Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1913-10-01
DEPUTY SHOT BETWEEN EYES.
Bullet from Desperate Negroes Wea-
pom Ends Life Instantly.

McBee, S. c., Sept. 2S.-J. M.
King, a member of the sheriff's posse
was shot and instantly killed, and
Sheriff d. p. Douglass and Deputy J.
r. Abbott were painfully wounded
to-day in trying to capture James
Davis, a negro desperate, who fought
to the last and is believed to have
perished in the ruins Of the burning
house near Middlendorf, this county,
where he had been besieged since
early morning. Davis wife, who
aided him in his defense and subse-
quently escaped. is being sought by a
possee The end came after bat
tie with the negro in which many
shots were fired.
Summoned by Lester Burr, gin
ners' report man for this county, who
had been fired on by the negro yester-
day, and other prominent men, the
sheriff and his deputy went to Mid
dlendorf early to-day. Arriving
there. they found the object of their
search, and the deputy at once de-
manded his surrender
AS the officer approached the ne
gro whipped out his pistol and open
ed fire. In the fusillade which fol-
lowed both officers were wounded
Sheriff Douglass in the right leg and
Deputy Abbott in the left hand-and
the negro, the sheriff thinks, was also
hit.
Davis fled into his cabin nearby
and there barricaded himself. AS
sisted by his wife, he prepared for
defense. Davis house was we'll pre-
pared for siege. The negro was
heavily armed and had a quantity Of
ammunition. With his. wife, who had
assisted him in the first fight with the
officers, he was able to put up des-
perate resistance.
Sheriff Douglass, though wounded,
remained in charge of the situation,
and went to McBee for reinforce
ments, leaving a small party on guard
to see that the negro did not escape.
At McBee the wounded sheriff rails
ed a posse and soon returned to the
scene ready to take the house by
storm if necessary. There were no
signs Of life, and the posse began a
search for the negro.
Mr.. King stopped down to look
under the h0iis55 and was greefed BY
a shot from the negro's weapon. The
bullet took effect almost squarely be-
tween the eyes and the brave con-
stable fell dead.
Undaunted by the sudden fire, the
officers continued their efforts to
take the desperate. The house was
surrounded and then was fired, the
object being to force the negro into
the open.
The heat and smoke proved more
than Davis could stand and he dash
ed from the burning house. only to
be met by a volley of lead. Seem
inly hard hit, he turned back and
sought shelter beneath the blazing
structure.
There, hiding from the bullets of
the posse, the negro covered, while
the flames ate their way through the
frail building.
The roof and floor fell in; the me-
gro had not appeared. That he burn
ed to death beneath the house which
had given him refuge while he pour
ed forth his fire at the officers is al
most certain.
Davis wife had escaped while the
sheriff was gone, it is supposed, as
there was no trace of her when the
posse returned, A posse is now
searching for her.
j. NJ. King: the dead man, had
been living here for several months
He was magistrates constable for
this district. He was married and
leaves a wife and eight children.
Davis is said to have been very
bad character. 1t Is believed that he
was wanted in North Carolina for
crimes committed there.
Negroes Wife i'm Jail.
McBee, Sept. 29.-Everything is
quiet at Middlendcrf to-day. jim
Davis wife, who assisted him in the
first skirmish with the officers, and
later fed, was captured to-day by a
rural policeman and is now in jail
at Chesterfield.
All yesterday a posse searched for
Davis wife, who had aided him in
barricading his house and had then
escaped while the sheriff went for re-
Inducements. To-day she was found
by rural policeman and taken to
Chesterfield, where she was lodged
in jail.