The Camden chronicle. (Camden, S.C.) 1888-1981, April 12, 1935, Image 1
Camden Chronici f ^
NUMBER 3
Guard Wounded;)
Three Met Death
j Three are Woun^ and Two
Captured in Sunday Prison
Break?Two Convicts Still
at Large?Militiamen and
Officers Take Part in Search
.?Condition of Guard Mahaffey
Remains Unchanged.
As a .sequel to a bloody prison
break Sunday morning at the State
Prison Farm near here, which, according
to a confession of one of the
captured prisoners, had been brewing
for six months, threes convicts are
dead, three are wounded, one has
been raptured without injury.
John Simmons, of Charleston, was
captured Wednesday afternoon when
he surrendered to Officers DoJlard
and lioykin near Scales siding.
Sergeants Lawrence Big-ham,
Woodrow Hawkins, Henry E. Morton,
of Hartsville, together with It.
K. Sharp, Roy Ives and Arthur Yates,
prison guards, accounted for the ring
leader, Cornell Williams, Willie Jackson
ami James Wilson, Wednesday
morning as they were sighted near
a swamp hiding behind a log. Williams,
who is said to have lead the
break and fired upon Guard Mahaffey,
and had boasted thait he would not
be taken alive, opened fire. The
guardsmen returned the fire and Williams
and Jackson fell dead. James
Wilson was captured not far away
suffering from flesh wounds.
Wyatt Patterson and Will Davis,
the other two convicts are reported
.-till at large and the search is still
going on for these two. All captured
men had discarded their prison
garbs for overalls and civilian suits, .
.-aid to have been gained from a raid
on a negro house not far front the
scene of the break.
Gilbert Mahaffey, who's deadly aim
killed Frazier Lyles and seriously
wounded Melvin Mitchell and Grady
Jones, after he was shot down, was
reported as holding his own with an
even chance of recovery' with an abdominal
wound.
About one hundred and fifty National
Guardsmen from Camden,
Hartsville and Sumter, together with
other officers are still searching.
The mer captured Wednesday j
morning had been hiding in a swamp
near Hill Orest school, which covered!
a territory estimated to have been
about fourteen miles in cincu/mfer- j
ence. The officers had ipretty well'
closed in on this territory when the
throe were sighted. The two dead j
negroes both had dirks concealed on'
them, t ornell Williams had fired two
shots and his rifle was found beside j
him. His only words were, "Well,!
you ve got me." James Wilson was !
found to be playing "possum" and
wht-n commanded to get up he did not
move. A shot was fired into the!
ground near him, and jumping to his !
vol, he professed innocence of any
l'art :n the shooting. A flesh wound'
\\a- !. und in his right side and right:
arm. j
A wagon hauled the two bodies
I'om tin* swamp to the highway,1
U ;' a truck carried them on to the
harm. Coroner J. S. Cain, of
!utor county held an inquest at
Corporal Sharpe and I>r. T. M.
Mo.-re. the prison physician, were the |
or- y witnesses. At the conclusion of
l:.e inquest the jury rendered a ver-1
flivt that the two men had come to
their death as the result of bullet
shot wounds inflicted by officers of ,
the law in the discharge of their duty.
W J att Patterson Bad Actor
^ yatt Patterson, one of the conyw-T-s
still at large was sent up from j
tamden to serve a ten year term for;
hou.<. breaking and larceny. He
caused quite a lot of uneasiness in
(amden .several years ago, when he
entered several residences at night
and boldly stole clothing and money.
was captured near Boy kin by Officers
G. F. Coo ley and Alva Rush
after jumping from a window and
escaping from a house. Several
sbots were fired at him before he was
^aught. Part of the stolen loot was
?ur.d in the house and portions were <
"ntiwi in the yard. ,
^ ill Davis, the other convict still
at largo was sent up for three yearn
i?m Chester county on a charge of ,
?*sault and battery with intent to
A report that these two .had been
Raptured Wednesday at Oheraw proverroneous,
as guards and officers
ail?d to identity .two negroes held
" m :T r
as. suspects.
