The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-02-05
SHOOTING SGRAPE At DEPOT.
FRANCIS TAYLOR, COLORED. FIR
ED THREE SHOTS AT JULIAN
SCHWARTZ, WHITE.
doe johnson, Innocent Bystander, In.
Jured by BulIet-TaylOr Attemnts
to Make Escape to Columbia. But is
Arrested by Officer Ward.

Confusion reigned at the Atlantic
Coast Line freight warehouse for a
While Thursday afternoon, when.
shortly after o'clock, Francis Taylor
colored, fired three shots from his pis-
tol at Julian Schwartz, one of the
clerks employed by the railroad in
the warehouse.
The shots attracted quite a crowd
and in the confusion Immediately fol-
lowing the shots Taylor made off. but
was captured that night when he
boarded the $50 train for Columbia
at the passenger station. The trou-
bic seems to have originated the day
before when Schwartz struck the ne
gro several times, when the latter had
made some remark about him.
Thursday afternoon the difficulty was
renewed and the shooting followed.
one of the bullets missed it's mark
and struck Joe Johnson, colored, who
was nearby and who was in no way
concerned in the fracas.
Mr. Schwartz stated Friday morn
ing, when asked about the matter.
that the negro had made an uncom-
pllrnentary remark concerning him.
and when asked about it repeated TO
him. He had then beaten the negro
with his fists, until they were separat-
ed and the negro went on off. This
took place on Wednesday afternoon.
On Thursday afternoon he stopped
the negro, who was passing through
the warehouse and asked him what
he meant by what he said the day be-
fore, meaning for him to take back
his remarks. Taylor apologized and he
started off, when the negro again made
some uncomplimentary remarks. He
struck him with his fist, when TAYLOR
drew his knife. They were then sep
arated and the negro pulled his pis-
tol and fired at him twice. He had
then made an attempt to get away
when the third shot was fired. He
then beat it, into the office.
Taylor. when asked for a statement
Friday morning, said that he had
nothing further to say than that the
difficulty had started through play
with Mr.. Schwartz. He had intended
no offense and had cherished no hard
feelings, until Mr.. Schwartz had tried
to take Advantage of him and carry
the play too far. He stated that he
mad decided to go TO Columbia to his
brothers when he was arrested on
the train Thursday night
Joe Johnson, the innocent bystand-
er who got the worst Of the encount-
er, was treated at once by DR.. China.
The wound proved to be only slight
one in the shoulder, the ball having
glanced the collar bone and not gone
in deep. He was reported TO be get
ting on very well Friday.
There were quite a number of people
standing around at the time Of the
shooting, and in a short time all of
the force at the depot had gathered in
the warehouse. So excited was every
body that no one was able to say when
Chief Sumter arrived a few minutes
after the shooting, what direction
Taylor had gone. Chief Sumter at
once summoned almost the entire
force and set them to work in the
search for the negro, he being de-
termined that he should not escape.
The negro's house was searched and
kept surrounded as soon as night fell.
so that he could be caught if he at
tempted to return there. All Of the
western and southern portions Of the
city were searched carefully, but all
to no effect. Policeman Ward was
sent to the passenger station to keep
sharp watchout there to see that
Taylor did not escape on any train
leaving the city He was rewarded
for his work when Taylor got on the
$50 train for Columbia and thus fell
into his hands. He arrested him on
the train and took him on back to
the police station, later placing him
in jail to await preliminary hearing,
which was first set for Friday at
noon, but later postponed until Sat
urday, when it will come up for a
hearing before the recorder.