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.

PnMlwhrd Wednesday and KatunKi) ? BY?? (KiTKKX PCDLIMILVG COMPANY 8CMTIIC, S. C. Terms: ?1.50 per annum?in advance. Advertisements. On* Square Drat insertion .. . .fl.uu Every subsequent insertion.GO Contracts for three months. 01 longer will be made at reduced rates All communications which sub serva private interests will bo charge, for as advertisements. Obituaries and tributes of respect will be charged for. The Sumier Watchman was found m t.\ I860 and the True Southron in XSM. Tho Watchman and Southroi now has the combined circulation um Influence of both of the old papers, and Is manifestly the best advertism. medium In frumter. State Couiiell of Defense. The South Carolina Mate Council oi Defense has been authorized by |h? National Council of Defense to give out fron? time to time ottlcial and definite Information on military af fairs In this country. Tho following Interesting material has been given out on the subject of training camps The beginning of winter finds tie work of training going on at full blast In a hundred enmps and stations. Not far from half of the total num bor of men training aie encamped in the big Notional Army cantonments. In these the I'nltcd States has I*i nov? elties, each as large as Sacramento or Hfl l iitain or Davenport or M icon Nixtocn camps, n? ul> gf big gg the csntonment*. but not built so durab? ly, are housing the National Cluurd Ji vlaions. Two hundred and fifty thousand men have Joined the regulars since the war broke out. There are seventeen regular army stations and camps be? ing used for the training of these re? cruits. Seventeen nations are engaged in training men for the navy and ma? rines are being turned out in thro* more. Not all the Aviation Fields have been finished but in a dozen of then: cool-headed young men are being taught to light in the air. Nine camps have Just rounded off the second Increment of officers fo the Reserve Corpa Five medical camps are in opera? tion, and three camps for engineers. All of the larger camps have been built In the last six months. Tin biggest of them, the National Arm Cantonments were built in thre months at a total cost of $150,000, 000. Only a little over twice as much wag required to build the Panama Canal and that took ten years. Something between six hundred and seven hundred millions of feet of I lumber went Into the National Army i cantonmeiits. The figure for sll the i army camps is about one billion feet I In population the camps range from I 300 to 47.000. The r^en in a flying i camp may know one another as men i know one another in a small college t One of the larger cantonments, on t the other hand, contains more men ] than can be crowded Into the Pooi | Qrounds or Comlsk-^y P; rk. A good average crowd for a world'1* I series game Is 30.000 Such a crowd Is enough to swamp i half dosen oai lines. All of the men in one of the National Army cantonments would make a crowd half again as large. Living conditions In the enmps may not be quite up to the top of the high American standard Hut it can safe? ly be said that no large army of sol? diers was ever housed so comfort sbly before. There will be no freez? ing this winter. Four of the canton? ments situated farthest north have steam heat. The rest have to put up with hot air systems. But an Ameri? can army ?pont a winter at VaUoy Forge once wtihout even a hot air system I tenth. Mr vs llllam j. Ard, aged it >e ? died at the State Tuberculosis ( imp Columbia, at 113? o'clock last night, after an lllnev-i ??f more than two years, the last year and a half h.iv ,n? be? n spent at the camp. He was r. natlvf of Sumter ind had made his horn** h*re during the greater part Of his life. He is suivived b\ twe brothers and four sisters. The funeral services will be held a? the cemetery at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning immediately after the arrival of the second tr.nn from ColSmbtl Death. Little Gladys liugglus. who was s - -iously burned last Thursdaj nun nur; lied at 6 a. m lodej alter I w?