The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, March 13, 1915, Image 8
STRONG NOTE TO UMUi
VNITED STATES IXEORMS (X)RM
ICR RM CHUT THAT
i II \N(.l Ml ST COME.
Must Respect FoeiSgWtrs slid Their
Interests or America Will Take
Steps to Enfort-c Mes-oircs for Pro
trrtk>n-*-May Mean Change of Ad*
ministrations IVIW \
Washington. March 8.?Oen. Car?
ranxa has been Informed In a note
from the United States government
tbat unless there Is an improvement
In condition* wl'h respect t,? foreign*
era and their Interests In Mexican
territory under his control such steps
aa may be nocessary will he taken
by the American government to ob?
tain the desired protection.
The note la the strongest and most
emphatic document that has been
sent bv the Washington government
to Mexico aince the correspondence
?Ith Huerta a year ago. Cnrranza la
wmrned that the United Sttaea has
viewed with deep concern the grow?
ing complalnta made by forelgnera
generally againat hla administration
and now. In effert t. rnands an early
change.
The eontenta of ;he communica?
tion were revealed to several ambas?
sador* and ministers here, who ex
Qriosid satisfaction at Its urgent lan?
guage.' Some regarded It aa an en?
tire change of policy towards Mexico
on the part of the United Statea.
American Consul Fllliman should
have presented the note to Cnrranza
today. A copy of it was sent to the
Brasilien minister at Mexico City to
to be shown to Oen. Obregon. the
Oarrania commander. In the mean?
time some movements of American
warehipe have been ordered, the ef?
fect of which will be a naval demon?
stration that some officials hope will
convince Carranxa of the American
government's determination to obtain
a change In conditlona in Mexico
City.
Secretary Daniela conferred with
President Wilson tonight over the
prospect of aendlng additional war?
ehipe to Vera Crux. Only one ves?
sel, the battleship Delaware, has been
at Vera Crux for several weeks, but
five warships will be In that vicinity
In a few days. The cruiser Tacoma
left Port au Prince. Haiti, today un?
der order* to proceed immediately to
Vera Crux, the gunboat Petrel al?
ready la en route from Mobile, Ala.,
and the cruiser Des Moinea is bound
from Progreeo to Vera Crux, while
the gunboat Sacramento Is at Tampl
co. Other available light draft ves?
sels, more valuable than battleships
In tropical waters are the gunboats
Wheeling and Nashville, held in
readiness with the armored cruiser
Washington In Haltten and Dominican
waters, whlls the entire Atlantic
fleet of 21 first class battleships is at
Ouantanamo, within two and a half
days sail of Vera Cruz. Mr. Daniels
gave this summary of the position
of the warships but declined to dis?
cuss future movements.
After the conference tonight be?
tween Secretary Dar'els and the pres?
ident It waa learned on high authority
that two or more battleships would
be ordered from Ouantanamo to Vera
Crus. probably tomorrow.
That conditions again have reach?
ed an acute crisis was admitted at
all the government departments.
Aaked whether the United States
Intended to use physical force to ob?
tain a compliance with its request
Secretary Brysn today replied that
nothing had been decided on yet
beyond representations" and that it
was beet to meet situations "as they
arose."
Latest reports from Mexico City In?
dicate a menacing condition of af?
faire for the 25.000 fore *ners there,
of whom 2.600 are Ameri uns.
The Csrranza authorities have com?
mandeered all r supplies in
the chief hospital and sent them to
Vera Crux. An appeal hflfl swell m ul<
to the United States to dl-patch a
hospital ship to Vera Cruz to Bend
medical supplies to the capital ami
the Mexican Red Cross has sent an
urgent petition for protection against
the Carranxa authonu? s and for per?
mission t?? r.M.j.enite with Um Interna'
tlonal relief commission in handling
the starving pofjntaMoe Typhoid
fever and smallpox ha' a broken out
In the capital as well as at Tampico.
In the face of threatened rlOtS gg I
the famine In MOSMC <Vy the s*
department today received g not?; an?
nounclng on the authorltv of ?Jen.
Carranxa that the capital stoiiM be
evacuated by the forces of Oen. Ob?
regon.
