Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-05-08

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OMay 2: An exciting incident, which
proved to be almost a tragedy, broke
up the meeting Of Amity lodge of Odd
Fellows at Spring Valley last night.
Norman Hemingway, who comes
from Kansas City, and is a typical
Westerner, has been stopping at Suf-
fern for several months. Lately he ex-
pressed a desire to join Amity lodge.
He presented excellent recommended
tions and last night was on hand to
take the degree. During trying and
exciting period in the ceremony which
was to make an Odd Fellow of him, w.
R. Sherwood advanced upon Heming-
way in threatening manner. 1t was
so realistic that the Westerner whipped
out a revolver from his back pocket
and fired at Sherwood. Sherwood stag
gered and put his hands up to his face.
CONSERVATION reigned in the lodge.
Some members grabbed Hemmingway
and disarmed him, while others went to
Sherwoods aid. Sherwood had not been
hit by the bullet, but the powder had
flashed in his face and eyes. Sherwood
was taken to his home, the ceremonies
coming to an abrupt end. Sherwood is
around all right today, but is consider
ably shaken up by his experience.
Hemingway was not molested and he
left town today.
1t is expected that within a day or
two the programme will be completed
at the war department for substan-
tial reduction Of the present strength of
the United States army in the Philip
pines. Regular troops now there who
have seen the most service are the
Fourteenth, Eighteenth and Twenty
third Infantry, and one battalion Of the
Third Artillery. They went out to Ma
nila in 1898, in the first expedition under
ed policy Of the department heretofore
lived up to is continued, these will be
the first organizations to return to the
United States. Some of these troops
will be replaced with the new levies
just raised in this country. It has not
yet been determined how large reduc-
tion will be made. The department Is
also arranging to transfer number of
enlisted men from one branch Of the
service to another with a view to Sc
curing the balance Of proportions con-
templated in the reorganization bill.
Enlistments are being made in satis-
factory numbers. These enlistments
will soon bring the army up to the
maximum Of $4,000 men. At present the
infantry and cavalry under the sched-
ule recently approved by Secretary Of
War Root, are practically complete or
would be If the excess Of men in differ
ent regiments were transferred to regi-
ments in process of formation. The ar
tillery is still short, and the transfer
proposition contemplates taking men of
experience in the infantry and cavalry
arms and assigning them to the artil-
lery, if they should prefer that service.
If not, the new enlistments will have to
be made for the artillery in order to in
crease that branch to the maximum of
$4,000 men.
The city Of Jacksonville, Florida,
was swept by one of the most disas-
trous fires ever known in the South,
pile of ginned moss, at the works of the
Cleveland Fibre company, from spark
from Negro cabin nearby, got beyond
the control Of the workmen, proved too
much for the fire department, and
rushed onward by high wind fed
fiercely on the pitch pine weatherboard-
ing and dry shingles of neighboring
buildings, until it was impossible to
stay it's course. The fire ragged from
12.45 p. m, until 10.15 p. m, when it
burned out all there was on which to
to feed, and having left a blackened
swath three miles long and over mile
in width. The destruction included 14S
blocks of buildings and rendered some
10000 people homeless. The property
loss is estimated at something like $10,-
100000; but the figures cannot be def
nitely fixed for quite a while yet. 1t is
known that a number Of people were
burned; but how many cannot be as
certained. 1t is also fact that quite a
number were drowned in the st. Johns
river in which they We're forced to take
refuge against the terrible heat. Dur
ing Sunday, people gathered such of
their household goods as had been saw
ed, on the lots left vacant by their
burned building. Some had a few
blankets, frying pans and other arti-
cles, but most of them were reduced to
the clothes on their backs. Many who
were quite wealthy during the morning,
had been stripped Of all their posses
sions. The governor of Florida sent
troops to take charge of the burned dis
trict on Saturday to keep thieves from
scratching among the ruins for treas
ure. Although the people had not yet
made any appeal for assistance, sub
scriptions commenced coming in on