Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1917-12-05
OHIEF SAM HEATH IS KILLED.
Run Over by Party OF Reckless Negro
AutoiSts in Grecnville.
(Grenville News, Nov. 27.p

Chief Petty Officer Samuel Heath,
United States Navy, in charge of the
Greenyille navy recruiting station,
met a tragic death yesterday after
noon about 1.30 o'clock, when he
was struck by an automobile in
which four negro men were riding.
The naval officer had driven his car
few yards beyond the garage Of
the Adams Garage and Vulcanizing
Company, on South Main street, and
stopped to put on tire. He drove
his car close to the curb on the right
hand side Of the street and was in
the act Of tightening the bolts which
hold the tire in place. when a Buick
roadster, with a single seat, with the
four negroes as occupants, bore
down on him at the rate, according to
eye-witnesses, Of 60 miles an hour,
dragging him a distance of 46 feet
and hurling him against another ma
>chine. Death was almost instanta-
neous. The men who pulled his
body from the wreckage stated yes
1 terday afternoon that he breathed
only once or twice after they laid
hands on him.
The machine in which the negroes
were riding was almost completely
demolished, and their escape from
death or serious injury is regarded
as miraculous. All Of them fed as
soon as the accident occurred Je-
rome Fisher, one Of the negroes, is
still at large, while the other three,
James Dial, who was driving the
death-dealing machine, Butler Moore
and Lawrence Fairer, were arrested
and Immediately spirited away in an
automobile to the State penitentiary
in Columbia to prevent possible vio-
lence. Rumors Of lynching and state
ments from persons as to what
should be done with the negroes
were heard, but as far as IS known
no efforts were made to organize q
mob. Dial, the driver Of the car, was
arrested soon after the accident by
Sheriff Rector and Rural Policeman
q. o! Bramlett, while the other two
~ pre- taken into custody little later
\ y the police. Fl
n Details Of the Tragedy.
According to men who were stand
ling on the sidewalk and who. had to
jump to save their lives, the negroes
came up Main street from across the
river, going at terrific rate of
speed, and on the left hand side of
The street Chief Heath, who bad
his car facing toward The river and
close TO the curt, was down on his
knees adjusting a tire on the left
rear wheel, when before he knew
what was happening he was struck
and dragged up the street and hurled
against another machine also against
the curb His own car was only
grazed on the left fender beneath
which he was STOPPING. The car
against which he was hurled and the
one in which the four negroes were
riding were both badly smashed up.
Chief Heath's body was badly mutil-
ated, both legs being broken. his
chest horribly mangled and his face
lacerated. Those who saw the acci-
dent say the negroes were oil appar-
emily under the influence Of whiskey,
the report being that Dial, who was
arrested by the sheriff and rural po-
licemen, cursed and behaved badly
In other respects.
The death-deaung car was the
property Of ]. D. Woodside, promi-
r1ent cotton mill executive, and Dial
: had been in his employ for some
time as chauffeur. Upon being ar
rested, it was stated yesterday that
the negro admitted that he had taken
the car without his employers con-
sent and had started, with his COM
panions, on JOY ride. Mr.. Wood
side, who had been in New York for
several days, arrived in Greenville
yesterday morning and went imme-
diate1y to his office. Dial, upon hear
ing that his employer was in the
city, telephoned o>1im and asked If
4 he wanted the car brought down for
N.Y. use. Mr.. Woodside told the ne
g}b that he did not need the car and
tb let 1t stand in his private garage
Bt his residence until he called for it..
INSTEAD, the negro chauffeur took the
NJ machine for his own use with the ia
I tai result stated above.
Naval Record Of Deceased.