The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1915-08-13
GREENFILLI. SHERIFF
ATTACKED BY POSTMASTER
Traxler and Rector Come to Blows
Fight is Result of Bitter Fac
tiOnaism of County.
Greenville News.

master D. B. Traxler engaged in a
fisticuff yesterday morning in knights
barber shop on South Main street. AS
result OF the fight the two were tried
in the city court, the sheriff being fined
$50 and the postmaster $50.
The difficulty grew out of some
words which were exchanged between
the two men after the political meet
ing at the opera house Friday night.
At tie conclusion of the meeting,
Postmaster TraXler said that Rector
and mis- crowd" or words to that ef-
feet, had been those who were yelling
for Reese, legislative candidate. Rec
tor denied this, and then it is said that
he cursed tie postmaster, using un-
printable epitnets. Mr.. Traxler claims
that he had left the crowd and did
not hear the cursing. He claims, fur
tner, that tie sheriff called him up
later in the night and that apologies
exchanged. The next afternoon the
Evening Piedmont carried story on
the tilt, and the statement was made
tat the postmaster heard the cursing,
and that the sheriff had no apologies
to make. Mr.. Traxler answered the
story in the Piedmont of Tuesday.
Yesterday morning, according to
tie testimony at the trial, MIR. Traxler
mad just been shaved Wien he ap-
preached the sheriff, who was reading
a paper in the barber shop. Mr.. Trax-
Ter had heard t.at the sheriff had been
boasting of having cursed the post
master to his face, and that the post
master had not resented the insult. Mr..
Traxler told the sEeriff that any man
who made such statement was a
G. liar" The sheriff stated that
he did not desire any trouble. Mr.
Traxler repeated his remark, and then
the s5erif started to get up, hot words
having passed. Mr.. Traxler struck
the sheriff in the face Then the
rough and tumble fight started. 1t
continued for some moments, when
Magistrate Ballenger and offers sep
arated the belligerents. The fight oc-
Cured soon after 9 o'clock.
Haynsworth & Haynsworth repre-
sented Mr.. Traxler, while James H.
Price represented the sheriff.
lat the conclusion of the trial, j. N
King asked d.at the matter be drop
ped, appealing to both sides to make
up" In accordance with this request
they shook hands while the audience
applauded.
The recorder fined Mr.. Traxler for
fighting, and fined tie sheriff for re-
peating the language which he mad
formerly used, holding that the repe-
tition was an offense.
Several of those VITO were in the
barber shop testified. The chief wit
nesses were Magistrate Ballenger and
the two defendants.
Statement From Sheriff Rector.
Ever since l have been in the sher-
ifs Office 1 Lave been prosecuted by
]. D. Gilreath and his followers
Traxler one of them. They nave tried
in every available way to get me to do
some rash act; today they undertook
to get me to do one, but instead, when
Dave Traxler cursed and abused me,
I told him the t-ird time to go away,
that did not want to have any trou-
bic with any one, but he took the ad-
vantage of me and struck me while
I was sitting in a chair without giving
me any warning, all of witch is borne
out by the testimony in the trial by
Traxler and myself today. We passed
numDer OF blows after he had first
hit me. We were required to put up
bond to appear in the mayors court at
II O'Clock. We were tried at II o'clock
and the testimony in the case was that
I was not at fault in bringing on the
dimculty-tried to avoid it, and did not
curse an oat3. This was the testi-
mony of every witness who testified,
but the recorder of the city of Green
vile set a precedent for fear of criti-
cisms by few Of the upper ten, and
fined me as we'll as Mr. Traxler.
Now, I want the public of Green
vile county, whom I represent as their
chief peace officer, to know that here
after, feeling tat the courts of the
city of Greenville will not bear me out
in the enforcement of the law, I am
going to look after the sheriff of Green