at? tendance, child-labor law prosecutl ins' quarantine regulations, or in any way t i nf'e. t tin life, liberty, or pro? perty oi" i ny pejson. It points out that replies to the enumerators are and mast be held by the Census Bureau In strict and ab? solute confidence. All the bureau olii cials, supervisors, supervisors' clerks, enumerators, and Interpreters, be? fore entering upon their duties, fire obliged to take a solemn oath not to disclose any Information they may oi tain, except to the Census Bureau, and a violation of th" United States law in regard to this oath means a ; ? 000 line or Imprisonment for two years, or both, in the discretion of the court. ?Chamberlain's Stomach and Liver Tablets invariably bring relief to wo? men Buffering from chronic constipa? tion, headache, biliousm as, dlzzliu --. sallowness of the ski . and dyspepsia. Sold i y w. w. Sibert. \ writer of popular songs attempt? ed to Kill himself iin- other day. it shows that even ?'< popular song writ? er has conscience. Slcdlelncs that add nature are n!? waya r??..si tucccssful. Chamberlain's i 'ough Rented) nets on this plan It iooaena the cou^h, relieves the lungs, op? us t he secretions and alda nature restoring the system to a h< althy condition. Sold by w. \\. Slbi rt. a beginning has been made, but Sumter will nol be real dry until nu merous convictions follow many more a i real -\ Chamberlain's Stomach and Liver Tablets are sale. B?ro and reliable, and h iv? i" ? n pi a I aed by thousands of women who have been restored to health through their gentle aid and ci rutlve properties. Sold by W. \V. Sibert Her Little Joke. "Henry," she exclaimed as lie came home to dinner, "i heard something early tins morning that opened my f VeS.*' "What was if.'" he demanded ex Cit dly. "The alarm clock."?Freeport Jour nal. Ate you frequently hoarse? Do you have that annoying tickling in your throat? Does your cough annoy >aai at night, and do you raise mucus in the morning? Do you want relief? i f so, take Chamberlain's Cough Remedy and you will be pleased. Sold : y w. \v. Slbert. it was i a. m. and Blllktns Crept softly Intc the house and removed his -hoes, but as he tiptoed up the stairs one of the treads gave a loud crack. "Is that you, John?" demanded Mrs. Biliklns from above. "No, my love," replied Biliklns; "it's the stairs."?11 lustrated Hits. Fui'y nine out of every ten cases -f rheumatism is simply rheumatism : the muscles duo to cold or damp, or chronic rheumatism neither of which require any internal treatment. Ml that is needed to afford relief is the free application of Chamberlain's L ilment Give it a trial. You are certain to be pleased with the quick reih f which it affords. .Sold by \V. W. <ibert. The Literary Fabricator. "How did that story that George Washington couldn't tell a lie get started?" asked the inquisitive youth. ?| don't know," replied the Irrerer* nit person; ?unless he hod a press agent that could."?Washington Star. Simply a Matter of Taste If you want eye glasses that will be come you, as well as prove beneficial, come to us. You will find our prices are no higher than elsewhere, yet we give you better service. Gradu? ate Optician in charge of our opti? cal parlors. W. A. Thompson, Jeweler and Optician. Phone 333. - ? No. 6 S. Main St Nothing Can Compare With the satisfaction of knowing that you arc bein* treated fairly ; this is particularly true when applied to STRAUSS'. YYe guarantee to give you exactly what you buy, every time you buy, and back our guarantee up with our repu? tation gained through STRAUSS' 38 years in Sumter County. Bulk Olives, plain or stuffed, per qt. .50c Boneless Herring, Glass Jars 20c and 25c Fresh shipment Extra Fine Norway Mackerel Large.25c Medium * 3 for 25c cn in Doubt See-? } TBE FIRST NATIONAL, the old reliable. j Once you open an account with this bank, the same is J is seldom closed-^for we give you the best facilities to be \ bad f< r the handling oi your banking business. We want I new business but never lose sight of the old. Come and I see us. I Capital, Surplus and Profits, 8184.000.00. J strong safe-conservative HORSES, MILES. BU6GIES, WAGONS, HARNESS, ===I0ILDWG MATERIAL,-= Lime, Cement, Acme Wall Plaster, Shingles, Laths, Fire Brick, Clay, Stove Flue and Drain Pipe, Etc. ? f t All kinds, Horse. Cow. Hog and I lay and Grain?n. < seed gats, wheat. rye and barley, A car load or a single article. Come and see us, if unable to do so, write, or phone So, i<>. iL best livery in sumter. sumter. s c.