The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-03-19

- i SslIu llIS ~ u AFhs A'N'SS'
his most devoted admirers. and when Eestcr-
day Captain Mercer looked upon the Tying
form OF his friend he recalled tho almost pro-
phetic words. And when the body was eur
ricd TO n bed chamber the faithful friend iol-
lowed 1t and trnderly drew from the feet or
Colonel Aston the boots in which he Stond
when he was shot down.. He did not want 10
see thut prophecy fulfilled To It's letter.
TIE CLOSING SCEKEs'
The Funeral Services - Additional
Facts as to the kilIing--Intcresting
Incidents and "Reminiscences.
!rCondcnscd from the Atlanta Constitution
Of lith Inst
The early trains yesterday morning brought
ina number of people from the other cities of
Georgia, who came to the city to pay their
last respects To Colonel Aston. II Was very
! soon evident that an immense crowd would
go down TO tho funeral:
II was universally remarked that no death
. that ever marked AtlanlaS record with bloGd
CAUSED such widespread ;ld.irSS rs this. 1t
was u sud and mournful crowd that bonrdcd
the train fHr Decatur. Nothing but praises or
the dead man and SOlS over his un;ilhrly
taking OIL could be heard. Al The church The
vast crowd could rot gain admittailcc. and as
the c0rtcge approached and the coffin was
borne across the S|ard there were hundreds
VINO Dcll lllClI IlCitliS ltlltl SuNC "hS ~ ~
sricf.
CARRYING WEAPONS.
Aston never carried q pistol In his life.
Tie poor fellow was all fritilEncSs and open
ness. He never had IL nurdcrous instinct or
habit. The very pistol that he defended his
life with was put into lis hands ~ few min
utcs before he used 1t, and he never saw 1t be-
fore In his life. The world will ~hcrcrknow Of
| the ccntlcncSs OF that mans heart. IL WAS
often mistaken for lack Of courage. COX had
bullicd him Into thing before said Il De-
kulb man, "and lie Thought he could do II
again =: Had Aston never seen q pistol, 1t
would not have been different. His WAS II
gentle spirit, kindlcd into passion only after
he had been hunted Town. And how he died
with II smile on his lips and forgiveness in
his heart. And If that poor dumb wound
could voice his dying wish. IL would call
aloud for mercy /" his slayer!
THE DINNER AT HEERoS'S.
There has been n mystery rs to how Aston
camc to leave BcrroII'S restaurant so quickly
after he entered it. The Governor left him ut
the door, and he promised to go IN ana cat
his dinner. The Governor therefore felt that
he had time in Which to adjust the matter, rs
he calculated that Aston would be at dinner
1T least fifteen minutes. He saw Cox enter
the capitol, and felt then that he hud him
where he could talk to him before he met
Aston. lie went up stairs and sent helms
Immediately afLcrtox. His haste WAS sim
ply from the fear that Cox would get out OF
The capitol before he could sec him. lie new
cr dreamed but that Aston WAS quietly. eat
ing his dinner at Rcrron'S, where lie had left
him not more than three minutes previously.
When he heard the shooting, he thought
Eclms had become cmbrUilCd with Cox, ana
never thought Of Aston. II appears, llowcv-
or, that Aston followed him almost instantly
to the capitol, and met his death in less than
five minutes after lie hal acquainted. the Gov
ern0r with the news Of the difficulty.
Mr.. Bcrron says that AlStuii came in .thc
restaurant looking worried and prc.occupied.
lie walked up to the bar and picked up y
cracker out of tkc lunch-bowl. Bcrron asked
him II he didn't want something. Nothing
but this lie said, throwing down q dollar
Colonel Bcrron said, and Aston walked
out. 1t Is believed I nj he wished To get
where lie would be convenient to the confer
cncc he expected the Governor would ar
range between himself and Cox. Being In
formed as he entered the capitol that Cox was
looking for him, ne slipped quietly into the
trcasurcr'S Office. lie WAS followed almost
Immediately by Cox and the end came soon
after.
COUNTING AIsToS'S SHOTS.
All the accounts seem to agree In giving TO
Ed. Cox great presence Of mind during the
difficulty. which Is ut utter variance with the
theory that lie was Intoxicated. Mr., Renirne
such address and skill. lie literally jumped
out of the bullets way. At times he would
drop clear to.the nOornnd spring sideways for
were wonderful. 1t lssaid that he told Nelms
that lie counted every shot that Aston made,
and knew that his pistol was empty, when he
rose to take his turn.
Sl NPATIIY FOR MRS. ASTON.
\ great number Of dispatches have beer re-
to Mrs. Aston. General Gordon te%lcgrapled
the Governor, "Tell her that l am utterly
crushed, and say that ! will be Il fnther to her
children and q protector to her" and gave
yesterday to have Bob sent on to Washington
us soon us possible. He intends to take care
of him.
TIE PROSECUTION.
It is understood that the prosecution Of Cox
will not lag an instant. Mcssrs. Hopkins 4
Glenn, Mr.. Howard u Wan EpPs, Mr.; Patrick
Judge Samuel Hall have been, We under
stand, retained for the prosecution. 1t Is
generally believed that the trial Will come of
week after next, when the crimlnal docket is
opened. There IS very deep interest felt in
the progress Of the casc. It's
a FACT
that the Legislature, ut It's last session. passed
a law providing that II jury. might In any
murder case ."rccommond the prisoner ITO
should reduce the sentence from death to
life Imprisonment 1t Is suggested that posi-
bly,, in the course OF the coming trial, the de-
fence may rest upon M appeal ior ms snv.
Ing recommendation. 1t is curious that this
law was framed, advocated and finally put
through by the earnest personal eHertions OF
Colonel Aston himself 1t will be IL strange
fate If the first man that pleads for his life
under this saving clause should be the man
who is tried for the killing of bob" Aston
A REMARKABLE INCIDENT
Is related In connection with Colonel Ais
tons membership with Decatur Methodist
church. .Abouttwo years ago, when he feltit
his duty to join the church. he preferred the
Edgew0od chapel and was about to join there,
when he learned that Mr.. Cox had an idea of
Joining the church also. He approached Mr..
Cox and earnestly begged him TO join the
sent. At last Colonel Aston said We'll,
Ed. III Join at DECATUR, II you WILL" ~
! this proposition an Affirmative response was
returned, and these two men entered the sol
emn bonds together. Now one Is slain and
the other Is his slayer.
The feeling against Cox Is intcnsc and with
out qualification.
SOME STATISTICS OF MISUNDERSTANDING.
We are compelled this morning TO again
print n quintnplc sheet Of the Herald to meet
the demands OF advertisers, who occupy SIN
the great amount Of extra labor required to
set the immense quantity OF type required
by this Increase OF size. the single item OF
stcrcotying reaches extraordinary dimcn-
sions. AS fourteen plates are made OF each
page OF tho Ue,uld our issue Of to-day calls
these weighs fifty pounds, SO the full set re-
qulres about fourteen thousand pounds, or
seven tons OF metal from which to print this
single edition. In round numbers about
pick ed mp, one at a time, BY the compositors
t prcpare the pagesf for the st~ereotypers, and
more than a hundred and fifty men we're re.
qtired TO set the type, make the plates and
print the paper. These figures will give our
readers some idea, though only an imperfect
- - H. 49, - ,,,..lr -. 4nnsnn ~y y kI.oI