The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1899-03-01

Crawford got by the door. I wei
in and looked, but found nothing
except a few empty beer bottles.
Crawford and I started back to the
piazza.
"About that time a carriage drove
up. Stuart came in hastily and said:
"'What are you doing here??'
He spoke to Coleman. Coleman
was sting on the piazza, and he an
swered Stuart and said Capt. Craw-
ford wanted to gee him.
About that time Crawford walk
ed around. Mr.. Stuart asked: What
are you doing here?'
Crawford remarked: We are
State officers and have come to search
your house
Stuart said he couldn't do it.
Crawford walked up to the steps.
Stuart was at the top. They had
some confab of an unpleasant nature.
Finally Mr.. Stuart told Mr.. Craw-
ford that he could not search that
house unless he did it over his dead
body.
crawford told him he didn't want
to do that, but he was going to
search the house. Stuart told him
be couldn't do that and to get away
from there as quick as be could.
crawford said: Look here, man,
you cool down. We came here to
search this house and I am going to
do it.
Stuart told him again be couldn't
do it.
Crawford said: You are a fool,
man to tell me I can't do it,
"Stuart said: You are a damn
fool
"When he called him that Craw-
ford said: Don't call me that and
he slapped Stuart's face. He slap
ped him with his left hand. As he
slapped Stuart warded eff the lick.
T won't say that be hit back at him.
! Crawford jerked out his pistol and
bit Stuart in the face with it. He
hit him two licks. Stuart anne
down a step or two. I was mid
way Of the steps and went down to
the ground. Stuart went back upon
the piazza to where Crawford was
and they passed some hot, words.
Mr.. Coleman was up in the portico
and I was at the bottom of the steps.
Coleman grabbed Mr.. Crawford and
said:
"'For Gods sake let's not have
any row here. Stop! Stop
while he had him in his grasp
Mrs. Stuart came to the door, which
she had locked. Stuart when he
came up had told her to 60 inside
and lock the door to keep them con-
stables out. When Mrs. Stuart
heard the noise Of the scuthing she
opened the door. AS soon as the
door was opened Mr.. Stuart ron in
the house and Mrs. Stuart came out
and she went to Mr.. Crawford and
got right near him.
by that time I had got near to
Crawford myself. I had come up
the steps and I says to Mr.. Craw-
ford: Captain, for Gods sake let's
not have any trouble here.
Mrs. Stuart asked him not to have
any trouble, and a few seconds after
I had put my hand en- his shoulder
and asked him not to have any trou-
bic. Just at this time a shot was
fired from the door. I don't know
who fired it. L was fired like from
over Mrs. Stuart's shoulder, but a
little to the right.
AS soon as the shot was fred
Crawford returned the shot right
over the lady S shoulder.
"When Crawford fred the first
shot I ran up to him and put my
hand on him and took hold Of his
right arm and told him for Gods
sake don't shoot. You might hit
that lady. Don't shoot a woman
He furnished me away with Lis
arm ard fred Lis pistol again ard
Mrs. Stuart fell and said: "OI!
Lord, I'm killed.
II said: Great Cd Almighty,
man, why did you sboo,'' Ard I
walked down the steps and he fol-
lowed me. l walked on toward the
ooto borrorutricton of what cnnld