Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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ITS GUILT *3&ktewtov of Richland County fCouft House Confesses to > i^i- - -vBui^l^. of'-Office, ?OLI?E RECOVER LARGER ? 1 PART OPTHE MONEY & *r>- ?: ?*?"/ ' . ^ $?fe?f,the Janitors Charge That ; Other Janitor Assisted Him in f^vEobbery of Vault. , v ? -^olpmbia, Feb. 25.?Odell; The mp scn!r negro janitor at the court house, -finder ? confession at the police sta '*'." 'tfoa-^yesterday afternoon, in which he *v eiplaSne?. the robbery from the vault :z:" ^fi&e'cbsufty treasurer of more than fc^S?$?0, la his confession he impli cated another janitor, Henry Dark, and; aiso expressed the opinion that another person., also participated in; f the thefti ^rhe robbery occurred1 fifeaday r??rnrag and when" it became^ i^iown yesterday that the .vault had ; ""Zpi&en entered, the city buzzed with" .^<P8c?totneot. j';, :Last night at 7 o'clock the officei *T^b?Ulue.en ~the case had recovered! ':Z'r%%toi Richardson and : Officers CSSwter, Ford and T. A. Heise, .deputy 5^j?fcrfff/ yeeovered $10,485^ from'a \*i$0set UB?er- ? stairway on the 'first . -Hodr of the court house. ' Chi?. Richardson. Constable; _ Weatlier!y and T. A. Heise, deputy) ~K "?air?f'located $2,015 from the bas|e-i Vlnent Of tie home of J. Frost Walker, t; ? One $10 'bill was recovered from^i \ J&r&te Walker, n egress. Thompson greeted the officers where they could ? And the money after he confessed tov ' Ms part in the robbery. -\ Odell Thoizrpapn was put through * a grilling examination by - Chief .Rieh^ardsor:, officers and . Solicitor^ :. S?>jgner. He made bis open state- i ment in a private room at the police " ~ station in the presence of the chief, solicitor, deputy sheriff. Officers Ford,; ? tS&orter, Constable Weatherly and a rgpVti^ntatlve of The State. Vrjfnoropson 'said he went to I. Frost JWalkez's1 home on Sunday morning ^agt-about 3 o'clock to Are the fur From there he went to the ?fcpT^ae. - He- picked up his broom ^eT:usuah*ydoes every Sunday and &tdlto . thV treasurer's office to pfep' the floor. He entered- 'the 6f ^ saw' Henry Dark'': standing ihjb partition; door. He stepped /piter-of brfcic on the floor and ex "Hy <jod/' He said- Dark ^cried -to ham~aud he thought he \sl aojse ota the inside: of the 7&trtt He looked through the hole but ?11 was* dark: _. Dark /then- called h|p^ ^?d; told.; him to take several packages of .money '? which' laid; on books' and ? keep his mouth shut, -^0n^y"Yo\x, know they can't do ajsyi?xlng with a nigger." 'Her made ^""promise to Dark and left the ?v^Tk: janitor said he walked to the l$^at' of the builf ing with the mott en /aid" started up the front steps. JBto 'came, back and reenlered the hiding. Heard a door sktm and Ifi?fy something hit He felt sure . E^* threw the money in the closet ? t^e&ise the sound he heard, but he .?'jSjtf pdf see it. He then- heard a tfopr'if??t.arid when he walked to the r?er*"discovered that the rear door - .^^..epen. He locked the door and ??at upstairs to study over the mat tejt^; He decided, to take the money A?d.Jteft the court house from.the ftpm doer on the second floor and came down, the steps. He gave Bir di? .Walker, a negro woman, $10 and 4^pjared to . the officers that she did * not have anything to do with the case* .?Peiity Dark was brought in the ??ora and when the chief told him . what Thompson had said he became 45&ti2?iiely . nervous and wrung his bands continually. Thompson told th*- details of the affair and when bjjY:. concluded Dark said, VI -.. don't know anything about that money. Tbe: .first thing I knew happened yes 5 ter4ay morning when Odell Thomp son opened the treasurer's office and tojd .jojj&-tQ look there." .Dark told the officers that he did not go in the court house Sunday. He west to church and from there he went home. He told the officers that the two $10 bills they found at his home had been saved from his salary. The. negro Dark was put through a.- thorough examination, but he maintained he was innocent. Officer 3*brd reminded Dark that he met him Sonday afternoon shortly after 2 o'clock carrying a small package, park said he wrapped some paper1 around a piece of wood. The officer; then told the negro that he saw him severat hours later coming from the j directio^r of the court house with an-j other pacakge. Dark told the of- j fleers he- had wrapped some paper abound -a lump of coal. He then said be- got ? the stick of wood and the lump, of coal from the court house. Hie officers argued with Dark about the size of the package and the size and weight of a stick of wood and a hump of coal, but the janitor stuck to the..story. /Afttur Dark had denied having any j cs?nekaion with the robbery Chief j Richardson told Tnompson to be fairj and Yeel like he would rather burn! than put blame on an innocent man ! If i&ark was-, not connected with the1 robbery to say so. Thompson repeat eS his statement implicating Dark. a?d; said it was as true as If it was hii\dying: statement. ?Thompson told the officers that he fifthly, believes that there was a man or.