Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-10-04
SOUTH CAROLINA NEWS.

SOUTH CAROLINA NEWS.
The Court of Common Pleas and General
Sessions for Union county, is in session this
week-Judge Mackey presiding.
Mr.. George D. Hope, formerly well
known throughout the State as grocery
merchant in Columbia, died in Georgia on
Tuesday of last week.
A very large crowd of people is expected
in Columbia, during the Fair Of the State
Agricultural and Mechanical Society. The
fair begins on Tuesday, the 18th of November.
On Wednesday of last week, about forty
persons we're killed and wounded by the ex.
plosion of boiler of the Charleston Mining
and Manufacturing Company, near Bees Fer
ry, in the vicinity of Charleston. Five per-
sons were killed outright.
"A correspondent of the Spartanburg Her.
aid mentions the fact that Governor Hamp'
tons grear-grandfather taught school in Spar
tanburg county, and that bis remains are
buried not far from the line between Green
Vile ana OparCanourg.
- The expenses of assessing the taxes in
Oconee county this year, amounted to but
s131.5O. Last year to $297.5O. A few years
ago it cost $500. The Auditor thinks that
next year he can make the assessment for $50.
The returns this year number about 5000.
The Spartanburg Herald learns that ar
rangements are being made to lay off another
town in that county to be called Hampton,
in honor of Governor Hampton. 1t is loca'
ted on the Air Line Railroad, just halfway
between Spartanburg and Gaffney City, and
about eleven miles from each, and six or
eight miles from the Cowpens battle ground.
The work of grading the Greenwood and
Augusta Railroad, was commenced on
Wednesday of last week. The breaking of
the "6rst dirt was attended with imposing
ceremonies. n large number of penitentiary
convicts are employed on the work, and the
prospects of the road are very encouraging.
Hugh S. Thompson, the Superintendent
of Education, has notified the School Com
missoners of the several counties, that the
proceeds of the poll tax collected in each
county, must be applied to the payment of all
past due school claims of that county, without
reference to the school district in which said
tax is collected.
Mr.. J. Durham Currence, Of Clay Hill,
York county, while recently at Charlotte,
visited the editor of the Southern Home. The
editor, in mentioning the fact, says: "Mr.
Currence is we'll up with the times, is 68 years
old, and can pick his hundred pounds of cot
ton and follow the plow all day long. 1t is
seldom that we see man of that advanced
age, so full of vigor and activity, both men,
tally and physically"
The names of quite number of persons
are already being mentioned in connection
with the Judgeship of the seventh Circuit,
made vacant by the appointment of Judge
Northrop as U. S. District Attorney. Should
he desire the place, we predict that Gen. W.
H. Wallace, of Union, the Speaker of the
House of Representatives, will be the lucky
man. The vacancy will be filled at the ap.
preaching session of the legislature.
The State Agricultural Society offers a
premium for the best six dishes cooked by
any young lady at the approaching fair, and
the Secretary would be pleased to be advised
at least by the first of November, as to the
names and post Offices of the contestants, SO
that suitable arrangements may be made in
ample time. The details of the contest will
be announced hereafter, and in the meantime
young ladies who propose to compete for the
premium, would further the matter by inform
ing the Secretary, Thomas w. Holloway
Pomaria, S. G.
-AtSpartanburg, on Tuesday night of last
week, James Maud Elford, son of Joseph Ell
ford, of that place, committed suicide by
shooting himself through the head with pis
tol, which resulted in his immediate death
A correspondent, writing to the Columbis
Register says: "He had retired to bed some
what early, and after short time got up, took
his pistol, and lying down again, remarked tt
his wife, who was still up, that he intended tt
shoot himself In moment the sharp re
port of the revolver verified the fearful an
nouncement, and the deed was DONE i
seems that he had contemplated this some
time ago, when he remarked to an intimate
friend that he had tried to kill himself tht
other day, but the pistol snapped-for tht
first time he ever knew it to fail. Maud Ell
ford was young man, some twenty-eight Of
nine years old, of steady, quiet habits, ans
was liked by every one who knew him."
DR.. j. T. Dent, who was charged with
killing young Leckie, of Columbia, at Lees
Vile, Lexington county, few weeks ago, was
brought up for trial before Judge Townsend
at Lexington court house, on Saturday of las
week. The case was called at 9 a. M, anc
the jury returned a verdict of not guilty about
halfpast 10 p. m. The evidence showed thai
an aggravated assault had been made upor
Dr. Dent by Mr.. Leckie, and the killing was
justiGable. The charge of the judge was de
cidedly favorable to the defendant. The jur
ors we're unanimous in favor of acquittal, and
ten of them favored rendering verdict of moi
guilty at once, but the other two preferred re
tiring to the jury room, to talk over the mat
ter, when in about twenty minutes verdic
was rendered. 1t is universally conceded tba
where an individual uses a whip on anoth
or, he takes his life in his own hands. Th'
sympathies of the entire community are with
the parents of the deceased, but the verdic
of the jury is generally commended.