Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-04-01
CONSTABlrS IN COLUMBIA.
They Tell Thrilling Stories Of the Darling
ton Fight.


They Tell Thrilling Stories Of the Darling
ton Fight.
COLUMBIA, s. c., March 3I.--Unknowi
to any but a few people three constable'
who were In the fight at Darlington ar
rived in Columbia tonight on a specia
train from Sumter. and are now safel,
housed I'm the penitentary. They tel
the most thrilling and graphic stories o.
the tragedy which: have yet been heard
The three men who arrived here were Z
II. Mcdonald. J. l.. Nunamaker. and w
d. Owings. Mcdonald was in command
OF the others, and talked TO n Registel
reporter who went to the penitenuary
few minutes after the men were safely
landed there
They came here as stated on n specia
train over the CoaSt-Line road. Inc
train did not stop Mt the depot as Is Gus
tomary, but went TO Plain street anC
stopped. the constables and the squad
which had accompanied them for protec
ton. disembarking there. squad o.
military men were at the crossing TO pro
teCt them 81 any demonstration should b'
made against them. Fortunately ie"
knew the constables were coming, anc
not three people saw them when they
got of the train.
Constable Mcdonald Is a dark-haired
dark-oyed young man, who seems &c
have plenty OF nerve. When asked by
the reporter TO tell the story from the
beginning Of the fight to his arrival here
he said
THE DARLINGTON STORY.
give OF us had been detailed to stay In
Darlington, while the others went to Char-
lesion When the squad which was go
ing 10 Charleston, went 10 the depot
whore the fight took place. we went WIN
them. While We were there Billy FIoyu
ana Rogers, the men who started the
whole thing. got into an alteration. 1hey
had a fight and Floyd got the best OF II.
About that time negro driver for the
Enterprise Hotel attempted to strike
Floyd Constable McLendon, who was
mortany wounded, refused to let the ne
gro attack Floyd. who had done the
conetables several good turns and they
liked him. McLendon told the negro 10
stand back.
Then the telegraph operator ran out
az his Office and asked what McLendon
had 10 do with il. McLendon said that
he ola not have anything 10 with it, but
he did not propose TO see Floyd crowded
Tho opcrator went back into the oiilce
and Rogers got into the bus and went
I'D town. / suppose he went up there TO
set a crowd. for in a short time he came
back with fifteen or twenty men. Rogers
renewed the difficulty with Floyd, and
cursed the latter fcarfully. He went to-
ward Floyd. but Chicf-Of-Police Oar
can iutorfercd and commanded the crowd
IN dislorsc. The crowd refused TO DO So
and Rogers again cursed Floyd for the
most vile things. Floyd said he would
not stand it. ana went toward Rogers.
The chief Of Police separated them.
Rogers then turned to McDendon and
said. There Is the ---- go --- who
caused me 10 get whipped McIHndon
said this was a lie. Then Frank Nor
ment. who was killed, stepped forward
and pointed to McLendon. saying, There
IS the -- -, there McIHndon re-
fused to stand this. and cursed Norment
I'm return 1 was standing right between
McLcudon and Norment.
THE FIRST SHOT
Before I knew il one Of them reached
over my shoulder and fired Il pistol /
do not know which one fired the first
shot. The shot started the battle. The
citizens were armed with pistols, and
Immediately began firing at the constables.
The officers were standing ia a body. and
were the targets Of the whole party.
Tho constables returned the fire"
"Dil the COnstahles use rifles
They were armed with Winchesters.
] Do not know how many Of them used
rifles. do know, however, that Con-
stables Pepper and McLendon did not
have rifles. and used pistols. McLendon
emitted his pistols before ne seemed to
know that he was shot. Pepper was
killed soon after the firing began. / do
not know how many times he fired, OF
whether he fired 1T all ! do not
know who shot Pepper. The shoot
ing was over In few seconds. The
first thing l knew Of the ending OF the
fight was seeing the cOnstables making
for cover They remained long enough TO
see that they would be crowded. as
couriers had started to the city at once
for rcnf0rccments. | was one OF the five
men detailed 70 stay in Darlington. and
did not run off with the main body Of
the constables.
DEATH OF PEPPER.
Il went TO Colonel Pepper. He was ly-
ing on the ground, and as ] bent over
him. he opened his eyes, smiled at me,
and closed them again. Then he gasped
several times and died. He was shot
through the heart. and the shot came
from a 32-calibre pistol | tried TO get
physicians TO attend McLendon. who had
not fallen till the fight was over.
could not get any OF them 10 aid him.
About that time / noticed crowd coming,
and thought 1t about time TO get away.
Together with the two men who came
here with me. 1 took the pistols which
Pepper and McLeudon had, and made
my way to the home OF Sheriff Scar
borough. We stayed at his house until a
deputy told us that the house was TO
be searched. and that We had better
20 To the woods. Then we went TO the
woods. This was about 6 O'Clock in the
afternoon We laid in the woods until
dark. and then went back toward the
town TO see what We could learn. We
saw that II would not be safe for us.
and set ont down the track or the
Charleston, Sumter and Northern road.
We walked down the track all night
without seeing any one, getting out OF
the way when we heard any noise. we
got To Sumter about half past twelve
o'clock to-day. and went by rear streets
until we saw the chief of police. and
surrendered To him. We told him that
we had not had anything TO eat since
the day before and he took us to rest
aurant. The Sumter military were al
ready under arms, and a detachment
of them was stationed so as TO protect
us. and the crowd which collected was
driven away from in front of the rest
aurant. ! must say that the officers did
their duty by US. After we had eaten
we were taken to jail. and remained there
until we were brought here on "a special
train.
LUCKY.
81 must say that we had lucky time
I'm getting here safe. The people we met
on the railroad track did not suspect
us Of being constables"
DO you know which Of the constables
were wounded in the fight Mcdonald
was asked.
"No. / don't" he said. Il heard that
Chief Gaillards son was one OF the men
wounded"
When asked If he or his companions
had seen any constables after leaving
Darlington, he said they had not, and
did not have any idea where they were.
He said that Billy Floyd was last seen
running along the railroad track IN
direction opposite to that which the con-
stables had taken. Floyd had two p.s-
tolls in his hand.