Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Ii TUR STJMTF.R WATCHMAN. Efttab Oocoolidated Aus:. 8, 1 THE WORLD'* FINEST GUN. BROWNING At TOM ATI!' RIFLK ON EXHIBITION. Non-t'omintKHioncd Officer Gives Sol? diers* Opinion After Bundling Ab Makes. Washington. Feb. 27 ?The tatest American contribution to warf;.re, the Browning automatic rille, was official? ly Introduced to congress today at a demonstration staged In a remote \ al? ley In the hills that surround this city Ker more thin two hours the air was tilled with the snarl and crash of the tiring, senators and representa? tives operating the new weapons for themselves under the direction of a ?quad of officers from the machine aun school at Springfield, Muss. High army officials, Including As? sistant Secretary Crowell, MaJ. Gen. John Riddle, acting chief of staff, and a score of officers from the British, French, Italian und Belgian missions witched the demonstrations with keen Interest. There was no target practice al? though u line of figures shaped like men was battered to pieces by the squad of ten gunners. Members of congress also scored repeated this, al? though It was tho first time any -of them had handled a weapon of this character. As to the performance of the ten ?uns used there was not a stoppage from malfunction. despite the fact that hundreds of rounds wore tired, and the squad from the school had never seen he guns before last Sun? day. When firing with the automatic rifles was completed, two Browning heavy machine guns were put in ac? tion. Thousands of bullets were sen*, streaming across the valley to set the dust leaping on the far hillside. Again there wns not a malfunction and the demonstration was completed with an exhibition of the simplicity of construction, one of the guns being dismounted, taken apart and reassem? bled repeatedly in a few minutes time. These two guns hove been selected by the ordnance bureau of tho war defnrrtment as the weapons with which the army Is soon to be equip? ped. The automatic rifles good oamO from factories where the aotua l\ pi o ductlon on a quuntity scale has al? ready started Within a matter of weeks, hundreds will he delivered every day and thousand They are to be the "over the top" guns of tomorrow as the French ( huuehat is used by French and American troops today. A non-com missioned officer of the demonstrat? ing detachment, who with his asso clute? ha? been (hilled with every tvpe of weapon uaed by tin- allied troops. Including the ('hauch it, the OnlV prototype of the new ritle. spokt tor the whole quad when he said: ' That's the finest gun in the world." When the invited guests arrived al the range today they found II men from the school commanded by Mai. J. 8. Hatcher, busy filling HMgaalnei and belts. The ten rifles were un? packed and the visitors were asten Sd at the lightness of the terrible weapons. They weigh lf? pounds loaded with 20 rounds all of which can be fired in a bre it h. "Fall In." came the order and ten of the men stepped into the front rank, each carrying his rifle and about his waist a heavy web belt) the pox k ets of which bulged with magazines carrying 20 rounds each. Behind him stood his an.munition carrier, also belted and with two cross belts swinging from his shoulders As the column swung away toward the range, the rifllemen swung their guns Bp to a shoulder as they would an ardlnarv single Mhot weapon. At the first glance there was nothing to show tho extraordinarily deadly character of their equipment. The first firing was semi-automatic, a feature first developed by the French In the Chan.hat and which has gone far It is naid. towards revo? lutionising trench warfare. Th? targets flew into splinters as the squad got to work Advancing fire followed, both ggjta matlc and semi-kutomiitle The n, mi 20 round* were delivered mm the rmn were taking three paces I'.aek on th longer range, the Browning maehin. guns were waiting on their tripod with boxr? of belted ammunition I i side them lr hiatus ,,f ten to |g( Mhot* at a time the BgldlstrS lere U1 the hlll?blr opposite, a ste. \\ moui of dust marking where the hsjllel fell. Then cum*, the dismatllng and rcnssemhllng of the weapJOSli nnl || tMl British