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About The Abbeville chronicle. (Abbeville, Ga.) 1896-1953 | View Entire Issue (June 16, 1898)
The Abbeville Chronicle. VOL 11. I 15,000 Start For Cuban Shores. (band Total of the Expedition Consists of 773 Oflicers and 14,564 Enlisted Soldiers. It was formally announced at the war department Monday that the military expedition had left Key West at daylight bound for Santiago. All day Sunday there was a lively confer ence between the officials of the navy nrinl war departments, and after an all day session the war board completed its plans for convoying the troop transports. Major General Shatter, who commands this expedition, has with him a force of 773 officers and 14.561 enlisted men. Tue United States regular troops make up the greater part of the force, t ere being bu three volunteer or ganizations on the ships. These are the Seventy-first New York infantry volunteers, the Seeond Massachusetts iufautry volunteers and two dismount ed squadrons of four troops each from the First United States volunteer cav alry, the regiment which Colonel Wood commands and of which Theo dore Roosevelt is the lieutenant colo nel. It was difficult to prevail upon the mounted riflemen to leave their mounts behind, but this' was a matter of ne cessity, it is said, owing to the lack of accommodations for the horses on shipboard. Tho best that the department could do at this time in the way of supplying the cavalry contingent for the expe dition was to include among the troops one squadron of the Second United States cavalry, fully mounted, with nine officers and 280 enlisted men. By far the larger portion of the ex pedition is made up of infantry, al though an unnsually large number of artillery is included; and that the cav alry is almost altogether lacking. It is expected, however, that the dis mounted cavalry with the expedition will be mounted later on in Cuba either from the .stock of native forces or. from mounts that will follow them from this country. Captain Taylor, of the battleship Indiana, was in 'command cf the naval convoy fleet which accompanied tho transport ships. The make-up of the convoy fleet was withheld. The war department announced Monday that it had begun active prep arations for the eecond army of inva sion. It is believed that the second army will go to Porto Rico. SOUTHERN PROGRESS. The N ftv Industries Iteported in the South During: the Past Week. The new industries throughout the south reported during the past week include, among other enterprises, largo cotton ginneries at Louisiana and Georgia points, another cotton mill for North Carolina, an electric light plant in Virginia, an electric light aud power plant in Mississippi, a SCO,000 bushel grain elevator in northern Tex as, an engine works in Kentucky, a flouring mill in Arkansas, a handle factory and a knitting mill in Georgia, companies in Texas, North Carolina and Arkansas, planing mills and sash and door a riff blind factories in North aud South Carolina and Ar kansas, a shingle and stave mill in Georgia, large silver mining develop ments in Arkansas, .and a soap factory in Texas.—Tradesman (Chattanooga, Tmin.) LYNCHED IN PUBLIC SQUARE. Kansas Mob Makes Short Work of Mur derer Becker. In the public square of South Bend, Kan., fronting on the principal street of the city, a murderer was lynched at 8 o’clock Monday evening by a mob of piobably 500 persons. It is esti mated that at least 1,000 men of Great Bend’s population of 2,500 persons witnessed the tragedy. Tbe victim was John Becker, a young white man, who, on April 8th, killed Myrtle Huffmeister, the sixteen year-old daughter of William Huff meister, a farmer living midway be tween Great Bend and Ellenwood. ABBEVILLE. GA.. THURSDAY, JUNE 16. 1898. SAMPSON PRAISES HOBSON. Admiral Send* Official Report Regaril inK Mevrlmac Affair. The navy department Saturday post ed the following bulletin giving a de tailed oflu-ini report from Admiral Sampson upon the heroism of Lieu tenant Hobson and his men in sink ing the Merrimac in the Santiago chan nel : Flagship New York, Off Santiago, June 3, 18!) .—Permit me to call your special attention to Assistant Naval Constructor Hobson. As stated in a special telegram before coming here I decided to make the harbor entrance secure against the possibility of eg itss by Spanish ships by obstructing the navrhw part of tho entrance by sinking a collier at that point. Upon calling upon Mr. Hobson for his professional opinion as to a sure method of sinking the ship lie mani fested the most lively interest in the problem. Affer several days’ consid eration he presented a solution which he considered would insure the im mediate sinking of the ship when she reached the desired point in tho chan nel. This plan whs prepared for exe cution when we reached Santiago. The plan contemplated a crew of seven men and male Hobson commander, who begged that it might be entrusted to him. The anchor chains were ar ranged on deck for both the anchors, forward and aft, the plan including the anchoring of tho ship almost auto matically. A careful inspection of tho harbor from this ship showed that the vessel