Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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The Thirtietfi Division Capt R. E. Craig, of HartsviDe, Gives Authentic News ol f Its Valor. Greenville, Dec. 12.?One of the first real narratives of the heroic work of the Thirtieth division in France and Belgium was brought to Greenville Wednesday by Capt. Robert ? E. Craig, of Hartsville, S. C com mander- of Company L, llSth infan try (old First South Carolina National Guard). Capt. Craig was in Green ville for a short time en route to the base hospital at Biltmore. N. C. He landed at Newport News November 27 and is ? suffering from bronchial asthma, which he contracted while in the trenches. in conversation yesterday Capt. Craig told of the wonderful work of fhe North and South -Carolina and Tennessee' men of the Old Hickory Division in th9 war and expressed re gret that he was not able to be with them at the memorable date when they completely shatterd the Hind on "burg line. "You have never seen such courage, such absolute loyalty as these men displayed, and 'they have accom plished a feat that generations will herald/' he said. 'When they come here they are entitled to our best, for they are none others than the saviours pf civilization.." The Thirtieth division, upon landing inaFlanders, was first billeted at Mont Kemmel, said Capt. Craig. This sec tor had seen some of the bitteren 'fighting of the war during the first two years and presented a very des olate scene. At the time the Thirtieth arrived the British were daily expect ing a heavy, attack by the Germans, and the sight of the stalwart Ameri cans greatly rejoiced them. The di vision remained here for some time and, when the attack never came, they were moved up nearer the front. Capt.'Craig said that his batta:ion - "was the first unit of the Thirtieth to enter the trenches, which was -ate in 3une. The division was first under shell fire on Independence Day, Ju*y 4. As soon, as the men were in the ^trenches they began to take great delight in picking off snipers. The very first day men from Company L. kilted two enemy snipers. On July 29, ;ust a month after his Entrance into the trenches. Capt. Craig contracted a :v.alady which was thought to be trench fever. Physicians later contended, however, that ho must have been gassed in seme way. as he contracted bronchial asthma He wa1 evacuated from company and sent to the American base hos pital in France. He remained there u^^November, when he was sent to "^Ipt^Craig pa'd a high tribute to *the courage and bravery of the enl st ed men. "When the lrstorie-5 of this war are written the honor fcr victory should be given to the privates and corporals and se^ge"nts." he said. **They arc the men who have done the fighting. They arc the bravest set of boys in ihe world and evnv person in the United States should honor them. I never saw a yel'ow man in theThirtieth div?s:on. I never saw a man in Old Hickorv wail when he wa3 wounded. T have seen men shot through the limbs h*AI their wound-, and ask their comrades f***r <-:garetto? You cannot beat men who fight like that. I would be willing to wnger that for every casualty in our division there were five in the er.emy's." Capt Craig told of the heroic act of Sergt. Gardner, of his company. iDuring an attack ear7y one morning Sergt. Gardner was leading his p'aloon just beh'nd the creeping barrage when they sudden'y ran upon ma chine gun interference. The Ger man gun wes hardly twenty yards away. Sergt. Gardner, instant':-* realizing the peril, drew his revolver and in four clear shots annihilated the machine gun crew. Although Capt. Craig w.os in thrt hospital at he time of the brig drive which broke the Hindenbnrg line he heard many thrilling detaPs of tnc fighting from comrades. He said that his company went into battle with 235 men and came out with fifty-six of its original personnel. They went over the top nineteen times in twentv one -days and never failed to g^in their objectives. Severe casualties were suffered by the 110th infantry, jthe old Second North Carolina Regi ment. This regiment received orders at Mont Kemmel one morning to ad vance without any artillery prepara tion. The regiment gained what it was sent out for in spite cf the heavy casualties suffered. Although reticent in commenting upon casualties of the Thirtieth