The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-10-23
SHOT BY ROBBER
Because Flo 5raveIy Refus d to
Opsn His Safe.
A PLUcKY RAILROAD AGENT.
He Was Mercllsssly Shot Down.
Man Arrested on Suspicion
But Not lds niifssd.

| A dispatch from Greenyille to The
| State says unususl experience for this
| section Of the country was an attempt
made Tuesdsy night Of last week to
rob the railroad agent at Greer's, and
his plucky refusal to comply with the
demands Of the bandit resulted in his
being shot three times. Mir. 7. N.
Hill, agent Of the Southern railway,
went to his Office at Greer's last night
for the purpose Of doing extra work,
and while he was engaged at his desk
between 10 and II o'clock q man of
medium size, who was masked and
heavily armed, suddenly appeared be-
fore him and demanded the contents Of
the safe. MIR. Hill remembered that
he had $500 in the safe, bGtstill he did
not think the man Was In earnest, and
resched the conclusion that it was
practical j,ke being played on him by
the telegraph operator, whose Office is
in the passenger depot across the rail-
road track.
The masked individual was not to be
trifsd with, however, and Mr. Hill
soon realized the situation was quite
serious. when the man threatened to
shoot him if he did not open the safe,
but Hill resoluteiy declined to yield to
his demand, when a brace Of pistols
confronted him, and as he threw up his
hands the man fred at him twice, the
shots tsking eject in both hands Of the
agent. L is not certain that one pis-
tol made both wounds, and it is proba-
bic that the villain used two pistols,
one being q 80 and the other a. cali
bre revolver. Than be made an attack
upon the sge2l By beating him ever the
head with the Weapons, and when he
had stricken him to the floor he fred
twice sgain, one shot piercing the
shoulder and the other barely graziag
his side. TIE telegraph operator heard
the shcts and ran across to the agents
odce, but the would-be assassin was
mSking tracks st the ether end Of the
platform ard disappeared as suddenly as
he came. The operator went to Mr..
E;li's relief, and a physician was quick
II sun uoned. His wounds were very
painful, but not considered st all seri-
Gus. and this morning he was resting
very well after his exceptional expert
ence.
Sheriff J. D. Gilresth and, Deputy
Whitmore went to Greer's last night,
and 2 search was being made for the
asssilant Of MI. Hill when Mr. Whit.
mire returned this Wednesday morning.
a phone message from Greer's says
that the man Wss caught and taken
there Wednesday afternoon. This man
who was taken to Greer's upon the sus-
pieion that he shot the railroad agent,
was brought here and placed in jail to
await Developments. He and two other
were gambling underneath the tresHe
short distance from the Washington
Street station in this city between l
and 2 o'clock Wednesday when the
fact was reported to Sergeant Gunnals
Of the police forss who went to the
trestle with three others and bagged
one Of them who answered somewhat
the description Of the man who shot
Hill. HIS associates got away and
the prisoner vas taken to Greer's, but
Hill did not Identify him and it is
doubtful about his being the right
man, although he had q a Colts reyel-
yer that had three fresh cartridges in
it and three empty shells was in his
pecket. He gave the name Of Edwards
when arrested. The pistol and empty
shells are suspicious, and in addition
q black cap was found in Edwards
pocket which has white fringe around
the front indicating q mask. The su-
thorities believe another man who was
loafing around Greer's Wednesday did
the shooting. He is described as being
about 35 years old, weighing 140
pound, clean shaved with gray hairs
about the temple and tsttoed on the
right arm. Edwards is about Is years
old, has nousasche and right arm tat.
tosd. When captured he had plunged
into the river.
Dstective Hayne Of the Southern
railway aided in his capture, as he hap
pered to be at the station when the
police vent after the gamblers and
joined in their pursuit. Edwards pis-
tol was Of the latest and most ap-
proved pattern.