Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-07-11
SHERIFF HENDRIX RECTOR
Slain GreenVlIle Officer Was Re-
mafkable Man
ASPIRED TO A SEAT In CONGRESS

Went Into POLITICS as magistrate
Made Good; Became a Policeman
Made Good; Became Sheriff, Made
Good; and Had He Lived WouIc
Probably Have Gone to Congress.
BY Jas. D. Grist.
Death of Hendrix Rector at the
hands of United States Revenue Officer
Jake Gosnell in Briscoe's garage In
Greenville, last Friday removes from
the state a noted character and one
of the strongest political powers and
most interesting personalities who
ever held sway in any county of the
state. Hot headed and impetuous, alb
solutely fearless, kindly toward his
friends and a good hater toward his
enemies, most of whom no matter how
bitter their animus, would freely admit
that he made a good officer, he was
we'll known in every section OF South
Carolina. So far as Greenville county
was concerned there was not a man
woman or child within her borders who
did not know him either personally or
by reputation. AS member OF the
staff Of the Greenville Daily Pied
mont for a period Of six months, II
was a part of my duties to daily
"cover" the sheriffs office. I came to
know the sheriff we'll and there de-
veloped between us quite friendship
If there ever was a day when l went
to his office in search Of news and
didn't get a STORY" l have for
gotten that day. No one perhaps in
the state, understood better, the value
of newspaper publicity than did the
late sheriff, and there were few If any
who knew better how to get it. He
was himself a good newspaper man
and he knew the value Of story from
the newspaper mans point Of view as
we'll as almost any newspaper man
himself knew.
Some of the newspaper boys in
Greenville used to tell this story on
Sheriff Rector: During his campaign
for reelection he called up the city
editor Of the Greenville News one night
about IL o'clock and said: II have
just reached home from the city.
Somebody cracked down at me six
times with a pistol just before Ireach-
ed the house. 1 chased the fellow; but
he got away after shooting at me six
times. / can't imagine who it was un-
less it was some political enemy who
had it in for me. Thought it might
be a matter of news for you. Good-by."
About a half hour later the city editors
phone rang again. 1t was Sherin
Rector. Say, expect you better make
that four shots instead Of six. l be-
lieve l was a little mistaken in the
number"
1 was in his office one day and
sprung the story on him. A twinkle
came in his eye and grin came over
his face. Then he laughed as he said
in his rough, mountain drawl:
"Jim, I don't know much about politics
although l have been trying to study
'em some in the last ten years. But
let me tell you; I done learned one
thing: Yo' sho got to keep yo' self
befo' the people an yo' sho got ter back
up what yo' do an what yo' say. I'd
sho' be in a bad fix If l couldn't man
age to get in the newspapers some how
or other" And he always managed.
Some Greenville county editors had
little admiration or good will toward
Rector personally; but they all appre-
ciated the fact that he was good copy"
an. it was he who put the pep in many
a copy Of Greenville's newspapers.
Although not such very large man
physically, weighing about 145 pounds
and standing less than six feet In
height, he was a powerful man in a
way-as quick as lightning and abb
solutely unafraid Of anything that
walked. In the course Of his rather
stormy career extending from the time
he arrived at manhood until his un-
timely demise, he had been engaged
in many physical encounters with both
white and black and in most instances
he came out best. though on more than
one occasion he was thoroughly dick
ed, taking the licking like a good
sport. There were times-many times
perhaps, when he became embroiled in
trouble which he could have avoided
and should have avoided. But that
was Rector's way Had his environ
ment in life been different he would
have been a different man perhaps.
Yet no man in the Piedmont section
had more friends and truer friends
and admirers. They believed In him.
Born in the Dark Corner Of the
county thirty-seven years ago at a
time when that section did not afford
the educational opportunities that it
does now, he had little chance to OBJ
tain even a common school education.
He told me more than once in a tone
of regret that he did not take ad-
vantage Of the opportunities that he
had. He quit school for good after
obtaining the mere rudiments and
started to making moonshine liquor,
an occupation In which many OF the
mountaineers of the section engaged at
that time. He told me once that he
had his ups and downs in the liquor
manufacturing business. 1.-The rev.
enooers busted me up time and agin,"
he said. Mighty nigh every body was
maxim liquor an, there wasn't much
money in 1t nohow. One Of my neigh
bors turned me up once. He was big
churchman and he made liquor too
his still not being so far from mine,
7 had several hundred gallons Of pretty
good corn made when this fellow re-
ported me. The officers come and
busted me up.
II knowed this fellow what told on
me and l knowed where his still was
The next night I went to his place and
taking an axe l busted his outfit all to
pieces. Then I told him I busted him
up and l told him was quitting the
liquor business for good. And / did