The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1909-04-29
AN UGLY AFFAIR.


Investigation by Insurance Commis-
sioner's Office.
There Is an extremely ugly situa-
ton down at Scranton, in Williams
burg county, regarding two alleged
incendiary fires there, with a mass OF
evidence gathered by Deputy 3nsur-
ance Commissioner B. A. Wharton in
the form Of af1davits, tending to
show that P. M. Lee, Scranton mer-
chant, instigated the fire that on the
night of December % last destroyed
his store and stock of merchandise,
insured for $4,000, and which, 1t Is
alleged, was set by Charles P. john
son, his clerk, with whom he after
wards set up in business under the
firm name Of Lee & Johnson, and
tending also to establish that Lee out
of revenge against Mr.. Winslow
Wright, the Scranton bank man,
caused Mr.. Wright's store to be burn-
ed about a month later, after threat
ening to shoot Mr.. Wright because
the latter made some unfavorable
cial standing or condition.
An hour after Mr.. Wharton lett
there yesterday evening and within
less than two hours after Charlie
Tate, a defenseless old negro, who
had testified against Lee, had ap-
pealed to Mr.. Wharton for protec-
ton, the old negro, It is alleged, was
taken to the rear Of Charlie john
sons store, by his brother, Bert
Johnson, and given an unmerciful
beating.
Late last night Bert Johnson was
placed under arrest by Special OH
Ger R. E. knight and put In the
guard house. Friends Of the john
son-Lee faction protested against the
arrest, and the lives of witnesses at
the investigation were freely threat
ened. The Scranton mayor, tMr. N.
L. Gasque, on the advice Of Mr..
Wharton, wired the governor as fol-.
lows:
"Lives of witnesses testifying be-
fore deputy insurance commissioners
concerning recent fires here are
threatened by accused. Advise me
quick" f
The governor replied:
eff parties threaten lives Of Wit
nesses take out criminal warrant
against them and have them arrest
ed. Send for sheriff to protect wit
nesses." @
The understanding Is that the
sheriff is now at Scranton In charge
of the situation, though he had not
been sent for at the time Mr.. Whar-
ton left last night, and the governor
has heard nothing further this morn
ing.
The marshal of the town, Mr.. s. N.
Walsh, made an affidavit before Mr..
Wharton that Lee was carrying re-
peating shotgun about with him,
saying the witnesses were up to some
damned meanness" and that he
proposed to kill lone damned man"
If he testified against him. The
mayor also reported that Lee was
making threats. The old negro,
Charlie Tate, came to the deputy
commissioner after this and reported
that he had been warned by Charlie
Johnson that he would "catch hell'
from P. e. Lee that night. Mr.. Whar-
ton asked the mayor to protect the
poor old negro and advised tele-
graphing for the sheriff.
Mr.. R. B. Cannon, Of Cannon &
Jackson, insurance agents, with
whom Lee insured his stock for $3,-
900 in August and an additional ST.
900 in November, made an affidavit
that Lee hurried to them $50, In pay
ment in full of all premiums, late the
night of the fire, which occurred
about four o'clock the next morning.
He also stated in his affidavit that
Lees brother, R. L. Lee, OF Charles
ton, had asked for suspension Of pay
ment of the insurance, as he (R. =.
Lee) owned the goods, for which his
brother had never paid him a cent;
that he could prove that his brother
planned the fire, and his clerk, G. T.
Johnson, put, the match to it,; that
his father knew that Lee was respon-
sible for the fire. r. L. Lee was to
come to Scranton the first of January
and take charge of the store.
Mr.. Wharton brought back a NUM-
Der of affidavits tending to show that
Lee had the bulk of his stock hauled
away just before the fire, much OF 1t
being stored in his barn
There were other afddav1ts con-
cerning alleged threats of revenge on
the part of Lee against Mr.. Wright,
that Wright's waterworks system
was tampered with just before the
fire, and that Lee was seen coming
from the direction of the fire just as
it started.
Four Arrests in Scranton.
o,n+oo Anri1 o2-As result of