The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1888-01-05
SUMTER'S SCABLET STAIN.
Tle Bownan-KeeiS Feud Ends In a
Bloody Affair.
SpectttI to the NerS and Courier.


man Keels feud, which has been Great
ing some excitement in this count,
during the past two weeks, reached :
{ terrible and bloody elimination q
about 2 p. m. today in this city.
While number of the parties in
terested were in the Office of Tria
Justice Hsynsworth this afternoon
preparing to give bond to keep the
peace. shooting and cutting affray
was precipitated, which resulted ir
the wounding in more or less dan
gerous manner Of John R. keels. anr
his father. D. Z. Keels. K. Penning
ton. P. G. Bowman and Walter j.
Hardy, and in the death of Tria'
Justice George E. Haynsworth.
The affair is undoubtedly the mos,
terrible of the kind that has ever uc,
Cured in this county, and is made
doubly SO by the high standing OF
all the parties engaged in it.
Your correspondent was absen,
from town when the affair occurred,
having gone to Bishoprille to ascer,
tain the facts il the shooting affair
of last week. He returned. however,
short while after the tragedy and
proceeded immediately in search OF
the facts and circumstances attend.
ing the terrible occurrence.
When he reached the trial justice s
Office. at about I o'clock, the parties
participating in the shooting had sll
been carried off by their friends. and
the almost lifeless body of Mr. G. E.
Haynsworth, the trial justice, was
stretched on s pallet on the floor in
the front room. He was soon after
wards removed to the residence of
his brother on Calhoun street, where
he fingered until few minutes past
six this afternoon, when he bresthed
his last. 1t is impossible to say by
whom he was shot. His death of
course was accidental. He was struck
just under the right eye by a pistol
ball, which it is thought penetrated
the brain lodging near the base of
the skull behind the right ear.
There was not man in Sumter
County more highly esteemed by
every one than the deceased, and his
untimely and tragic end has cast d
deep pail over the entire community.
He was graduate of the Citadel
Academy just at the beginning of the
war. and was the man who fred the
first shot Of the war st the Star of
the West" as that vessel was seek.
ing to relieve Major Anderson at
Fort Sumter.
When your correspondent reached
the scene of the shooting this after
noon the excitement was 80 intense
that it was almost impossible to gain
any definite information concerning
the affair, and even after the first
flush of excitement had died away it
was bard to gain anything positive
about it. The whole transaction took
plsce 80 quickly that the spectators
hal but little time to take in the de
tails.
Your correspondent visited all of
the wounded men this afternoon and
got their statement OF the affair.
WHAT THE ELDER KEELS SAYS.
Capt. D. E. Keels was found at his
sons residence in bed, although none
af his wounds are Of a dangerous ma
ture. His statement is about as fol.
lows: He came TO town this morning
with Mr.. K. Pennington, from Lynch.
burg. He went to his sons Office, on
Main street. and was there informed
by two policemen that ?. G. Bowman
was waiting at his Office for him with
q gun. He stsid at his sons Office
until about 2 o'clock, and when he
was about to GO to dinner Sheriff
2Sanders, Policeman j. T. Hurst and
Mr.. Pennington came in and arrested
him and his son, John keels. for the
purpose of requiring them to give o
peace bond. They left their pistols
in the Office, and went to trial JUS.
tees. AS they entered the Office
Mr.. P. G. Bowman was walking up
and down the floor, and as he passed
him Bowman turned with drawn
pistol and fred at him three times.
The first shot struck him in the leg.
AS he rose from his seat 8 policeman
struck Bowman cp the head, knock
ing him down. Just then Mr.. Wal
ter J. Harby, who was standing
across the room by the fireplace, fred
st him. He rushed across at Hardy
! and grasped his pistol. preventing
s the further use of it, not however be-
& fore Hardy had struck him in the
'face with the butt Of the weapon. In
the excitement and confusion which
followed he could tell nothing more
that was going on.
Mr. Keels says he was unarmed
the whole time. lie was wounded
on the inside of the. left thigh. was
shot through the left wrist and in the
left hand, besides some other severe
bruises.
STATEMENT OF THE JUNIOR MIR,
kEELS.
Mr.. John r. keels, who is in the
hEstOdy of the police. was seen at
the city Gusrdhouse. He received 8
slight flesh wound In the left srm,
His statement was substantially the
same as that given by his father.
He said that when arrested he ob
jected to going to the trisl Justice
Office unarmed, fearing an attack,
bps the sheriff insisted on his giving
up his arms and be aequiesced. When
they resched the Office of the trial
Justice P. G. Bowman was walking