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MR WARSHIPS SUNK fvvo Vessels Go to Bottom with 650 Daring Men of Mikado’s Navy. i frightful calamity One Blown Up by Russian Mine and the Other Sunk in Collision During Heavy Fog. An Assoc iated Press dispatch of May 19th from Tokio, Japan, says: Adm iral Togo has reported as follows: ■ L report from Rear Admiral Dewa says that the cruisers Kaisuga and Yosshino collided during a fog off Port Arthur May 0 The Yoshino only ninety of her crew being saved. • On the same day the battleship Hat se struck a Russian mine and sank. ’» Giving details of the disaster Vice Admiral Togo says: .. A t 4:15 p. m., May 15, in a deep fog off Port. Arthur, the Kaisuga ram med the Yosshino, sinking the latter in a few minutes. Ninety of her crew were saved. “The same morning the Hatsuse, while cruising off Port Arthur, cover ing the landing of the soldiers, struck a mine ten knots east, of the harbor entranoo. She signaled for help and instantly struck another mine, She ank in half an hour. Three hundred hi her crew were saved by torpedo ions.' Loss cf Life Frightful. A special under date of May 20th, from Tokio, says: Six hundred and fifty Japanese sailors and marines wept down with the battle ship Hat Buse and the cruiser Yosshino. Hatsuse carried 741 men, of whom 300 were saved. The Yosshino carried 300 and only 90 were rescued. The Yoshimo was a cruiser of tons displacement, was 350 feet had 40 1-2 feet of beam, and draught was 17 feet. Her consisted of four G-inch guns, 4.7-inch guns and twenty-three pounders. Her crew numbered 300. The Hatsuse was a battle ship 15,000 tens displacement of the est model. She was only in 1900, was built in England, was lee: long, had 76 1-2 feet of drew 27 feet of water. She was com pletely armored with steel. Her ament consisted of four 12-inch guns fourteen 6-inch guns, twenty ors. eight 3-pounders and four 2 1-2 pounders, She had four torpedo tubes Her estimated speed was 19.11 knots Her crew numbered 741 men. Causes Joy in Russia. A St. Petersburg dispatch says: loss of at least two Japanese s is officially confirmed. A sage „ated Port Arthur received carrier pigeons at Mukden was mitted to the emperor early % morning, saying that two ese warships had been lost off P°rt. The message followed the percr tq Koursk and no one in St. tersburg knew its contents until ! u tl3e Bight, when foreign Drought full details of the IQS'. Early i u the afternoon reports the sinking of the Shikishima and Fuji on the authority of Russian g9es from Dalnv, began to W aroused the most intense ^ het! later confirmation of ,mkilJ came S of two Japanese warships J^test Witk( 'Bt enthusiasm was Ca reference to its effect on ®Pai gn , the people attribute the “Ts disaster to divine interposition the Russian cause * ^sian circles the Japanese 8tr °PRe is a matter for 0u 8h regrets expressed are PtANT WAS PRINCIPAL STOCKHLOER. failure of Mecoi Banks Affects the fypress Lumber Company. A Petition was filed in the States district court at Macon, Thursday, 5 Lui asking that the Red f es s «mber bankrupt Company be J Wge Ati order was issued of Speer ordering that the that concern appear before a of hank ruptcy. It-; stated by of the that **• »ij„ one on % fi„ '‘ ms rnC3nt ' H. sus Pensions of the tQ j R. Plant, who is lhe principal stockholder. brave men have lost their lives. But this feeling of sympathy is swallowed up in the greater thanksgiving for the blow inflicted on the sea power of the enemy, it is pointed out that the Hat suse was one of Japan’s finest battle ships, and that the loss of two. and possibly four, warships at Intervals of a few days cannot fail to deeply affect Japan and to influence the course of the campaign. No surprise is expressed by the ad miralty at the Japanese vessels strik ing Russian mines, the admiralty ex pecting such a mishap to Vice Admiral 1 Togo, particularly since the naval com mander at Port Arthur has faithfully duplicated his plan which resulted in the sinking, of the Petropavlovsk. Wherever off Port Arthur the Japan ese squadron appeared during the day, that same night Russian torpedo boats stole out and carefully planted contact mines, which, floating below the sur face, would not be touched by the de stroyers, but the ships of the heavier draught, cruising in the mine fields, would be sure to strike them. The favorite point selected by the Japan ese for bombardments of Port Arthur is Lia-Ti-Shan promontory, and the water has been thickly sown with Russian mines. Other points besides Liao-To-Shan have also been mined, and it has been dangerous for the Jap anese ships to cruise in those waters. Jap Army Hard