-a -boy. in the vault when he saw Henry Dark, in .- the office Sunday morning. Dark did not have any dirt dfc his clothing and that indicated t&at' he bad not been on the inside. He? felt sure he heard a noise on the iaiide while he andJDark were to gse^er. Dark told him to take the ipfcekajes of money and he carried Attacks With Vigor Business That Accumulated While in Parish A LONG DAY * I PROFITABLY SPENT Three Hours Spent in Consulta tion With Cabinet and Im portant Questions Considered. Washington, Feb. 25.?On the first day of his return, to the capital, President Wiison put in more than vten hours at his desk, signing 28 bills and joint resolutions, making a score of nominations, di cussing govern ment business for three hours with his cabinet and winding up the day's work by a conference on the legisla tive situation with Democratic Lead er Martin, at which the president an nounced his decision not to call an extra session of cong ss until after his return from Europ . It was one of the busiest days in recent years at the White House. President Wilson resumed work with a rush, surprising executive attaches by being at his desk when they ar rived: Nomination .of an -attorney general asd an address to congress were two I questions said by White House offl [ cials to be relegated to .the back [ ground for the present. Several names are under ? consideration for the cabineV vacancy caused by the resignation of Thomas W. Gregory, who retires from the department of Justice March 4, but the president iias not made a selection. Whether the president" will address congress is believed to depend on the legislative situation. Tomorrow night he will discuss the constitution of the league of nations in detail with mem bers of'the senate and house foreign affairs committees, who will be his guests at dinner, and the belief is growing in official quarters that the president will consider his expla.na tion to them sufficient'for the time being. ? Many imperative bills still await ing action, it is saidu to be possible that President Wilson may consider it inadvisable to take up any of the brief time remaining of this session by discussing before congress a sub ject on. which his, views ' are well known and which will come, up for approval or disapproval before a new body. I / There was a full attendance at the cabinet meeting. Vice President Marshall was present, having been .Invited to attend as a .special mark of courtesy for his presiding over the meeting "during President Wil son's absence. Assistant Secretary Polk took Secretary Lansing's place. l Secretary ?Wilson announced after ( the cabinet adjourned that March 3 had been chosen as the date for a conference of governors with whom President Wilsan is anxious to dis cuss the domestic labor situation The conference will be held in Wash ington. Unemployment, complicated by the demobilization of large num bers of soldiers and sailors and the attendant problem of labor unrest are receiving close attention from the president. Washington, Feb. 2G;?In accord ance with his decision not to call an extra Session of congross before his second return from France President Wilson planned today to aid by his presence at the capitcl the efforts of the Democratic leaders to force through the big appropriation bills and other important legislation be fore adjournment next Tuesday. Con ferences at the capitol today or to morrow will be .arranged as his work at the White House permits. Preparing for Fight Democratic National Committee WiB Make Aggressive Fight. . - Washington, Feb. 26.?Homer S, Cummings, of Connecticut, was elect ed chairman of the National Dem ocratic committee today and the committee voted to effect a com" plete reorganization for an aggres sive campaign in 1920. Peasants Start Revolt German Farm Laborers Resent Dictation of Workingmen. Berlin, Tuesday, Feb. 25.?Mann-; heim advices today say peasant re volts ore breaking out in various dis- ' "tricts of Baden as the result of fric- j tion between workingmens' councils) j and peasants. The peasants it is j said, resent the dictatorship of So [ viets. ? To Prosecute Civilians I _ ! Navy Department Calls on De partment of Justice. Washington, Feb. 26.?The depart-I ment of justice will be asked by the'j navy department, Secretary Daniels: said today, to prosecute civilians and I others not under naval jursdiction' who are implicated in the bribery j scandal in the Third naval district. them (o the basement of Mr. Walker's home and laid them on a sill. Thompson