divi sion, Capt. Cra;g said he believed the casualties wcuVl include from one fourth to one-third of th<* divisor., though many of them would recover before being sent home. Pledgers Do Not Buy. At the annual meeting of the Red Cross Chapter of Sumter a few nights ago it was brought out that a very large amount of pledged subscrip tions were yet unpaid. This is the same experience with the pledgers of War Savings. It seems that people are very ready to sing out their names for nice round sums at public meet ings and thereby gain approval and applause, but that when it comes to putting out the money that that is quite another matter. In spite of the large amount of War Savings purchase? p'e?<rpri rut not paid and of the very short time before the last day of the year by which all I are in honor bound to mr.'ce good sa':<?.; of War Savings in Sumter have slump ed painfully this week. The sales for the iast four days have been: l?th. $799;- 10th, 11th, $C77: 12th. $512.50. ? Columbia spent quite a bunch of money to secure Camp Jackson : nd it evidently proved to be a profitable investment, for the Co'umb'a Cham ber of Commerce is now raising a fund of $30.000 to be spent in propa ganda to retain the camp. Hog raisincr in Sumter county should be profitable when the 'oca! ma ; are paying 23 cents a pound whole sale: for dressed pork. And some farmers are selling pork at retail for 55 to 45 cents a pound* Letter From Paris Miss Katie McKiever Teils of O?r Red Cross Work Overseas. i _ The following letter from Miss Ka tie McKiever under date of Novem ber 17th, to her mother, has just been received: Dear Mama: There are so many things to tell you, it is hard to know just where to start, ril make it something like a diary. Thursday afternoon the officials of the city entertained the American Red Cross in Hotel de Ville (City Hall). Marshall Joffre was there and many (other illustrious persons. The salon was one of the most beautiful rooms 1 ever saw, especially the mural dccoiations. A French military band of forty-two pieces furnished the mu sic. Glacies and cafe were served and champagne flowed like the proverbial water. After the reecotion we danced. That evening I heard Rigoletta at the Grand Opera House, one of the sights of Paris, The mar ble stairway alone is worth the price of admission. The numerous a id varied uniforms added to the general ei'foct. Wednesday evening T went out to dinner with two of the older ladies of our party! We dined at Griffous Three British officers > were at the same table with us. They were not at all conservative and before long we were all chatting like real allies. The youngest is a major who has been at the front since the start and has fought at Gallipoli. Dardanelles and Belgium. Friday I went to Beonicis hut for the weekly dance. Had a wonderful time and danced everything from a Bowery twirl to an old-fashioned waltz. (Monday Night. After the dance the same me&s sergeant who gave me the pie last week, gave us doughnuts. I spent the night with Bern ice and Saturday while we were seated around the hut stove I heard a convalescent mention "Rose Ivey." After taking a good look at him I asked him if his name was Smith and if he came from Suntter. At that he gave me a g<">od look and said. "You're Katie Mc Kiever and I used to be in the same grade with you." We had danced to gether the night before. You might tell his mother (Mrs. Dennis on Har vin St.) that I saw him and although he has been: through quite a tonsjh time, he is now almost well and Ins no physical defects: His name is dv'il lio Smith. Saturday evening I went to the "Fclies Berge re." The !?i:.:ht off the stage were even better than the show. As you know, no doubt, th^ French people are mcst affeetienat" and they are quite open and acove board with it. The finaic of th? show was a flag spectacle in which the Australian Hag did not appear-. Th^re was quite a bet of excitement among the Australian troops and on 2 officer dashed down the r.is-e. jump qd on the stage and presented a fl-ig to the leading lady, who kissed ;t and then waved it, while the officer stood at attention. Between ads the Sammies in bald head row sans: '"When Yankee Doodle Learn Parioz-vous"' and other songs. The French r,p~>lav.ded, and the chores girls took up the seng behind the curtains. Paris is Quite different with the