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Samliprg ^raU? $2.00 Per Year in Advance BAMBERG, S. C., THURSDAY, JULY 24,1919. Established in 1891 THREE DEAD OF A I lf ;( TWO OTHERS, WHITE MEN, SERI- < OUSLY WOUNDED. I ! I 1 j ( Many Shots Were Fired i < Henry Murray Ray, Bystander, and Two Negroes Killed.?Follows Magistrate court case. j . ' The most deplorable tragedy that ' has occurred in Bamberg county in ! many years was a pistol duel on Main 1 street in Denmark Thursday afternoon, as a result of which three men, < ? one white and two negroes, are dead, 1 and two others, both white, are seri- 1 ously wounded. The dead are: 1 Henry Murray Ray, son of Sheriff i Ray. 1 Agent Brown, negro. Elmer Loper, negro. Seriously wounded: Carroll Mobley, white. J. Ralph Thompson, white. The affair took place immediately after a trial in the court of Magis- . trate Hightower, in which Carroll ! Mobley and a negro, George Stevens/ . , had been accused by Agent Brown , of stealing a watermelon from Brown's field. The decision had been 1 reserved by Magistrate Hightower . and court had been adjourned. The] J . crowd,x some fifty or more, mostly white men, had left or were leaving the court room, when Brown opened : fire on Mobley, who was struck once. Mobley at the time did not have ...s pistol in his hand and ran behind a tree until he could pull it, after \ which he stepped out and fired on "Rrown xrhn tn thp ?rnnnd hilt later raised up and fired other shots. . * Henry Murray Ray was a bystand-> er and had nothing to do with the affair. He was struck by one shot, which penetrated his neck and almost severed the spinal cord. He ** lingered until Sunday when he died at a hospital in Columbia. Whether or not Brown intended killing Mr. Ray is not clear and perhaps will never be known. The ne. gro Loper was with Mobley at the time, he being a member of a telephone gang which Mobley was working, and appears to have been killed when he went to Mobley's assistance. Loper received one bullet which caused instant death, and it is not entirely clear whether he was shot by Brown or by Brown's brother-inlaw, Ozell Anderson, who was with Brown at the time and appears to have been th2 party who brought on the difficulty. One witness testified at the inquest that Loper was t shot by Anderson and others testified that Anderson was armed with a pistol. Anderson had told Brown before leaving the court room to do as he told him, or words to that j effect. Thompson was shot while trying j to get away from the scene of the shooting. He had nothing to do with the affair. A /I m rr? n a> /> J O a f n * W do dilCbtCU Odlui Ud V i 1 morning by Mr. W. B. Smoak and | some other citizens. At the time ' Anderson was near his home some 1 few miles from Denmark and was 1 in a^Ouggy in a drunken condition.! ^ He was armed with an old rifle, but a ? was too drunk to make any serious i s ' attempt to use it and was taken! v 3 without trouble. He had evidently intended leaving the neighborhood in the buggy, but was so much under the influence of liquor that he did not realize what he was doing, as it appeared he had driven around in a circle without getting anywhere. As a measure of safety and precaution the authorities had Anderson carried to the penitentiary in Columbia to avert further trouble. Brown has a bad reputation. It / is said that he killed another negro some years ago near Blackville, that he had served seven years in the penitentiary, and that he had been pardoned by a former governor. Brown s is said to have accumulated some 1 money in the last few years and was j ? in good financial circumstances. j 3 It appears likely that Brown and ' a Anderson had arranged previously to j r wreak vengeance on the telephonej A f iVt /s 11 rr a nf aoIi'ti rr P r\ ! Y" gang iur Liitr aucscu oicanii5 ui a i watermelon, about which the trial t I was held. While nothing of the r watermelon incident was brought; t out at the inquest, from what can j t be learned the circumstances were: l i While doing some telephone line re-! h } pairing, Carroll Mobley's gang of i men were near the place of Brown, f ? RESULT DISTOL DUEL 3ne of Mobley's men, George Stev?ns. a colored man, was accused of :akiug a melon from Brown's field; :hat Brown went to Mobley about it. and that Mobley offered to pay for :he melon, but that Brown insisted Dn an enormous price for it, which Mobley refused to pay. Later Brown prosecuted Stevens and Mobley for stealing the melon. Angry words i.npear to have passed between Mobley and Brown during the trial. The shooting episode followed on the street while the crowd was leaving moorictrofo'c Loper was arguing with Brown. They ;ot across the street, then turned 3,uick, both of them. ' Brown shot Carroll and Anderson shot at Loper :wice. As I was going across the street Brown turned and