The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-03-03

Critical C1Af0tthon-Ihe GOnstanhes In
h ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Crawford
Under Innuenee OF Liquor at Time OF
the shooting
News and Courier.)
Columbia, February 26-well the
danger. il any ever existed is all over
and four of the dispensary constables
whom the General Assembly at its re-
cent session refused TO bond even in
the small sum Of five hundred dollars.
are now safely lodged within the walls
OF the State p~enitentiary, thanks TO the
pluck and determination OF sheriff
Cathcart and Chief Daily and their as
s~istants
This morning at 1880 o'clock the
crowd in front Of Magistrate Smiths
office having dwindled down TO a bak-
er's dozen, Sheriff Cathcart announced
his readiness to take the prisoners 10
the ~penitentiary. Captain McCreery
formed with the Governors guards on
the sidewalk TO the right Of Magistrate
| Smiths office door, and Captain Kirk
land formed the Richland Volunteers
to the left OF the door. A squad OF po-
licemen was then formed in a hollow
| square Immediately in front of the
door. Sheriff Cathcart marched out OF
the Office with his prisoners and pass
ed into the centre OF the hollow square.
There was not a mutter or a murmur
as the procession moved of.
Captain kirkland marched the Rich
land Volunteers out into the street and
thanked the squad OF policemen. Chief
DAILY and a Reporter for the News and
| Courier brought up the rear. The
march up TO the penitentiary was long.
tedious and dusty, over the stone
strewed and uneven sidewalks that lead
up to the p~enitentiary. Some OF the
mob, apparently out OF curiosity, fol-
lowed the procession all the way TO
the p~enitentiary, but there was no
demonstration at all, and every thing
was so quiet that probably not a dozen
people in the dwellings on the streets
through which the procession passed
knew what was going on outside. Ar
irving at the penitentiary about 5
o'clock, Sheriff Cathcart and the pris-
oners were received by Captain West
field of the penitentiary guard.
This is an illustrator of what is TO
be expected as long a. the Ubiquitous
dispensary law remains upon the stat
ute books and irresponsible men are
selected to enforce the law. In view
of this transaction, the words of Sena-
ator Barnwell, in his recent speech In
the Senate on bonding the constables.
seem almost prophetic. He said that
there were only two remedies against
the tyranny Of search by these consta-
bles-to buy or to shoot. He said the
wealthy would either buy or shoot;
that the plucky man would shoot and
the timid man, who was poor. would
have no redress at all.
Mrs. Stuart died this afternoon at 5
o'clock at the hospital. Her husband
was not able to be with her at the a.
nal scene owing to his wounds, which
are reported to be giving him consid-
cradle trouble this evening. But there
is no reason to anticipate serious results
ip his case. Crawford and the other
Iconstables will now be charged with
murder, but it Is o likely that any
steps looking towards securing them
bail will be taken Immediately. At
/ lOI uey 1tutIdl DclslubtI Sdlu lulS i'll
ternoon that he did not know whether
his duties required him to defend the
c~onstables or not, and until he had
looked the matter up he declined TO
say anything about 1t.
Mrs. Stuart's body was removed from
the hospital to her home. Coroner
Green will old In inquest in the morn
ing.
Now that the excitement has some
what abated the facts can be accurate
ly analysed. That Constable Crawford
was under the influence of liquor there
appears TO be no doubt, and but for
his disordered brain by reason OF 1t.
the tragedy probably would not have
happened. While in the magistrates
Office his breath was heavy with the
smell of liquor, and he seemed hardly
to realize the position he was in. He
would dose away into stupid maps
Z even when the crowd outside were
most loudly demanding his life. Con-
J. stable Dorm, who seemed to realize the
situation while at the house more than
any other constable, did his best TO get
Crawford away, knowing his condf-
r ton, but he was Just drunk enough not
: to pay any attention to the counsel of
his fellow constable.
s To prevent La Grippe take a dose or two
. II - n Mill pAN&~~t.-- 49, ALL