The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-08-07
NEGROES STAGE
DARING ATTEMPT
To Escape From State Peniten-
tiary in Columbia
ONE NEGRO FROM
81. SUMTER COUNTY
Prisoners Found After Long
Search Under Floor Of Build
ing

"a
y Two negro prisoners at. the state
'penitcntiary gave officers of that insti-
tuition a thrilling episode OF prison
life when they hid OUT from Satur-
day afternoon until Sunday afternoon. /.
This ruse by prisoners is an old one
and is frequently met with by p,sni-
tentiary officials, but the two Satur-
day had outwitted the officers
Late Saturday afternoon negro
woman came to the penitentiary to
see walsh Smith who is being held
for the murder OF Magistrate Virgins
at Hlioree. Smith was sent for, but
could not be located. Captain Day
head OF the guard forces, then called
the roll and instituted u close search
Tor the negro. During the roll cali II
wal also discovered that Adam Griffin.
who = being held for. the murder of
Archie Sqx. prison guard on the
state farm In Sumter county. waa also
Absent. After this discovery every
eYenue pf escape was closely guarded
ana omcers began q complete search
Tor the tvro negroes. l.ts. u.
OFTEN prisoners hide out in the
qrOuude In the afternoon with the
hopes of scaling the walls at night.
ana p<uitentiary ofYicials were cCnfi-
oapt that Grifiin and Smith had re-
'peeteq this trick. The ..egroes baa
peen at work in the chair factory, and
eitheugh Captain Day and Coloref
DenQef9 believed they were some,
vuSe In the building, no trace could
ge fouhd OF the missing men unit,
fariy sunday morning. Believing the
NEGROES were In the building. Captain
DAY beationed himself there and wait
~ until late In the night when h,
nSsra the negroes mumbling rnder
tne noor OF the factory.
] After having discovered the men
unaer ths floor. 1t took the officials
nearly half a day to got them out.
0tlun and Smith had pulled up
pIanks IN the floor and gotten under.
= f4t that the officials had thought
'n1po1PIe. as they had always consid-
~ ~ floor OF the building to be
rpw on the ground. After getting
unQer the foor the men had covered
up their escape weIl and II was only
by their talking did Captain Day get
Wind Of their whereabouts. Z a
HAvtng located the negroes, the otfi-
ctals set about to get them out. This
pveved rather hard. as the building ia
2 long one ard every time the officers
would set Through the flooring at one
place they would find that the prison
era had gone to another many feet
sway. The rendezvous OF the negroes
was extremely dark and the officers
were forced to extend electric cords
under the ffoor before they couId To-
cate the men. After getting light un.
ger the Moor some time elapsed before
ne negroes were brought forth.
after combined efforts on the part
" several guards and trusty. the men
werc brought out and lodged in their
cells where they will find hard time
e~capinE. The negroes lad made prep
Araftcns for q long stay under the floor
ID tney had several large cakes. a
kroSs or sardines and other foodstuffs
With them. iT t.
The attempted escape gave prison
omciais considerable worry. Col. A.
\. Sanders. superintendent, and Cap
tain Day were both continuity on the
lob from the minute of the missing of
me prisoners until they were found
sunday. Captain Day put In the whole
or saturday night watching for the
men. Colonel Sanders said yesterday
nat LeRoy Michal. a life termer front
aided the guards mat erial-
y In getting the negroes. .M,chal has
piten helped the officers and Saturday
night he did splendid work, Colonel
sanders said yesterday.
Colonel Sanders and Captain Day
we're distWh"d over the attempted es-
swbs' very mucn as the two negroes
are being held for murder. 1t was
pnly by their untisfng efforts that the
prisoners were found,
walsh Smith was a resident of sum- |
her county. 1850