The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-11-05
WHISKEY And PISTOL.
SCORE ONE MORE MURDER BECAUSE OF
wH1sKEY AT ABBEv1LLE.
A Drunken Negro IL the Victim This
Time -. He Didn't Care What he
Said, and a White Man Sent a BuI.
let I'm His Brain.

Said, and a White Man Sent Bull
let In His Brain.
Those of our fellow-citzens who believe In
the licensed sale Of liquor 1T Aooeville, az
well as those who oppose drunkenness ano
the sale OF intoxi xicants, have another o3Jecl
occurred In this village last Monday evening.
About four o'clock, a middle aged colored
man drove hurrledly down Main street 10 the
public square, and stopped near the New no
tel. A crowd Of curious people soon assem-
bled about him. and the news quickly spread
over the village that an unknown white IEan
had killed The Cour
House-on the Anderson road.
The newspaper men, like the others, were
on hand TO hear of the affair.
When asked how the difncuity occulreo' he
awe were going along home in this buggy,
and Sam said be didn't care for anything;
man, riding a black horse near the buggy,
said, Well, l do, and com mmenced TO beat hlm
with his switch or whip Sam said. oh, don't
hand back this way, [puttng his hand toward
his hip pocket and the white man shot him.
"How often did he shoot?"
"Only once. The ball entered his face, just
To the question as to how far the white man
was from the buggy, when the shooting was
done, he said:
"Oh. he was very Close"
"Were you scared7''
"Yes, sir; ! was greatly scared, and drove
off as fast as could"
"What did Sam do?'
"Oh, he sorter fell over like, and said,
Sam, are you shot? And Sam has not an.
swered that question yet, and he never VIII
answer it: He never spoke. He is dead"
"What is your manner"
"My name Is Carson Ballentine. live with
Mr.. George Strickland, in Anderson county.
Sam Stark Is the name of the dead man, He
lived with Mr.. Abner Strickland OF Anderson
county. I did not know the white man who
shot Sam. only know that he was riding a
black horse. was excited. l don't know
whether would know the man now, II l
were to see him.
"WaS Sam drlnklng?"
"Yes, sir; both of us had been drinking"
"Where is the dead mans body?"
at Is on the side Of the road; about two
miles from here. See his blood on the back
of the buggy. drove about a mile after he
was shot before We took him out of the bug
gy, and you see his blood there. come back
for the Coroner"
Coroner Wilson was in town that day and
had not Long Hh0ang
had been drinking heavily for a long Time,
and we heard it alleged that bis supply being
cut off on Sunday. he died Sunday night nigh for for
inquests on last Monday.
Having made his arrangements, he and a
promiscuous crowd went to where the body
lay, and after viewing the body, and taking
some testimony, the inquest was adjourned
until Tuesday morning,
The body of the deceased was brought to
town about dark, when Undertaken Sign put
it in plain stained coffin, and locked 1t in
the shop until pext morning.
1t was w.thTeipctance that some Of the COL
the slatd man. They did not care to put him
In the coffin. Before putting him In the COT
fin, pint flask was taken out OF his pocket.
Sam Ssrke well IN suit
about twenty-five or thirty years Of age, and
is reported to have been peaceable and
thrifty man, as his general appearance indi-
Gated.
His mother, Susan Starke, did not hear the
news until next morning after the death or
her son, and she came immediately. with her
son-'n law, Lewis LiddelI, and carried the
body away yesterday evening, and will bury
it to-day at Flat Rock. The mother Of the
deceased lives on the farm owned by Mr.. ia
cob B. Clamp Of this county.
1t is useless and Intellectual to plead for the
suppression of the traffic in that which no
doubt caused the death of Sam Starke. Al
place is put by the Railroad agent at more
than twenty times as much as 1t was when
the town was dry. and although the editor
thinks that the sight OF drunken man was
rare occurrence during the time that the no.
license law was enforced, yet there are good
men here who think there Is not now more
drunkenness than there was then; So the
But there Is no division Of sentiment or
opinion on the question of the license fees.
All agree that the town is allowed the IL
country people quietly submit to our having
them, as well as to our opening the places
from which is sold the liquid that fires the
soul and nerves the hand to deeds Of blood.
Recently young husband, the father Of lit
tie children, wac hurled into eternity because
Of liquor sold here,
But that makes no difference. The town
gets $1,000 license fees.
A youth, q STRIPPING, the support and stay OF
widowed mother, was lately the victim OF
the pistols ball, and his life-blood went to &C.
ment our beautiful sidewalks.
Now, Sam Starke, negro from neighbor-
ing county, lies In his new made grave 1t is
said that he was drunk, and that a bottle OF
whiskey was taken out Of his pocket after he
was dead.
If whiskey caused his death, the greenbacks
received for the license fees should act as
balm to our consciences.
Men ought TO learn to control themselves.
If they are weak enough or foolish enough TO
get drunk, why should we care? The money
makes IL all right with us.
II our Legislators should desire to prohibit
the sale Of liquor in Abbeville, or any other
county, they have only to create an office, the
sole duty of whose occupant should te to see
that the law is enforced. Pay him at the rate
OF 81, 900 year, and let him hold his Office on
ly as long as he performs his duty.
If he does his duty faithfully, he will either
collect enough in fines TO reimburse the coun-
useless to say that the law cannot be enforced,
if there is an officer whose sole duty 1t Is TO
see that 1t is enforced.