The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1915-12-02
SHOOTING AFFAIR IN
town OF OLANTA.

IUVV W VL1NI0s
POLICEMEN. ATTACKED WITH
KNIVES, USE THEIR GUNS WITH
FATAL RESULT--ONE MAN DEAD.
Policemen George Ham and Char
ley McElveen, who Saturday after
noon in a clash with members of the
Lee family, at Olanta, shot and kill
ed Sam Lee and probably fatally
wounded his son, Olin Lee. The Of
ficers were arrested and taken to
Florence by Sheriff Burch Sunday
where they were placed in Jail. Ap-
plication was made to Judge Gary
Sunday night for bail, which was
granted in the case of each of the
policemen in the sum of 81, 800. The
Florence Times of Monday afternoon
says:
"All of the evidence adduced at
the Coroner's hearing points to the
fact that the officers fired the shots
only after they had been attacked
and cut with knives, and their clubs
had been wrested away from them,
and in defense of their lives.
Mr. Sam Lee was shot four times,
the wound in his side, made, it is
thought, by the last shot, having
caused his death. Olin Lee was shot
through the left breast. the bullet
passing out in his back. He was
thought to be mortally wounded,
and physicians from Olanta and
Florence stated he had no chance OF
recovery. Today, however, he was
still alive, and seemed to have gain.
ed strength. The policemen were
considerably bruised and cut, MI
Ham having no less than five knife
marks about his face and neck. His
life was probably saved by the adroit'
ness with which Judge Knight, Mag
istrate at Olanta, diverted the force
of the thrust aimed by Carson Lee
at the policeman's throat.
The Coroner's jury did not reach
a verdict until early Sunday morn
ing, the testimony submitted by the
number of witnesses being volumi'
nous. The verdict was that Sam
Lee had come to his death from gun
shot wounds at the hands Of George
Ham and Charley McElyeen. Coroner
Gun turned the men over to the
Sheriff who Immediately placed them
under arrest and brought them to
Florence. The policemen had been
on duty up to this time. At the in
quest, Mr. P H Arrowsmith of Lake
City appeared in the interests OF the
State, while Mr. Whiting of Florence
represented the defendant officers
for the town of Olanta.
THE occasion of the trouble is said
to date back two years, when Sam
Lee was given a severe thrashing by
officers who had attempted to arres,
him for creating a disturbance. II
is said that since that time ne has
threatened he would have his re-
venge.
From what could be gathered
from the various reports of the
tragedy, and from the evidence
brought out at the inquest, the i'm
mediate trouble started yesterday
afternoon when DR. Coyington Lee
was arrested and put in the towr
lookup for disorderly conduct. He
was later released upon application
of his father, Mr. H B Lee, to the
intendent of the town, Mr. Millaro
Moore, and carried to his home
This arrest was made by Policeman
Ham. When the officer had return
ed to the business part of the towr
after releasing DR. Lee, he was met
by a crowd consisting of severa
members of the Lee family. Trouble
began almost Immediately and Car
son Lee was arrested by Officer
Ham. Lee resisted, and others came
to his assistance, including MIR San
Lee. Knives were drawn. In the
mix-up the policemen's clubs were
torn from their hands. and the Off
GERS belabored with them. AS a las
resort, it is stated, the policemen
a.ar, their nistnls. and in the shoot