The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-08-31
TIE FOX TRAGEDY.
Magistrate Richard G. Folk Killed BY Ball
From His ewn Pistol 10 . Rifieulty
With County Supervisor Scale.
From the Daily Item, Aug. 25.

$lt5t1C0 sblt4S S40V6NAAS, sOy fWAAAS-& s@>Hss6oS
srste Richard @. Folk lost his life.
In difficulty, which occurred be-
tween Mr. Folk and County Superyis-
Ors NJ B. Scale. ia the public road in
front Of Mr. Scales home. q pistol
vas discharged and the bullet lodg-
ing IN Mr.. Folks head, caused death
within two hours and "a half.
me shooting occurred between s
Aand 8 O'Clock and although eyer,v pos
sihle effort has been made to obtain q
circumstantial account, it has been I'M
possible todo SO rp to this hour. I'm
nediateIy after Mr.. Folk was shot DR..
sChevne was summeEed and went at
once 60 Previdenee 60 assist Dr. Foster
who was the first physician TO be call
sd II. but the wound was mortal and
nothing could be done TO save Mr..
Folks life. He died two and 9 hall
hours after being shot, Witho ut;ssgain-
ing consciousness and Without making
an anti-mortem statement Coroner
Flowers was notified Immediately and
left for Providence co hold the Inquest
aS 10 o'clock. Until the inquest has
been held and the evidence taken
shereat5s obtainable it isimpossible TO
pfve the particulars Of the tragedy.
Scale accompanied by his son,
Mg ~ Scale arrived ID the city
about 12.30 o'clock and went 20 the
Sheriff 81 Office TO surrender, but as
both Sheriff Scarborough and deputy
Sheriff Gailard were absent from the
city. GaiiIard having started for
ProTidence as soon as ne received q
Eelephone message Informing ann OF
the shooting, Mr.. Scale surrelidered
70 Mayor Geo W Dick:
MI. Scale was asked for 9 full state
nent concerning the difficulty, but
he said that he did not care to naake 9
statement until he result OF the Cor
soner's inquest was made public, i
thea. s.
far as can bss ascertalned the
facts relative TO the unfortunate affair
resulted In the death of Mr. r
Folk are as fellows
There seems to have been in cErcula-
lion certain reports concerning the
dockeb Of Magistrate Folk, which ne
REGARDED SIS rejecting upon his Official
character AID for which he thought
Suneryisor Scale was responsible. Be
tween and s. o'clock this morning
Sam Folk brother OF .Nagls-
trate Eodk. went TO the house. CT MT.
Scale, they being next door neigh
bors. an asked him about she reports
concerning the docket of his trothef:
Scale told him be: had circulated
no reports and when asked about the
matter had stated exactly What Klcn- I:
ard 6. Folk had told him and nothing
more. 81 ~
sam Folk stated that be had heard
that Is had been stated that Mr.
Scale had said that Magistrate. FOLKS
5ockes had been stolen and be. Scale.
fold INN that r. C. Folk had said
That HIS docket was IN his tSeate, 81
a,f6cs and ne and Col. Walsh,
Clerk Of the board Of county commits.
.sioners. had made search Of the office
sne3 could not 6nd it. Sam Folk
then said the docket had been found
and Scale then told hlna Il e.. u FOLK
would bring It to BIN ne would exam
ins is as County Supervisor, and II ne
found it correct, would mark it SO and
this set at rest all rumors and all re-
ports would be stopped Sam Folk
told Scale he would go and get MI.
Richard Folk at once to bring his
docket and have it examined, and
asked Scale not to leave. Mr.. Scale
told him he wanted to 60 to-Sumter
today and to come right back Just
before train time, the Folks not hay-
inp arrived. Mr.. Scale telephoned Mr..
Sam Folk that he was obliged TO go
t0 Sumter and Mr. Folk answered,
ss.sYait, we are coming. = In few
minutes they drove up in separate
5uppies. Mr.. Scale asked them to
come in brt, Mr. Richard Folk replied
that they could talk outside. After
some discussion it was decided fhat
they should come to Sumter to settle
TIE matter and Mr. Scale went back
into his house for his coat and hat.
and ordered his buggy hitched up.
He came out and the discussion was
resumed and he walked along side OF
Mr.. Richard Folks buggy to end OF
his avenue at the public road. Mr..
Sam Folk following in his buggy.
Just as they reached the pubic road
Mr.. Richard Folk called Mr. Scale
a Cd d-n liar and attempted 20 oraw
his pistol. Mr.. Scale grabbed him in
the eoller, ano in the scuffle, Mr. Folk
fell ont of tie buggy and the two OF
them fell TO the ground together.
About this time tie pistol was dis
charged. The bullet grazed Mr.
Scales coat on the left side and pass
ing upward entered Mr.. Folks head
in the right temple AID came out to
the left of the median line Of the
skull. When Mr.. Richard Folk curs-
ed Mr.. Scale and MADE the movement
to draw his pistol Mr.. Sam Folk
jumped from his buggy. grabbed Mr..
Ssale in the back OF his coat collar
and drew his pistol W. J. Scale,
Mr.. Scales son, who was walking
alongside of Sam Folks buggy, knock
ed the pistol from his hand AMI seized
him. It was all over il an instant,
and when Mf. Scale got up from the
ground to which be had fallen when
he grappied with Richard Folk, he
saw blood on Richard Folks face and
two pistols on the ground. He assist
ad in carving Richard Folk to the