University of South Carolina Libraries
m THE UNION TIMES Ml w. w. j^nson. CQ??1>VOL. LXIII. NO. 12. UNION, g. C.. FRIDAY^ UCH 4MK 1913. , gl.OO A YEAR. "HOT TIME" IN "POVERTY FLAT" C. D. Fortner, a Member of Legislature from Spartanburg and a Commissioned Constable of Governor, Created Excitement in "Poverty Flat" When He Attempted to RaiH Will FIbIpc' Piano There was quite a stir In Union Saturday night, near midnight, and in Poverty Flat. C. D. Fortner, a member of the legislature from Spartanburg and a man named Forbes have been operating in Union as detectives for Governor Blease. Fortner came to Union Tuesday and gave his name to Chief of Police Evans as "Smith", representing the Virginia Life Ins. Co. He asked Chief Evans questions about George Fowler, Jr., and the breaking in the U. & G. S. depot. Chief Evans soon found that "Smith" was operating under an assumed name. Forbes claimed to be acting as detective in the Coleman and Edge murder cases. On Saturday night Fortner was acting badly in the Flat. The trouble commenced at Purccll's alley; Forbes was rolling on the alley. Fortner was holding his coat. Fortner was cursing so that Mr. Purcell had to call him down. Mr. Painter also called him down. He continued cursing until a policeman was sent for. When he found out that a policeman had been sent for he said he would search Will Estes' place that night; that Estes had liquor stored there and he was going to get it; that Estes had made his threats and he was going to show him what he could do. TTo want Ant nn J nn?t ' T ^ ?v vuv aim met ruiit'eman J. B. May; told him he was going to search Will Estes place and to come go with him. He was talking in a . loud tone of voice: 'Ton. going to search the place or put ' the' whole town under martial law." He came to police headquarters and met M. M. Stroud; deputized Stroud to go with him and raid Estes. When Stroud refused to go, stating he could not leave, then he tried to force Stroud to go, Stroud knocked him down. He then tried to deputize Policeman Hix, the latter refusing to go without orders from Chief. "Where can I get him?" "Over the telephone," he was told. Chief's telephone rang just as he got home. Fortner phoned Chief Evans: "I am Fortner, chief, State detective.' Said he wanted to raid some places in' town; that he had found a lot of liquor there, and he wanted to raid them. "How long have you been in Union?" asked Chief Evans. "One week," was the reply. "You are the man I met at the depot; then why did you not make yourself known before?" He answered. "For reasons best known to myself. Governor sent me. I want you to come and assist in these raids." Chief Evans found him at Will Estes' pla/'e with Sheriff Fant. A large crowd had gathered. This was 11:30 Saturday night. Forbes was standing at the foot of the steps. Chief Evans called Fortner down and told him he would have to cease cursing, and asked to be shown his commission. Pulled out one, 1913, signed by Governor Blease. Chief Evans asked him what he wanted. He said he wanted to go in that building. Chief Evans said: "I could not break down any door without a warrant." He then asked for a state warrant. Forbes and Chief Evans went to Magistrate Puckett and got out a warrant. In their absence Will Estes came and said he had no objection to the sheriff r?r Phiof PuonJ searching, but did object to having Fortnor, "a d? rascal and spy" searching his place. Fant said: "I have already searched." They went through again. No * whiskey was found. In the mean time Estes was arrested by the sheriff and put under $200 cash bond. On Sunday before this same building wns searched, but nothing except a few empty bottles was found. Fortner came out after the search. He then searched Purcell's place without any warrant; said he did not have one. Purcell called Sergeant Wood and told him to search the place, but that he did not want this fellow Fortner to search. That he REV. WAKEFIELD RESIGNS CHURCH He Will Become Pastor of Second Baptist Church of Columbia?His Resignation Deeply Regretted by Congregation?Will ( Leave June 1st. i Rev. W. D. Wakefield, pastor of the 1 First Baptist church here, resigned t Sunday to accept the pastorate of the t Second Baptist church, Columbia. The j resignation is to take effect June 1. y The