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*? > T; .,:J t * v /V:S| v / ' ' * yTljc Ctmntjj llecorti. ' VOL. 36. ~ KINGSTREE, SOU'ffi CAROLINA, THURSDAY, MAY 12, 1921. NO. 10 ? ' J. H. MILLER FOI NEAR CA On Road to Kingstr Car Occupied b Tragedy F Admit: Vr The people of Kingstree and vicmi- t ty were profoundly shocked early Sun- 1 day morning as the news spread over 1 town to the effect that J. H. Miller < had been found dead on the roadside s one mile south of Cades. The news was conveyed here to Sheriff Gamble by Rural Policeman Brockinton about 4:30 a. m. Mr. Gamble at once called f his deputy, J. P. Frierson, and togeth- 1 er the three officers repaired to the t scene ?f the tragedy. 1 Mrs. Miller, was notified of her hus- t band's death by Sheriff Gamble be- f fore leaving town. Dr. E. T. Kelley t and Undertaker Courtney wore also i called and hurried off to the scene. c Mr. Miller was engaged as super- j Iintendent of the Electric Light plant i at Lake City. He made his home in < Kingstree where his wife and little t adopted daughter have lived for the i past six years. On Saturday nights j it was Mr. Miller's custom to drive f from Lake City to Kingstree in his t rFocd car, spending Saturday nigni i and Sunday here and returning to ^ Lake City on Monday mornings. He j was on his way from Lake City ( here when he was killed, and left ly- z ing on the roadside Saturday night, half to three quarters of a mile south } ^ of the town of Cades. 1 No facts in the case were apparent- N ly known to Mr. Brockinton, who ^ brought word of the dead body in the j road and Sheriff Gamble was unable f - to give any information as to how Mr. ( Miller had come to his death or at ? what time in the niffht. L Phone lines were busy all over town and by 7:00 o'clock a number of citi-1 zens, in autombiles, had left town for the scene where the body was found. I \ When Sheriff Gamble and his depu- j c ties reached the scene they found jf Coroner H. J. Brown and a few other j 1 persons present. The coro:?er had j r been informed by Mr. Brockinton. 1 Mr. Miller's Ford car was standing r near the middle of the road about ten j * A ? ? K/\rl\r U,' l' fh ?. ICCt <iW<4\ 1IUIU 111L UCMU wvwj ft??M x radius rod bent and out of condition I to run. The front of the car was spat- t tered with blood. The dead body of ( Mr. Miller was lying: on the roadside \ with a bullet hole in his head. About 1 twenty feet from the body there was standing in the road a Ford roadster, j headed towards the Cross Roads and ? also out of running condition. Mr. t Brockinton said he thought the Ford z roadster belonged to a Mr. Cox, mail t carrier at Cades. There was evidences j of a collision by the two cars and the ^ natural /resumption on the sheriff's ^ part that the owner of the roadster \ could give some light on the tragedy j that had been enacted in the dark, ] lonely spot on the roadside sometime j during the previous night. Sheriff \ j,. Gamble went to Mr. Cox's house, , awakened him and placed him under ( arrest Mr. Cox informed the sheriff } that he had loaned the car to Tom j Poston the evening before and that j Poston had used it. They then went \ to Poston's home, accompanied by j Cox. The party was met by Tom Poston, who, upon being qudptioned concerning the dead man, told the sheriff that he had shot him, that he was then about to eat his breakfast and start for Kingstree to report the matter. When asked why he had killed Mr. Miller he told the sheriff that he had nothing to say. Poston was then placed under arrest and taken to the scene of the tragedy where he remained under the eye of the sheriff until v the ftoroner and his jury had completed an inquest. Poston's attitude and general demeanor was of absolute in 1 difference and no one on uie gruunu ( seemed as little concerned as he. j During the morning he laughed and ( chatted with acquaintances as he ] lounged on the rear seat of an auto- , mobile with his feet resting on the ] back of the front seat. ( Coroner Brown summoned as ju- , rors: E. C. Epps, foreman, W. I. < Hodges, Robt. Carsten, J. K. WilV liams, R. L. McElveen, E. F. Martin. ( The evidence was