The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-03-01
DIspensary Constable
Kills a Woman.
Mrs Stuart, of Columbia
Killed by Dlspensary
Constable Crawford.

30BS ACROSS the street lfOH the gov
esnor's mansion
The people of Columbia were much
excited last night to learn that .Mr.
John Stuart had been shot in his own
home By dispensary constables Mr..
Stuart has for a anumber of years been
employed as q salesman in MIN
nauge's clothing store, and he has q
namber Of friends in the city and in
Lexington, his native county. The
report shat he had been shot natural
81 cseated strong feeling against
s shese who had done the shooting,
aud this feeling was made hundred
fold more bitter because IF the fact
that his wife, toe, bad been shot in
the door Of their home. The cause
of this whole affair seems to be that
Dir. Stuart was accused of running q
blind tiger. This is quite revela
ton 20 those who have known him
vel His employer, Mr. j. Z Min,
naugh, Mr. McSorley, head salesman
in The dry goods store, aad Mr..
Bennett, head salesman in the cloth
ing store. all speak in highest terms
Of Mt. Stuart They were shocked
20 hear of even suspicion against
bin, and, as were all the employees in
the store, were grieved to hear of the
sad aud unfortunate affair
Mr.. Stuart's wounds are not neces
sarily dangerous The bail, AZ
calibre. entered his mouth, knocking
out three teeth on the upper left
Jaw, passing through his tongue and
oat of the back of his neck
Mrs. Stuart is hurt more seriously.
Indeed her condition is extremely
critical. The ball, also a. calibre,
entered just below and to the right
of TIE left nipple, going through the
body and longing to the left of the
spinal column. where it was extract
ed BY Dr. e B Owens, who was the
fret physician summoned It was
apparent from the very first that her
condition was very dangerous. Af
Il O'Clock she was removed to the
hospital, where she was attended by
Drs Taylor, Ovens and Dubose
Her recovery is regarded as almost
hopeless, as an exceedingly difficult
aud dangerous operation was per-
formed.
The acme which has been so sud-
denly visited BY this sadness is stu
ated on Laurel street, just beyond
Shields foundry, and across the
street from the governors mansion.
The family consisted Of the father
and mother, now PROSTATE from the
unexpected bullets, and three little
children, the Oldest of them girl of
twelve.
Constable Crawford, originally from
Iaaurens, is accused of the crime. He
has been on the force. as he expresses
IL. ever since Ben TillmaD was gov
ernor. When asked if he had been
charged With such crime before, he
asated that he had aever been direct
b implicated, bnt he had been with
ra:ding squads which bad killed peo-
pie
He was equipped with search
warrant, obtained from Magistrate
giarkson, authorizing him to rum
mage Mr.. Stuart's house in search of
..iiquor kept 10 violation of the dis
pensary law In executing this
warrant, he shot both Mr. and Mrs.
Ssusrt, and be himself received q
ballet il he left arm
From all appearances, and from
those in a position TO know, the con.
stable was drinking, and this may
have added insolence to his official
oHciousness.
The narrowing crime occurred yes
terday afternoon at z o'clock. Mr.
Stuart was unable to make a state
ment, as he was shot in the mouth.
Mrs Stuart wss from the first recog
nize to be in a very dangerous con
dition, and the physician refused to
let anyone see or talk to her. She
was so weak that she could tell no
coherent story of the horrible affair.
The only eye witnesses were Isra
ell, deformed negro, who csres for
Mr. Stuart's horses, and Mr.. Stuart's
oldest child. girl of IL years
Putting it all together, it appears that
Constabies Coleman, Dorm and Craw
ford went to the house about 6 30
o'clock to search the premises for
whiskey said to be there Mrs
Stuart refused TO let them eeach the
house, and sent for her husband
When Mr Stuart arrived he wac very
much enraged, and positively refused
to let the premises be searched
Crawford is then said to have slap,
ped Mr. Siuars's face, and the alter
cation ensued. So far as can be