The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1922-04-19
SUMTER OFFICERS and
SINNERS BATTLE.
Three Moonshiners in Jail, One in
Hospital, Still, Mash and Whis-
key Destroyed as Result of Sue
cessful Raid on Camp.


cessful Raid on Camp.
In pitched battle taking place
last Tuesday morning between moon
sinners of the "Big Bay" district
and raiding party of officers made
up of Sheriff G. NJ. Hurst, Deputy
Sheriff H. G. McKagen, Rural Of
ficers Aleb Norris and Hamilton,
Boykin, of Sumter and Police Off
GER Henry Minis, of Pinewood, our
officers got the best end of the
affair and come out of the fray
the decided and undisputed victors.
Joe Andrews, Of Sumter, "Boy"
Ludd, a negro of the Privateer
section, and Jessie Geddings, who
was wounded by the officers, have
all been lodged in the county Jail,
and George Smith, negro, very
seriously shot has been placed in
the Tourney Hospital. Geddings is
suffering from a bullet wound in
his side. The condition of the
negro Smith is reported as being
critical, however, nothing definite
can be determined about him un-
til tomorrow morning.
The officers were fired upon
from ambush and without the slight
est warning when they had gone
but short distance into the swamps
in the direction of "Baltimore Island"
point some fifteen miles from Sum-
ter. 1t is stated that the bullets
fired from the rifles of the MOON
sinners only very narrowly missed
the officers. Concealing themselves
as best they could behind the bushes
and trees, the officers returned the
fire of the moonshiners and very
soon after saw two men running off
into the thick swamps. 1t is thought.
however, that these men escaped in
jury. Undaunted by their reception
of the rain of bullets, the officers del
ved deeper into the swamp and came
upon the still in operation with four
men sitting around it. The men were
called to and told by the Deputy
Sheriff to surrender. The men instead
of putting up their hands drew their
guns and began running off in al!
directions. Officer Boykin covered
Joe Andrews and the negro Ludd.
George Smith jumped behind a tree
and was taking dead aim on OFF,
Ger Boykin when he was fired upon
by the Deputy Sheriff, and wounded
by this shot. The negro then ran,
still carrying his gun, and was again
wounded, this time falling. Jessie
Geddings had in the meantime leyeled
his gun on Officer Boykin and he was
fired upon by both Officer Minis and
Deputy Sheriff McKagen, receiving
wound from one of the bullets
fired. When hit, he cried out with
pain and fled out of the clearing and
into the swamp. George Smith, the
negro who had been shot down had
meanwhile crawled off into the swamp
and could not be found. The atten-
ton, of the officers was then directed
to the destroying of the still, a seven
ty"five gallon complete steam outfit,
the still being found in operation.
Nineteen gallons of mash ready for
the run were found and DESTROYED
together with the ten galolns of
whiskcy that had just come from
the still.
Joe Andrews, when arrested, was
found to be armed with two Smith |
and Wesson pistols, one of .38
caliber containing three loaded
bullets and empty shells. Joe
Andrews and the negro Ludd, were
brought back to Sumter Tuesday
afternoon and were then placed in
the Jail here. The arrest of the
two wounded men was not made
until this morning at a return trip
by several bf the Officers acting
under Deputy Sheriff McKagen.
Geddings was placed in Jail this
morning and the negro George
Smith taken to the hospital.--Last