machine SS SM its fslsOWS ' great Interest Without any other tool than the rltn of a c.irtildge, the ktfexl April, 1850. "Be ?an m 881. GASE OF MENINGITIS. HARB? BLLSaiBK, M\i:-Yi:\u OLD NEGRO 1MB VICTIM. ( a-c \\ hleh DeiSJaped Sunday Was DiagnoMd Tuesday Night as Typl tnl Case of Corcbro-Spiiml Mcniiui tis and Quarantine of Weathers I MM Ordered by DoUfd of Health. The first case of meningitis to de? I velop In Sumter was discovered in Weathers Lane 8und ly afternoon wh?n Dr. C. \V". Birnie was called to see Harry Ellerbe, i nine-year-old ne? gro boy. When first seen the symp? toms were not sufficiently pronounced to make a positive diagnosis possible but the case was classed as suspicious am. kept under close observation. By Tuesday the typical symptoms of cer rehro-spinal meningitis had develop? ed and Dr. H. A. Mood, who was call? ed In consultation by Dr. Hl.-nic, diag? nosed the case meningitis. The serum wan administered within an hour and the boy is receiving best possible at? tention and the most approved treat? ment. Dr. W. Icrman, of the United Slates Pvbllfl Health Sevvlce, station? ed at Camp Jackson, came here this moaning at the request of the City Ho.'ird of Health, and made an exam? ination of the boy and confirmed the diagnosis of the local physicians. He also took cultures from the throats of all persons who have come in con? tact with the s!ck boy for the purpose* of nscrtaining by bacteriological ex? amination whether any of them are infected. The Board of Health has put in force a rigid quarantine in Weathers Lane with cruards on duty day and night, and no one who may be in f< ted with the disease will ho per? mitted to leave the quarantined area. Dr. Herman says that there is no ground for alarm and the people of I Sumter should not become uneasy or excited. The City Poard of Health held 0 special meeting this morning, which was attended by Dr. Herman, nnd the entire situation was carefully consid? ered. It was decided to maintain a strict quarantine of Weathers T^ane. to order all the negro schools and chinches to he closed and to forbid public gatherings of anv kind by ne? groes until further notice. Tf a CUM or meningitis develops j-mong the whites. 11 similar order will be issued If to the white schools, churches and public gatherings. As a preventive Dr. Perman nd \ises the use twice a day of DobeU'l solution ?.s a spray for throat and nose. He advises the addition of one leaepoonfttl of soda to a pint of Doli ell's solution. This solution can be obtained from nny of the drug store; with dtreetlong how to ggf, I _. I ATLANTA BLVCliMAIM:!! SI.X TU.NCUD. Man Who Tried dame on Mayor Can dlcr GoCO to <.ai?g. i_ Atlanta. Ueb. lt.?J. W. Cook, a 1 real estate salesman who was con? victed yesterday was sentenced to one rear on the chstngsng and a fine of one thousand dollars for conspiracy to blackmail Asa C Candler, the mil? lionaire mayor of Atlanta. He is still m Jail today In default of bond. The hearing on appeal If set for March K?th. Conference! are being held to? day to decide whether Mrs. H. II Hirsch, Indicted jointly with Cook, shall go to trial tomorrow, as plan? ned. solicitor General Boy kin announc? ed liter that he would not try the HI reell eaee this week. No date has been set for the trial. Officials lteap|M>inted. Washington, Feb. 18.??President today nominated Francis h, Weston, of Columbia to be United .States dis? trict attorney ami James l Bin s, <? Charleston, to be United states mat shal, for the eastern dlstrl I of Son,.: < rolina. gttfta were taken completely apart. Some ip? ptecec appeared scattered o the ground. A twlai here, n simp there, and In less time tha.i It tak i to lot] it, the nun wrai rei si emhle ' and bach at work. The demonstration wai ordered te make it clear to members of congress l by the ordnance liurenu pul aaldc ail other it akei ot machine guns as the atandsrd weapon for the Amerl can iinny althougti no Brownli i had i-e f built eseept the model wea pon srhes order was given, Ordnance official* were satisfied tonight that no men ls>in ol congress whe witness? ed the tiring now ilouhts the wisdom oi that decision. od Fear not?Ijet all the ends Thon Ah SUMTER, 8. 