The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-08-21
Constables at the Club.
The Rooms of the. Columbia
Club Searched.

The dispensary constables, aided by
Sergeant Morehead aud Officer Strick-
laud,i ofsthes Columbia police fesce, arm
ed with search warrant issued by
Trial Justice Troy. Saturday afternoon
called at the rooms Of the Columbia
Club, an orgaaization of Columbia gem
t.emen that is xnown far aud vide, aod
searched the rooms, taking everything
in sight. It was the fret attempt that
has ever been made to raid the club.
A large quantity Of liquors, stored 10
the private lock boxes of the members,
was taken out aud carted away in 8
wagon, which was backed up to the
doors. 4 very large crowd of curious
persons stood by, crowding the side.
walks so as to block them, to see the
seized staff brought eat. The cons.a.
bles pareicipatioe ia the raid we're
Speed, Davis aud LaFar. There were
only very few members Of the club 10
the rooms when they came in. Officer
Strickland was stationed at the door.
Ever since the dispenssry law went
into efee: the sale Of liquor has been
abolished at the club. A system OF
lock boxes was established. aud each
member who cared to have something
to drink at the club has kept his ?rl.
vste bottle 10 one Of the boxes. Wien
ever a member wanted q drink be
would give the colored porter bis key.
have him get bis bottle aud mix a
drink or serve it straight. And this
was the condition of things that the
coustables found. Several Of the bot
ties and packages were marked for per-
sonal use only. and those which were
not so marked, were so located as to
show that they we're only intended for
such use. But that made no difference:
everything, even the glasses, the
spoons. etc.. used By the porters were
seized aud carted away There was
20 demonstration oD the part of any
one, though Mr.. Robertson, member
took bottle belonging to him and
poured the contents into cuspidor,
for which act be was placed under ar
rest, but later released on his own re-
coguizance. The members of the club
did uot seem to mind the loss of their
liquor. except that it was what they
considered the robbery Of their own
personal property, fully protected by
Judge Simonton's order of injunction.
Several of them intend to imme-
diately proceed in the United States
court to have the conssables aud police
officers punished for contempt Of Judge
Simonton's order and to recover their
property. All Of them think the pro-
ceedings outrageous aud will see what
the courts will do for them.
There was more or less excitement
on the street while the raid was in
progress, but no demonstration was
made by any one.
The property seized consisted Of
three kegs. CONTAINING cherry bounce
and rye whiskey marked with the
name of the member to whom it be-
!ooged aud inscribed 'for persona!
use - three boxes containing nineteen
quarts of sherry w;as ; a box containing
fourteen bottles of beer; four beer.
three punch and twelve whiskey
glasses, box containing twenty-six
bottles Of beer box containing ten
beer and FIVE punch glasses. Eve tumb-
lers, seven whiskey glasses. straw
aud schooner, two colored glasses,
one nutmeg box, six pitchers, ten
spoons and one sitter, one box Of thirty
bottles of beer; box containing three
bottles of ginger ale, q quart bottle of
whiskey, pint bottle Of bitters. Two
LI.., ono echnoner one heer 0laes