The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1913-06-20
Desperate. at Bay Under
House Fires Until Nearly
Dead-Lynching lis Mar
rowly Averted by Officers
Court Deputy's Body
Was Terribly Mutilated
by Frenzied Negro.
tuesdays Atlanta Georgian)

forenoon in a desperate battle with
Eugene Watson, a crazed negro who
had run amuck and terrorized the
residents in the vicinity of Rawson
and Windsor Streets.
Brought to bay under a vacant
house at 33 Windsor Street, the
black man evaded for more than half
an hour the wagonload of policemen
who had been hurried to the scene
of the killing on riot call.
The negro surrendered only after
he had been badly wounded and saw
y that he could not hold out longer
against the posse of bluecoats who
had surrounded him in his strong
hold.
A lynching was averted only by
the large force of officers who rush
ed to the house and hurried the un-
conscious negro to the police station
in an automobile.
Cries of "Lynch him!" were heard
on every hand. The crowd was wild
ly excited and thronged about the ne
gro. as he was being taken from the
basement. The policemen quickly
formed circle about Watson and
pushed the angry men away.
Until he was hurried into the au-
tomobile, the danger of violence was
not passed, the crowd at one time
threatening to take him from the of
ficers.
Yancy's body was terribly mutt
lated by the frenzied negro. Rather
than be taken, Watson rushed like a
wild beast toward Yancy, stabbed
him repeatedly in the breast and
back and slashed one of his arms al
most to ribbons. Yancy was dead
long before Watson had completed
his iendish attack.
The trouble which resulted in the
tragedy started when Watson
snatched Sd from Jesse Winn, an
aged negro, on whitehall Street.
Watson. ran after getting the money
and threatened with a drawn knife
!. everyone who stood in his path.
AS het was running up Rawson
Street, Deputy iYancey, who happen
ed to be in that vicinity to serve some
papers, took up the chase. Watson
ran into the yard at the rear of 3OS
Rawson Street, the home of Mrs. j.
w. Wilson, with Yancey in close pur-
suit.
Robert Starnes, aged 16, of IL
Fitzgerald Street, Joined in the chase
along with score of other persons.
Yancey fired upon the negro as he
cornered him in the yard.
Damn you, you've got to kill me
before you can take me-" Watson
shouted as he rushed upon the deputy
and snatched the still smoking re-
volver out of his hand.
With this he drew the knife and
plunged it time and again into the
body of Yancey. The deputy sank to
the ground mortaIly wounded, but
the blood-maddened negro kept hack
ing and stabbing the limp body.
Boy Rushes to Aid.
Young Starnes, who had hastened
to the officers assistance, picked up
one brick after another and hurled
them at the negro, but the latter paid
no attention to the blows.
When Watson had sated his
bloody passion, he leaped from the
prostrate body of Yancey and ran up
street, taking refuge, when hotly
pressed, in the cellar Of the vacant
house at 33 Windsor Street.
He was quickly surrounded by the
posse of officers. Thrusting their
weapons under the house they
commenced a fullisade upon the ne
gro which failed to subdue him until
he was almost riddled with bullets.
An especial act of bravery during
the seige of Watson, who was in the
darkness under the house, was that
of Policeman Paul West. Watson,
crippled but still defiant, was in an
obscure corner. The officers called
upon him to surrender. He shouted
his defiance at them. After the fire
was resumed the negro saw there
was no further use in resisting and
yelled that he was ready to give up.
West Dares Death in Dark.
The officers waited, but the negro
did not come out of the darkness. Po-
liceman West, against the warnings
of his fellow-officers, dropped to the
F.: ground and crawled under the house
toward the negro. His comrades
were expecting every instant tor hear