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WOULD-BE RAPIST LYNCHED
UNDERNEATH RAILWAY TRESTLE
Richard Pucket Strung up and Riddled With
Bullets Monday Night (or Attempted Assault
on Prominent Laurens County Lady. Con
fessed to Crime to Sheriff John D. Owings
but Protested Innocence in the Face of the
Angry Mob.
SOLICITOR COOPER AND SHERIFF OWINGS
PROTEST IN VAIN AGAINST ACTION
Over One Thousand People In the Mob that Stormed
the County Jail and Took Negro out Who had Been
Placed There Pending Identification. Mob Orderly
and Quiet Yet Determined.
Rich Puckctt, a negro probably be
tween twenty-five and thirty years of
age, was forcibly taken from the coun
ty jail by a mob of determined citi
zens Monday night and, followed by
a crowd of around one thousand men
from many sections of the county,
was carried to the C. & W. C. trestle
which crosses the little stream a few
hundred yards south of the passenger
station, where he was strung up and
riddled with bullets. This was the
climax of an exciting day following an
attempted assault upon a lady of a
promlrtent Laurens county family on
the Double Branch road just beyond
the southwest edge of the city. Though
protesting his innocense in the face
of the angry mob surrounding him
just boforo his death, Rich Imckett
had earlier in the day to Sheriff .lohn
D. Owings privately confessed his
guilt of the attempted assault and the
evidence gathered by the men in pur
suit pointed so positively in his di
rection that no doubt can he enter
tained but that he is the right man.
The lifeless body of the would-be
rapist hung suspended beneath the
railway trestle all during the night
and until about nine o'clock yesterday
morning when it was taken down upon
the order of the county authorities.
It was taken in charge by the under
takers and yesterday afternoon it was
interred in the colored cemetery near
the city.
The awful crime of which the ne
gro was charged was attempted early
in the forenoon Monday. The lady
was coming to the city to visit a sick
relative and had arrived within about
a mile of the city limits. The negro, I
who had been working in a field some]
distance away, was crouched behind
a large bush awaiting his victim. Af
ter she had passed and had gone a
few feet, the negro approached from
behind the bush and attacked her,
dragging her from the buggy into tbo
bushOs to the side of the road. Choking
her all the time. Her screams and he;
almost incoherent declaration that her
brothers worts coming on behind
frightened the negro so that ho re
leased his hold and ran wlthoui ac
complishing his purpose. Bruised
and scratched but otherwise not bodi
ly injured, the lady succeeded in climb
ing back into her buggy and driving)
to town. She first stopped at the home!
of Mr. .lohn Hicks and told him of
her harrowing experience. Mr. Hicks
telephoned the sheriff and the hunt !
was begun immediately. Word flew
like wildfire over different sections of
the county where she was known and I
very soon hundreds of tuen were on
the scene in determined pursuit.
The Capture.
Guards were placed immediately I
around the scene of the crime to pro-]
leot the tracks of the criminal and
bloodhounds were ordered from Co-!
Jumbia. Scouting parties began a|
search of all the surrounding country.!
It was when several men stopped at
a negro house to get a drink of wa
ter that the capture took place Two
negroes were sitting beneath a tree
talking when one of them got up and
offered to get a dipp< r. The other
one, who later turned out to be the
would-be rapist, turned to go through
the house when Solicitor Cooper or
dered that lie he held as he seemed to
act in a suspicious manner and ap
peared to answer to the description
given by the lady. He was quickly
carried by automobile before bis In
tended victim, but she could not posi
tive identify him, She was almost
certain that this was the negro, but
she could not recognize the clothes
he was wearing. It later turned out
that he had change to cleaner clothes
after working in the mud or possibly
to avoid detection.
Ab the lady's identification was not
complete, the negro was hurried to
the county jail for protection until
further evidence could be secured and
until the blood hounds arrived. Dur
ing the long wait for the arrival of
the blood hounds, which had been sent
by automobile through the country,
the jail was closely watched by silent
and determined men who saw to It
that no avenue of escape was left by
which the sheriff or his officers could
spirit the prisoner away.
