The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1909-02-04
DUEL TODEATH IN LAURENS
POLICEMAN AND SAFE CRACKER
SHOT TO DEATH.
Nc cDuffie Stone Killed Attempting to
Arrest Stranger, Who Was Killed
by Policeman Walker.


| Laurens, Jan. 28.-A shocking
tragedy occurred here last night as
the result of a deadly encounter be-
tween Patrolmen McDuffie Stone and
| W. Frank Walker and an unknown
burglar, whose outfit of tools indi-
Gates that he was safe-cracker.
Tonight the unknown yeggman lies
dead at the city station house, with
| four pistol wounds in his body, while
Stone, after undergoing an operation,
died late this afternoon.
The story of the tragedy as learned
from Mr.. Walker and Mr.. Stone, Is
that in the course of their nightly
rounds the two policemen met the
through freight from Spartanburg,
which arrived here at 2:15 o'clock,
the depot Stone walked down one
side of the train of cars and Walker
down the other. Seeing stranger
with a little meal sack in his hand,
Stone accosted him and inquired
what he was doing.
Where are you going?" said
Stone.
81 am going back to the caboose, :"
again replied tie unknown.
"Well, where is your lantern, I"
said Stone; train hands don't walk
around here in the dark" There
upon Stone advanced within reach
Of the man and laid his hand upon
his shoulder to arrest him, such be-
ing his instructions relative to loafers
at the depot. As soon as Stones
hand touched the stranger, the latter
whipped out his pistol, .45-calibre
magazine, from inside his vest and
began firing, emptying the chamber,
five of the shots taking effect in the
body of Stone, one in the bowels,
three in the f1eshy part OF the leg and
one in the lower lip. So close was
the range that Stone did not have an
opportunity to draw, and clinched his
antagonist, and together they fell to
the ground.
They were so lying when Police
man walker crawled from the other
side of the train, the stranger strug-
Cling to free himself. He was almost
free from the weakening hold of
Stone and was reloading his pistol
when Walker came upon him.
Don't shoot" cried the stranger,
II am already shot to pieces" which
Of course, was a bluff to gain time,
for Stone had not drawn his pistol.
II will surrender" said he.
"Give me your pistol, then," said
Walker. Pretending to hand the
pistol to the policeman, the stranger
fired at Walker, who quickly drew
and shot the man, four of the five
shots taking effect.
Policeman Walker then hurried to
the station house, summoned the
physicians and notified Chief Bag
well. The stranger lived about three
quarters of an hour after being car
ried to the police station, but he
could not be made to talk in spite of
the numerous efforts to ascertain his
identity.
On his person were found various
letters, which, however, afforded no
clue whatever, and $110.60, in money.
In the sack, which he held in his
hand, was complete yeggman's out
fit, with nitroglycerine, dynamite,
keys, wrenches, etc. In addition to
these, there were parts of the Au-
gusta Chronicle and Columbia State
of January 26. >t
However, in the afternoon Associ-
ated Press dispatches of January 27,
there is an account from Atlanta of a
safe blowing on Monday night at
Bolton, Ca, in which the yeggman
got away; and it is a possible theory
that the man was examining the pa
pers of Tuesday for news of it. This
theory is, however, controverted by
shoemaker at Watts Mill, who identi-
fed the dead man as one whom he
saw at his place Of business on
Tuesday, and barber Of this city,
who, seems to think that he is the
same man whom he shaved early
this week. DR.. w. G.. Irby, Sr., and
his son, Mr. Vance Irby, state that
the man very much resembled one
whom they met coming into town
few days ago.
DR.. Guerry, of Columbia, together
with Drs. Bunch and Shaw, and two
nurses, Misses Tronholm and Mob
ley, arrived in the city at o'clock,
and an operation was performed on
Policeman Stone at about 4:3O this
afternoon, he never having recovered
from the severe shock. Death was
caused by shock and internal hemor-
rhages. The body of the dead yegg-
man has been embalmed and will be
kept here for Identification.
One of the train hands states thai
there were two men down at the
station, and that one escaped in the
melee; Mr.. Walker says, however,
that he saw only the one. Mr.. G. H.
Roper, cashier of the Enterprise
Bank, states that he is satisfied that
the man is the same who came in his
bank yesterday and inquired about
bill of lading-this as pretext to
3aka in the surroundings DreDaratOry