The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1890-03-19


record of our county. On Friday af-
terroon Gao. s. Turner slew his broth
in law, E. II. Finger, in tse public
read at Valley Falls. The deed was
done with g pistol, and Finger died in
few minutes after receiving his
death wound. He never spoke after
ward.
TURNER'S ACCOUNT OF THE TRAGEDY.
Geo. S. Turner has furnished the fol-
lowing statement 70 the reporter of
the Columbia Register:
"Finger was walking and q negro was
drivisg the wagon l did not meet
Finger on the road, but walked out OF
the house and was goiog to my gin house.
The woman Sparks came to get pay
for sorae washing, and did not say any
thing about the matter between her and
Finger. W. J. Fi.gsr, brother of E.
e. Finger, the slain mar, and the latter
were cursing the woman as she came
up to the door where I wass sstandiug, a:
given in his evn words bolow.
"Finssr became abusive, but was car
ried off by Dan Williams. negro man
towards bone. He came back, how
ever.
"Fisger told the negro to turn him
loose, as I had dared him to boiler
there in the road, which I denied to
Fnger and told him to 90 of AID leave
me alone. Then he tore loose from the
negro, and after he tore loose he had his
pistol out and shot.
"When be drew hi, pistol the colored
man had turned him loose.
did aot say Let him come, I'll fix
him. as stated in the paper, or threaten
to kill the negro il he didn't turn him
loose. That is all wrong.
CATER be drew his pistol.
FINGER SHOT TWICE.
"One ball struck pretty near me in
the ground, and the other struck my
store house. Itbink the first ball struck
the ground near me, as the smoke rose all
around me.
ONLY FIRED ONE SHOT,
and after he quit shooting l quit also.
II pulled nay pistol when Finger start
ed to pull his-wben the negro caught
him and he then couldn't get his pistol
cut. I held my pistol in my hand then,
and when be came back he had bis ais,ol
pointed at NE. He fired twice and ]
fred once after be had fred his two
shots, Immediately after his second
shot"
ACTING THE TRAGEDY.
That the reporter might make no mis-.
take and should understand exactly ais
account Of the matter, Turner in the
Jail corridor gave sort of pautomimlc
representation of the affray.
Stepping off six p.ces from The report
er, and coolly counting as he stepped,
he said that was about the distance be-
tween hirn and Fisser
Raising his haod as though lcve!lug q
pistol, he said that was the way Finger
frnnted him while he (Turner) held
his pistol in his hands. He though;
Firger was Watching the smeke rising
up from arouad the discharge of his
pistol, bu. that he (Turner) bad hi, eye
en- the barrel OF his Own pistol.
He said that after Finger was shot
be walked to the bridge over the creek
near oy. and half across it, before be
fell. It vas mistake that he was killed
instantly.
WHAT BROUGHT ON TEE TRAGEDY.
In relation to the csuses which were
alleged to have brought about the trag
edy, aud Is to the published accounts
ia reference to the same, Mr. Turner
made the following statement:
~ was not particularly mad with E.
Fl. Finger, the nau cow dead. but I bad
heard OF hia having threatened ny life
OF two or more occasions
ut was suit for $500 damages
and not SO, 600 as stared in the news
papers, brought 10 the case for the .e-
duction OF Clara Finger the slain mans
sister and my sister-in la~.
"Thc day I received the summons l
went to Mrs. Flnger's house, where E.
H. FiDeer lived, for the purpose Of stop
ping this suit. I gave notice to Clara
of my coming to tie gate. Finger came
out Ga the piazza
WITH HIS DoUBLE-bARRELLED GUN.
cooked it, and took deliberate aim at
me. Jumped behind q tree and tried
to draw ny pistol. Finger then took
the gun down from his face, aad the
matter claseG.
AN UNAccErTED CHALLENGE.
"O.ce after that, across the creek
from my store, be cursed ME very loudly
snd dared me across the creek. l did
not go. This was the second case.
'I'll state that l think that this man,
E. 81. Finger, did not want to kill me on
account of the seduction of his sister,
but that he was persuaded or actuated
by my enemies"
he SPEAKS OF HIS sIsTER-IN-LAw.
After few moments reflection, on
being ssked if he had anything more
that ae wished to say, Dir. TUr2er
said:
81 have not spoken Of this seduction
matter before to any enc but Sheriff
Nichols, bus without saying that l did
it. will say this:
l have one great reason why should
always like my sister, Clara Finger,
and that is she made pleading request
of me to quit strong drink, which have
suit for nearly twelve months.
81 will also say that l believe that ii
Clara will lay aside all the lies, persua.
sions aad Inducements that have been
offered and told to her since that seduc-
ion suit was commenced, and will put
herself back as she was the nigh: that
ler mother left hone
At THE DEAD HOUR OF MIDNIGHT,
~. !