Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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/Ur <rMTKK WATCHMAN. Established April. I8.MI Consolidated Aug 3,1881 Be Jut aiKi Fear not?Let all the ends Tho;: Almst at be ?iy Country's. Thy <.<xi"8 and Truth's." SOUTER, 8. 0., WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 1912. THE TRUK SO?THKON. h>tabli*hed .loue. Vol. XXXIV. No. 3. LOSS KSTIMATKI) AT $110,00?. GhBBSSS Had Narrow Escape Wlioti Well Known Hotel ami Work of Store? Went up In Smoke. Greenwood. March 3.?The Oregon hotel and its block of stores here were totally destroyed by fire early this morning. Where once stood th<j famous hotel is now a mere smolder? ing heap of burning debris with frag? ments of ruined brick walls and use? less chimneys standing upright In the midst. The Are represents a property loss of approximately $140.000, with per? haps less than half that amouni in Insurance. The loss to the town is far greater than the figures would in? dicate. The Oregon hotel has been one of the town's greatest features ever since its establishment, and to be deprived of It is a very great loss indeed. Most fortunately no lives were lost. Though some who escaped did so 'by th3 skin of their teeth" and with' little on save their natural skins. The origin of the Are is unknown. It was discovered about 2 o'clock this morning: The fire alarm register shows that the first alarm was turned at 2:15 o'clock. A negro bellboy, Bert Lewis, was the first person awbre of fire. The smoke filling the downstairs corridor aroused him. H? sayr he tried to use the emerg? ency hose, but could not make any J headway against the flames, and threw !t down to arouse Mr. Brlnoon, the proprietor, and the guests. . At that time the fire was in the store room from most of the known facts. The Are must have started either in this room, which is just back of the pool room, or in the rear of a press? ing club just adjoining. The proprietor, H. S. Brinson, In? clines to the opinion that spon? taneous combustion may account for the Are. certain materials In this room making It possible for .he Are 4-? *-Idly if such lmmodl- I j above the boiler room, but he does not think?in fact he is sure? that it did not start In the boiler room. The negro fireman was in the room* at the time, and says that j he ran out to see what was the mat- ' ter, hearing a noise above. He found , the building in Aames overhead. The ? building was enveloped in smoke and . flames in an almost incredibly short j time. Mr. Brinson says that his first thought was to awaken a lady, Mrs. Hewlett, of an advanced age and an aged couple, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas, J both rather feeble. These on the >? second fioor were gotten out but lost ' all their effects. Both Mrs. Hewlett and Mr. and Mrs. Thomas are from New Jersey, and have been spending the winter here. Meanwhile the work of arousing the guests was go? ing on, and some miraculous escapes were had by those on the third Aoors. who failed to realize the rapidity of the Aames and the dangerous effects of immense clouds of smoke rolling through the entire building. O. Strauss of Atlanta, a well known traveling man, had the closest call of any. He was on the third floor, took I time to rfress completely, but when he went out Into the corridor he was overcome by smoke. He did not know which way to turn to find air . and an outlet. Rushing back into his room, h? appeared at the window and screamed for help. Max Arnold of Greenwood saw his plight, made) his way up thft fire escape Into the room and practically carried him out and brought him down the escape to j safety. Mr. Strauss *ays he was helpless and ready to drop when he was brought out. He was in bed this morning and very weak, but will be himself In a day or two. ) F. F. Beattle, a prominent young attorney uf Greenville, escaped down a gutter but lost his clothing. Mr. Blaagh of Petersburg. Va., made a sensational Jump but lost all his clothing and effects. Mr. and Mrs. farpenter. on the third floor, for- , tunately found a better near their room, one discarded by some painters and used this to get to the second floor, thus being brought down safe? ly. They barelv got out of tb.dr room , hofpre being overcome with smoke. No lives were lost, though all the guests lost their Clothing and bag- i ?awe. It was a flerce fire from tb< ?tart and swept over the building in a very short tune. The merchants in the block lost all their Stocks, practically Uttls be'nsj saved. As near as can be approximated this morning the losses are M fol? lows: Oregon hotel and furniture COSt COTTON MARKET GON0ITIONS. TRADE WATCHING ENGLAND AM) FRANCE. Sonic Planting Has Been Done in Te*as, Xo Farm Work is Reported Elsewhere. New Orleans, La., March S.?Labor troubles will probably continue to en? gage most of the attention of the cot? ton trade this week. At