Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-06-10
Scraps and faets..

in the condition Of cotton over nearly
the whole of the cotton belt. The crop
has, however, suffered some damage in
Oklahoma and Indian territories from
overfiows and from insufficient moist
ure in scattered localities in Louisiana.
Rapid growth and a good state of cul-
tivation are generally indicated. Boil
weevils are increasing rapidly and do
ing considerable damage in number
Of southwestern and south central
counties in Texas.
- Soldiers at Fort Ethan Allen, which
is located near Burlington, VT, are
panic stricken by three mysterious
murders that have been committed on
men in the ranks and the fourth saw
age attack upon an infantryman who
is now dying from stab wounds. All
Of the details Of the murders have been
kept secret by officers, who are In COM
munication with General Corbin. He
is expected at the fort to take person.
al charge of the inquiry. Homes are
barricaded and men of the district go
heavily armed at night. The names
Of the murdered men are kept secret
and nothing but the bare facts are OBJ
tainable. The first murder was three
weeks ago Thursday. The fact that
all the victims were soldiers leads to
the belief that the bloody deeds are
the work Of a deserter who is crazy.
After she had held the police at
bay for a week Hannah Elias, the New
York octoroon who is charged with
blackmail by John F. Platt, was ar
rested last Wednesday. The first ac-
ton brought by Platt was of civil
nature, and the house could not be
broken open to serve the papers. The
woman kept we'll within doors for
week. and although the house was con-
stantly under guard, there was no op-
pnrtunity to effect an arrest. The in
stitution of criminal proceedings, how
ever, solved the pending difficulty, and
the doors of the house were broken
open forthwith. The woman was at
once taken to prison. All Of her prop
erty having been attached, and 1t ap-
pearing that Platt will recover 1t, no
body could pe found who was willing
to 60 on the woman's bond.
The department Of agriculture has
been advised that DR.. Cook, who has
discovered in Guatemala an ant that
Is a fierce enemy Of the boil weevil, has
started by the overland route from
Guatemala for the cotton fields, carry
ing colonies Of ants, with which eX-
periments will be made in the weevil-
ravaeed sections. If these experiments
prove as successful as expected, the COL
onies will be imported In wholesale
manner. DR.. L. o. Howard, the chief
entomologist of the department, has
received a report from his experts IN
Texas regarding the reported discovery
in Bexar county of an ant that destroys
the weevil. The report says that the
ant mentioned is the common Texas
ant, and that nothing unusual has been
developed by the investigation into the
matter. It suggests that the weeVils
had been feeding and depositing eggs
on the plants left over from last sea-
son, and that many of the females
which had died were eaten by the ants,
and adds that as the extreme dry
weather had reduced the number OF
plant lice on the cotton plant, the ants
merely took advantage of the opportu-
nifty to feed on the weevils.
Louisville, KY, special of June 8,
to the New York World: Police Judge
John J. Riley today recognized the old
English custom of allowing husband
the privilege Of whipping his wife, and
as a result Squire Smith, who was be-
fore the court on the charge OF Wife
beating, was dismissed. Attorney Nor
gan read the law as formerly practiced
in England and spoke at length of the
privilege of a husband. The evidence
in the case on trial showed that Smith
had overheard a conversation between
his wife, Mrs. Annie Smith, and anoth-
er man, and accordingly he admonished
her not to talk to other men In the
future. When Smith was arrested he
announced mis- intention of basing his
defence OH a mans right to beat his
wife when she sufficiently offends. He
is a well-known farmer and was never
known before to strike his wife. Il
recognize the right Of any husband
whose record is otherwise clear" said
Judge Riley in dismissing the case,
ito chas.ise his wife where her conduct
is offensive. There Is no other way by
which he can censure her properly for
certain acts discreditable to her and to
him. 1 would not punish this man for
acting as he did"
The sensation of the week in New
York is the mystery surrounding the
death of Caesar Young. in coach in
which he was riding with Nan Patter--
son last Saturday. Young was rich
race horse owner and bookmaker and
Nan Patterson is a former actress.
The two have been intimate for quite
a while. Young was on his way TO a
wharf where his wife was waiting.
They were expecting to take trip to
Europe, the object. as had been given
out by Young, being to break off his
relations with the Patterson woman.
Shortly before the coach reached the
wharf, the woman had it stopped and
when she called for assistance 1t de-
veloped that Young was dead. She
claimed that he had shot himself. The
shot was through the heart. There
were powder marks on Young's hand.
The woman claimed that she had tried