The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-05-08
Trouble at Kings Mountain Military School.

to Major Braaham severing his con-
nection with the Kings Mountain Mill
tary Academy at which Institution he
was the Commandant chosen for the
position on account of the high stand
he took at the Citadel. His leaving
the Kings Mountain institution under
what appeared from the publication in
the Yorkville Enquirer, 4 cloud was 4
painful surprise to those who have
known him all OF his life. David Brad
hams life at his home and his four years
at the Citadel was exemplary and any
thing tending to reflect upon his honor.
naturally could not be readily believed.
1t was with this feeling the writer said
that the articles in the News and
Courier, Yorl1ville Enquirer and State
smacked of partisanship and a desire to
screen the school By white washing the
authorities" Since then we are the
more convinced that in order to save
the institution from condemnation there
has been systematic effort to get q lot
of Tree advertising by throwing the
blame for the unfortunate rupture on
Major Bradham and Captain Law fel-
low officer. Even the ministry has
been enlisted to rescue the school at
the expense of the characters Of these
young officers: preacher Rev. J. c.
Johnes who has no connection with the
school, and his interest can only be
mercenary as a citizen of Yorkviile. If
the school is injured by this rupture, of
course there will be fewer dollars spent
in that town. and it behooves its citi-
zens to come to It's rescue even if in
doing so young gentleman's charac-
ter is blasted. Rev. J. G. Johnes being
one of these citizens and evidently a
worshipper of Mammon. instead Of per-
forming ministerial duty, by pouring
oil on the troubled waters" as a sincere
and devout minister should, he rushes
into print to help crush the future OF
the young officers who severed their
connection with that school. Space
forbid US giving all that has been said
in the newspapers about this affair and
we will only reproduce the report from
the Yorkville Enquirer, a newspaper
published in the town where the school
is situated, together with Major Brad
hams statement, and we will say that
it was not the desire OF Major Bradham
to parade his troubles before the public,
hoping that Colonel Stephenson the
superintendent. would have honor and
manliness enough to do him justice.
Seeing however, that Colonel Stephen
son by his silence and possibly acqui-
essence permits a foul and slanderous
advantage TO be taken of him he makes
a statement which we regard, knowing
the man as we do. a complete and digni-
fed exposition OF the trouble.and an ex-
oneration of himself.
The Enquirer said:
There has been qui5e little shake up
in the Kings Mountain Military acad-
emy during the week, as the result OF
which Two professors and four students
have severed their connection with the
institution. The professors are gone
for good. That fact is settled; but in
the case of some OF the boys there may
be further investigation.
A representative of The Enquirer
called at the academy Thursday to get
the facts in the case, and found but
little trouble in securing the details OF
the story. Colonel Stephenson frankly
gave such information as was requested
of him and the story, as told by several
of the cadets, was in full cc"roboratioD.
It seems that the trouble has been
brewing for quite awhile, and from all
accounts Captain Law and Major Brad
ham show up as the principal disturb
ing elements.
For reasons that he considered suffi-
cient. Colonel Stephenson, on Tuesday,
asked for the resignation of Captain
Law. Major Bradham, who is a fellow
graduate and classmate with the cap
tain, sought to soften the effect of Col
unel Stephenson's action by asking for
the withdrawal of the formal request.
promising that the resignation would
then follow Immediately. Major Brad
hams request was agreed to, and Cap
tain Laws resignation came in Tuesday
night.
Instead OF leaving Tuesday, at once
Captain Law remained about the bar
racks until Wednesday evening, and
whether he was responsible for it or not,
there developed spirit Of uneasineSs
and insubordination in certain of the
boys. It was, as the result of this. that
four boys left by suspension, expulsion,
desertion and honorable discharge. A
statement OF the details, is notnecessary.
It was during Wednesday evening
and night, that the more interesting
Developments occurred. Here is. the
way two Of the cadet officers tell the
story:
zone of the boys had been trying to
get a furlough, and Colonel Stephenson
had refused to grant it. When the
the bus came up for Captain Law, the
boy slipped out of the back way. and we
understand that Major Bradham had
furnished him with the money to 60
home on, and promised to send his
trunk after him. We know that Major
Bradham instructed Sergeant Carroll
not to report the absence of this cadet
from formation. Sergeant Carroll.
however, did report it, as it was his
duty to do, and the corps, or majority
OF it, felt outraged by Major Bra6ham's
conduct. We held a meeting at which
we agreed 10 give Major Bradham to
understand that if he was in barracks
after 10 o'clock, Thursday morning, he
must consider himself responsible for
what would occur. Then, not caring
to anticipate such action as we had rea-
son to believe Colonel Stephenson
would take, we asked him to approve
our purpose. He did so, and we served
the notice on Major Bradham. That
is about all there is of it, except that
Mo ior Pr,cS Sharn left at once and there