taken down by Mr. V. G. Arnette of Cades. After the jury had viewed the body it was taken in charge by Undertaker Court-1 ney and brought to Kingstree where I it was prepared for burial at his es- j DND DEAD ON I DES EARLY SUI % ee from Lake City ?y Tom Poston and ollows Collision s $ Shooting, is in ! o kl lckmont onrl iohir tfllron fn thf? lome of Mrs. Roger, where Mr. Miler, his wife and their adopted daugh?r have made their home during their dx years residence in Kingstree. Body Taken to Hartsville. At 4:30 o'clock Sunday afternoon ,'uneral sendees were conducted at the lome by the Rev. E. A. McDowell of he Baptist church with which Mr. Sliller affiliated. The funeral was atended by a large gathering of friends rrom this place who held the deceask! in high esteem, also a darge num>er of Lake City people, including a lelegation from the Lake City Masonc lodge which took charge of the body mmediately after the funeral and ac:ompanied it to Hartsville where inw? n rlrt M AnrlotT 'Cimenu woa mauc luv/nuwj tuwiuwu. rhe casket was covered with floral of'erings, last tributes of respect to a ellow citizen who had come to an unimely death. Jas. Henry Miller was born in New fork, December 25, 1880. For many rears he made his home in Savannah, 3a. He was an expert electrician rnd a man that made friends where(ver he went. For a number of years le has made his home ,in South Caroina, having lived in Columbia, Harts ille, Lake City and this place. Some ears ago in Hartsville he married diss Ethel Laney. Of his immediate amily there survives one brother, 3eorge A. Miller of Savannah, Ga. ind his little daughter, who is the idopted child of the deceased. Developments at Inquest Mr. Miller's death, once under in estigation by the sheriff and the cortner's jury, facts soon begun to undid, although it is the general beief that the absolute truth in some espects as to what transpired on that onely spot near the cross roads will lever be revealed. There were three >eople present, one of them, Jas. Heny Miller, was shot to death; Tom 'oston, another admits that he killed lim; the third, a young woman, Miss ilady Coker, who was ni the car vith Poston has thrown very little ight upon the tragedy. But it was soon revealed that Poston ind A. R. Brockintou had the Coker jirls out for a ride. Poston had gone 6 the Coker heme, got Gladys Coker md her sister, Bernice, and took them ;o a community church where, by prev ous arrangement they were met by U R. Brockinton, rural policeman, vho took one of the girls, Bernice, n his car. They all left the church. Poston and Gladys Coker were in the Ford runabout that is alleged to have -un into the Ford touring car driven >y Mr. Miller. Brockinton and Berliee Coker were following Poston and Gladys Coker over the same road, perxaps an hour behind. When Brockinon arrived at the spot where Mr. Miler had met his death, he found the wo cars in the road. He could not ?ass without difficulty and ran into ;he ditch. Upon making a survey of ;he situation. He found lying dead it the side of the Ford touring car i man, a stranger, a pistol by his side. Be and the young woman walked to Poston's house and called J. C. Calder vho went back with him to where the >ody was lying. He recognized G. E. Dox's car and knew that Poston was iriving it, and believed Poston was irank. He did not eall Poston when le went to his house. Later Mr, Brockinton went to notify Coroner Brown. Coroner Brown did not know the lead man when he first viewed the body and at once set about Identification. On the dead man's clothing be found the initials: "J. H. M." which was indefinite, but there was a Tiandbag in Mr. Miller's car, the coronei opened it and found a batch of mail addressed to "J. H. Miller, Kingstree S. C." This address bore out by the initials on the clothing and was conclusive. Rural Policeman A. R. Brockinton then came to Kingstree to report to the Sheriff. Testimony of Gladys Coker "We left home about 7:30 p. m. anc went to church, me Tom and my sis 10ADSIDE WAY MORNING. when Run Into by I Gladys Coker. md Poston Prison. . ter. Preaching was not over when we left the church; we started to Mr. Poston's. We