The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-02-21

Two Negroes Held for RiOtlng-Three
for Selling Liquor and Three for
Carrying Concealed Weapons.

As result OF the trials In the
Magistrates Court Saturday seven ne
groes were bound over to the term
OF general sessions court which con-
venes here June oath. Two of the ne
groes are charged with rioting, three
With selling liquor and three with
carrying concealed weapons.
The preliminary was held In lii,
grand jury room of the court house
and there were a large number Of ne
groes interested In the proceedings
present when the case was called.
There were also a number of spec
tators present. persons who had be-
come interested i'm the proceedings
through hearing Of the riot. The ne
groes held for trial at the court Of
general sessions are: for rioting, Dave
Phillips and Paul Sinkler, who plead
guilty to shooting their pistols; for
unlawful sale of liquor. Pinckney
Pitts. Thomas Haynsworth and Har-
ry Sanders; for carrying concealed
weapons. Dave Phillips. Paul sinkler
and Bill Richardson. Phillips and
Sinkler admitted having pistols with
them at the hearing and Richardson
admitted that he was carrying a razor
az the time that the shooting went on.
From the evidence adduced at the
hearing II seems that there was a
good deal Of whiskey circulating at
the hot supper which was held
on the night Of February first at the
house Of one Tucker Gary. 1t seems
that during the dancing which was
large part Of the evenings entertain
ment. q negro walked across the floor
at time the dance was going on. The
leader Of the dance expostulated and
was answered back and the melee
commenced.
After the parties concerned had
fired almost a hundred shots into the
house. the melee Quilted down for a
while. but started up again later on
at Morris Hollands house. which was
about a hundred yards of. Quite
number Of shots were also fired into
this house. As usual the negroes at
the hearing were very Ioath to in
criminate each other and all of those
called upon to testify stated that they
did not know anything about the riot
except that they had heard the shots
fred. The evidence concerning the
sale of iiquor seemed to be more con-
vincing. one OF the negroes admitting
that he had been hired to sell whisk-
ey during the evening and other wit
nesses coming out plainly In stating
that they had bought whiskey from
the other two negroes held on the
charge Of selling.
Pinckney Pitts admitted selling the
whiskey. but did not know anything
about the shooting except that he
had looked out Of the door and Dave
Phillips had shot him In the eye.
John Chavine stated that he, had
been hit on the head by Morris Hol-
land. when he went into Hollands
yard. Holland stated that he had
gone home and got his gun. but did
not have any shells. He said that he
had knocked Chavine down when he
had come into his yard cursing and
would not leave when warned to do
so. Dave Phillips and Paul Sinkler
both stated that someone had shot at
them and they had simply returned
the ire. They did not know who It
was shooting at them. James Har-
vim said he had picked up a razor in
ths yard as he was leaving and had
carried 1t on home with him. The
other witnesses testified to practically
the same things. The hearing ended
with those named above being bound
over for the higher court.
Magistrate Wells stated that he did
not have jurisdiction over those par
ties who were charged with carrying
concealed weapons, so the prelimi-
naries In their cases were heard by
Magistrate John F. Ingram. The bail
for the rioters was fixed at $400 each,
while for carrying concealed weapons
and sale Of whiskey 1t was fixed at
$500 each.