Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-09-10
SOUTH CAROLINA NEWS.


H..
SOUTH CAROLINA NEWS. '.s
L. T. Byars, white, was convicted
in the Richland circuit court, Satur-
day, Of murder, with recommenda-
ton to mercy. Byars shot oliver Lam
ahan, his step-son, some months ago
with a repeating shot gun, while the
young man was standing on the street
Of a mill village, talking to his moth
er. Byars was tried In June, but the
jury failed to agree. He will be sen-
fenced to life Imprisonment. .. .,
= Mr.. Amos Youngblood of North
Augusta, Aiken county, has invented
and patented what he and a large
number of railroad men, who have
seen the device tested, believe to be
a thoroughly practical and reliable au-
tomato switch for railroad tracks. 1t
Is claimed that the inventor has been
offered a large sum for his invention.
Camden special Of Saturday to
the Sunday News: The United States
government warehouse at Smyrl's dis
tillery was consumed by fire last
night, entailing a loss which Mr..
Smyrl estimates at about $4,000.
Over 5000 gallons Of corn whisky were
cOnsumed-171 barrels. There was
$5, 900 insurance on the property. The
fire occurred at about 10 o'clock last
night. Just how II occurred Is not
known, but II. is believed that II was
set on fire, for when the fire was dis
covered II was burning around the
door and there was some evidence Of
some one having been there. 1t Is q
pretty heavy loss on Mr.. Smyrl. = i5.
- Columbia special to Charlotte OBJ
sage from Orangeburg this evening
informs the governor that the negro,
Franklin on trial today for the murder
of Constable Valentine was promptly
convicted and sentenced to hang Oc-
tober goth. AS an act Of precaution,
the governor had the Orangeburg dis
pensaries closed today. Franklin mar
rowly escaped lynching Immediately
after the killing. Mohs chased him
several days, but the sheriff's deputies
picked him up ahead Of the mob and
brought him to Columbia for safe
keeping. Franklin's wife was tried
with him as. an accomplice. but was
acquitted. Valentine was shot down
when he entered Franklin's cabin to
arrest him.
News and Courier: Four hundred. and
sixten bales of cotton were marketed
here last week. The average weight
per bale was 470 pounds, and the aver
age. price paid 13 lie cents per pound.
In round numbers each bale netted
$62, and the total proceeds Of the
above sales, $25,792. According to last
years prices at this time the above lot
Of cotton would have netted about
$42 per bale, and the total proceeds
amounted to s17,4470. Hence the farm
ers received $500 more for the above
lot Of cotton than they got last year
and they are not at all displeased with
this advance In the price OF cotton.
There are many farmers who report
their crop not as good as II promised
to be ten days or two weeks ago. and
they say it will take the above good
prices to make up for the deteriora-
ton. 1t is generally conceded, how
ever, by the farmers that this years
yield will be much better than last
years. 3
- Bennettsvlile special OF Sept. a
to the News and Courier: Wednesday
afternoon while some negro boys were
playing on a large pile Of sawdust at
the Scott Lumber company's mill, at
Marlboro, one of the boys jumped
from the sawdust carrier to :he pile
and sank through the sawdust ont OF
and ashes ascended from the hole
through which he disappeared. Help
was summoned and men began to dig
down the sawdust, hoping to rescue
the boy. They had not gone far with
their work before the whole mass be-
gan to blaze. Letting air into the in
terror had caused the fire to burn
more furiously, and 1t soon became
almost impossible to work at the fiery
crater. The mill has been shut down
for about thirty days. In some way
fire had gotten into a huge pile of
sawdust and burned unnoticed for
several days. The moisture from
rains and dews had kept 1t from burn
ing on the outside, but the fire had
eaten its away into the interior and
burned out a great cavern, leaving
only a crust on top. 1t gave way
when the boy jumped on 1t, and he
probably fell forty feet into the burn
ing mass; and in a few moments met
the most horrible death that can be
imagined. The body had not been re-
covered this afternoon, and 1t will
probably be several days before the
burning mass can be cooled and re-
moved enough to recover the cremat-
ed remains Of the boy.
Columbia, September 6: In the
circuit court here yesterday three
hours were consumed In concluding
the case against Mack Mckenzie, col
ored, charged with grand larceny,
The witnesses put up by Solicitor
Zimmerman yesterday testified that
Mckenzie was the possessor of skel-
eton gold cap, an instrument or dis
guisement employed by professional
crooks and one which is familiar to
the sleuths Of the city. Rev. w. y.
Wharton, superintendent Of Epworth
Orphange, testified that when Mack
Mckenzie was employed at the or
phanage he had a prominent gold
tooth in the front Of his mouth, but
when he was arrested the gold tooth
had disappeared. Mckenzie denied on
the stand that he ever had gold
tooth in his head. 1t was puzzle to
Mr.. Wharton and to the court as TO
how 1t was possible for the negro TO
have a gold crown in his mouth one
day and not on the following when
there was no indication that den
list had operated upon his teeth. De-
tective ]. p. Broom testified TO having
arrested Mack Mckenzie In April, ana
In searching him at police headquar-
ters among other articles found upon
the negro's person was a skeleton
gold cap. Mr.. Broom explained to
the court the use made OF these caps
| by crooks, and told how easily they
could be inserted and removed from
the mouth, 1t being matter of only
moment to slip the shell over tooth
or to remove 1t just as easily. 1t was
also testified by others that Mckenzie
had been seen with the gold cap, The
Jury was out about fifteen minutes
and returned verdict Of guilty. Mr..
Speigner, counsel for the defendant,
made a motion for new trial and de-
voted a short period to argument. Tho
court denied the motion and announc-
ed that he considered the verdict or
the jury a righteous one. Mckenzie
was sentenced to three years on the
public works Of the county.
New York, Sept. s: Some interest
ing information bearing on the dis
patch of Admiral Evans battleship
fleet to the Pacific Is published In the
Times today, and is credited to high
authority The administration, 1t Is
stated, does not mean to confine the
fleets movements to the Pacific coast.
The presidents plan is to send the
warships on to Hawaii and then to the
Philipnines after their Visit to Cali