The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1912-10-16
ESCAPED CONVICTS
GIVE BATTLE
Serious Results Following Jail-Break-
Ing mt Spartanburg when Laurens
Negro Leads Gang Of DesperadOes.

Negro Leads Gang of Desperadoes.
Gaffney, Oct. 13.-Shortly after mid
night last night, posse of Gaffney
men headed by Sheriff Thomas and
Chief of Police Lockhart, waged a
pitched battle with four escaped con-
victs from the Spartanburg county
chaingang. In the encounter Arthur
Hopper, a we'll known young white
man of the city and a member OF the
posse was seriously injured by shot
from the convicts while Earle Cole
man, convict was shot by Chief
Lockhart and George Fleming, anoth-
er convict was shot by some other
member Of the posse.
The convicts made their escape
from the chaingang yesterday at noon
from the Pacolet mills, by overpower-
ing the guard and taking his pistol
away. They were lead by Ellis Samp-
SON. One of the convicts voluntarily
returned to the chaingang. A mes
sage was phoned out to Sheriffs Of all
the surrounding counties and last
night about 8 o'clock, Sheriff W. w.
Thomas began the formation of his
posse. Accompanied by Deputy Sher-
ifs Henry Lockhart and Joe Watkins,
Rural Policeman Byars, Chief of Police
II II Tnpkhart nit ;,,
Jones, John Spencer and Arthur Hop
per started out on search for the
convicts. On the Union road in the
eastern part of the city about one
mile from town, the posse separated,
each officer taking a separate road
When Hopper was riding near Sang
sings store he observed the four CON
victs croachcd behind a bush. Alight-
ing from his horse he advanced to-
wards them, when one Of them shot,
the bullet taking effect in the groin.
Notwithstanding the fact that he was
seriously injured, Hopper grappled
with one of the negroes and threw him
to the ground, holding him there until
the arrival of the officers. When they
reached the scene, the other negroes
were fleeing and Chief Lockhart shot
Coleman in the body. The two pris-
oners were brought to the county Jail,
while Mr.. Hopper was carried to his
home by Dr. j. G. Pittman. The ply
sician states that Hopper will prob
ably recover. while it Is assured that
the negro convict shot by Chief Lock
hart will die.
Hardware stores in the city were
opened up last night and armed men
sent all over the country to search
for the two convicts still at large.
The search was kept up all last night
but no trace was obtained until this
morning Rual Policeman Byars
with special Deputy Lloid Alstel
were searching the woods when Mr..
Austel came upon George Fleming.
The negro surrendered without n
struggle and was brought in to the
county Jail, where it was discovered
that he too had been shot last night,
the bullet taking effect in his leg.
1t was stated that the third man, Mil
Ter is now surrendered few miles
from the city and will soon be cap
tured. A large force of men have
been sent to the scene and every eff
fort is being made to definitely as
certain if the suspect is the negro
wanted
There was only one weapon in the
crowd of convicts and when Fleming
was captured this morning he had
it. 1t is therefore presumed that he
is the man who shot Mr.. Hopper.
The negro still at large is Ellis
Sampson, who was the leader of the
party and it is expected that a des-
perate battle will take place when
an effort is made to capture him.
DR.. j. n. Nesbitt, county physician.
and states that the bullet passed en-
| tirely through him. He will prob
ably not last through the day.
Sampson Laurens Negro.
i%iiiS SdhlpSOll' Ine uSBIO SPOKEN Ol
above, is the same Sampson who en-
tered the stores Of Clardy e Wilson,
w. II. Hudgens & Co, and others here
last winter and who was captured in
Spartanburg largely through the eff
forts of the Laurens officers. The
sheriff still has warrant for him to
be served when Sampson finishes his