The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1869-04-24
A Young Lady Deliberately Shoots
Her Betrayer Dead.

the utmost Excitement and confusion by a
tragedy which occurred i'm its bonnissso,n Satur.
day eveni1g last, about six q clock.
Nicholas tMcComas, young man, living
about two miles from the village, was shot, and
almost instantly Killed, by Hiss Martha j.
Cairns, who oSesides the same distance from
Jarrettsville, but ina different direction from
it than the house ofhicComas. The accounts
given Of the melancholy affair render it certain
that McConas seduced Miss Cairns over
year ago, under promise of marriage, and in
January last a child was born, which is living
ut the present time. Miss Cairns frequently
importuned McComas, to fulfil his promise of
marrying her, but by equiyocations and ex-
cuses he evaded her requests until she felt to-
ward him no other feeling than utter hatred
and determination to avenge her injuries On
Saturday eycuing hc had ridden into Jarretts-
vile for the purpose of attending a meeting of
militia company, of which he was member,
and at the time Of the murder was in the
yard Of the tavern. Miss Cairns followed
him TO Jarrcttsvillc, aud, arriving ut the tav-
ern, dismounted from her horse, fastened him
securely, and passing into the ladies apartment,
removed her riding skirt, her hat and other
membranes that might retard her move
ments. Leaving the ladies apartment, with
Colts revolver in her hand, she walked di-
rectly through the bar-roonl, which was full
OF men, and stepped out upon back porch
which overlooked the yard where McComas
wass Standing in the doorway opening from
the bar Oh the porch, she took deliberate aim
with her pistol at &IcComas and fired, he being
scarcely ten PAGES distant from her. The bull
let struck him in the breast, and as he reelcd
wildly toward the pillars which held up the
porch, she fred two more shots, neither of
which took effect. He cla.pcd the pillars of
the porch and cndcavorcd to sustain himself
by them, but weak from the rapid flow of blood
from the wound, his strength failed him and
he fell to the ground. She walked directly up
to him, and standing over him, fred the two
last shots from her revolver into his bodv, one
lodging in his right leg, and the other in the
groin. Still carrying her revolver in her
hand, she passed back through the crowd of
men, who, Us if stricken sonsclcss by the awful
scene being enacted before their eyes, did got
move finger to bar her passage Along tho
porch, through the bar-room, and back to the
ladies' apartment she walked without showing
trace of emotion or qualm of nervousness.
II the dressing room she resumed her riding
habit, and again mounting her horse, she gal
loped back toward her home, and had gone a
considerable distance from the village before
any one thought Of following her. Dir. Jar
rett rode after, and joining her about mile
from Jarrettsville, she asked him if McComas
wasldead. He replied yes, when she said; ''I
told him what was going to do" She ex-
hibited no signs of regret, and was apparently
as composed as if she had just finished the
most ordinary action.
herself up to the authorities. Mi iss. Cairns is
about thirty, aud McComas was thirty-seycn
years Of age Both the parties belonged to.
highly respectable families, and held fore
most position in the social life of the county.
The feeling of excitementin in regard to this act
OF summary retribution runs very high in the
neighborhood, but public opinion is generally
on the side of Miss Cairns. McComas is sup
posed to have been killed by the first shot
which struck him, and the last two shots were
probably fred into his dead body. Some time
since Miss Cairns brought suit against Nc
Con,as for breach of promise and seduction,
but the case has not yet come to trial
LATER.-Miss Cairncs, who shot aud killed
her seducer,. McComas, last week at Jarretts-
vile, Maryland, is still at liberty. Public
sentiment is 80 universally in her favor that
the authorities haze not demanded her i'm
prisonment, nor asked security. She still re-
mains at her home, perfectly reconcied and
ready for any demand the sheriff may make.
1t is said that no jury could possibly be found
to convict her, though she owns to deliberate
Intention, long premeditated, if the deceased
failed to make reparation by marrying her, of
taking his life.
U'l,a tarr;hla pJooI,to..