Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-10-01
TUESDAY, OCTOBER I, 1919.

tional hatred In a remarkable degree.
The race was very close. Neither Long
nor Busbee were elected In the first
primary; but Long was elected in the
second. Busbee went into a third pri-
mary with another candidate. While
he was at Aiken awaiting the decision
Of the executive committee as to the re-
suit Of the second primary. Long re-
ceived word that IL he went back to
Wagner he would be killed. He was
very much concerned; but said that he
would certainly go back there. Busbee
the other candidate from WAGNER
was elected In the third primary, and
Long thinking that this would probab-
ly soften the feeling somewhat went
back. Shortly after his arrival In Wag-
ner he got into difficulty with Pick
ems Gunter, president Of the Bank of
WAGNER and prominent citizen of
the place. 1t seems that Pickens Gum
ter was one Of the leading exponents
OF the feeling against Long. People who
witnessed the alteration between the
two men were unwilling to go into de-
tails about what happened and 1t was
impossible for correspondents to get
clear statement; but from what they
could get, 1t appears that Long and
Gunter exchanged bitter epithets and
soon after divided. Ray Gunter, a
relative Of Pickens Gunter but a polit-
claim to separate the combatants and
others claim to help Long. During the
meelee Pickens Gunter was shot twice.
One story Is that -Gunter was on top
OF Long and Long shot him from un-
derneath. Another story is that II was
the two Gunters that were down and
Long did the shooting from few steps
away. One shot was without material
effect. The other went through Pick
ems Gunter's abdomen and came oul
the small of his back. Long left the
scene Immediately after the shooting
and went to the home of q neighbor
whose house adJoined his own. Gunter
was carried to his home. A mob quick
ly collected and went after Long. A
telegram was sent to the sheriff Of
Aiken county, who with two rural po-
licemen, and newspaper man sworn
In as a deputy hurried to the scene In
an automobile. Upon the arrival Of the
sheriff, he found the mob surrounding
the house In which Long was holding
the fort. The door was open, but the
mob did not venture In. The reason
was that Long was sitting at the head
Of the stairs with two revolvers by his
side and Winchester rifle on his knee
possible. 1t was evident that the mob
could not get him until he was out of
ammunition and he had killed num-
Der of his assailants. There was no
objection to the entrance Of the sheriff.
Long told that official that he would be
glad to go with him II assured protec-
ton from the mob. The sheriff was un-
able to give any such asaurance. The
mob gave the sheriff to understand
that 1t was not hostile to him; but that
he must not try to take Long out Of
town until the next day: The idea was
that IL Pickens Gunter died Long was
to be lynched. The sheriff was assured
that Long would certainly be killed IL
he appeared In company with the sher-
iff on the streets. The sheriff was also
assured that all the roads leading out
Of town were barricaded with logs and
that II there was any attempt to es-
cape with the prisoner In the automo-
bile such attempt would surely be frus-
trated. At one time while the parley
was on, the sherif's automobile was
moved from one side Of the street to
the other and number Of shots were
fired over the car. The sheriff tele-
graphed Governor Blease asking for
troops but later on sent another tele-
gram stating that the troops would not
be needed. The second telegram was
not sent until after the sheriff had
played successful trick on the mob.
It seems that as the result Of different
parleys the mob became convinced
that no effort was to be made to get
Long out Of town, and the guard was
withdrawn from the back Of the house
Long and the two policemen stepped
out the back way, walked twelve miles
through woods and by paths, hired a
conveyance and made their way to
Aiken after having Travelled twenty
five miles in all. Next morning the
sheriff arrested DR.. o. B. Portwood and
Ray Gunter, Of Wagner as acces-
sories to the shooting and took them to
Aiken. 1t Is alleged that DR.. Portwood
gave Long the 3S-calibre revolver with
which he shot Pickens Gunter. Things
continued to look unsettled at Wage
ner during Sunday, and the sheriff re-
ceived another message during the day
ordering him to go back to that place
and take with him his entire force Of
rural police. Pickens Gunter died last
evening at 7.45 o'clock. A special cor
respondent Of the Columbia State who
went to Wagner, Sunday, telegraphed
his paper that the tragedy had no con-
nection whatever with the Jones' -Blease
issue in the recent campaign; but grew
out Of purely local matters. Hugh c.
Long was formerly In the newspaper
business in Gastonia, N. G.