Birmingham age-herald., 1895-07-13
LEAD FLEW LIKE HAIL.
An Ex-Liquor Dealer of South Carolina Stands on His Constitutional Rights and
 Two Pistols.

Columbia, s. C., July 12.--A few days ago the state authorities began to apply to liquor dealers a section of the state dispensary law, which provides that circuit judge can enjoin any man from selling liquor, and in case he violates it permitting him to be jerked up for con tempt of court; that the judge can then, on almost any kind of showing, declare him guilty and sentence him to the pen itentiary doing away with the constitu tional right of a trial by jury, which is guaranteed to every man. In accord ance with this policy William Sheppard, an ex-liquor dealer, was jerked up here yesterday before Circuit Judge Town send. He made a brilliant fight for the preservation of the constitutional right. This afternoon about o'clock the judge rendered his opinion, everything the ob- jections of Sheppard's attorney, adjudg- ing Sheppard guilty of contempt and sen tencng him to eight months impriSon- ment in the state penitentiary and to pay a fine of $200 Before the sun had set pistols were cracking at rapid rate on one of the principal streets of the city -Gervais-and Sheppard was being car ried to the state prison like a murderer, blood streaming from his garments, there being wounds in his legs and neck.
 The warrant for arrest and commit ment was placed in the hands Of Liquor Constable Speed for service. He got his force of men out and they finally sur rounded Sheppard's place of business. No one was in there but Sheppard. Some fifteen or twenty shots were fired alto gether Civilian and city police wit nesses say that Constable Jenkins start ed the fusilade, firing in the store upon Sheppard three times before another was heard. The constables say that they called on Sheppard to surrender; that he refused to do so, whipped out two re- volvers and began to fire at Constable Speed.
 Speeds hand and neck were grazed by bullets. Constable Jenkins, who was us- ing two pistols, also had his neck grazed by a bullet.
 Chief of Police Daly, who was close at hand, had difficulty in getting Jenkins and Speed to stop firing. He says Con stable Halloway fired four or five shots into the store. too. The bullets are i'm beded in a partition in a store near where Sheppard was standing. Chief Daly finally got inside and Sheppard almost shot him before he saw who he was. Sheppard stated to him that he would surrender to him, but to nobody else He was taken out into the street, placed in a wagon and carried to the state pen itentiary, where his wounds were dressed.
 The constables tell a different story of the battle from many other witnesses. Sp6eu says ne went lnSlQe ana called on Sheppard to surrender. Sheppard told him he would not, and pulled two pistols, firing at him twice before he could get his own pistols out. He then says Shep pard lodged behind screen and kept up his fire. Jenkins and the others fired from the outside When Sheppard fell he walked out, and as he was going out Sheppard fired at him again. Jenkins tells a story agreeing with Speed in es sential particulars. Sheppards two pis- tols, when taken from him along with a razor, showed total of only four empty chambers.
 Sheppard is an old liquor dealer here, but the evidence adduced at the hearing yesterday was to the effect that he had given up the business as soon as the in junction was passed upon him.
 His brother was arrested today for violating the dispensary law. Great ex- citement was occasioned by the shooting.