The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-07-28
THE MURDER OF BRAYTON.
Particulars OF tho TraErdy-Tl" Murder
cd Man AMI his family.
tiomM, Gtt. .nM N.r. q. 1hio.N.i.y.

f;gmMe n,..rW, Nr< ri Th,nwdny.
\ warrant for the arrest Of Mellow ul.
der the charge of Illicit dist;lling had
been issued upon information by United
States Commissioner Hayward. of Green
Vile, and the raiding party, consisting OF
Thomas l.. Brayton. j. T. Address aud
Robert kniGht, deputy inarshals. accom-
panied by John a. l}ramlct," and George
Butler left Grecnvillc by the Air Line
freight train on night before last. ut II
o'clock. Arriving at Central shortly after
, Il. m, the party above mentioned, arm
ed with pistols only, proceeded without
delay to the vicinity OF Mellow 5 mouse, Il
milo and IL half from the station, and or
yanizcd Il search Of the hollOws and Sc
clu1cd places for the distillcry, which
was found about daylight. situated fro.n
"a quarter To u half mile from McDow's
residence 1t was ut once takcA posses
sion Oi, and some work WAS done towards
its destruction, when il WAS decided that
several of the party should To McDOw's
house and arrest lin before further work
WAS done AT the still Address, Knight
and Butler went to McDow's ON this mis-
sion. while Brayton and Bramlctto
watched nj ~ point some distance from
the di-tillcry.
Geor.e Butler narrated the following
accoun: of the shooting TO the reporter:
When Address, Knight and Butlc: arriv-
cl ut McDow's house, aI"ut the dawn
of ,lav, they knocked AT his door, told
him 10 yet ilp and informed him that thcv
had come To arrest him Mcl)ow's reply
was that if he had t. 80 to Grcen.illc he
might as well get ready to 20, AMI that he
would 20 iiS soon IL he ate break fast
Tie others leaving Braytoi and Butler
to themselves, The former placed him
sclfnt tho back of the house to prevent
McDOws escape from the back door or
window. while Butler watched in the
same manner at the front. BraytOn and
Butler remained in their respective posi-
tion> for some time, during which Il long
silence prevailed in the house. Butler
had noticed Il second man in the house,
and becoming somewhat uneasy lost the
silence indicated preparations for an at
tack, called TO Drayton and suggested to
him that they were making targets of
themselves and were liable TO be shot
down at any moment. l'rayton replied
that he thought there WAS no danger,
that Mellow would not shoot y woman
in the house, whom Butler supposcs was
McDow's wife, made noisy quarrel,
saying she would die before Mellow
should he taken away. Seeing Brayton 8
hands in his pockets, She pretended 10
think that BraytOn was going to shoot
her, and called to Mellow with that COM
plaint. BraytOn assured her that he
meant to do her no harm. During the
long silence inside the house Braytou
called several times to Mellow SAYING he
was getting tired Of waiting. Braytun
was shot through a door or Il window as
he was approaching Butler with his hat
III his hand, and was III the act of speak
irg to him. No warning WAS given Of the
intention to shoot. and the first shot
was entirely uneXDecteti, so much so
that Butler is unable TO say from which
window or door the shot came Bray
ton and Butler were within four or fivc
feet OF each other when the fatal shot was
fired. AT the crack Of the gun Brnvton
ciasped his breast with both hands, cx-
claiming "Oh" and he fell forward To
the ground. Death was instantaneous.
When Brayton fell Butler rushed to him
hut saw al once that the shot was fatal
lie Strengthened ont the body, however
pushed bnck his hair and picked up his
hat which had fallen some distance from
the body and placed it near him. In
the meru.imc the firing from tho win
dows ~, stairs continued, several shots
heinE ired ut Butler, probably from pis-
tolls, before lie left tho yard. Before re-
tiring Butler drew his pistol and fired
ono shot in return and fled from the
premises. He WAS fired Mt with n shot
buck shot whizzing near him through
the air and some small shot, spent bv
the distance, striking him about tic
legs.
Tho shooting was entirely unproyokcd.
neither Brayton nor Butler, nor any
one in the party, Offering the slightest
insult or effort To fore, arrest. No attcmr,t
was made to force nn entrance into W..
lows house, hut on the contrary, tho
men remained patiently outside. th.
building until the shooting occurred
win the hope of making Il pcaceabe ar
rest.
Batter proceeded Mt once to Central
"a a. pfrr l,.,I
ton had been killed, seeing no more of
inc others OF the party. While waiting
III central FOR reply from Mr.. Blythe.
i'utlcr went to the hotel and was catinr
break fast when citizen OF tho town
rushed INTO the dining room and in
iorme'! Butler that lie was being pursued
hv McDow ana his son and son-iu-lav
Butler was urged To get away from Ccm.
trai Win haste, and, taking that advice
escaped out OF tho back door of the no.
tei, and being directed which road Ia
take, made a hasty departure in the di
Irection of Liberty. He reached that vii
!age abont IL O'Clock a. IN. and waited
,nere lor me freight train, which brought
him 10 Greenville.
The Trial Justice and the party who
went with him found Mr.. Brayton:s
Dody apparently just us il had fallen. II
WAS lying near the corner Of Il small ont
house about OF II limo with tho corner or
McDpw's dwelling and about twenty
steps from it. The dead man Law on his
race, turned slightly to his right, with
The right cheek resting on The gr7und. the
riEht arm being under The body ana
siightiy bent, and legs being straight
ma slightly crossed In the left hand
me blade of an old drawing knife was
clencned. \ hatchet was stncl. &; tho
"nistDand OF the pantalouns on tho left
side The right cheek was slightly dis.
;olored MS if he had fallen on it. The
houSo by which he was found seemed to
be a repository for Turning tools. and II
* thought tho drawing knife was stick
my ~ the side, and that he involuntarily
Taught Mt il a., he fell. The shirt front wns
saturated With blood, smear of which
iaco an"
nc remains were conN eyed to Central
where they were cared for rs we'll ns NOS
sioie, being placed on trcstlo in room
u, the depot and covered with n white
cioth. Masonic ring on one of his FIN
gers showed his membership in ,hat or
uer, and Mnsons at Central Interested
IL