Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-03-13
AN EDITOR KILLED.
CAPT. =. W. DAWSON. OF rgr caARtRs.
Ton Ekws AND couRIHs,
TIE viotlN.
DR. mellow fires the Fatal shot--Tntense
Excitemspt-Talk Of Lyeehing--
causs OF the Tragedy
IspeciN Telegram 70 mo DIspatcl. !


Dawson. editor 81 the News snd Courier and
member % TIE National Democratic tx
eeutive Committee from S0nto Carolina, was
shot and killed az 3 O'Clock this afternoon by
Dt. 4. Ballard MeDow, a prominent physi-
cian. OF the later's Office, The affair Is
shrouded IN q good del o. mystery. there
being no witnesses 10 the tragedy. mellow
states thst Dawson accused him OF improper
Tela'l0ns'wiih nawsOn's white servant add
threatened 10 rubbish him II he continued
them. Mellow reiOrted sharply and Daw-
son knocked him down. mellow attempted
90 recsin hiS feet, when Dawson struck him
ecross the head twice with n cane. Mellow
thtn Grsd. iDticting a wound In the right
eide, causing instantaneous death. Mellow
surrendered himself 10 tie police and Is
now IN jail. lie talks freely sudcslms sell
defence.
Dawson has ior a quarter Of century
ieen ideuiiGed with politics in sou'b Caro-
Jius, aud had more 20 do with shaping gov
trument affairs than any Other man since t9e
lltc war. lie was On Englisbman by birih,
coming 10 tits country when sixteen Vesrs
old. and joiuingth Confederate army n tbe
outbreak oi the war. he has bcen most
prominent figure IN southern Journalism VOC
manV years: has been member OF eVfIF
Democratic National convention Tor nlteeh
wears past, and was chiefly instrumental IN
securing The abolIsbment OF duehiag IN
South Carolina. sad Tor this va. made
knight Of the order Of s.. George by Pope
Leo NH. His tragic death causes great *
element throughout the state.
by Associated Press
CHARLESTON. :. G.. Marcn II. Captain !.
". DaWsop. editor az the News and COurier
and agent ~ the Associated fross IN THIS
city. was murdered thi4 afternoon about -
O'Clock BY T.. r. Mellow. n physician Of TIN
CIV. II seems that Mellow. who Is msr.
ried man snd The father 81 family hau
been too familiar with q swiss maid IA DaN'
sons family aud that Dawson hau
visited NcDow ut bis Office to re-.
monstrato with bin. Words aad blows
followed. and the encounter ended I'D Nc
DoW's shooting Dawson through the heart.
The murderer then locke NJ bis office and
went out. Three hours later be surrendered
himselt to The police auihosities. The body
Of the murdered man vas found l'ins IN
licDow's Office. Toe murder causes iniense
excitement and there Is talk ~ lynching.
The murder ~ Captain Dawson has eX-
cited the utmost excitement and indgn2-
ton. II Is developed that after the slaylng
OF hts victim The Doctor locked his Office
door and tried TO bury his victim, bnt was
discovered before fnishiue The grave, and
then gave himself up TO The police
FURTHER PARTICULARS
hrGusTA, GA, March Specials from
Charleston TO the Chronicle give The follow
inc account Of Captain pawson's assessing
too:
The cifv tonight is IN n terrible slsie o.
cxeitemcnt over the Assassination Of tapian
Dawson. editor Of the News and Courier.
TIE murderer is named !. Il. Mellow,
Young physician, who Is married and has
several children.
The Evidence iu the csse is very meagre,
hut it has been learned that Captain Dawson
was murdered hecause Of IN attempt on hi.
uart 10 save the honor of a Serysnt-girl IN
bis employ. The murder, It Is said vas
committed about 3.45. but It was not dis
covered for three hours afterwards, when
toe murderer surrendered himself. The
body Of the murdered man bad IN The mean
time lain in the office OF the murderer. not
one hundred yards from MS own residence.
