The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1915-04-15
S. G. THURSDAY APRIL Is, 1915.
ROBBINS SCCEUMBS.
Penitentiary Guard Shot by Fugitive
Negro Dies in Columbia Hospital.

Columbia, April 10.--J. c. Rob-
bins, penitentiary guard. who was
shot down while chasing negro
fugitive, Joel Green. near Pinewood,
in Clarendon county, yesterday after
noon. died this evening. His remains
will probably be taken to his former
home in Anderson for burial. His
brother is en- route to Columbia to-
night, and until his arrival definite
arrangement for the funeral cannot
be completed. He is survived by
brother and two sisters, all of whom
live in Anderson.
The negro who shot Mr.. Robbins
was killed this morning by sheriff S
posse in a swamp near Pinewood
while resisting arrest.
Mr.. Robbins was about 3S years of
age and unmarried. He had been
connected with the penitentiary for
seven years. Since the installation of
the electric chair he had been the
electrocutioner
Negro Killed by Posse.
4 sheriff'S posse this morning sur
rounded Joel Green, said to have
been a half-witted negro. in swamp
three miles from Pinewood, in Clar-
endon county. and shot him to death
while resisting arrest. The negro
hid himself in mass of dense under
brush and swamp growth and fired
into the posse of the sheriff OF Clar-
endon county. which had drawn a
strong Gordon around the swamp.
He fired over seven times at the pur-
suers, but the fire of~the posse soon
struck the fatal spot and the negro
died, resisting arrest to the last. A
heavy steel breastplate was found on
his body, evidencing his preparedness
for desperate deeds.
Mr.. J. C. Robbins, the penitentiary
guard. and his two bloodhounds were
taken to Pinewood yesterday morn
ing at the request of Magistrate A.
P. Cooner to trail a negro suspected
of robbing three stores at that place.
The dogs struck the trail without
any delay and soon came within hail
ing distance of the fleeing negro, who
was recognized as Joel Green. The
negro turned and fired at Mr.. Rob-
bins. who was following the dogs on
horseback, the shot taking effect. in
his right hip. The wound was found
to be a serious one and Mr.. Robbins
was placed on the first train coming
towards Columbia. When the train
passed Sumte.. Governor. Manning
Joined the wounded man and rode
with him in the baggage car all the
way to Columbia. Mr.. Robbins was
taken to hospital and his wounds
dressed.
The bloodhounds continued in full
cry behind the negro after he snot
Mr.. Robbins from his horse. The
other members of the posse followed
the dogs. They got so close in be-
hind the fleeing negro that he was
forced to take to a tree and from a
position in the limbs of the tree he
shot the dogs to death. He then
made his escape.
Early this morning the sheriff Of
Colleton county collected posse and
resumed the hunt for Joel Green.
More bloodhounds were secured and
the negro was trailed to swamp.
There he resisted and was shot to
death by the posse.
Mr.. ]. C. Robbins, the penitentiary
guard, had chased more criminals
and suspects than any other man IN
the State, it is said, and his blood
hounds were in constant demand
from every section to try and run
down persons thought 10 nave peen
guilty of crimes.
He led the hunt for the desperado,
Henry Austin, the negro who terror
izezd Barnwell and Hampton counties
and who killed several men himself
before being mortally wounded in
Georgia and who died while being
brought back to Hampton. Mr.. Rob-
bins had one of his best dogs shot
while chasing a fugitive in the
swamps of the Congaree river, in the
eastern section of Richland county,
recently.
4 Logical Objection.