lights blazing. I am g'ad I saw it with the blue lights as I appreciate the contrast. Sunday morning T attended a High Mass at Notre Drme. The ehm'ch was beautifully decorated with the flogs of all the allies and the im mense building was fijled to capacity. The organ is one of the tines: in the world. The priests and congre gation chanted the "Te Deum" and ; '?Magnificat" and sang the "Marscil ? laise.' The French lady next to me looked on my prayerbook for the "Te Deum" and I used hers for the "Magnificat." The other girls here chase around looking for an "English spoke" church but that doesn't bother me. After Mass I got into an awful mob in the metro (subway) and a K. of Cm seeing my uniform he^ed ?ic through the crowd. We were bo-h too late for luncheon at our hote's: so we lunched togeth( r. Please don't be horrified. All Americans ever i-mre oonridey one another acquaintances, besides I told him my dad is a. K. of (\ I should like to have a small K. of C. pin as it might be of service to me at some time. Sunday afternoon .there was an Alrace-Lorrame celc jbration. A Sammy climbed up on a post of the f> nee around th" "Tul leries" and sang th- "Marseillaise." The French carried him on their shoulders. That is just e.no incident of the sights you see continually. Many airplanes flow over the Champ E!vs~c- so low a?: to seem to touch the trert-. I 7.ast evening T took some of the ' girls out to the hut. I played and ? b; boys san?. We had supper in th miners hall and saw a. V. entertainment. : 1 ? >et a La P-rte man. Bernice ;ihreatened to put me on the stage and announce "Everybody who knows this ; girl step forward." I have met some i one every trip. ' I leave Paris Thursday morning for Grande B"otte'-an. You won't find it on the map but it is a suburb of X: htes near the coast. Ann's sis ter is located in that sectien but Ann h is been assigned just outside of Par i- We hate to break up house l-eepmrr. so to speak, as we have bioti I together since leaving New York. As ? seen aa I know my address I'll send ft but mail addressed to He. (2 Place :ee Riv?M) will eventually reach me. ! have net been loafing altogether in Paris as ) nave had to "read th< files." Just to show you what the soldiers think of the A. R. C. one let ter was headed: . "American Bed Cro.--s. Indispenshble Organization. Dear Friend^ T am what they call a rearcher end while I have various> r--*"o'\ the thr%*?? man ones are to get ! information from soldiers concern5nr| missing men; write letters of rympa thy to neatest ;re'atives. givimr de tails as to death and burial and re lieve soldiers of any worries con-! cerning home. All troubles as to al lotments or home troubles are taken] up by cable with the home chapter. I J Ii.ivo Just had a 'oath which is an] svent in Paris and costs two francs-i Before long I may hold the same; views a> Jack regarding: baths. i Today was a red letter flay as I got' r..y first mail since leaving New York: j?two betters from Margaret, one from; '.Garmel. one from Davis and Papa's: special delivery letter. The mail con-j ditions- are awful both for the army; and Red Cross. Letters are sacked ? up waiting to bo assorted. i Piease tell my friends and relatives; that after 1 get settled 1 hope to write; letters, but during my stay in Paris, I I've hardly had time for the neces-' sary sleep and I don't drop into Paris: every year. Lots of love to all, ! KATIE, j j New Address: Grand Blottercan, j American <E. F., France. Section it. Wednesday A. M. i It is better to be born lucky than rich. Typewriters are more precious than pearls and are not supplied to searchers, but they had two Coronas ' on hand yesterday and when the 1 head of the department learned I was a stenographer she gave me one of them. I have lots of reports to ma.ke and a ntechine. will be a great convenience. On top of that came another streak of luck?in walked Capt. Petrie. under whom I shall woj k. Ke offered to take my Corona down to "Big Blotter." but I wouldn't let it get out of my s;ght. He prom ised ^o arrange for my room and to meet me Thursday evening. I have had a blue woolen jersey dress issued to me. It is for wear in the hospital . to save our suits. j I am glad the boys got over the \ ':f:VL" all right. It has net been as bad over hero as in the States but they hare had some cases. Carme! writes that I haven't men tioned Charles in my letters. Well it 1 isnt' because I do not think of him. Tel! Jack I have a French helmet but no German. The major who gave me the French helmet h?.s just been made a colonel. 