The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1913-05-29
RICHARD HENRY AUSTIN
CAPTURED.
NEGRO DESPERATE SHOT DOWN
BY SHERIFF'S POSSE--IS
BADLY WOUNDED

Bowers, was captured at dusk tonight
near the residence of Mr. Marvin Giles
seven miles above Newington.
The negro did not surrender with
out resistance and was shot down by
a member of the posse making the
arrest, which was headed by Sheriff
Morris, of Barnwell county, South
Carolina. Tonight he lies desperately
wounded and his life is despaired of.
For days Austin has been skulking
in the Savannah river swamps, fed
and aided by members of his own
race. For several days past the re-
lentless hand of the law has been
closing in on him, slowly but surely.
until it became but a question of time
before the black found himself a
prisoner of the representatives of
that government he has defed and
whose officers he has shot down.
This morning Austin was seen to
skulk up the river and the vigilant
posse soon was in pursuit. Austin
formerly worked for Mr. Giles and it
is thought he went that way being
in hopes of obtaining food or shelter.
Familiar with the ground he evad-
ed his pursuers all day, but at dusk
Sheriff Morris and a member of the
posse came suddenly upon their man.
A gun spoke and Austin dropped.
The long chase was ended.
Austin will be taken to Savannah
in the morning. Austin was shot
three times, in the breast and stom-
ach. His condition is desperate, but
Sheriff Morris, of Barnwell county.
hopes to land his man safely on South
Carolina soil alive.
Austin was shot by Sheriff Morris
and Officer Stavender, of the Hamp-
ton posse. Knowing the desperate
character of their man, Sheriff Nor
ris and Officer Stavender took no
chances and opened fire on him as
soon as he came in sight. He was
shot in the road as he was approach
ing Mr. Giles house.
CHIEF HARTER TELLS OF MAN HUNT.
Allendale, May 27:-Chief of Po-
lice J B Harter returned this after
noon from the scene of the man-hunt
in Screven county, Ga, and said the
hunt for Richard Henry Austin, led
by Sheriffs Morris of Barnwell and
Lightsey of Hampton were still IN
progress. Chief Harter says the re-
port in the evening papers to the ef-
feet that Austin had been killed was
given out as a Joke" by one. of the
posse returning by way of Augusta.
According to Chief Harter, the dogs
were still trailing the negro at 9
o'clock this morning at point about
two miles from the bay, where he
has been hiding for the past several
days; the trail was leading in the di-
rection of Hudson Ferry, on the Sa-
vannah river. Several times the
posse thought they were on the eve
of the fugitive's capture, only to find
themselves foiled by this veritable
wizard of the jungle.
Monday morning number of men
were placed on picket duty along the
route that Austin would likely take,
and the negro, as expected, did make
his appearance in full view of Sher-
iff Morris, j L Carlton, his deputy.
and others, and but for one man los
ing his head and screaming, warning |
him back into the bushes, Austin
would have undoubtedly fallen, said
Chief Harter. Austin has visited at
night three negro houses and the
home of one white man, Mr. Jarrel,
a former employer, during the last
few days. Mr. Jarrel stated that he
asked for food about midnight Fri
day night, which he gave and which
Austin ate sitting on his doorstep;
that Austin told him in rambling,
incoherent manner of a gang fight"
he had had in South Carolina and