This was formally announced by
Secretary H -ya n today together with
the atatement that while CgrraaN
had "Invited the diplomatic corps to
move to Vera Cruz, stating that this
Would not be considered by him as
an act of recognition. It Is under?
stood that the diplomats corps feel
that their departure from the capital
of Mexico would not be best for the
foreign int* rests under their cure."
It beraum known that the dean of
the corps Informed Carranza that.
Other factions |p MOS* ? ought rSOOHl
mm MUST NOT RESIST.
MOULD KVHMIT TO PROPER
CIVIL aVTHOHIR.
gSSBJSjSjS*) of UN Navy Sols out Po?
sition of De partment?Result of :
Investigation.
Huston. March 7.?Enlisted men of
the navy are cautioned against re?
sisting urrest by ti v il authorities, in a'
communication from Secretary of the
Navy Daniels, made public tonight by
IVIne Commissioner OWIeara. The
letter itfjl with charges made be?
fore l navy court of inquiry at Char
lestown that two firemen of the bat?
tleship Qsofgtl received brutal treat?
ment from police of this city who ar?
rested thorn December 7. 1914.
"Proper treatment," lays Secretary
[uniels, will be demanded for men
<>f the navy at all times when it is
cl? ar they have been imposed upon.
Proper punishment likewise will be
Imposed when they are clearly at
fault.
"The department, however, will not
Interfere in their behalf In auch
cases as this, where it appears they
were disorderly some in open resist?
ance , to uniformed police officers,
while others crowded around, taunt?
ing and insulting: them in their at?
tempt to maintain law and order.
"An enlisted man on liberty must
realize that while released from per?
formance of his duties on board ship,
' he is still responsible to navy author
' ity for his seemly behavior while on
shore. At the same time he is none
the lesi a man and a citizen with cer?
tain duties to the community and 1?
Amenable to local authority and sub?
ject to Its lawi."
Secretary Daniels added that he
had directed that Instructions be Is?
sued to all men on shore liberty, ''un?
der no circumstances to resist any
proper officer attempting to arrest
them."
"If any man considers that he has
been unlawfully arrested," the secre?
tary continues, "he Is to report im?
mediately to his superior all tho cir?
cumstances connected therewith for
further action If his commanding of?
ficer deems it necessary."
their going to any town under the
control of Carranza. The diplomatic
corps at the same time entered a
vigorous protest against the proposed
evacuation of Mexico City. Accord?
ing to Carranza agency's advices
from Vera Cruz, Oen. Obregon in?
tends to leave a garrison in the capi?
tal and Secretary Bryan said there
was no indication as yet that this
\w?uld not be done.
Asked whether foreigners actually
were suffering, Secretary Hryan said
that it was the "fear of the future
rather than the effect of the present"
that had caused the serious state of
affairs, and that this was "due to tho
things Obregon had proposed, such as
the cutting of all communications."
"The effect also of language used
by I >bregon," said Mr. Hryan," has
b.-en to emphasize the danger from
mobs because of utterances calcu?
lated to stir up feeling against for?
eigners."
The secretary declined to discuss the
? ontents of the latest representations.
From other sources familiar with
1 hat the American government has
said to Carranza. however, it was
I learned that the note, while not in the
nature of an ultimatum, was virtually
of the same effect. It summed up in
I
an insistent tone the entire situation
In the territory controlled by Car?
ranza.
There was clear Indication in it
that the I'nlted h'ttaes had made re?
peated representations in vain with
respect to Carranza's treatment of for?
eign* is and that a point had been
reached where it was necessary for
the first chief to take into consldera
tion the serious steps which the Unit
I ttatOS might fee] compelled to take
to obtain un improvement of af?
fairs.
t'n anza's decrees and those of his
subordinate generals have been a con?
stant cause of embarrassment to for?
eign governments. The Imprisonment
of priests and the confiscation of prop?
er^, ib.- expulsion of the Belgian and
Spanish ministers and the treatment
of foreign consuls generally have
I" en Charged in OfllclaJ reports.
