The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-05-13
KELLEY STILL AT LARGE.
Sheriff Smith Fails to Get on His TraiI---
Reward to be Offered For His Capture.
Daily Item, Nav 9th.

Sheriff Manly Smith of Lee county,
passed through the city yesterday
afternoon On his way home by way Of
Columbia from trip up the Sea-
board Air Line into North Carolina in
search of Spain Kelley who is reported
to have boarded the northbound S.
A. L., passenger train at Bethune
Wednesday night a few hours after the
killing of ". F. Creech.
Sheriff Smith did not get on the
trail Of Kelley and found no clue that
justified him in continuing the chase
in that direction.
He has notified Gov. Hayward of the
killing of Creech and the fight of Kel-
ley, and has requested that reward
be offered for the capture Of Kelley.
There have been No new develop
ments in the case and no new facts
have been made public. It was stated
yesterday by several citizens of Blsh-
opville who were in town that the cur
rent rumor and the general belief in
Bishopville confirms the statement
heretofore made that the cause Of the
killing was Creech's failure to right the
wrong be haf done Kelley's sister. at.
ter notice that he would be required
to do so or take the consequences.
The following is the evidence gwen
by witnesses who testified at the IN
quest held by the Coroner:
DR.. A. G. Baskin found that the de-
ceased came to his death from a gun
shot wound Oh the neck, the ball enter
ing to the right, passing outward and
slightly upward. This wound was suffi-
cient to cause death in very short
time. There were also gunshot wounds
on right side of face and back of head,
presumably from two discharges, also
two pistol ball wounds in left arm and
half inches below left clavicle, four
inches to left of middle chest, coming
out below left -clavicle-
Fl. H. King says that he met Spain
Kelley near Mr.. Alexander's, that he
hailed him and asked if be intended
to make the swamp. Kelley did
not reply. Saw that he had double
barrel gun in his buggy and was reach
ing for it. Then be picked up the
gun and pointed it toward the buggy
behind him, in which we're Mr.. Creech
and Mr.. Howard Singleton. Kelley
shot one time. Nj. Creech got out of
the buggy on the right side; Mr..
Singleton OF the left, and the horses
were driven off with the buggy.
King said 81 pulled out of the road
to left to allow the horses to pass, as
Kelley was following Creech. I called
him to my buggy, took hold Of him be-
hind the buggy and caught his arm
and pulled him in the back of my bug
gy and ran the horses about three and
half miles. Kelley cut one Of his
horses out of the buggy and followed
on horseback. I turned into Mrs.
Boykin's, as I saw Kelley was gaining
on me pulled up leaving Creech IN
the foot of the buggy. went out to
the road, meeting Kelley, and begged
him not to shoot Creech again. l
got between him and Creech several
times, but he lodged around me and
shot Creech once or twice, think
twice, as he lay in the buggy with
his double barrel gun. He had pistol
in his hand and told me if I got in
his way he would shoot me. I told
him could have explained the matters
between them, but Kelley said he had
been hunting him forty-eight hours,
and now he had killed him and he
would go. He then got on his horse
and rode away. Mr.. Kelley did not
show any sign of whiskey. The shoot
ing occurred in Lee County"
Mr.. ". T. Brown testified: Mr.. II.
H. King, on the evening of May 6,
drove into the yard of Miss Tallie Boy
kin and asked witness to take his
horse. As he got out Of his buggy MI.
Kelley came up. Mr.. King said to
Kelley: "Please don't shoot any more,
I believe he is already dead, +" referring
to Creech who was in the foot board OF
the buggy. Kelley got off his horse
and they tussled for good while, Mr..
Kelley succeeded in getting past and
shot Creech twice with his gun and
once with his pistol in this position. !,
Upon the evidence the jury found
the following verdict: "That W. f.
| Creech came to his death by gunshot
wound inflicted by the hands of
Spain Kelley, and that the same was
wilfully done, according to the
evidence given