the end of last we*>k there was a decided differ? ence et opinion expressed in cable? grams from England in regard *o how long the coal strike in the United Kingdom would last The trade will want to know how much coal cotton mills have on hand and if it develops that they have less than the month's supply that it has been claimed they have, the market may be adversely affected Not only will the English situation ?e closely watched, but so will the un ?est in France and other European countries and also the disputes be? tween employers and employes on this side of the water. Some of the week-end circulars from this market make much of the labor unrest the world over and it mn- be that str'kes. or threatened strikes, will be th? dominating influ? ence in the market for some' time to come. The future markets of the world are bound to pay attention to news from the Southern cotton belt this week for the reason that the begin? ning of the planting season is already here. Fome se?ding has already been done in Texas and much planting will be done this week in that State un? less the weather interferes. If the weather is bad, that fact will quickly give to the market by anti-planting interest. In other sections good weather is imperative in order that plowing may be completed. Planting should begin by the middle of March over a large area and should increase from then on for four weeks, j According to some advices no farm work at all has been done in many Important sections el the belt that should have already finished winter plowing. Any continuation of auch , condition* can hardly help affecting \ the market bulllshly, especially the new crop months. The time of the final report on the ginning of cotton is approaching. This report carries ginning down to the last day of February and will be issued by the census bureau on March 20. It may be that some of I the private crop reporting* bureaus will have something to say about gin- I nlng this week. Any figures on this ( subject will naturally be bearish. HOBE TEAMS CALLED OCT. Much Smoke, But Little rire, Satur? day and Sunday. Cause of Alarms. The hoac wagons were called out Saturday and Sunday afternoon by alarms of fire which upon Investiga? tion proved to be unnecessary. The alarm came in Saturday about 7.30 o'clock from the residence of Geo. P. McKagen on East Liberty Street. There was found to be a defect in the flue and the smoke had gotten between the ceiling and the roof of the building. No damage was done. The alarm Saturday afternoon came in from the residence of W. H. Jennings on South Washington street at about 3 o'clock in the day. It was caused by the soot in the chimney catching on fire. The teams had their run for nothing as there was no fire j to do any damage. $95.000; insurance, $f>1.000; owned by Mrs C, T. Bailey. H. O. .Brin8on, private linen, fur? niture stock, etc.. $7.000: no insur? ance. IfcKeller-Hay-Oraham Furniture company, stock, $6.fi00; insurance $3.500. Holland Brothers, pianos, organs, etc. $5,000; insurance. $3.200. OroSJOB pharmacy. K. L. Norris. proprietor, stock ami fixtures, $12, ooo; insurance $5.000. C, A. Latour, barber whop fixtures valued at $1.500; Insurance $500. Lion Tailors, clothing made to or* der ami pressing < iub. no estimate made yet. Stock was around $1,000, T. S. Chlpley, automobiles. had three E. M K. ears in store. AH were taken oul bul were damaged consid? erably, The Oregon hotel was built by the late Jo< 1 s ?hlley In 1801 and ..p?-n ed to the public tint year under the management of II. J. Biinson, wie? has kept it continuously, Last year Joel s. Bailey, Jr., for his mother added the annex, ;i handsotw Ihre? story structure with four stores on the first floor, doubling the capacity Of the hotel SUFFRAG ETTES TRY NEW GAME. Smash Thousands of I/<?11(11 M Si op Windows to Force Government Recognition. London, March 1.?Ilecause the coal miners had been able to gain government recognition of their grievances by threatening the busi? ness of the country, the suffragettes late today also entered upon a policy of menace to trade. And they car? ried it out suddenly and with an ardor that resulted in heavy financh'i losses brought consternation to mer? chants of the most prosperous shop? ping district of the city and paralyzed business. The police were taken completely unawares and before they could restrain the women, streets were covered with shattered plate glass. It was a window breaking expedi? tion solely and a thoroughly organiz? ed one. Hundreds of windows in many of the most famo is 3hops of the world and In several Government offices and clubs were wrecked by the suffragettes. The damage will aggregate many thousands of pounds, but is largely covered by Insurance. One hundred and fifty women were j taken to police stations by police or excited and indignant merchants. Many others, however, escaped. All those arrested were