struck and Tom got out to apoligize just as soon as he could straighten car. Miller said he was going to kill Tom. Miller was cursing, Tom was on ground, standing about midway in road between cars. Miller had pistol in his hand and was stand- ( ' I ing to right of his car. Saw Tom when he shot Miller, fired three shots, 1 Miller did not fall until third shot. 1 After Tom shot him we left. Tom woke his sister and told them what ; happened. Don't know whose fault it , was. Tom's sister waked her hus- ( band, J. C. Calder. Calder went to : Cades with. Alvin (Brockinton). Did ] not notice tnat xom was unnsmg. We left church first; did not see Al- j vin and Bernice leave. Tom carried : both of us to church. Tom did not seem scared when he came back to , car. Said he had shot him. Tom , wanted to come back and get car; ^ did not hear Miller say anything af- ( ter he was hot. After Tom could not ^ get car off we went on to Mr. Poston's. After Tom shot him he went aijd look- < ed at Mr. Miller; saw pistol by light < of Mr. Miller's car. Miller isaid he ^ wouldn't apologize, had pistol in his , hand, and was going to kill Tom. j Lights were burning on Tom's car when shooting took place. Tom came ^ back to his car and shut off motor. Tom and I left church about 11:30, I got to Mr. Poston's about 12.00 j I o'clock. Tom first said he would not , i tell his people what he had done, but ( II told him to tell about it. He told ( 1 v:_ <nrVio+ Vio Vind done, his . 1 IUS nuu? iiw _ f father was asleep and one of the girls j j went into his room and told him." /f j Bemice poker sain: "When w<* came j up this morning saw man in road, j ] Mr. Brockinton could not pass and j < moved car. backed his car and went j in ditch. I went to Mr. H. L. Poston's i house, saw Gladys when I went in, she t told us about what had happened. Mr. < Brockinton told Calder about man in j road. Calder told him Tom did the [shooting. They then went to Cades, j j Sister said Tom and Mr. Miller both \ got out of car at one time and came meeting in road and Miller told Tom i to go back to his own car. My sister j saw Tom shoot man. he was standing ( at car when Tom shot. Family was ( all in room when I went in except ^ Tom, he was in his room. ^ "We left home about 7:00 or 8:00 o'clock to go to preaching at Sandy j Bay Baptist church. After church we ^ came this way. Tom was ahead. Tom brought both me and sister to church and Mr. Brockinton brought me from ^ there. Tom talked to Mr. Brockinton ? at church. We stayed at church about ( one hour, did not stop between church j and this place." J. C. Calder testified: "Mr. Brofckin- , ton came to my room about 1:00 , o'clock. Came down here and found j j tin*? nn i??ft side with pistol ly-1, mail ij*u^ v.. -?_ ( ing near his hand. Body was about ( i twelve feet from car, Rural police < , said he had moved car. Went to Cades ( , for coroner, came back and stayed j about half hour. Miss Bernice Coker j went with Mr. Brockinton to Mr. Pos- ] . ton's where I live. Mr. Brockinton j , did not call Tom. He hailed when he , came to house. It was 12 o'clock when < , Tom came in, Miss Gladys Coker was , , witfc him. Tom told mc to come down . and help get car to house, did not say , what was wrong with car. Did not j . call Mr. Poston when Mr. Brockinton , came. Said he had run against one ( , of the cars and got his car in ditch. , , Did not ask ladies about wreck. Talk- , ed with Poston only about wreck. Did ] ^ . not call Tom because 3ir. orocKinum , | did not require it; said Tom was ( asleep and would not call him. Did j . not talk to Tom about dead body, did , I not tell him about it after going back , to house. Did not tell my wife, sup, pose Miss Gladys Coker told her." Alvin R. Brockinton, rural police- > man (relieved from office by Sheriff Gamble at the scene of the tragedvl Sunday morning) testified that "be-', tween 12:00 and 1:00 o'clock he found ( body of J. H. Mil'"- lying by his car. ] I Went first to H. ight's and then to ] H. L. Poston's house. Knew Poston j I BIG FREIGHT RATES DISCOURAGE TRADE SENATOR SMITH CITES FIGURES IN LETTER READ ON THE SENATE FLOOR. That the hitch freight