The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-04-30
ATTACK BY FlEND.
MOTHER and SON BADLY HURT
In THEIR Home
TRIED TO MAKE ESCAPE

Herman Kelly, Negro, Was Arrest
ed, Charged With Striking the
Wife and Young Son of Coast Line
Employee With Wrench, and
Crowd Wanted to Lynch Him.
The Florence correspondent of The
News and Courier says an attempt,
supposedly to take the life of well
known Florence lady and her son,
Ferdinand, at their home, 104 East
Front street, about $50 o'clock Sat-
urday night, was made by negro
with the use of a part of a heavy IS"
wrench. But for their screams and
prompt response of neighbors and
members of the police force, both of
them no doubt would have been mur-
| dered. The husband, who was at
| work in the A. c. L. yards, was ap-
prised of the deed later in the even
| ing. The story as given by Chief of
! Police H. NJ. Brunson, who, with
Foreman Mack Worrell, Of the chain
gang, soon ran to earth the negro
supposed to have committed the as
sault, is as follows:
The lady, the wife Of an Atlantic
Coast Line trainman, and her twelve
year-old son, were alone at their
home. Some one knocked at the
door and upon investigation it proved
to be negro, said to be named Her
man Kelly, who had been sent there
to buy milk. He did not have YES
sci to take the milk in and he was
lent a pitcher which he was to re-
turn. Later in the evening Kelly re-
turned with the pitcher and, accord
| ing to the police story, as he handed
the lady the vessel he caoght her by
the arm and struck her over the head
with part of steel "S' wrench,
which is used by track forces for
Tightening rail bolts. The blow par
TALLY felled her and she began
screaming. The assailant struck her
again and by this time her son, who
had been asleep, was awakened and
he ran into the yard screaming.
Thinking that he had probably
slain the lady, the negro ran out
after the boy, telling him. By this
time neighbcrs began to reach the
place and fearing he would be caught
the negro, supposed to have been
Kelly, ran through the back yard and
attempted to scale high fence to the
side Of the premises. In doing So,
! however, a board broke with him
and he fell heavily to the ground.
AS he fell his arm was caught on the
end of picket and the skin torn off.
In this condition, and with blood
from his victims wounds smeared
over his clothing, he made good for
! the time his escape.
It was not long afterwards before
a great crowd gathered and the po-
lice officers proceeded to run down
the negro. Chief Brunson and Officer
Worrell followed a clue and shortly
after midnight, at the home of Jack
Black, whose wife Is an aunt Of Kel-
ly's. They arrested Kelly, who is
charged as being the man who COM
mitted the deed.
When arrested Kelly is said to
have had the scratch on the arm
which it is thought was made in the
fall over the fence. The officers took
Kelly before his victims, who identi-
fed him as being the right party.
Kelly was then carried to the station
house and later removed to the Jail.
By this time there were various
rumors as to what would be done
with him if the crowd could get at
him. Throughout the day yesterday
| the deed committed was the talk OF
! the town, and as the day grew into
night squads Of men who were seen
talking soon gathered in a crowd.
Shortly after nine O'Clock it had
reached some $50 or 200 men. 1t
seemed that this gathering proposed
to take summary action on Kelly;
and not only .>elly, but the Mcintosh
boys, who, it will be remembered,
| are in Jail under the sentence OF
death for the murder of little Andrew
Jackson last February one year ago.
and who are awaiting the Supreme
Courts decision, and lynch the three
of them at one time. About ten
o'clock move was made and the
crowd proceeded to the Jail, and Jail
er Bryant was called up. Upon open
| ing the door several OF the crowd
| called upon him to surrender the
keys, which he refused to do, but
which he was later forced to give up,
and while held captive an attempt
was made to gain entrance to the
cell room in which the cages are
| located, but it seems that Bryant
gave up the wrong keys and the mob
failed to reach their prey.
By this time telephone message
to the police station from the jail, or
from some one in the neighborhood,
! reached the chief, who happened 10
be in the central station. With Desk
Sergt. Joseph F. Turbeville, he hur-
| ried to the Jail, and at the same time
the chief made a call for other men
who were out on their beats. When
the crowd saw the officers coming
down upon them they quickly scatter
ed, and only few remained. Chief
Brunson, it is said, rushed in upon
the crowd with Sergt. Turoevllle
close at his heels and pulled some Of
the men back from the Jail door.
This broke up the supposed at
tempt at violence and it was only
few moments before the crowd dis
nersed hut not before being ordered