The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-11-27
THE MART DAVIS CASE.
Sheriff Buford Makes Statement Civ
ing History of Case and Present
Status.

|
The State few days ago had some
editorial paragraphs criticising Sher-
if Buford and his constable in the
Mart Davis case. These criticisms
were very unjust in that Mr.. Buford
nor his deputy had anything to do
with the arrest of Davis, and there
fore, could not have applied to him.
As to Mr.. Floyd, he is Il good cit
izcn and it was unjust to criticisc him
in the manner in which these critic
iSms appeared. Sheriff Buford, how
ever. sent statement I" the State
givin" history of the case and his
connection with it.
II is very easy I" say what ought to
be done and to criticiSe people for moi
doing us we think they ought to do.
but it is a different proposition when
you are in their place. Very few men
would undertake to fight five or six,
who had guns levclcd on them, and we
expect most people, however brave
they may be, would have done just
what Constable Floyd did. At any
rate, there has been no lynching, for
l Mart Davis is still alive though he
S has not yet been arrested.
| The following is Sheriff Buford s
1 statement:
r On Saturday, the 18th inst, two
: young white men of this county, Will
Il liam and Alf Dorroh, had Il difficulty
Il with negro man by the name Of Mart
= Davis about the division Of a corn
crop. Davis became offensive and fired
!, on these two young men with SHOT
$ gun. AS he rctrcatcd from the field
= they fired at him. They Immediately
o went To the residence Of Magistrate j,
b. Smith to obtain warrant for Dav-
e is. but the magistrate was not at
C home. The magistrates constable
=, Mr. j. Yanccy Floyd, was there and
IS joined these two young men with some
It others and went after Davis, arrcstm&
e him without warrant. Returning
e. 10 the magistrates home, by whicl
y time Mr.. Smith had returned, they OBJ
x tanned warrant against the negr'
ct and the magistrates s constable, no
c. my deputy, started to town with tn
It. prisoner. When within about fiv
it miles of town the prisoner was take
d, from him. The constable is positiv
nd in his assertion that he does not kno'
OF who the men who took the prisone
We from him were, and have earnestl
lily endeavord to discover their names S
er. rs to have them prosecuted, but hav
he utterly failed. have been on the ale1
it to get all the facts concerning tn
matter ever since it happened, an
with the exception of one day spent
IL Columbia at the unwilling Of Il
Hampton monument, have been co
at stantly at work at it. I have been
the neighborhood where the prison
tits was taken from the constable, I ha
re- been to the home Of the prosecute
in Of Davis, [ have been to the hor
vas Of the father of Davis and have ma
the every inquiry possible concerning t
lsi- unfortunate affair. / am thorough
his convinced that the prisoner was n
Of killed. My information is that the
'ho, unknown men gave him whippi
Of ami turned him loose. When t
YES prisoner was taken from the constal
, in no shots were fired and nothing "
its, done to indicate that the prisoner W
the killed. The prisoners father, You
Who Davis, is positive in his assertion til
hen his boy is alive. The boy went to
house Sunday mornng about dayligl
ar remained there all day Sunday a
not Sunday night and left Monday mo,
gro ing. This was about IL miles FRI
las the place where the prisoner was to
ar en- from the constable.
ew The following is copy of an ,
in fi6avit mado by Young Davis,