Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-07-23
THE ANDERSON HOMICIDE.

The Anderson Intelkgencer furnishes the
following particulars in regard to the killing
of John Davis, an illicit distiller, by reve-
nue. officer, near Belton in that county, men.
ton of which was made in our issue of last
week:
On Saturday last, between the hours of
and 10 o'clock in the morning, a whisky wa
gon, driven by two men, was going along the
road near the residence of Mr.. Jack Shaw,
about two miles to the right of Craytonville,
when it was challenged at some distance by
two revenue officers, who were riding behind
the wagon. The men in the wagon did not
hear the challenge at first, but when they did
hear it they Immediately halted at the foot Of
the lane leading to Mr.. Shaw's house. Sew
eral persons came out and were standing near
the wagon when the revenue officers rode up
and demanded them to surrender, which they
Immediately did, giving up their arms at the
same time. John Davis, the owner of the
wagon and whisky, got out and stood up in
the fence corner to await further orders, when
A. Mattison, one of the officers, commenced
cursing him, saying, "You have escaped me
once but, damn you, you won't do it this
time" and with that he drew pistol and
fred at Davis, who stopped, letting the ball
pass over his head Davis then ran to save
his life, but was pursued by Mattison, who
kept firing all the time. Mattison soon re-
turned from the pursuit, and said to the by.
ISLANDERS, ri have hit the damned rascal"
He then put his assistant into the wagon with
Davis hired man, and together they drove
toward Bolton. Davis, after he was shot, ran
into field near by, where one Saylors was
ploughing, and upon being halted by saylors,
kept on short distance, and then tell. Say
lors went up to him and asked what was the
matter, when he replied, "Get me some water,
and will tell you" He then went and pro-
cured the water and came back. only to find
that Davis had expired. Davis was then
carried up to Shaw's house, where an inquest
was held over the body in the evening, Trial
Justice Wright acting as Coroner, and DR..
Hudgens examining surgeon. The verdict of
the jury was willful murder. Upon exami-
nation of the wound, it was ascertaiued that
the ball entered in the back, under the right
shoulder. blade, and passed through the body,
protruding just above the heart.
Mattison, upon arriving at Bolton, spoke
exultingly of what he had done, and told Mr..
MCGEE if anything happened to Davis to tele-
graph him at Greenville. He then left for
that place. Soon afterward, Mr.. McGee
heard of Davis death, but would not tele-
graph, as Mattison would probably try to es-
cape. Later in the day, a telegram was sent
from Bolton to one Tabor, in Greenville,
friend of the murdered man, telling him of
the occurrence and to at once act in the mat
ter. Mattison was soon after arrested and
lodged in Greenville Jail, where he still re-
mains. The citizens of Bolton very kindly
and humanely sent after the body Of Davis
and had it cofined and properly attended TO
until such time as his friends could come
after it. His friends came up to Bolton on
Monday evening last and conveyed the body to
Greenville, where it was inferred on Tuesday.