The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-06-02
TWO men SHOT
In a Bad Row in columbia's Dis
trict Of Vice
SERIOUS ENCOUNTER

Caused by Two Penitentiary Guards
Being Troubled by Two Men Of
Tough Reputatfon-One Of the
Participants is Badly Wounded and
May Die From His Wounds.
A serious row occurred in the
redlight district of Columbia last
Sunday morning, which resulted in
two men being shot. The State says
two penitentiary guards and two men
Of bad reputation became involved
in q serious encounter. AS a result
Eber Ashford lies in a dangerous
condition in the Knowlton lntrmary,
w. E. Mellette, penitentiary guard
is wounded in the thigh and Lonnle
Hall and John White are in arrest.
The story given by the police is
that Hall and Ashford, both Of the
tough element, had been annoying
Mellette and White, who were on q
frolic, it appears. The actual en-
counter is alleged to have occurred
on Gates street, midway Of the block
between Lady and Gervais. The po-
lice were informed that Lonnie Hall
knocked Mellette down and appro-
priated his pistol. Thereupon he was
called by White. Hall knocked
White down and some one began
shooting. There were three shots,
is is stated, and two of these struck
Eber Ashford, who had net mixed
up in the melee. The third struck
Mellette.
Ashford is dangerously hurt, one
bullet having entered his left side
and ranged upward, loding near the
heart. The other wound in the groin
is not OF such a dangerous nature.
Mellette was shot in the hip. There
were powder burns on Lonnie Halls
shirt, showing that he must have
been close to the mouth Of the weap-
on.
Ashford's condition at midnight
Sunday night as reported to be a
little more :ioneful. The bullet has
not been 0c4tef however. He is q
brother of he young man who was
a Juror in the Sellers trial, and was
brought before the bar Of the cour'
on the charge Of contempt, it being
alleged that while drinking he mac
done some talking about the case.
Eber Ashford has never been II
any real trouble before, but less thar
80 days ago Detective Forde found
him loaang constantly around a no
torious place on GerVais street ane
warned him that he would be ar
rested for vagrancy. Ashford wa!
in bad company.
Lonnie Hall is a terror. A maj
short of normal stature by severa
inches, he is yet one OF the mos
powerful men in the city. He ha:
been in numerous escapades and en-
counters. The police in Columbi:
arrested him once on the charge O
highway robbery committed in Geor
gia. At one time Officer Forde at
tempted to arrest Hall and the latte,
drew a knife The officer broke hi
night stick over Halls head and /;
desperate encounter resulted. Their
were three policemen in the encoun
ter. before Hall was jailed and at tha
be was chased across the river bridg'
and into Lexington county.
Mellette lives in Columbia, Ill
, Divine street. He was employed a.
a penitentiary guard about weel
ago and Capt D. J. Griffith consider
ed him good man. He was engag
ed at the State farm in Lexington
county. Mellette has a brother OF
the police force.
John White had been guard a
the State farm several years. Pri
or to that time he had been a guart
at the asylum and had been dis
charged by DR.. Thompson for tip
ping, taking part of the whiske.
intended for the patients on thu
ward. He has a good record at th'
penitentiary and Capt. Griffith wa:
grieved to hear Of his trouble. HI
was fine guard; humane to prts
: oners and man Of rare judgment,
said Capt. Griffith.
Lonnie Hall tells different story
from that received from the police
He says that It was not until after
White had shot Ashford that ht
knocked White down and took hi:
pistol away from him.
Both pistols are at the police sta
ton. Both are loaded all around
Therefore, unless third pistol was
used the discharged cartridges were
removed and fresh ones placed in
their stead. Both, Of the pistol:
at the station are Smith & Wessor
.38 calibre, bu one shoots long
and the other short cartridge.