Clarence Sharp, 19-year-old guard
at the canvp, described the break at
noon Sunday which Gilbert MaihafTey,
a guard, and three convicts were i
wounded. One of the prisoners, i
Franzier Lyles of Spartanburg, died j
before arriving at the state peniten- j
tiary infirmary at Columbia.
Sharp said the prisoners were coming
downstairs from their cells to the
dining room, on the ground floor of
the building, when the group overpowered
'him and T. L. Truesdaie,
who he said were unarmed, and ran
into the camp armory and seized Ave
high-powered rifles and from 30 to
40 rounds of ammunition.
Sharp said one of the convicts shot
at MaihafTey through a window and
two of them ran out of the building,
the guard shot them. The next prisoner
to leave the building shot Mahaffey,
Sharp-said, and Mahaffey returned
the fire, wounding the Negro.
He added the Negroes fired "six or
eight" shots.
Meanwhile, Sharp explained, the re- j
maining 42 Negroes wore held at the
point of a rifle by a prisoner named j
Arthur Brown whale he closed the
door and locked them in the dining
room.
Lieut. Lee Ilutto of the state highway
patrol said the band of escapes
was last seen en tori ng the swampland
near the Wateree.
Five bloodhounds trailed the band
nearly a quarter of a mile.
A detachment of National Guardsmen
of Columbia, local police, peni-;
tentiary guards and six highway patrolmen
from Columbia, Sumter and
Fairfield county police and sheriff's
officers from Darlington ami Lam-as- :
ter counties aided in the search.
Guards were posted along a railroad,
a nearby highway and generally
encircled the area in which the group
was believed in hiding.
Superintendent Glenn of the camp j
located fourteen miles from here re- 1
ported to the state peniten tiary at
Columbia immediately.
Glenn said the group of nine made I
the break as the -prisoners were be- ,
ing marched down stairs from their j
cells for the noonday meal.
As they reached the bottom of the ;
stairway, Glenn said, the group,
charged a guard and knocked him 1
down. They entered the guards' j
quarters, snatched guns and shot j
their way out of the narrow hallway j
of the building.
A shot from one of the convicts
struck Gilbert MahafTey, a guard, in
the abdomen and dropped him.
A detachment of state highway
patrolmen was sent here from Columbia
and Sheriff J. H. McLeod, of
Kershaw county, and a number of
deputies were searching the countryside.
Negro Tells of Experience
The Sumter Herald of Tuesday
tells of the capture of John Simmons
ih the folio wing:
"Footsore and utterly exhausted
from hunger and flight, John
mora, Charleston Negro, serving *
(Continued on page twelve)
r 1 %
Thou sands of Taster I alias Hera
Vw??wmmmmmmm? J
{Symbolic of the Kapler seaton
some one hundred thousand
iliea will burst* forth in bloom
i few dayw prior to Easter Sunday,
April 21, in the fifteen
steam-<heatod greeajhousefc of
The Camden Floral (lompany
on I-auirenH street. They will
form the largest lloral display
of it? kind ever seen in the
South.
Hailhs from whidh 'the thous&
ands upon thousands of plants
sprung, have been given careful
attention and care since December
and are now just ready to
bloom forth in time to cheer
many homes at Easter?not only
in South Carolina but also
throughout neighboring states.
The packing of the lilies at
Easter is a very interesting
sight. A number of men trained
in this work are employed
to wrap the blooms in tissue
paper, then wrapping the whole
pianit. rnese plants are then
placed in a crate ami packed tightly
to tht*m fioin being bruised in
shipping. The lilies are sent to various
points between New York and
the southern part of Florida.
One would naturally think that it
would not be necessary to ship Easter
lilies to Florida, but all lilies in
Florida are grown out of doors and
therefore they have no control over
the time t'hey can bring the flowers
into bloom. In order to have lilies
at exactly the right time at Easter
they luu.sl buy them from points
where they are grown under glass
and the time of blooming is under
control.
The Camden Floral Company, devoting
sixty thousand square feet of
glass not only to the production of
Easter lilies, but also of carnations,
roses, calla lilies, snapdragons, sweet
peas, state they ship their flowers to
?many
distant points.
