The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-10-02
THE NIX SHOOTING AFFAIR.
4 Te,npest i'll feapot-Thc True Story of
tho Tragedy,
Special Di.patch to The Gtctes and Courier.

Special Di.patch 10 the Ectrs and Courier.
DtAcKv1LLE, S. c. Sept. o6, 1870.
Pursuant to instructions l came to this
place to-day to investigate the matter of
the alleged conspiracy against Fred Nix,
Jr, recently appointed Post Master here.
l. have earnestly endeavored to get at the
facts in the case, approaching every one
conversant with the affairs or supposed
to be, regardless of color or politics.
Against NiX's Vag1e assertion that
conspiracy Was formed against him, it
would be difficult to procure rebutting
| testimony, inasmuch as he names no
names and gives no dates. The principal
witnesses to the act, which Nix gives as
the cousummation of the alleged conspi-
racy, are Mr. Thompson Of this town,
colored man named Chisolm, and an
other named Robinson. Other parties
were present Immediately after the shoot
ing, and the testimony of all, together
with that of many citizens of both colors,
confirms the following statement:
| A. Luther Williams is a young man,
probably about IS years old, the son Of
Mr.. J. c. Williams, a planter, living
about five miles from this place. Young
| Williams, who is not voter, and there
fore takes little or no part in politics, was
arrested last year on the affidavit of Nix,
charging him, Williams, with partici-
pating in an attack upon him at meet
ing during the campaign OF 1878. De-
spite all efforts 10 convince Nix of his
innocence, he was forced to give bond
and appear at the sessions Of the United
States Court in Columbia and Charleston,
ut tho expense of much time and money.
He was promptly released upon the last
calling of his case, he proving incontest-
ably that at the time of the assault upon
| Nix he was in Allendalc, twenty miles
| away.
This created bitter feeling against the
negro, aud when they met here about a
month ago the quarrel was renewed, aud
eliminated in Mr.. Williams striking him
several blows with buggy whip. On
that occasion Nix went home, and it is
supposed armed himself, after which he
returned and indulged in much gross
abuse of his assailant, insulting, taunt-
ing and defying him in tho public streets.
This was month or more ago, and be-
fore there was the faintest suspicion that
Nix was to supercede Miss Maher as
Post Master. The affray Of the 10th was
evidently only continuation of this
affairs.
On the day mentioned Mr.. Williams
came to town on business for his father,
accompanied by colored laborer named
Dave Glover. His intentions seem at
first to have been pacific enough, as he
disposed of his revolver soon after his
arrival, lending it to friend who was
going to Barnwell. can find no one to
whom he expressed the slightest inten-
ton of interfering with Nix in any way.
I suspect that he was drinking during
the day. Several persons who saw him
Immediately before and after the firing
confirm this idea, although they vary
considerably in their estimates of the eX-
tent to which he was affected. During
the afternoon he entered gunsmith's
shop near the post Office, and almost op-
posite to the depot, and asked to borrow
a pistol, stating that he had loaned his
own, and felt as if he should have one.
Two hours afterwards he stood on the
side of tho broad street opposite the
office, called Glover, and instructed him
to 60 after the mail. Glover crossed the
street and entered the post office, passing
Mr.. Thompson and Chisolm, who were
sitting on the steps of the piazza in front
of the door. Mr.. Williams followed
Glover, giving the two "good evening""
and walked quietly in. In very few
seconds a shot was heard in the Office.
Mr.. Thompson and Chisolm rose and
Glover ran out of the door, with Mr..
Williams after him. Either one or two
shots, I could not certainly ascertain
which, were fired from inside the parti-
ton. There is now bullet hole through
the window opening from inside the lit
tie room formed by this partition, the
ball that made it narrowly missing q by
stander's head. This shot was undoubt-
edly fired by Nix, who had been heard
to exclaim something to the effect that
"some fellow or "that fellow" had shot
him. Williams walked from the post
Office piazza to the street, and along the
pavement towards the building in which
the gunsmith's shop is located, about
twenty feet away. Nix meanM lille had
gone to the far end of his little apart
ment, passed through door in the parti-
ton opening into the main room OF the
post office, and walked out on the piazza
question shouted by a colored by
stander, he said that he was shot, and
fired at his antagonist, who was just
walking up the steps of the other piazza.
Young Williams then drew his pistol,
and the two seem to have spent some
little time lodging about on the two
piazzas trying to get shots at each other,
and exchanging hard words and defi-
ances. Quite crowd collected. Nix
called on no one for assistance, and no
one attempted to interfere in any way.
A colored man on the piazza with Will
liams called to Nix, Look out, Fred,
d-n it, don't shoot me-" to which Nix
replied, "Well, d-n you, keep out'r de
way, den." Williams finally walked out
from his piazza, until he reached the
street, about opposite the door OF the
post office. At about this time one of the
1t,hita ~ on onh a D0nn-
crat, ran up, having dispatched mes
senger for the town marshal, seized Nix
and ordered him to 90 inside the post
office, and stop the disturbance. Nix re-
fused to go, whereupon the gentleman
ran over to young Williams, and took
hold of him, ordering him to desist.
Mr.. Williams replaced his pistol in its
case, stood moment, and then ran to
his horse, mounted and rode off at full
speed. When near the corporate limits
be stopped, and remained there some
little time, while the marshal, who had
arrived, was laboring under the delusion
that he had gone. Subsequently he rode
around the town, and dashed down the
main street, finally disappearing on the
road to his homo. These facts are all un-
disputed, and, I believe, indisputable
Regarding what took place Immediately
previous W Guc llllllS VI IlO hiSe oiioVt
there is q conflict Of testimony. NiN's
statement has already been given. l
called upon him for the purpose of oh.
tanning further particulars of his side of
the story. Ho came from within the par
ton aforementioned, with his hand on
pistol in his pantaloon's pocket by-the-
way,) and refused to say anything, re-
marking that the "thing was so shame
ful he didn'5 like to speak of it," or
something to that effect. He is bull
necked, powerful looking darkcy, hav-
ing mixture, so l am told, OF low whito
negro and Indian blood in his veins.
visited young Williams at his fathers
plantation and found him quietly at
work in the cotton-gin. He looks as lit
tie like murderer as any boy l ever
saw, and with his fair complexion and
hair, blue eyes and perfectly smooth face,
the National Republican outrage man him-