Captain Dawson itit the News and Courier
Office about 800 T.. NJ. and was never seen
alive again. IL appears that he sus-
pected that hi, maid.servant, who
lad charge % his children. was not be-
having bersell properly. Last week be asked
the Chief % Police TO detail detective 10
FinlOw the girl stating that he did
not desire bis children 10 be ntrusied
% a Girl who was not strictly honest. n de-
tectiye accordingly Swallowed the young
woman. on Monday morning be saw her
Get on Ruiledge-aycuue car, where she
was soon affcI Joined toy Dr Mellow. The
detective followed The pair for several hours
aud Submitted a report Ia writing 10 the
Chef of Police. who communicated It's de-
tails TO CAPTAIN Dawson this morning
As stated above, Dawson left his Office at
S.30P. NJ. today, aud was found murdered
about G.30 =. NJ. in the Office OF Mellow.
His face was badly beaten, and pistol
bullet was found IN his heart. lt Is sup.
posed that be went 10 pr. Mellow 10 re-
inoustratc with bin, aud that Mellow shot
him az e the two hid been engaged IN
controversy.
The murderer Mellow disappeared till G
J.. NJ, when he appeared OF the police sta
tion and surrendered himself. McDow IL
said to nc tue only doctor m The city who IS
not memter of the state Medical Society,
and he has IN unssyory reputation. lie
married somc years ago the daughter of &.
4. Aherns, rich retired grocer. IL -
known that the police have been asked to
shadow bin several times.
The city Is In terrible state az excitement.
All evidence sdduccd thus isr SHOWS that the
murder was one OF the most dlabohcal in the
annals OF crime. Captain dawson was shot
while sitting down. The shot was fatal
orc. After numbering hs victim, n Is said
his Office door, aud went out 10 corner
grocery shop.
There 1, evidence that he tried TO bury
the corpse OF his victim, but that In the
mean time suspicious had got out snd finally.
three hours sitter he had Killed Dawson, he
SURRENDERED bimself TO the police.
The murderer has the reputation OF being
man "a loose morale.
Tonight the civ - wrapped in mourning,
sud the murder Is the subject OF discussion
IN every quarter OF the t0WD.
1 he body Of the murdered man has been
taken 10 bis residence, and the Coroner. after
empanellng jerry, has adjourned the IN.
quest unit tomorrow.
The murderer was buried 10 the jail as
soon a. be- had surrendered himself, and for
the pr, sent Is sale from lynchiug, as the JAIL
{. well nigh impfcgnsble. The eOtlre COM
lnuolty Is iuccnsed. The City Council bad |
lust net Tonight when the news OF the
murder was tclephOucd, upon which the
Council no once adjourned.
WHAT IHE TRIBUNE SAYS.
NEW YORH, March l2.-Tne Tribune says:
Cautaia Dawson Wa native 81 England,
but be passed the gro'ter part OF his life In
the southern States. Early in the war Com
lnodoIe Robert II. PeArAu, OF the Confsde-
rate navy, WAS in English waters IN COM
mana OF khc NNrhNhNs ~ hidi NNAV
an innocent and well.m9nnered young Eng
lishmau with the request that he be given
passage T. tue southern states as be wished
10 Join the Confederate army. Commodore
Pegram refused, saying That be could not
tbink Of taking MINOR among strangers 10
run the Ii.ks OF war. lie would not consent
even II the boy obtained tbe consent OF his
guardian. ". l.. Yancey was then ia
London, sod young Dawson, for he
was = youth wbo wanted 20 cast
his fortunes with the Contederaey,
sought him cut. and 80 worked upon his
feelings that ne wrole an earnest request 10
the Commodore 10 give the boy passage. The
Commodore s,ill refused. About this time
the Queen ordered tne Nashville and Tusca-
rora TO leave English waters. Commodore
Pegram did not obey orders, but
went 10 London TO arrange for
his star. While be was away
come hands were shipped on tie Nash. /
. gff.... -. o.