Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-08-12

A. G. Means, of Jonesville, and from
this union are the following children ::
Mr.. E. NJ. Thomson, of Columbia !;
Mr.. w. L. Thomson, Miss Alberta
Thomson, J. E. Thomson and Albert
Thomson. The mother and children
and bereaved relatives have the SYM
pathy of the entire community in their
loss. The funeral services over the
remains will be held at Mr.. Thomson's
late residence, on Elm street, this af-
ternoon at 5 o'clock, interment in the
churchyard of the Church of the Ad-
vent Immediately afterwards.
After the States Rifles.
Columbia correspondence News and
Courier: The adjutant general is
finding great difficulty in collecting the
arms and equipment that were sent
out to the companies that were organ
lied Immediately after the Darlington
fasco. About IA companies were then
organized they hourished like green
bay for month or two-long enough
TO get their uniforms and good rifles
and they have not been heard from
since. They did not stand inspections
nor anything else, and when asked for
the rifles they seem to think it an in
suit. The arms belong to the State
of South Carolina and the officers are
directly responsible for them or their
return. Today the adjutant general
received shipment of IA guns that
had been in the possession of the Till
man Guards, of Lamar. The state
owns these and other guns in the state,
and if they are sent in they can be
used for the equipment of the militia,
and the state will not have to have
itself charged up at Washington for
new rifles; but can instead use the
national appropriation for other pur-
poses.
Material Witnesses.
Columbia Record: The governor
has received a complaint from citizen
of Sligh's with reference to the pay Of
witnesses in higher courts. He says
he was summoned to court in certain
case and spent four or five days as a
witness at his own expense. He was
not called upon to testify and the pre-
siding judge refused to issue a certif-
cate to him. He wants to know if this
kind of thing is right. The letter has
been submitted to the attorney gen
eral. 1t is said that judges must GER
tify that witnesses are "material' to
the .Ase, and some of them refuse to
sign such certificates on the ground
that not having heard the testimony
they cannot testify whether the wit
ness is material or not. Whatever
may be the legal arguments of the
case, it does seem hard that witness
must spend four or five days or more
at the court house after being sum-
moned by the state and then has to
pay his own expenses.
The Case Against the Telegraph.
Columbia State: Attorney General
Bellinger has returned from New York
where be has finished taking testimony
in the case of the state and the tele-
graph companies. The argument will
be made before Judge Brawley at his
convenience. The legislature, in 1899,
passed an act placing the railroad
commission in control of the telephone
and telegraph companies operating
within the state. The railroad COM
missioners endeavored to reduce the
rates of toll on telegraph messages and
a lawsuit followed. The telegraph
companies concede the right of
the railroad commission to regu-
late the rates of toll on MESA
ges; but deny the right of the COM
mission to reduce the rates since the
business is not now profitable. The
testimony has been taken in New
York, as the greater number of wit
uesses live in that city. The litigation
has been running on over year, and
the matter will probably be settled be-
fore many weeks. Mr.. Bellinger says
that the companies operating in the
state received in 1898 about $l0S, 900
tolls, of which amount about 5000
was net. However, the companies
claim that the profit is not from busi-
ness received and handled within the
state; but from interstate business
with which the South Carolina COM
mission has nothing to do. Of the
gross receipts, &C per cent. is said to
accrue from points in South Carolina
to offices in other states, and on this
business is obtained the profit which
the telegraph companies netted. The
companies claim that on the interstate
or local business there was no profit, and
therefore they protest that the railroad
commission has no right to reduce the
tolls. In fixing a schedule of rates
the railroad commission had in view
the fact that the telegraph COM
panies had been arbitrary in making
rates and that the charges in some
cases were excessive. The rate was
changed to "a cents a message even,
when relayed. The hearing before
Judge Brawley will decide the matter
and the patrons of telegraph service
will hope for victory for the state.
DELEGATES OF THE SECEDERS.-'
po, nr " Gnllou,,, C,ctonio