Not only can flowers bo bought!
bore at Faster time and ull holidays
V?ut also every day in the year the
floral company ha? a l>cautiful selection
of cut flowers ami potted flowers,
made possible through the artificial
heat supplied to the houses. 1
Beginning with one small plant on
Fast I^aurens street seVeral years
ago the Camden Floral Company has j
grown to such proportions that it
I was necessary to purchase additional
laiul oil West l^aureius. street whore
j fifteen additional greenhouses huve
been built. The company has its own
boxing: aiul packing equipment as
well as refrigerating system an*I the
volume of business done by this firm
*is a revelation to those who-visit the
plant. Everyone is coixlially invited to
visit their plant to view tihe beautiful
sight of so many thousand blooms in
I all their beauty just now.
Rural Police Active;
Raids and Arrests
The recently named rural police officers
since their appointment on
April 1 have not been idle and are
doing good work under the direction
of Sheriff McLeod's office, with Deputy
Sheriff G. F. Gooley cooperating.
Twenty-five raids were made on
! liquor law violators on Saturday with
the result that small quantities of
liquor were secured and five arrests
were made. All offenders gave bond
and were released.
During the week two illicit stills
were destroyed in the Adaan's Mill
and Beaver Dam. sections. No arrests
were made hurt, at one still six
hundred pounds of sugar was confiscated.
The "Sunset Club," operated near
J The Precipice, three miles east of
j .Camden, was also raided by Sheriff's
forces. A small quantity of liquor j
was found and the proprietor was j
placed under bond in .the sum of
$300.
White Man Suicides
After Liquor Raid
"Dock" Davis, 27-year-old white j
man, dded last Friday night from a'
; self-inflicted pistol wound, at his:
j home near the old race track prop-1
[ erty, west of the Seaboard passenger
I station.
An inquest was held by Coroner
Rush and Sheriff McLeod Saturday.
Some five witnesses testified to the
| effect that Davis had told them he
, was going to kill himself and that
they tried to take his gun away. One
shot is said to have been fired into
the ceiling, then the man laid upon
the bed and fired the fatal shot, remarking
"you all didn't l>elieve I'd d<>
it!" or words to that effect and then
expired.
The jury brought in a verdict that
the deceased came to his death by
self-inflicted wounds.
Only a few days previous sheriff's
forces had raided the Davis house and
captured twelve jars of illicit whiskey.
The funeral and burial was held in
Lee county.
Cadet Boyd Promoted
Charleston, S. C., April 4.?Announcement
has been received from
The Citadel that Cadet J. J. Boyd,
son of Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Boyd, of
1301 Lyttleton street, has been appointed
to the rank of Sergeant in
the Artillery R. O. T. C. Unit at The
Citadel, Company "E". This is a distinct
honor and responsibility carrying
with it many duties which must
be efficiently discharged.
While at The Citadel Cadet Boyd
has been an active member of his
class, standing high in academic ratings.
He has. identified himself with
various extra-curricula activities also.
Among iheee ia membership in
the Junior Exhibition Orack Platoon
which has a distinct reputation. ?
Limestone Choir
At Baptist Church
The Limestone College Choir will
present a program in Camden at the
Camden Baptist church on Wednesday,
April 17. The hour will l>o 8
o'clock in the evening.
The Choir from Limestone College
has built up an enviable reputation
during the last few years. It has
been called by many critics of music
one of the best of student organizations.
The Ohoir is in gr-eait demand
in the Carolinas, and in Georgia.
About forty programs are given annually.
The Choir is modeled after the internationally
famous Westminister
Ohoir. Miss Katherine Pfohl, Director,
was for three years a member
of the Westminister Ohoir, and as
a member of that Organization toured
Europe, and visited most of the
principal cities of America. This is
Miss Pfohl's fourth year with the
Limestone College Choir.
The Ohoir is vested, and presents
a program of unusually beautiful and
attractive'music. There are eighteen
singers in the Choir Organization, and
an accompanist and director. There
lis no charge for admission and the
i public is cordially invited.