Merrimac had been sunk in the chan nel. This afternoon tho chief of staff of Admiral Cervera came out under a Hag of truce with a letter from the ad miral extolling the bravery of the crew in an unusual manner. I cannot too earnestly express my appreciation of the conduct of Mr. Hobson and his gallant crew. I ven turo to say that a more brave and dar ing thing has not been done since Gushing blew up the Albemarle. “Referring to tlie inspiring letter Avhieh yon addressed to the officers at the beginning of the war, I am sure you will offer a suitable professional reward to Mr. Hobson and his com panions. “I must add that Commander J. M. Miller relinquished his command with the greatest reluctance, believing he would retain his command under all circumstances. He was, however, finally convinced that the attempt of another person to carry out the multi tude of details which had been in preparation by Mr. Hobson might en danger its proper execution, I theve fore took the liberty to relieve him for this reason only. There were hun dreds of volunteers who were anxious to participate; there were. 150 men from the Ioxva, nearly as many from this ship and large numbers from all the other ships, officers and men alike. “W. T. Sampson. ” OUIl FLAG RAISED IN CUBA. Sampson ami Schley Still "Watching Off Shore at Santiago. An Associated Press dispatch,under date of Sunday, sent from Kingston says: For four clays the scene of mili tary and naval operation has been Gaimanera aud Guantanamo bay. The American flag is flying on the shore and in the harbor, first planted on Cu ban soil by United States- marines from the transport Panther, under Lieutenant Colonel R. W.Huntingion, covered by the guns of the cruiser Mar, blehead, commanded by Commander McCalla, whose name is a synonym for activity and fighting. The battleship Oregon hasaheady coaled in the smooth waters of the harbor and lias sailed away. She was followed by other ships. Tho squadrons of Rear Admiral Sampson and Commodore Schley are still off Santiago, maintaining a strict, watch day and night to pre vent {bo possibility of the escape of Admiral Cervera. Severe storms prevail between San tiago de Cuba and Jamaica. The press dispatch boats have encountered these storms for the last ten days, making the voyages very difficult, The heat adds to the discomfort, but a daily service is maintained, Alabama Miners to Meet. The Alabama miners will hold a con yeution in Birmingham on June 25th f or the purpose of dismissing an ad vance j n wa ges which will be asked of the various companies, and for the transaction of other important busi ness. THE HO WARD-BAKER FEUl). Kentucky JmlS® Anxiously Await* Troops For Protection. The news from the Howard-Baker feud in Clay county, Ky., is startling. Howard’s party, fifty strong, lias taken possession of the town of Man , following, Chester. The Baker con ; listing of forty well armed men, have rendezvoused three miles from the . town. j proceed Judge with Brown holding is wholly court. unable Although to he expects troops sent by Governor ' Bradley, it is feared the two parties will come into collision before the troops can arrive, i ITS APPEARANCE IN M’HENRY, MISS., CAUSES ALARM. PRECAUTIONARY STEPS TAKEN.' Senators and Congressmen Urge That Troops in Exposed Territory lie Sent to Safe Points. A special from Jackson, Miss., says: Tlie executive committee of the state hoard of health has issued notice to the people of the state, railroad offi cials anil other common carriers, stat ing that yellow fever having been an nounced at McHenry, in Harrison county, Mississippi, and believing the same is not an importation and fearing an outbreik at other coast towns where fever occurred last year, and ordering: That inspectors shall be placed at once on the lines of tho railroads run ning through Harrison, Hancock and Jackson counties. Pending an investigation no person, baggage, freight or express matter will be allowed to come into any other comity in this state from Harrison, Hancock and Jackson counties. McHenry is a small place, isolated, and there is little danger of its spread ing outside the limits there But the fever cases are officially believed to be ‘due to germs that have hibernated at McHenry from last season when the fever was much in evidence in that section. Burgeon General Wyman is quoted as follows: “Ordinarily if we had not been on the lookout these cases might have been progressing for a long period without being recognized and the diagnosis might have been disputed. But there is hope now in view of their prompt discovery that tho spread will be prevented. In several places last summer the fever was quickly recog nized and did not spread, attributable to the prompt preventative measures adopted. We are keeping a close watch not only at McHenry, but elsewhere.” A Washington special says: Senator Bacon, of Georgia, had a conference with the president Friday concerning the reported yellow fever in the south and the precautions that will be neces sary for the government to take to protect the troops from the disease. Senator Bacon advised the presi dent to see to it at once that tho United States