The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-07-17
BULLETS FLEW.
PITCHED BATTLE BETWEEN CoNsTABLEs
AND VIM. SHEPPARD.
Sentenced to the Penitentiary He
Resists Arrest-He IL Shot In the
Leg and Grazed In the Neck -
Statements From Both Sides.

Statements From Both Sides.
Columbia Register)
Yesterday afternoon about O'Clock there
was regular battle between conslaoleS anu
VIM. Sheppard, who had been eDJolned lor
contempt by Judge Townsend and who mad
been seiitenced to eight months at hard labor
in the penitentiary.
skipped The town, but THIS was not q iac! q ar as
yais street, when Constable speed went To
make the arrest. As soon as ne got 10 the
place there commenced Il regular 1usllaue OF
bullets and other constables near by came IN
and ioined IN the battle. AS a result or II all. !.
Sheppard was shot through the right leg, ana
slightly graZed by bullets passed IN mis- neck
and right shoulder. NO one expected Ine oat
lie am, when il commenced u great crowd
gathered, That il after the bullets had ceased
Scattering about. After 10 was all over every.
hodv apparenlly knew exactly how 1t hap
pened and were willing TO tell all about IL.
When q Register reporter arrived on ihe
scene, but u few minutes AFTER Inc shootlns
occurred, the whole crowd were seemingly
much incensed against the constaoles ana
were loud In denunciatiOn OF them.
Mr.. Davis Miller seid That he was standing
near by and that Constable Speed entered ihe
place AS soon as he did, COnstaDle Jenklns
came across the street ana WIN Two plstols
began firing. He didn't explain that Consta-
ble Jenkins by doing such an insane act was
as liable to kill his chief as be was Sheppard:
who was the offender MIR. Miller also SIaleo
that Sheppard had no. nred at an; lnese S
statements were generally made by otner peo,
ple who constituted tie large crowd that had
assembled and1f they had been true the IN
uiynation would be natural ana JUST. but
the facts do not bear out the statements oil
the crowd who were evidently biased against
'"B But W in order that the public may have
clear understanding of the situation Inc iol-
lowing statements are given:
Chief of Police DAILY said that he had oeen
In the Hill House. just opposite: and had come
outside and started up street. he saw Shep,
pard on the sidewalk ana saw sro Speea ncnn a
street. corner of Gervais. When they came
opposite Sheppard's place. Jenk 1ngs anu Nit
tin came from across the street. L came os-
hind them with Martin shepherd ana Bolano.
When he arrived in front Ui Sheppard's place.
Constable Speed walked upon the steps. JUST
Then the firing commenced. Martin started
10 run and Jenkins began 10 fre. he hreo
three shots from the outside. l coulahG ,SS See
Sheppard, but Speed was firing intothe build
ing, II holloway was firing too. came up lnen
and told them TO cease hrlng. JENKINS snoL
once or twice afterwards. l went 10 the do0r
and found Sheppard with pistol 10 both
hands. He was about 10 fire, but told him
to surrender. He said: Yes, Captain, ~
surrender 10 you but TO nobody else" he
then started TO take Sheppard 10 Inc suaIu
house, but when near Lady and Gates street
Sheppard became weak and halling pass,
ing ice wagon, Sheppard was put In IL ana
carried to the penilentiary. he was pleeul,s
freely from the right leg ana hau sieuI
abrasion on his neck made by one OF the bull
Policeman Sheppard differed materially
with the chief IN his statement. Inc Cnle,
said that Constable Speed PAD not en.e'Su e..
the building, while the policeman says ne
did Officer shepherd says that Constable
jenkins walked up and said "ho:d up your
hands" and Immediately began hrlne. he
fired three shots In the place. Otfic-r Shep.
herd evidently was time keeper for he ASSERTS
positively that Holloway fired four shots
He heard some shots from the Interior but ne
couldn't count their number as well lib he
could Individual shots outside.
There could Oy no doubt about the crowC
collected about the place being against me
constabIes and it was generally stated ana oe-
lieyed that Sheppard had oeen snot doM .nI
believed that he had no pistol, but There IN A.
ways two sides to d case and the statements
of the constables will show that they were
not the unlawful aggressors as 1t was haoe 10
appear:
CoNsTABLEs' STATEMENT.