Baptist Church Services
) The following services are announced
for week beginning April 14
at the First Baptist church: Sunday
school at 10 o'clock with O. 0. S>togner,
superintendent in charge. I'ub-,
lie worship conducted by the pastor,
J. B. Casfton, at 11:15 a. m. and 8 p.
m. Morning subject: "A Right Conception
of God;" evening subject:
"The Value Of Cheerfulness." B. Y.
P. U. Tuesday evening at 7:30. Prayermeeting
Wednesday evening at 8
o'clock. The public is cordially invited
to attend all the services of this
ch u rch.
Bethany Baptist Church
There will be services at Bethany
(Westville) Baptist church on next
Lord's day as follows: Sunday school
at 10 a. m., Superintendent H. B.
Gaskin in charge; preaching service
at 11 a. m., the pastor in charge. The
theme will be "Give God a Qhance."
B. Y. P. U. at 7:30 p. m., Miss Ruby
Young, director.
Every member 13. urged to be present
and the public is cordially invited
to worship with us in these services.
?James D. Gulledge, Pastor.
Was Contest Winner
The Columbia State of Sunday carried
a photo of Miss Eloise Ivollis,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs* Bornio I.ollia,
of Columbia high school, as winner
in the district expression contest
held in Batesburg-Leesville She will
represent Columbia high school in the
state contest to be held during high
school week. Miss Lollis is a senior
At Columbia high school and a pupil
of Mrs. Reginald Kramer. She is a
granddaughter of W. M. Lollis and
the late Mrs. Sal lie Lollis, of Camden.
Dates Announced
For Tryon Show
Many prominent names are includ-i
ed in the list of advance reservations'
for boxes and parking- .space for the
tenth annual Horse and Hound Show
of Tryon, N. April 17th. These
may lx? made through George A. ("a- j
they, Blue Rid.ge Weam-s, Tryon, N.1
C. Entry blanks may be obtained
from Miss M. Seott, Tryon. The unusually
attractive location of the
Horse Show ring- draws enthusiastic
admiration from all visitors. Neat- j
led among the wooded foothills of the 1
Blue Ridge with lofty mountain peaks
rising in the distance, this picturesque
spot makes an ideal setting for
a horse show. A Fox Hound bench j
show is held at 9:30 the morning of j
[April 17th. In the 1934 show over |
100 hounds were exhibited. An even!
larger number of entries is anticipated
for this year's show.
An attractive feature of the day
is the barbecue luncheon, served on
the grounds. The menu will consist
of iamb and snoat, cooked in the open
over a slow fire for 12 hours. Cold
slaw, roasted sweet potatoes, corn
bread and coflfee are included. Box
luncheons are also served.
Horse Show judges for this year
are: George Guynne, Hunters; Miss
Ivy Maddison, New York, Gaitod
Clashes.
Presbyterian Church Services
Sunday, April 14. A. Douglas McArn,
pastor announces: Ohuroh
school at 10 a. m.; Morning worship
j with anthem and sermon on "Why
[ Christ Was Crucified." Vesper service
at 7:30. Showing of beautiful
I slides on "The Crucifixion and the
' Last Seven Words from the Cross."
j A congregational meeting after
I service for lYm election of three additional
deacons and to hear tlu> annual
report of the church. Thirteenth
Sunday in Belmont plan. The public
is cordially invited to all services of
this church. '?
} ..
Methodist Church Services
* Preaching by the pastor at 11:15
a. m. Theme: "Shall We Keep
Books With the I^ord?" This will be
a live and vital subject. Preaching
at night at 8 p. m., by the Presiding
Elder, Rev. J. T. Fowler, followed by
the Second Quarterly Conference.?
C. F. Wimberly, pastor.
Bridge Winners
Word has been received that Mrs.
Charles G. Knight and Colonel Allen
Briggs were the championship EastWe?t
players for South Carolina in
the recent Culbertson World Bridge
Olympic for which they will receive
trophies.
