The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1883-06-21
A GREENVILLE SCANDAL.
THE RUIN OF A YOUNG GIRL AND A
SHOOTING AFFRAY BETWEEN
HER FATHER AND HER BE-
TRAYER.
News and Courier.


ceding and attendant circumstances
of which embrace a sad and shame
ful story. Rumor has filed the air
for several days past of the seduc-
ton Of a sixteen-year old daughter
of Mr.. l.. W. Kay, constable for
Trial Justice Croft, by L. Wash.
Floyd, q young merchant broker,
formerly of Newberry, and of an
impending hostile meeting between
the seducer and the father of the
ruined girl. Conferences were had,
at which Floyd made fiat and posi-
tive denial Of any and all of the
facts alleged, and ayowed the re-
port slanderous falsehood origi-
mating with NJ. B. Harrison, young
man who had previously been pay
ing attention to Miss Kay. Floyd
and Harrison were brought face to
face yesterday morning, when Har-
rison repeated and asserted to be
true what he had previously stated.
namely, that he had several nights
ago seen Floyd take Miss Kay to
his room in the Mauldin building,
where he remained closeted with
her for some time. Floyd there
upon called Harrison a liar, and
Immediately pistols were drawn.
Harrison was in the act Of firing
when his hand was caught and a
tragedy prevented. The seduction
was stoutly denied by Miss Kay,
and her irate father was quite at a
loss to know whom to call to ac-
count. The whole truth came to
light last night, however, by full
and detailed confession from the
girl to her parents.
The story reveals the premedi-
tated and fully planned and finally
accomplished ruin Of the unfortu-
nate girl, who is the possessor Of
rare beauty and against whose fair
name nothing has ever before been
said. About two weeks ago, ac-
cording to Miss Kay's account, she
was taken out for a buggy ride by
Floyd. When they had reached
the top Of Paris Mountain, five
miles from town, the buggy was
left and she was induced to stroll
amid the cool recesses and ravines
of the mountain. Bottles Of wine
had been provided by Floyd, and
the victim Of his passion WAS in
duced to imbibe until she was well
under the influence Of the wine.
They returned to the city about
9 o'clock that night. Since then
the inveiglement Of the girl into the
room, as told by Harrison, is al
legged to have occurred.
About II o'clock to-day. as above
stated, Mr.. Kay accompanied by his
brother-in-law, Mr.. Fl. O.. King, re-
paired to Floyd's Office, in the rear
part of the store of Lipscomb, Rus
sell & Co., on Main street. Kay
made formal demand upon Floyd
that he should at once marry his
outraged daughter. Floyd made
positive refusal and the shooting
began. Floyd III anticipation Of
what was coming had cooked
pistol in his hand in his coat pocket
and fired as Kay was drawing his
pistol from his hip pocket. The
firing was in quick succession,
Floyd firing three times and Kay
twice. Kay's second shot took
effect in Floyd's right side and a
third shot from Kay's pistol, which
would would doubtless have proven
fatal, was prevented by the seizure
of Kay's hand and pistol by others
present. Kay was not hit. Floyd's
second shot penetrated the right
arm of Mr.. T. W. Davis, who was
standing probably twenty feet of,
causing a painful wound and a
slight fracture. Thus the shooting
occurred, the impression on all
present being that Floyd was prob
ably fatally wounded. He was
taken to q room and afterwards on
litter to the Exchange Hotel,
where his wound was treated by
DR.. T. T. Earle. The ball, which
was from a S6-calibre Smith &
Wessou revolver. penetrated the
right side Of the abdomen, being
slanting shot, and came out about
eight inches from the place it en-
tered. It's range was probably not
deep enough into the body to pen
citrate the peritoneum. Although its
course cannot be precisely ascertain
ed no serious results are anticipated.
Mr.. Kay, believing he had killed
his antagonist, surrendered at once
to Sheriff Gilreath. He was held
but q short time, however, and was
released as soon as it was known
that Floyd's wound was not con-
sidered fatal. The affair created
intense excitement, which has con-
tinucd most Of the day. Public
sentiment and sympathy are en-
tirely with Kay and his family.
A. NJ. II.
At last accounts Mr.. Floyd was
doing well.
Two indictments have been lodg-
ed against John W. Garrett, fore
man Of the Grand Jury of this