The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1894-02-07
BLooDsHED IN COLUMBIA.
Z Fight Results from a Dispensary Prose-
cution-The Capital of the State In
Condition Of Intense Excite
ment Over the Trial of
the Liquor Cases.
Especial to News and Courier. |

Especial to News and Courier.
COLUMBIA S. c., February blood
marks the streets Of Coiumbia as re-
suit Of the first case under the dispen-
sary dispensation. That no one was
killed was purely accidental. The
wonder is that several deaths were not
the result of the hearing. It is the be-
ginning of the end. During the hear
ing Of the case against VIM. Seal bad
blood was evident, and had it not been
for the coolpess of Sergt. Moorehead
there would have been serious trouble.
: As it is William B. Meetze now lies
at his home suffering from the effects
Of one of nine bullets, and Davis Miller,
with slight wound, is in Jail, think
ing that he will be held on the charge
OF killing Meetze. This has been a day
OF intense excitement in CoIumhia,
and everyone was on the qui viye for
some trouble. The Seal case was get
ting along very smoothly until Witness
Davis Miller took the stand, and ne
dida deal of "circumventipgn which
was unsatisfactory all around. The
evidence speaks for itself. &.
It was few minutes before O'Clock
when the hearing was adjourned for
dinner. Miller went out the back ways
and q row between him and Mr.. Thcs.
Brennan was narrowly avoided. When
they got out in the streets Burt Fry,
who was witness in the case, wentto
Miller and said: Look here, Miller, I
understand you say I lied on the
stand.n Miller replied by saying, 81 did
not, and whoever says 50 is a liaraad 3
q - Meetze, who was there
and who had been speaking to Fry,
struck at Miller. Trial Justice Stack,
who wss at hand, caught hold Of Mil
Ter and tried to separate the mon and
was getting along very we'll when Mil
ler said: "LeG me go;I don't want to
get shot, Then Meetze said: Draw
your pistol if you want ton Mean
while the two men were backing from
each other, Miller going towards
Mancke's corner and Meetze into the
street. Miller drew out two pistols
from his overcost pocket and Meetze,
with his right hand behind his body
getting his pistol and gestculating
with his left. hand, walked towards
Miller. Who started the firing is dis
puted. Some say Miller fred first
with the pistol in his right hand; d;:thea
Meetze fired, and then Miller's second
fire from the PISTOL in the right hand
struck Meetze. The fusillade waskept
mp. Miller's pistol showed nine empty
chambers, which Sergt. Mocrehead said
had been recently discharged. Meetze,
it is said, fred twice. MeetSe fell limp
in the middle of Washington street !.
and those who went up to him thought
he was mortally wounded. BE was
taken home in carriage, and there
Drs. Talley and Folk probed and found
that it was not a fatal wound, that ths-.
bullet had entered the feshy part
above the groin and that he would re-
cover. He talked freely during the
examination by the surgeons and did
not seem at all alarmed. S.
Just as Miller had finished firing
Sergt. Moorehead, who had arrested.
Charles Hendrix for drawing his pistol
and turned him over to watehman,
came running up and arrested Miller.
A few of Meetze's friends rushed UP
after Miller, when Moorehead prompt
ly and emphatically said: The hrst
man who touches this man Tl KILL"
and went off with the prisoner. Mil
ler's coat was cut by a bullet on the
left arm. Meetze several years ago
killed Clark, and is the same man who
figured in the recent State Fair incl
dent. Miller is a. young North Caro-
linian, and was recently up on charge
of breach of trust. twas evident that
Miller's testimony had no weight, as
the jury promptly brought in verdict
Of not guilty.