1 More news next week. Love, ! KATIE. _._1 ! After the Armistice Sergt. Telis of the Quiet After the Tumult of Battle. The following letter is from Sergt. S. L. Smith to his mother, Mrs. S. R. J. Smith of Sumter: November i3, 191S. Ycur 'euer came all o. k. and was ' sure glad to know u.l of you are get ' ting c n io well. I am ::o thankful I am still living. Thought several times my time had come and if ii had not had been for your earnest prayers I do not believe I could have pulled 'through ail of the danger so successful. It was the Players of the good people back at home that guided me safely through. We were in .one of the bloodiest ? r.t?es j ought over he/e, and you may know how we felt when the guns - ^ i*i>' rueir an;vy roar. In a few minutes after eleven o'clock was the quietest time I have ever heard, and ib' .> iot> the most saddest time of my life to sea the dead and wounded men or. ihe battlefield. Well I could write more but guess I had better stop. Oh, yes, I think we will be home sometime in early Nov.* Year, so keep on the lookout for us. Your son, LEON. i Put Vp a Tool Shi d This Winter. Numerous investigations of the f: rm machinery question have thoroughly established the fact that tko life of farm machinery depends mainly upon the owner. The same machine lasts twice, three or four times as long with one man as it does j with another. This difference in the life of a machine is largely due to shelter and lack of shelter. The de terioration in plows. cultivators, seeders, fertilizer distributors, thresh ers, wagons and other machinery . through lack of shelter is appalling. : There should be a machine shed on ?every farm to. protect, farm toois, im jpiements and machinery from the j sunshine and "rain. The building need mot be expensive. There must, of 'course, be ample protection against ?s'm. rain and wind and proper drain age to insure dry storage. The loca .tam must be convenient so as to be ? easily reached with all kinds of farm [machinery. It ought to be so con ? structcd that it :s a-; cany to put the iimplements and . machinery under [shelter as it is to leave them out. and jit ought also to be so arranged that !tho implements and machines can be [gotten out for use without any great i inconvenience. A very convenient and inexepensive shed consists of a building of medium 'width, say 18 or 20 feet, the length I 'being governed by the number of im [p'ements to be housed. A building; l!r:x2.r) feet usually furnishes amp'o j r- om for the implements used on the Iaverage iGO-acrc Cotton Bolt farm. \ j The shed nerd not be built very j:high unless one d ires storage on' jtiie second floor. Seven feet to the leaves is enough. The floor shouTd b?'' made of cinders, gravd or ccmeni jfrcm six inchts to a f''?t above the [outside surface level of C"? ground to i insure drainage and avoid dampness, j ; ?The Progressive Farmer. PERMANENT INJUNCTION. - Jnd.ec Cary Acts in Columbia* Ga.i Rate Case. j i Columbia. Dec. 13.?Judge Frank! B. Gary, at chambers here this after- ! noon, made permanent the temporary1 injunction recently granted against the j Columbia Railway. Gas and Electric i Company, preventing ithe putting J into operation of a new schedule of increased gas rates which were effec tive November. However, to prevent any injustice i being brought agabist the company. I Jv<1^(^ Gary permitted the company to j collect the "increased g:>s rates until they could be reviewed by the South Carolina Public Service Commission er. The corporation was required to put up a bond of $3.000 to insure th ? return of the increase to Columbia gas users in the event the public service committee requires it to go back to old station. The injunction proceedings were brought by a group of Columbia citi zens, who also were required to put j up a bond of $3,000. j Appeal for Wierse Friends ?f Chancston Alien Enemy Working to Secure Pardon. Washington, Toe. 12.? District At torney v. K Westen of the Eastern ?istric* of South Carolina wi 1 arrive ;n W; shington on official business to morrow, it was learned here today. Just the nature of his business could not be ascertained, but it is