is about 25 years old and , has been a janitor at the court house j for about one year. Dark is 70 years old," one of the few negroes in Columbia who votes j the Democratic ticket, and has been ! janitor for 19 years. The two negroes wore confined in the city jail last nigh* Return of President . Wilson Arouses Slothful Lawmak ers from Debauch of Idle Chatter. CALL FOR ACTION IN STEAD OF TALK There Will be No Extra Session Before Summer and Failure to Enact Necessary Laws Will be Charged to Republicans. Washington, Fob. 25.?President Wilson will not call an extra session of congress until after his .return .Vom Europe. Senator Martin of Virginia, Demo cratic leader in the senate, made this Announcement tonight after ?. confer ence with the president at the White House. While the president did not state when he expected to reach home after his second trip overseas, Senator Martin gave it as his person ell opinion that it would not likelj* be earlier than June 1. ' President Wilson was said to feel it his duty, to remain in Europe un til the treaty of peace was conclud ed. ''The president said he would re turn to# Paris immediately after March 4 and was positive that he would not call an extraordinary ses sion of congress until he returns." Senator ??Iartin said. "He did not state the date of his return nor did he authorize nie to quote him in re spect to that point but my personal opinion and judgment is that there is no reasonable expectation of his be ing back prior to June 1." Senator Martin was accompanied to the White House by Senator Sim mons of North Or -olina. They con ferred for near!;, an hour with the executive, discussmg in detail the congestion of legislation in congress. Further than the formal state ment of the Democratic leader, both senators declined to comment on their discussions with the president, but it was understood that the execu tive would vigorously insist that -all pending appropriation bills and oth er urgent legislation be enacted be fore congress adjourns next Tuesday to provide for operation of the gov ernment in the event his w,ork at Paris should hold him after July 1. when the new appropriations would be. needed. It was reported that failure of any of the mass of urgent legislation would be charged by the president and administration " leaders to the Republican opposition. The present situation was such- that all appro priation and other bills could . be passed. The president was reported ready;.to advise the country of the situation and insist upon enactment of all urgent measures. The president's decision added to night, to the uncertaint:.* of events during "the closing days of congress. Republican leaders were said tot be ready to disclaim responsibility for failure of legislation on the ground that enactment of all the mass j of . money and other bill6 in the remain ing five working days was impos sible with continuous debate sched ule daily on the proposed constitu tion of the league of nations. In view of the president's determi i nation to demand enactment of all J ponding important measures, the Democratic leaders t?m'eht planned to increase demands during the re mainder of the session for speedy ac tion. Considerable progress was made today with the final enactment of the $400,000,000 postoffice appro priation bill and the reporting to night to the senate of the $1,215,000, 000 army appropriation bill. In the house the $7.000,000,000 "Victory Loan" bih was practically completed with a final vote scheduled for to morrow. j Although before they conferred i with the president the Democratic { leaders had conceded that an extra i session was inevitable, they now a^e j prepared to hasten action on the j congested calendar. The $1,2^0.000. j 000 naval appropriation bill probab jly will be reported to the senate to Imorrow together with the measure j authorizing $750,000,000 addition for ! the railroad administration. Quick action also is planned in the senate on the "Victory Loan" bill. Passage of the measure providing S3,000.000,000 for maintenance of the federal wheat guarantee also is plan-; J nod. for these with the regular ap f propriation bills are expected largely to comprise, the legislative slate for (the remainder of the session. High Prices in France - Minister of Provisions Explains ! Plans to Regulate High Cost of Living. P;iris. Tuesday, Feb. 25.?The French senate today gave the gvern ment a vote of condencc, after an I address by Victor Boret, minister of} provisions, during which he outlin-} ed the activities of his department! relative to meeting the high cost of living. Storm Warning Hoisted Two Disturbances Will Bring; Wind and Cold Weather. Charleston, Feh. 26.?The follow-! ing wire was received by the weath er bureau last night: Hoist northwest storm warnings.' I*.30 p. m., Jacksonville to Nan-'1 tucket. Disturbances on Virginia j coast, moving northeast and increas- j; ing, and another over Northeast h Florida, moving east. Winds will become "northwest and strong Wed- | nesday, with clearing and much cold er weather. . 