Engagement Announced
Mr. and Mrs. J, B. RoweM, of Lancaster,
announce the engagement of
their daughter, Dorothy Hellen tc
William CL Moeeley, of Camden. The
wedding will take place in Lancaster
on April 20th. -*
- . .. ,.n
Carolina Garden
Club Pilgrimage
The Garden Club of South Carolina
has selected tihe month of April
for its garden visiting tours this
>ear. All membership cards which
entitle them to the privilege of visiting
the gardens jn "The Bulletin"
and these cards must be athown at
the entrance to each garden. MernU?rs
should consult the 1U35 list, for
some changes have been made since
last year, several gardens being made
since last yiyir, several guldens being
witlulrawn und a number of new
ones added. The executive boiwxl of
the club wishes to call attention particularly
to tho following rules:
Members of the club are entitled
to the visiting privilege; they are
permitted to carry no guests except
their husband's and visitors from outside
the state.
None of the gardens are open to
vjsitorp on Sundays,
Where special days a re listed under
the name of the garden that garden
is open only on those days.
I he antes set for the tours are as
follows:
April 8 to 13: Chairman, Mrs. II.
S. Shonnurd, Harrietta Plantation,
Saivtee; Charleston via Ashley River
bridge and route til to Sum-merville,
7K to Goose Ocok, 52 to Deane Hall,
Mulberry Gas tie, Gippy, 28 to Manning,
521 to Kings-tree and to Georgetown,
thence by 701 to Charleston
passing Hopesewce, Harriotts, The
Wedge, Hampton, Boone Hall and old
Christ church. A side trip on this
tour, between Charleston und Summerville,
leads to Tomotloy Plantation
and tho gardens of Beaufort, pa^ng
the ruins of Sheldon.
April 15 to 20: Chairman, Mrs.
Lcland Moore, Sumter; Stateburg on
route 76, Borough House, Homes ley,
Holy Cross church, -to Sumter, 76 to
Florence, 52 and 35 to Hartsville, 15
to BennettsviHo. A side trip on t<)^
tour leads from Florence to MarioH
April 22 to 27: Chairman, Mrs,
Hey ward Gibbes, 1630' Green street,
Columbia; Aiken, by 10 to Saluda, 173
to Orangeburg, 2 U> Columbia, 1 to
Camden and to Qheraw, old St. David's
church.
t,i ^ ^ Chairman, Mrs.
.E. T. Gwatihmey, Converse college,
Spartan-bung; Anderson, routes 20 '
and 176 to Greenwood, 221 to Laur|anfl,
270 to Greenville, 20 to Spartanjburg,
176 to Union, 215 to Chester,
21 to Rock Hill, 5 to YorkAny
further information concerning
these tours may be secured by
[writing direct to the chairmen as
I Lists of the gardens open to
| visitors may be secured upon applicaj
tion to the president of the local club.
Rooms Wanted For
Junior Order Visitors
On April 22, 23 and 24 Camden
will be host to the officers and delegates
to the annual meeting of the
State Council Junior Order UnitedAmerican
Mechanics, when it is expected
that around three (hundred
members will be in attendance. Ho,teU
will bo tjpeed to their capacity
,to care for this large number and
ithe local Council desires to find suit.ablo
rooms with or without meals for
j the overt!ow guests. Thoy want to [make
it plain that it Ls not an entertaming
proposition, but that the delegates
will pay a reasonable rate for
these accommodations. Those who
have rooms or rooms and board are
requested to list them with D. J.
Creed. His telephone is 486, Camden,
S. C.
Mercury Takes A Tumble
Following a rain and hailstorm
which struck Camden Saturday afterjnoon
and which was general over all
j parts of the state, the mercury took
a tumble. Sunday and Monday were
cloudy, bleak days with furnaces and
open fines in general use. Weather
observers in Camden report as low
of 35 degrees Tuesday morning, with
considerable frost Fortunately trees
and gardens were not for enough advanced
to suffer any great damage.
The sun came out Tuesday which
proved to be a much more comfortable
Spring day. The rains caused the
Watereo river to rise at this point,
, but did not reach the overflow stage
and Tuesday morning reports were
that it had fallen to some extent,
"The Crucifixion"
Betfcceda Presbyterian church veepei*
Sunday evening at 7:80. An il'
lustra ted service on "The Crucifixion
? *nd Christ's Last Worcfe from tbe
Oroea.M Every one is invited to this
Snndey evening, April 14,