The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-07-21

mouy as tO Cnuse Of the Browning.
ben Murray and Curtis McClary,
two negro eonvicts serving sentences
on the County Chain Gang. were
drowned at Cane Savannah yesterday
about 12.45 o'clock. while In bathing
during the dinner hour. The bodies
we're recovered in n short time-that
of Curtis McClary in about fifteen or
twenty minutes-but efforts to resusci-
tate them failed.
The testimony at the inqQest take,
by the coroner was quite contradic
tory as to the circumstances OF the
drowning. Several Of the convicts
asserted that Curtis McClary was TAX
ep into the water by force by two
other convicts at the order of Supt. ]
II. Holland and that McClary protest
ed aginst going into the water, saying
that he could not swim and would
down II taken into the water. Supt
Holland denied that he ordered Nc
Clary put into the water. In view
of the serious nature Of the charge
against Supt. Holland the public will
be interested In the actual evidenc,
brought out ut the inquest.
Robert Mcbride. sworn. says:
Yesterday about 1890 I was stand
ing out on dam at, Cane Savannah an,
some Of the boys were In the water
swimming and them that couldn',
swim were not In water. Capt. .Hol.
lcnd told the ones that were swim
ming to put the others In. Curtis Nc
Clary jumped up and ran. Capt. Hol-
land held his pistol on him and told
him to stop and told the boys to catci
him. Curtis told Capt. Holland
Capt. don't want to 60 in there.
Capt told the boys to carry him on In
Capt. Holland told them to take him
out. They couldn't get him out and
he drowned. Curtis told Capt. Hol-
land he couldn't swim. negro man
hshed out the body. Ben Murray. tn
ether dead man Is one OF tho men
that helped TO put Curtis in the wa
ter. Ben could swim and was In the
water swimming of his own accord
Ben had one chain ON one foot Cur
tis was q trusty and didn't wear any
chains. Capt Holland just had tf
fDys to put Curtis In the water abou.
ike people do sometimes In play. They
carried Curtis out In deep water"
Mr.. Holland asked: where wa.
fCurtis put in the water?"
He was dragged down the bank
| II do not know how many men
were In water when the men go
drowned. Curtis and Ben were tus.
sling together trying to get loose
from one another when they both
drowned. Capt. Holland says: Boy.
save those men. but the men sank anG
didn't come up again."
James Patterson. sworn says:
Curtis was sitting on the bank
and some Of the boys were In the wa.
ter. they jumped up and down and
said: this is the bottom. and Curtis
said. this Is the top and I am going
to stay here Then Capt. Holland
said. Get old Curtis and put him g..
h the water Curtis started to walk
or. Capt. pulled his pistol and told
Curtis to stop and told me to catch
him. ] went and caught him and
brought him as far as the edge Of tn
dirt. Then he says. Don't carry M
In that water. I'll drown: turnee
him loose and walked Off. Then Capt
Holland says. Georgetown (Jno. Da.
vis) and Robert Grant. you two &c,
Curtis and carry him out In the wa.
ter They took Curtis and carried
him out in the deepest water and
turned him loose and ne went down
and came up and the last time Capt
Holland hollered. get him, get him.
All the fellows seemed to be scared
to get him and moved Off. After the
drowning Capt. Holland sent me on
the hill to get man to help get the
men out. When we stopped for din
ner Capt. Holland asked. How many
OF you want To go In washing. Muir.
ray said he wanted. The sheoting un
der tho food gates was the neares,
thing that Curtis could have caugh'
and ne was about ten feet from that
The water was about ten or flftcc
feet deep where Curtis was RObcr'
Grant got John Robinson out Of wa
ter and hollercd for some to help him
get Curtis. but before he kot back
Curtis went under. No one tried tn
qo vc Rem Murray Ue had haop s,y;n,