Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1920-10-27
SAYS HE WAS HANDLED ROUGH
At Trenton, S. C.-ThiBlis Something
Like Il Ku Iilux IklaD Got Him.

Philadelphia, Pa, Oct. 21.--A man
giving his name as Peter Mcmahon,
| of Yonkers, n. Y, with his wrists
! Scared by a rope and his back bear
Ing the marks Of a whip, left a north
bound Pennsylvania railroad train
here early to-day and sought the po-
| lice for medical attention. He says
he was seized and whipped Monday
night few miles outside of Trenton.
S. c., after he attempted to assist
Miss Florence Powell, of Aiken, S. c.,
in settlement which involved a d.
vision Of her fathers estate.
His underclothing was stiff with
blood, and besides lasn marks, his
body and neck bore the marks of
ropes, with which, he said, his tor
| mentors had attempted to hang him.
Police here are Investigating his
story Of attempted lynching ana mis-
| treatment.
Mcmahon, who is 35 years old, said
he believed his assailants were adopt
ing the methods Of the Ku I<lux
Klan. He said he was seized when
he LETT the train at Trenton, s. c.,
and was driven into the country in
| an automobile. At the point where
eight men wearing white hoods gath
cred around and beat him.
"They threw q rope around my
neck, then tried to put the other end
| over tree, but it would not reach"
Mcmahon said at the Hahnneman
Hospital to-day. after a severe beat
ing the men told me they had decided
to let me 60.
"'They blindfolded me-" Mcmahon
continued, putting hood over my
head exactly like the ones they wore,
then led me to an automobile, and we
drove to house, where l was fed.
They called a physician to examine
my wounds.
''Then they drove me to Denmark,
S. G.. They gave me money to buy
my ticket to New York, after making
me promise I would not return. All
| the way from Denmark to Washing
ton some one came into the car occa-
sionally, and, after looking at me,
retired into another coach. This man
acted as guard to see that did not
leave the train"
Mcmahon said that he was too
| weak to leave the train at Washing
ton. He told the police he was a
friend and advisor of Miss Powell.
He said her father lives at Aiken and
is president Of bank.
| Recently, according to Mcmahon.
the father made division Of his pro-
perty among his children Florence
Powell's share was $4,000. "I did
not believe that was sufficient" he
said, "and she and I went to Aiken
last week to see If we could not get
better share for her."
Mcmahon described his movements
IN South Carolina and the feeling en-
gendered by the interest he took in
the case, which resulted in the al
legged mistreatmnt
| Mcmahon also said that one Of the
men who beat him asked If he woull
sign paper saying Miss Powell was
incompetent to handle her own or
her fathers affairs. This he refused
to do and was beaten with clubs. A
rope was tied around his neck, he
said, and he was dragged for long
time.
| No Action Taken as Yet.
! Augusta, Ga, Oct. 21.-No action
mas been taken by the authorities OF
Edgefield county or Aiken county, so
Tar as could be learned here to-day,
In connection with the alleged whip
PAAo VI 4 oISi AhC"uuoIp u OnkorS,
who arrived in Philadelphia to-day
and told the police he had been mis-
treated by masked men near Trenton,
S. G.
Citizens, 1t is said, did not deny
that Mcmahon was ordered to leave.
Another Side to the Case.
| Yonkers, N. Y, Oct. 21.-Peter
Mcmahon, who reported to the police
OF Philadelphia to-day that he mar
rowly escaped death at the hands Of
band Of masked men near Trenton,
S. c., has been absent from his home
here for several months. Yonkers
police officials, acting at the request
Of the Philadelphia authorities, in
terviewed Mrs. Mcmahon and her
three children, who live here. Mrs.
Mcmahon said that she had not heard
from her husband since he left Yonk-
ers early In the year.
Mcmahon was formerly employed
here as hostler.
No Wesms I'm q Healthy Child
| All children troubled with worms have an un.
healthy color. which indicates poor blood. and