Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-03-10
SOUTH CAROLINA NEWS.

association.
Columbia, March 7: Chester Ken
nedy, the wealthy Barnwell county
man, who was convicted more than a
year ago as accessory to the murder
of w. Perry Ussery, at Dunbarton, Is
seeking a pardon. The testimony at
the trial showed that Kennedy hired
Quitman Johnson, negro, to shoot j.
NJ. Weeks, but Mr.. Ussery was killed
by mistake. Gov. Blease today ordered
a hearing on the question of pardon
Spartanburg, March 8: Magistrate
Augustus H. Kirby, the 82-year-old
Justice Of the peace In the city OF
Spartanburg, has received letter
from Governor Coleman Livingston
Blease notifying him that he must at
once vacate the office, as his commits
sion has expired and ]. Malcolm Bow
den has been appointed In his stead.
Major Kirby holds that, as the ap-
pointment Of his successor was not
confirmed by the senate, he Is still an
officer and fatty refuses to give up the
place. Attorneys have been employed
and legal fight Is being looked for
ward to with keen interest.
Following is the answer Of Chief
Justice Jones to the letter Of Governor
list of lawyers, who would be con-
sidered eligible for appointment as
judges: II am in receipt Of your let
ter Of February %. in which you give
list Of twenty-five lawyers whom you
suggest as qualified and competent to
serve as special judges, and in which
you express a willingness to furnish
other names If these suggested are not
by me deemed worthy to serve. shall
not call upon you, governor, to furnish
any such list and regret that you have
troubled yourself with a matter beyond
the scope Of your executive powers"
Columbia special of March s, to
Greenville Piedmont: Representative
Hartwell M. Aver, editor Of the Flor
ence Times, contributes in his paper
an interesting article on inside" pol
itics in South Carolina. The Florence
paper learns on what Is considered
good authority that Governor Blease
has been batting the delegations Of the
various counties in the matter of ap-
pointments at the solicitation Of those
who compose political ring" In this
state. General Willie Jones, chairman
of the state executive committee, is
the supposed head Of the ring" and
according to the Florence papers in
formant, Is telling the governor what
to do in matters Of appointment. This
information will come under the head,
important If true"
Clemson, March 8: The board Of
trustees met here in regular session.
all of the thirteen members being pres
ent at s o'clock last night, and ad-
journed this afternoon. The matter or
the presidency Of the college was taken
up last night and the board elected to
the presidency Prof. Walter Merritt
Riggs, who has been acting president
since January l, 1910. Prof. RIGGS
who has been on the Clemson faculty
since 1895, and has been director Of
the engineering department Of the COL
lege since 1901, was in no sense an
applicant for the position Of president
of the college, but had been made act
ing president without his knowledge.
His work as acting president seems
to have convinced the board so fully
that he Is the man for the presidency
Of the college that they elected him
unanimously, and he though reluctant
to give up his engineering work, has
accepted the new position.
Columbia, March 8: Representative
Jas. E. Davis Of Barnwell, presented
to Governor Blease Tuesday afternoon,
a petition, counter to that which was
recently filed In behalf of ]. Chester
Kennedy, the white man who was con-
victed of procuring the murder OF
neighbor, Perry Ussery, by negroes on
the square of Barnwell, and who was
sentenced two years ago to life impris-
onment in the penitentiary. Mr.. Davis,
a former solicitor. was one Of the at
torneys assisting Solicitor Byrnes In
the prosecution. He supported the pc
a. OF
the governor not to pardon or parole
Kennedy and turn him loose again up
on the community. Mr.. Davis said he
had procured the signatures Of some
of the best people Of Barnwell county
to the petition. Among the endorse
ments Is one by Magistrate T. S. Dun
bar of Four Mile, who swore Co. ernor
Blease into office, For Gods sake don't
grant it." Kennedy Is man of about
"a years. His father died recently.
Spartanburg Herald: If the Pied
Piper of Hamelin should come to Spar
tanburg he could doubtless obtain en-
ployment at the county jail. The pris-
on Is infested with rats. 1t Is said to
be no exaggeration that some Of them
are as large as gray squirrels. They
scramble up and down the water pipes
and hold high carnival at night. Since
Joe Bates, the condemned murderer,
set about the task of ridding his cell
of the vermin, as mentioned in the
Herald Of Tuesday, he has caught fif-
teen rats and put them to death. Fail
ing to capture the rodents with
crudely constructed trap, by which ne
planned to lure them into his bath
tub, he resolved to catch them with his
hands. He has attained great prof.
cheney in the dangerous role, and
whiles away many a tedious hour In
rat catching. One night recently he
had great success, bagging five fero-
cious rats. One Of the animals bit him
severely in the hand. Bates puts his
prisoners to death in various ways.
AS mentioned in the Herald, he hang
ed three of them by the neck with
pieces Of string until they were dead.
Upon request, Governor Blease has
furnished a correct copy Of the letter
that he wrote to Chief Justice Jones
giving the lawyers he thinks are quail
flied to act as special judges. The let
ter Is as follows: Dear Sir: l would
respectfully suggest to you the follow
ing gentlemen, members of the bar
of South Carolina, who are qualihed,
competent and we'll enough learned In
the law to hold any court that may be
u
state: w. N. Graydon, Abbeville; Jno.
f. Breazeale, Anderson; Arthur Best,
Barnwell c. c. Simms, Barnwell: w.
P. Pollock, Cheraw; T. Boutwell, But
ler Gaffney; George w. Brown, Dar-
lington Samuel MCGOWAN Simpkins,
Edgefeld; G. Willard Ragsdale.. Flor
ence; J. NJ. Cannon, Laurens; Thomas
G. Mcleod, Bishopville; B. F. Kelly,
Bshopville; T. I. Rogers, Benefits
vile; F. L. Bynum, Newberry; Thos
F. Brantley, Orangeburg; Samuel ].
Nichols, Spartanburg; w. B. Wilson.
Sr., Rock Hill; James P. Carey, Jr.,
Pickens: James E. Peurifoy, Walter
boro: Leroy Lee, Kingstree; Robert H.
Welch, Columbia; r. o. Purdy. Sum-
ter. There are many other names
which I could furnish you and which
I will be pleased to furnish, If there Is
none on this list which you think Is
worthy Of at some time being spe-
cial Judge. Very respectfully, ETC."
Beaufort special Of March 9, to|
Columbia State: Judge Gary today at
Walterboro issued a temporary injunc-
ton against the men recently appoint
ed township commissioners in Beau
fort county in opposition to the recon-
nendations of the legislative delega-