The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-11-12
TIE CLEMSON SIDE.

/ was on the street Thursday night
at the time of the first and second
encounter between the two bodies OF
students, and saw practically every
thing which took place, so far as the
students were concerned. What have
to say, therefore, in regard to most
of this unpleasant affair is the result
of nv own observation and not from
hearsay.
l. It is mistake to attribute the at
titude of the Clemson college students
on Thursday and Friday nights to the
defeat on the football field. They
accepted the defeat gracefully, and
acknowledged that the victory went
to the team which played the best
game. The victory was fairly and
gallantly won.
2. The trouble began on Thursday
night when the Clemson college stu
dents found that raid had been made
on the window containing their tro-
phies, and the picture Of the "tiger, "
the college emblem, had disappeared.
Shortly after this the transparency,
which eventually caused all the
trouble, made its appearance on the
street in the hands of the Carolina
college Students, and the first clash
took place. saw this from the upper
porch of Wright's hotel. The contest
seemed to be in the spirit Of good
nature, and no weapons were used ex-
cept the light carnival canes. The
after results show, however, that some
hot blood was aroused, for within a
half hour the second contest took place
lower down the street when some
blood was shed. Feeling uneasy about
the matter I went on the street to take
my boys in hand and prevent further
contact between the two sets Of forces.
I reached the place just as the boys
clashed together, and | was in their
midst at once. I ordered my boys to
the barracks and they responded to
my orders to man. I then made an
appeal to the Carolina boys to disband
SO that there would be no cause for
friction. They replied that the Glenn
son students had used swords on
them, and I then told them that if a
sword was drawn except in self de-
tense I would severely punish the
cadet guilty of the offence. This
seemed to satisfy the Carolina college
boys, and l then appealed to their
good sense not to bring out the trans
parency again, upon the ground that
! they had won the victory on the foot
| bali field, and won it we'll; that the
Clemson boys were their guests sand
therefore I urged them to be magnani-
NOUS THIS also seemed to have a good
effect and they promised me to dis
band, and / am sure that they did so.
| I then went farther down the street to
the barracks where found the Clem-
son cadets assembled and l began to
upbraid them for using swords on the
Carolina college students. They in
dignantly denied it, but said that one
of their number had been seriously
injured by brass knucks, and, being
knocked down twice be then drew
his sword in self defence. He was
knocked senseless and was carried
away by his comrade for medical at
tention. 1 do not charge the Carolina
college students with using these
brass knucks, but this implement
was undoubtedly used by some one in
the crowd, and it may have been in
the hands of some tough. character in
attendance upon the cheap shows which
were along the streets of the city.
Several reputablescitizens of Columbia
Informed me that they saw enough to
convince them that brass knucks were
used in wounding the Clemson cadet.
Thursday night Columbia was certain
| ly in the hands of mob, and these