The crowd of men anxiously but
patiently waited for further evidence
against, the negro until about seven
o'clock, When the dogs from Colum
bia arrived. They wore carried to the
scene ol' tlie crime and placed in the
road where the attack was made. They
took up the trail at once and followed
it Straight to tlie house where Rich
Puckett had been found. From the
house, they followed a trail to the
place where Rich Puckett was placed
in the buggy to he carried off. It was
then that all the crowd turned to
wards Iho county jail convince: that
the right man was in jail.
In the meantime the- crowd from
the surrounding country grew larger
and larger and by nine-thirty it was
ready to do its work. Demands be
gan to be made for the prisoner and
the crowd took on the aspect of a dis
orderly mob. The sheriff appeared at
the front and opportuncd the mob to
desist. Solicitor Cooper ?:ot Up and
promised to do his best to secure a
speedy trial for the negro and stated
that tlie lady herself would not be
br?Ughl to tlie court room. The crowd
Continued to call for the negro. Mr.
Cooper asked them to wait while he
telephoned the governor to ask for an
immediate trial, or whih he could
confer with close relatives of the lady;
to see if they favored lynching the
negro. Nothing would appease the
anger of the crowd. In spite of the
protestations of the solicitor, the
sheriff nnd several others who want
ed to hear from the governor and from
the lady's relatives, the mob began to
storm the side gatO of the jail. After
this was broken in and IhO sheriff j
overpowered, some of tlie leaders
went into the jail itself ami in short,
order broke Into the cage where Puck
ett was confined. He was dragged out
and down the steps Into the jail-yard
beneath and from there he was car
ried through the public square to the
scene of the lynching. Hundreds of
shots were fired when the fusiladc be
gan, but comparatively few took effect
Richard Puckett bore a had repu
tation and had just been released(
from the county chalngnng. At a ro-j
cent term of court he was COJlvlCtCdl
on the technical charge of burglary,
having been accused of trespassing at
night and spying on the premises of1
prominent Laurens citizens. His case
was appealed to the supreme court,
where the lower court was reversed.
The county authorities thereupon
turned him at lilx rty and it is said
that Monday was the first day that he
ANNUAL MEETING
OF ADVENTISTS
0>er a Hundred Delegates to Attend
Meeting of Seventh l>aj Adt enlists
Here.
The Camp Mooting of tlit- South
Carolina Conference of Seventh Day
Adventlsts, is to bo held in Laurens
at the gospel tent on Irby Avenue,
beginning Thursday, August 14th, and
continuing for ten days.
Preparations have been made for
over 100 delegates, who are beginning
to come in from all over the state.
Over thirty tents have been erected
to accomodate the delegates and in
order to carry out the daily program
as many as two and three meetings
will be in progress at the same time
in different large tents.
The meals will be served on the
cafeteria plan, In a large dining tent,
and the problem of providing food
BUfdclcnt for about 400 meals a day
will no doubt tax to the utmost the
abilities of farmers and merchants.
in addition to the evangelists who
have been conducting meetings here
for the past six weeks, the following
evangelists, pastors and educators will
he present,
Prof. C. Sorcnson, Washington, D.
c.
Klder O. Montgomery, Indianapolis,
lud.
Klder C. U, Stephenson, Alpharetto,
Oa.
Klder W. II. Beckman, Orlando, Fla.
Klder I. B. Haynes, Baltimore, Md.
Klder P. C. Hilgert, Poston, Mass.
Prof. II. M. Hltt, Atlanta, O.a.
W. H. Williams, Atlanta. Oa.
L. 1). Randall, Atlanta. Oa.
V. O. Ool<>. Atlanta. Oa.
It. Hook, dr., Atlanta, Oa.
I>. I). Llckey, Oault, Mo.
The evengellsts state that a rare
treat is in store for the people of
Laurens in a spiritual way and earn
estly invite all tin people to attend.
The following program will he car
ried out each day.
Rising hell, 5:30 A. M.
Devotional Meeting 0:00 -0:15 A. m.
Breakfast 7:00 A. M.
District Meeting 8:00?S:45 A. M.
Workers Meeting S:00 -S: P*>A m.
Childrons Meeting 8:00?8:45 A. M.
Milde study or Instruction Meeting
9:00 10:00 A. M.
Conference 10:30?12:30 P. m.
Dinner 12: I ft P. M.
