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Abbeville Press and Banner f _ Established 1844. $2.00 the Year. Tri-Weekly. Abbeville, Monday, April 5, 1920 Single Copies, Five Cents. 76th Year. GOSSETT TRW COM Grand Jury Brings Kenneth and John . x * n With Kape- 1V1< of Veni > The grand jury brought in a true bill in the case of Kenneth and John Gossett, charged with rape, Monday morning, being out only for about an hour. J. S. Morse was foreman of grand jury. The case of1 the two Gossetts, charged wih criminal assault on two younjr girls here Sunday March 14, was called at 10 o'clock at a special i nrtni-r Judex' T. S. Sease, term ui w Spartanburg, presiding. The court! room was crowded with people. ' Proctor Bonham, of Bonham and Price, for defense, moved a chancre oL venue, and Judge Sease will probably hear the motion argued Tuesday morning, though / no definite time was set for the hearing.* Court was adjourned at 12 o' i clock and the petit jurors excused until Wednesday morning. #? In making his motion for a Rr.nVi?m men change of venue, -?n. tioned among his reasons for asking I the change that a request for militia has been made. Judge Sease said I that he had made no request fon militia and that such action should have been initiated by him; that in fact none but the court had the right to make request for a military company. He further said that had a military company come to Abbeville that he would not have allowed it to come ino the court room. On being asked by Mr. Bonham as to his attiude about making a re~ V* P+ quest for militia to guaru mob violence, Judge Sease said that it was his inclination not to bring militia to Abbeville, but that he would come to a definite decision on| that point after he had heard the argument on the motion for a change of venue and had read affi-J davits from citizens from various I sections of the county as to the prevailing sentiment about the case. It is proposed by attorneys for de-| fense to secure affidavits to show that a fair trial cannot be obtained j for the two Gossetts in this county. | In making his motion for a change of venue attorney for defense said that the motion was, j_ i ? -pr,;? onr) imnflrtial maut; uecauac a 11*41. ?x trial could not be obtained in the county; that the family connection of witnesses for the prosecution was prominent, while the two Gossetts were strangers in the county; that the jury would be awed by a show of military here; that defendants had been unable to obtain local counsel in the case, but the prosecution had been able to secure tne services of one of the local bar, asserting ' that every member of the local bar had been approached, but that all had declined to represent defendants. It was brought out that no order has been issued by Governor Cooper or the adjutant general for militia to be sent here during the trial. At the request ot tfonham ana Price, attorneys for defense, Kenneth and John Gossett were taken from Columbia to Gi-eenville and placed in jail there last Monday. Solicitor H. S. Blackwell, of the Eighth Judicial Circuit, George Bell Timmerman, solicitor of the Eleventh -circuit, and J. Howard Moore, Abbeville, are in charge of the prosecution. iniiiiieiiiiuii nu* been employed in the case and is not acting in his capacity as solicitor Bonham and Price. Greenville, are counsel for defense. "One of the affidavits, seru-e 1 front .T. S. Mor?e, foreman of the grand iL MENCED HERE in True Bill Against Gossett, Charged 3tion for Change le Made ury, relative to the possibility of a air trial in JSSbeville, is appended: tate of South Carolna, \ 'ountv of Abbeville. The State vs Kenneth Gossett and John Gossett Defendants Personally appeared before me oel S. Morse, who, on oath says that e is foreman of file uranu Jury ior Abbeville County. That he has lived n Abbeville all his lif(T, knows the eople of the County well and is' amiliar with local conditions. That e has heard discussed the case gainst the above named defendnts, that in his opinion it would ot be safe to bring them back to Abbeville County for trial. That he elieves in the interests of justice nd of all parties concerned, the enue of the trial ought to be hanged to sflme other County in he Circuit. That in his capacity as oreman of the