0., SAiUI TRADE AGREEMENT MADE. UNTIED STATES AH>s RAILWAYS OF SPAIN. - Qoicriuuent Plans to rehabilitate System Now in Poor COUdttton inj Order to Insure Shipments of Goods to General Pershing in France. Washington,, Feb. 27.?Rehabilita? tion of the Spanish railroad system Is planned by the Unted States to make possible ths shipment of large quanti? ties of supplies from Spain to General Pershing's forces in Furope. An ?fter of American railway materials has been made as a part of negotiations the United States is conducting to in? duce Spain to lift her embargo against the Shipment of goods into France, pieced, according to the Spanish gov? ernment, because of the; broken con? dition of her roads. While a final atjreement has not been Signed) a OOnclUSlon of the nego? tiation it was said today are near and Spain again has been notified that all Spanish ships held in American ports are free to sail as soon as they dis? charge the parts of their cargoes for which licenses have been denied or revoked. It was reiterated that there || no disposition to hold Spanish ships to exert pressure on the negotiations. There are now in American ports some six Spanish steamers and half as many sailing ships. The American government, it was learned today, In its latest proposal to Spain, has asked for the use of con? siderable Spanish tonnage on terms similar to those on which it obtained ships owned bv the northern Euro i pean neutrals. This tonnage would he paid for at high rate and for the most part would be used by the Unit? ed States in the non-hazardous trades. The war trade boards' plan for re? ducing imports calls for a considerable cut in the importation of Spanish j products. As the American govern ' ment's own needs and those of its SSOOlatOS in the war will absorb most of the export commodities, produced in the Fnited States exports to Spain will also be limited. This in the view of officialI should release a number of Spanish ships now plying between the United Sttaes and Spain which j the American government could ? hi rter, The Spanish railroads have been In pom- condition for s lodg time. Cut of! to a large extent from materials to make repairs the government hai Sen unable to keep the roads ofII Iclenl This situation was given by the Spanish government as its reason for refusing to ship anything into France. The smbargo stopped the shipment! of mules, blankets and other sup? plies General Pershing has order' -'. Ths United States will let Spain hav< general railroad supplies and particu? lar parts to put Spanish locomotives In good repair. A shipment of lu? bricating oil for immediate necessities already has been authorised. TVn ? agreement proposed by the Fnited States would give Spain adequate sup? plies of cotton and petroleum and 111 addition would provide for the export of such other commodities as tht United states feels it can spars undei its construction program. The Fnitod States, it is declared, asks in return no unreasonable assist? ance. Officials feel that In sharing I some of its most needed commodities all the neutrals with whom it is con? ducting negotiations should be liberal I in their oommeroial concessions. King Alfonso had taken a personal interest in the negotiations between Ith United States and Spain and has helped smooth over difficulties that have arisen. The friendly action of Spain In assuming charge of Ameri ? n interests In Germany) It is declar? ed, has influence.l the American gov? ernment towards adopting a liberal policy. SPANISH SHIP TORPFDOFP. German U?Bonte arc sinking Man* Spanish ships. Madrid. Feb 28. The Spanish pre ss announces today, without Official '-on Urination) the torpedoing of the Span? ish steamer Sarniero. Bffo**ts to ob? lain official confirmation of the re? port ollolted this statement: "The u honts have obtained better result* igainst Spanish shipping than against the Italian and French tonnage las' week." No Italian Ships Sunk. Rome, Feb. -s Italian shipping was Immune from German submarines und mines during ths week ended Fehruar> 23rd, ?tue French ship sunk. I'aiis. Feb 28, -Only one vessel un? der Sixteen hundred tons was lost by enem) submarines or mines last week. .