Practical Missionary Work
Commit tee Work 1: :;?? :'.: 00
Pest Hour
Sermon or Bible Study 3:00 1:00
Child lens Meeting 1: 15 5:00
General Instruction and Question
Pox 1:15 5:00
Young Peoples Meeting 5:15 -0:15
Parents Meeting 1 .*.?('?: 1 .">
Lunch 0:45
Song Service 8:00
Sermon 8:1",
Retiring Boll 9:45
Silence- Bell 10:00
LADIES TO SERVE LUNCH.
Will Have a Lunch Stand and Also
Serve Refreshments at the stock
Show in .Madden.
The ladles of the Women's Mission
ary Union at Maddens, will serve lunch
there next Saturday, the day of the
Clomson Car Kxhihit and the stock
show. They expect to serve a most
inviting lunch, including* barbacued
hash. Besides these lunches they will
also sell refreshments of various kinds
The proceeds will he used ill the
church improvements.
Dr. Hughes' l ather Fleeted.
In ?3 election of State officers for
Virginia, held last week. Mr. Ii, T.
Hughes, father of Dr. It. 15. Hughes
of Laurens, was elected a member of
the state senate. He received almost,
double the vote of his nearest oppo-1
nent. He was elected to represent
two Virginia counties, Pluvann and
Goochlnnd, there being so many coun-i
tics in that state that it has become
necessary to combine counties in se
lecting members of the legislature.
Mr. Hughes has always taken an ac-.
live part in politics in his state, having
beon elected to the legislature sever-.
al times.
had gone to work Blnce leaving the i
chaingang.
The lynching crowd was a very
quiet and orderly one as sue!) crowds
go and little drinking was noticed.
It was a sullen, silent and determined
body of men. bent upon putting a quick
end to the life o." the would-be rapist.
LIVE STOCK MEN
MEET SATURDAY
To be Entertained at
Madden.
CLEMSON MEIN
TO BE PRESENT
The Regular Summer Meeting of (lie
I.aureus County Live Stock Associa
tion is to l?e Held at Madden Sta
tion Saturday In Conectlon "Ith
Clemson Institute.
The annual, meeting of the Laarens
County Live Stock association will be
held at Madden Station Saturday, bo
glnning about eleven o'clock in the
morning and continuing all day. in
connection with the meeting of the as
sociation will he held a general agrl
cultural and live stock rally conducted
by a party of Clemson experts making
nn educational tour of the state The
usual live stock competitive exhibits
will not he held this year as in the
past, hut enough Btock will be on hand
1 for the Clemson specialists to use in
their lectures.
The ladies of Madden have made
preparations to Iced the crowd that
is expected to he present, la addi
tion to a lunch counter, barbecued
hash will he served, the proceeds from
the sale of these things to go to the
bench fund in the New Prospect
church.
With the Clemson party will lie W.
11. Barton who will address the meet
ing on "Soil Building," W. I?, Stewart,
who will speak on "Poultry," O. M.
(Mark, on "Horticulture ", and .lohn 1).
\V. Watts, of this county, who will
speak on "Live Stock". The arrange
ment committee is hoping to have tin
address from Pres. W. 1). Ityrd, of
the County Live Stock association.
Plciuson Men at Princeton.
The party of Clemson men. com
posed of \V. II, Barton, \V, P, Stewart,
o. M. Clark and John i?. W. Watts,
will he at Princeton Monday, where
they will hold one of the farm insti
tutes. It is expected that a large
j number of people will be present to
hear these men speak.
The Advertiser received by mail the
lirsi open cotton boll of the season
.Monday morning, it cam.' from Al
bert Baldwin, of Ora, being ol the
King variety, and is a well developed'
specimen of cotton. He slates thai
this boll was pulled early Monday
morning.
Mr. Walter Buff, who ha- been in
the insurance business here and in
cidentally a star backstop for the
Watts hall team, left yesterday for
Nowborry where he will make his
headquarters in the future. During
his short stay here he made n great
hunch of friends, who regret his deci
sion to anchor in another port.
KDRIMNA.M) TH \MvS SOI,IHK HS.
I'.id- Them Tell Hrandchihlrcu of Uni
tarians' Lallantr> that Tliej Maj
Complete Work Begun.