The visit In this connection of Car?
dinal Glbboni to Now Orleans to talk
with Arehblshop Morel, who has just
been expelled from Mexico, together
with other priests, was regarded by
diplomat! here as of the utmost sig?
nificance, .Many diplomatic represen?
tatives have cabled their government
that steps of a most important t bar?
ter had been taken by the United
States. None of tin- ambassadors
would s;iv whether tiny believe the
use of force was intended, but many
thought the note sent by the I'nlted
Stateii to Camilla clearly implied
that the use of force might be the
nest de\eb pnient If there WM not
a favorahls (hange In conditions,
sp. etfloally tho United Mates has been
making SQpnratO reprevsentat ions to
obtain the following tilings from Car
I
ranaa.
pel um.* 'ii for ih" International re
i
Four Horses and Twelve Mules Belonging
to Harby-Epperson Live Stock Co. and
C. W. Smith & Company Burn?
ed to Death Last Night.
l^>ss wAs AROUND $8,00? WITH INSURANCE PARTLY COVERING
DAMAGE}? EPPERSON WILL REBUILD BRICK STAHLES TO TAKE
PLACE OF FRAME BUILDING DESTROYED ? PEED IMPLE?
MENTS AND BUILDING SUPPLIES AMONG THINGS BURNED?
SADDLE HORSE <>E c\ p. EXUM'S HAN AGAINST TELEPHONE
1H)ST AND KILLED lTSELC?HODIES OF ANIMALS BURNED.
; From The Daily Item, March 10.
; Fire last night caused a loss of
i probably more than $8,000 when the
, frame buildings in the rear of the
I Harby-Epperson Live Stock company
and the Booth-Shuler Lumber Com?
pany offices were destroyed, sixteen
j horses and mules being burned to
,death in the fire. The loss chiefly j
! falls on Gco. F. Epperson, who owned
I the buildings, and who, with A. D.
; Harby, owned part of the stock lost,
!and C. W. Smith & Company, who
j owned the larger share of the stock
! which was burned to death. The
I Booth-Shuler Lumber Company and I
j the Oulf Refining Company were also
losers by the fire. Mr. Epperson thla ]
j morning took measurements and
I started to prepare plans for rebuild?
ing.
The loss as stated by the owners
i this morning with insurance was as
j follows: Buildings .owned by dec. F.
j Epperson, loss 12,500, Insurance $1,
! 500; six mules and one horse owned
by Harby-Epperson Live Stock Com
j pany, worth between $150 to $175
>a head, partly insured; six mules and
j three horses owned by C. W. Smith I
i ft Company, worth $175 to $200 a
head, partly Insured; feed and farm
implements owned by Harby-Epper
j son Live Stock Company, loss about
$400 on implements and $1,500 on
feed and supplies, partly insured;
car load of hay owned by C. W
Smith & Company and valued at $300
with lnsurnnce of $1"5; building sup?
plies owned by the Booth-Shulei
Lumber Company valued at between
$200 and $300 with insurance of less
than one-fourth value big oil wagon
owned by Gulf Refining company,
(unknown whether insured or not);
IC. P. Exum, lost $250 saddle horse
with probable insurance.
The alarm of tire was turned In
from box 22 at about twenty minutes
to ten o'clock last night and the
fire department turned out promptly,
I hut the blaze, which caught near the
i middle of the mule shed, had evi
i dently started in a pile of hay, for
it was burning fiercely when the de?
partment received the alarm und
thero was no hope of saving the
: building on their arrival. Excellent
1 Work was done by them in saving
adjacent build.r,"s. The large frame
building of the .' o. II. Hurst* under?
taking establishment was seriously
threatened, but was saved, and the
small negro tenement houses owned
by Geo. F. Epperson, which were only
a few fe?t away from stables were
repeatedly threatened, but the fire
was held in check and did not spread
to them. Six streams of water were
thrown on the fire, two from the cor?
ner of Main and Canal streets, two
from the hydrant in front of Geo. F.
Epperson's office and two from the
hydrant at the corner of Hampton
and Sumter streets. The hose was
attached to the hydrant near the jail
but the threads here gave way and
the hose had to be moved to the
Sumter and Hampton street corner,
causing considerable delay at a very
important stage in the tiro. The
steamer was brought out, but was not
put into service.
The fire was one of the worst
which has visited Sumter in some
time and the fire laddies did some
^ lief committee composed of Wealthy
j residents of Mexico City to use the
funds they have collected lor sup
Idles to succor the starving and des?
titute and the placing at their dis?
posal Of transportation facilities to
1 bring food Into the capital.