released this evening on bail, coupled with prom- j lees to refrain from further window wrecking. Some shopkeepers who saw the storm coming were able to close their shutters and barricade their doors. The trouble centered about Trafalgar square, ranged along the Strand east word and westward, and up Regent street, Picadilly and Oxford 3treet, where are situated the fashionable jewelry and dry goods houses. Mrs. Emmeline Pankhurst, veteran of many a suffragette battle, struck the first blow. In an automobile, ac? companied by Mrs. Marshall and Mrs. Tukes, she drove up to the premier's residence, on Downing street. Three women leaped from the machine and drew out stones concealed in their muffs. Four windows crashed In before the police, who are constantly >n guard, could reach the women. The trio were arrested, but while being led to the station managed to heave missiles through the windows of the Colonial office. Pandemonium broke out in the shopping district at the same time. Taxlcabs were the favorite vehicles of approach used by the suffragettes and many innocent looking women were helped out of them by porters stationed in front of stores. There was no hesitation on the part of the women, who at once attacked the show windows with bricks or ham? mers. I I The police were unable to deal with such a wholesale and widespread outbreak and at least nine-tenths of the wlndow-8maching army escaped. The air was filled with sounds of po? lice whistles, yells, the slamming of blinds and shrieks of frightened shoppers, punctuated now and then with cries of "votes for women." Whenever a window was shattered there the crowds surged, while the employees of the shop rush-i to the ureet to prevent the unprotected goods from being stolen. Not even the establishments of undertakers were spared. The suffragette's leaders declare that it is their purpose to continue their campaign of window breaking until, like the coal miners, they force the government to take up their claims for suffrage to protect business interests. km i in*. IN CLARENDON. Appears that no Attempt was Made to Arrest Parson's slayer. Manning. Feb. 29.?Another ne? gro homicide at silver, ten mile? west of Manning, took place this week. According to reports Sylvester Law? yer shot Robert Parsons in a person? al altercation, the particulars of which are not known. This occurred on Monday and Parsons died Tues? day evening. Yesterday Coroner Baggett held an Inquest and tha Jury returned a verdict that Parsons came to his death from Ihe effect of a pis? tol ihol wound at the hands of Syl? vester Lawyer. II Is said thai Law? yei remained In the community un? til he heard thai Parsons bad died and then he disappeared and liis present whereabouts Is no! known it does not appear thai any ;i*tet pt u.i made to orresl and hold him f?r at the house In whleh Florida Laa sou was shot and killed early In Jan? uary last. WHAT HORSE RACING DOES Columbia Police Raided Pool Room Club und Broke up netting on Hone Races. ! Columbia. March 8.?"Following the ponies" will prove rather expen? sive for a number Of young men of Columbia due to the raid of a club at 1335 Main street yesterday after? noon by police offleer?. The form chart of the Charleston races hung peacefully on the wall, showing the favorites and long shots at the track. A goodly crowd, some in their teens, filled the room and watched with interest the winners of the various races. Excitement was intense. Almost any bet could be placed, combination or single. But, while all this was going on, the Columbia police were also "going in.' Before the followers of the ponies realized it a squad of the city's police Hied into the room, and then the trouble began. There was confu? sion?ho doubt of it. There was money on the table, but no one J claimed it. Therefore the city wins. ) Bond was necessary for each or a ride In the patrol. Friends came to j the rescue of some, others pulled out their roll and counted off the $20.75 for appearance at recorder's court. This ended it except the docketing of the causes and the counting of the J monejf! at police station. The IS ar- . rests netted the city of Columbia, j something like $450. W. S. Poat was j arrested on a charge of violating the dispensary ordinance as well as for gaming. ] t SAVE THE BIRDS. I Audubon Society Offers to Reduce Dues to $3 for a Limited Time. Columbia, March 4.?Concerning the work of the Audubon society, W. j H. Gibbee, president, and Ja*$. Henry j Rice, Jr. secretary, have issued state- j ments of much interest to those in-( tereated in the protection of game. It 1 is given below: "When the Audubon society was chartered by the general assembly in .1907. Zh* main duty laid on it was t the education of the people in the value of blrd.s, wild animals and fish to men and the State. "It was also given charge of the enforcement of the laws. These du? ties were performed