The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-06-16
Shot to peatl. BY His Own Hands.

On last Friday, 10th instant, at ABOUT
half past one o'clock in the afternoon, Mr..
William Davis, a son of Mr.. w. l.. Davis,
of Centreville township, took his own life
by shooting himself through the heart with
apistol. The cause assigned by his family
for the act, which seems to have been COM
mitted with deliberation and while the de-
ceased was in full possession Of all his mem
tai faculties, was domestic infelicities, pro-
duced BY the consequences Of an unhappy
marriage. After living together four or
Eve years, he and his wife separated the
latter part of last February, the latter tax
ing with her the two children that had been
born to them. Since that time the deceased
had made repeated efforts to get the chill
dren, but failed, owing to the mothers un-
willingness to give them up. This, it seems,
was the trouble that preyed upon the un-
fortunate mans mind most, and that made
death preferable to life.
As soon as the information of the manner
of Mr.. Davis death reached the Coroner,
Joseph W. Keys, Esq, the Sheriff was in
structed to summons jury Of inquest,
which was. done on Saturday morning,
when the Coroner proceeded to the resi-
dence of Mr.. W. Z. Davis, the place at
which the suicide wac committed, and
there held the usual inquest, at which the
following testimony was taken:
George Williams, being sworn, deposed
as follows:
went to Mr.. Leb Davis about o'clock.
Before left home I heard pistol or gun
shot in the woods near by. I live in about
two hundred and fifty yards of Mr.. Davis.
When got to Mr.. Davis William Davis,
deceased, was sitting on the door step, his
mother sitting in the house. He had q
pistol in his hand. recognize this pistol
1producing the pistol) as the one he had in
his hand. His mother told him he had
better put it away, and he laid it on chest.
I said to him we would go to the well and
get some water, and we done so. He re-
but did not start Immediately. He said he
was in heap of trouble. Before we went
to the we'll for water, Wm. Davis, deceased,
and his mother were talking about his
children. He said he was in so much
trouble that he had as soon be dead, and
said if he could not get out of trouble one
way he could another. told him people
could never get out of trouble in this world.
He remarked that our Saviour rose on the
7th day. TOLD him no, it was the Sd day,
and he said yes. that was so, and we will
rise the same. He then said, ~ must go
to the plow," and went through the house.
Mrs. Davis invited me in the house, and
went in and sat down at the back door. /
saw VIM. Davis stop and sit down in
chair close to the chest where he had laid
the pistol. His mother was sweeping the
house. He afterwards went out of the
house, and in about three minutes heard
a pistol fire, and heard Vim. Davis hol-
low, "Oh, Lordy, Mama; oh, Lordw
knew it was his voice, but could not tell
precisely the direction it came from.
then went for Mr.. Leb. Davis. i was near
enough to see Mr.. Leb. Davis when he
found his son. This was about 2 o'clock
p. m. on the 10th day Of June. After the
body was moved away I saw this same pis-
tol lying on the ground near where he was
lying. then went back home With my
wife. There was no one present about the
house except myself, Mrs. Davis, and the
deceased. Mrs. Davis and myself hunted
about half an hour for VIM. Davis. We
Found his body behind the smokehouse.
He seemed to be in his right mind during
our conversation.
GEORGE W. WILLIAMS.
Mrs. Leb. Davis, being sworn, deposed as
follows:
Twas at home all day yesterday FRIDAY /.
Was in the house with Mr.. Williams when
the pistol was fired. He was my son, that
is. the deceased. her
CAROLINE K DAVIS.
Mr.. Leb. Davis, being duly sworn, says
I was out on my plantation when my
son shot himself. He was in his usual
health at dinner time, and eat his dinner
as usual. came home from the field with
him. left the house as soon as eat my
dinner. I left my son William there to
bring the horses to the field to plow as soon
as the horses were done eating. About one
hour after left the house Mr.. Williams
came to the field where I was at work. and
told me that he thought William had shot
himself, as he heard him shoot and then
heard him hollow. came Immediately to
the house and found my son lying behind
the smokehouse dead. 1t was about
o'clock in the evening OH the 10th day OF
June. saw blood on his shirt.
w. L. DAVIS.
After making a thorough examination OF
the wound in the body Of the deceased, DR..
J. T. McFall, being sworn, deposed as fol-
lows:
1 find the ball entered one inch below the
left nipple, passing directly through the
heart and coming out to the right OF the
fourth lumbar yertebr@. The wound was
sufficient to cause instant death. There
was powder burn around the orif1ce Of the
wound. The pistol was certainly very
close to his body.
J. T. MCCALL, M. D.
The jury returned verdict "that the de.
ceased came to his death by pisto! shot
fred by his own hands"