The guarantee of a line of com?
munication between Mexico City and
j Vera Crux so that foreigners may
have access to tin- sea and that com?
munication moy be kept open for
i
foreign governments.
Tin* ordering of a .sufficient gar?
rison to stay in Mexico City in case
>f an evacuation so thai riots and
demonstrations of the mob might be
prevented and foreigners protected
against violence.
Accord!UK lo information given OUl
at tbe State department, t be number
of foreigners in Mexico City is esti?
mated at 110,400, of whom there are:
Americans, l'..".?h ; Germans, 1.S00; '
French, l.soo; English, 1,000; Ital?
ian':, 7'itt; Spaniards, 12,000; Turks,
2.000; Chinese, 1,000; Cubans, I,
?00; Japansso, BOO; other nationali?
ties, S(h). J
excellent work in preventing it from
spreading to other buildings. Fortu- j
nately there was practically no wind
and this aided them in their hard ,
tight which lasted for nearly five |
hourii although the fire was itself un?
der control after the stables fell in.
Desperate efforts were made to save
the stock which was inclosed in the
stalls. All of the doors were opened
and most of the stock was driven out.
but some of the animals, crazed by
lire, smoke, heat and noise dashed
back into the stables to die from the
I fierce heat. A majority of the animals
i were driven out on the street and
! most of them spent the night at large
In the town. The two handsome
stallions owned by Mr. A. D. Harby
were among those saved from the
fire. The handsome saddle horses be?
longing to Mr. C. F. Exum was also
! turned out with the others. It was
probably half crazed with heat and
blinded by the smoke for it ran with
the other animals about the town
until they turned from Liberty street
into Levi street, nearly a half mile
from the fire, when the animal ran
into a telephone post and was killed
by the blow. Mr. Exum sttaed th
morning that he. could not replace
the horse in ids affection at any price.
He had had it for several years and
has made a pet of it. He stated that
it was probably worth about $250
and was among the animals covered
by a blanket policy. Whether he
?ould recover on this policy was not
known.
Mr. C. W. .Smith lost six mules and
three horses and five or six other ani?
mals which were turned out last
light were still at large today, he
having been unable to find them
last night or this morning. Today he
heard Iron. Paxvllle that some of his
missing animals were there and he
also heard from Mayesville that some
of the animals were there.
Mr. Geo. F. Epperson, with char?
acteristic energy, this morning com
} menced preparations for the building
! of a brick structure to take the place
of the large frame structure which
was burned down. He stated that tho
new building would be probably sixty
feet wide, one hundred and twen?
ty-five feet long and would be on the
site of the former building.
Workmen were engaged today In
cleaning up the burned timbers, tin
and other debris from the fire and
putting the horses on a pile of trash
to be burned.
The scene was visited by numerous
spectators during the day, who last
night had looked on without being
able to help.
TWFPETT RELEASED OX HAIL.
Judge Bowman in Cliambers at
Klngstree Fixed Bond at $2,000.
B. C. Trippetl was released between
j 8 and 9 o'clock last right on order
i of Judge I. \V. Bowman, before whom
, a hearing was had in chambers at
KlngStroe yesterday afternoon. Judge
How man fixed the bond at $2,000 on
the approval of the bondsmen by the
clerk of court. Messrs. H. J. Harby,
Thomas Wilson. C. L. Stubbs and W.
W. Rowland signed as bondsmen and
were approved by the clerk of court,
who therupon Issued an order for
Trlppett's release from custody.
The party from here left shortly bo
tore 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon
and returned here at about 8.10 with
the order from Judge Bowman, hav?
ing made the trip la an automobile.
TARHEELS WILL VOTE.
statewide Primary for Ail Parties
Provided.
Raleigh, Nr. C, March 8.?Both
bouses of tbi' North Carolina legis?
lature tonlghl passed a lull providing
lor a State-wide primary for nomina?
tions by all political parties. A num?
ber of counties were exempted as to
members of the bouse and county of?
ficers, but it is provided that these
can come in under .he law if so voted
by the people on the petition of one
llfth of the \ oters.
Mobile. March The British
steamer Xestorian sailed today with
a cargo of fourteen thousand bale.
