The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1921-07-21
CLAUDE ]. RAST DE-
MES UGLY CHARGE
ASKS PUBLIC TO WAIT AND
HEAR HIM.
Warrant Issued
Charges Official With Attempted As
sault-Resigns from Office.
Whereabouts Unknown.


intent to ravish has been preferred
against Claude J. Rast, county sup
erintendent of education, who is said
to have left the city following Sc
we're beating and an attempt on his
life early Tuesday morning by the
father and other relations of the girl,
threats of death on the part of the
father in the event that he did not
leave the state within three days.
The warrant was sworn out by the
father before Magistrate D. B. Berry,
Wednesday afternoon for service
Thursday morning according to the
reported instructions of the magis-
trate. The warrant was placed in
the hands of Rural Policemen George
Dukes by the sheriff and the former
went to the home of the county sup
erintendent of education on Claren-
don avenue Thursday morning, re-
turning with the report that Mr.. Rast
was not there.
It is stated in reliable quarters
that Mr.. Rast left home Wednes-
day afternoon some time after three
O'Clock. His family, it is stated, is
staying now with relatives several
miles from the city. The where
abouts of Mr.. Rast are unknown; eff
forts are being made by officials, how
ever, to locate him and serve the
warrant upon him.
No warrants have been sworn out
against the father and other rela-
-tives of the girl and no arrests have
been made. i
Mr.. Rast has issued a written
statement through J. Leroy Dukes, a
member of the county board of edu-
cation. Mr.. Dukes states that Mr..
Rast appeared to be very apprehen-
sive of further trouble in the matter
and expressed his hope that no one
would harm him or he have to harm
anyone. The statement carries an
emphatic denial of guilt of any mis-
doing. When asked why he thought
Mr.. Rast left, Mr.. Dukes stated that
Mr.. Rast made no intimation what
ever to him that he would leave and
that he presumed that Mr.. Rast left
from the fear of bodily harm. Mr..
Dukes stated that he didn't know
just what would be done concerning
the Office of county superintendent OF
education, but that he had officially
reported the situation to J. E. Swear
ingen, state superintendent Of educa-
ton, and pending hearing from Mr..
Swearingen the Office would be kept
open by the clerk of the county,
board, and the remaining members of
the county board, J. Allen Axson
and Mr.. Dukes.
The written statement of Mr.. Rast
is as follows: "On Tuesday, July II,
very early in the morning, one Mr..
Myers called me to the door of my
residence in the city of Orangeburg,
stating that some one (naming him.
was at the store of Mr.. Willis Stro-
man nearby, and wished to see me.
I readily assented and went to Stro-
mans store where I, found the man
(naming him) his brother and son.
Mr.. Myers was also present, as were
Mr.. Stroman and his son. 1 spoke to
all of them pleasantly and they to me
and I made a remark to the man
(naming him) and expressing my
sympathy concerning a loss which
had recently come to him. Then sud-
denly this man, his brother and son
and Myers fell upon me. Mr.. Myers
caught me in the collar and knocked
me down, while some one were peit-
ing me with bottles, then the man re-
ferred to ran out in front of the store
and got an automatic gun from their
car. The gun was finally taken from
him and his son by Mr.. Stroman.
then broke loose from Mr.. Myers ana
ran to my house, but slipped and fell'
when I was overtaken by Mr.. Myers
who felled me to the ground and as
arose he picked up piece of scant-
ling and struck me. When they fell
upon me with bottles at-the store I
was so astonished that did not know
what to do and begged them to tell
me why they were beating me. They
replied: THAT I knew what it was,
or some similar expression. They
tried to shoot me, but Mr.. Stroman
prevented this. and finally managed
to get away and ran back towards my
house, they following beating me in
my own yard in the presence of my