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

L
murder of Booker Washington.
LANCASTER.
News, July IL: Prof r. A. Dobson
and family, of Laurens, are visiting
Mrs. Dobson's parents, Judge and Mrs
D. A. Williams. -. Mrs. Martha Gent
the aged widow of the late John Gent
who was a Mexican war veteran, died
last Tuesday at the home Of her son,
Mr.. Joseph Gent, in the New Cut sec
ton. She was about so years Of age
and had been in feeble health for some
time. She was a consistent member OF
the Methodist church. She is survived
by the following sons: Messrs. JOS
eph, Jesse, West and Benjamin Gent,
all Of this county The remains OF
Mrs. Gent were buried at Hopewell,
Wednesday. Mr.. S. L. McManus OF
Tradesville, is entitled to the prize for
rat killing in this county. Some time
ago, ex-Sheriff L. M. Clyburn Of Dixie,
Stayed 200 rodents in his barn, and
that was thought to be a record, but
Mr. McManus now has that record
skinned a mile. Having previously
killed about 300 rats, Mr.. McManus got
so one day this week he invited some
Of his neighbors to come over and join
in the sport. The party killed alto
gether over 440 rats, and it wasn't a
good day for rats either. Surveyors
Dwight. Wilson and Colcock, who were
appointed by the governor to survey
the line between Lancaster and Ker-
shaw counties, began their work
Tuesday morning at Peay's ferry, on
the Catawba river They were unable
to find the old corner at the ferry. Run
ming a line about half mile up the
river, the surveyors then struck out in
the direction Of Russell Place, which
point was probably reached day before
Yesterday. 1t will most likely be the
latter part of next week before Ker-
shaw. the disputed territory, is reach
ed. 1t is thought that great difficulty
will be experienced in locating the cor
ner near Bethel church, south Of Hang
ing Rock creek, on the old stage road
leading from Lancaster to Camden. If
that corner can be found, it is said
that there will be no trouble in run
ming the line, which is a straight one,
from that point to Lynches river. .....
While presiding at the last term of
court here Judge Gage, in his charge to
the grand jury, said that an examina-
ton of the criminal dockets by him re-
vealed the fact that fOrty-siX homi-
eide cases had been tried in Lancaster
in the past ten years, and that SIM
liar investigation made at the previous
Winnshoro court showed a record of
fnrty-five of such trials for Fairfield
county in the same length Of time. He
also stated that when he held the
Chester and York courts he hoped to
find better records in those counties.
His honor was doomed to disappOint-
ment however. In his charge this week
to the grand jury in Chester, his
home town, Judge Gage is credited
with saying that statistics show that
for ten years manslaughter has stead
lily increased in Chester county, from
four murders in 1898 to nine In 1907,
making a total Of fifty in the past dec
ade" I4ancasters record is bad enough
but there are others. Two colored
men, John Gladney Of White Oak, and
another whose name we have been un-
able to learn. were drowned at Great
Falls Monday afternoon, while rafting
logs from Bowden Island to the lower
dam. which is now in course Of con-
structiOn by the Southern Power COM
pany The river being very high at
the time. rendering other work imprac-
ticable. crowd of men were put to
rafting logs down the river to the saw
mill When the raft reached a point
opposite where Rocky creek empties
into the river, the locality being known
as Hazards" the logs were torn apart,
precipitating the rafting crew into the
raging waters. Twenty three Of the