..r cotton for Liverpool, The Son
torlan was the sixth ship to leave re
cently for ?Hrllleh ports.
UHRY THAW ON THtAL AGAIh
JI UY COMPLETED IN CONSPIR?
ACY CASE.
Evident From start that Effort lot
Prisoner's Release is to Be Made.
Now York, March 8.?-In the room
where he twice faced a Jury for the
murder of Stanford White, Harry K.
I
Thaw today went on trial for con?
spiring to escape from the State Hos?
pital for the Criminal Insane at Mat
teawan. With him as codefendants,
Wero five men, who. the State
charges, were parties to the alleged
conspiracy. The entire day was re?
quired to complete the jury. Taking
of testimony will begin tomorrow.
From the outset it was evident the
trial would be another fight for
Thaw's freedom. The defendant's at?
torneys plainly intimated that with
the permission of the court they
would offer evidence designed to
prove their client was sane when he
escaped from the asylum. Such be?
ing the case, they said in examining
talesmen, the defendant was detained
illegally at the time of his flight.
They asked prospective jurors
whether they would be prejudiced
against a man of sound mind who
used any means at Ids command to
! escape from a hospital for the in?
sane. These statements were ampli?
fied later by John B. Btanchfleld,
j Thaw's chief counsel, who said that
J should the jury find his client not
{guilty he immediately would sue out
a writ of habeas corpus on the ground
that "his dttention was illegal be?
cause the jury would have established
: his sanity."
j The State's contention, as outlined
j while an assistant district attorney
; was questioning talesmen, is that
Thaw, although insane at the time
; of his escape, nevertheless was com?
petent to enter into a conspiracy and
that he should be punished accord?
ingly.
: Deputy Attorney General Kennedy,
in charge of the prosecution, said
! that if found* he were guilty he
j would be returned immediately to
Matteawan.
Thaw's codefendants are Richard
J. Butler, former State assemblyman;
Roger Thompson, alleged to have been
the driver of the machine in which
Thaw lied; Michael O'Keel'e, Eugene
Duffy and Thomas Flood.
FOR ONE CENT LETTERS.
Austin of Tennessee Declares Coun
j try Demands Reduction in I*ricc of
Postage,
Washington, March 9.?"If the
leaders of congress would give its
j members an opportunity to vote on
the proposition the American people
i would be given a general one cent let
' ter postage without any further de?
lay," said Representative Richard W.
Austin of Tennessee, today.
1 "The people are demanding such
legislation, and justly. Unless some
definite action is taken to adjust pos?
tal rates the influence of the people
is going to begin to tell at the polls
just about election time when some
of our leading obstructionists come up
j for reelection. The users of the mails
are growing wise- each day on the
situation and will eventuadlly deliver
a telling blow unless congress mends
its ways by permitting some action to
i be taken on postal rates.
"There is an organised movement
r eing conducted against cheaper let?
ter postage. It i^ a blind campaign
in the form of a proposition to fix
a fiat rate on parcel post to take the
place of the zone rates which now
exist. Such a change would greatly
aid the large mall orJer houses and
at the same time pracUaclly ruin the
small town and country merchant.
With a flat rate on parcel post the
|small merchant would be thrown in
j direct competition with the mail order
j house. Under the existing zone sys?
tem the small merchant does not feel
the pressure so much as his big com?
petitors segregated in a few places
of the zones with profit. But With
I a tint rate he will be able to com?
pete with the local merchant In tiny
part of the country. And further,"
said Mr. Austin, "there is no reason
why any person mailing a letter
should be forced to pay a tax of one
cent of every two paid, the estimat?
ed profit to the government for
handling a letter."
GERMANY MAKES APOLOGIES.
Promises to see That Impolite
Blunder of Military Authorities
Won't Be Repeated.
The Hague (via London), March 9. \
?The German foreign olfice has sent
through American Ambassador Ger?
ard an expression of regret and an
explanation to Henry Van Dyko,
American minister to Holland ami
Luxemburg for the Interference with
>!?.-. Van Dyke's correspondence with
Luxemburg. Tbc trouble is attribut?
ed in the explanation to n misunder?
standing <'ii the part of the military
commandant at Treves, and it is stat?
ed that orders have been Issued to
prevent such an . ?cident occurring
sgaln.
