The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-03-03
A MURDER AT LAKE CITY.
THURsTON McGHEE, A YOUNG WHITE MAN.
SHOT AND KILLED BY A NEGRO.

inOSlON WCuuLL, IoON0 Will "HN'
SHOT AND KILLED BY A NEGRO.
Enrased Citizens Wanted to Lynch the Mur.
dersr but the Sheriff Landed His
Nan Safely in Columbia.
K1SesrREE, February 25-Lying dead
at his home in Lake City, with two pistol
balls in his body, Thurston McGhee, a
young white man, awaits burial, while
Cato Williams, young negro, who did
the killing, is still trembling at the mar
row escape he made from trial before
Judge Lynch. The news of the killing
was received here yesterday evening just
in time for Sheriff Graham to catch the
local freight, which passes this station
about 2:3o p. m.
From the best information which can
be gathered, it seems that the trouble be-
tween the two men had its origin in a
horse trade. The negro became dissat'
isfed and wanted McGhee to give him
his (Williams's) horse back. This Nc
Ghee declined to do.
The negro then attempted to take hold
of the horse and McGhee, to prevent it,
stepped between the horse and the negro,
when, without further provocation, Will.
liams drew his revolver and fred twice,
one ball striking in the breast and the
other in the stomach.
After being shot McGhee walked few
steps and fell. In less than twenty min
utes he was dead. Several persons, it is
said, witnessed the shooting.
As soon as he had shot McGhee vii.
liams started to run, keeping off his
would-be captors with his pistolwhenever
they attempted to take hold of him. The
alarm spread rapidly and soon several
young men, armed and on horseback,
were after the fugitive, and in half an
hour had him in the town lookup.
By the time the sheriff reached the
scene excitement was at fever heat, and
the younger element were eager to take
summary vengeance on the slayer of one
of their number. Nor were evidences of
their preparation lacking and undoubted-
ly had it not been for the swift and clever
work of the sheriff one more lynching
would have been added to the history of
the State.
AS has been stated the negro was con-
fined in the town lookup, but few of
the cooler heads, anxious to avoid a
lynching and let the law take its course,
before the arrival of the sheriff and while
the crowd was gathering in another part
of the town, quietly slipped the prisoner
out and concealed him, under close guard,
in an old barn, we'll removed from the
guard house.
As soon as it was known that the sher-
if had appeared upon the scene the lock-
up was, of course, watched closely, but
the sheriff, being Immediately informed of
the true state Of affairs, simply kept out
of the way, and the crowd continued to
suppose that the prisoner was still in the
town Jail.
As soon as dark fell the sheriff, with
two trusted companions, slipped the ne
gro out of the barn and by keeping to
back lots, climbing fences and avoiding
streets and roads, managed at length to
reach the truck farms by which Lake City
is surrounded. There his two compan-
ions left him and returned to mingle with
the crowd. Thence through swamps,
ponds and woods in the dim moonlight
he carried the. trembling prisoner until a
point was reached mile and half below
Lake City.
Here, in a belt of woods adjourning the
railroad right of way, the officer and his
prisoner lay hidden until nearly 10 o'clock
when the fast mail train came along and,
by arrangement with the authorities in
Florence, stopped and picked him up.
Meanwhile the crowd in Lake City had
at length discovered that the sheriff had
given them the slip and vigorous hunt
was instituted. When the train stopped
at Lake City thorough search was made
of every car. Without further trouble
the sheriff "landed' his prisoner in Jail at
Kingstree about 1890 o'clock. The
prompt and vigorous action of Sheriff
Graham, aided by two cool-headcd and
conservative citizens of Lake City, Messrs
Atkins and Singletary, has saved Will
liamsburg the disgrace of another lynch
ing.
Letter to Jno. F. Folk, Bambers, 5. c.
Dear Sir: Good yarn: How we got our
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