1 President Wilso?Puts the Issue Squarely Up to Congress men. LEAGUE OF NATIONS IS WE ONLY REFUGE Success or Failure of League Depends Upon the United States?Rejection of Plan by Wilful Senators Means Dis-* order. Washington. Feb. 2fi.?President Wilson told members <ft the congres sional foreign rel.it ions committees ? night that unless the United States ntered the league of nations the i eague would fall and chaos and tur moil beyond description would result in Europe: Views of Republican members opposing .the league consti tution as reported to the peace con ference apparently were not changed by the conference. The president was said to have stated that it was necessary that the United States stand to the support of the Czecho-Siovaks, the Jugo-Slavs, Poland and other weak and strug gling peoples made free as the re sult of the great war. j Discussion of the constitution as presented to the peace conference was said to have been quite general ind president was questioned close ly; especially by Senator Braridegee of Connecticut. Republican Leader Lodge and Senator Kr.ox of Penn sylvania, former secretary of State, : took very little part. The president, after making an open explanatory statement, answer ed all questions freely and specifi cally, emphasized that his guests were free to discuss tbe conference and all its information with newspa ; per men or others. One question on which much time was spent was whether a nation orrifi in the league could withdraw, raised by Senator Brandegee. The president ? was said to have held that any coun try could withdraw but Senacor Brandegee contended this would he impossible under the constitution as now drafted. President^ Wilson denied that the league plan would interfere with the Monroe doctrine, declaring that the 1 doctrine would be guaranteed by all j tbe member powers in the world so ciety. The president was said to have 1 held that the mandatories in the con ; stitution were not compulsory, but ? required the consent of the nation to which the mandatory was assigned. Senators said he expressed the op'n 1 ion that the United States would de sire to become a mandatory for Ar menia. ? * On the question of American sov ereignty, the president was said to j have taken the position that reces : sion of American sovereignty was not a new precedent being an incident of every treaty. Chairman Hitchcock of the senate committee said the president held that decisions of the league's execu tive council on disarmament would not be binding until specifically ap/ proved by each signatory nation and that consequently the American con gress would have the opportunity to pass .on the apportionment of arma ment for every nation concerned. The president sa.id this section had been misconstrued. Concerning tbe clause giving the right to the league to consider acts threatening world peace. President Wilson said that the clause was in definite and would be made more clear by writing in a safeguard which would require that every rec ommendation by the council should be unanimous. , It also was said that the president, informed the senators and represen- j tatives that the disarmament provis ion would not interfere with the military training of men. but that it was evident that a trained body of men would not be a danger to world peace if their armament supplies were kept in cheek Air. Wilson said the provision for enforcing the determination of the council in case it was disobeyed by J any nation would apply in only one ease and that where the party against whom a decision was rendered had | property including territory in its possession which it would not sur render. ' In conceding that some sovereignty j I must be surrendered by membership j in the league, the president declared it'was inconceivable that there could be any concert of action by nations to I eliminate war and protect weak un-1 less each nation was willing to give' up something. Denying statements that the league meant usurpation of the power of| congress to declare war. the presi dent said the league merely was a | premise by the treaty making now- j ers thai its congress would do all in i its power to earn.- out the agreement. J a situation which prevailed in many j present treaties. Senator Lodge refused to see news- j paner nn-n or make any statement}] after the conference. j' Accounts of Democratic and Re- j publican members of the committee < which discussed the conference varied j 1 only in eery minor details. j < The strength of the league would 1 rest on the friendship of America, < Croat Britain. France. Italy and Jn- j ' nan. the president said, and ho ex-! I pressed the opinion that serious: J trouble between these live nationsjs "-Ts- "unthinkable." Should one of t these withdraw from the league or in ! 