BARGING tOBACCQ ACREAGE
DEALERS SAY HEAVY CROP
WOULD MEAN DISASTER.
Circulars Issued by Tobacco Trust?
Statt* Department or Agriculture
Inquires Into Retrenchment Cam?
paign in Pee Dee.
Columbia, March 10.?The eastern
section of South Carolina is being
Hooded with circulars advising the
farmers to reduce their tobacco acre?
age, according to correpsondence an
Inounced yesterday at the State de?
partment of agriculture. The mat?
ter was called to the attention of
Commissioner Watson by W. A. Ka
noor of Sumter.
Investigation showed that the cir?
culars were being sent out by T. M.
Carrington of Kichmond, president of
the Tobacco Association of the United
States. Commissioner Watson ad?
dressed a letter of inquiry to Mr. Car?
rington. The president of the tobacco
! association has made reply, in which
j he states the reasons for the issuance
(of the circular calling upon the farm?
ers to curtail the tobacco crop this
! year.
I President Carrington says that ths
association has tried to act in an im?
personal manner, "and we feel that
the interest of the dealers in bright
tobacco and the farmers is identical."
ilc says that from all the statistical
1 information obtainable it appears
that the consumption of. bright to
1 acco is about 225,000,000 pounds.
"Evidently the war has thrown this
business out of gear, ' says Mr. Car?
rington.
President Carrington states that he
has given the facts to Bright William?
son of Darlington and "he agTees with
the position taken."
Information gathered by the to?
bacco association shows that there is
j a very large stock of bright tobacco
carried over from the 1911 crop by
the dealers and there Will be consid?
erable carried over from the 1914
crop.
The letter is in part as follows:
"If it is positively ascertained that
{a very large crop will be planted for
1915 there will be very little chance
, of the dealers disposing of that to
j bacco, except at a loss, and they will
j not be in a very good position to be
very active bidders on the new crop,
and while an independent dealer may
not buy very much, he is a consider?
able factor on tlfe market in bidding;
and especially many buyers are very
desirable in purchasing the South Car?
olina crop, because this tobacco is sold
ungraded and has to be sold very
rapidly; and at that season of the
year when the weather is warm, to
save the tobacco, it has got to be han?
dled promptly, and to do this satisfac?
torily, it must be divided up among a
good many people."
! President Carrington believes that
an increase in tobacco acreage in this
' State will have "a most disastrous ef?
fect upon the price."
?
"POLICE MATROX" FOR COLUM?
BIA.
Capital City to Have Female Officer
to Give Protection to Women and
Children.
i
Columbia, March 10.?The city at
I torney was requested yesterday to
1 draft an ordinan? j which would give
the city the right to employ a woman
for the protection of women, chil?
dren and young people in Columbia.
The woman officer will be vested w ith
police authority, but will not be sub?
ject to the restrictions or the orders
' of the police department,
i The field of her operations will not
1 be limited to those persons who haw
committed crime. For these reasons
the designation Of this officer as a
"police matron" was styled a mis?
nomer in a communication to council
yesterday from Mrs. W. C. Cathcart,
Mrs. Howard Caldwell and the ttSV.
Kirkman G. Finlay, who have inter?
ested themselves in the movement,
which, it is hoped, is anticipatory to
the establishment of a juvenile court
J in Columbia.
WHISKEY CAUSED MAX'S DEATH.
Bart Tnrnstall is Dead and Charles
Wright III?Search for Poison.
Spartanburg. March S.?Bart Turn
Mull of Clifton is dead, Charles
Wright, his companion, ill, while the
remnant of a pint of liquor which they
ire supposed to have purchased from
1 negro Mind tiger Saturday night is
being held for analysis. Bart Tnrnstall
was found dead by the road Sunday
between Clifton No. 1 and Clifton No.
2 and responsibility for his death is
placed by the coroner's jury on some
poison, drtitf or alcoholic drink, sup?
posed to have been bought as whis?
key from a negro.
Sheriff White today arrested .lesse
Miller and Burton Gidney, both ne?
groes, and placed them in jail pending
an Investigation as to their connec?
tion with the sale of the liquor.
I art Tnrnstall is survived by a wife
and several children and said to
have moved to Clifton from Sumter a
tew months ago.