The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-07-15
A DUEL TOTHE DEATH.


Col. Wln. NJ. Shannon Killed by Col. E. b
C.. Cash-The Fatal RencoDtre Takes
Place Ne DuBose,s Bridge, in Darlington
County--Shanuon the Challenging Part,
and the First to Fire, but is Shot Through
the Het rt-The Origin of the Difficulty.
Charleston News and Courier.
CAMDEN, S. c., July 6.
News was received here this morning
of fatal duel, which took place at
, O'Clock yesterday at DuBose's Bridge, il
Darlington County, between Col. p. b
G. Cash of Chesterfield, and Col. w. M
Shannon of this place, in which the lat
ter was Instantly killed. Col. Shannon
was the challenging party. Col. Cash
being deaf in one ear, requested that the
signal to fire be given by the discharge oi
a pistol, which was agreed to. Col. Shan.
non fred first, his ball striking the ground
near Col. Cash's feet. Col. Cash then
fired, the ball passing through Col. Shan
mons heart. Death was instantaneous
Our whole community feels the shock
1t was uncalled for. The funeral will
take place from the Episcopal Church, OF
which he was member, at 4 o'cloch this
afternoon.
The origin of the duel was as follows
Col. Shannon was assistant counsel with
Capt. w. L. DePass in case entitled G.
M, Vie. ges vs.. r. G. Ellebe for dam.
ages for Injuries inflicted on the said
-Wienges, for which they obtained q judg-
ment. ,R. G. Ellerbe claimed that he
was largely indebted to'his sister, the wife
, ,iof Col. Cask, and on that ground resisted
the payment of the judgment in favor Of
Wienges, contending that what he owed
his sister exhausted his property. The
attorneys for Wienges prayed for an in
junction to set aside the judgment in ia
vor of Mrs. Cash, and it was from the
pleadings in the case that all the difficult
ties have grown.
= Col. Cash first challenged w. l.. De-
Pass, who was, with his second, arrested
and put erheavy bonds. learn that
harsh and severe communications have
been ,issHed by Col. Cash Ito Col. Shan
non, insisting that efforts had been made
in the pleadings to reflect on the charac-
ter of his uow deceased wife for honesty.
Both of the attorneys deny ever having
thought of such charge. Col. Shan
non has always, since the case has been
in court, utterly denied having made any
offensive remark or having the least in
tention of rejecting on Mrs. Cash.
COL. WILLIAM NJ. SHANNON. )
William NJ. Shannon was bornfin Ker:
shaw County in 1922, and was conse.
quently SO years of age. His father was
Chas. j. Shannon, q prominent citizen OF
the county, and for many years presi-
sleat of the Camden Branch of the Bank
IlSf the State. Col. Shannon was educa.
ted at the South Carolina College, which
he entered in 1888, graduating in the
class of. 184L Soon after leaving college
lie commenced the study of the law and
was admitted to the bar with the class of
1913, in which were Thos. M. Hankel,
Judge w. Alston Pringle the late 81. G..
Burckmyer, the late John E. Carew, and
others, from Charleston. He married
the daughter Of Governor Adam McWil-
lie, who was at one time prominent citi.
zen of Camden but who subsequently
removed to Mississippi, of which State he
was later in life elected Governor.
In the pursuit of his profession Col.
Shannon soon rose to prominence. In
1857 he was elected to represent Kershaw
County in the lower houseof the Legisla-
ture, and served in that capacity until l 1862,
when he resigned and entered the Con-
federate Sc, vice. During his term Of Of
fee, and especially during the Speaker
ship of the Hon. Robert Aston, be and
Gen. McGowan, who was his classmate
in college, were two of the leading men,
hers of The House.
S sAsithaontbreak of the war he raised
cavalry company and entered the Confed-
crate service in Virginia. Subsequently
he raised another cavalry company and
served in. North Carolina. Upon the
death of his father, in 1864, he succeeded
him as president of the bank at Camden.
Col. Shannon was the father of four
teen children, and was intimately connec-
ted with most ofthe leading families Of
Kershaw County. He was in early life
Presbyterian, but subsequently, Joined
the Protestant Episcopal Church, of
which he became an active and practical
member: He was man of great indus.
try and energy, and has for many years
occupied position Of prominence at the
Bar of Camden. All who knew him will
remember the great amiability which was
ole of the predominant traits of his char.
acter. He enjoyed the entire confidence
of the people Of Camden and Kershaw
County, and was for many years one of
the most popular men of that section of
the State. He was well-read, not only in
the law but in general and current litera-
ture Col. Shannon was not only popular
tn account of his cheerful and genial
disposition, but was loved for his gentle
manners, hia Christian kindness, and the
strict integrity which characterized his
whole public and private life.
&C. E. B. C. CASH.
Col. Shannon's antagonist in the fatal
duel, Col. E. B. G. Cash, is planter in
Chesterfield County, near Cash's Depot,
a station on the Cheraw and Darlington
Railroad, not far from Cheraw. He was
in command of a regiment in Bonham's
Brigade, in Virginia, in the first year of
the war, and was fearless if not an ac-
complished officer.
THE ORIGIN OF THE FATAL QUARREL.
The quarrel which has resulted in the
death of Col. Shannon grew out of an &C.
ton for damages brought by Mr.. G. NJ.
Wienges against Capt. R. G. Ellerbe
who, on account of some personal differ
ence. had assaulted and beaten him. The
Jury gave verdict for s., 900 in favor of
Wienges, who was unable to recover the
amount, the property of Capt. Ellerbe
being encumbered by judgment upon
a mortgage given to Mrs. E. B. Cash,
who was Ellerbe's sister. Wienges insti i.
tuted proceedings to set aside the judg-
ment on the ground of fraud, his attor-
neys, Col. VIM. M. Shannon and Capt.
w. l.. DePass, of Camden, charging that
the "pretended confession of judgment"
had been made by Ellerbe to "his own
sister, Mrs. Cash, and that thus 'by a
family arrangement" E,lerbe "intends to