-ek oi ?Unering The little girl was onP. eight rears eM aad was the daughter ?f Mr and Mrs M fcfl Hugglns. Tho fm.cral services will be held from th" residence. 26 chestnut street, at 11 a. m. tomorrow. Owing to the uncertainties of It US ?lag politics. It is a guess whether Mr. I^enlnc is In the fortress of St Peter and St I?nul or in Merlin get ting btf next week's orders.?Knnsa* C ty Times. HANGED AT SUNRISE. Mono Mouinm due ran run in rioting. Thirteen Members of Twenty-rourtu Infantry llvcvulod at Fort Sam Houston One Minute BtfOM Sun? rise?toily-one Others Spend Lives In l*rison. San Antonio, Dec. 11.?Except for the ashes from two hus'c bonlires, a i isolated thicket on the big govern? ment reservation, near hero, show.;.I no signs tonight that it was the oxe cutlon place, early today of 13 negro soldiers of the Twenty-fourth United States Infantry. The negroes convict? ed of participating in the riots at Houston, Texas, August 23 l?se, wer* bunged at 7:17 o'clock, one minute before sunrise. After dark last night motor trucks Onrrltd the lumber for the scaffolds and a company of the engineers to the clearing. The scaffolds were built by fire light. Motor trucks shortly aftor 5 o'cloek this morning carried the con? demned negroes from the barracks where they spent thoir last night, and the officers und military guard to the place of execution. The trucks later carried the bodies to a place as indistinguishable a* the execution, where the burial took place and thou they hauled back to Fort Sam Hous? ton every piece of timber used In the s itfold so that the site was clear be? fore formal announcement of the exo cu lion had been issued by the South? ern Department headquarters. The condemned negroes had known of their fate since Sunday. Twelve of them sought spiritual counsel of Army Y. M. C. A. workers. The 13th whose name has not yet been llsclos ed, gave no inkling that he know Outwardly all were stoical. They did r.ot know the date of the execution but last night they were taken from the cavalry guard house where they have been prisoners more than a month and placed In separate bar? racks. Asid ? from less than a dozen offi? cers of the Southern Department and the sheriff of Bexar County, no one in the city or the army camps knan* of the execution date or place. The condemned men were aroused} this morning before regular army reveille. The military guard had been summoned silently and no sound was heard In the camp where nearly 40, 000 men were sleeping, except th< purring of the army truck motor*' awaiting their loads. The negroes dressed in their regular uniforms is carefully as for Inspection. They displayed neither bravado nor fear. They rode to the execution singing a hymn, but the singing was as that of soldiers on the march. Ar rived at the clearing the song ceased, the men, shackled, were helped from I ihe trucks to the scaffolds and seated on chairs A low "Good bye, boys" tddrcsted to members of their mill- i tary guard who had been in charge of I the negroes since they were brought here from Fort Bliss, was the only ex- t pression from any of the negroes. i The men's feat were bound. Ai. < ;irmy chaplain offered prayer. An of- I fleer called, "Attention!" and as on parade the negroes stood erect. Th<*y stood quietly while caps and noose were adjusted and thon stepped on the traps. The major In charge of Ik I execution gave a signal and soldier I sprung the traps. The negroes plunged nine feet to ! lnst;?et death. I No announcement has been ma when the 41 negroes given life sea tences by the eourtmartial will be taken to Fort leaven worth. Of the others, four were sentenced to dishonorable discharge from th? arm>. forfeiture of all pay and allow? ances due, and prison terms of two year.' and two years and six months Five were acquitted and sent to join tlodr commands. In spite of the executions and an? inouneement Ol tin- other sentences to? ri iy the riot ;ii HOUOtOn is not a olot t>d Incident. Investigation is still in progreti end it is expected addition il eourtmnrtlal win follow. Th?