1 j any way fail to support it. impotence i < of the league micrht result. j f "The president felt that if the'e league is not ratified." said Chair-1 c mm Hitchcock "there will be despair, throughout the world because oft failure in the effort to secure perma nent pence. Serious complications. " tie president felt, might result at v BUILDING MATERIALS Lime, brick, cement, framing. lumber, siding, shingles, composition roofing, flooring, ceiling, plaster, wall-board, mouldings, dressed boards, fire brick, fire clay, valley tin, ridge roll and everything else necessary for any building. If we haven't got it, we will get it for you. Ask us about, the building business. We will be glad to advise you. BOOTH & McLEOD, Inc., When Yon Think of Building, Think of Us. PHONES 10 & 631 SUMTER, S. C. ATTACK MADE ON NAVAL BE Republicans Led By Lodge, Stand Solidly Against Pres ident's Programme. . PARTY POLITICS PARA MOUNT IN THE SENATE By Strict Party Vote Naval Ap priation Bill Was Not Report ed. i * Washington, Feb. 2G.?The senate naval committee today ordered the seven hundred and twenty million na val appropriation bid favorably re ported. By a partisan vote of eight to si> ; the coAnnlitteo approved the ? new ] building program, the Republican: opposing. iThe provision empowering the president to curtail the prograh in his discretion was retained. The Republican opposition to th< president's program took shap< ? quickly. Ah indication of the Repub lican position was given in the .an nouncement of Republican Leadei ! Lodge of their plans to oppose the ; naval bills. The building progran was approved by the naval commit ' tec today on a partisan vote. The. resignation of Vance Mc Cormick, as chairman, which was tendered- several months ago, was accepted^ formally with a resolution of thanks for his ? work. A similar ?-e ;olutioii adopted accepting the res ignation ;of Carter Glass, as secretary, which was tendered when he became secretary of the treasury. an early date from failure of the league. The league is already in use, the president stated, through the ref erence of the questions ' on various .subjects which have been referred to international commission. "On the question of possible inter ference by the league with interna tional domestic questions such as im migration, the president told the sen ators he did not regard such questions as being within the purview of juris diction of the. league.. Success of the leasrue. the president was said to feel, rests on the gocd will and good faith of the nations and not upon their po tential power. In the discussion of the compo sition of the league and executive council the Mexican and Japanese j problems with which the TThited States is concerned were reported to have been freely used as illustra tions. In this connection it was said I that the president rejected the argu | menf that American immigration would be a question determinablo by. the league. "Questions regarding Great Brit ain's five votes in the league and the possibility of the British empire ac quiring more than nn? vote in the | executive council elicited the state- J ment from the president that such a I possibility w;:s very remote as the; four voles in the league outside of j the five great powers were demanded! by the smaller nations and that; election would he made by the 4 0 or ! 50 nations comprised in the league, j The president was said to have! told the senators and representatives that the league constitution adopted j was proposed by Great Britain but j was not. the one drawn by General Smuts, one of the British authorities J on the league proposal. The drafts; presented by the T'njfed States. Franco and Italy we're rejected. The president was said to have given, no indication as to his opinion I regarding when the peace treaty) could be concluded, nor did he dis cuss his plans for the return trip to | France other than to reiterate that! he would leave Washington imme diately after congress adjourned. ?'? The dinner and discussion fellow-, >Hg in the e;!:,t room were s;iid to have Iii'"!] marked by the greatest cordiality :>w\ frankness. The prest den I frequently was Interrupted and I ;it his own request by questions. At j the outset he s.:;d too much import ance bad been attached to his sag- -; eestion to defer debate in congress iinl declared his intention was mere- 1 !y to explain fully the question of : construction to those desiring 4o ^ iear them. ITr- then gave i descrip-j* Lion of the intricate methods off ' >ringing together the representatives 11 >C .?:!! nations for (he formation of ajl eaguc and declared he had found I >racticaliy a universal demand in Eu-j\ ?ope for .