fired at me. Carroll ran across the street to a tree lext to the bank. Brown followed lim shooting at him. Carroll held lp to the tree wit^ one hand and shot iround the tree twice. After Sarroll shot Brown the first time he fell and raised up then and shot at H. M. Ray, shot twice at Thompson as he ivas going around the corner of the sank, then fell dead." Tom Tant, being duly sworn, says: 'I walked from the pavement at the sank behind Carroll. He was about ive feet to the left of Brown. Brown valked to the right of telephone pole ind the negro leading gave Brown a shove towards Carroll and said: 'Do s-hat you are going to do now.' Brown ired on Carroll three times. First shot as well as I could see hit Car oll. Carroll ran back across the street towards the bank. Brown folowed, the other negro right in belind Brown; the other negro's name s Anderson. I turned and dashed nto front door of Mayfield's store. [Vhen I Dassed the corner of the store here was a bullet shot over my head. i walked back across the street. 3rown fired twice as well as I could ell, after he was shot down. I did lot see Carroll shoot Brown. I did lot see Anderson shoot at Loper:" W. B. Caldwell, being duly sworn, ;ays: "As I came down the steps Anderson told Brown: 'You have ,rot yours and I have got mine; do -our best.' Anderson took Brown ind led him across the street. Caroil and Loper were with them. Yhen they got over to the telephone >ole Brown fired at Carroll, who ran >ack across the street. As Carroll an across the street Brown shot wice at me. I was in the middle of he street. As he threw the gun < n my face T fell behind a car to keep tim from shooting me. 'Brown ran ip behind the car. Carroll was in 1 ront of it. As Carroll left the car 1 iiia^ionuvv c v*4*w? Mr. Mobley was seriously wounded. It was at first thought he had been shot twice, but later examination satisfied the physicians that one bullet was responsible for all the vounds. The bullet entered the right breast and penetrated the left lung. His condition was so serious that he was not carried at once to the hospital. but as he somewhat rallied from the first shock on Sunday he was carried to Columbia for treatment. Mr. Ray was partially paralyzed by the bullet and was rushed to a Columbia hospital, where everything was done for him without success, rhompson's wound in the shoulder, while serious, is not necessarily fa tal, unless further complications set in. Race feeling was running high after the terrible tragedy, and further trouble was for awhile feared, but with the taking away of Anderson, who is generally believed to have inspired Brown to the terrible deeds, things have quieted down, and no further trouble is apprehended. The verdict of the coroner's jury was as follows: "That Agent Brown came* to his ieath from pistol shot wounds at the hands of Carroll Mobley. That Elmer Loper came to his death from pistol shot wounds at the hands of kgent Brown and Ozell Anderson." The inquest over the bodies of Brown and Loper was held Saturday norning at Denmark by Coroner Zeigler. A number of witnesses were sworn and their testimony in full is given below: Floyd Lancaster, being duly sworn, says: "Brown and Anderson came iown stairs from over the bank. Anierson &ad Brown by the arm telling him to do what he said he was going :o do. Elmer Loper and Carroll folowed them across the street and Brown shot at him as he went to the tree. As Carroll got to the tree Brown was coming up on the other side. Carroll shot at. him. Don't know whether he hit him or not. Brown shot twice after he hit the ground. I did not see Anderson shoot." J. W. Williams, being duly sworn, says: "I had been up to hear the trial of Mobley and the negro, who had been charged with stealing a watermelon, and had started to supper. As I walked across the street between Mobley and Loper. I was not expecting any trouble. The first thing I saw was Brown was taking the safetly off of his gun. firing at Loper first. T did not see him shoot Mobley and did not see Mobley shoot. The first thing Br^wn said was: Hoo-ie. you .' I ran be hind the store. I did not see Anderson shoot, but he had his hand inhis hip pocket and pushed Brown towards Carroll." Bob Darnell, being duly sworn, says: "Agent Brown prosecuted Geo. Stevens and Carroll for stealing a watermelon. I went up to hear the trial and they dismissed the case and court adjourned, and all came * down stairs. Carroll stopped on the sidewalk; said he was going to whip Brown. The crowd came out on the sidewalk ahead of Brown and Anderson. Carroll grabbed at Brown and started to hit him with his fist. Anderson grabbed Brown by the arm and shoved him ahead of him. Carroll picked up a little split of board about 12 or 15 inches long, about one-half inch thick, about one inch jvide and followed him across the street