Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-07-01

not take any whisky with them. He
saw jug, however, that was hidden
about $50 or 200 yards from the camp.
There was fight that night between
Guards Davinney and Mendenhall. 1t
occurred between 10 and IL o'clock,
and was preciritated by Mendenhall
and Mikel waking Davinney up.
Davinney went down stairs and came
back with piece Of plank with which
to strike Mendenhall. Mikel took the
plank away from him and they fought
without weapons. Neither had pistol.
Superintendent Culp came out in his
night clothes-having been walked up
by the racket-and put stop to the
row. Witness saw Mendenhall, Mikel
drinking some whisky; but did not
see Superintendent Culp take any.
Nothing else of disorderly nature
took place during the night. Witness
saw some whisky next morning in a
bottle. 1t had been taken out of the
Jug. Did not see anybody drunk.
Mikel was the drunkest one, and at
about IL o'clock witness took him
home.
One of the county bloodhounds had
been shot during the night. The ru.
NOR is that the dog was shot by Su.
perintendent Culp while drunk, and
that the act had no other justification
than reckless wantouness. Mr.. Brice
asked witness if he knew anything
about the shooting of the dog. Mr..
Turner said that he did not see the
shooting; but that Superintendent
Culp did it. One of the dogs was sup
posed to be at the Jail in charge OF
Sheriff Logan. Superintendent Cnlp
heard a dog in the meat house. The
other chaingang dogs had been fasten-
ed up, and Mr.. Culp went with his
pistol. AS the dog ran out, Mr.. Culp
fired and the dog hollered. Mr.. Jim
Robinson said that it was one of the
chaingang bloodhounds. Mr.. Culp
said no, the dog was at the Jail.
When they went to the dog they found
that it was one of the bloodhounds-
the one that had been at the Jail.
Commissioner Wilkerson Did you
see Mr.. Culp drinking any whisky that
night?
Witness No, sir.
Commissioner Wilkerson: Did he
have the appearance of man who
had been drinking?
Witness: No, sir. If he was drink
ing that night, I saw no signs of it.
Commissioner Wilkerson: Who else
was about there the next day? Mr..
Lem Woods, Mr.. Leslie Campbell, Mr..
Lee Campbell and man named
Walker.
Commissioner Crawford: You say
you did not see Mr.. Culp drinking any
that night? Did you see him drink
ing, or did you have any reason to
think he was drinking the next day?
Witness: No, sir.
Mr.. R. B. Riddle was the next wit
ness sworn. In answer to questions
by Mr.. Brice, he testified that he had
been to the convict camp on two occa-
sions. He had never seen any whisky
there except what he took with him.
He gave the bottle to Superintendent
Culp and saw him smell it; but could
not say whether he had taken drink
or not. He had never seen Superin-
tendent Culp, or any of the guards
take a drink of whisky. While he
was about the camp everything seemed
TO be decent and orderly, and the su-
perintendent appeared to be giving
close attention to his duties not only
at camp but on the road.
Mr.. Lee Campbell, sworn, testified
that for sometime the convict camp
was located on his mothers land in
Bethel township. He passed by there
every day almost, and also frequently
passed the convict gung on the road.
He was not at the camp the night the
bloodhound was killed; but was there
next morning and heard about it. He
saw Mikel with a bottle of whisky
that morning, and thought Mikel look
ed as if he had been drinking; but did
not see anybody else who seemed to
be under the influence of whisky.
Did not see any of the guards or Su-
perintendent Culp take drink of
whisky during the day. One Satur-
day night previous to that time, saw
Mr.. Culp apparently somewhat under
the influence of whisky; but could not
swear that his supposition was correct.
When he was about the camp or the
squad on the road, Mr.. Culp seemed to
be attending closely to his business.
Never knew Mr.. Culp to be absent at
night except when he went on the re-
union excursion to Charleston but
could not say positively that he had
not been absent on other occasions.
Mr.. Culp spent part of his time on the
road, part of his time at the gang, and
part of his time riding about, presuma-
bly, looking after duties that require
his attention.
Commissioner Wilkerson From
your observation, Mr.. Campbell, would
you say that the convicts were prop
erly looked after? Were they in safe
and prudent hands, and did they make
as good time as they could reasonably
be expected to make?
M. Hompholl oncmorod q II of tboca