understood vhat lie will confer with the attorney general of the United States regarding the application of Paul Wierse of Charleston, which is new pending for a pardon. j Last spring Wicrse was arrested jand after trial sentenced to a term of I two years and a fine of $1,000 for as sisting in-".the sinking of the German ! ship Liebenfels in the harbor of Charleston. Recently Wicrse, through friends, filed an application with the I department of justice for a pardon, and although the department is reluc tant to discuss the matter or give de [ tails far publication, it is learned that Wiersens friends, acting as his attor neys, have done considenible wori< of a dip'omatic nature in the matter, tending to its ultimate consideration by the president when he returns from abroad. Certain persons close to the president, and who are said to have his ear, have been informed with regard to the case, it is said, and these will be relied upon to get ac tion-. Another phase of the case re fers to Wierse's citizenship and this also will probably be discussed with the authorities while Mr. Weston is here. The Sumter Schools. ! Mr. Frank M. Harper, representing the bureau of education in the inter est of the United States School Gar den Army, has been observing the schools of Sumter for the past three days, as the guest of Supt. S. H. Ed ; munds. For the past eleven years Mr. Harper was superintendent of i schools at Raleigh, N. C. I In his talk to the girls at chapel ! Thursday morning and to the boys I during chapel exercises today. Mr. j Harper told of \his impression of the j Sunder rchoo's.' He found the order j in the various class rooms unusually :good; in fact, the conduct and spirit i of the children was excellent. He ob ; served a fine professional spirit j among the teachers, a spirit of cour ! tesv and kind'y consideration for : each other that sneaks well for the ! management of the schools of Sum ; ter. , ! The separation of the boys and ! g>rls cf high school age has decided advantages, as it gives opportunity for de tling wise'y with problems that cannot be. dealt, with in a mixed j school For 15 years, the boys in i the high school have had military ' training th-~,t has laid special em phasis on making all the boys phys ically sound. For 30 minutes daily j the beys are taken to the drill 1 ground and part of their time is j given to '-netting up exercise." such ' as every '. properly developed boy ; ;;c d ; and should have. As a result I of this training the beys have formed .- habit cf sitting erect and carrying \ thernsejyes properly. The military ! drill 1ms had a noticeable effect on the discipline. It is the policy of Supt. Edmunds ; to make each teacher fed that she is ! clothed with ample authority in her own c'ass.room. No teacher ever enters the.room of another without kn "ckin.7 and receiving an invitation j to ^nte". Supt. Edmunds makes it a i rule nr>ver to r peak to a class until J he has obtained the approval of the j class room teacher. Such a policy tends lo increase the. respect of the j r.hiln*rcn for the classroom teacher. The personality of the teaching ! corps cf Sumter is of a high order. A I number of married women who were j formerly successful teachers have beer secured for the Sumter schools. This is as it should be. United States.Com i mmsionor Claxton is making an ap I peal to boards of education to call on >=uch teachers at this time when the ranks of the teaching profession are being depleted by reason of hifrh sal aries o'fered at Washington. There is no satisfactory reason why married women who have been successful teachers should* be barred from leaohimr. The board of education in Sumter in composed of men of affairs and with breadth of vision. It is a small board. This is in keeping with the recommendation of the national bu reau of education. Small boards can be more effective than large boards. It "s a. stable beard, each member being ejected by the peopY for ten yars. in such a manner that one member's term expires every two years. No bct'er argument is needed as to the i wirdom of electing a board by the poople than is r^v\aled in the person nel of Urn Sumter r'hool board. They I (represent Sumter':; bo-; 1 it sin ess men J with breadth of vision wh g:ve their) superintendent their undivided sup-1 i port, realizing that a superintendent's! job is difficult, enough at best WLLL KNOWN WCMAX DEAD. Mrs. George W. Mf>seiey Passes Away in Kershaw County. Camden, Dec. 1.1.?Mrs. Laura J. Moseley. wife of George W. Moseley, j cue of the best known women of the! southern section of Kershaw county, diej! at her home in the Peulah neigh-1 hor.'iood Saturday. The funeral and j bur al occurred at Mt. Olivet Bantist Chvrch Sunday, services being con ducted by the Rev. M. M. Eenson of Camden. Mrs. Moseley was 73 years of : go and on-November 24 of this yea ? she and her husband celebrated tin- ? golden wedding anniversary. To tho.i ) wore hern nine sons. Ive of wh< m survive he-. They are: J. O. i Mb: 'l?'