The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-05-19
william Wilson'S Awful Decd.

homicide which had occurred near Pied
mont, in Brushy Creek Township, the day
before, and the facts we could then gather
were meagre and our snace was limited
We stated that Coroner Nance held the in'
quest over the dead body, but find thai
was mistake. Trial Justice J. D. Sitton
of that neighborhood, performed that duty
The citizens here were startled on learn
ing of the dreadful tragedy, and every one
was eager to hear the details of the affair
Soon after tie news reached here on
Wednesday the Sheriff received telegram
asking him to go to the scene and take
charge of the prisoner, Wilson. In re-
Spouse to this Messrs. Bolt and Green Sc
cured comfortable vehicle and went tc
the place. and putting the prisoner on 8
bed in the vehicle, brought him TO this
place; the trip apparently doing him nc
harm, though he was quite exhausted
from loss of blood. The removal of Will
son was precautionary measure as there
seems to be little doubt that he would
have had justice hastily meted out to him
by the ciLizens of the community had he
remained there long. Feeling ran high
and the people were intensely excited and
aroused.
On Friday afternoon We visited the pris
oner in Jail. He was lying on palle
and said he was comfortable. He is q
fairly good looking man, little under
the average height an d size, has dark hail
and reddish sandy moustache, and
4 good talker, though he is a man OF little
education. He extended his hand for q
"shake'' when we met him, and talked
| freely on all subjects except the cause
why he killed bis wife and the particulars
of the killing. He said he might give
statements concerning those things later
He said he was 81 years Of age and bis
wife was five years his junior. They had
been married about eight years, had three
little children, the eldest about six years
of age and the youngest not yet six
months. He said he was a sober man
and has been for the last eight or nine
years. He had made money at farming
up to the last year or two and had loaned
money. He said he was satisfied to die
and wanted to be hung in public. He
didn't want lawyer, lest he would only
be sent TO the penitentiary. He wanted
the Judge to give him four hours in which
to speak, and he would tell the history OF
his life just as it was. He supposed,
though, they would lynch him before be
got trial. A Bible lay by his side and
be said he was reading Job, as their cases
were somewhat similar, as great Affections
had befallen both and both had been de-
serted by friends and children. He found
that book very comforting.
| While 1t was thought last week that the
wound Wilson had inflicted on himself
would prove fatal, there is now good rea.
| son to believe that he will recover. He
| himself said he thought he would get
well. He has good appetite, and is able
| to sit up at times. He was anxious to see
hio little children and one or two of his
friends from his old home, be said.
While at the Jail we met the Rev. r. a..
Garrett, who is we'll known in this Coun-
ty. Mr.. Garrett married a sister of Mrs.
| Wilson, and at our request he consented
to give as statement concerning the un-
fortunate occurrence. His information
| was gathered from statements made by
Wilson's sister and the Oldest child, who
were the only witnesses of the awful
crime, and from neighbors who arrived at
the house soon thereafter. The following
is Mr.. Garrett's statement, and is doubt
less as nearly correct account as can well
| be gotten of the murder:
Cured last Tuesday morning in Brushy
Greek Township that has ever occurred in
| the history of this County. W. H. Viii.
son, better known as Bud Wilson. coolly
| and deliberately attacked his innocent and
| unsuspecting wife with an open razor and
com nitted one of the most cowardly and
brutal murders that has ever been COM
| mitted in this country.
"Wilson is the eldest son of Mrs. Sarah
Wilson. Of Greenville City, and brother
| of Mr.. John Wilson, an honorable and
upright citizen of this County. He was
born and reared near Piedmont, this
County, and is 81 years old, Seven years
ago be was married to Miss Laura Gar
rett. daughter of Rev. J. Stobo Garrett,
of Greenville County, Who was about 2S
| years old when she met her terrible fate.
Her amiable disposition, her pleasant and
| easy manner, together with her many
| noble virtues and beautiful traits of char.
acter, won for her the love and admira-
ton of all who knew her. The entire
family was bitterly opposed to her mar
ryipg Wilson. Ah !! many time did her
never speak to him again, but Cupid had
done his work and fate had sealed her
doom.
"Wilson's father, noble hearted man,
was killed during the late war, after
which Wilson's home surroundings were
not favorable to the growth Of a moral
and elevated disposition, and he grew to
manhood with the idea implanted in his
mind that no creation of the Masters was
30 frail and faithles5 as woman kind.
This heipg the case, he was as matter of
course jealous of his wife from the day of
their marriage. and began at once to bru-
tally mistreat her, accusing her of crimi-
| nal intimacy with some of the best men in
\ the community-men whose characters
have ever been above suspicion-all with
out the shadow of reason. Among all
those who knew her from her childhood to
the day of her cruel death none ever sus.
picioned her chastity, or found ought
against her spotless character, except the
Infamous scoundsel with whom she lived.
| beginning at their marriage, for if re-
ports be true he whipped her in less than
. week, he never ceased his outrageous
abuse until last Tuesday morning, when
be suddenly brought.it to close as stated
above. It seems that he had recently
been carrying he. through special eouI So
of brutality, violently beating her for
eight nights in succession, and at the same
time telling her it had come to where
| somebody had to die. Seeing she could
stand it no longer, she resolved To leave
him and 60 to her fathers, 10 which he
consented, agreeing to give her the chill
dren, good milch COW, all the household
| and kitchen furniture, and provision
enough to last them perhaps the remainder
of the summer. She was to leave the
next day. Wilson's sister had come to
stay awhile with them in order, if posi-
BILE, to prevent his mistreating his wife.
| His brother John and wife spent Monday
night with them. After breakfast they
started for home mile away. Mrs. Viii.
son went to trunk and took out piece
of goods, and spreading it on the bed be.
gan to cut 8 little dress for one of the chill
dren. About that time Wilson come in
and said he believed he would get ready
and go to Greenville to see his mother.
He asked his sister to put on kettle oil
water, as he needed shaving, then turning
to his wife be asked her to hand him the
razor, which was lying on shelf near her
This she did, and turned again to her
work, perfectly innocent Of the treachery
of the foul fiend, whom she had long since
learned to dread Us her brutal task-mas-
ter, but had never suspected his intention
of taking her lie in such cowardly way,
His own sister states that she herself had
stepped into the kitchen, which is only
about eight feet away, floor extending
from one to other, for some object, leaving
her brother whetting his razor. On enter
ing the door on her return she saw him
coolly and deliberately. without word
walk up behind his wife, seize her by the
hair, pull back her head and make rake
at her throat. His sister seized him, flung
him out at the front door, telling his wife
to make her escape. His wife snatchel
the baby from the cradle and fled to the
kitchen, dropping it on the walk-way be-
/ A. r.ll L q r. r.