The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1913-12-23
WIDOW VICTIM OF
ATTACK IN HOME
Mrs. Sue c. Cannon Desperately
Wounded Near Vance.
ACCUSES COLORED WOMAN
Fugitive Reported Surrounded by
Posse i'm Santee Swamp,
Details of Fiendish Deed.

Orangeburg Special to Charleston
News and Courier, Dec. 20.-As re-
suits of one of the most atrocious
Mrs. Sue G. Cannon, about As years
old and widow, is IN this city des-
perately wounded. and Mary Gail
lard, negro woman, accused by
Mrs. Cannon Of attacking her, was,
at last reports, surrounded by a posse
In swamp in the vicinity of Vance,
near the scene of the assault, which
1t is greatly feared, will terminate in
tragedy. In fact, ii is said, the
doctors attending Mrs. Cannon hold
out little hope of her recovery, so
serious are the many wounds she re-
ceived.
Mrs. Cannon was brought to
Orangeburg last night for surgical
and medical attention, after her ply
sician, DR.. w. III. Lawton, of Vance,
had taken more than twenty stitches
in her wounds. She is now at the
home of her daughter, Mrs. w. ].
Morgan, wife of the we'll known
Atlantic Coast Line conductor on the
Pregnall branch.
CHILDREN SAVE MOTHERS LIFE.
The fiendish attack on Mrs. Can
non, of which Mary Gaillard is ac-
cused, was made early Thursday
night at Mrs. Cannon's home, on her
plantation at Millican's, a small sta
ton on the Coast Line, near Vance
Mrs. Cannon was alone at the time,
her children, boy about IL and a
girl a little younger, having gone on
visit to neighbors, and returning
Must in time to witness part of the
tattack and prevent the assailant ap-
plying match to their mothers
clothes, which she had saturated with
kerosene.
Although fearfully injured, Mrs.
Cannon has been able to talk about
the attack. which she declares was
made for the purpose of robbery, and
during which a sum of money. for
which she had sold some cotton, was
taken. She asserts positively that
Mary Gaillard was her assailant. It
Is said that the Gaillard woman has
been In the Vance community about
two years and bears bad reputation
among both the negroes and white
people.
The substance OF Mrs. Cannon's
version of the difficulty in which she
received what may prove fatal in
turies, is about as follows:
VICTIMS RECITAL.
She declares that while alone in
her home, about o'clock Thursday
night, Mary Gaillard came 10 her
house, but the woman's presence be-
ing Objectionable, Mrs. Cannon order
ed her away. The woman stated that
she had come to see about a pattern
and also spoke about some sewing
she probably wished to have Mrs.
Cannon do for her.
Then, without giving the slightest
intimation of her attentions, Mrs.
Cannon says, the woman struck her
on the head with a billet of wood
then began slashing her with a razor,
also striking her with bottle. Mrs.
Cannon further declares that her as
sailant grabbed her, telling her that
she was going to break her arm.
(which she proceeded to do by twist
ing the member until the bone was
fractured.
rhe woman then, says Mrs. Can
non, stuck a knife into her ear and
twisted it around several times
causing eXcruciating pain and in
ficting one of the most serious OF her
many wounds. Mrs Cannon SAYS her
clothes were then saturated with
kerosene by the woman, who was
ABOUT 10 apply a match TO the OIL
soaked garments OF her PROSTATE vic.
time, when the children arrived, find.
ing their mother barely able to speak
The negro woman then ran OUT or the
back door and. presumably, goine
into the Santee river swamp.
POSSE IN SEARCH.
The alarm was Immediately giveI
and posse was soon in search OF the
perpetrator of one of the most bruta
deeds ever recorded In Orangeburl
county. Sheriff A. M. Salley sent one
OF his deputies from here to direc
the hunt for the woman, and Rura
Policeman Ballard of Elloree, chou
ten miles from the scene OF the out
rage, and other men from the com
munity are assisting.
The latest information from tn
scene OF the woman hunt, receive,
here tonight, is that the fugitive ha
not yet been captured, but it is be
Iieved that she Is In the swamp
which the posse has surrounded, an
cannot escape
> 1t is said that in the searchin
party are number of determine
men and what will follow the car
ture OF Mrs. Cannon's assailant
problematical, although II Is possibl
that the presence OF the deput
sheriff Will deter the crowd from tab
ing summary vengeance.