rates are retarding business development, in the country is evidenced by the number of kicks being registered by men and organizations in a position to know, Senator Smith, of South Carolina, declared on the floor of the senate recently that he had received a number of communications as to the present "disastrous freight rates." In a plea for a thorough investigation of the railroad problem he quoted from letters to show the sentiment of the producers and shippers in this state. The great increase in transportation charges is hurting the trucking interests along the South Carolina coast. This is clearly shown in a letter from M. H. Lazarus Company, of Charleston, to Senator Smith. This concern filed a protest in behalf of the farmers in South Carolina who depend on the eastern markets to handle their products. Under the heading, "Smith Blames Freight Rates," the "Traffic World," of Chicago, has the following to say regarding the senator's remarks: Senator Smith, of South Carolina, member of the senate interstate commerce committee, said in a speech in the Senhte, April 21, that he had received many communications "as to :he present disastrous freight rates." "I have a letter here from Sumter, 5. C., under date of April 19," said he, 'in which a large lumber dealer states I diat he shipped a carioad of pulpAood from Lynchburg, S. C.r my old iome, to Sumter, S. C., a distance of L9 miles, five cords to the car, and :he freight charge for the distance of 19 miles was $140. "I also have ?. letter from another * ndividual shipping pulpwood into Sumter from anccher angle, a distance x-T 1Q wiiloo or>/l tlin nVi ovcro nn fVtp :arload of pulpwood was $9o. The :harge was $140 for 19 miles and $90 "or the 13 miles. "In addition to this I have a letter "rom the M. H. Lazarus Company, of King and Hasell streets. Charleston, 3. C., in the Southeastern tariff divison, in reference to the shipment of ;ruck, from the great trucking indusry along the coast to the Eastern nties, and he writes me the followng: For the past year and particularly Tor the first four months of this year, :he losses and hardships which have vas driving car owned by G. E. Cox. Body was lying on left side. Did not examine pistol at time but did so lat;r and found it loaded all round. Tom Poston's was not. Called Mr. Calder ivhen he went to H. L. Poston's house and he came back with me to where oody was lying. Was of the opinion Aiat Tom Poston was drunk. H. Wright, the colored man living learest the scene of the tragedy tes:ified "That heard three of four shots, ibout 11:00 o'clock but paid no attention. It happened before he went to led, and paid no attention to shooting. Mr. Brockinton called me, told me a nan was dead on the road and asked ne did I know him. When to Cades then came back and stayed with body jntil daylight. Saw pistol when first mjne and also after coming back from Cades. Mr. Brockinton called me secjnd time. Heard no noise after shooting." Drs. W. L. Whitehead and E. T. Kelley who made pest mortem examination of Mr. Miller's body submitted the following^ We found Mr. J. H. Miller lying on left side with small pool of blood beneath left side of head wd ckeeck. External appearance shewed two openings, one round puncture in, and one other tearf located in temporal region above and in f ront ar ear in scalp. Round or entrance wojnH located two inches from exit wound. Range of missle was from J left front downward about 45 degree j angle. On removing scalp found at^ oval depressed fracture located as outlined above. Angle of oval fracture was at about 45 degree angle ranging from left front and downward at angle of 45 degrees. Size of wound about size of a 38 calibre bullet and was a mortal wound. Findings of the Jury "Whereas by inquisition by me held on May 8th, 1921, at Cades, S. C., it was found that J. H. Miller came to bis death by gun shot wound inflicted by a pistol in the hands of Tom Poston. been incurred by the farmres of section in marketing their product the eastern markets have become acute that the agricultural commi of the Charleston Chamber" of C merce feels constrained to appr< our representatives in congress