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.

PART II* ' . PAGES & TO 12 M THE UNION TIMES 11 VOL. LXn. NO. 48. UNION, S. C., FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1912. $1.00 A YEAR. i FIFTEEN YE FOR SII Clan Leader Convicted of S< Jury was Out 18 HoursDec. 2, for Murder < Foster?Receives Wytheville, Va., November 22.? Sidna Allen, leader of the clan which shot-up the Carroll County Court last March, killing five persons, was found guilty of murder in the second degree today for the killing of Judge T. L. Massie. Punishment was fixed at 15 years' imprisonment in the State penitentiary at Richmond. It was announced by the prosecution that he would be placed on trial under an indictment charging him with the murder of Commonwealth Attorney W. M. Foster, another victim of the Hillsville shooting, December 2 was the date set by the court for the second trial. The verdict of second degree murder was returned after the jury had deliberated nearly eighteen hours. Six for Acquittal. It is understood that on the first ballot the jurors stood five for first degree murder, one for second de gree and six for acquittal. Sidna Allen heard the verdict without outward sign of emotion- His wife sat quietly by the prisoner's side and was not visibly affected. Until the second trial of Allen is ended nothing will be done in the case -of his nepnew, Wesley Edwards, under indictment for murder in connection with the Carroll County shooting?News and Courier. Dramatic Incidents. (A. B. Williams in Roanoke Times) Dramatic incidents of the day were the conclusion of Mr. Buxton's speech for the defense, with a recitation from the book of common prayer of a petition used especially by the Episcopalians in the .office of institutions of the ministers into parishes but frequently adapted in the ordinary services: "Direct us, oh Lord, in all our doings, with Thy most gracious favor, and further us with Thy continual help; that in all our works begui. continued and ended in Thee we may glorify Thy holy name," and by the recitation by Mr. Poage of the following verses to the memory of Sheriff Webb of Carroll, taken from a popular magazine. , "Cruel were the odds against him, but the odds were naught to him, For his bullet found Floyd Allen ere the sight of his eyes grew dim. Then down with Massie and Foster, on the growing heap on the floor, In his clutch the empty weapon that his hand should use no more Hp HrpamoH tViof Vio ofill nvAfnofo'i the dead that round him lay, Till the thirst for murder slackened and the mountain rode away. Massie and Webb and Foster?long may their memory live. Who had naught to give but their life blood and gave what they had to give. They died for thy laws, Virginia?on thy historic breast, No braver sons have fallen, no truer heroes rest. Not in the roar of battle, when the VilnnH rimo of?>An/v ??/! In the stiller paths of duty, they laic them down to die. And the nation that is waiting, with half averted ear, For the low and distant murmur that the future has to hear, Should make their names the slogan of the cause their vision saw? The sanctity of human life and the majesty of law. The slogan that shall echo till it drowns all local cry? Th>, cause our lives must cherish lest our great republic die." Mr. Wysor's Closing Speech. Mr. J. C. Wysor, leading counsel for the Commonwealth, closed in a speech of two hours. In his opening remarks he said this crime at Hills-' ville has shocked the civilized world and that all good and wise men and women wanted it punished. He thought while Mr. Buxton was withdrawing statements he might have withdrawn also his charge that Goad shot at Sidna Allen and killed the Ayers girl, inasmuch as both had been disproved absolutely. He alluded to the presence of Mrs. Allen and the children in court and said they had been brought there for a purpose, to get the sympathy of the jury and practice on their feelings. Really it was the prisoner putting up the white flag and begging for mercy, not because of his own innocence and the strength of his defense, but trying to, ARS )NA ALLEN econd Degree Murder, After -Allen to be Tried Again )f State's Attorney t Verdict Calmly. hide himself behind his wife and children and take refuge in their inno cence. But nearly every criminal, he said, has a wife and children, and if we are to let crime go unpunished because the punishment of it would involve suffering to those who did not deserve to suffer, nobody and nothing would be safe. Mr. Willis had declared his personal friendship for Claude Allen. Yet in this case he had stood up and declared his belief that this personal friend of his had killed Judge Massie. Probably if Claude had been on trial they would have tried to put the killing on Sidna. It was the man before the jury who always was innocent ard somebody who had been tried or was to be tried who did the killing. Mr. Wysor recited the law, declaring that in Virginia the killing of a human being is prima facie second degree murder; that it is on the State to prove it to be a higher grade of murder, or the defense to prove it to be a lower degree or no murder, if it could. The law presumes the killing of a man with a deadly weapon in previous possession to be first degree i murder. Conspiracy can be implied i from conduct. If, without previous agreement, a number of persons acted in concert to take life, all were equally flPllllfIT Tn fKio onon fitrn haIoIJoao gw*ivj. 4ai vii?o v?o? ?i?v iitai iciativcO) all with grudges and causes of malice, were present at the s&.ne time, all fired at the same person and practically at the same instant. It has been contended by the ?