"Memorial Day" Exercises

In accordance with the announcements previously made in these columns, "Memorial Day" was fittingly observed in Kingstree last Monday. The program had been very carefully prepared, and those who took part in the exercises had been thoroughly trained by those in authority, and all of the proceedings were carried out in as smooth a way as possible. The column of veterans presented quite an inspiring and impressive scene, and the young uniformed soldiers added much to the procession.
After the exercises in the court house, the procession, composed of veterans, the Lake City Light Dragoons, the column of boys and girls, and the citizens marched to the strains of band music to the Baptist cemetery where the soldiers graves were decorated with flowers and evergreens. The military company fired a salute over the graves, and willing and loving hands then placed flowers upon the mounds beneath which rest the remains of brave men who went to the front ready to sacrifice their lives for the honor of their country.
The following was the program of the exercises which took place in the court house: called to order by Col. James McCutchen; prayer by Col. J.E. Dunlop; song, "National Hymn" by pupils of the Kingstree Academy; recitiation, "Conquered Banner," Miss Barbara Jacobs; Oration, Mr. S.M. Wolfe; Recitiation, "In Memorium," Miss Mildred McCabe; Song, "Red, White and Blue," pupils of the Kingstree Academy; declamation, "The Spirit of '61 and '96,' Mr. Edwin Hirsch; recitation, "Ode to a Confederate Bill," Miss Florrie Jacobs; declamation, "Our Confederacy," Mr. Louis Gilland; song, "Sewanee River," Misses Mildred McCabe, Barbara Jacobs, Dell Kellahan, Alma Kelly and Marie Thorne; Oration, Col. J.E. Dunlop; song, "Dixie," pupils of the Academy.
All of the young people who took part are scholars at the Kingstree Academy, and the manner in which they acted their parts showed that they had received excellent training at the hands of their instructors. Everyone acquitted himself or herself so admirably that it would be difficult to say which one deserves special mention. To speak of any on of them particularly would mean to do an injustice to the others, so we withhold individual comment from all.

The County Record, May 13, 1897

Memorial Day Briefs

The local dispensary was closed Monday which was a wise thing on the part of the board of control.


People from almost every section of the county attended the "Memorial Day" exercises in Kingstree Monday.


Forty-two veterans were in the "Memorial Day" parade. Surely this is not the total number of living Confederate soldiers in Williamsburg county, and, yet, how few are alive! Soon we shall see their brave, battle-scarred, time-worn faces no more, and the day of veteran parading shall have passed into history.

The County Record, May 13, 1897

The Last Call

By universal custom, the 10th of May, being the anniversary of the death of "Stonewall" Jackson, has been set apart for the holy purpose of decorating the graves of our deceased Confederate heroes.
The ladies of Kingstree have heretofore annually performed the sacred task, but for the ensuing anniversary, it has been determined to invite all of Williamsburg county to participate.
Mr. E.C. Dennis, the scholarly principal of the Kingstree Academy, has kindly volunteered the assistance of his school, and the pupils are now daily rehearsing their patriotic songs and recitations under the instructions of the accomplished assistant, Miss Kate Lee Dickson.
Col. James McCutchen has been invited and has consented to preside over the meeting. Rev. J.E. Dunlop will deliver an oration, and everybody who has ever had the pleasure of listening to that gentleman knows what a treat there is in store. 
Commandant D.E. Gordon, United Confederate Veterans, has issued an invitation to the survivors to attend, and it is hoped that many of them will find it convenient to do so and pay honor to their dead comrades.
The Lake City Light Dragoons have been asked to join in the parade and fire a military salute, and we trust Capt. Morris will see his way clear to accept this invitation.
The programme has been published in the last issue of The County Record, and the members of the committee are requested to meet at once and make the necessary arrangements for the performance of the labor of love which has been assigned to them.
We make this appeal to the ladies of WIlliamsburg county to contribute as many flowers as can be conveniently sent in on Monday morning. A committee will receive all such donations at the store of Mr. Louis Jacobs.

J.

The County Record, May 6, 1897

Murderers Still at Liberty

Nothing definite has yet developed in the case of the strange Italians who were so cruelly butchered near Salters last week. As to who the murderers are, and their present whereabouts, is now just as much a mystery as it was when the crime was first discovered. Suspicion still points to the Davis negroes, but nothing has yet been seen or heard of them. Even if they were caught, it would be a hard matter to fasten the murder upon them as no one knows anything about the men who were murdered, and, therefore could not identify any article that may be found in the possession of the supposed murderers as belonging the the Italians.
The three negroes who were arrested at Lake City last week were given a hearing before magistrate J.G. Lifrage last Thursday and set free. Jailer Britton, in the absence of the sheriff, telegraphed the Charleston authorities that if the negroes were wanted there to wire him, and they would be held; not having heard from there, the deputy let the boys go Thursday evening.
Three negroes were arrested Thursday at Fayetteville, N.C. on suspicion of being the murderers. They were on their way from Timmonsville, this State, to Selma, N.C., and were "nabbed" en route. Sheriff Daniel and Mr. Cannon of Strawberry, in whose store the Davis negroes did so much firing about about two weeks ago, went up to Fayetteville Saturday, but Mr. Cannon failed to identify the prisoners as the Davises. In fact, the negroes proved where they were on the night of the tenth, when the shooting at Strawberry occurred, and on the seventeenth, the night of the murder.
Three other negroes were arrested at Lanes and locked up all night in the box car but were set at liberty.
While looking over the field of the murder last Sunday, some Salters gentlemen discovered some clothing hanging on a tree and some on the ground only a short distance from where the murdered men's bodies were found. There was also a kind of a camp, at least, the ashes from a fire and chicken bones near the clothing, indicating that a camp had been made there. This discovery only adds mystery to the whereabouts of the real murderers, as this woodland was every bit searched last week, and these things were no seen. Among the articles found on the ground was a white shirt, bosom upwards which was not soiled in the least. This indicates that the articles were placed there Sunday morning, for had the shirt been exposed to the night air, the dew would have left marks on the stiff bosom. Then, too, there are numbers of hogs in the woods, and it stands to reason that, had this shirt been on the ground for any great while, the hogs would have soiled it. 
A careful survey of the immediate vicinity of the murder was made, and two empty shells from a Winchester rifle were found. One of these was mashed as if someone has stepped upon it or a hog had bit it. These shells are now in the possession of a Kingstree gentleman, but nothing is proved by them as they will fit any Winchester of a .32 calibre.

The County Record, April 29, 1897

Decoration Day

The committee in charge of the "Decoration Day" exercises met Tuesday. Mr. Jacobs was elected chairman. It was decided to hold the exercises in the Court House on Monday, May 10, at 4 o'clock p.m. After the exercises in the Court House, the audience will march in a body to the cemetery near the river where the monument to the soldiers stands. The graves of Confederate soldiers in the cemetery where the old Presbyterian church stood will be decorated in the morning, the following committee being in charge: Misses Mabel Harper and Bertha Epps, Mrs. E.C. Koger, and Messrs. G.P. Nelson and S. McB. Scott. This committee is requested to meet at the cemetery at 8 o'clock a.m. on that day.

The County Record, April 29, 1897