The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-07-03
Cost of a Cursed Crime.
THE DISPENSARY AGAIN
BATHED IN HUMAN
BLOOD.
Two Moonshiners Murdered in
Spartanburg and Two Con-
stables Wounded.
Special to The State.

Special to The State.
SpARrANBURG. June 28.-The lat
est sensation in connection with the
dispensary system of South Carolina
is furnished by Spartanburg. This
morning at the hour of l. two citi-
zens were killed and two State con-
stables were wounded ; one mortally
the other seriously. This ie the sto-
~ of the awful happening so far as
mortals can ever know There were
no disinterested witnesses of the
war, only the constables and moon
sinners saw and heard.
Since the dispensary system went
into effect the people of the wild
Blue Ridge Mountains, which are
distant about twenty miles from this
city, have been giving the dispen,
sary people a great dea! of worry,
the close proximity of Spartanburg
to the North Carolina hills has made
it extremely difficult for the consta-
bles of Governor Evans to keep
mountain whiskey out of the town
and county In spite of all that
could be done the moonshiners would
bring down the product of their stills
The result has been that the Spartan
burg dispensary has been unable to
prosper. Very recently the consta-
bles, about FIVE or six in number have
been on the alert and have planned to
catch the mouatain men.
Several days ago Constable ToIend.
resident officer, applied for help to
execute his plans. This help was
granted by the chief constable, and
this morning the plans were tried.
However, several nights were put in
trying to catch the game, but with
no success until this morning The
constables stationed themselves at a
point on the mountain road about four
miles from the city and waited for
the mountain schooner with its cargo
of whiskey. At l o'clock their
watch was rewarded. The wagon
came in sight, and Constable Steven
son stepped into the road. and catch
ing the bride of mule, told the men
to surrender. The constable said
that man on the wagon expressed a
preference to surrender, but began
Immediately to shoot. The firing
then became general. The cousta.
bles used their shot guns and pistols
upon the crew of the schooner, and
received in return volIey of bullets
from the wagen. How many men
were on the wagon no one knows
When the firing ended two moon
sinners. Jack Fisher and Bill Dur
ham, were found dead and two con-
stables wounded, Pettigrew by ball
JUS. below the right nipple. Toland
through the right lung. The former
will die. Toland has good chances
Of recovery.
There is no account other than that
given by the constables The coro-
ner held an inquest this afternoon
and the verdict was to the effect
that the men came to their death by
gunshot wounds from the guns of un-
known parties. a strange feature of
3he affair is that the guns found on
the wagon of the mountaineers con-
tanned their full charge !; they gave
no evidence of having been fred.
There is great excitement in the
mountains Fisher and Durham were
kings of the mountains from Spartan
burg to Asbville, and have host of
followers. The constables are not in
custody of the law.
ANOTHER STORY.
sSPARrAxBUac, June 28-Last night
a fight took place on the Howard
Gap road, about Eve miles from here
The constabIes had heard that load
Of whiskey was coming from the di-
rection of Polk county. Constable
Eic6elberger sent out Constables
Pettigrew of Fairfield. Toland and
Byars of this county, and man by
the name of Stevenson, to intercept
the wagon. They met in the road
about FIVE miles from town. not far
from the scene of the recent Pisgah
fight The constables divided their
forces. and made the attack in front
and rear. One Of them in front or
dered halt and surrender, stating
that they were State officers. Some
one in the wagon said "all right" "
but before they had time to dismount
and deliver the wagon and contents,
pistol was fired aud Pcttigrew fell
The firing then became general.
Whea the smoke cleared away it
was ascertained that Jack Fisher and
Bill Durham, of Tryon, n. c., were
killed Pettigrew was very severely
wounded, with little chance of re-
covery Toland was shot in the