.v. G. A. Moseley. J. L. Moseley, R. j. Moseley and J. II. Moseley. all pro: linent citizens of the county. (. ie<l roads are the greatest need of Sumter county and the roads are to day in the worst condition in years. Munich. Friday. Dec. 13.?It is-un derstood here that Switzerland has declined to permit Former 'Emperor Charles to reside there. j Nesrroes Fear Huns People of Former German Colo nies Beg to Be Saved From Vengeance of Old Masters. London. Doc. 12.?German treat ment of the natives in her former colonies was one reason advanced by Waiter Hume Long, secretary for the colonies, in a speech at Oxford yes terday, why the colonies should not be returned to Germany. He recalled the German atrocities against the na ives and the disappearance of SO per cent, of the Herrcros during the Ger man regime. Mr. Long read a statement signed by five native chiefs of Kwancha, Kameruns, declaring that after their experience with German occupation j and after two years of British occu pation they wish to remain under the I British flag. The chief begged for j assurances that the Germans would not be allowed to return to carry out threats of vengeance they had made when' the British drove them from the Kameruns. Florence Farmers Store Cotton Building at Fair Grounds JS j Fast Filling up Now. ? _? " The farmers of Florence county are* 'taking advantage of the opportunity offered by the Pee Dee Fair Associa tion to store their cotton in the Fair buildings, and the place is fast fillings ! up. The warehouse is being run ur? der the State Warehouse system, with all of its advantages. The represen tative-of the Southeastern Fire Insur-; ance Underwriters' Association, who inspected "the building the other day*/, I stated that the main brick building ! was better adapted to warehouse* I needs than any he had seen in the j State, not even excepting those build ' ings which had been erected to serve I-as warehouses. The farmers of the ' county are more determined to hold i their cotton until it reaches higher ! prices than ever before, and there has" ! been remarkably little selling on the streets in Florence.?Florence Times. Judge Emory Speer Dead. Macpn, Ga., Dec. 13.?Judge Emory Speer of the United States district court for the Southern district of Georgia, died in a hospital here at 9 o'clock tonight." i The holiday sickness is increasing land Judge Richardson is a busy offi ! cial. Washington, Dec. 14.?America and allied countries have agreed to send a special civilian mission to Poland to* ; investigate reports of atrocities com i mitted in that country. 7 i: Building Material and Feed Stuffs ?? < ?? ? f \'r if v is * Rough and Dressed Lumber, Lime, Cement, Plaster, Biick, Shingles, Mouldings, Etc. All kinds of Feed for Horses, Co^s, Hogs and Poultry. We solicit your patronage. Booth & McLeod, InC. Phones 10 & 631 BUY WAR SAVINGS STAMPS Our Total Resources in 1917 Were $900,000. OUR RESOURCES NOW ARE 1,500,000 ,*N INCREASE OF $600,000. Oor business is growing rapidly, as our ore desire is to ?ive our customers prompt and cour t-ou^ treatment an oil times. We would be glad to have ynu give us >our banking business, we frei sure we can please you in every way. r Tne National Bank of Sumter, The "Old Reliable" Since 1889 P. P>OOTH, President W. J. CROWSON, Jr., Cashier BANK ,T4? US and you^can BANK SI The Firsi National Bank SUMTER, S. C. ? The Goddess of Liberty At Our Door Welcomes you to the Dank that has purchased for itself and its cus tomers ov.-r a half million dollars of Liberty Bonds and Certificates, ?AND? Has given six of her young men the service of her countrv. to The National Bank of South CarolinaJ C. G. ROvVLANU. President F E. !il\'NANT, Cashier.