Grand Jury, de onent wrote Governor Cooper to he effect, that he thought it would I e best not to bring the defendants ack to Abbevile County for trial. Joel S. Morse. LOND ISSUE ELECTION CARRIES BY 82 VOTES; The bond issue election Saturday o decide the question of $450,000 tond issue for top soil roads in this ounty was carried by a majority of 2 votes, there being 309 votes for nd 227 votes against. A very small vote was cast showng the little interest that was maniested in the election in all parts of the county. The vote in Abbeville was 90 for and 62 against. Three precincts voted against the ssue; Central, 6 for, 40 against; Calhoun Falls, 19 for, 43 against; Lowndesville, 36 for, 39 against. There were no votes cast at Keowee. I The result by precincts follows: For Against Abbeville 90 62 Gilliams Gin 16 4 )ue West 26 19 'Antreville 76 10 [Central 6 40 (Calhoun Falls 19 43 Donalds 19 9 T J ...Ml ? on Oft sijwiiuedv IUC O\J ou Rock Springs 5 0 Keowee 0 0 1 ..evel Land 22 4 Total 309 230 i THE WOMANLESS WEDDING I | Rehearsals of the Womanless Wedi 'ing are being held every night and Miss Miller, who is directing, anI lounces that the cast is being whip| ed into shape rapidly. The public is promised a treat in Mr. Fred Cason as bride and Sher^ i r* i. ff ISurts as tiower giri. uapv. jaw 'Perrin as mother of the bi'ide will I lso prove a drawing card. I The show will be given in the ")pera House Wednesday evening at i :30 o'clock. Admission, 50, 25, with ! eserved seats at 7G cents. The proeeds of the show will go to the library fund. Professor Peterson to Speak Prof. Vord Peterson, professor of agricultural education at Clemson nd state supervisor of the teaching of agriculture unrlor the Smith Hughes law will address the Abbeville County Teachers at their mectrir Saturday. Expect a Definite Military Policy In a Short Time j Washington, April 3.?The Senate cleared the way today for consideration of exchange proposing the establishment of a definite military policy. Debate on the army reorganization bill framed by the Senate military committee is to begin Monday and its passage in about ten days or two weeks is predicted by Senate leaders. The bill differs radically from the CT...AA A r> MomVi 1 Q nuUSC nicaouic paootu uu avau-jvu jlv in that it provides for compulsory military training, consolidation of the national guard, regular army, and reserves, composed of trained men into one citizens' army and also tor a general staff eligibility system similiar to that in the French army. The House bill left the compulsory military training issue for "separate legislation and retained the general feature of the present army organisation, with general features of the present army organization with provision for a regular establishment Df 300,000 enlisted men and 17,000 i officers, as compared with 280.0Q.0 and 48,000 respectively in the Sen1 ate bill. CoJby Makes His New Broom Sweep Out Cobwebs | Washington. April 3.?Restoration : of the State Department's diplomatic room, scene of many important international events, has been ordered by Ilainbridge Colby the new Secretary of State. I Demand for office space during the | war necessitated conversion of the ; room into three offices equipped with j desks, book cases and filing cabinets. By the new secretary's order the \ war-time partitions will be removed, the room decorated and again be used ; for formal diplomatic events such as j the exchange of treaty ratifications. Admiral Wilson Will Be the Next In Naval Row ! Washington, April 3.?Admiral HenI ry B. Wilson, commanding the Atlantic fleet, will testify Monday berore the naval board investigating Rear Admiral Wm. B. Fletcher's removal from the Brest command by Vice Admiral Sims. Admiral Wilson was Fletcher's immediate successor at Brest in October 1917 and held thar command throughout the remainder of the war. Convoy operations of Fletcher's command "might have been improved" if the admiral had laid down a general doctrine in writing, Commander H. D Cooke, commander of one of the yachts of the Brest squadron, testified today. He added, however, that only one or two important elements of operation covered in the doctrine later promulgated by Admiral Wilson nad not been prescribed in verbal conferences