Sofia, Auk. II. Kinn Ferdinand I >
day issued a pathetic address to the
army In it he thanked his so.dlers
for the bravery and devotion Ih-.j.v dis- '
p'.cycd In the war against "tue, trench* i
eron. a llies" and declared that their
efforts would have been crowned with
success, "had not a series of unf?r
sccn political circumstances paralyzed
our strength."
"Tresse,! on all sides." the address
continued, "wo were obliged to sinn
the treaty of Bucharest our country
not being in a condition to struggle
against five neighbors. Exhausted
and tired, but not conquered, we had
to furl our glorious standards until
better days. Tell your children and
your grandchildren about the gallan
try of the Bulgarian soldiers mid pre
pare them to complete one day the
glorious work you began."
The friends of Mr. "Pick" H?rtgens,
who had several bones in his leg brok
en last week in a motorcycle acci
dent, were glad to see him so far im
proved yesterday as to be on the street
first Open Holl.
(?one Crom Here.
Council Wants Two Done
Away With.
CHESTNUT STREET
HAMPTON STREET
Question Brought op as to Steel
Itrldge on Host Main Street, but
Nothing will be Dune there F.xcept
Making licpnlrs on Present Struc
ture.
Railroad Couiniissloners John Cl.
Richards and McDulllo Hampton, ac
companied by General Manager An
derson and General Counsol F. It.
Grler, of the C, & W. C. railroad,
were In the idly Thursday looking
into the matter of repairing tlie over
head bridge on West Main street and
doing away with the grade ci'OBSlllgS
on Hampton and Chestnut streets. '1 lie
railroad commissioners were on their
annual trip of Inspection over the (.'.,
X. & I., and Other railroads and stop
ped in Laurens at the request ol the
city council.
in company with Mayor Itubb and
several members of the council, the
visitors went to the scones of the
several crossings and Inspected the
properties, Mr. Anderson promised
to make the needed repairs on the
Main street bridge Immediately. The
matter of a steel bridge over the rail
road at tills point was brought up, hut
nothing definite was done in this di
rection. The railroad will hardly hi'
willing to build a steel bridge there
at this time and the railroad com
mission is not empowered to force
the matter. The city will probably
have to lie content with a wooden
bridge there for some time to come
Kor many years the question of do
ing away with the grade crossings at
the Chestnut street crossing, in the
rear ol Mr. M Miller's residence,
and at tin' HanijUon street crossing,
m ar the resilience of Mr. M. I.. Cope
land has boon agitated, but nothing
ha.- ever boon done in tin: way ol a
correction of the conditions, The rail
road commissioners were invited here
so that the matter might be laid be
fore tllO'm. It is stated that Ihey Were
asked by the council to recommend
lo tili- railroad that an overhead bridge
built over the Chestnut street cross
lllg and that a driveway In- pi (HUM I liu
deriieath the Hamilton street crossing. I
After visiting the two sites, the com
missions gave out nothing as to any!
probable action they would take hut
reserved their decision until a future
date.
While the doing away with Up
grade crossing at Hampton Street
would not likely increase trattle along
this route, the building of a bridge
at the Chestnut street crossing would
very likely turn a great deal ol IraT
lice from the South Harper street
crossing lo this crossing. At pres
ent, a great deal ol traHb avoids the
Chestnut street cue inr because of
tin- danger and because of the steep'
approaches on either side. A bridge
hex- would also make it much safer!
for the school children living Oil the,
south Side Ol the city.
Chief Klcholborgor On Dock.
W. c. Hlehelborger, Heap Dig Chief
Of He- Marion police force is in Lau??
rons spending a week or so ol hi? va
cation with his homefolks and a row
hundred friends. Since having his
native soil OlllCOr Kicbclbergcr ha
made a line record abroad a an offi
cor, having been tin- star ol th< Hoi
? nee force and now tlie boss eoekalo
urn of the Marion department. \\< ha
many friends and admirers here who
are delighted always to sei him. Ills
success ia Florence and Marlon is no
surprise as Iiis work on the local force
? as exceptionally line.
To Son e h i t ream.
The I!. V I' I'. Society, of Warrior
Creek church, will serve Ice Cream
at the home "' ' ' da Yeargln 1'ii
day evening June Ifith beginning at
0 o'clock, 'I 10 public Is cordially in
vited.
