The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-01-31
WHO STABBED THIS sPY?.

WHO STABBED THIS SPY?
The Strange Story Of q Whiskey
Spy, Two Men and Demiio John.
Notwithstanding the efforts which
have been made to keep the matter
quiet it has become known that come
where and by some one, Constable G.
B. Mcdonald was stabbed in the chest
night before last. Some people think
he did the cutting himself The rumors
which we're aaoat regarding the
matter yesterday morning had the
usual trimmings which are supplied BY
the public fancy when it does not know
the frii. details of sensational incident
At Que time it was stated that Constable
Mcdonald had been stabbed and had
killed his opponent, at another that be
had been himself shot, and so it went, no
one knowing anything and each mouth
magnifying the words which we're
brought to it.
10 spite of an inclination to hush the
matter up, or at least to keep it quiet,
Reporter for The Nevs and Courier
was able during the day to collect
enough facts from which to give the
leading incidents so far they are now
attainable.
It seems that Spy Mcdonald was
slightly stabbed in the chest early Sun-
day night The story which be tells is
about as follows. lie claims that about
8 o'clock night before last be ran up on
two men with a demUobn in Friend
Street. He tried to take the jug from
them for the purpose of examining the
contents. believing that it contained
coutrabaud liquor. He claims that in
the scufae which ensued one of the men
stabbed him in the breast, near his off,
cial badge. which he had previously
displayed, and that then his assailants
escaped, be firing FIVE shots at them.
This is in substance. the story told by
the spy, but it lacks confirmation.
1t is understood that the matter was
reported to the Police Station and was
being investigated by the department,
but the officers would have nothing to
say on the matter for publication. 1t is
probable that it is desired to keep the
matter quiet until it has been fully in-
vestigated.
The Reporter for The Nevs and
Courier did some investigation on bis
own account, however, without being
able to 6nd a particle Of evidence to
substantiate the improbable story told
by Mcdonald.
Inquiry at all of the houses in the
neigbborhood of the place at which
Mcdonald claims the assault vas made
on him and at which be was supposed
to have fired Eve shots failed to fnd a
person who had heard any shots at the
time mentioned or anywhere near it..
Nobody had heard anything of scufae
or disturbance OF any kind, aud most of
them we're positive that none had occur
red under the circumstances claimed by
the spy. Another pretty we'll substau-
tiated fact picked up during the course
of the day, and one vouched for by a
gentleman Who claimed to have it
straight. was that while Mcdonald
claimed to have fred five shots only two
chambers of his pistol we're empty
Now if the spy was not stabbed in
Friend Street where did the row occur
1t cannot now be positively stated. II
was commonly reported that be was in a
row in some disreputable house and re-
ceived bis wounds there This has not
been proven yet, but efforts are being
made to get at the bottom Of the affair,
and the truth will be known before
long
Mcdonald will be rem embered here as
the young spy against whom warrant
was sworn out short time ago for OBJ
tanning money under false pretences.
The case was dropped against him, but
it was generally believed that his guilt
could have been proven if it had ever
gone to trial. Later he went over to
Savannah as spy for the State, and
being employed as special detective to
prevent Sunday selling of liquor en-
broiled the city council Of that city in a
row.
The injury which he has received in
this instance is not severe one, but the
full extent of it is not known. One Of
the rumors aaoat yesterday was to the
effect that it was a mere scratch and
that be had inflicted it himself in order
to gain notoriety and to cause trouble
in the city.-Neaos and Courier.
According to the official report the
number of immigrants Who arrived al
New York last year was 352, 1856, clas-
si6ed according to nationality thus,
omitting the nations whence the entries