The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-12-02
SERVED HIM RIGHT.
a Rascal Brought 10 his senses by
Shotgun Argument.


about twenty three years OF age, cre-
ated considerable excitement in the
Ruple neighborhood, got himself filled
With bird shot and finally landed in
jail on Saturday night about 10 o'clock.
1t seems that Gadsden, who was under
the influence Of whiskey, left Orange.
burg about O'Clock on Saturday
night, going down the old Charleston
road toward Bowman. When near
Bethel church be went to the house of
colored man by the name of Wash.
Murphy, who being absent, Gadsden
ran all the women and children out OF
the house, and finally went on down
the road In the direction of Bowman
as he originally started.
When he reached the place of the
late A. j. Ruple, on which now lives
Mrs. Ruple, Mr.. John Ripple and his
three sisters, Gadsden went in the
yard and was hailed by one of the
young ladies, who demanded to know
what be wanted. The ficnd did not
make any reply, but walked on around
Che house, and, after peeping In one
OF the windows, walked upon the
piazza that connects the house proper
and the kitchen and dining room, and
walked to the room of Mr.. John Ruple
WHO was absent. being in Orangeburg
ON business, and opened the door.
About this time he told the young
ladies', who were alone, that their
brother John, who lie had left in
Orangeburg, had sent him to stay
there until he came, when he would
take him Oh to Bowman.
Mrs Purple had gone TO spend the
evening with her son Brooks, who
lives short distance away, and MIR.
John Ruple, as already stated, had
not yet come home from Orangeburg,
where he had gone on business. Tnis
was the situation Of affairs when Gads.
den made his appearance, and, it is
needless to say, that the young ladies
we're terribly frightened. When Gads.
den had entered the gate and refused
to answer the challenge as to what he
wanted, one Of tn" young ladies
slipped out Of the front door and
went to the house OF John Coulter, a
colored man who lives on the Ripple
place and works for Mr. John Ruple.
Another one OF the young ladies blew
the horn to notify her brother Brooks
and others OF the unusual occurrence.
In the meantime John Coulter lost
no time In responding to the call O
the young lad .eS for help and soon re
ported at the house for duty. When
he arrived Gadsden had left the piazza
and was standing In the yard shori
distance away. He declined to answer
Coulter's question as to what he
wanted, and stood his ground unit
Coulter went In Mr.. John Ruple's
70 N and got his gun. When Gads
den saw this, lie made for ths gate,
but failing 10 get it open, he ran
under the house, and finally Jumped
the fence, making for the woods, fol
lowed by Coulter. They had rot pro-
ceeded far bcf re Coulter saw Mr..
Brooks Ripple, who had been warned
by the blowing OF the horn, coming
towards him, with Gadsden between
them running for the woods Coulter
called out to Mr.. Brooks uple tx
shoot Gadsden, at the s.; ne time
shooting at him himself.
Gadsden contiI ID to run aid made
his escape to the woods, afte being
fired at six times, both gums beinl
loaded with bird shot.
In the meantime serc..:al, * A>l
arrived on the scene and lined IL
the hunt for GadsdeD, who, "a dis
appeared in the woods. - Ter some
time he was found 10 close VI
against a pine, with \ .ae ht pc, M
doubt, that his pursusrs would pas.
him, and he would come back, to the
roa1 and make good his escape. II
this was his hope, he was disappointed
as he was discovered AMI brough,
back to the Ruple house. While the
party was getting ready to bring him
to Orangeburg, Gadsden made his es
cape, and again reached the woods
He was pursued by those present, but
lhey failed to overtake him, and II
looked as If he had made good hs
escape.
But such was not to be the case
az Gadsden was captured by Mr.. J. c.
Murphy, the beer dispenser at Orange.
burg, who was on his way home
which was not far from the Ruple
home. When Mr.. Murphy had gotten
to where the colored man Wash Muir.
ply lives, he was told by another col
oIed man, Perry Punches, who lives
near Wash Murphy, how Gadsden had
acted there, and said he believed he
had been killed as he had heard sew.
eral shots fired in the direction OF Mr..
Ruplc's, where Gadsden had gene.
After hearing this MIR. Murphy push
ed on to the Ruple home, In front OF
which he found number OF men
standing. After being told OF the
escape Of Gadsden, Mr.. Murphy re-
membered seeing, while passing Fun
ches' house some distance back, a ne
gro man coming to the road from the
woods.
He Immediately turned back and
pus he'd on to where he saw the negro.
After pas ng the pla;e little ways
he met wagon which was being
driven by a negro, who, On being
questioned, denied seeing any one
Just as he passed the wagon Mr.. Muir.
ply saw man running for the swamp
across field. Ho jumped out of his
buggy and hailed the man, telling
him II he did not stop he would shoot
him. The man stopped and Mr.. Muir
ply tied him and took him back to
the Ruple home, where he had left
the rnen from whom Gadslcn had es
capped. 1t was brave thing In Mr..
Murphy in capturing Gadsd n as he
had no weapon OF any kind on his
person. Gadsden Is a large, power
ful negro, and could hive made short
work OF Mr. Murphy n ne had known