The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-10-16

Will" she WAS en- route to her home
; from The mill. and Clarence AgneW,
who has confessed 10 Wrecking 4 pas
Senyer train two weeks ago. causing
! the death Of the engineer and two
! 1iremcn, were spirited out Of The co1ln-
: ~ jail AT noon today and taken to
Columbia. The prisoners were ac-
vompan;cd by Deputy Sheriff Beck
! npll and Capt. $. !. Nichols. Of the
Hampton Guards.
II was thought best TO remove lrby
and Aenew to Columbia so as to avoid
further trouble with citizens who feel
that they have been outraged. The
authorities state that it would have
been impossible for either Irby or
! Agnew to have been taken from the
iail. but rather than have military
! companies and special officers on duty
about the jail indefinitely it was
deemed best to take them to Colum-
bia for safekeeping. Next Saturday
is circus day. and. several thousand
people will be in the city and it was
feared that the citizens Of the mill
villages might make another demon
stration then. The situation was ex-
rlained to Governor Ansel and to
avoid all further trouble it was decid-
! ed to send the prisoners to the State
penitentiary.
Today shortly before noon, the hour
for the departure Of the train to Lau-
rens, the Traynham Guards, of Lau-
rens. one of the companies which has
been on duty since Saturday night,
marched to the passenger depot. The
presence Of the soldiers marching
through the streets to the station d.
verted the attention of the crowds
from the JAIL Upon the arrival OF
the company at the station they
boarded the train. Deputy Sheriff
Becknell and Capt. Nichols, Of the
Hampton Guards, accompanied by
Sheriff Nichols. took Irby and Agnew
from the jail and hurried them out the
back way. The train was tagged at
a crossing near the Palmetto Roller
Mills and the prisoners placed aboard.
The engineer Of the train lost no time
in getting under way again. Sheriff
Nichols did not accompany Capt.
Nichols and Deputy Becknell with the
prisoners. Court is now in session
here and his duties required him to
be at the court house.
It did not become generally known
that the prisoners had been removed
from the jail for some time after
thev had been taken away. All the
troops that have been on duty since
Saturday have been dismissed. The
Travnham Guards retained to Lau-
rens today and the Morgan Rifles re-
turned to Clifton on special trolley
car.
The officers who were on d:sty at
the iail all day Saturday and Satur-
dav night and throughout last night
say that it would have been impossl-
bic to have taken Irby from the jail,
even if the mob had effected an en-
trance, for the prisoner was locked up
in one Of the inner cells and it would
have required all the chisels, steel
saws, etc.. in Spartaburg to take him
ont. The moment the negro was
brought to jail on Saturday morning
he was placed in one of the strong
holds. This was done so that if there
had been a general firing by the mob
Irby would not be struck by any OF
the bullets.
Irby was badly frightened on Sat-
urday, but during the latter part OF
tn eafternoon he become more COM
posed. When first arrested, near Sax
on Mills. he seemed 10 De IN dopeu
or dazed condition. The other pris-
oners in jail, especially those who oc-
cupied cells near the windows and
knowing just what was going to hap
pen. On the whole, though, they
could be seen by the angry mob out
side. were more or less excited, not
made no trouble for the officers.
There were frequent reports going
the rounds during today that Miss
Dempsey was dead, but upon inquiry
it was learned that she is doing as
we'll as can be expected. Her condl-
tion is still serious.
As result of the efforts Of the
mob to capture Irby nine arrests have