Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1902-03-12
HEINOUS CRIME AT HYMAN.
Negro 0n!raSses Respectable HHitite H#Hitite woman.
Causes Special Term OF Court

Florence, March 8.-Late yesterday
afternoon, at Hyman, in this county,
julius Gibbes, a negro, went to the house
back door. Mrs. Haynes with her little
baby were alone in the house, Mr..
Haynes being at work some distance
away. She opened the door and the
negro asked her some questions about
an OK, in order to see If there was any
one at home with Mrs. Haynes. Seeing
no one there he rushed up the steps,
seized the baby, cast it aside and over
powered Mrs. Haynes. After commit
ting the assault he released her and
made his escape.
Mrs. Haynes went Immediately to a
neighbours house and told the story. A
crowd quickly gathered and search be-
gan. In the meantime Sheriff Burch
WIS summoned by telephone and he went
at once to the scene of trouble. Mrs.
Haynes never lost consciousness and
remembered we'll the face of the brute
and told who she thought it was. AS
soon as Sheriff Burch arrived Gibbes' $
house was surrounded and he was cap
tured. He was carried before Mrs.
Haynes, who at once positively identified
him as the man who had assaulted her.
The crowd was then ready to lynch
Gibbes, but upon the urgent request of
Sheriff Burch, and Messrs. Beal and G..
l.. Dewitt, MFR. All. Haynes and the hus-
band of the outraged lady, the law was
allowed to take its course and Gibbes
was turned over to the sheriff with the
distinct understanding that he would
use every effort to have special term of
Court convened to try the case. Sheriff
Burch with his prisoner was then allowed
to come to Florence, reaching here at
o'clock this morning, when Gibbes was
safely incarcerated in the Florence county
Jail.
Mrs. Haynes is an excellent woman
and the people of Hyman are greatly
excited.
To-day Sheriff Burch sent the follow
ing telegram to Gov. McSweeney:
Columbia, S. c.: Negro raped white
woman in lower part of county yester-
day. Large party present when negro
was arrested and desisted from lynch
law on condition special term of Court
be convened to try him at once. l
promised and have negro in Jail. Make
good my promise, otherwise there may
be trouble. Everything is quiet await.
ing your action. 7. S. Burch,
tSheriff Florence County"
At 8 o'clock Sheriff Burch received the
following reply:
S. Burch, Florence County: Under the
Act of 1900, providing for special terms
of Court, such application Gust come
through the solicitor and can only come
through him under the statute. IF the
matter is presented to the solicitor by
your people have no doubt that he will
ask for the special term of Court you
indicate. This is requirement of law.
Personally / favor a prompt trial, but
under the statute | can only caI the
extra term upon the written request of
| the solicitor. Have the petition sent to
me, and l will have the extra term or
tor Wilson fully.
I'M. b. McSweeney, Governor"
The solicitor replied to the Governor
as follows
"Manning, S. c., March 6.-To Gov
ernor McSweeney: Will go to Florence
tomorrow. Will advise you then. She
riff should do his duty.
'John S. Wilson, Solicitor
Tonight the sheriff received another
message as follows:
II rely on you to protect the prisoner
and, if necessary, bring him here to the
penitentiary. Wire me if necessary.
an. b. McSweeney, Governor"
AS things are perfectly quiet here and
the Hyman people have agreed to await
the decision of the Governor, there is no
need of removing the prisoner from the
tioAVhOO pil 40 pOllCCOly
PIucky Sheriff Burch.
Florence, March 1.-THE brave manner
In which Sheriff Burch acted last night
saved Florence county and the State the
disgrace of another lynching.
About O'Clock this morning Jailor
Anderson's wife was aroused by knock
ing at the Jail door. The spokesman OF
masked crowd numbering twenty OF
moro claimed he had prisoner and
asked for the sheriff, who, on this
account, was on the spot awaiting just
such crowd.
The sheriff went to the door and was
at'once covered" by rifle in the hands
of masked man. A demand was made
for Julius Gibbes, the negro in the Jail
charged with raping Mrs. X. +. Haynes
the day before.
Sheriff Burch informed tho crowd that
they could "only get him over his dead
body" and informed them that he
would kill the first man who stepped
into the Jail"
Deputy Harrell appeared at this time
and informed them that che would kill
the second man that did So"
This brave act of the sheriff and his
deputy ended the matter so far as going
into the Jail was concerned. After q
half hours persuasion on the part of the
sheriff that a speedy trial would be
given the rapist the crowd withdrew.
CONFESSED HIS CRIME.
To-day the negro confessed his crime
to his father, who called to see him, and
his father, who is we'll thought of by the
white people of Hyman, left him at once
without even telling him goodbye.
Solicitor Wilson was here to-day and it
is stated that upon his recommendation
Gov. McSweeney will order special
term of Court 20 try the prisoner. This