The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1911-07-27
TRIAL OF ZEIGLER CASE
ENDS IN NUMEROUS FIGHTS
More Trouble of More Serious Nature Feared it
Case is Again Called.-Editor Smoak En-
cages in Fisticuff With Defendant.

of the State against Louis Zelgler,
charged with disorderly conduct IN
breaking up a religious service near
walterboro, is called for trial again
i'm this town., somebody will certainly
be killed and there may be all kinds
of trouble" Such was a remark
made on the streets here to-day by
a prominent citizen of WATERFORD. 1t
was in the course of a discussion
relative to the hearing before Magls-
trate Chaplain on Monday which re-
suited in a near-riot, several .tlstlcuns
having occurred among witnesses, the
defendant and the editor of the Wal
terboro Press and Standard, Mr.. w.
w. Smoak. AS noted in the press dis
patch Tuesday morning. the case was
not tried, Magistrate Chaplin having
decided with the defendant that he
had NO jurisdiction in the matter. AS
affairs now stand, Magistrate J. E.
Bryan, of Walterboro, before whom
the proceedings were begun, will have
to hear motion for change of We
nue., or the prosecution will be drop
ped. And that it will be dropped
seems to be the prevailing opinion,
many contending that it will be best
for all concerned not to push the case
further.
Exciting Times.
Mondays proceedings furnished
something in the, way OF a sensation
for this peaceable little town of Wal
terboro, somewhat Earring the usual
quiet that marks her days. Free-for-
all fighting in the presence of OIL
GERS of the law is a little out of the
order in most any town, and indul-
Eence in it here created considerable
excitement. There are many stories
afloat concerning what happened
Monday, and as in all such matters,
very few of them are accurate, many
greatly exaggerated and all of them
more or less colored by either preju-
dice or excitable temperaments. How
ever, all seem to agree that it was
q miracle that no one was killed and
that something is bound to happen If
the case is again called.
Fight Number One.
From what can be gathered from
various sources, it appears the prose
cution in the case against Zeigler de-
sired that the trial be held before
Magistrate James Chaplin, of Green
Pond, rather than before Magistrate
j. E. Bryan, of Walterboro, and &C
gcordingly, Magistrate Chaplin held
court here in Magistrate Bryan's Of
flee. When called one or two, some
say three, of Zeigler's neighbors,
members of the church where the
former trouble occurred, were not
able to withhold their wrath, and pro-
ceeded to give the defendant, who
had just been brought into court, a
thorough thrashing. Some say that
sZeigler applied vile, epithet to Mr..
S. N. Hiott, one of the prosecutions
Witnesses, and that Mr.. Hiott forth
with resented the insult via the fist
route. The noise of battle was too
much for some of the brethren of the
church and they responded to it's re-
sistless call. Wounded feelings,
some disfgured countenances and a
general boost to fighting impulses
were the results of the skirmish.
2 A Lively Scene!
], Reports have it that the scene was
pretty lively; that some prominent
citizens of the community so far for
got their dignity as to seek exit
through the windows and others than
the usual routes. The lawyers in
the case escaped unhurt, his honor
was considerably spared, and even
the innocent bystander lives to tell
of the affair. The hard feeling SEEM
ed to exist principally among the
people of the Beach section of the
county, the scene of the original
trouble, the community in which is the
Adventist church, of which the Rev.
J. J. Williams is under-shepherd. The
folks here seem to think that Zeigler
has about as many friends as the
Rev. Mr.. Williams out in that COM
munity and feeling is strongly parti-
san. There were at least one hun
dred persons from that section in
town for the trial Monday, and II
the case is again called there will be
a general outpouring. What is fear
ed should the prosecution be contin-
led, is that large percentage OF the
visitors would come accompanied
with numerous and various imple-
ments of warfare, and that would be
Objectionable.