to the other sidewalk. Loper and I were walking across the street and Brown shot Carroll. The whole crowd ran. Loper and I stopped. Brown shot at Carroll twice more running and then Brown shot Loper, who came down nearly to his knees I at my feet. Then Loper wheeled and ran. I stepped off a step or two far-| ther. Brown threw his gun on me. I threw up my hands. Then he whirled and commenced shooting at Mobley again. Mobley shot him twice and as Brown started to fall Carroll started to shoot hint again, but someone hollered and told him not to shoot any more; that he\had him. Carroll said: 'If you don't think I have, I will shoot him again.' I don't know how many times Brown fired his pistol. The fourth shot hit Loper." G. H. Hope, being duly sworn, says: "I was in the court room, af ter the crowd had dispersed except the magistrate, constable, Brown, Anderson and Homer Brown. As they went down the steps I followed close behind them. Anderson pushed Brown forward, telling him to 'do as I tell you.' Anderson putting his hand in his hip pocket said: 'I have mine; get yours ready.' I went back up and notified the constable that Anderson was armed and let's take it from him and avoid trouble. I and the constable started back but Bfrown and Anderson had reached the street and began firing. Saw one bullet line in front of the door and heard one pass the door. I saw none of the shooting. Got Brown's pistol that he did the shooting with and, in the presence of E. E. Brooker, examined contents. It was a Colt's 32-calibre automatic, and still had two unfired cartridges in it." R. B. Hughes, being duly sworn, says: "I was up in the court room and heard part of the trial, Brown suing Geo. Stevens and Carroll Moblev for stealing watermelons. I came on down stairs ahead of Brown, Mobley and Anderson and started across the street towards Mr. Cain's store. I looked around and saw a negro pushing Brown across the street ahead of him. About the time they got to the sidewalk Mobley and Loper were close to Brown. I heard a shot, turned and saw Mobley start towards me and turned across the shooting. After Brown and Mobley his pistol. I jumped behind a telephone pole and did not see any more shooting after Brown and Mobley crossed the street I heard about eight or 10 shots fired. After the firing stopped I went back across and saw Brown lying dead, and H. M. Ray was lying close to the tree and Thompson fell in tthe clay pit. I did not see a stick in Mobley's hands." J. W. Northrop, being duly sworn, says: "I had come in from the country. I had closed up the shop and was walking up the street and was opposite Miss Wroton's store when the first shot was fired. That first >hot was what attracted my attention. Immediately after the first shot there were several other shots. As I turned to look I saw Corroll and Brown running across with Canroll about CONSTABLE SHOT IN RAID. J. F. Batcman is Wounded by Aliened j Moonshiner*. Camden, July 17.?State Constable J. F. Bateman, of this city, was shot and seriously wounded this afternoon when in company with Chief of Police A. G, Whitaker they made a raid on an illicit distillery located 111 the Beaver dam section of the county, about seven miles east of Camden. The officers ran upon Sant Barrett o rt rt Tim Qliomn in a n-nnrl Rorvott ic said to have opened fire at the approach of the officers and Constable Bateman fell with a bullet in his left breast about four inches below the heart. The officers returned the fire and Barrett fell with a broken thigh. Sheron fell also, but after bringing Mr. Bateman to Camden and returning to the scene Officer Whitaker found that Sheron had made his escape. but it is thought that he was also wounded. Barrett and his young son, about seventeen years of age, were arrested. An examination of the wounded officer was hurriedly made and Dr. Guerry from Columbia will reach Camden tonight to assist the local physicians in an effort to save his life. He is thought to be very seriously wounded. Mr. Bateman is abut forty-eight years of age and was for a number of yeans chief constable stationed at Charleston. Barrett is said to be about sixty years of age and Sheron about forty-five. The still in that locality is said to have been in operation for a long time. Dies of Wounds. Columbia. July IS.?J. Fletcher Bateman, State constable who was shot near Camden Thursday afternoon when making a .raid on a distillerv. died at the Gnlnmhin Vincrnt-nt late yesterday afternoon. Immediately after the shooting Dr. LeGrand Guerry, Columbia surgeon, made a hurried trip to Camden in an effort to save the man's life. Mr. Bateman was brought to the Columbia hospital and an operation performed. The bullet penetrated the left chest just below the heart. He was 48 years old. Funeral services will be held in Camden as soon as a son, who is in Texas, can reach home. ^<4^ I ? If the railroads are diyorced from government ownership, it looks as if their parting request would be for a lage amount of alimony. 