Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-07-14
SOUTH CAROLINA NEWS.

Batesburg with pneumonia.
- Chester, July IL: Judge Gage, af-
ter hearing several witnesses today in
behalf Of Gus Lee, colored, who was
asking for a new trial on the ground
of newly discovered evidence, granted
the motion. Lees case has become
somewhat noted from the persistent
and at last successful efforts of his
attorney, Mr.. w. H. Newbold, to have
the case reopened. There will be
special session Of court in few weeks
to dispose of the case. Lee was to
have been hanged next Friday.
Gaffney, July 13: Yesterday af-
ternoon little Walter Sarratt and his
brother who Is younger that he, were
playing over an old disused well sew
eral hundred Yards away from his
fathers house, when the boards which
covered the mouth of the we'll gave
way precipitating Walter to the bot
tom a distance of seventy-five feet,
and at the bottom Of which was seven
feet of water The younger child at
once ran to the house to inform his
father, Mr.. Boyd Sarratt, Of the acci-
dent to his brother. The father, al
most frightened out Of his wits, start
ed for the scene of the accident ex-
pecting to find his son at the bottom
of the well. but judge Of his surprise
and relief when he met the boy COM
ing to the house. The little fellow had
crawled to the top after having gone
to the bottom. The only injury which
he sustained was an abrasion on the
back Of his head. The well was wall
ed with stones and the child who was
in his bare feet had climbed the wall
and gotten out without assistance.
Columbia, July II: H. Rudolph
Rabens, the notorious fence" for the
Nolan Mckinley safeblowers gang
which operated in South Carolina
from 1901 to 1905, was brought to
Columbia this afternoon from Walhal-
la and placed in the state penitentiary
to serve out the three-year sentence
imposed upon him for completely in
the burglary Of the Courtenay Manu-
featuring company at Newry, on De-
cember IA, 1903. Rabens was photo
graphed by direction Of Postoffice In
spector Gregory and a thorough de-
scription of him was made for future
use He donned the regulation peni-
tentiary uniform and Monday morn
ing will be put to work. He was we'll
dressed when he entered the peniten-
tiary today, his hat being a genuine
Panama. He carried in his pocket a
bank book and about $50 in bills.
Half a dozen of the yeggs for whom
Rabens conducted his famous fence"
in Charleston, are now serving ten
and fifteen-year sentences In the pen
itentiary here. including William Nc
Kinley and Tom Nolan.
- Columbia State: The United States
court of appeals will sit at Asheville
this week. One Of the important
cases the court has had under advise
ment is the dispensary commission
matter. 1t will be recalled that Judge
]. C. Pritchard at Asheville received
the complaint of certain liquor houses
that they could not get a proper set
tlement of their business down here,
and he assumed jurisdiction over the
whole matter, appointing receivers to
wind up the dispensary affairs. The
dispensary commission made an ap-
peal and the circuit court Of appeals
is expected to hand down this week
it's finding in the whole matter. At the
hearing at Richmond, the attorneys
for the state made some powerful ar
guments, that of B. L. Abney having
been represented as particularly bril-
liant. On the other hand, 1t was re-
ported that T. Moultrie Mordecai, rep
resenting some Of the liquor people,
was up to his own standard. Attorney
General Lyon, Of course, hopes that
the appellate court will decide with
the state of South Carolina. He de-
clares that the prosecution Of grafters
has been very much hindered by this
litigation. Some Of them were on the
run, but the appeal of one of the law
yers to Judge Pritchard secured tenn
porary remedy which has stiffened
the backs Of the persons under suspi-
cion.
Columbia State: Insurance Com
missioner McMaster returned last
night from a trip to several places In
the state, where he made eXamina-
tions of companies. In Spartanbure
he had the hearing Of the Piedmont
and Palmetto companies in their re-
turn as to his rule to show cause why
their licenses should not be revoked
He has this matter under advisement
and will announce his decision in a
few days. While in Spartanburg he
attended the hearing held before the
master at the instance Of the receiver
for the Carolina Mutual Fire Insur-
ance company. Mr. Stanyarne Will
son, the late president Of the COM
pany, and Miss Callahan, the former
secretary, made statements before the
master and were examined by Mr.. j.
Wright Nash, attorney for the receiv-
er. Mr. Wilson, by showing from
the books, made the statement that
the amount stated some time ago as
having been $4,000 disbursed in ex-
penses was in error and should have
been only SIS, 900 for the, year 1907 to
June, 1908. At the conclusion OF the
hearing Mr.. Nash stated that in view
of the fact that the clerks who had
been paid solely by the Carolina Mu-
tual Fire Insurance company had
served Mr.. Wilson in his law office
without additional pay, that he would
submit arguments to the master to
show why Mr.. Wilson should be call
ed upon to refund to the company
reasonable compensation for these
services and also refund to the COM
pany the $1,000 drawn by Mr.. Wilson
on June 8, 1908, as back salary for
1905 and 1905. There may be addi-
tional hearings in this matter. Com
missioner McMaster states that the
receiver, Mr.. S. M. Wetmore, is doing
ali that he can to get the affairs of
the Carolina Mutual Fire Insurance
company in such order as to be able
to ask the court to levy an assess
ment on the policy holders In this
company to pay the losses which are
due by the company. The court will
doubtless order the proper assessment
to be made and the pOlicyholders Will
be called upon to pay 1t, as they are
liable under the laws Of the state
The commissioner hopes that by this
means those who have had losses in
the Carolina Mutual Fire Insurance
company will sooner or later be able
to have their claims fully paid. The
commissioner examined the Farmers
| Mutual Fire Insurance company OF
| Union, of which Mr.. w. T. Jeter Is
president, and Mr.. ]. M. Greer, secre-
| tary and treasurer. This company has
been in business in Union county since
I1S99. It's books were in excellent or
der and its accounts all Systematically
kept. 1t has about $340, 900 insurance
in force and the cost to the policyhol-
ders has been only rs cents on the
| 800 each year, except two years when
additional assessments of 25 cents
we're levied. The president gets a sal
ary of $25 a year, and the secretary
5000 a year and Is under $4,000
bond. At Laurens he examined the
State Mutual Fire Insurance company
]. A. Austin, president, and T. H. Mel
son, secretary and treasurer. This
company has about $1,10O,OOO insur-
ance in force. and preceding the en-
actment of the last Legislature it did
general state business. 1t now con-
fines its work to Laurens and Green