without cost of a dollar to, the State until the act was passed creating the office of chief game warden, that is to say, for three full years. In which time numerous convictions were had and respect for the laws treated and maintained. "By the act creating the office of chief game warden, the Audubon so? ciety was removed from any connec? tion with enforcement of the laws, and was left to exercise its function of an educational body, but the power of nominating game wardens. uS well SS the chief game warden. Itlll vest? ed in the society. "The crisis brought about by the action of the governor, in vetoing the appropriation for salary and travel Ins; expenses of the chief game war? den, which Is frankly stated as a blow at the principle of game protection, termed 'interference with the rights of the people,' is a challenge to the principle for which the Audubon so? ciety lives. "The ans vT to that challenge shall the as frank and direct. The society will carry on from this h<mr a fight for I'ird and game protection from the mountains to the sea. "To do this successfully, it is plain? ly necessary to increase the society's membership and every effort will be used to secure this result. "in order to popularise the society and to permit a large number to join, the membership fee will be re? duced to $o until September i. "The society will use all its re? sources in spreading abroad Informa? tion in regard to birds and their habits, and will co-Operate in the en? forcement of the lawn "It is hoped that all old members will renew their membership at once without waiting for notice in order that an aggressive light may be msde. ".lames Henry Rice, .lr. "Beere tar). ? w. ii. Globes, "President." More Xante* lor Corn Club. Bupt. Haynsworth has secured number more of names to added to Iiis Hat i?f members of tin- Rumter County Roys' Corn Club. The latest additions to tlx club ire: Itobert Jolly, of I II. and I tia n n< Wat foi .1. of Routb I a ti. hburg. appointment to a nunibei of farmers a ho had hop< <i to n. gin lh< lr plo \ Ing today. ROOSEVELT TALKS. SAY8 UK DID MOT INTEND TO EN? TER FIGHT. Indiana K.x-Scnator Waited Oyster Bay to Discuss SiutarJoii in His Own State. Oyster Bay. X. Y., March 3.?Col. Roosevelt's own views of the present Political situation and his reasons for entering the campaign were explainea by him today. The former president talked freel} of his prospects and briefly stated that his reason for entering into a political campaign as an active car didate was that men who sha~ political beliefs convinced hin .tat they needed an effective leader. Col. Roosevelt expressed the opinion that on a popular vote he would bo the choice of his party by a big majority. Col. Roosevelt said he supposed a great many persons would not believe it, but that he had not wished to enter the fight. "So far as a personal victory is con cernedi I don't care," he declared. Many supporters had come to him and represented that they needed a lender, and that there was a wide? spread demand that he assume the responsibility. It was in response to th*se repre lentations, the colonel added, that he had at length determined to accept the leadership. In all but four or five States. In? cluding Delaware and Utah. Col. Roosevelt said, he believed he would receive a majority on a popular vote He added that he felt confident he would have a majority of the Penn? sylvania delegation to the national convention. He was told that the test vote In New England had given him an alleged slight lead over President Taft and said he wasn't at all sur-# prised at that. Former Senator Albert J. Beveridge of Indiana came to Oyster Bay today to go over the Indiana situation with the coionel and former Congressman Fred Landls of Indiana. Amos Pin chot of New York, a brother of Gif ford PinchotL John Ba>?, h/oth?r of Qov. Robert Bass of New Hampshire; Benjamin Ide Wheeler, president of the University of California, and Lieut. John C. Greenway of Bisbee, Ariz., an old friend of the colonel in the Rough Riders, were the other guests. The Indiana situation was gone over at length. Col. Roosevelt said that Indiana was the weakest of the Western States from the viewpoint of the Roosevelt forces. Because there was no primary system in Indiana for the expression of preference as to presidential nominees, he said the result was in doubt. Senator Beveridge expressed much the same views. OUT OF HIS MOUTH. Letter Written June 27 Produced Fol? lowing Statements, Denials and Rumors, Washington, March I.?Col. Roose ' velt'S lenlal Of stories sent from ! Washington that the Taft administra? tion had reason to believe that he would not be a candidate for the Re? publican nomination against the pres? ident and his statement at Oyster Bay yesterday that Secretary of the Navy ' Meyer and Secretary of War Stimson I could not have said 'that he would not be a candidate' caused to be made