Hit. It is reported in Niuchwang from a reliable source that the army from the Yalu river has heavy blow and been p driven back a Feng-Wang-Cheng. To Relieve Pert Arthur, A. G. Hales, the correspondent The Daily News (London), has from Tien Tsin as follows, under cf May 19: “It is reported that 70,000 are marching to the relief of Port thur and the Japanese are ly hastening offensive operations. “Forty-five thousand troops have ready been landed at Kin-Chau Talienwan, thus entiredy Port Arthur. “The Japanese advanced lines seven miles from the Russian bat teries. “Skirmishes occur daily along I railroad. : “It is believed that the ! intend attacking Port Arthur with j entire force when it numbers thousand men. They are mounting | inch naval guns on steel wheels, the object of silencing the batteries. “The Manchurian Railway south Harbin is constantly broken by nese marauders, and the threaten reprisals. “The Russians admit that they to contend with terrible along the whole line. Their however, are behaving splendidly they very confident. it are Korea Breaks With Russia. An Associated Press dispatch Seoul states that the Korean ment has annulled the Russian and Tumen rivers timber granted in 1896. The Russian I nies interested were backed by M i obrazoff, the friend of Viceroy i ieff, and reputed moving spirit of Russian war party, and many siaa noblemen. There have been Quent differences between the semi-official concerns and the Japanese lumbermen, which Korea severing diplomatic relations with Petersburg, has not felt bound to spect Russian commercial contracts. It is announced from Tokio Korea has recalled her minister at Petersburg. OFFICERS ELECTED BY EDITORS. An Alabama Man, Major Scr?**, the National Association. The editorial association in Louis Thursday elected officers as lows: President Major W W Screws, a„ rAW o Alabama; first nc P I b ’ Folsom, of Arkansas; second vice _ ident, W. J- Kll ” e - ° ® vice president, H. B. Varner, of of Carolina; corresponding secretary, A. W.,,bbrook. of Ohio; ,recor,Umg retary J- W. Cochrum, of treasiirer j. Irving Steel, of , vania. south Carolina acts, Democrats in State Convention Ec.t St. Loais Delegates and Formu late a Platform. The South Carolina democratic state convention as-sem'ol ;d at Columbia o x Wednesday and elected as delegates at large to the St. Louis convention, Sena tor B. R. Tillman, Governor D. C. Key ward, Mayor R. G. RheUt, of Charles ton, and General William Jones, the state chairman of Columbia. The sen ator and governor were elected by ao c-amation. The only other candidare was United States senator Latimer, who was not present in the conven ticn. llle delegates wore not instructed, out the unit rule was adopted. A roi elution was passed after the elections calling for expressions from the can aidates to the presidential nominee. Respond-ng, Senator Tillman declar ed that Judge Parker was not objec tionable to him, but he could not. teh now how he would vote, because cend: tions might change in a night. Gov ernor Heyward, Mayor Rhett and Coio ncl Jones and the fourteenth district delegates declared that as at present advised they favor Iu’"e Parker. Ex-Governor John C. Sneppard is among the district delegates. The platform commends the admin- 1 of Heyward and ,-tration Governor the course in congress of the United States senators and condemns the pres idont for the appointment of Willliam D. Crum as collector of the port of Charleston Oci national issues it de clares for such a tariff as will compel the manufacturer to sell as cheaply at home as abroad, and demands economy in public affairs. . There is no refererce to the pl.at f oiras G f iggg anc i 1900 , and none Jo | the financial question. Of the eighteen delegates it. i3 eer j tain there is not a, Hearst delegate, ! and in one or two district, caucuses wr.ere Hearst men were candidates incy were defeated. The coi mention was harmonious, an 1 there wero no outcroppings of form :ir factional divisions. E. M. Rucker ,of Anderson, was temporary chairman, and D. S. Hen derson. of Aiken, permanent, chairman th<* latter having defeated ex-Govefro M. B. McSweeney, of Hampton, foi the position. 