\o fishing boats were sunk. it?'t at be thy Country'*, Thy God's n t-DAY, MAKCH 2, 1018. HUN WAR AIMS. PULL TEXT OF CHANCELLOR VON HKRTLIX<>i\S HKMAHKS BE FOKK THE REICHSTAG MONDAY. offers No Definite Pinn But Sees Bourn <?oo(l in Wilson's and Runoiman's Suggestions Bat He Rejects Doth. Amsterdam, Feb. 26.?Following Isj a full report of Chancellor von Hert t I ling's speech yesterday in the Reich I stag. After a few preliminary re? marks by Dr. Herman B. Pausche, vice president of the Reichstag, and the first reading of the budget, Count von e \ Hortung arose and said: "The Reichstag has a right to re? ceive an explanatory statement in re? gard to the foreign situation and the attitude of the government concern - iing it. I will meet the obligation aris? ing therefrom, even though 1 enter? tain certain doubts as to the utility and success of dialogues carried on by ministers and statesmen of belliger I ent countries. "Mr. Runciman In the House of Commons recently expressed the opin? ion that we would get much nearer peace if, instead of this, responsible representatives of the belligerent 1 powers would come together in an intimate meeting for discussion. 1 con only agree with him that that would be the way to remove numer? ous intentional and unintentional mis? understandings and compel our ene? mies to take our words as they are i meant, and on their part also to show their colors. I cannot at an? rate discover that the words which I spoke here on two occasions were re j ceived in hostile countries objective? ly and without prejudice. Moreover, discussion in any intimate gathering j alone could lead to understanding on many individual questions which can really be settled only by compromise. "It has been repeatedly said thi I we do not contemplate retaining Bel glum, but that we must be safeguard? ed from the danger of a country with which Ufa desire after the war to liv* (in peace ami friendship, becoming j the object or the jumping-off ground J of enemy machinations. If, therefore a proposal came from the opposing side, for example, from the govern? ment in Havre, we should not adopt ' an antagonistic attitude, even though the discussion at lirst might only br unbinding. "Meanwhile, it does not appear as ii Mr. Runclman'fl suggestion has e , j chance of assuming tangible shape j and I must adhere to the existim ?methods of dialogue across the chan? nel and ocean. "Adopting this method, I readil: admit that President Wilson's mes? sage <>f February 11 represents, per? haps, a small step toward a mutua > I rapprochement, I therefore, pass ovei the preliminary and excessively long declaration In order to address my ? self Immediately to the four prlnc' I pies which in President Wllson'f opinion must he applied in a mutua exchange of views. "The first clause says that each part of the final settlement must b? based upon essential justice of that particular case and upon such adjust? ments an are most likely to bring a peace that will be permanent. "Who would contradict this? Th phrase coined by the great father of the church, Augustin, 1.600 years ago ?'Jualtla fundamentum regnorum'? is still valid today. Certain it is that only peace based in all its parts on the principles of justice has a pros pect of endurance. "The second clause expresses thr desire that peoples and provinces shall not be bartered about from sov? ereignty to sovereignty as if the were mere Chattels and pawns in i game even the great game, now for ever discredited, of the balance o power. I "This clause, too, can be Uncondi tionally assented to. Inde< d, on wonders thai the president of th< I nited States considered it necOSSnn to emphasise it anew. Th!i claus contains a polemic against condition! long vanished, views ai;ninst cabine politics and cal inet wars, against m x Ing State territory and princely an< private property, which belong to ; pas? thai is far behind ns. I do nol want to he discourteous but when one remembers the oarlle utterances of President Wilson, on ?.11 think thai he is laboring und? the illusion that there exists in (',, many r?n antagonism between an nu tocratlc l o\ era:nent ;>iid ;t mass n people without rights. And ye' President Wilson knows at any vi\U the Cerman edition of his book o the state proves