i a view of securing their coopera in bringing about a reduction in freight rates on vegetables from Charleston district to eastern citie A comparision of the rates in e! in 1914 with the rates at presen effect from the Charleston disl shows the following: "I shall not quote it all, but ju -few of the figures to indicate v disastrous effects these rates are 1 ing not only upon the producers upon consumers of these articles. "This shows the rates from Chai ton to New York and Philadelphia follows: Cabbage in standard bar or barrel crates?in 1914 the rate carload lot was 46 cents; in 192 was 76% cents. In less than carl lots the rate iij. 1914 was 48 cents in 1921 it was 80 cents. "On potatoes in standard barrel: in sacks the carload lot rate in 1 was 29% cents; in 1921 it was 4 AA?\f n TM IrtPp iltnM Anwl Anrl 1 A+P wuwai xxi icas uion uiuvau ivvc 1914 it was 31 cents and in 1921, ? cents. "For vegetables not otherwise s] ified, per bushel box, basket, or cr the carload lot rate in 1914 was cents, and in 1921 it was 50 ce In less than carload lots, in 1914 was 32 cents, and in 1921 it was ? ecnts. "Vegetables per standard barrel barrel crate, the carload lot rat 1914 was 57 cents, and in 1921, 9 cents. The less than carload lot i in 1914 was 61 cents, and in 192 was $1.02. "Mr. President, there was a mi ing this morning of farmers, rej senting every district in the Un: States, calling the attention of Chief executive to the freight coi tions which exist in this country, (he very wisely told them that whole economic system at the pres time was out of joint, and he pr< ised to do all that was in his powei see that something might be< done relieve the situation. "The reason I am calling attenl to this just at this time, is beca I consider the first thing essentia] bring about a restoration of anyth like prosperity is for us to addi ourselves to this question of transj tation. It is needless for me to si that with the prices of farm prodi far below the cost of production, v wages being reduced throughout country, except in certain places, v everything seeking a lower le these rates have been maintained high as, or higher than, they w during the period of the war. T sa y that the railroads are going r idly into the hands of receivers into bankruptcy, and one of the pr causes is that the rates are so h as to be prohibitory and people c not do business. It is analogous the situation brought about by tax on oleomargarine, which 'is high that the article cannot find maifcet and, of course, the produc suffer. "I understand there is to be a tl ough investigation of the railr conditions by the interstate c< merce committee, and I wanted S ators to be informed specifically information such as I have gi them this afternoon, showing that was charged for hauling a carloac pulpwood 13 miles, and for 19 m $140, and a 100 per cent, raise in rate of vegetables from the semi-ti ical and temperate zone or section our country to the near-by east cities. "So that one of the prime reas - - - _ it. . . for the high cost oi living is me i ference between the low ?ost of I duction and the high cost of tr? portation which is pouring into railroads. It is true they are cai ing less, and perhaps the return less. Bat, as far as the shippei concerned, it means bankruptcy him or prohibition of his entire bi ness." o Call For Bids. Notice is hereby given that County Commissioners will rec< bids at their office in Kingstree, S. on Saturday the 21st day of May 1! at 12:00 noon for the building o porch on two sides of the county J The board reserves the right to ject any and all bids. S. J. SINGLETARY, May 12. 