- executions created some dem? onetmtlon among negroes who hud followed UlO progress of the trial. In the nature of "mournings" ai ?i few negro churches. Crowds at then* however were small. Kt'ssi AN CONGRESS CALLED, It Will Open When Four Hundred IHdegates Arrive. PotrOgfOdi Monday, Dee, I ????The constituent assembly will be opened t?v repreoontatlvog of the Notional Commissions rtet on the arrival here of over four hundred members of tin sgssmbly, according to * proclamation 'issued today from the Bmolny lost; tute. The date Of the opening is a matter of conjecture Demonstrations .?rs rumoi t?l Know In Opoegle Also. Athens fj| . Dec. 1 |, Snow Itllei i morning rovers all northeast Georgia lie ?? depth of throe Inches, GERMAN PEACE MOVE. SI <.(.i:sT!()\ OF PEACT3 MADK IN REPTKMBEIt. Great Britain Replied That it Would IHeeaaa any Ootnmnnieetton with Allies. London, Dec. 11.?Foreign Sec roiary Dalfour told the house of com? mons today that a communication had boon received by Great Lritnin from Germany last September, through a neutral diplomatic channel, to the effect that Germany would be glad to get into communication with Great Britain in regard to peace. The British government replied it was prepared to receive any commu? nication the German government might decide to make and to discuss it with Great Dritain's allies. Germany returned no reply, Mr. Dalfour added. The foreign minister said that Great Britain had answered the com niuntcutlon, stating that she informed Italy, France, Japan, Russia and the United States of the German sugges? tion. Among the secret diplomatic docu? ments made public by the Bolsheviki as quoted In a Petrograd dispatch last week was a telegram from the Rus? sian charge d'affaires* in Dondon dat? ed October 6, which indicated that Germany had made another peace ttlOVO, The telegram said the charge had received information from Mad rid that a highly placed personage in Berlin had expressed the wish to the Spanish ambassador to Germany to I enter Into peace negotiations. Th<? Information was communicated to tho allied governments and, the dispatch says. Great Britain replied it would receive any communication from Ger? many respecting peace and consider the meaiAire in conjunction with its allies. CIIPHCHILL PESSIMISTIC. Says Situation is Serious for the AI lies. I Dondon, Monday, Dec. 11.?Speak ing today at Bedford on the subject of the allies' war aims, Winston Spencer Churchill, minister of mu-i nltlona, said that the situation wa-;l more serious than it had been reason ; i able to expect three months ago. Th country and -the allied cause, Col. Churchill added, wore endangered.1 The future of the- British Empire and Of democratic civilization was hang ing in the balance and would con? tinue to hang there for a considerable period. "When I say the country is passin *' through a time of danger," Col Churchill continued, "I moan there are people who wish to bring abou a premature peace. "The British do not mean to pu uj anything but the legitimate and, righteous aims with which we entere.; , Iho war, and if such an issue as thlu were seriously raised it could be de? cided only by the whole nation. I cannot see that there is the slightes danger In submitting that question t > the free decision of the whole nation." Kill tho Cur, Save the Sheep. Woolgrowing improvement and an ll-cur sentiment go strictly together i Ihio country, and all publicity Which e 1T1 explain the situation to the pub lie is a national servjee. The bo^ Rrades of wool are raised in averag farm tloek.v where h1i?-c;i can la- prop? er 1> cared for and clipped. Bvsn i Australia the best grades conic from Hocks of moderate else, and the ten deney there, where wool-growing tuvi been carried to us high a stage of u. velopmout as that shown in any country, is toward tho farm Hocks rather than the la ge sheep ranches The greatest obstacle to wool-growing ' in this country has been the roamlnt, cur, protected b> too humane sentl ment ol city people who believe lhu? in reasonable restrictive laws for th ? Sfeguardlng of sheep some injury is done t<> tin- dog as they Know hi Tin kind of dog that wot Us dama; ? 