The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-10-20

Maxy Goldman behind him. Willie
O'Brien started to strike Maxy Cold
man and. Renters told him he was
too small for him to strike. Then
Renters and O'Brien started to get
into an argument and Frank Hogan
started to argue with him. William
Wingate then caught Renters from
the back with his arm around Rem
tiers neck. I caught. Wingate's arm
and told him to turn Renters loose.
When Renters turned around Harry
Wilenski took a pistol out OF Rem
tiers back pocket and they all hol-
lered arrest him and Sergt. Quinn
took him off. Then the commotion
started in the door. Fosberry and
Frank Hogan started to abuse me
and in the confusion Chief Csntwell
Ftook;a pistol out Of my pocket. l had
the pistol as a deputy constable, ap-
pointed by Sheriff Martin.
1.-THE shooting started in the door,
and Chief Cantwcll and Mr.. Turner
Logan came in with drawn guns
pointing inside. I begged them not
to shoot. Mr.. Logan put his gun
down, but Chief Cantwen fired a shot
at Henry Brown, while several were
holding Brown. / think Mr.. Robson
grabbed Chief iCantwell's hand with
pistol and begged him not to shoot
He said. that two hours later he was
ordered under arrest by Mayor Grace
and Chief Cantwell for carrying. con-
cealed weapons. Healy put up cash
bond of twentw dollars and was re-
leased late last, night.
Joseph II. Hiott was present at the
meeting of the executive committee
to testify in behalf OF his brother,
George A. Hiott, whose vote had been
challenged.
"Mr. Black, the chairman" said
Mr.. Hiott, asked the police depart
ment to see that everybody was put
out of the room except the executive
committee. I stepped just outside OF
the doorway back into the room from
the executive committee room. MY
two brothers were with me. AS dld
this I saw a young man from the
navy yard, named George Renters;
two men were cursing him. One was
big Wingate. They grabbed hold OF
him and then a policeman grabbed
him about the neck and they arrested
Renters. I never saw Renters rise.
They carried him out of the room.
A minute or so later the shooting be-.
gan. The shooting was in the room.
( can not say who the men were VINO
shot, but I did see policeman In
uniform shoot. He shot four or hve
shots through the doorway into the
committee room. After that there
were many shots that I and my
brothers went out. In trying to get
out. some one hit. me-. :
Only city policemen were on guard
at the executive committee hall on
King street when the, fatal shooting
occurred. Gov. Manning had on the
night before instructed Col. E. M.
Blythe of :Greenville, First Infantry,
to proceed to Charleston and take
charge of the several companies tnat
had. been ordered to be in readiness
for duty. Sheriff Martin had large
number of special deputies sworn IN.
The question was raised to-day as to
WHY the militia and the special con-
stables were not present to prevent
the trouble. 1t was pointed out that
the sheriff has no power to Interfere
in municipal affairs until the local OF
icers have failed to cope with the SIT
uation.
The police having failed to keep
order, Chairman Black telephoneo
the sheriff and the deputies were sent
Immediately. The militia arrived
few minutes afterwards and ecsllE
dispersed the large crowd which had
gathered on King street.
The militia remained on duty all
night. a strict military zone being
maintained by the executive commit
tee, All the boxes containing the
votes of the recent municipal election
we're stored in the building.
Col. Blythe spent. the night at a
hotel, arising early to take charge OF
the troops. He refused to discuss the
situation. declaring that he had feen
sent to Charleston. to maintain otuer