Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-10-22
Wednesday, October %, 1902.
SOUTH CAROLINA NEWS.
Death of Prof. Witherow.

SOUTH CAROLINA NEws.).
Death of Prof. Witherow.
Prof. w. H. Witherow, for manv
years president of Mt Zion academy
and graded school at Winnsboro, died
last Sunday, aged about 72 years. He
was well-known throughout the state
as an educator of unusual experience
and ability, and also stood exception
ally high in free masonry.
Monument to DR.. Grier.
Due West correspondent Of the Char
lotte Observer: A representative Of the
Butler Marble Works, Of Marietta, Ga,
has been in town this week arranging
for the Grier monument. This Is to be
a splendid memorial to DR.. Grier, late
president Of Erskine, and is to be erect
ed on the campus, from funds contrib
uted for this purpose by persons
throughout the southern country who,
loved this noble man and who desire
to see his name commemorated. It is
to be splendid, life-size statute Of DR..
Grier, standing in his characteristic
manner, with his cane swinging on his
arm, made Of the finest Italian marble,
and erected on pedestal Of mottled
Georgia marble, the whole to stand 16
feet high from the base.
Cnthcart Shoots q Negro.
Columbia special Of October 20 to the I,
Charlotte Observer: Mr.. w. c. Cath
cart, deputy sheriff, killed a Negro this
afternoon. Mr.. Cathcart happened to
be in a tough quarter looking for
white man, when his attention was at
tracted by an alteration between Joe
Thomas and Sarah Beef, both colored.
The Negro man had hit the woman In
the head with piece Of scantling by
the time the officer got there. The bloW>
would have killed a white person and
Mr.. Cathcart's interference no doubt
saved the woman's life. The enraged
man ran at Mr.. Cathcart with an up
lifted axe. The depu.y is a very small
man and he was unable to cope with the
Negro, who was giant. After repeat
edly giving warning, Mr.. Cathcart fired
twice, each ball striking vital spot.
The Negro woman had tried to stop
Thomas by telling him that Mr.. Cath
cart was the sheriff, but the Negro an
swered that Now is as good time to
die as any," Mr.. Cathcart surrendered
himself to his father-in-law, Sheriff
Coleman.
Liability to Poll Tax.
In response to a request from Magis-
trate Thos. G.. White, of Beaufort, AS
sistant Attorney General Gunter has
prepared the following opinion Of gen.
eral interest: "Your request to be ad-
vised whether-a person liable to poll
tax, but whose name does not appear
on the county treasurers books, Is liza
BILE to arrest for non-payment Of poll
tax. Section 492 of the criminal code
Of 1902. imposes a penalty upon any
person failing or refusing to pay his
poll tax, etc. Section Ga, page 78O, act
Of 1901, makes a like provision. 1t Is.
therefore, clearly criminal action, I'M
posing a penalty for non-payment OF
the poll tax. Section 5a defines tax
able poll as being all male persons be-
tween the age Of 16 and 60. 1t follows.
therefore, that all persons falling with
in this definition are liable to poll tax,
the non-payment Of which subjects
them to a penalty, whether their names
appear on the textbooks or not. The
proceeding may be instigated by amy
person. just as any other criminal pro-
ceeding. (See Rodgers VS.. Marlboro
county, 80 South Carolina, $751;"
Suicide In SpartanburE.
Mrs. D. A. Switzer, wife Of promi-
nent planter, who lives near Roebuck,
Spartanburg county, killed herself last
Sunday morning by severing an artery
in her left leg. On the morning Of the
deed the woman seemed in good spirits
and had dressed two Of her children
and. sent them to Sunday school. Mr..
Switzer was taking morning nap and
was awakened by his wife coming into
the room. He thought nothing, how
ever, of 1t at the time, doubtless believ-
ing her about household duties. Mrs.
Switzer went to the bureau drawer and,
unnoticed by her husband, took her
husbands razor therefrom and left
note addressed to her husband, which
was afterwards found. Mr.. Switzer
missed his wife and search was made
for her. When the note was found, the
terrible truth thrust itself upon him
and the searchers grew desperate In
their efforts. About noon her lifeless
body was found in an outhouse nearby.
The text Of the note addressed to her
husband throws no light upon rea-
sonable cause for the rash act. The
note Is as follows: Life Is q failure
to me. Take my children, Dave, and
do the best you can for them. I will
take my life today" Mrs. Switzer was
before her marriage Miss Ola Lam
bright, and a member Of one of the
prominent families Of the county. She
was a niece Of Colonel Harrison d.
Floyd, of Spartanburg. The deceased
was about IS years Of age and besides
her husband, Is survived by seven chill
dren.