The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1907-08-07
GOT HIM SAFE.
Murderer of Constable Valentine
Caught Near Denmark,
Carried to the Penitentiary for Safe
Kecping-Claims He Shot in Self
Defence.

Defence.
The State says Pink Franklin, alias
Porter" Franklin, the negro who
shot and killed Constable H. E. Val
entine, near Norway. Orangeburg
county, Monday morning while the
officer was attempting to serve war
rant, was brought to Columbia Thurs
day on the morning train from Den
mark and lodged in the State peni-
tentiary for safe keeping. in accord
ance with the instructions of Eov,
Ansel. Franklin was picked up We'd
nesday afternoon a few miles below
Denmark by Mr.. S. G. Mayfleld ana
was carried to Mr.. Mayfeld's nome
for safe keeping until Sheriff Dukes
could come to him. When Mr.. May
field saw Franklin the negro was
near a sawmill, along the line OF the
Southern railway.
Mr.. Mayfeld knew the negro ana
hailed him. The negro knew Mr.
Mayfeld and spoke to him. Mr.. May
field told the negro that a big crowd
of men was out with guns looking
for him and suggested that the negro
had better get in his buggy and go
home with him. According to Frank
lin he readily assented to this, as ne
says he was anxious to give up De-
fore he was shot to pieces.
Mr.. Mayfeld Immediately commun-
icated with Sheriff Dukes at Orange
burg and the latter and his son, Geo.
". Dukes, went to Denmark Wednes-
day night and formally placed the ne
gro under arrest. When Gov. Ansel
received news of Franklin's arrest ne
immediately wired Sheriff Dukes to
bring him to Columbia for safe keep
ing, and Thursday Franklin was put
aboard the train at Denmark, and al
though it was necessary to pass
through the territory where the
crime was committed and where the
excitement was still intense. Sheriff
Dukes and his deputy managed to
keep the news of the negro's arrest
quiet. When the train reached Or
angeburg Sheriff Dukes got of and
placed the prisoner in charge OF ms
sons, Deputy Sheriffs o. 3. Dukes, J.
L. Dukes and George W. Dukes, ana
they delivered him to Supt. GrlHth
at noon and saw that he was safely
behind the bars at the State PRISON.
After delivering their prisoner 10
Cant. Griffith at the penitentlary the
Messrs. Dukes called upon Gov. Az
sci, who congratulated them upon the
fact that summary vengence was Hos
meted our to the negro. He sent ms
nersonal thanks to Sheriff Dukes 1or
the faithful manner in when ne
worked to effect the negro,s capture
The Negro's Side of the Affair.
A reporter of The State saw Frank
lin at the penitentiary soon after his
arrival there Thursday and his state
ment about the killing, the things
that led up to the affair and subse'
uuent events follows:
Just before day Monday morning
somebody knocked at my house.
asked who was there and the man re-
piled, "A friend I asked him what
| he wanted, but he threw his weight
against the door and came on IN.
was sleeping with my wife on pal
let on the floor and when the man
came in was putting on my pants to
90 to the door to see whwat he want
cd. | had one leg in my pants when
he rushed in and yelled to me to
throw up my hands. Before / could
get my hands up he shot and the
! ball struck me in the shoulder.
didn't know who the man was OF
what he wanted and I thought he
was going to Kill me right there an6
I grabbed up my pistol, which was
under my pillow, and began firing.
Il shot three times, right quick
In my excitement I think l shot my
wife, though I don't know. Another
man rushed in and got out the dool
and ran off in the dark. I didn'1
know whether I killed the man OF
not. I was frightened and raj
away just as fast as I could go.
| The first place went was over te
Mr.. Spires house, the man I wa:
working for. I told him and Mrs
Spires where l was shot. They
Hooked at the wound in my shoulder
but neither of them said anything te
me about getting away.
Il then went to my brother-in-laW,
house. Jack Tyler l told him what
did and told him where I got shot.
didn't stay there long, because |
was scared and didn't know what to
do, and | ran out pretty soon after
got there and went on over to my
mother-in-law house. | told them
about it. They wanted to know who
was the man l shot, but / couldn' t
tell them. because I didn't know.
didn't stay there long. They dldn t
none of them, advise me what to do.
They were worried about it and !
left them crying.
Il then went to the home OF one
of my cousins. Nelson Rice. l stayed
there some little time and got few
mouthfuls to eat and len l went on
down on the railroad track and start
ed off toward Denmark. That was
Monday afternoon when l left Nell
sons house and they were all wor-
ried. too.
Monday night | was lying down
by the railroad track when | heard
some men coming. | raised up and
could see that there were several of
them. I couldn't tell how many; it
was dark and couldn't see them all,
but saw three or four Thew pass
ed close to me, not more than 80
feet.
Il stuck close to the ground be-
cause ! knew they would kill me if
they got me. They went up to Nell
son Rics'e house and searched it and
/ never saw anything more of them.
| was careful to keep 4Id but got
on down the railroad track because
| didn't know what minute they
might find me. They never got
close to me any more that l know of.
II stayed out most Of Monday
night. but slept some in little house
by the railroad track where nobody
lived. I kept going along Tuesday,
but was scared all the time that the
men would catch me and managed
to not let anybody see me. got
to eat Tuesday night at a
colored mans house down near Olar,
l.