The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-11-30
FATAL SHOOTING AFFRAY.

Il -
ments of tie Columbia Register and
| Union Herald relative to the fatal shoot
| ing afray in which Senator Cochran was
engaged. Mr.. Cochran was bailed in the
sum of $4,000 to appear for trial at the
| next term Of Court in Columbia. We
shall make no comment upon this unfor-
tunate difficulty except to say that we re-
gret its occurrence. Our readers can
gain all the ir formation we have concern
ing it from the following articles taken
from Columbia papers:
THE REiIsTER's STATEMENTS.
Mr.. Thomas Dent, son of the Sheriff of
this county, was shot and probably fatal
ly wounded at late hour last night by
John R. Cochran, the Senator from An
derson. The two men were standing at
the bar of Fines saloon, when some dis
pute arose, which resulted in the lie be-
ing passed. Mfr. Dent struck Mr.. Coch-
ran in the face, and both men immedi-
ately backed and drew their pistols.
Some one snatched Mr.. Dents pistol
away. Mr.. Cochran fred three shots,
one of which struck Mr.. Dent in the arm
and another in the abdomen. The last
shot will almost certainly prove fatal.
Mr.. Cochran was arrested and taken to
jail.-Wursdays Register.
One of those unfortunate affairs, which
have been so numerous all over America
for years past, was the shooting at Fines
saloon, on Wednesday night. Two
friends, who had been playing ten pins
for several hours together, leave the
bowling alley, enter the bar, and go up
to the counter with view of tossing dice
to decide who shall pay bill, both stim-
ulated with lrink-one jubilant over
his success at the pastime in the bowling
alley below; the other, an excitable man
at best, irritated by his defeat, becomes
again defeated. A laugh at his expense
follows, his irritation increases, and hard
words are spoken. In astonishment the
victor at the bowling alley assures the
defeated man that he entertains no ill
feeling against him, but words ensue,
then blows, the interference of friends;
the irritated man becomes more excited
over the effort of friends to prevent the
taking of life, but the hot blood is up,
reason gone, pride, anger, revenge, all
the worst passions aroused, the pistol is
resorted to, and rnen who but moment
before had been friends, are arrayed
against each other in deadly strife. In
an instant, one in the full vigor of early
manhood falls-a wounded, bleeding
body-to the floor, but to be removed to
his home to linger for few days, and
then pass away forever. 1t is the old
story. Nobody to blame, or if there is,
it is hard to say who it is, unless it be
that enemy, that curse Of mankind, John
Barleycorn.
There is no political significance in
this unfortunate affair. Both men are
Republicans-the one State Senator,
the other the Deputy Sheriff of the
County of Richland. Senator Cochran
is out upon bail, and Mr.. Dent is slowly
sinking into his grave. Let us draw the
curtain here, and regret it, as we all do:
This is the most that can be said and
done, and nothing more can be said to
the advantage OF anybody.-Friday's
Register.
Mr.. Thomas Dent, who was mortally
wounded in a difficulty on Thursday
morning, died at 6 o'clock yesterday
morning. The coroner held an inquest
over the remains yesterday, the verdict
of the jury being that "the deceased came
to his death by a pistol shot; said shot,
the jury have cause to believe, being fired
by John R. Cochran" The funeral will
take place at O'Clock this afternoon
Saturdays Register.
THE UNIoN-HERALD's STATEMENT.
"A difficulty occurred last night at
Fines bar room in which the pistol was
again brought into requisition, and which
may end in the death of one of the par
ties. Senator john R. Cochran, of An
derson county, and Mr.. Thomas Dent,
son of Sheriff DenG, and himself deputy
sheriff, were amusing themselves during
the later hours of the evening rolling ten
pins in the alley of Mr.. Fines saloon.
About midnight they came to the bar,
and for parting drink threw dice as to
who should pay for them. Mr.. Dent
threw sixteen, when Mr.. Cochran good
humoredly remarked that that was good
radical throw, to which Mr.. Dent took
exception on the ground that Cochran
did not know him Dent sufficiently to
characterize him as Radical; that he
was a good Republican but radical in
nothing. A few words of similar import
followed, when Mr.. Dent struck the SEN
ator with his left hand in the face and
drew his pistol with his right hand. To
help disarm the parties, Mr.. g. P. Kirk
land, who was present, seized Mr.. Dents
pistol and was endeavoring to wrest it
from him when Mr.. Cochran drew his
pistol and fired, the ball taking effect in
the abdomen of MIR. Dent, who retreated,
or was borne back into the restaurant de-
partment of the establishment, where he
fell. He soon recovered, got upon his
legs and advanced towards the bar, in
the direction where Mr.. Cochran was.
Seeing Mr.. Dent advance, Mr.. Cochran
fred again, the ball striking Mr.. Dent on
the left arm. The parties were then
finally separated. Senator Cochran was
taken to the guard house by Officer Dick
Jones.
Our reporter called at the Jail this
morning and found Mr.. Dent lying in
bed, attended by DR.. Atkinson, the army
surgeon at this post, who thinks it proba-
BILE that the wound in the abdomen may
prove fatal.
Senator Cochran was in custody in the
Office of the chief of police, where he was
taking breakfast. He claims the shoot
ing to have been done in self-defense.
The mayor, having no jurisdiction, turned
the case over to trial justice.
AS the parties were good friends up to
the moment of hostilities, the affair is
deeply regretted by the friends of each
gentleman.-Nor. %.
Mr.. Thomas Dent, who was shot in the
abdomen at an early hour yesterday