After the whole thing was over the consta-
bles were seen and they gave their version Oh
the affair, when puts the thing IN Inherent
light. Constable Speed, above hlt olhers, ~
known to the people of Columbia 10 he
truthful and honest man. he II not ueSpo
RADIO, as cons,aples are usually c"nsinered 10
Coluin bia, and his statement ol the dltllculy
will receive due weight. .-
He paye the following statement OF the af
fair: This evening auout o'clock the war
rant for the arrest OF Sheppard was plnced I'D
INV hands. sent my men down on GtrVais
street and stationed them along TO wntch l0r
him. /, with George Beach aud a. L. Davis
and Henry Holloway, went over near Shep-
pard's dwelling. We looked AROUND ihere
awhile and could not find MN. 1 ielt 6eaen
and Davis there to watch hls house. Hollo-
way and myself came bnck 10 GtrVals street
10 his place o. business TO look Tor nun.
When got in front OF his door L saw Shep.
pard standing about me middle 9i ,H .ne iromI nr
rant for his arrest. He told ME to stop that
he didn't propose 10 be arrested. stopped
and lold him that | was an ofhcer of tne law
and proposed ~ arrest MIN. lie sald ne os
damned If be intended to be arrested, and
tnedately drew his pistol which ne ha9
behind him, and began firing at me. he nrea
twice before l drew my pistol. HIS nrst PAL
gruZed the skin on my left hand. l nred at
him as quick as l could get ready. He dodg-
ed behind the counter when fired ana Kept
up his firing through the lattice workI,ne
screen. also kept up my hrlng AT MIN.
Jenkins and Holloway about that time rush
ed 10 the door and hogan firing too. Jenkins
told Martin about that time TO go TO lhe back
alley way to Keep him from coming out, ana
Martin did So standing mere ,ill ne was car, s
ed away. When Sheppard fell l turned ana
walked out OF the door thinking may De ne
was dead. AS ! walked out OF the door ne
shot at me again. Immediately Holloway
and Jenkins returned the nre. ,S ina ~ apEu' i,
put him In IL wagon, and with the assistance
of several constaUles We took him 10 the pen
itentiary and turned him over to the authorl-
lies To serve out his sentence OF eight monlns
Imposed on him by Judge Townsend Tor sell
ing whskey. This Is IL correct statement OF
the whole facts. One OF Sheppard's bullets
grazed the left side OF my neck.
Constable Jenkins gave the blowing state
ment or the affair: II hud business at the
Slate Department this evening. L was re-
Quest cd by officials not to leave town, which
i mad arranged and expected to do. Later
tenant Speed, who Informed me oil the iact
that he had q warrant for the arrest OF VIM.
SHEPPARD with an order to carry MIN 70 the
uepitentiary. He asked me 10 60 uL once 10
our room where the other constables were eX-
pect ed 10 be and zee 10 the proper placing OF
bis escape. Mr.. Speed was 10 come In from
the back way. aad Mr. Martin went down
GeIyais street while Mr.Beach, MIR. Holloway
and Mr.. Davis went back way. After goin
down GerVaiS street / saw Sheppard AT his
place OF business We waited for some time
and saw Mr.. Speed come and turn the corner
and 20 TO Sheppard with Holloway. l said 10
Martin Now we've got him; lets co. We
crossed directly across the street. About the
lime shat got to the pavement Sheppard mr.
ed at speed. AT the time OF the IRE Speed
lodged 10 the right. The ball graZed my
neck. Speed returned the nre, ana nred al
must at the same time. Sheppard lodged be-
hind the screen. He jumped IN an instaEt al
most behind the screen and fired again from
behind II. i fired back ut him.. There were
sOur OF Ter shots that were passed. held I'LL
| saw Sheppard come from behind the screen
in the attitude or firing again. tnen nrea
and lie lodged back. Thinking that he WAS
SHOT. | Instructed Constable Martin TO make
for the rear OF the building and If he went To
come out catch him. About Ibis time Two or