resignation was a great surprise to the congregation and is sin- ? cerely regretted by all. His work in Union began in the fall of 1910, and J during his pastorate the church has greatly increased in numbers and in spiritual power. Mr. Wakefield is popular, not only with his own congregation but with other churches ? throughout the city and county. He is possessed of a most pleasing personality and as preacher and gospel singer, he has won the hearts of the people. The wdrk to which Mr. Wakefield goes is an important one, and the congregation there will begin at once the erection of a $40,000 church building. Mr. Wakefield feels that the larger field to which he is called had claims that he could not withstand. This week Mr. Wakefield is con- v ducting a revival meeting in George- c town, and the First Baptst church ^ will be closed Sunday on account of s his absence. Mr. Wakefield has been a strong a personality in Union during his 4 more than two years residence here, * and there is genuine regret that he ^ has decided to leave Union. ^ Skips Board Bill. r A young man who claimed to be s selling or advertising the Saturday 4 Evening Post, pot up at Mrs. M. p. 4 Mangums hoteL about one week ago. * Tuesday morning he was missing, r skipping his board bill and leaving behind a card inscribed as follows: * "In Winston-Salem today. Ha, ha. 1 Val O'Drine." ( Besides skipping his board bill he * carried with him sundry small arti- ^ cles of wearing apparel which did not 1 belong to him. s He is about eighteen years of age, * five feet, ten inches tall; neat ap- 1 ?U 4 4 1 ? ireaioiivc, ciiL-auiui urown nair worn pompadour; had nice bluish and gray suit; wore cap. Little to say. Good looking, apparently well educated. Mrs. Mangum, who is minus the board money, would be glad to hear of his whereabouts, so that the law might be invoked to help. Bishop Lambuth to Speak. Bishop Lambuth is to preach at Grace Methodist church Sunday morning at 11 o'clock and everybody is invited to hear him. That afternoon at 3:30 o'clock he will deliver an address in the court house which will be both interesting and instructive. opeciai music nas been prepared by the choir. ? While in the city Bishop Lambuth will be entertained by Rev. and Mrs. L. L. Wagnon. To Lecture at Jonesville. Dr. John G. Clinkscales of CTofrord will deliver a lecture in the Jonesville Methodist church the fifth Sunday in March at 11 o'clock and at New Hope church at .1 p. m. the same day. All are cordially invited to attend these services. Becomes Commercial Traveler. Mr. W. J. Haile has accepted a position on the road for a six-week's trip, representing one of the largest shoe houses in the country. He will make the larger cities in West Vir ginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. During Mr. Haile's absence the Haile Shoe Company will be conducted by Messrs. J. W. Vincent and Daniel Mangum, the present efficient force. had been kicking up a racket all night. Purcell swore out a warrant for disorderly conduct against Fortner. No one appeared against Stroud. The detectives left Sunday for Chester. Fortner has notified parties in Union that he will return and stand trial upon the charge of disorderly conduct. MONARCH MIL ENLA Half Million Dollars to Be to Present Plant?Co To Completed Monarch Mills will be enlarged thei contract having already been let to rhnmcon Rrno -i ?* - ' vuuvi auiurs, wno miilt Buffalo Mills. It is expected ;hat work will begin in the next hirty days, and when the plans for mlargement are completed there will iave been expended the total of a mlf-million dollars. The new addition will give the D. A. DICKERT RESI AS IV Jays He Will Keep on "Fighting Confederate Home is Stopped Say Die kerf was Drunk Wi (Wednesday's State) "I resigned this afternoon and the governor refused to accept my resiglation. I intend to keep on fighting intil this thing of grafting at the Confederate home is stopped," said Col. D. A. Dickert of Newberry, nember of the commission charged vith the administration of the affairs 1 if the home, yesterday, following vhat is reported to have been a tormy session of the board. ' ] The members of the commission 1 ire D. A. Dickert, Newberry; J. T. 1 Crews, Laurens; J. G. Long, Sr Un- ' on; A. T. Todd, Charleston, and M. C. Velsh