forces enlisted be re moved from the legion of contagion either by sending them to Cuba or Porto Rico, or by moving tho per manent camps from the lowlands to higher elevations. Tho wliolo matter has been referred lyy the president to Surgeon General Wyman, who was instructed to make a report on it at tho earliest possible moment. The Mobile board of health has quarantined against the entire gulf coast pending an investigation. There is no alarm felt there over the yellow fever at McHenry. Mobile is enjoy ing excellent health. A special from Austin, Texas, says: “In view of the outbreak of yellow fever in Mississippi, State Health Offi cer Sivearinger will inspect the state quarantine stations with a view to pre venting the importation of the epi demic. Govenor Culberson states that all the power and resources at his command will be exerted toward shut ting out the fex’er if possible.” SYMPATHY FOR MRS. OKI BLEY. Citizens of Olympia, Washington State, Send Condolence. A special from Olympia, Wash., says: Governor Rogers has forwarded to Mrs. Gridley, widow of the late Captain Gridley, of tho cruiser Olym pia, on behalf of the people of the capital city aud the state of Washing ton, an eloquent expression of sympa thy for tlie loss of her gallant lius fland. JAPAN REGISTERS KICK. Says Our New Revenue Measure Will Ruin Ilor Tea Trade. Japan has entered a strong protest against the duty on tea provided for in the war revenue bill. Tho protest was sent to tho state department Fri day, and by it forwarded to the con ference committee. T IE SECOND EXPEDITION. Arrangements Therefor Being Hurried at War Department. A Washington special says: Arrange ments for the second expedition of in vasion from tlie United States for the West Indies are being hurried at the war department. There seems to be no doubt that this expedition, if its number approaches the fifst, will he sent from the east coast of tho United States. The experience in embarking the first from Tampa has demonstrated to the war department officials that other ports where the railroad and other facilities are more adequate than at Tampa. SOLDIERS TERRORIZE TAMPA. Drunken Mob Tak«n Poaaeesfon Of Bar rooms aiut Pillage Cafes. The details of rioting among the United States troops at Tampa are becoming move ami more public as letters are received in Savannah from troops now in Florida. The whole aft’air was a most dis graceful one. The press censors kept the story from reaching the nowspa pnpersfor neatly a week. Ybor Monday evening Fort Brook and city were virtually in control of a mob. Tho most disgraceful scenes were enacted, and, to their shame he it said, tho disorderly mob was co n posed entirely of soldiers of the United States army. The soldiers were nearly all colored, and were members of the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-fifth United States infantry regiments. They began their work of destruc tion by forcibly taking possession of barrooms' in Fort Brook. The mob visited the Seinmore cafe at the end of the car line in Ybor City and demolished everything in the place. Another mob broke into half dozen saloons and the same scenes were en acted as at Fort Brooke. Tho provost guard and the city police wore powerless to stop the mob, and the disorder was continued until after daylight, when a battalion from the Second Georgia regiment of volunteers was sent out with orders to stop the rioting. A number of shooting scrapes took place. Four privates, all negroes, and one officer are reported on good au thority to have been killed. Several other soldiers were wounded, but the oflicers and men refuse to give the names of the victims. KILLED BY TORPEDO. Fatal Accident at St. John’s Bluff, Near Jacksonville. A Jacksonville, Fla., dispatch says: At St. John’s Rluff Friday morning J. J. O’Rourke and Ed Houston, two well known young citizens of Jacksonville, were instantly killed, and Lieutenant Hart, of thoUnited States engineering oorps, was seriously injured, and a stenographer named Baruliarm aud a negro were also painfully hurt. For several weeks Lieutenant Hart has been engaged in laying mines in the river at St. John’s Blnff. He has beeu assisted in this work by J. J. O’Rourke The men w«Te testing a torpedo, when by gome unaccountable reason O’Rourke connected the battery wire with the firing plug instead of the testing plug and in a moment a terrifio explosion took place. Houston was blown to atoms, the only part of bis body beiug recovered was a leg. O’Rourke was instnntly killed,but was not very badly mutilated and Lieutanent Hart was struck with pieces of shell. The stenographer and negro, too, were also struck by flying pieces of the torpedo. FAVOR AN INVESTIGATION. Barbee, Smith and Stahlman Ask Sus pension of Judgment* A Nashville dispatch says: In con nection with, the proposition to inves tigate the passage of tho Southern Methodist Publishing house claim, the following telegram is of interest. It was sent to a number of senators Friday: “Nashville, Tenn., June 10,1898.