The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-04-25
Recollections of a Long Life
By COL D. A. Dickert
No. 5. 'Man From Tennessee"
By Col. D. A. Dickert

companion, whom he had taken up
with in that county and left for parts
unknown. He told his acquaintance
that they were waylaid by the United
States constabes, between whom and
these refugees were a deadly feud. The
matter was soon blown over for peo-
pie at that day had no time nor incli-
nation to give heed to yesterday, they
thought only of today.
For more than decade after the
war peddling tobacco through this
State was a very renumerative busi-
ness and the familiar Mountain
Scoops could be seen in every part OF
the State. These men would ship their
tobacco to some central depot or
town in the country in which they in
tended operating, then bring their
wagons over the mountains and ped
die for months around this central
section
During this time a man from Stokes
county, n. c., with his son, lad OF
thirteen or fourteen, was operating
from Augusta, but in the counties of
this State. During one Of his trips he
was joined by man, we'll mounted,
with the appearance Of a Well-to-do
trader. He proposed to buy both
teams and wagons, with their con-
tents. This kind of proposition al
ways suited the tobacconist as it gave
him quick sale with the promise Of
better and cheaper outfit at home.
| After riding nearly all day, haggling
over the price and conditions, the
trade was effected. The trader ask
ed the North Carolinian to ride with
him through the country to little
| town where he would get the money.
This was agreed to and both rode
away, the tobacconist never to be
! heard of again. He returned that
night or next morning and
told the lad that the father
had urgent reasons for returning
home at once, the boy to follow next
day. The trader ginving the boy suffi-
ceient money to defray his expenses
home, he took the two teams and
wagons and drove towards Augusta.
When the lad reached home his peo-
pie had heard nothing of the father.
Telegrams were sent to every point
! where there was a likelihood of his
visiting but nothing was known OF
him. Then the thecTy OF foul play
was the only explanation. BY some
reasons, the people in Stokes got into
| communication with Sumter authori-
ties and was assured the murderer
from all descriptions was no other
than the missing Marshal. The friends
of the murdered man organized par
ty to hunt for the lost tobacconist,
and run down the murderer. | have
forgotten all the details, but they met
Marshal in the public road down in
Florida where he had sold one Of the
teams and peddling from the other.
With the money he found on the
person of his victim he took wayblll
7 for several hundred boxes of tobacco,
then lying in the depot in Augusta.
From this he ereplenished his stock as
fast as he could sell out load. When
overtaken Marshal had on the hat
worn by his victim with bullet hole
through the hat band. On his way to
Sumter he confessed to nothing nor
made any explanation whatever. When
they reached the city of Sumter
great crowd was awaiting them, among
them the brother of the murdered man.
Marshal sat on the seat with the
driver while one of the guards sat by
him with a Colts revolver in hand.
Just as they neared the crowd in the
street the prisoner suddenly rose from
! his seat and gave the guard crush
inc blow over the head with the
heavy iron shackles on his wrist. fell
ing him to the bottom of the wagon.
Then he leaped for fb@rty between
the horses. But as he reached the
end of the wagon tongue the driver
pulled derringer from his coat pock-
ct and shot him through the heart.
The murdeied man was never found,
or at least, identified, for along III
that part of the country so many
Yankee soldiers and outlaws were kill
ed and left in the swamps that a dead