of Columbia, an inmate of .the lome. Officers Named Col. Dickert told the story of the 1 neeting yesterday afternoon. He aid that thl> hnnrH * ? inue H. W. Richardson as sudkrinjijl endent and Dr. F. W. neeting. "We met out at the Confederate lome in executive session for th? pur>ose of reorganizing. I nominated J. 5. Long Sr. as chairman andJ. T. >ews as secretary of the board. They were elected. It was then that \. W. Todd took the floor and in a ;mooth voice began to nominate H. W. itichardson and Dr. F. W. P. Butler, dr Todd wanted to retain all the jresent officers. Todd said some liing in reply to one of my questions. ! protested against the action of Todd Ele invited me out of the room. I told lim that it was not necessary to eave the room, that we would set ;le the entire matter then and there. When I entered that room I knew :hat Richard and Butler had things fixed up so as to be reelected. I ticked on their plan." Col. Dickert said that following the executive meeting he returned to the room to find Mrs. Mixson saying tome very hard things about him. "I asked her who made the statement that I had tried to reflect on her management. She told me that it was Richardson," continued Col. Dickert. Denounces Richardson. "About this time," he continued, "Richardson stepped in between and O'SHIELDS IS com (Thursday's Spartanburg Journal) W. G. S. O'Shields, a supporter of Governor Blease in the recent election and he himself a candidate for the office of county auditor in the Blease political machine, has been denied his commission by his excellency. Mr. O'Shields received notification from the secretary of the state yesterday, advising that on account of his contempt for the Gulf and Atlantic Insurance Company, in which company Mr. O'Shields secured surety for his bond, the governor refused to sign the commission. Now it is up to the re-elected auditor, for his fifth term ,to secure surety with another bonding company and to go over the general routine again. The reason, it is said, for the governor's attitude toward the Atlantic and Gulf InsuranrA rnmnonu O'ioi" from the fact that Comptroller General Jones, who is one of Mr. Blease's bitterest enemies, was the founder of the company, and at the present time is interested. R. M. Jones, a son of the comptroller general, is secretary ind treasurer of the company. The governor does not think the compa V*. JL. ro j re ITS PLANT l&Lded for Big Addition 1 nts Let and Work Mie Year. the II building a total length of ?<M et, and the additional machi installed will be 20,000 spindle d 500 looms, with floor space for nuch larger installment. ] Emslie Nicholson, who has active inagement of these mills, is ' tre er. Under his management 1 the 11 has greatly prospered, and 1 the largement is to be built with th< inngs. G I It 1BER OF BOARD M t 7/ This Thing of Grafting at 'V ther Members of Board fiei 1e Made Statement. sai ;hat he had made the state* me (Here Col. Dickert quoted lan age denouncing Maj. Richardsor 1 severe terms). * told Richardson and Butler that if iy did not resign that I would am hat I did not intend to stand Id ee the grafting go on. I inten to expose the whole d?n thing. * the first place Richardson and Bu r were elected to their present pla s wi hout my knowledge. I was not it the meeting when they claim to Iv been elected," said Col. DickArt 1 was stated yesterday by Col. Di< ert that the next meeting of the conlnission will be held in April and thai a majority of the .members decidlfi to retain all of the present employes of the home until that date. J. T. Crews, M. C. Welch and J. G. Long,Sr., members of the board of commissioners of the Confederate Soldiers' Home, today issued a signed statement to the people of South Carolina, saying that when G. A. Dickerf, of Newberry, the fifth membei of the board of commissioners, gav? out a newspaper interview Tuesdaj in which he intimated, among othei things, that there was grafting go ing on at the soldiers' home he "wa: in" such a condition that we hold hin irresponsible for his action or state ment." "He was drunk, plain drunk," sai< A. W. Todd this morning. The state ment follows: "To the People of South Carolina: "As others of the board of com missioners of the Confederate Infirm ary of the state, we resent most pos