Inotlicr Speaker at f riendship.
The \dvorti80f is informed that Mi.
.1. M Daniel, of Greenville, has been
added to the list of regular speakers
at the picnic to he held at RVh ndshlp
church, Friday the fifteenth,
RECOGNIZE HUERTA
John Lind to foe "Eyes and
Ears" of President.
WILL EXPLAIN
ATTITUDE LATER
President Wilson IIhn Two Hours
Conference With llryuu und Foreign
Kelntlons Committee, Showing Sen
ators Ills Object In Sending Special
Knvoj to Mexico? No Uctlnlie Pinn a
hut Huerta Wilt Not He Itecognlxed.
Washington. Au>; :>. Two hours
of conference tonight between I'rosl
dent WIIhoii, Svcretury llryun and
(he senate foreign relations couunlt
tee, brought about no change in tho
attitude of (lie administration toward
Mexico.
President Wilson took the senators
into his confidence tor enough to out
line the following:
That .lohn Lind, his special envoj
to Mexico City, does not boar un>
solution of the present situation, hut
noes to continue this Koverutnont'a
effort to Induce Provisional President
Huerta to redeem lib; promises tor
free constitutional elections
Thai under no circumstance', due,
the administration propose to reeog
ni/.e the Huerta government.
Thal Mr. I.iud hau gone to Mexico
City to he the "eyes and ears" of the
Washington administration on the
ground, and to explain the attitude
of this government when he has
fully familiarl/ed himself with tho
sit nation,
That by withdrawing Ambassador
Wilson and sending Mr. 1,11id the pie
sidenl planned to have a man on the
ground who was in sympathy with
the administration here and was In
no sense a factor in the solution in
\h xleo Oily.
These policies ami suggestions ol
tin' president and Secretary llryun
eanie out in general discussion It
was made eleai that (he purpo.e 0
the conference was to establish mon
frank and intimate relation:- between
the senate and the administration, in
the development of the Mexican pol
icy mcI in furtherance of this Iba
the president talked freely, answer
ing many pointed questions.
While the president disclosed no
definite plan tor the pacllieatIon <>
Mexico, the implication remained t.'ii'
upon Mr, land':, reports would de
pend to a large < (dent Ihe riitui i i?*?I
Icy ot this country.
Dl \ I'll Ol OP. STItK hl.I P.
lather of Mrs. C. I. ItuilKill ill' (Ills
Pi(y, ami an finiiient Southern Hi
\ inc.
Dr (I. It Strlckler, lather ot \|i .
<". I-'. Itankln ol this city, died at an
Atlanta hospital Monday nlghl aftet
an illness of several months. !e
Strlckler first became ill when mi l
visit to his daurlilcr bei ??
months ago He recovered iilllcienl
ly at t hat time to he carried to M
lanta, where his son lived. APhourll
his condition was lecogni/.etl a
carious then, some hope was held out
for his recovery. Several week agi
an operation was performed an 1
i hat time he ha- gradna I ly
weakt r.
I ir. Si i Ickli i was one of ' I
eminent liviiios in the soul ?>? e 11 ?
byi ian ' bun h. being prof" ? '
Theolo| ?. .n I tliotl Sellin.a l 1 !
I ion I. Vfi? at t he t: an of h
I.a ? ing o< cqpled pastorate i:.
Iii ? no cities pr< ylously. tin
occasions Dr. Strlckler vl 1
and Mr: . Pankin lo re an ,
Mr. Itankin's pulpit 11 ' " 1
terlan churi h, v. lu re hi
Iticl and the veru'i'i lion Of yo<ii
!aw'!'ig Impressions upoi ii;< . ir i
l i e pi ople of Lauren . th ? pi t i > i
papiizo with P.ev. n i Mis. Kankiii n
the i: great lot s.
II. It. O'Shlclds OoftH <o I nlon.
Mi. H. P. O'Shiclds, who was i u
ager of f?- - Watt:. Mills compan
store here for several years hut wh
has been living In Port Pawn to
Some time. ).as moved to Onion, wher
he has accepted a position us boolt
keeper at the Nicholson ta'nii & Trus
Company. Tlio Jrlnnds (of Mit
O'ShloIdfl here win he Interested '
learn of his removal to Union.