*efense that the officers had no right to be present armed; but it seemed to be assumed that the Aliens had the right to be there armed to the teeth. The truth was that he officers of the court considering the warn- \ ings they had received and the knowledge they had of the character of the men with whom they had to deal, should have been armed. The pity was they were not better armed and did not use their weapons more quickly and effectively. Place, means, motives opportunities and conduct all proved the purpose?the deadly purpose?of the Aliens. Floyd was de- : termined not to go to jail. The two Edwards boys, his nephews, had been ' sent to jail by Judge Massie and rescued from custody by their uncle. Sidna Allen was under indictment in the court and was to be tried by the same judge before whom his brother had been convicted and had an old hate against the court and a purpose to destroy it which he had ex- 1 pressed before undisputed witnesses. Floyd Allen had declared his pur- ' pose to make a hole in the court. He made it. He had declared that he would kill Bill Foster before sun down. Foster was killed. He had dis- : played a sugar bag half full of cartridges and said that with those he would set aside the /erdict if it was against him. He had set aside the ver diet with the cartridges because he ana nis ieuow conspirators Killed the judge, the sheriff and the prosecution officer of the jury, ' d left the verdict set aside to this , day, becv _ .. nobody to declare and force it. With eloquence ana force, Mr. Wysor defended Clerk Goad, who, he said, had acted tht> ^ hero in defending the court and in preventing the butchery on the streets of Hillsville of more jurors. He rang ' the charges on the exclamations of Floyd and Sidna Allen outside the court house, "kill every damn one or them." Deliberatelyjie recited the roll of the witnesses who contradicted Sidna Allen who accused him of mur- 1 dor and of active part in the con- ' spiracy. He said Sidna Allen was con- ' tradicted twenty-two times on vital ooints, by living witnesses and -by trn> 1 voice of Judge Massie's grave, tne last message of -that great jurist to 1 woild. It had been proved that ' Sidna Allen had reserved store on his ' person of at least twenty cartridges, because, he had reloaded his pistol i four times. Why did he have these i extra cartridges, if he went there 1 merely to attend court and be a wit- i nes at his brother's trial ? According to the theory of the defense, Foster, I Webb, Massie and Fowler were killed 1 by bullets fired by officers from their a right sides, all ranging to the left. 1 The net result of their work was that 1 they killed five persons, wounded five 1 persons, against none of whom they i had grudge or grievance, and then af- i REV. S. A. DONAHOE LEAVES THIS STATE Has Been Transferred to the Virginia Conference?He Leaves After the Conference Here to Become Pastor of Ghent Methodist Church at Norfolk. Rev. S. A. Donahoe,. pastor of St. John's Methodist church here, has been transferred to the Virginia conference and will go to Norfolk, after the approaching meeting of conference here, to become pastor of Ghent church. His transfer from the South Carolina to the Virginia conference and assignment to the pastorate of Ghent church have already been made, and a letter received todav hv Mr Donahoe from Rev. Dr. Lipscombe, presiding elder of the Richmond district, said that arrangements would be made to supply the church until his arrival. The transfer comes in the nature of a promotion to Rev. Mr. Donahoe, but the members of his congregation here, as well as the people of the city at large, regret that he will leave Anderson. He has done a great work and has but recently been in position to give his congregation his best services as pastor and preacher, the first year anu a half of his two years' stay here having been devoted to a building campaign, that has resulted in the erection of one of the handsomest churches of the denomination in the state. More than a month ago a representative of the congregation of Ghent church came to Anderson and held a conference with Mr. Donahoe, having been sent by Bishop Wilson of the Virginia conference and Rev. Dr. Lipscombe, presiding elder of the Richmond district. Since this visit there have been other