10 feet ahead of Brown, who was running after Carroll and shooting at him. When Carroll reached the tree at the corner of the bank he stopped behind the tree. The negro ran up to within about six feet of the tree and fired four shots in quick succession. I saw H. M. Ray fall. After Ray fell I saw Carroll swing around the tree in the direction of Brown and fired three shots. Brown ! fell. As Brown fell, Thompson appeared from behind the tree and made a running jump. Brown fired two shots from off the ground. I saw Thompson grab his right shoulder with his left hand and jump into the excavation at the bank. I did not see Anderson shoot. As Carroll ran across the street he -had the appearance of trying to get his pistol." Roscoe Still, being duly sworn, says: "I came down out of Mr. Hightower's office. Brown and Anderson came down together. I was behind both of them. Anderson told Brown to do as he said do. He said: 'You got yours and I got mine.' I was standing in front of the Citizens Exchange Bank. I saw Brown fire i at 'Carroll Mobley. Then I saw Anderson pull out a nickle plated gun and then I could not tell which one fired. I then went around the back. It did not sound like an automatic. It sounded louder than the shot that had just been fired from "Brown's pistol." Dr. Robert Black, beiag duly sworn, testified: "This is to certify that I held autopsy upon the body of Agent Brown, and found a 32-bullet wound f-wn inrhps tn left and on level with left nipple. This wound penetrated the heart and was sufficient to produ'ce death. I also found a 32pistol hullet wound two inches to the left of medium line of chest and on level of second rib. "This is to certify that I held autopsy upon the body of Elmer Ivoper and found a 32-pistol bullet wound going through right arm just below elbow and into abdomen. This wound went through liver and into stomach. This wound caused internal hemorrhage, which was sufficient to produce death." TROUBLE WE FEARED IN \ FA KM K KS LOSK THOUSANDS. Great Devastation in Orangeburg and Darlington Counties. There is no doubt in the mind of i A. C. Summers, chief chemist of the J State department of agriculture. [ that trona potash from the Searles! Lake deposits of California lias ruined thousands of .dollars of growing nrnnc in C/\,,fK ?i:? ~ n j u^uui v^aiuuna. oonie uays ago he made a preliminary report after an investigation made at the invitation and request of Bright Williamson, of Darlington. At that time there was no doubt in Dr. Summers's mind that the cause of the death of the growing crops was some element, in the potash. A subsequent visit has strengthened his belief. Upon the occasion of his second visit, Dr. Summers had photographs made of a number of fields" which had been ruined. In some places it was found that the potash had not such marked injurious effects, and Dr. Summers has found that such a condition was due to the fact that the potash in some localities contained more borax than in others. The chemical laboratory has made a careful analysis of samples taken from the potash that was used in Darlington county and Dr Summers finds that there is a considerable percentage of borax which is a knownpoison to plant life, and is unquestionably responsible for the damage. On the farm of Alex McLeod in Dar- i lington county the damage, according to Dr. Summers's estimate is around $20,000. He has found consider- J able damage to have been done to farms in Orangeburg county and on : the Morgan Boylston plantation at Springfield he thinks the damage will run as high as $30,000. Jake Stro-1 man and other farmers of Orangeburg county have been damaged by the use of this nntash r Dr. Summers states that the negro' tenant farmers use this potash for! washing powders and say that it beats "Red Devif lye." In some places where the potash has been used and the crops ruined, the farmers say that it was done by "that Peruna potash." Reports from North Carolina indicates that many farmers in that State also have received serious damage from the use of this potash. In going over Darlington county, Dr. Summers was accompanied by J. H. Napier, county demonstration agent, who has been in conference with Mr. Williamson about the effects o? the potash. Mr. Napier has very decided ideas himself as to the responsibility of the loss of the crops. CARSON DEFENDS ULSTER. Gives Reason for Recent Speech at i Belfast Which Caused Discussion. London, July 17.?Sir Edward Carson, the Ulster leader, in an interview today gave ihs reasons for his recent speech at Belfast which was the cause of a lively debate in the house of commons Wednesday, Sir Edward did not take part in the debate. "Consider