The Washington times., 1894-04-01
SEARCH FOR LIQUOR SPIES
Bands of vigilants Scour the Country
to No Purpose.
IN OPEN DEFIANCE TO TILLMAN
South Cardinals Governor Found Only Twenty
three Men in the State Who Obeyed Orders
His Orders Laughed At-smashing
State Dram Shops.

FLORENCE, s. c.. March 31.-The bands OF
viglants which started out last night in pur-
suit of the whisky spies returned this after
noon. having thoroughly beaten the bush for
the Governors agents. They passed ana re-
passed during the night within hailing dis
tance of their game as the beaten tracks
found in the morning showed, but all to no
purpose.
The spies are still at large and probably
safely out OF the radius of excitement. All
night on horseback and on foot the search pro-
ceeded till, overcome by weariness. the pur-
suers were compelled to call of the chase.
At Muldrow's Mill. about seven miles west
OF here, definite information OF the where
abouts of the spies was obtained. A citizen
named Williams met nine spies and one white
man, supposed to be their guide, in swamp
there He brought an offer of surrender
from the spies to the band of Darlington Wig
i ilants. who at the time were at the mill.
The pursued men offered to surrender their
arms if given guarantee of sale conduct for
their persons and also their liberty. The
spies, Williams said, were to wait until 10
o'clock for reply, to be brought by him
(Wiliams) alone. Williams returned with
an agreement from the pursuers, but found
that the truce was TO gain time to escape.
The pursued men had all gone.
I Pursuit of them was delayed by lack of Or
ganization and discipline in the band of pur-
.suers. Every man wanted to have his way. so
much time was lost of which delay the
hunted men made good use. Guards were
finally set by squads Other persons coming
up from Florence, Sumter. Columbia, and
Timmonsville or Carbon were thrown around
The swamp and men sent to beat up the game,
put daylight showed that the spies had slipped
" the guard at bridge and had made off.
The remainder of the night was spent by
he vigilants in neighboring towns where
tiey smashed the state bar-rooms. The dis
ptnsary at Timmonsvllle was blown up with
powder. At Florence, Darlington, and other
NplaceS, numbering seven in all, the viSilaDts
were content to smash everything breakable.
They made ruin of the state dram shops.
The floors of Tillman's bar-rooms, when they
got through, were knee-deep IN broken glass.
and liquor was flowing in streams through
village cutters.
In Florence to-day there was much excite
ment, but no trouble occurred, and the hours
passed quietly. Some apprehension was felt
when the governor ordered Clerk OF Court
McCown to go into the country TO sound the
slogan and arm the faithful. but McCown,
after two or three attempts to get some other
person 10 carry out the governors order, gave
it up.
Both political factions, for the whole thing
is the outgrowth of factional fight and poiiti-
cal dissenuons of the past few years, have
been mixing on the streets to-day, discussing
yesterdays affair eXcitedly sometimes, but in
only two eases with any approach to fight,
neither of which materialized into actual
trouble.
About o'clock the governors proclama-
ton. declaring Florence and Darlington in
open rebellion, was received here. For such
n grave subject this is regarded as the best
joke of the season, and the governors enc
mics compare it to papal bulls issued after
the reformation communicating christen-
dom. The governor found twenty-three
militiamen in Bishopville willing to obey his
orders TO go to Darlington, and rushed them
through here on n special train to Darlington.
Everything being quiet there they returned
Immediately to Blshopville.
The governor took control of the Whining
ton, Columbia and Augusta road to prevent
any more special bands of vigiiants coming to
Florence. but in no other way did he inter-
fere with the business of the road. Before he
acted, However. special train had brought
!, about forty armed vIgilauts from Marion.
The governor ordered Sheriff McLendon to
send deputies into the country to command
peace and bring in armed bands. The sheriff
did not consider this necessary. He thinks
all trouble is over.
s. telegram received in Florence at $50 to-
night says that several spies have been
located at Elliotts, on the Charleston, Sum-
ter and Northern road. near Florence. DIR.
L. o. Byrd a Tillmanite legislator is rousing
the faithful of Timmonsvile to defend the
SPIES Florence and Darlington will send
fresh men well armed riding poste haste
through the country to capture the spies if
possible. committee waited on the land
lord of the house where liquor constables
usually stop in Florence. They went seeking
,,fa Irvtf 1ar,I l0rln
.hcm that he would not hereafter knowingly
entertain any spies.