2t Chaim o Nature insists that we adapt c selves to conditions or change the c ditions?take your choice. * - * . . r rev. e. a. Mcdowell r adresses veterans om)ach vith MEMORIAL DAY IS OBSERVED tion HERE. EXERCISES AT THE the COURT HOUSE TUESDAY. the >s. It has been the custom for a nurfiTect ber of years for the Kingstree Chapt in ter United Daughters of the Confed:rict eracy to give a five dollar gold piece to the High school pupil who writes st a the best essay on the subject chosen ;hat by the Chapter. This year the Chaplav ter chose as the subject: "Jefferson but Davis." This essay was read at the memorial exercises in the Court les- House Tuesday morning, by Rev. Dav,, as is, and the prize was awarded to the* rels writer, Miss Dollie McFadden for the per best essay. Miss Annie Laura Sin1 it gleton coming second. The judges ftfr load the essays were Mrs. L. Gilland, and Miss Rubie Thorn. Rev. John Davis After the exercises at the Court s or house the veterans marched over to 914 the Kellahan hotel where the Kings 19 j *ree Chapter of the U. D. C. served i in them with a delightful dinner. 12% Address to the Veterans. pec- Mr. Chairman, Ladies- and Gentlemen, ate, Pupils of the Graded School and 30 Confederate Veterans: nts. There was never a more just cause it than that for which the Confederate ,3% soldier fought, and never an army more worthy of honor than the one , or that, 60 years ago, followed Lee and > jn Jackson. 15% 'As the righteousness of the South-ate ern cause has sometimes been called 1 it into question, I feel it in my haert to make my first word to you, one eet- in its vindication. >re- It should be quite enough for you, jjfigfcig ited and all the world to know, that you **Hlf the fought for principles, not o?Iy as deai; udi- as those for which your fathers in the, and Revolution fought, but that you foughtthe for those identical principles for which ;ent they fought! Dm- It is a well-known fact that the r to colonies of 1775 and 76 were perfect! to ly willing to sustain to the mother j country, the relationship of provinces, tion i provided they should be conceeded the ;use! right and privilege of internal and [ to domestic government. I declare to ling you that this, and this alone, was the ress issue between the colonies and Great jor-! Britian. And when this right was iate refused, our fathers said: "We shall v icts fight for it." The eight long years of * i- - * J Li i.L.J irith I Struggle, 01 sacnnce uuu uiuuuaucu uu the i the part of our Revolutionary fathers, rith was for this dear priciple. When the vel, long struggle was over, in which they SLi were the conquorers, and a compact ere was entered into by t^e colonies, that hey | were then merged into Soverign states ap- for mutual protection against a comahd mon enemy and the regulation of injnie ternational commercial relations, there iigh was nothing more jealously guarded :an-; than the soverign rights of each state to to govern its internal and domestic the icvil affairs. Even while Washington so was still leading the military forces a of the colonies in that glorius strug:ers gle for liberty, and Patrick Henry was in his prime as a statesman, Thos. ior- Nelson, in a Virginia convention, ofoad fered a resolution providing "that the cm- power of forming government, and the ;en- regulation of the internal concerns of of each colony,, be left to the respecven tive colonial legislatures," In words $90 of burning eloquence this resolution I of was seconded by Patrick Henry, and iles was unamiously adopted, the The 9th article of the constitution op- of the United States today, provides i of that "Each state shall respectively reern tain every power, jurisdiction and right which has not been delegaons ted in the Constitution." dif- As to the justness of your cause, )ro- honored veterans, it is enough for you ins- to know, that the pivot upon which the the great struggle of the sixties turn-ry ed, was this sacred right and privi! is lege, baptized in the blood of your is fathers. for You have been called rebels. I deasi nounce the accusation as utterly false and slanderous. What in the name of justice and mason, did you rebel against? Certainly not the Constiif - fnfiAn' uie iive When you quit your homes, and laid C.t your lives on the aitar of your coun)21, tr>*. it was in defense of the Constif ? tution. * j ail. You have been charged with firing rc- upon the United States Flag as it waved over Fort Sumter. If you did, it was after you had exhausted every ian. means to regain by peaceful possession the fort, which, after recession, >ur- was ^our own' "fistful property. lQn_ You fired upon Fort Sumter resistContinued on page Four. * ......