The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-10-26
Four Convicts Escape From
State Farm.
ONE WAS SUBSEQUENT.
LY KILLED AND TWO
OTHERS WOUNDED.
The State, Oct. 10

Monday evening at dusk tour negro
copvicts escaped from the State farm
near Camden Subsequently one was
killed another was wounded, and still
third was supposed to have been
wounded, all at the bands of Guard 4.
A. Johnson, who bad recently returned
TO bis duties after having served as ao
enlisted man in Co. ''I," of the First
regiment.
The escaped prisoners we're Richard
Garrett. of Laocaster, who had two
years more to serve /; Marion Dawkius,
OF Newberry, vbo bad served ten years
of 80 year sentence. and John Will
liams aud Ed. Slater. of Mayesville,
each of whom was serving life sen
teuce
The irony of fate decreed that the
man with the shortest sentence was
killed, the ooe With the next shortest
was known to be woauded. and has
been captured, while the two serving
the longest sentences escaped.
Col. " A Neal, superintendent Of
the peniteD,iary, happened to be at the
farm at the time. and returned to Co.
Iombia last night with the news of the
tragedy
The men had just Knocked off work
aud were being brought up from the
field where they had been gathering
hay Two Of them, Dawkios and Gar
rets, were TRUSTEES /; the other TWO, serv
iug life sentences, could DOT be made
TRUSTEES, but, ou account OF good con
duct we're allowed some privileges
The four were s:raggliug along in the
rear of the squad under guard, and
escaped in the woods aud had gotten a
good start before they were missed.
Az abackles are never used on the CON
vic,s at the farm. unlessNin cases Of
very uoruly or dangerous characters.
the fueitioes had nothing to impede
their way
The guard reported their eacape to
the superintendent. aud the blood
hounds were Immediately put on the
trail They followed the uen to a
cabin about two miles from the farm
and there lost the trail II had been
drizz!iog rain during the afternoon. and
it was difficult for the dogs to follow the
sceut even that far
Guards we're placed 90 all roads
leading from the farm, and other pre-
causio.s taken TO catch the fugitives
Guard Jobosoo was placed on the road
leading 30 Camden, aud within four
miles Of that place, at a point known
as Gimp Ground crossing
At about IL O'Clock Monday night
Jobpson saw the four pegroes coming
up the road abreast. When they bad
approached within very few feet Of
him. be ordered them to halt The
oouvic;s tbeu turned and fed, attempt
iug 10 gain cover. Jobuson deliberate
iy fred and Richard Garrett feel in his
tracks dead When Johnson attempted
to extract the empty cartridge from the
gun, a Winchester repeater. he found
it driven fast. ae lost several minutes
in getting the empty shell out. By this
nue the negroes bad scrambled up the
embaukmeot A.ukioe the road. Ooe
bad detached himself from the other
two aod escaped without being shot at.
With the secood FIRE, Marion Dsw
kins fell oack into the road But ooe
more sho. was fred. From blood
stains found yesterday morning. 1t is
,boaghs very probable that he, 200.
was shot However, Goth Williams
aud Slater, the life sentence men.
escap ped
Mr. Johnson examined the body OF
Garrett. aud found him dead beyond
persdveptu-e. He was shot ,hroug gb
tbe ueck, The bali dislocatiug the spinal
column Dswkius, TOO, was 70 all ap.
pearap ces dead The guard then came
back TO the Iaru and swoke Col. Neal.
telling him that be had killed Two OF
the escaped prisoners. Col Neal ad.
vised him to wait sntil morning and
then to ootify The coroner at Camden.
When they returned for the bodies yes
,erday mor.,pg Dawkius was gone.
However, there lay Richard Garrett,
cold 10 death A jury was 'mpauelIed
and ihe verdict rendered was that the
deceased came to bis death fTom 8
rife shot wouod a. the baods of r. A..
Jobpsoo, in the discharge Of his duty
as guard Toe negro var buried at the
State farm yesterday afternoon.
What had become of DawkiDs He
bad 10 some way escaped. 4 diligeot
search through the country was made
and Dawkins vas fouod 10 a cabin
abons six miles from tbe iarm He
was sbo, through the shoulder. HIS
wound was not at all serious Wheo
be vas struck, he fell prone upon the
ground, aud played 'possum. When
Mr.. Jobosoo came to examine Dim, be