-? league of nations. He] ;ai<! the people there had suffered so i remendously from the war thai they i lad determined the old system must it ^case an'1, some concert of nations t 'ormed to end war. According to ] >ne of the Democrats. Senator Bran- 1 ie?ee said to the president: "Mr. President, this league of na- d ions will not prevent war." ': "It will not." said the president, t Nothing will prevent war! But it v rill bring about a discussion before I mm mm mm appeal j Strong Reason Why Fanners j Should Sign Acreage Reduc ! tion Pledge. j GIVES* ACTUAL FIGURES I ON COTTON CONSUMPTION Says That is Greatest Opportun ity to Demonstrate Approxi mate Value of Cotton. ? Washington, Feb. 25.?A message was .sent today by Senator ' E. -D > Smith to the cotton planters of South, : Carolina explaining why in his opin ion they should meet next Friday and pledge themselves to reduce cotton j acr-a^o this year. The senator ex < j ho its the farmers as follows: "Government figures show that for rj 191':., 1916, 1017 and 191S the con sumption of American cotton by the 5j world "tar outstripped production so s I tha: the supply of cotton now on -' hand is totally inadequate to meet -[the needs of the world. In spite of r j the fight that is being made, now that *j peace has come, to demoralize and i j depress the price of cotton, if the or ?} gan'zed South will stand firm tlie ' reasonable price for which, they are [standing must obtain.' ?j "The enemy countries that'con si sum ^d practically three million bales 51 of enten previous to the war are now t j cut off from our markets; the bal " j ance of the world consumed from one i to one and a-half million to two mil- ^ ! lion bales more cotton per year since ?j-19In than America produced. It is j inevitable, therefore that within a i comparatively short time these coun . tries must be opened up and this I will add from two to two and a half j million bales more demand for cotton, ! while the supply now is not sufficient i to meet the demands for the coun ! tries. Everything is seized upon^by-rhe j enemies of cotton as an excuse to' de press its price while we of the South i have every reason in the world to de i man d that the price that we are ask i >.ng shall be given. The answer to j those who are opposed to us is to he i in deeds and words, and those deeds ishai1 consist in holding what cotton i we have and absolutely refusing to j plant more than two-thirds of last j year's acreage, and not to use on the j reduced cotton acreage fertilizers in j excess of that used per acre last I year. The prosperity of the South, j her development and progress, the j success of each farmer and every j business enterprise depends upon the j grim determination with which we ; go into this fight ? We will never j have again such an opportunity as ! trie present one to demonstrate the I approximate value of a pound of cot ; ton. Sirs. Stuckey Entertains. I The handsome home of Mrs. H. M. 1 Stucked on W. Hampton ? venue was the scene of a lovely reception on Wednesday afternoon given in honor of her guest, Mrs. D. H. K.ncheloe of Washington. D. C. and her niece, Mrs. Itembert of Dishopville. The living room and music room were elaborately decorated with yel low daffodils, carnations and potted plants. Assisting Mrs. Stuckey and her guests in receiving and entertain ing were Mesdames Archie China, G. A. Lemmon, D. M. Blanding, Edw. MeCollum. A. D. Harby, Francis Aloise. Robert McLeod, S. H. Ed munds and T.- H. Siddall. Fruit punch was served during the after noon by Misses Mabel Bowman, Has sie Parrott and Mabel Booth. Miss Kthel Green, at the piano, added to the pleasure of the occasion by her music. Tin- dining room, where ice cream and cakes wer.- served, was decorated in yellow, narcissus and jonquils forming the graceful center piece. Refreshments were served by Misses Emmie and Esther Osteen, Ellen Virginia and Ethel Stuckev. Montevideo. Monday, Feb. 24.?The government has given strict orders :o the army and police, in view of the >rcspect for an outbreak of a gener il strike, accordintr to The Tribune. Professional agitators continue their efforts to bring about a strike. he beginning of a war. Tf there had >een one week's discussion before the >eginning of the European war it vorld not have occurred." Con* senator pressed inquiries relate ng to the Irish* question and the >resideni was said to have answered hat Ireland would have no vote in he le.igue "at present" and that the rish oae^iion was one for later so ul ion between Ireland and England. During the discussion the presi enl also indirectly repeated his dec aration made in his Boston speech hat the organization of the league iTCUkl tend to stop the spread of Jolshevism.