The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-11-27


way. q few miles from Prosperity. In
Newberry County. yesterday after
noon.
Az a result OF the battle one negro
10 dead and two prominen. white men
are suffering from pistol shot wounds
received when the negroes opened fire
oa thei' would-be captors; the second
aegro Is probably floating In the roll
ing waters OF the famous Broad Riv-
e.. as he was traced along a ditch az
ter the firing. TO the river bank. where
all signs OF the trail were lost by the
bloodhounds that were placed on his
track soon after the shooting. That
he was badly wounded is evidenced
BY the fact that he fell to his knees
at the second or third shot.
About 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon
]. II. Ellison was returning from Pros
perity alone In his buggy when he was
accosted by two negroes. who asked
the white man for a chew of tobacco.
When the aged farmer stopped the ne
groes drew their pistols one approach
Ing from each side of the buggy. and
demanded that the white man give up
hts cash. The old man pleaded. 1t Is
esaid. but at the point of the pistol
was forced to turn over about $25, all
Ithe money that he had In his pos
&session.
After robbing MT. Ellison the ne
Droes forced him to leave the buggy
- nno1tXo ehighwaymen took pos
>nk horse apd
I0V(I 81 foad. The Ne
T Qf1we the animal to point
. ooor Pomeria. 10 is said. when they
dopvesd the horse and buggy. leav-
Ing II beside the roadway. where II
was later found.
Mp. Ellison. who Is n Confederate
Veteran. gave the alarm az soon az
poasibls. and tho officers at Newberry
were notified. The citizens Of Peak
were also notified OF the occurrence
snd wcrc asked to be on the lookout
for the negroes. About half past 7
o'clock an engine pulled up to the
depot and those who were on the
watchout for the suspects noticed two
negroes riding on the tender. The
negroes were accosted and in less
time than II takes to tell. II Is said. the
negroes opened fire on the party.
,. 4. Galloway. foreman OF a con-
struction gang OF the Southern Rail-
way. was the first to receive a shot
from the negroes. ball having pierre
"a his shoulder. lodging in the neck
near the jugular vein. M. Eptinger,
q farmer. received n bullet In the left
arm when the negroes opened fire on
the party of citizens The shots were
returned.
One OF the negroes ran toward the
river and was seen To fall TO his
knees. the other ran through the
streets OF Peak with his pistol In his
= hand and was fired on by his pur-
suers. The negro ran for short dis
tance. when he fell to the ground ns
he attempted to cross ditch. a pistol
ball having pierced his left hip. pass
ing through the body and coming out
In the abdomen. He was lodged In
tho guard house. where he was kept
until 10 o'clock this morning. when
he died OF his injuries.
At IL o'clock last night Sheriff Mil
LEG was aroused from his slumbers by
q telephone call telling him OF the oc-
currence. The Lexington officer re-
sponded at once and securing an auto
mobile left st once FOR the scene.
sheriff Miller arrived at Peak about
o'clock this morning and found a
large party OF citizens. the news Of
tho hold-up OF Mr.. ciilsor and the
shooting that followed having spread
over the community like Wild fire In
a sage field. Sheriff Ir FORD. of New
berry. had been on the scene. but had
already returned to his home.
sheriff Miller mado an investigation
and traced the missing negro TO a
point near the river. Messages were
sent by the Lexington officer To all
railroad points To be on the lookout
for the fugitive The injured negro
Was interviewed rs the sheriff. He
give his name ~ Richard Speaks and
his home as Florence. He said that
hts comparion's name was John
Erown. To the last Speaks denied