developments, which have now resulted in the form *1 transfer of Mr. Donahoe from the South Carolina to the Virginia conference and his assignment to the pastorate of Ghent church. From Anderson Rev. Mr. Donahoe goeB into another building campaipp at Norfolk. Ghent churcn is in the residence section of the city and is a wealthy congregation. A church building was recently erected at a cost of about $40,000, but plans are now being made to have this building transformed into a Sunday School room, and to erect a handsome new house of worship to cost $75,000. Two building campaigns in succession mean a great deal of hard work for any minister, but his friends here feel sure that Rev. Mr. Donahoe will be equal to the occasion, and will erect a building that will be a credit to himself and to his congregation. This will be the second transfer from one state to another that Rev. Mr. Donahoe has had during the past tew years, lie has been in the South Carolina conference but four years, having come in from the Western Virginia conference. His first charge in this state was at Cumberland Methodist church at Charleston. After a year there he was transferred to Grace Methodist church at Union, and came to Anderson from Union after a year as pastor of that church. He has been in Anderson two years. During his stay in Anderson, Rev. Mr. Donahoe has made many warm friends among the people ofthe city of all denominations. His ability as a pastor has been recognized by all and the conduct of his daily life has been a strong influence for good upon all with whom he has come in cnnta/.f There will be sincere regret because of his departure.?Anderson Mail. Mr. Donahoe is pleasantly remembered in Union by people of all denominations, and we join with Anderson in expressing sincere regret at his removal to Norfolk, Va. Mayor John P. Grace left last night at 10:30 o'clock for New York city, where on next Wednesday morning, at the Church of the Incarnation, he wii: be married to Miss Ella Barclay Sul [ivan. mayor lirace is accompanied North by Messrs. W. Turner Logan and Dr. Harry Hancock. The marriage will be a quiet affair. No invitations have been issued and the usual formalities will be dispensed with. ?News and Courier. ter shooting at harmless men, running from them as fast as possible, Had fled together?and now came In, claiming to have acted in self defense. Mr. Wysor ridiculed at some length the claim that Sidna Allen had Intended to return to surrender himself and submit to trial; and wanted to know whether he expected public sentiment to work around to his favor, hile any of the seventeen witnesses accusing him directly of murder surdved? * JmIbII NEWBERRY MOB LYNCHES NEGRO. Will Thomas, Charged with the Murder of Spurgeon Johnson, Who was Killed on October 18th, is Taken From Magistrate's Constable and Chained to a Tree and Shot. Newberry, Nov. 23.?Will Thomas, a negro, accused of the assassination of Spurgeon Johnson, a white farmer, several weeks ago, was taken from a magistrate's constable last night by a party of masked men, chained to a tree and his body riddled with bullets. The lynching occurred about 14 miles from here, while the negro was being brought to the jail. The constable declares he at first refused to surrender his prisoner upon the mob's demand 'flfcid fired his pistol, but his "bluff" did dot work. He says he was then surrounded by the crowd, threatened with death if he resisted, and told to get down the road. He obeyed and a few minutes later heard, he says, over 100 shots. The negro's body was found still chained to the tree this morning. /-? -1 ** unargea Trim muraer. Will Thomas was lynched for the murder of a white farmer, Spurgeon Johnson, at his home 18 miles west of Newberry, on the night of October 7, last. Johnson was shot through an open window with a shotgun by some persn on the outside while he was sitting in his room with his family. Will Goggans, a negro, living near the scene of the murder, was arrested ten days ago, charged with the crime in a warrant issued by Magistrate Dorroh of Floyd township and committed to jail. The warant "for Will Thomas was also issued by Magistrate Dorroh and was given to his constable, Carey Johnson. Yesterday the magistrate, while in Newberry, telephoned to his constable to get Thomas And bring him directly to Newberry. Surrounded by Masked Men. The constable went after the negro, and while returning with him, when pear the Workman bridge, was surw fnob -of masked men, who took the necro from him anj told the constable to go on. Aftei crossing the river, the constable sayt, he hegrd about 100 shots firea and supposed th$y were fired into the negro, but did not go back to see nor make further inquiries. That his supposition was correct was confirmed this morning by persons who came to town by that spot and saw the dead negro hanging by a chain around his neck from the limb of a tree close by the roadside, a few hundred yards beyond the bridge. What sort of