itively the statement published thi day in the Columbia State newspape in reference to the board the 18t inst. "We want to state that Col. Dich ert was in such a condition that w hold him wholly irresponsible for hi action or statement." The statement intimated that gral was going on at the home, amon other things.?Spartanburg Journa SED 11SSION BY BLEASl ny a safe one. Up until a few months ago, hov ever, Mr. Blease has recognized wit iavor me Atlantic and Gulf Insu ance Company. He signed the con I missions of Sheriff White and Clei of Court N. L. Bennfett, and it ht been discovered that these gentb men were bonded with the compar in question. Mr. O'Shields and Mr. Jones ha\ been associated for many years i the discharge of their duties, n spectively, wtih the county and stai and from this association a stror friendship has arisen between ti en. It was only natural that M OShields should place his businei ii the hands of the company repr sented by Mr. Jones, and it was ah the fulfillment of a promise ma< I a of troot* n iuow jc?i ucbvvccii a icpi cnuntan vc i the company and Mr. O'Shiclds. In conversation With Mr. O'Shieli 'his morning a reporter was advist 'that efforts were on foot to secu surety in another company and up< the close of this business he fe sure that Governor Blease wou honor him with his commissio AMES M. EISON [c PASSES AWAY Died Wednesday Night at C the Home of His Son, Theo Eison, Three Miles South of Union?He was a Good Man and Gallant Confederate Soldier. Mr. James M. Eison died at the k r\ m n Klc enn \T ? TVirkrx ITioAn living VI. IIIO ovilj A'Alt 1 lltv. AJIOVU) three miles South of Union, Wednesday night at 10:30 o'clock. Mr. Eison was 92 years of age on February j 3rd, and had been quite sick for j about six weeks prior to his death. ^ Up to that time he had been in com- ( paratively good health, although by reason of the infirmities of age he ( had not often been away from home , during the past few years. Mr. Eison was a native of Union, ( having been born in a house located | near where the residence of Capt. A. H. Foster is located on Main street, in the year 1821. He has lived all his long life in Union county. He served several years in the Confederate army in the 18th S. C. regiment, and was honorably discharged on account p his age before the war closed. His wife's maiden name was Miss Julia Mackie Brown, of Union county. She preceded him to the grave by many years, having died in 1875. He leaves four living sons: Messur. J. M. Eison, of Columbia; J. R. Eison, Lexington county; Theo. Eison of Union and T. E. Eison of Newberry. His surviving daughters are: Mrs. S. E. O'Dell, Mrs. Eloise Hawkins, Mrs. I. L. Bobo, all of Union county, and Mrs. Addie Ford, of Texas. Besides these he has a num ber of grand-children and other relatives. Mr. Eison was a man of sterling character, a good citizen, a loving father and a man for whom all had the highest respect. Mr. Eison was The burial was at Hebron church Thursday afternoon at 4 o'clock. I Civic League. The ladies of Union met Thursday 5 afternoon at the Chamber of ComT merce room and organized a Civic League, or revived the old organization. s An executive board was elected 1 with the following members: Mrs. T. C. Duncan, Mrs. John A. Fant, Mrs. L. M. Jordan and Mrs. W. E. j Thomson. Mrs. Emslie Nicholson was chosen treasurer and will receive contributions from those interested in having a beautiful city. The League is urging every woman and girl in Union to attend the meetinc on March 25th at the Cham s ber of Commerce rooms at four o'clock and lend a hand in this camh Paign. Rev. Mr. Daniels Indisposed. e Rev. J. L. Daniels, pastor of Grace 3 Methodist church, has been quite sicVi for several days and unable to leave his room Mr. Daniels' friends wish ^ for him a speedy recovery. " TO INTRODUCE NEW SECRETARY There will be a dinner Friday even ET inpr, March 28th in the rooms of the " Chamber of Commerce to introduce the new Secretary and to promote i plan which the Board has in mine u_ which will be of creat interest to botl ;h the city of Union and the surround r. ing county. Further details of thii 1- dinner will be announced next week. k is A Marriage. b- Miss Olive McDaniel, of Smyrna iy York county, and Mr. Charles F Bennett, of Jonesville, were