during Admiral Fletcher's adThousands Put On Big Demonstration In Copenhagen Copenhagen, April 3.?Enormous crowds are gathering outside the town hall and marshalling into columns to i march to the roval nalace. Amalien berg castle, carrying a resolution asking the King's help to prevent the calamity ot a general strike. The demonstration is headed by the town councillors. The resolution also demands the formation of a ministry I comprised of men not responsible for jtiie present crisis and who would be likely to obtain parliamentary surporT. Kiiur Culls Conference. Copenhagen, April 3.?The King, ci I consequence of the visit today of a deputation of town councillors, accompanied by crowds numbering many thousands, has called the leaders of all political parties to a conference at the palace tonight. General Wood Winds Up Ohio Columbus. Ohio. April 3.?General ! Leonard Wood, candidate for the Re! publican nomination for President, ! wound up his first trip into Ohio in I the interest of his candidacy by adj dressing a mass meeting at Memorial 'Hall?his fodrth speech of the day ! here?at S o'clock tonight. j In his speech before the Columbus j colored Republican Women's clubWood said: "Government of the people, by the people, and for the people, courts untouched by politics, no class legislation. a square deal for everybody. <1 ; strong foreign policy, friendly rein"tions with all nations, arbitration boIf...... naunKl Ir. fnvnn crnnov'i 1 nn vfrifi. i pal ion in politics by women. businest 'progress at home and abroad, a sount public school system with adequate > pay for teachers, regulation of immijgration. development of a strong Amlericai! mercliant marine and foster ji?K of the back-to-the farm move! MK :.f there "rrx '!if> things for whicl I the United States should be working iTHIEll PURPORTS :l to inininr nnTn I MM IS ON PEACE MEET Dwells at Length on What He i Terms the "Question of Sil- | ence" ' 1 j Paris,. Apr. 3.?Captain Andre Tar- Jdieu, one of the French delegates to,, |the peace conference, in another of, his articles in Illustraiton dealing ' iwith the peace treaty of Versailles, 1 i dwells at length on what he terras I (the "question of silence" and gives ! some interesting sidelights on the , peace conference. Captain Tardieu recalls how the' j press placed great hope in the first of j i President Wilson's fourteen points j ; which demanded that conventions be j I prepared with the knowledge o? the j ' general- public. But. Ive says, its < 'hopes were dashed when itrf became ( known that President Wilson* himself ; declared this did not mean the mak-! | ling public of negotiations, but refer-'., i red only to making public the de- , i bates on engagements made before ] I they became definite. Former Prem- , ! ier Clemenceau is declared by M. i Tardieu to have been the greatest i advocate of publicity, but asserts that ^ j Clemenceau's efforts in this direction j i were not endorsed by the allied governments, which are said to have re-' fu&d even his proposal to make pub-: i lie the terms of the treaty when it t i was ready to be handed to the Ger! mans. They permitted only a summary to be published before the,/ treaty was signed. . Quotes Clcmeiice.nl. i Contain Tardieu ouotes M. Clem- ' cnceau as having said: j' "There is a general expectation '< among the public, which desires that < i all the subjects of our deliberations J be known. It is to our advantage to show it the results of our work." 1 Difficulties begin at once, which ] continued 'to be multiplied for the , next six months, comments Captain jTardieu. "If the conference had not ( ibeen held in France ,the French gov-j jernment would have been accused of i defending French rights, but France's i position was complicated by the con- ^ ference being held in France. The . I press and delegates alike considered;1 j that the hospitality received from \ France imposed on France the special j duty of protection for their benefit." j Capiain Tardieu declares that to 1 prevent the conference from pursuing j its heavy task with excess indiffer-1 ence, A. J. Bairour, Britisb represen-(' Itative at the conference and Stephen t Pichon, one of the Trench delegates,^ received the newspapermen, but saysj that in March when the conference I ;was