1 POOL ROOM WIRES CIJT OUT. ^ yVesiern Lnoi Te!eqr , h Company j Stops Supply oi liorse Racing f»« 'VV A New York special says: Every poolroom where bets on horse race are made was without a Western Un ion wire Wednesday Robert C. Clowry, president and general manager of the Western Un ion Telegraph company, suddenly shut off the service of racing news to all classes of subscribers in Gotham Tuesday afternoon. This action of Colonel dowry’s, tak en entirely on his own initiation, wit9 out instructions from his board < directors or any pressure from t> authorities, was the result of claim recently made public by police 0 “ cials that the poolrooms of New York city could not exist, without the West ern Union service, Recently a civic organization, called the City C5”> made public charges that if the West ern Union would assist them the pool room evil in the city could be over" come. The action of Colonel Clowry is the result. Following liis action in discont'mi Ing to all subscribers in New York city a report of the racing at variou tracks in this country, Col. Rober: C. Clowry notified the general super intendents of the company at Nev York, Chicago, Atlanta and San Fran cisco, that tue collection and distri bution by the Western Union ice graph Company of horse race reports would be discontinued forthwith. The text of the notice to the superintend ents read as follows: It has been decided to discontinue forthwith the collection and distri bution by this company of horse race reports. authority that the It is stated on Western Union, by refusing to handle racing news, cuts off a source of rev enue that has been worth $6,000,000 annually to the corporation. IATTIMER at GOOD ROADS CONVENTION. South Carolina Senator Speaks on Hi? Proposition of “International Aid. United States Senator A. C. South Carolina, author of a o- providing govern Jent tr-nding in congress i oxoeiCiture for improving roads opened Wednesday’s program at" roads convention with an address International Aid. • * ' He was followed by Winthrop ' Soarrott. president of the Club of America. Manuel lionisce Diab, of the pa lira out of public woiks, Building in Cuba. it spoke on “Read CROP OUTLOOK VERY GLOOMY ! Drought and Cool Weather Retard ! Farming Operations. ! ALL GROWTH BACKWARD ; 1 Conditions in Georgia, Alabama and j South Carolina Set Forth by Com I missioner 0. B. Stevens. j According to information gat her ad 1 state department of agriculture ; the , Georgia cottoa crop 1S in . , bad , coa j dition. The weather has been unfavor- ' 1 able planting has been backward, and the portion of the crop already up is ! mak , ng a pcor showing . ! Commissioner O. B. Stevens, in a lo | ter to Commissioner of Agriculture R R. Poole, of Alabama, Wednesday, gave an account of the crop condition of Ceorgia. Commissioner Poole, in his letter, stated that the Alabama crop “i s in a very serious condition, not more than one half being up; stands are very poor in the earlier planted cot ton. The continued drought is proving to be very serious with us.” In replv Commissioner Stevens stat ed that there had t een very little, if any, improvement in the crop in Geor gia. His letter continues in part as lows: “The dry weather has continued coo" and dry during a great portion of the time since spring set in. The weather during the last week was dry except that light scattering showers occurred on last Saturday. Drought, however, continues in many sections, and the soil in practically all counties is too dry for germination and growth. Cot ton is making little or no growth. A ktrge percentage of late plantings i3 not up; stands of early plantings con tinue poo>\ Many fields are still un planted, owing to the protracroi drought. Cultivation is in nrogress In the southern portion of the state. A few sections report favorably as to cot ton, but take the cotton situation .as a whole in the state, I regard the out look as gioomy, even worse than th : s time last year. 4 * Wheat and eats are failing rapidly owing to the lack of moisture. Even com is beginning to show the effects of the extreme dry weather. A few peaches are being shipped from south Georgia. This, I believe, covers the sit uation in our state. There will be 1.0 May grass to fight during this yea« Our reports from other states show the following conditions: <• From South Carolina Ihe rainfad deficiency continues in all parts of the state with drought prevailing except * Tt limited localities. Since the beginning of the crop se 1 son the deficiency in rain ranges from four to seven inches. The drought,with cool weather, has become serious throughout the state. Wells are fail ing and water courses are dry. The stands of cotton range from good „c very poor. Late plantings are not yet up. especially in the dryest sections. The nights have been too cool for rapid growth of cotton and plants are drying up In the southern counties. « In North Carolina similar condi tions to that of South Carolina and Georgia prevail. II BOMBARDMENT COSTLY TO JAPS. Russians State That Admiral Togo lost Two Ships at Port Arthur. Russian refugees who arrived in Che Foo Wednesday on a junk from Port