public here tonight a letter written j by Col. Roosevelt June -7, 1111, de? nying reports current at the time that he arould support Mr. Taft, which concluded as follows: "i have expressed myself perfectly freely to a large number of men on this matter, always to the same ef? fect: telling you, for instance. per? sonally, and those who were with you at luncheon at my house, and telling i Gilford Plnchot, Jim Oarfleld and Congressman Madison and Billy Loeh and Secretary Meyer and Secretary Stimson. all alike, just exactly what I have said always that I would not he a candidate In 1912 myself, and that I had no intention of taking any part In the nomination for <>r against any candidate, "Cordially yours, "Theodore Roose* elt." There Is now ? total of seven per < enl additional taxes on property on w hi. h the laxes have ti"t I.a paid, an additional ti\" per cent being add ed at ih( Ural of March. The county treasurer's "Mice will remain open f., i .-. h. tnxea until March I ?". n hen it ,\ i? i . t..se until October i ?". Tii. ai live participation In politli h of rural policemen In the lotetest of i mdldates for office should be made sufficient ground for removal. LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES. TO INVESTIGATE SEVERAL IM? PORTANT MATTERS. Report to be Made at Next Session of the General Assembly?Work Outlined. Columbia March 3.?Speaker Smitb of the house and President Smith of the Senate lave announced the ap? pointment? on the standing and spe? cial committees ' th houses of the general ass' ?* several important matter- investigated by the se- v'^v -iimittees and a report will c a ..de at the next session of the v'neral assembly. The following appointments have been made by C. A. Smith, president of the senate: The committee to examine into the expenditures of appropriations for State institutions: Niels Christensen. Committee to examine into books of pc.nal ".nd charitable institutions: George K. Laney. Comir. ittee to check up books of State officers: W. J. Johnson. Committee to investigate progress of cod i commissioner: T. J. Maul din. Committee to investigate contracts between the State and tin city of Co? lumbia on water: Alan Johnstone. Commission to look into the mat? ter of the State taking part in the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the battle of Gettysburg (two T*> the part of the senate): J. H. vVha. - ton and T. J. Strait. Mendel L Smith, speaker of the house, has announced the following appointments on the standing and special committees: Committee to examine into the ex? penditures of appropriations for edu? cational institutions: H. K. Osborne of Spartanburg and H. L. Erckmann of Charleston. Committee to examine accounts of penal and charitable institutions (rec? ommended by the committee on State Hospital for the Insane): Olin Saw? yer of Georgetown and 0. L, San , dera of York. \ Cojnmittes to provide for-the^eaufsavfl! ination of the books of certain State officers: W. C. Vincent of Beaufort and P. T. Youmans of Richland. Committee to inquire inta the pro? gress of the code commissioner: T. J. Kirkland of Camden and Geo. S. ? Mower of Newberry. Committee, appointed under con? current resolution, to make investi? gation with regard to establishment of power plant for State institutions I located in Richland county: George W. Dick of Sumter and R. A. Meares of Fairfield. Committee to represent the State on the Gettysburg memorial: W. E. James of Darlington and T. R. League of Greenville, both Confederate vet* erans. As a member of the commission to Inquire into the contract between the city of Columbia and the State of South Carolina, for furnishing city water to State Institutions in Colum? bia: L J. Drowning of Union, chair? man of the ways and meats commit? tee, representing the house of repre rentatives. TO KILL "l'XWYRITTEN LAW." .Maryland Boose of Delegates Passes Dill to Outlaw Tills Plea in Crim? inal Cases. Annapolis. Md., Feb. ?The hOUSS of delegates has voted 52 to 31 to pass u bill aimed at the "unwritten 1. w." The bill gives judges the right to instruct juries on the law in Ci minal cases and prohibits counsel for the defense from arguing against such in? structions. Delegate Dorsey led the fight against the bill. ' I think the unwritten law is one that hangs over the homes of this State as * protection," he said. Marriage Limine Record. Marriage licenses were Issued to one will- couple aid one colored couple Saturday. Mr. Hiram Johnson, of Privateer. and Miss Annie Delle Geddings, of Tlndal, ?< ? ured a license Saturday, as ipii Gayle Jasper and Julia B. Cut Hno colored, of Sumter. The Chamber of Commerce has done got d U'ork and has accomplished valuable and lasting results during the past year. This year it can and will, .f given hearty and united sup? port, ccomplish even greater re? sults, ir not a member, become one if you believe In your town.