— We hope the Lodge resolution will pass and that a thorough investigation may follow. We do not care to discuss the matter now. All we ask on our behalf, as well as the church, is that you and other senators who supported the claim shall suspend judgment and refrain from comment or criticism un til after the committee shall ho able to show, to the satisfaction of the com mittee and the senate, that all state ments made by us, designed to promote the passage of the bill, were justified liy the facts aud circumstances of tho case. Bakiiee & Smith. “E. B. Stahlman.” THE WHEAT ACREAGE. tiuveTnmttnt Issue# Report Gathered From Preliminary Returns. Preliminary returns received by the government of tho spring wheat acre age, with the two Dakotas in partic ular subject to revision, indicate a total area seeded of 1(5,800,000 acres, added to the area in winter wheat, 26,200,000, makes a total wheat acreage of 43,000,000, or rather over 3,500,000 acres greater than last year. FIRED ON CABLE CUTTERS. Spanish Gunboat Forced to Retreat By the Marblehead. Advices via Kingston state that while the Yankee and tho St. Louis were cutting tho cable at Guantanamo, sixty miles oast of Santigo de Cuba, Sunday afternoon, the Marblehead fired at a small Spanish gunboat and she returned the fire, the old-fash ioned forts joined in the engagement, the gunboat retreated into the harbor and the forts were silenced by tho. Marblehead. It is not believed that tho Spanish gunboat was struck, as the range was too great. The Marble head and the Yankee returned to the blockade at midnight. RETORT OF SPANISH WARSHIPS NEAR CUBA CHANCE PLANS. MORE PROTECTION IS FURNISHED. Soldiers Win Not Move Until the Way Is Known to lie Absolutely Clear of llanaer. The reports that Spanish warships were hovering in the vicinity of Ha vana caused tho turning back of the transports which had departed from Tampa on the way to Cuba. The reports also caused the forma tion of another formidable Amo: ican fleet, consisting of sixteen warships of va ious classes, headed by tho big battleship Indiana, to servo as a er.n voy for the troop transports. The navy department has not given serious credit to those reports, yet they were more or less circumstantial. In order to avoid the slightest possibility of a dash by some Spanish ships against the troop transports, this new flert of sixteen warships was determined upon. Whether it was orderod from Wash ington or was due to the precaution ary measures of the officials in com mand in the south l's not disclosed. It is known only that Commodore Remy, commander of the naval base at Key West, brought togothor this powerful floet of convoys. It is strong enough, both in numbers of sliipR, of individual ships and arma ment, to cope with any Spanish war ships that might be at largo in the West Indies, and it entirely elimin ates any possible danger that might attend the transporting of the army of invasion to Cuba. Wore Umlcr Way. The fleet of transports was under steam Wednesday afternoon, with Gen eral Shatter leading on his flagship. The last troops embarked Wednesday morning at daybreak, and by noon tbe fleet had been arranged in line with the convoys as an escort. The trans ports moved to sea with the bands playing martial airs and amid the shouts of 28,000 soldiers. Two hours out the Helena, that had gone in shore for the final orders and with dispatches, rushed to the flagship, had and in a few minutes the ships been signalled that the expedition had been delayed. It was then that it was learned that Spanish warships were in waiting, or supposed to be, and the determination was reached not to pro ceed without a heavier convoy. Thus tho delay. The president announced to would the cabinet meeting Friday that he not permit tho transports to sail again until all suspicion of Spanish vessels in Cuban waters are removed. . REVENUE BILL PASSES. Sonata Acree. To llm Conference Report On tho Measure. The senate put the final touch on the war revenue bill Friday by agree ing to the conference report. Tho _democrats,with against its adoption. eight exceptions, These votod were op posed particularly to the bond feature and the emasculation of the seigniorage provision. indicated The debate generally that tho bill as agreed upon by the con ferees was reasonably satisfactory to everybody, except as to tbe bond pro vision. The votes cast against the adoption of the report reflected the opinions of three senators who are opposed to any increase in the interest-bearing debt of the country. Tlie report was agreed to by tho decisive vote of 43 to 22. Every republican voted for the measure and the votes were supplemented by those of eight democrats, one silver republican and one independent. 