The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-06-08
SAID BERKELEY WAS PARODIsE.

SAID BERKELEY WAS PARoDIsE.
a Promoter Who Told Fairey Stories
Of Mythical Town.
The Charleston Post says the wilds
OF Berkeley county have never been
said to be the fine and glorious coun-
try. as one D. L. Risley, president OF
the Berkeley Railroad Company, has
represented the place to be, in his
efforts to induce settlers to buy pro.
perty and settle in the alleged flourish
ing colonies OF Chicora and Berkeley.
A few days ago Attorney Julian
Mitchell, Jr., representing William
Stoford, instituted proceedings in the
United States circuit court fer re-
ceiver Of the Berkeley railroad and to
secure possession of certain stock. The
numerous athdaVits which Mr.. Mitch
ell took in the preparation Of the
papers to show that Risley is not the
proper party to manage the prope perty,
cast some interesting light on Risley'S
character, and furnishes at the same
time some amusing reading. Never
before was Berkeley county represent
ed as a paradise" which Risley
claimed for it, and it will be news to
the public to learn that regular
weekly railroad service is operated
between Berkeley and Chicago. The
Berkeley railroad is a small affair,
running from Menck's Corner to Chi
cora, a distance of ten miles, and &C
cording to one Garrit Dewinkel, a
KolIander who sold out all his pro-
perty in Minnesota and came South to
settle in Berkeley, upon Risley'S rep
resentations, the road is in such a
condition that after getting the free
pass over the road which was given as
a further iuducement for his settle
ment in South Carolina, he was afraid
to use it, and walked the distance OF
the road rather than risk his life and
limbs on the cars.
The following affidavit Of Dewinkel
is similar to those filed with the court
which now has the matter under ao-
visement, and it will be interesting
and amusing reading to those espec-
tally, who are acquainted with the
primitive conditions Of life and ousi-
ness pursuits ia the county which is
pictured in such glowing terms by the
promoter:
State Of South Carolina, Charleston
county-Personally appeared Garrit
Dewinkel, who being duly sworn, says
he has been living at Springfield, Min
nesota. That he is native OF Hol-
land, and not well acquainted with
the language and the country. That
be was induced by MI. D. L. Risley to
ccme down to Chicora, being induced
thereby by letters from Mr.. D. l.
Risley to himself, setting forth the
aourishing colonies of Chicora and
Berkeley. That Berkeley was a new
colony and that from the letters from
Mr.. D. L. Risley and also from Mr.. ].
L. Risley be came to the conclusion
that the country from it's description
must be paradise, and determined
to come down and buy a farm. He
was also informed that they had a
delightful house, barn, chicken house
and outbuildings which be could rent
very reasonable on the farm, and that
they also enclosed to him a compll-
mentary pass over the Berkeley Rail-
road Company. That efforts were
made to get him to pay down some
money before leaving his home, which
he declined to do. That upon arriv-
ing at Chicora he found no settle
ment at all at Berkeley, and none OF
the facts stated in the letters to him
to be true, and that everything had
been misrepresenced to him. That
the house they showed him was back
out in the woods there were no barn,
chicken house and outbuildings on the
farm and one could see through the
roof Of the house at almost every
point. That the railroad was In such
condition that he was afraid to use
his complimentary pass and walked
back. That the whole thing as des-
cribed to him was a fraud, and that
he, a poor man, has been put to the
great expense Of using his savings to
come down for nothing. That he in
tends to return to Minnesota. That
be sold out everything he owned in
the world at auction to come down
and buy this farm.
That he was also informed to bring
his machine and other appurtenances
of his trade as tailor-that he could
get a number Of customers and do
lucrative business as tailor in this
new settlement. That on his trip up
to Chicora he never saw a single man
who had ever had a suit of clothes
made or would ever have one made to
order.