The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1920-01-08
A SHAMELESS AFFAIR.
Marion Star:

Marion Star:
Wetgreatly fear that this article
will ne misunderstood, but such fear
is no. strong enough to deter us in
spealthg plainly in the premises. No
manf egrets the shooting Of Sheriff
Rowell more than does the editor Of
this paper, who has been the personal
friend of John Rowell since boyhood.
We begin by stating that it is only to
be regretted that the bullet from the
sheriff's gun, fired in self-defence and
in compliance with law, did not i'm
mediatels kill the negro desperate
who so dangerously wounded the
sheriff. Had this been the case it
would have ended the whole affair."
and this article would have been un-
necessary.
Reports from Sellers carry sad It'd
ings for the people of Marion county.
On the day following the shooting OF
the sheriff. several men. armed wftss-
authority of law, went to Sellers it is
reported, and made the law look ridi-
culous by terrorizing innocent and
helpless negroes. They went into
negro homes, cursed at women ana
children and threw into panic the
entire race. They arrested a negro
man, handcuffed him and beat him
beat him while a prisoner of the
state and while his hands were cuff
ed behind his back. They are reported
as saying to John G. Sellers, who in
quired into the trouble II don't know
who he is, except he is damn mig
and we are going to straighten him
out" In the party were two deputy
sheriffs, rural policeman, county
engineer and one outsider.
On Xmas day. after the negro who
shot the sheriff was under arrest in
an automobile, on the way to Jail, anu
in a desperate condition, a depui!
sheriff of Marion county climbed OH
the car and attempted to take hi!
life. He was so boisterous that hi
gun was taken from him by coole.
heads. He did, later, strike and beat
the negro, who was prisoner of the
state, on the way to Jail to ansT
for his crime and in an almost dying
condition.
This same man led the Officers
the law" on the raid in the Town of
Sellers the following day. Evidently
he was seeking vengeance for
shooting of Sheriff Rowell. If so his
ideas ,f vengeance of the law differ
from the ideas of the brave office
who lies at the point of death fr'
a wound received in the discharge of
his duty.
Last Xmas night some men, close
ly identified with the sheriff's office,
called. with several companions, a.
the county Jail, informed the jaile.
that there was danger of gatherin.
mob, and asked to be given possession
of the negro, so that they might "takt
him to Dillon for safe-keeping."
There was no mob, or evidence OF
mob. What their purpose was,
one knows, but it is fact that the
jailer, thinking he was doing his
duty, delivered the prisoner to this
"officer." who, with his companions,
placed him on truck rode him
around for two or three hours" when
they carried him back to Jail. The
man was in desperate condition,
and yet he was treated to midnight
ride in the cold. If they meant to
protect him, they failed in their OBJ
ject. If they meant to kill him, they
lacked the nerve to carry out the
intentions. Whatever their intentions
may have been, they only succeeded
ing bringing tears of shame to the
eyes of the brave officer over whose
wounds they appear to have lost &
semblance of manhood ar1 decency.
Friends of Sheriff Rowell, law abb
ing citizens, although enraged al
act of the man who shot him down,
are alike enraged at the travesty
Justice which allows crowd OF hoor
lums to march into defenceless hon
(although that home be that OF
negro,) and terrorize and abus"
violently threaten the extinction OF
the colored race for the deed of an
individual.
Men. who would .crifice their pre-
cious lives in defence of John Rowell,
if the occasion arose for such action,
are up in arms" over the shameless
conduct of these "officers," and we
understand that they are determined
to bring the matter to the attention
Of the courts of the state.
Rr;b b0arS- -DbilIipS