Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-04-08
SOUTH CAROLINA NEWS.


SOUTH CAROLINA NEWS.
Columbia special of April to the
Augusta Chronicle: The governor Of
South Carolina has requested the res
ignation of A. E. Legare, captain and
adtutant OF the second infantry Of the
National Guard. This follows the fl
ing Of the charges against Major JOS
eph r. Allen, Of the first battalion of
the Second infantry. Captain Legare
sent letter to the governor declining
to resign.
= In a letter to Mr.. w. F. Caldwell,
i the Columbia correspondent of the
News and Courier, Governor Blease
says he Is fighting DR.. Mitchell because
the doctor was In favor Of taking mon
ey that should go to white people and
using 1t for the education Of negro
teachers. In the same letter the govern
or gave as reason why he would not
attend meetings Of the board Of trus-
| tees OF the South Carolina university
in the college library, the fact that he
had been advised that DR.. Mitchell had
offered resolution providing that the
diplomas Of graduates Of the UNIVERSE
ty need not be sent to the governor for
his signature. The governor states
however, that this has nothing to do
| with his fight against the doctor
| which Is based solely on the other
proposition. He says he will keep the
fight up until he drives DR.. Mitchell
from the university.
| - Greenville, April 8: Upon entering
the basement OF fashionable dry
goods store shortly after 3 O'clock
sunday morning, Leonard Smith, II
year old SON Of prominent and
wealthy family, and his 20-year-old
companion, Rowley Martin, engaged
in pistol battle with three policemen
| who had concealed themselves In the
store in anticipation, c. O burglary
with the result that the young men
were shot to death and one Of the po-
licemen wounded. With five bullets in
ms. body and wound through his
heart young Smith ran up flight or
stairs to the second moor, where two
employees Of the firm had stationed
themselves in waiting. He was met
who shouIed to him not to fire again,
and passing on by, tearing mask
from his face with one hand and grip
ping his pistol with the other, sank
to the floor and expired. Martin ran
to the rear Of the basement with q
bullet hole through his head, and con-
cealed himself in closet. A police
man followed closely upon him and
pulled him out, at the same time tear
ing mask from the lads face. Mar
tin was placed in the police ambulance
and rushed to the city hospital, where
he expired two hours later. Police
man Mayfield was shot in the hand.
News Of the terrible tragedy spread
quickly, even at that hour Of the night.
and has created a profound sensation
throughout the city. At noon In the
county court house In the presence Of
thousand or more citizens Of all
/ rank, the coroner conducted dual
inquest into the killing. The two ju-
ries returned verdicts that Leonard
Smith and Rowley Martin came to
their death from pistol shot wounds at
the hands Of Policemen II. M. Alexan-
der, A. M. Blair and J. A. Mayfield.
The chief OF police, j. e. Holcombe,
was then deputized to take the officers
into custody until Monday, when their
commitments will be issued by the
coroner. At the same time applica-
ton for bail for the three policemen
will be made before Judge s. w. G.
-nipp, who convenes the spring term
Of the court Of common pleas for
Greenville county, Monday morning.
The inquest was the most dramatic
ever held In this county. The father
Of young Smith, overwhelmed with
grief and dumbfounded at the tragic
occurrence, appeared at the inquest
and conducted the examination of the
various witnesses. The city solicitor,
b. +. Martin, questioned the witnesses
on the part Of the city. The testimony
did not develop any mysteries but was
plain and to the point. The policemen
| testified that members Of the firm Of
Hobbs and Henderson notified them
| week ago that their store was being
robbed. Young Smith was employed
| by the firm until q short while ago..
and the witnesses stated, suspicion
pointed to him. For five nights one
Of the policemen concealed himself
and each night observed party of
parties come to the rear windows Of
the basement and flash pocket Ian
tern. Saturday night, he testified,
three policemen were stationed In the
basement shortly before midnight It
had been planned to have two MEM
bers Of the firm stationed on the sec
ond floor. In charge OF the switch gov
erning the electric lighting system.
The three policemen concealed them
selves behind counter in the base
ment and waited. At five minutes af-
ter o'clock, the testimony ran, the
policemen observed the pocket Ian
tern being flashed ON the outside Of
the rear basement windows. They
waited and presently an arm was
slipped through broken glass, set in
front Of the barred window sash and
the paddock holding down the sash un-
locked. There was a slight commo-
ton as the boys slipped through the
window and into the basement. AS
soon as they had entered, the witness
es testified, the boys placed masks
over their faces, took out their pis-
tolls and held them in shooting posi-
tion, and flashed their pocket Ian
| terms" advanced toward the staircase,
leading to the second floor. AS they
drew opposite the counter behind
| which the policemen were concealed,
Policeman Mayield srose and called to
the boys, Hold up your hands, boys"
Without answering the challenge, 1t
was testified, the boys opened fire.
They fired two shots, II was testified,
| and then the three policemen realizing
| their danger, opened fire. A total Of
fifteen shots were fred. An examina-
tion of the revolvers showed that
young Smith had fired one, Martin
twice and the policemen twelve times.
| together. At that moment the clerks
upstairs hearing the terrible commo-
ton, threw the electric switch and the
dark basement was flooded with light.
HICKORY GROVE NOTES