considering certain much debat-i, ied points, the supreme council asked ' j them to abandon these receptions. |* To the suggestion that if the pub-; I I lie had been informed on peace con- ] iference doings, France would not ijiave been obliged always to yield to,^ jthe allies, M. Tardieu replied: "It is ( 'false that France always yielded.! !Generally, on the contrary, she obtain-jed satisfaction." !i He then gives a list of points pro-1^ I posed which France succeeded in1 A fViam wore ' jiicivniH wnaugcu. Lu^nt ?u.w| :immediate admission of Germany to'] [ the League of Nations, no inter-allied j occupation of the left bank of the j Rhine, no French occupation except|? | for eighteen months, France to pay 1 ! Germany for all state property in!( 'Alsace Lorraine, no cession of the * jSarre mines to France and no special i [regime for the Sarr population. !( i' A Cold Easter is Forecast for the jj South Generally! i n TT"-_ : o A nnlfl Paslor V> aaunigiuu, o.?MUMW. : is forecast for the south generally,I' the weather bureau announcing to-'< night that cold wave warnings have'^ been ordered for Kentucky, Tennes-j see, Alabama, Mississippi and ex- 1 treme Northwest Florida. L The southwest disturbances, cen-^ itral tonight over Eastern Oklahoma,!' 'tis of profound type, the report said, 11 jand indications are that it will ad- ] vance east-northeastward and be at-' tended by cloudiness and rain in the! , states east of the Mississippi river ! during the next 36 to 48 hours. The1, ! disturbance has already been attend-j led by showers and thunderstorms in,' <tho ennihwust and Tennesse.e. i A decided fall in temperature is!, , foretasted for Sunday afternoon and j night in Tennessee and the east gulf 1 J states and Monday in the Atlantic states. J I NEWSPAPER MEN HERE |l FOR GOSSETT TRIAL' | Tin. mon ;irn ; here ''covering" the Gossett case, (i [i " ; L. Mell Glenn, Anderson Dailyj; -Olail E. P. Eideman, Index-Journal;:' " E. M. Henderson, Greenville Daily . Xews, J. Ivby JCoon. Columbia State i 1 and W. J. Cormack. News and, 'Courier. i Plant Life Defends More On Air Than Temperature Washington* April 3.?Government agricultural experts have discovered that plant life s^fems to depend on j light rather than temperature for' nourishment and may be controlled by regulating the hours of light and darkness. The principle is revolutionary; but it rests on actual , experiments in which it was demonstrated that plants subjected to alternate periods of light and darkness, in carefully determined proportions could be brought to maturity at any time of year. "Greenhouse experiments" says an announcement by the Department of i Agriculture, "prove that the flower-1 ing and fruiting period of practically; any plant can be made to take place at any time of year by darkening the f green house in the morning and even- j ing if the day is too long or by length-1 ?ning the day by artificial light if the rlnv tnn ?hnrr "Spring flowers and spring crops happen to be spring flowers and -. :rin<T crops because the days at the season of ibeir flowering and fruiting : bare the proper number of hours of daylight." MEGRO LYNCHED BY LAURENS MOB Laurens, April 2.?After an in- ^ nerval of nearly seven years, a Laurens negro had been executed with)ut due process of law. Joe Steward, iged 25,. who'has been employed for i year by a local coal dealer, was ast night about midnight, as near is can be ascertained, taken from a :tation house cell, carried to the foot of Cemetery hill and hanged from the North Harper bridge over Little river. The rain soaked body' vas cut down and taken to an un-i lertaker this morning. Upon the arrival of the coroner,! nquest proceedings were started; . ,vith Solicitor Blackwell represent-1 ng the state in the examination of j vitnesses. After four or five men; lad testified, including Chief of Po-j ice Blakely and Sheriff Reid, onj notion of the solicitor, adjournment j vas taken until a future date with! ;he view of ascertaining, if possible,' idditional evidence in the case. Dr. W. D. Ferguson, who ex-J imined Steward's body, testified) hat five stab wounds were on the >ody and his neck had been broken. Death was due to hanging and the vounds were not serious in his! . . I >pimon. The lynching of Steward was the; esult of a fight earlier in the night vith a party of young white men, ;hree- of whom were more or less gainfully cut with a knife wielded; jy Steward. The fight occurred onj i back street near Harrison Pun-j ;er's shop. The negro received five | >tab wounds from which he bled I freely until medical attention was fiven him. It is said that the fight c?me ibout by Steward taking up for another negro, who, it was alleged, ofended a young white boy by crush-j mg against him as the negro was> leaving the opera house about 7 o'clock. The boys, it is said, started ?