unite< re in marriage Wednesday afternoon in March 19th, at the residence of thi e. officiating minister, Lewis M. Rice te he marriage being witnessed by i ig few intimate friends of the contract ie >ng parties. The Times joins wit! r. he many friends of these younj ss people in wishing them a long am e- happy life. so The bride is the grand daughter o je Mr. J. L. Strain, a frequent contrih of utor to the columns of The Timps. ds When the news became current yes sd i terday that Governor Blease had rc re I fusee? to come across with the com >n | mission for Mr. O'Shields there wa ilt j considerable conjecture as to th Id 1 motive held by the man whose hobbb; n. | is sticking to his friends. IHAMBER ELECTS NEW SECRETARY Chamber of Commerce Elects Walter K. Sumner, of Detroit, Mich.," New Secretary?Has Begun Work, and Asks the Cooperation of All Who are Interested in Up-building the City of Union. Mr. Walter K. Sumner, of Detroit, Mich., arrived in Union Monday afernoon, and has accepted the position of secretary of the Chamber if Commerce. Mr. Sumner comes to Union recommended by Mr. Lucius E. Wilson, who recently led the campaign to raise funds for putting the Chamber 3t commerce upon a sound nnanciai basis, $9,000 having been raised as a result of this campaign, the effort was put forth to locate a live secretary. The board of directors believe they have found the right man in Mr. Sumner. Mr. Sumner was secretary of the Michigan Manufacturing Association up to several months ago, at which time he became identified with the work of organizing Chambers of Commerce. At one time he was the publisher of the Michigan Manufacturers and Fnancial Record, published at Detroit. He conducted that paper more than two years. He is a young man 26 years of age, and although young in years, is thoroughly equipped for the responsible position to which he has been elected. The work that will be undertaken W,, AT ~ i.mII Ua in linn nnfU uy iui. ouiiiiici win uc in iiuu wivu promoting the agricultural interests in the surrounding country. He intends to make it possible to have. a government expert to help work up the matter. He believes that the Chicago Grain Dealers' Association He thinks that'a public "market would of great benefit to the town and county. The general plan is to have the city authorities build a platform to be used by the farmers as a place to bring their products for the market. He will use whatever influence he has in helping to forward the good roads movement. He will undertake to interest industries, urging Union as a point for such location. Mr. Sumner is studying the situation and urges that the people do not expect too much in the beginning. The work is slow, but sure; and it will require time to bring results. Mr. Sumner will have offices in the rooms of the Chamber of Commerce and will be glad to talk with all niuac iiiiui CMt*u in nic u jj-uunum^ ui Union. He hopes those interested, both from the city and the county, will drop in and talk with him, making any suggestions that may occur to them. Death of a Good Woman. i Mrs. Martha Smith died at her home in this city Thursday night about 11 o'clock. She had been in poor health for some time, but was . able to be up and to go about her - daily tasks. Her death was a great i shock to her friends and neighbors. 3 Mrs. Smith was for many years a i resident of Union. She was, before i her marriage, Miss Martha Mullii nax, and was one of the oldest resi dents of Union. She was possessed a /% f Q Knonf n 3 v/x u Mvauvnui vuiiouaii v nai atvui f and was a member of the First Baptist church here. The burial was conducted by Rev. i J. L Daniel at her late residence on North Pinckney street, Friday afteri' noon The interment was in the Presi, byterian cemetery, ts Mrs. Smith was 76 years of age. y % "The End of the RaiijJ>ow." it The Union High School girls and Br boys are rehearsing for a play, "The d End of the Rainbow", which they will give soon. These young people f arc being trained by Miss lone Liti tlejohn and have displayed wonderful dramatic talent. The play is looked forward to with much pleasure. i- Bishop Walter Lambuth will preach s in the Methodist church at Jonesville e next Sunday, March 23rd, at 8 o'clock y p. m. All are cordially invited to attend this service.