The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-03-27
AN EDITOR SLAIN.
F. N. Dawson, of the ssNews and
Courier" Murdered.
Shot Dead in the Office ofa Charles
ton Is. CD Physician.

Captain +. W. Dawson, editor of the
Charleston is. c. Ne,os and Courier, and
one of the most popular men in South Caro-
lima, was shot and instantly killed by DR.. T.
B. Mellow in the Office of the latter. A dis
patch from the scene Of the crime says:
The city is in terrible state Of excitement
over the assassination Of Captain F. w.
Dawson, the editor of the News and
Courier. The murderer is named T..
Who hsD0m IS married yHuns snd has physStan yssTsra
children. The evidence in the case is very
meager, but it has been learned that Captain
Dawson was murdered because Of an attempt
on his part to protect the honor Of a servant
girl in his employ.
The murder was committed about 3:45
o'clock in the afternoon, but was not dis
covered for three hours afterward, when the
murderer surrendered himself. The body OF
the murdered man had, in the meantime,
lain in the office of the murderer, not 1cO
yards from his own residence.
Captain Dawson left the NeUs and Cour-
ier Office about $3.50 o'clock, and was never
seen alive again. It appears that he had q
suspicion that his maid servant, who
had charge Of his children was not
behaving herself properly. Last week
he asked the Chief Of Police to detail a de.
tective to shadow the girl, stating that he
would not subject his children to her control
accordingly shadowed the girl.
The detective submitted report in writ
ing to the Chief of Police, who communi-
Gated its contents to Captain Dawson.
AS stated above, Captain Dawson left his
Office at $50 o'clock and was found murdered
about $50 o'clock in the office of DR.. Mellow.
His face was. badly. beaten, and O pistol
bullet was found lodged in his heart.
1t is supposed that he went to DR.. McDow's
office to demonstrate with him, a married
man and the father Of several children,
against going with his maid servant, and
that Mellow shot him after the two had been
engaged in scrimmage
After the murder Mellow disappeared un-
til about $3.50 o'clock, when he appeared at
the police station and surrendered himself.
Mellow is said to be the only doctor in the
city who is not a member of the State Msdi-
cal Society, and has an unsavory reputation.
He married some years ago the daughter Of
c. D. Ahrens, a rich retired grocer, and it is
known that the police have been asked to
shadow him several times.
All the evidence adduced shows that the
murder was one Of the most diabolical in the
annals Of crime. Captain Dawson was shot
while sitting down. The shot was fatal.
After numbering his victim, it Is said, DR..
Mellow left him lying on the floor, locked his
Office door and went out to a corner grocery
shop. There is evidence that he tried to bury
the corpse Of his victim, but that in the
meantime suspicious had got out. and,
finally, three hours after he had killed his
victim, he surrendered himself up to the
police authorities.
The murderer was hurried to the jail as
soon as he had surrendered himself, and for the
present is safe from lynching, as the jail is
well nighlimpregnable The entire community
was incensed. The city council had just met
when the news of the murder was tele-
phoned, upon which the council at once ad-
journed
The street in front Of the Ne1s- Courier
building has been thronged all the evening,
and the expressions of regret at the death
Of the popular editor are loud and sim
cere. Mr.. Dawson, during his career in
Charleston, had made himself power,
but he was at no time or in any relation Of
life disliked by any one. He had absolutely
no enemies so far as can be learned. His
purse was ever open to the needy, and his
pen was always at the service Of every just
cause.
During the fearful earthquake excitement
in 1856 Mr. Dawson was most active in solicit
ing and securing aid for those who had suf-
fered.