Dalny say that the Japanese bom barded Port Arthur on Monday. Russian officers who were on Gold en Hill declared, according to the ref ugees, that during the bombardmenr a Japanese battle ship and a cruiser struck mines and sank. The war ships reported to have been sunk off Port Arthur are the battle ship Shikisima and the armored cruis er Asama. The story is not believed in Che Foo but the Russians who brought the news insist that it is true. HEARST WINS IN NATIVE STATE. California Democrat* Instruct for New York Editor by Close Vote. By a majority r>f 19 rotes the Cal ifornia democratic state convention Instructed the delegation to the na tional convention at St. Louis to vote for Congressman W. R. Hearst president, The vote stood: Poi struction, 365; against, 346. The day was consumed in ing to effect permanent drafting resolutions, oratory and ing the decks for a vote. JAPS RETREAT FROM COSSACKS Overwhelming Numbers Force Re tirement of Mikado's Troops. FEARED TO GIVE BATTLE Retrograde Movement Was Only Stop ped When Main Body of Japanese Army Was Rejoined. An Associated Press dispatch from Niuchwang, under date of May 20, says: The Japanese, numbering 20, 000 men, came upon 32,000 Russians in a strong position on Monday, sixty miles west of Feng-Wang-Cheng. It be ing unwise to risk a battle, the Jap anese retreated in good order and with great rapidity. An unofficial Russian authority says that a pitched battle was not fought, but rumor says there was consider able los§ on both sides during the clashes, with the Cossacks harassing the flank of the Japanese. This di vision, presumably, was executing a reconnoissance. The pursuit was checked when the main body of the Japanese was re joined. This news apparently accounts for the withdrawal to an unknown des tination of warships and transports from Tower Hill, ten miles north of Kai-Chou, Liao-Tung peninsula, and of renewed defensive activity at Niu chwang. A Report to St. Petersburg. The following dispatch from General Kuropatkln to the emperor, dated at Liao-Yang, May 18, has been received in St. Petersburg:: “A detachment of Cossacks engaged a detachment of the Japanese guard on May 18, north of Feng-Wang-Cheng, in a mountainous district. The fight began in the morning and lasted until 2:30 o’clock in the afternoon. “The Japanese were successively dis lodged from their four positions, ex tending over fifteen miles. “The pursuit of the Japanese was stopped at Datiantsy, thirteen miles north of Feng-Wang-Cheng. M Our casualties were six Cossacks wounded, two horses killed and eight horses wounded.” To Attack Port Arthur Next. Port Arthur is to be taken by storm the moment proper preparations have been completed, says a special telegram from the Japanese capital. Siege guns are yet to be placed in position and the land forces appointed for the assault have to be strength ened. The unexpected loss of the two ves sels has mphasized the insecurity of sea power and the authorities feel that no chances must, be taken that would encourage Russia to send out the Bal tic fleet counting on finding a harbo'* of refuge in Port Arthur. It is realized that the storming of the fortress will inevitably cost many lives, but it is said that the waters where the Japanese ships are forced to maneuver are becoming so danger ous because of floating mines that heroic measures are imperative. Under these circumstances it is thought that life will’ be' economized by storming the stronghold and elim inating it and 4he adjacent waters from the area of actual conflict. NEGRO EX-CONGRFSSMAN CONVICTED. George Murray, of South Carolina, Found Guilty of Forging Contract. At Sumter, South Carolina, Friday, George W. Murray, the negro who represented the seventh district in congress for two terms, was convicted of forgery. Murray was a thrifty poli tician, and saved considerable money, which he invested in land, This land he has been selling to negroes, on long time, under contract to make title when last payment is made. In 1897 he sold a tract to one Scipio Chapman, but refused to make title after a railroad was built through it. and in a civil suit put in a forged contract to defraud Chapman of the land. FAILED TO NAME A TICKET. liinois Republican Convention Will Take Rest Until May 31. The deadlock over the gubernato rial contest in Illinois republican state convention at Springfield temporarily called off Friday by the convention taking a recess to May 31. The vote stood: Yeas, 1,414; nays, 88. The delegates rushed from the hall cheering the band, which began to play “Home, Sweet Home.” The recess to May 31 was taken by unanimous agreement among the candidates for governor.