this de Valera campaign in America which is being conducted I against the integrity of the British empire by people who were our enemies all through the war," the Ulster leader said. "It is being utilized, J)oth on the other side of the Atlantic and on this with the obvious end of brow beating Ulster and forcing her under some sort of Dublin parliament. Now remember that throughout the war Ulster men and women were the foremost of the king's subjects in devoting themselves and their substance to the support of the empire and to fighting the battle for liberty and justice. "I know well how bitter they feel at the suggestion that their reward should be handed over to their enemies and I spoke as I did in order to let it be known clearly that Ulster will not stand it." ^ i i ? Knd of Fazed Her. A M A ^ . ? ArtAnf r\ Y*I /*! VIA -*i- .VUUIIg Ilictll WclS auwcyLCU auu 11^ said joyously: "Then, darling, we'll set married at once. Of course, at first, we shan't j be able to keep a servant." "Oh, Jack, hadn't we better wait, then," she protested. "What would j the neighbors say if they saw me doing my own work?" Jack looked puzzled. "Why, sweetheart,'' he said, "whose work do you want to do?" r m MEXICO VASHINGTON AMKIIICAXS I1?IjI) IB BY MEXIWxs. Inquiry is Being Made Situation May Develop Into Serious One?Men From United States Warship. Washington, July 19.?The most serious of the recently growing list of attacks on Americans in Mexico came to light today. A boat load of American sailors from the U. S. S. Cheyenne were held up in the Temesi River on July 6, within nine miles of the city of Tampico and the sailors were robbed. The American flag was flying from the boat at the time. Closely resembling the attacks on American sailors which led to the occupation of Vera Cruz in 1914, the state department did not hesitate to regard it as a most grave affair and immediately dispatched urgent repre- , sentations to the Carranza government and the local authorities at Tampico. Although the sailors were fishing, they were on official duty, bringing in food for their ship, and the American flag flying from the boat denoted that it was on official business. Preliminary reports of the attack, reaching the navy department on July 7, did not go to the state department / until today when it promptly was given out. No explanation was made fnr tlip rlplav TnHov Qa/>rflforr Oon . A VVAU/ kjvv* vtai j juauw iels asked for a fuller report. The incident is regarded as most , serious and charged with possibilities because the Carranza forces are in full control of the Tampico district, especially the city and the waters about it, and because it comes as the climax to a long series of recent attacks on Americans, all of which have been made the subject of increasingly urgent representations to the Carranza government. Since PresTdent Wilson returned from the peace conference he has turned his attention a great deal to ' the Mexican situation. Various reports have been circulating in sources in touch with Mexican affairs that the American government's policy had undergone a change, but there has been no official announcement. It is known, however, that the American troops along the border have a new set of orders which was evidenced by the prompt manner in which they crossed into Juarez and cleaned up the fighting there when it menaced El Paso. The extent to which the military establishment has been prepared to meet a situation in Mexico has not been fully disclosed, hut thpro are pvirlpnr'pc that thp env ernment is taking measures to be prepared for any eventuality into which it may be forced. It was an incident in Tampico in 1914 which brought on the occupation of Vera Cruz. A boat from one of Admiral Mayo's ships was detained, a paymaster was arrested and jailed and at other times messengers from the ships were menaced ashore. General Huerta refused to apologize and salute the American flag and the occupation of Vera Cruz followed. Officials here see in the incident of July 6 the marking of a more serious situation. The department issued this statement: "The department of state has just been advised that on July 6 a boat from the U. S. S. Cheyenne occupied by enlisted men of that vessel who were on a fishing trip, was held up on the Tamesi River, near Tampico, by armed men. The sailors were robbed of personal effects. "Urgent representations have been made by the department of state to both the local Mexican authorities at Tampico and to the federal govern j. AfoviVn fi'+T- an A th p aU lilt?II I <X l ."CAIW V- JL thorities there have promised to investigate at once." ^ ! > ? Just It. "The prima donna's life must be monotonous." "Why must it?" "Because it is such a sing-song affair." I Nine hundred lighthouses and lightships are scattered around the coasts of the British Isles.