The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-08-15
PRISONER IN JAIL ::
AFTER LONG CHASE
SHERIFF HUNTER BRINGS NE.
GRO FROM DETRoIT...LAN'
CASTER COUNTY OFFICER Es'
TABLIsHEs RECORD IN PUR'
SUING JOHN McILWAIN ..<.

SUING JOf1N MciLW AIN .-..'
Lancaster, Aug. 1s:-Sheriff Jno.
P. Hunter has at last lodged John
McIlwain, charged with killing Err
nest w atkins; on Nov. 6; 1915, in the
Lancaster county Jail. Sheriff Hunter
best tells the story Of his capture in
his own words: .'
"I was at the Lancaster Cotton Oil
mills, of which DR.. Watkins was su-
pervisor, just a few moments after
the fatal shot was fired and inime-
diately began the search for John
MeIlwain, which has led me through
several states during the last five
years but John is; in jail this morn
| ing and I am satisfied. 4zfs'',"..
"On the night Of. the shooting when
| J. failed to locate him I had blood
hounds sent from Rock Hill but they
failed to follow his trail and in a
few hours I wasileft without any
trace of him. From that houur un-
TIL: Wednesday evening at 7:30
o'clock, when I turned the. key on
him in Lancaster county's jah, I
have kept after him at all times I
Learned that he went to Chesterfield
county soon after the shooting. and
he was arrested there by a constable,
but escaped. l got blood; hounds
from Columbia but they failed. to
follow his trail. McIlwain then went
to Tennessee and when I thought
that I had him located there some
one put him wise and he again es-
capped the trap / had set for him. In
the meantime war was on and for a
time thought he was in the army un-.
der another name but I Iagain 10,
Gated him in Fredericksburg, Md. and.
would have gotten him there except,
for the eagerness Of constable who
wished to make the arrest alonesandt
secure the reward, I reckon. = =.
"After John made his escape from
Maryland he went to Detroit, Mich,
where he was arrested last Septem-
Der 3. was notified of his arrest
and left at once, taking with me
s. O. Harper, an eyewitness to the
shooting, to identify him. When we
got to Detroit and saw John there
was no doubt about his identity. He
at once recognized Mr.. Harper and
myself and spoke to US, calling our.
names. .,.
"'Then began a legal fight that has
just ended. John was an usher in
his church in Detroit and the church
raised $4,000 for his attorneys and
I am informed that 1000 negroes
in Detroit gave $5 each to the same
cause. Be that as it may, John had
plenty of lawyers and they fought
for him. When Governor Cooper
made requisition on Governor Sleeper
for John, hearing was appointed
by the latter in his Office in Lansing.
Mr.. r. s. Stewart Of the Lancaster
bar represented the state of South
Carolina at this hearing and after q
lengthy hearing, at which Johns law
yers produced a petition signed by
several hundred names, stating that
lynching parties were already formed
in Lancaster county awaiting Johns
return. Governor Sleeper turned John
over with these words. 4 am going
to grant this extradition but if there
is another negro lynched in South
Carolina you need not come back
here for another fugitive from JUS
tice for you will not get him. :.
Governor Sleeper gave Johns law
yers two days to get out writ Of
habeas corpus before I was allowed
to bring him from Detroit and just
before the expiration of the two days
his lawyers served the habeas cor
pus, ,apd. Mr.. Stewart and returned
because the hearing was put of
several days. On October 16, 1920,
Morris C. Lumpkin, assistant attor-
tney general, R. S. Stewart and