The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-11-13
The TRAGEDY IN COLUMBIA.
No Light on The case---Eme
Beckham Gone.
Columbia. S. c.. Noyember s

Columbia, S. c., November s.
-Effie Beckham is gone. She was ar
rested by Sheriff Coleman because she
was regarded as material witness
in the horrible tragedy in Scufletown
last Saturday night. Subsequently,
on motion of Mr.. John McMaster, she
and Annie McNeal were released from
arrest by an order from Judge Watts.
Sheriff Coleman advised against her
release. Now that she is not within
reach the officers of the law are dis
comGted.
Mr.. McMaster, who secured her re-
lease, represents Bob Martin, one of
the defendants in the alleged murder
trial. He is also the woman's attor-
ney in a suit against the Phoenix
Bridge company. Her name in that
action is given as Castleberry, and as
the widow of Castleberry she is suing
for $4,000 damages because Castle
berry, her husband, was killed last
July in the accident at the Southern's s
new river bridge when five men lost
their lives on account of the falling
in of an iron girder. Efie will no
doubtshow up whenever the damage suit
is called. Mr.. McMaster said yesterday
afternoon that he had no idea she had
left town, but the officers can't fnd
her. Just now her presence is want
ed. When the sheriff locked her up,
he no doubt did so from the desire to
keep her away from lawyers and other
people rather than to keep her from
running away from Columbia, because
she would hardly have left the damage
suit. But she is gone, and the depu-
ties and consta bles and police are look
ing for her.
Yesterday morning at $50 was the
time set for the preliminary hearing
in the case of Tom Green, Tom Hug
gins and Bob Martin mot Morton)
who are charged with being accessor-
les to the killing of William Seayer.
Solicitor Thurmond was here to repre-
sent the State. Higgins was repre-
sented by Weston & Aycock; Green
by Barron & Ray, Andrew Crawford
and Beverly Herbert: Martin by Jno.
McMaster. Among the visitors was
Mr.. P. II. Nelson, who represents
Archie McCraney, the principal de-
fendant.
Magistrate Moorman sent his consta-
bic to summon Efie Beckham. The
constable returned, saying that the
house was locked up, the window cur
tains drawn, and the place evident
ly deserted. One of the deputies
stated that the woman had told him,
before being released from arrest, that
she would move from Scufletown to
Vim street. The constable was sent
there, but came back empty handed.
She had not moved, he thought, for
the furniture was in the house IN
Scuffletown. It was suggested that
the furniture might have been bought
from an instalment house and would
not anchor her to Scufletown. But
she could not be found.
The delay had consumed over an hour.
The prisoners were seated all that time
in the magistrates Office. They are
mere boys. Tom Higgins appears to
be about % or %, Bob Martin is ap-
parently not over 19 and Tom Green
has suspicion of a beard grown since
his confinement. They seemed much
less concerned than did a number of
their friends and relatives who had
come to the magistrates court. While
the court was waiting for the witness
es the lawyers occasionally engaged
in small talk-at which the three pri-
soners would laugh with the rest of the
crowd. A number of small boys who
were acquainted with the three IN
fortunates, looked in upon them ad-
miringly, and evidently regarded the
boys as martyrs or heroes or some
thing like that.