The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-05-13
A Cutting Scrape al School.

What came near resulting in a trag-
edy occurred on the school grounds in
this town Friday The deplorable af-
fair was the outcome of boyish sport:
resulting in one boy cursing, the other
getting badly cut.
As we can ascertain the facts IN this
unfortunate affair, it seems that Whlie
the BOYS were returning from q ball
game at Summerton they were guylng
each other and having jolly time gen
orally, Arthur Harvin and Iommle
Hodge. the Two boys thai went together
Friday. were of the party. Some OF the
bows, among them Arthur Harvin, play
fully threatened to take Tommie Hodge
ont of the buggy he was riding in, and
when approached Hodge began to cry
and the boys desisted. Hodge applieda
very appro5rious epithet to Harvin,
which the latter did not hear. but was
afterwards told about it by some OF the
party.
On Friday morning Harvin, who was
with some of his friends, saw Hodge,
and he asked him if it was true that he
he had cursed him. Hodge replied
that it was, and with drawn knife
warned Harvin not to touch
him. Nothing was done then, but at
recess Harvin again approached Hodge
and asked him about the cursing.
Hodge acknowledged it, at the same
time drew from his pocket an open
knife. Harvin struck him in the tace,
and Hodge returned the blow with his
knife, striking Harvin in the back, cut
ting an ugly wound, and ln1lctlng
stab under the arm, the blade OF the
knife puncturing one lung. When the
principal of the school learned OF the
trouble he despatched some OF the boys
for the police, who arrested Hodge. ana
took him to the guard house, from
which place he was shortly afterwards
released. Harvin was taken home,
where he is receiving the attention OF
DR.. W. NJ. Brockinton. and who says
he is getting on nicely.
Arthur Harvin is II years OF age,
the second son of Mr.. W. S. Harvln.
Tommie Hodge is Is years OF age, the
second son of Mr.. T. T. Hodge. Both
boys have friends and the occurrence IS
sadly deplored by everybody. The
school children were thrown into eX-
citement when they learned that Ar
thur, who is a favorite, had gotten
hurt.
Like everything else, there are two
sides to this matter. and the cir.
cumstance soon become the topic OF
conversation, each side having its ad-
vocates. Some take the position that
Hodge should not have applied the ap-
probious epithet because Of boyish fun.
and inasmuch as be did do it,and would
not retract. Harvin did right in strik-
ing him, although he is the larger OF
the two, and that his being struck by
Harvin under the circumstances, did
not warrant Hodge in trying to commit
murder. The other side contend that
Harvin was nagging Hodge in an eS-
asperating manner, which brought
forth the vile epithet, then afterw ards
Harviu endeaVored to intlmldate
Hodge, by approaching him accompa-
MED by friends. and the boy was 1ustl-
fed in using his knife when Rarvln
struck him. Then there are some who
would blame the teachers for not being
out on the grounds to keep watch over
the scholars, taking the position, that
the presence Of the teachers would
have prevented the boys from accosting
each other. Ever since the thing hap
pened that great ''if" has been used
freely. Everybody regrets Arthur
Harvin was hurt, and everybody re-
grets that Tommie Hodge went to
school with open knives in his pocket,
but boys will be boys, they will tease
each other, have always done so, and
the teased fellow Will sometimes get
mad and 'icuss'' the teasers. II there
is any blame for this sad affair it lies
with Arthur Haryin's friends who IN
formed him of Tommie Hodge curslng
him, some Of them probably wanting to
see fight, another piece of boy nature.