evidence there was against the lynhced negro or against the one now in jail charged with the same crime has not been revealed. The coroner returned this afternoon 'rom holding the inquest over the dead body of the lynched negro. There was no testimony except that of Magistrate Dorroh. He testified in reference to issuing the warrant and his telephoning yesterday from Newberry to the constable to go after the man. thus accounting for the late hour at which the arrest was made. The testimony of the constable himself was that about- 10 o'clock last night, a'uout 300 yards beyond the bridge, a crowd ^^ - ? i.1 1 1 " vi iiivu ?mc uut ui me uusnes on me roadside and demanded the prisoner; that he fired his pistol as a bluff and was told if he did that again he woulo be shot; that they took the prisoner from him and ordered him to move on, which he did, and in a short while heard a great many shots. Asked as to how many were in the crowd he said the woods seemed to be full or them. The constable had the prisoner tied around the neck with a trace chain and another chain was fastened to the handcuffs, and the ends of both chains were in the constable's nanas. it was the chain around the neck that the negro was hanged with?suspended from the limb of a tree, with his feet touching the ground and his knees bent. The body was, as one said who saw it at 'ts?e inquest, "shot to pieces." As to the evidence against the negro, there is, so far as the public seems to know, only the vaguest rumors. Among these rumors Is one that Thomas was heard to say on the morning of the day that Spurgeon Johnson was asassinated that he intended to kill Johnson that night and then go home and kill his own wife. The latest fad is hygienic marriages. It is sweeping all other fads out of the public eye. TBBaon is shocked crver the way the 11 British nation is taking to gum chewng.; But stick to it. are to become tigh^^^^^^^^^^^^next and a I i :. v, "'J .'if'?s" BLOODY BA' FOUGH One Negro is Killed and Anoi Men Suffer Injuries?Lit Fork is the Scene of of Shots on Fi Lexington, Nov. 23.?The little town h of Peak in the Dutch Fork was the t! scene of a bloody battle last night b about 7:30 o'clock, when an effort c was made by a number of citizens to a arrest two negroes, who, it was thought, held up P. B. Ellisor, an P aged and highly respected farmer on the public highway a few miles from Prosperity, in Newberry county, yesterday afternoon. As a result of the battle one negro tj is dead and two white men are suf- ^ fering from pistol shot wounds re- ? ceived when the negroes opened fire ? on their would-be captors. The second ^ negro is probably floating in the t( waters of Broad river, as he was traced along a ditch after the firing to the river's bank, where all sicns C( of the trail was lost by the hounds that were placed on his track soon tj after the shooting. That he was wounded is evidenced by the fact that ^ he fell to his knees at the second or fc third shot. Held Up in Road. About 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon P. B. Ellisor was returning from Prosperity alone in his Duggy wtien he was accosted by two negroes, who Q) asked the white man for a chew of j{ tobacco. When the farmer stopped ^ the negroes drew their pistols, ont approaching from each side of the buggy, and demanded that the white S( man give up his cash. At the point of ^ the pistol Mr. Ellisor was forced to a] turn over about $25, all the money ^ that he had in his possession. After ^ robbing Mr. Ellisor the negroes forced jj him to leave the buggy and the two R] highwaymen took possession of the D buggy and horse and drove off down the road. The negroes drove the animal to a point near Pomaria, it is w said, when they deserted the horse tc and buggy, leaving it beside the road- jn way, where it was later found. ri The Alarm Sounded. ti Mr. Ellisor gave the alarm as soon al as posible and the officers at New- pj berry were notified. The citizens of in Peake were notified of the occurrence ti and were asked to be on the lookout b< for the negroes. About 7:30 o'clock si an engine pulled up to the depot, and tl those who were one the watch for sc the suspects noticed two negroes rid- ni ing on the tender. The negroes were d? accosted, and it is said, opened fine on o< the party. J. T. Gallagher, foreman of ec construction gang of the Southern tr rflilu/ow woo ? ? mc in at/ cu receive a y< shot from the negroes, a ball having ps pierced his shoulder, lodging in the D neck, near the jugular vein. Jas. E. Epting, a farmer, received a bullet in T the left arm. When the negroes open- fi ed fire on the party of citizens the I shots were returned. y< Escaped to River. d; th One of the negroes ran toward the . river and was seen to fall to his S1 knees, the other ran through the streets of Peak with his pistol in his hand and wa!