The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-08-26
i HORRIBLE MURDER STORY.
Capture of Lee Green, Charged
With Killing surasky in Aiken
County.

CGunfy.
Aiken, Aug. 21.-Lee Green, the
alleged murderer of Surasky. the Jew
peddler, was brought to Aiken by
Sheriff Alderman and posse last night
about $50. Green was surrounded and
captured at his fathers place, near
Hawthorne, about twenty miles from
Aiken.
For several days two men Of that
section, Arthur Glover and West Cad
den have been on the watch for Green,
and finally located him at his fathers
place. Early yesterday morning t oy
telegraphed Sheriff Alderman that
Green was cornered and if he could
come at once with a few men Green
could be captured
Sheriff Alderman left Aiken about
12 O'Clock with ten men. Two Of Sur
asky's brothers LETT here for the scene
about the same time. The sheriff S
| party arrived at McClain's store, two
miles from Green's house, at about )
O'Clock, where they found Glover and
Cadden, who had slipped away to
again communicate with the sheriff.
Messrs. Glover and Cadden reported
that they and Green had fred several
shots at one another during the morn
ing and that they felt sure that he was
still on the place. Sheriff Alderman,
who now had about fifteen men, sent
part of his force around to come in at
remainder Of his party went to the
house.
Mr. Green, the elder, was asked if
his son Lee was at home. He replied
that his son was on the place, but he
did not know where. The posse then
searched all the buildings and it was
at last discovered that Green was in
the fodder loft Of the barn.
It was at first thought that the
building would have to be burned in
order to chase Green out. but the
sheriff finally told Lee Green's brother
to go into the barn and tell him that
he had better give up.
The brother went IN and came out
in few minutes with Lees gun and a
few moments later the man who has
terrorized that section for nearly a
month walked out of the barn and
gave himself up to Sheriff Alderman.
The gun Green had with him was a
single barrelled breech-loader and his
ammunition was shells loaded with
bird shot. Green told the sheriff that
he intended to give himself up after a
while, as he was not able to give
bond and did not care to stay in Jail
so long.
However, there is no doubt that
that immediate vicinity is feeling a
great deal easier now that he and the
sheriff have finally made connection.
Lee Green is a young man about Is
years of age, weighs about 175 pounds
and is about six feet tall, and is a
powerful man for his age. He is said
to be a bad character and a great
trouble to his old father, who is one
of the best men in that section.
1t is said that Lee Green shot at a
Jew peddler, named Levi, from Au-
gusta, not long ago, and stated at the
time that he did it Just to see him
run. He is also said to have threaten
ed to kill the next peddler that came
to his house, as they always sold his
wife goods, and he was never able to
keep cent Of money in the house.
Abram Surasky is said to have
been killed while performing an act
of courtesy for Green. On the day of
the murder Green had been to the
mill and was at his house on his horse,
with his sack of meal and his
double -barrelled shotgun across the
saddle, just about the time Surasky
drove nm in his wagon.
This was about o'clock in the aft
ernoon. AS the men alighted they
shook, hands, and Surasky walked
over to Green's horse and threw the
sack of meal across his shoulder, and
told Green that he would carry it to
the house for him. Surasky walked
towards the house and when he was
about twenty-five steps away Green
shot him twice in the back, but did
not hurt him, as the shot probably all
entered the sack Of meal. Surasky
turned and, throwing the sack down,
lifted his hands above his head and
begged Green not to shoot him.
Surasky then saw Green reloading
his gun, and so the peddler ran into
the house, where Mrs. Green was,
and begged her not to let her husband
kill him. It is said that Mrs. Green
pleaded for the life of the Jew, but
Green rushed into the house after
him.
Surasky held Mrs. Green between
himself and his assailant, and then
Green is said to have told his wife
that if she didn't get out of the way
he would shoot her. Surasky then
tried to run away, but Green shot
him twice in thea back and brought
him to the ground, just outside of the
door.
The gunshots did not kill him, and
Green then got an axe and chopped
him until life was extinct. He then
loaded the body on his victims wagon
and hid him in the woods, as before
reported.
The above story of the crime is said
to have been received direct from g
relative of Lee Green and is thought to
be authentic.
1t is said that George Toole is not
criminally connected with the crime,
as was at first thought, but it is uu-
derstood that be arrived at Green's