The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-10-01
HUGH LONG IS LANDED
SAFE In AIKEN'S JAIL
SHERIFF AND HIS MEN OUTWIT
ANGRY WAGNER CROWD.
Mayor of Wagener and Representative
Elect M0rtally Wounds President
of Bank of Wagener.

Aiken, Sept. 29.-AILer eluulHS
mob of determined men bent upon
wreaking vengeance upon him after
he had shot Pickens H. Gunter, presi-
dent of the Bank of Wagner, on the
streets of that town yesterday after
noon, and after suffering many hard
ships and travelling under serious diff
fculties more than 25 miles through
the rain last night, Hugh Long, may
or of Wagner and representative
elect, was brought to Aiken this morn
ing by two rural policemen and placed
in iail. Muscoe Samuels and S. E. Hol-
ley, the officers who accomplished one
of the cleverest ruses ever worked in
this county to protect a prisoner from
violence, arrived in Aiken, haggard
and worn out with the hardships Of a
wild night, at o'clock.
When Sheriff RADON and his depu-
ties reached Wagner last night they
found an angry mob surrounding the
house in which Long had barricaded
himself. Long, who was apparently
very glad to see the officers of the
law, was stationed on the second floor
of the house, at the head of a narrow
stairway, armed with two loaded re-
volvers and shotgun, and holding his
ground with-a determinat;sn that con-
vinced the officers beyond doubt that
if he had been attacked by the mob
he would have sold his life dear.
Prepared for Battle.
According to the sheriff, Long had
taken up a position which he. could
have held against the onslaught of
the crowd until his ammunition was
exhausted, and before he could have
been killed, it was apparent that be
could have shot down at least dozen
of the attacking party.
Longs wife and child, and another
family, were in the house with him.
Upon his arrival Sheriff RADON ad-
dressed the crowd, but his words OF
advice were unavailing. In gin
house few yards away were gath
cred a large number of men. These
Long could see through window
from his station at the head OF the
stairs. Their dark forms were moving
about continuously, and occasionally
the glow of their cigars and cigar
cites resembled the display of SO many
6refies.
Other men formed a Gordon around
the house in which Long had taken
refuge, and the mob kept their eyes
upon the big black automobile IN
which the sheriff and his men made
the trip from Aiken, thinking that the
officers would attempt to carry him
away in the machine when they would
have a better opportunity to make an
attack.
The sheriff, however, had no such
intention. Realizing that to attempt
to carry Long away in the face of the
mob would mean, at the very least,
the death of his prisoner, he asked the
leaders of the mob what they de-
manded. They answered that they
would be satisfied if Long were kept
in Wagner until daylignt-presull-
ablv to await word from the bedside
of Mr.. Gunter, the desperately wound
ed man.
When the sheriff Informed these
men that he had no intention of try
iEg to carry Long away in the auto
mobile, many of those composing the
mob we're satisfied and left the scene,
but enough remained to keep pretty
close watch out Once, when the drlV-
er of the autombile ran the machine
across the road, volley Of shots was
fired over his head. Long was anX-
ious to get away to place of more
security.
At last, about midnight, one of the
deputies finding that the guard at the
rear of the house had relaxed its vlgl-
lance, he reported the matter to the
sheriff. and the sheriff realizing that
this was his opportunity, told Long to
20 with the two deputies.
A Clever RuSe.
Long kissed his wife good bye, and
in the custody of the officers, who
themselves were heavily armed, slip
ped out of the back door and into the
woods. For - miles the three men
walked through the rain and the
darkness. keeping away from the pub
&c roads and following by-paths