| fired on by his pursuers. The negroVan for a short distance, When he fell to tho orrn.mil no he attempted to cross a ditch, a pistol ball having entered his hip, passing '! through the body and came out in the 01 abdomen. He was lodged in the guard- 1 ' house, where he was kept until 10 o'clock this morning, when he died. )( Officers on Scene. At 11 o'clock last night Sheriff Mil- q ler was aroused from his slumbers by hi a telephone call, telling him of the occurrence. The Lexington officer, se- at curing an automobile, left at once ror -a the scene. He arrfved at Peak about m 2 o'clock this morning and found a m large party of citizens, the news of the jn hold-up of Mr. Ellisor and the shoot- Gf ing that followed having spread over the community like wild fire in a sage ol field. Sheriff Buford of Newbevvy had been on the scene, but had returned to his home. Sheriff Miller p)( uiuut- an investigation and traced th" n( missing negro to a point near the c river. Messages were sent by the Lexington officer to all railroad points to be on the lookout for the culprit. <]j Negro Denied Guilt til The injured negro was interviewed to by the sheriff, and gave his name as Richard Sparks and his home as Florence. He said that his compan- N ion's name was John Brown. To the last Sparks denied that he and Brown had held up the white man. Mr. Ellisor, however, identified the dead negro as being one of his assailants. a Magistrate J. H. Frick of Chapin pi rTLE T AT PEAK ther Wounded?Two White tie Town in the Dutch a Lively Exchange riday Night. eld an inquest over the dead body of he negro this afternoon, the jury ringing in a verdict that the negro ame to his death by gunshot wounds t the hands of unknown parties. UPILS AND TEACHERS URGED TO ATTEND NATIONAL CORN EXPOSITION Columbia, Nov. 25.?Calling attenion to National Education Day and oys' Day at the Fifth National Corn Ixposition here next January, Mr. J. !. Swearingen, State superintendent f education, has addressed a letter > all county superintendents of eduction and county rural school superisors, recommending a holiday in the 3UntV Schools to allow tooi-Vi/." ? ils and trustees to attend the ExposIlon on these two days. National Education Day has been xed for Friday, January 31, the day >llowing being Boys' Day, the lat;r marking the close of the Exposion School for Prize Winners which ill be attended by a thousand boys om all parts of the South. Promient educators will deliver addressee r> National Education Day on sudicts pertinent to school improvelent problems, and a series of exibits demonstrating methods and reults of improvement in the rural :hools is being prepared under the irection of President D. B. Johnson nd other members of the Winthrop iculty. Dr. S. C. Mitchell, presiJnt of the University of South Carona, is in active charge of program rrangements for National Education ay. Superintendent Swearingen opens is letter with the statement that The Fifth National Corn Exposition ? be held in Columbia the last week January and the first week in Feblary, offers a rare educational opporinity not only to the farmers, but Iso to the teachers, patrons and pulls of South Carolina." After speakg of the value of industrial educaon, and its demonstration in the jys' and girls' clubs, Mr. Swearingen lys: "It is highly desirable that le people of every county, of every hool district, and of every commuity, should profit by this practical jmonstration of the worth, methis and accomplishments of industrial lucation. The teachers, trustees, paons and pupils of every school in >ur county should be invited to take irt in the exercises of Educational ay." Concluding, Mr. Swearingen says: he program for these two days will irnish you a message to take home, recommend that every school in jur county be given a holiday Friry, January 31, on condition that ic teacher and trustees bring at least x pupils to the Exposition on Eduitional Day and Boys' Day." Death Claims J. M. Mangum. The many friends of Mr. J. M. Mannm will be grieved to learn of his iath, which occurred at No. 62 Soof 17 of roof 1 * * iui, ittctn^um naa Deen I with typhoid fever but one week, e is survived by a widow and a num;r of near relatives in Chesterfield. Mr. Manpum was a native of Chesrficld, but had made his home in harleston for a number of years, uvcn cunneiicn rormeriy with 'alker, Evans & Ccgsweil Company, id being at the time of his death desman for the Hecker-Jones-Jewell illinK Company. He was a young an and was among the most popular the city and leaves a large number friends to mourn his death. Mrs. angum and several relatives from it of the city were at his side when ath came. The body will be taken to Chester;ld later, the arrangements having it been definitely decided upon as t.?News and Courier. Now the German scientists have scovered a means of producing arficial milk. Why not invent a wav grow eggs on the egg plant. Women outnumber men in both ew York and Philadelphia. Concerning that Red Sox victory, hy not drop it? Snodgraas did. They say the new ten-dollar bill is work of art, but it can't be at that ice.