* il-- roam when I/O KCL me uiicnuiiig *? w0?w they encountered Steward, who challenged the boys and used abusive language which led to an immediate fight. All wounded parties J had to have the attention of doc-| tors. Up until 11 o'clock everything! appeared quiet and most people j went home. Chief Blakely and an-j other policeman were on duty. Thej officers left the station house for ai I short time and when the chief re-j turned the negro was gone. He had j been removed from the cell, the! door of which was forced open, am! taken out through the rear of the; building. So quietly was the work j clone that no one has been found j who heard any unusual noises about the station at the alleged time of ; Steward's removal from his cell. It il 1.4 f!,? was nui wiuuK'ii iicu-.>^ii v uj niv. v/? ficers to place the neprro in jail as everything was apparently quiet and there was no apprehension of further trouble. ? TEN PERSONS MEET DEATH BY DROWNING -! Ferry Boat at Harpers Ferry Breaks Cable and Upsets, Throwing Passengers in Swollen Stream? Une ioung man oaves Himself Ten persons were drowned while crossing the Savannah river on a ferry at Harpers Ferry, four miles west of Lowndesville, Sunday evening at 6 . o'clock. The recent rains had swollen the river and when the ferry boat got out into the swift current the cable parted, upsetting the ferry boat, throwing the passengers into the river. Only one of the passengers, Thomas Bradshaw,, managed to reach shore and save himself. The drowned are: Lucy and Allie .ftiay tfradshaw, Alice Meschine and Charles Meschine, Mr. and Mrs. Lester Watters, Albert Sutherland and , three sons of Walter Manning. With the exception of Mr. and Mrs. Watters all of those drowned were children. Mrs. Watters had only been married a month and was a Miss Scoggins before her marriage. She was a school teacher. Alice arid Charles Meschine were children of E. C. Meschine. Albert Sutherland was a son of X. B. \ Sutherland, a juror in the Gossett case. The ferry boat with its load of passengers was going from the South Carolina side to the Georgia side of the Savannah river at the time of the accident . The drowning was witnessed by only a few people and the river was so swollen that no help from the shore was possible in time to do any good. None of the bodies had been recvered at noon Monday. It is understood that Thomas Bradshaw, who saved himself, swam out first to the Georgia side, then plunged back in the swollen stream and swam to the South Carolina side. County Teachers Meet Saturday Announcement is made that the Abbeville Couny Teachers Association will hold the last meeting of the session at the court house ,Saturday afternoon at one o'clock. Refreshments will be served just before the meeting and all the teachers are requested to assemble in the court house in time to have their lunch be fore the hour of meeting, rroi. vera Peterson, of the State Superintendent's office will talk to the teachers on the teaching of vocational agriculture and Misses Mary Burton and Georgia Ott of the city schools will have some of their pupils give recitations in reading in the primary grades. This being the last meeting of the * session a full attendance is desired Rained Out at Long Cane On account of the heavy rain there was no preaching and congregationaF meeting at Long Cane Church Sunday. It was announced however, that services will be held next ^Sunday, the Rev. H. C. Fennell in nhnrcp. Afterwards there will be held the congregational meeting scheduled for last Sunday. Dr. Fennell will preach at Warrenton at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. COTTON MARKET. 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