The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-06-08

ER1fs4tkyit:t WI Gs; My sa 36fs. i
Osat cxsgG One Il Shs moss ter:
ribls oNtrsSSs that eyer sooearred 10 this
ssoties yas eonslitsed in this county
last Wednssdsy evening, tho 24sh in
slant. Mr.. Neifl Mcleod, an old aad
very respectable. ciiiten, lived some
twenty Ave miles west of.kere Ia Cue
berlsnd An upusrried brothpr, Daniel
McLSod, lived With him, also an old
man and rather in6rm. Go Wednesday
evening thee Or fUar robbers, djssuised
or nkpowp psrsoos, caMes to ;McLeod's .
aud made hostils .dsmonstrStion.: !: Be.
fore the, McLeodS could make defence.
the robbers shot Neill Mcleod dowu !,
killing him instantly. They then shot
Daniel down, Of which. he died in three
or four hours. Dariuk the attack John
Mcleod, Nellie son, xho WAS near the
house, came up, and, it is said. got a
gun aud attempted 70 fire on the rob.
bers, bot tho cap was faulty aud his gun
failed to fire, aud they at onoe shot him
down. Some twenty or thirty buckshot
entered bis body, though he is still liv-
ing and it is thought his wounds are
not fatal. He had been severely
wounded 10 the war, having lost an eye
by . minnie ball. Two young ladies,
Neilrs daughters, were present, one Of
whom ran up stairs to get pistol and
while returning was shot on the stair
steps by the robbers, seriously wound
ed 10 the arm and disabled. Tho other
daughter having escaped through the
back yard after the shooting. ran off to
neighbor's. Old Mrs. Mcleod, their
mother, was also shot, and badly wound.
ed in the arm, though not dangerous,
perhaps. Tho wounded daughter was
also gashed on the head with bowie
knife, and perhaps her and her mother
were struck with guns or sticks. They
will probably recover.
This included, it seems, all the fami-
ly present, aud there were no other
persons on the plantation at the time.
Both the old men were buried Friday.
After the killing aud shooting, the rob,
bers proceeded to plunder the house, and
they took off all the valuables they could
carry, guns, provisions, jcwelry. money,
watches. &c. The amount robbed is
not yet known. From 800 to 5000
and large amount of clothing, &C., is
known to have been taken. The Nc
Lcods were formerly wealthy, and there
is still landed possessions and other
property, but it is thought they did not
have much money on hand at the time,
although they have been receiving con-
siderable amounts. Whether the rob-
bers got more than some $500 is not
yet known. The neares. ncighbor is
some two miles away, and it was late
in the night or carly next morsing be-
fore assistance was had or alarm could
be given.
The McLeods are of the most peacea.
bic and highly respected citizens Of the
county, and that whole neighborhood is
noted for its industry, intelIi gence, good
order aud morality. There is great
indignation among the people, and if
the demons who perpctrated this horrid
deed were now caught. they would pro-
badly be lynchcd on the spot. This is
the saddest and most sava.:e crime that
ever was enacted among us. Suspicion
is. inclined on Henry Collins, formerly
OF Moore county, who has fiequenrcd
that neighborhood, and some of the
mulatto desperadoes from Robertson
county, as the guilty parties. II
The Messrs. Mcleod were conserva-
tives in politics, kind neighhors, had
DO enemies and were alen Of liberal aud
moderate sensimenSs.-C Cor. Wilmington
Journal.