The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-08-05
ALLEN WARDLAW PARKER.
THE SUDDEN DEATH OF PROMISING
YOUNG MAN
Some Of the Particulars i'm Reference
to the Death Of the Son Of Hon.
WIN. III. Parker, of Abbevillc, OH
AuruSs 3. 1891.

Win. II. Parker, of AbbeviIIc, OH
August 5, 1891.
1t now becomes our duty to chronicle one OF
the most distressing occurrences that has ever
saddened the hearts Of the people Of Able
vile.
o'clock Mr.. Allen w. Parker left the public
square, after chatting pleasantly with rela-
tives and others, and in less than half an
hour n messenger from home come running
down the street announcing that he was shot
and killed. The people were startled, and ev.
cry man heard Of the news with regret, while
all were anxious to hear the particulars.
Numbers of relatives and friends were soon
at the house, and every man that met others
was asked for the facts in the case.
AS well as we can understand, they are
about as follows:
He went for the five o'clock mail and then
| talked with his friends on the public square,
In his usual good spirits until perhaps half
| past six o'clock, when he went home. Arriv-
Ing at home, he found on the piazza his moth
/ er, his aunt Mrs. s. NJ. w. Smith, and Miss
| Gerard. his sister, Miss Lucia Parker. being
absent in the village. After exchanging some
pleasant words with the ladies, and especially
| with his mother, he passed on to his room,
/ upstairs in the house. In four or five min
| utes safterward-almost before the sound OF his
mothers voice had died upon his ears-the re.
port OF the pistol was heard: MISS Geraro ar
| door she was Mortified at the sight before her.
| The sound OF the pistol and scream rom
the ladies were heard by MIR. Parker and MI.
Tusten who were just going to their homes,
and Mr.. Parker Immediately ran TO the house
where he found bis son lying on the bed,
bleeding from the wound in his temple, and
the pistol still In his hand, resting on his leg.
The pistol was held between the thumb and
| forefnger, with the barrel pointing toward
the body, and not by the handle. as one would
Ordinarily hold it when intending to shoot.
Allen was barely breathing when his father
reached him, and almost before his head was
Strengthened on the pillow he was dead. or
| course, he was unconscious immedlately alter
receiving the wound. Physicians were imme-
diately sent for, but there was nothing which
they could do.
Telesrams stating the distressing fact were
sent to tas orgIhePs PsTter * sne
L. Parker, West Point; Thomas D. Parker,
lAnnapolis-the two first named OF whom ar
rived yesterday evening IN time 10 attend the
funeral services.
| The pistol was q 3S. caliber improved double
action Smith & Wesson.
! 1t belonged to his cousin, Lewis Haskell, OF
| Georgia, who was on visit to him, and slept
| in the room with him. Allen Parker was not
| familiar with or accustomed to the handling
\ of pistol, but he seemed 80 much pleased
with the new and improved weapon that ne
told his cousin he wanted to try 1t and asked
| the calibre. That same evening OH which the
accident occurred, he tried to buy cartridges
from one Of our stores in order to practlce
with the pistol, which then had only one load
in it, it being the load which was after%ard
fired with such lamentable result. No other
| load remained in the pistol.
Moreover, young Haskell had q few other
cartridges in his hand bag which Allen knew
lof-therefore the fact that he wanted TO buy
cartridges in the evening reasonably had no
other significance than that he simply desll ed
to furnish his own cartridges IN trying tne
pistol at target practice, as he had intimated
TO his cousin.
| The physician who probed the wound states
that the ball ranged upward. There were
Il Ntr-ln htHrr NF,f hn fo trh oh
the muZZle could not have been against his
temple. If he had been handling the pistol
held about opposite his breast, muzzle up, or
J.: he had been in recumbent position,
slight turn of the head 10 the left when the
pistol was discharged and the wound could
| have been made.
From all the circumstances leading up to
this event. the family are OF the opinion that
death resulted from accident. There was a
total lack Of known cause OF depression IN
spirits, and there was utter and absolute lack
Of any manifestation Of any Intention on ms
part to commit the deed. He was young
| man Of the finest natural endowments, while
his Intellectual requirements pointed him
out as the best educated young man OF his age
| in Abbeville county. He had only few days
received an encouraging letter in reference to
his election to a professorship In College Tor
which he had applied, and less than an hour
before the end came. he had been speaking
most cheerfully OF his prospective promo
tion.
He was young man of undoubted courage.
and If he had contemplated the deed, 1t Is not
to be presumed that he would have commit
ted 1t almost in the presence OF his mother,
| with whom he had just been talking so pleas
| antly. He left no letter, and uttered no word,
that would indicate that he was tired OF the
life upon which he was entering with such
pleasant surroundings and with such brill
liant prospects for future usefulness and dis.
tinction among the sons Of men.
Careful search for a motive has been made,
but none has been found.
In anxiety to find the cause. If cause there
was, the letters which he had just taken nom
the post office, and which he had just read.
were found and read after MS death, out IN
them nothing but the greatest kindness and
affection was found. Indeed, every effort OF
the family to find an assignable cause for the
deed has failed, and they are perfectly salts
accidents which are never fully explained TO
the human mind.
Another evidence that would point to the
i fact that it was an accident, was the fact that
he had an appointment to play lawn tennis at
perhaps the very hour at which the funeral
services were held yesterday evening.
This sad and unexpected death has cast a
gloom over the people of the village who were
| Just IN the midst OF q season OF unusual JOY
and iestiyity. A round of entertainments
| were being gone through. and even on the
young people were to meet at the house Of a
lneighbor. The Invitations TO that and other
entertainments which promised much happii.
| ness to the young people have been recalled.
q mament at least.
Great sympathy Is being felt for the aftlict
ed household-all being conscious Of the Sc.
| verify OF the blow to parents whose whole life
were bound up in their children, and who
| had SO much In their children for which to be
thankful.
Allen Wardlaw Parker, the third son Of
Hon. VIM. H. Parker, was born June Il, 1867,
| He was student all his life, beginning bis ed.
| ucation in the Abbeville graded school. and
| when considerable progress had been made he
ha
| which institution he was graduated with his
class in 1887. He took q post graduate course
nt John Hopkins University for two years.
subsequently, after eighteen months spent in
the Institution he took a degree from the
Leipslc University in Germany, returning to
the parental roof only some three months
ago.
Owing to the absence of the Rector of the
Episcopal church. the pastor of the Methodist
church, Rev. NJ. Dargan. was asked to read
the burial service in the Episcopal church
which was done at six o'clock. {,
Everybody In the village was there.
Rev. DR.. Wilson concluded the service at