German politic UP ratine and he knows then lore j that with us prlncei and governments] ?d Trath'a" THE TRUE NEW YORK DEBAIE? WHISKEY. FEDERAL PROHIBITION AMEND? MENTS UP IN LEGISLA? TURE. Bryan Speak tag for Drys With Gomp en for Wot Forces. _ I Albany, N. Y., Feb. 26.?For more' than live hours today a crowded au? dience in the aaeembly chamber of the state canitoi heard aen of Inter? national reputation argue for an 1 against the ratification by the New York legislature of the federal pro- ( hibition amendment. A'illiam Jen-' nings Bryan led the prohibition forces.1 His principal opponent was Samuel Gompers, president of "he American Federation of Labor, wh > was .-econd ed by Former Senator Bi lley of Texas. There were many other speakers less widely known. The hea ung was held before a joint legislative committee to which the resolution waf referred up? on its introduction early in January At the close of the hearing no indica tion was given as to wdien the com mitteemen would make i. report. Prohibition and its relation to the war was one of the principal argu? ments made by both sides. Mr. Bryan declared it was vital to the success of the United States and its allies that this country send men clean in mind and body to the battle front. Mr. Gompers asserted that la the present crisis the people of the country hau enough to do in the fighting line by opposing the central powers, and that I their attention from this most im j portant subject should not he divert . ed by any measure less vtal. Opponents of the ratif cation assert , ed that the federal amendment WSJ unconatltutlonal In that it would give l oth federal and Stales concurrent jurisdiction in enforcing the prohibi? tory clause. The resell tion sponsor were equally as emphatic In their declaration that the enforcement pro I provisions were legal and valid. Mr. Gompers said that while he also '.considered the amendnent unconsti? tutional, he would speak of the more human side of the opposition as jewel by organized labor. That body of men, he said, considered the ittempt to regulate their habits as a violation of personal liberty. Organ? ised labor, he asserted, has done more; than any other agency to make men temperate, but they resented the ef? forts to deprive them of their rights. Cheers from wets ant" laughs from the drys greeted Mr. Gcmpere' asser? tion of his helfef, that "conditions in Russia today are primarily due to en? forced prohibition." NAVAL TOG WRKCKED. Cherokee Foundered Off Fonwic!: Is? land Light. Washington, Feb, 11. The naval tug Cherokee, formerly belonging to the Luckenbaeh Company, foundered yesterday off Fenwick Island lignt hip, The survivors are being taken to Philadelphia. Normally the Chero? kee carried a crew of forty men. One report to the navy says that ten survivors have already been landed at "ome point on the coast. Later the navy depart! lent was ad? vised that incoming shii s are carry ng four bodies to Philadelphia and that the ten survivors previously re? ferred to were the only Known ones >ut of the Cherokee's complement of five ofliccrs and thirty-five men. \ ' lit \S SINK HOSPITAL SHIP. (?lenatt C:ustle Sent to Bottom in Brit? ish Channel. London. Feb. 2 7. ?The British hos? pital ship mart Castle sixty-eight hundred tons, was sunk yesterday in Bristol Channel, it is announced OftH cally. There were m> patients aboard. Some of the survivors lave boon landed by an American torpedo boat, hut eight boats are still adrift. GLEN ART CA8TLF SI RVIVORS. Part of crow of Hospital S lip Landed at Swansea. Swansea, Wales, Feb. 2 7.?Thirty four survivors of the Gleiairt Castle have been landed bete. Tie number of per:.on:- aboard is said to have been two hundred, ? re t he high? st members >f the na? tion as a whole, organized in the form oi' a State, the highest members, with whom the final decision lies Cut. see? ing thai they also, as tin supreme Organa belong to the whole, the de ' cislon ll of such a nature that only ' the welfare of the whole is the guid? ing line for a decision to be taken. 