1,1 ;> HocW of Sheep is the common uu IdtrteO cur. .\ dog breeder, writing t\ ' ihe breeders' Gazette, urges that heavy lax be put on >io;igrel dugs especially curs kept by tanners th i ti selves, who underfeed them, giv thetil no training .and allow them te roan. ; t large. This breeder hello?, that the situation calls for improve I" ?H ii dogs, if people buy we'I b-co dogs, paving good nr^os Iberu for, they will take better ogre Ql them, and the roaming, sheep kilhu "everybody's dog," the common pur that <1ovh rnost of the damage, will g > .out of fashion, in every section when sheep are grown docks me constant 1} I being destroyed by do^s. Buch new; should be gathered and published fui the encouragement <?f woolgrowln Industry. London. p?c. I.' I'renu. t L|o c.eom,. tod.i> announced |n t|ip hone Iof commons tint cien. Allpnby, tie i British nommandsr in Palestine, en I tered Jerusalem on foot on Tuesday WAR INQUIRY BEGINS. | CONGRESS STARTS INVESTIGA? TION OF CONDUCT or THE WAR. Senate Makes 1 legi lining on Work of War Department In Arming end ICqulpping Arniy. - "Washington, Deo. 12.?An inquiry by congross into jthe .general con duet of the war was begun today with the investigation, by the senate mili? tary committee, of the war depart? ment of the work of arming and equipping the American forces. Maj? or General Croader, chief of ordnance, I said: "It was apparent that the orig-1 inal program did not contemplate out participation in the war, we compress 0d a five year program into one year when it became apparent that the one 1 million men program would not do."! - Another British Credit. London, Dec. 11.?In the house of, commons tomorrow the chancellor of j the exchequer, Andrew Eonar Law. j will move a credit of 560.000 pounds, | bringing the total for the fiscal year 1917-1S to 2.460.000,000 pounds. AUSTRIAN BATTLESHIP SUNK. THE \MI \ WAS TORPEDOED <>\ SUNDAY. Report Krom Vienna Says Most or Crew Wen? Saved Hut no Details or Affair Are Given. L?ondon, Dec. 12.?The Ausliia.i battleship Wien was torpedoed and sunk Sunday night, according to a Vienna official statement received at Amsterdam and forwarded by the Central News. Most of the crew were saved. The Wein displaced five thovt snnd, five hundred and twelve tons had a complement of four hundred and forty-one men. DEATH LIST SMALLER. Halifax. Dec. 12.?A revised esti mate today of the explosion casualty i* reduced the death list to approximate? ly eighteen hundred. The known dead total eight hundred, and it is believed that not over one thousand bodies are under the debris. The list of victims is steadily becoming small? er as relatives are reunited and the refugees return. BATTLING FO? PEACE. GRRHAira HAZARD OfflOmV? OF GREATEST MAGNITUDE Using All A? us to Bring 00 Coup Thai Will noline Allies to Conclude Pence. London. I>ec. 13.?When the As ?ociated Press correspondent inquir? ed of a high naval authority today, "if the anti submarine war is going v eil, what vas the reason for the hi;-'b rate of sinkings during the past three weeks.'* the answer was: "The enemy has had more subma? rines et wo-!,. They have actually been attempting a sr.1. ..arine offen? sive of the l .rgest possible magnitude, 1 in the effor. to reinforce their offen ; sive on land. They are trying to ibting off a coup which will incline us to peace. rey have failed signally on sea as i. land, and have had to pay heavy p dees. Our counter meas? ures are meeting with increased suc? cess." The census crop repotring bureau announced oday that the estimate of the cotton rrop for the year 1917-18 I is 10.949,000 bales. ? Christmas Gifts Men. In making your Xmas pur? chases remember that our name on a gift is like Sterling on silver, a guar? antee o! the best. We are Showing HATS GAPS SUITS SHIRTS SOCKS TIES MUFFLERS COLLAR BAGS OVERCOATS RAIN COATS MACKANAWS SWEATERS UNDERWEAR FANCY VESTS BATH ROBES SMOKING JACKET HANDKERCHIEFS Combination Sets Fancy Boxes for Ties and Hand kerchiefs FREE THE . JL Chandler Clothing Co. I iome of Hart Schaffner & Marx Clothes.