'The democrats who voted for the adoption of the measure were Caffery, Gorman of Lindsay, McEnery, Mitchell, Mor gan, Murphy and Turpie; the silver republican was Mr. Mantle anil tbe in dependent was Mr. Kyle. The vote against the report was cast by sixteen democrats, three silver re publicans and three populists. Those voting nay were: Bacon, Bate, Butler, Gannon, Chilton, Clay, Cockrell, Dan iel, Heitfeld, Jones of Arkansas, Jones of Nevada, McLaurin, Martin, Mills, Money, Pasco, Pettigrew, Pettus, Raw lings, Roach, Sullivan, Teller. MUST BE UNMARRIED. No Benedict# Wanted In the Ray Regi ment of Immune#. There is much interest in the an nouncement by Adjutant General Corbin that married men will not bo accepted in Colonel Ray’s regiment. This is understood by some to mean that while there is no such thing as an immune, this regiment, having assum ed to be so, will be treated as if com posed of men actually enjoying immu nity from yellow fever, and will be put in the places most exposed to yellow fever. On this account, some thmk, men with families dependent on them will not be allowed to go as immuues. NO. 21 . ASK RETURN OF MONEY. Tin. M«>t hod i.t It..oil Concern Itoantoil By Senate uh. • A Washington special says: The Methodist Publishing House matter came up in the senate Monday and evolved a very acrimonious debate. Senator Chandler charged that the senate had been deceived by the Dem ocratic senators and that the latter should join in with the Republicans to persuade the book concern to pay the $288,000 back into the United States treasury, or as much of it ns was left after the fees had been settled. Senator Pasco answered this indig nantly and resented the statement that the democrats had entered into any scheme to deceive the senate; that they were innocent of any deception and had been deceived themselves. Senator Bacon made a plain state ment of the case and showed his con nection with it. He said that as a member of tbe committee of claims of the flfty-fourth congress he had done all in his power to have this claim settled. He said that he was not a member of the committee in the fifty-fifth congress but that he worked just as zealously for it, believing that it was as just and us righteous a claim as ever came before congress. Ho had been given assurances by Major Ktuldmau that there was no con tract for fees, and that upon this as surance lie lmd gone to other senators and had assured them that they could vote for the bill with the full con sciousness that every cent would go to the church. Ho deeply resented the injustice which had been done to him and to other senators, and said that he had been most grossly deceived in the whole matter. Senator Tillman was especially se vere in his denunciation of the entire matter and said that the passage of the hill under tho circumstances was ob taining money under false pretenses. Senator Morgan ssid at the proper time he would offer a resolution direct ing the judiciary committee to inquire as to the legality of the claim and its final payment. MORE FIGHTINU AT GUANTANAMO The Missing Advance Pickets Show Fp Safely tit Camp, A special via Kingston says: When the Associated Dress dispatch boat Dauntless left Guantanamo bay after the thirteen hours’ skirmish between the United States marines and the Spanish guerillas and regulars, it was expected that (be fighting would be renewed. The Marblehead was ’ aid ing re-enforcements. At !) o’clock Monday morning the firing was again renewed by the Span iards, who appeared oft' the camp on the edge of a small island, about a mile to the northeast. It was promptly re turned by thirteen rifles and a three inch field gun, and in a short time all signs of the enemy had disappeared. It was then decided by Colonel Huntington to abandon the posi tion first occupied as a camp, as there were no signs of reinforcements of troops, and it was known thnt a force of Spaniards six times more numerous than the marine battalion was in the vicinity. Therefore, the crest of the bill which the troops held was given up to the batteries and rifle pits and the tents were pitched on tho side of tho hill near the harbor, which is pro tected by the warships. To the great delight of the marines in camp, Lieutenants Neville and Shaw, with thirty men of company D, returned in good shape, but much exhausted by eighteen hours of picket duty. One man, Sergeant Smith, of company K, had been shot through the abdomen and instantly killed. It is believed that tho Spanish cas unities were heavy. The battleship Texas arrived Mon day morning and sent ashore forty mar.nes and two automatic Colt guns as re inforcements. The Marblehead also sent an additional small detach ment. CONTROLLING THE FEVER. Surgeon# of 1 he Army and Navy Are Taking Kvery rreeautiou. Surgeon Generals Sternberg, of tlie army, and Van Reipen, of the navy, have taken every precaution to protect the army and navy from yellow fever. Up to the present time neither of them has received any report of conta gion in either branch of the service, nor do they feel that the present con ditions give ground for apprehension, although our troop ships are now in a country infested with yellow fever. MILLIONAIRE ADVANCES CASH. First Regiment Of North Carolina Volun teers In Luck. A dispatch from Raleigh says: Juliau S. Carr, a millionaire tobacconist of Durham, has udvauced xnonoy out of his private funds for the pay of tho officers and men of the First regiment of North Carolina volunteers, in camp at Jacksonville, Fla., for the time they have been in the United States service. The amount is about $25,000. There is no intimation as to when the gov ernment will pay the regiment, con sequently tho men aro rejoicing over their good fortune.