1 It may be useful express!] to point this out to President VYllsoa's eo\m- I Hymen. I 1 reu. SOtJTHBC N, EMabHabcd Jn? ???? VoLXLVI. No. 5. ?EGLI6ENGE CAUSED WRECK. RAILROAD OFFICIALS HOLD FLAGMAN RFSFONSIBLE. Lockllcr Should Have Disregarded "Call In" Signal With Time Limit So Narrow. Columbia, Feb. 27.?Responsibility for the Southern Railway wreck at Frost Monday afternoon, when 12 peo? ple were killed, was placed yesterday by the coroner's jury on the crew of train No. 18, who, it alleged, failed to properly observe the rules of caution. The verdict read: "That the 12 persons came to their deaths by train No. 4 2 from Spartan burg to Columbia running into train No. 18 from Greenville to Columbia at or near Frost, occasioned through the rules of caution being not thoroughly curried out by crew of train No. 18." A thorough investigation was also conducted by railroad officials and im? mediately thereafter the following statement was issued by F. S. Collins, superintendent of the Columbia di? vision: "Investigation developed some con? tradictory s tatements between some members o' the crews, but it is clear that if the '.lagging rules had been ob? served by Cain No. 18, the accident would rot 1 avc occurred." The following is the rule in ques? tion: "When a train is stopped at an un? usual point or is delayed at a regular stop over t-iree minutes or when it tails to malic its schedule time, the flagman must immediately go back with danger signals to stop any train moving in the same direction. At a point one-half of a mile (or 18 tele? graph poles) from the rear of his train he must place one torpedo on the rail, on engineman's side; he must then continue to go back at least three ' tourths of a mile (or 27 telegraph poles) from the rear of his train and i place two torpedoes on the rail, ten yards apart (one rail length), when 1 he may return to a point one-half of a mile (or 18 telegraph poles) from the rear of his train, and he must re I main there until recalled; but If a passenger train is due within ten min? utes, he must remain until it arrives. A lien he comes in, he will remove the j torpedo nearest to the train, but the two torpedoes must be left on the rail as a caution signal to any follow? ing train. "If the delay occurs upon single track, and it becomes necessary to protect the front of the train, or if any other track is obstructed, the front brake nan must go forward and use the sai \e precautions. If the front brake nan is unable to leave the train, the li reman must be sent in his place. "On descending grades, or during blinding ?tonn or fog, the flagman must go as DftVCh farther than the dis tancc named above as will insure ab solute Safety, placing the torpedoes at relatively gi *ater distances from the obst ruction*1 Train No. 12 was three or four min uates iate at Frost? one-half mile from the wreck. Engineer Long testified, and his train was running, he said, about 4 5 miles an hour when the col lision occurred. Another phase of the inquest about which much Inquiry WSC directed was Rule H9 under which flagmen operate, requiring s flagman to remain at his pest and disregard "call in" signals, when a trailing passenger train is only ten minutes behind another train on an Irregular stop, strict compli? ance with the rul?j would have requir? ed Locklier to have stuck by his pro tecting station until train No. 42 ar rlv< d and then to have mounted the engine and proceeded on the trailing train, as train No. 18 was on No. 4 2's *>v hedulo. Harve Locklier, Hagman on train No. is, testified at the coroner's in quest that when his train was halted Monday afternoon he immediately rushed back up the track between a half and three-quarters of a mile and placed two torpedoes on the track and then withdrew the customary space back toward the stationary train and placed a third torpedo, as the rules r< quire, and remained at that post un? til signaled In by his engineer. rive members of the crew of train No. A 2 tcstiiied that no torpedo was exploded by their train and that in ill their railroad experience they had lev r known Mich a coincidence as two torpedoes failing to explode. One plosion would have halted the train, he) all ? \piained Those of train No. testifying trere: F. Brandl Ixmg, ngineer; W. ii Qolston, conductor; ? K.i kit nd, I reman; D. If. Harris, (agnutn, and J. If. Lawaon, baggage natter.