Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-09-04
#1iseettanen,ts Readima.
IN THE NAME OF THE tAWl
Strange Happenings In Ebenezer and
Catawba Townships.

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catawba Townships.
A mere mention was sent this paper
this morning of trouble which occur
red yesterday afternoon between State
Constable Thomasson and the family
Of Gabe Bowden, colored. On account
of the charges and counter charges 1t Is
yet impossible to give very clear ac-
count of the details, but so near as pos
sible the story, as related by the prin-
cipals on both sides, Is as follows:
The Negro says that Constable
Thomasson, accompanied by w. H.
Cowan, came to the house in search of
missing dog, and that he entered the
house, got into wordy row with Bow
denis wife, cursed her and was cursed
back, and that he slapped the old wo-
man down: that when this happened
the girl grabbed up the first thing she
could lay hands upon and struck him
blow on the head; that the constable
turned on the girl and, with his heavy
stick, struck her several times, and
that Mr.. Cowan then ran in the house
and got Thomasson to quit; that
Thomasson then arrested her and took
her in his buggy to the magistrates 8
house. and that on the road he struck
her repeatedly; that a Negro man
named Avery saw this and asked
Thomasson what he was doing it for,
whereupon the constable drew his pis-
tol and shot at Avery five times.
Constable Thomasson did not wish
to talk about the matter, but stated
that he had intended searching Bow
den's house Saturday night, but for a
good reason did not do so, and that he
had a warrant to do so.
The matter Of the dog was simply
blind used to find out where Bowden
lived. He said he was resisted from
the first and that the girl struck him
murderous blow with a large stick,
which had a heavy metal band on 1t.
He has a bad looking cut about two
inches long over his temple. He ad-
mitted that when the girl struck him
and he was sick and stunned from the
blow he struck her or struck at her
with his stick. He arrested her and
locked her up in Magistrate Ander-
sons crib. He said that on the way
Negro named Avery ran out with a
rock in one hand and a pistol In the
other and halted the buggy and that
he at once drew and began firing and
made him run.
Today Mr.. w. M. Dunlap, acting for
the Bowdens secured a change OF
venue to this township, and brought
the girl before Magistrate Beckhan
to answer to the charge for which she
was arrested by Thomasson. No one
appeared against her and that case
was dismissed. Immediately they
swore out a warrant for assault and
battery of a high and aggravated ma
ture against Thomasson, who appeared
before Magistrate Beckham and was
released under a 5000 bond.
Then Thomasson swore out a coun-
ter warrant against the girl, charging
her with assault with intent to kill,
and the girl made her bond Of $500
also.
Now here appears a disagreeable
state Of affairs, which came out some
what in connection with the whole af-
fair. When Magistrate r. M. Ander-
son of Ebenezer township came to
town this morning, in the matter Of the
above change Of venue, he was arrest
ed by the city police and taken before
the mayor on two charges, that OF open
drunkenness and disorderly conduct
He was fined IS on the first and $3.50
on the second charge. The cases,
which are exciting a great deal of In
terest, will come up before Magistrate
Beckham of this city, in day or two.
Rock Hill letter Of August 81, to the
News and Courier.