The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-01-22
sHoorING IN EpenrIEnD.
A Personal Difficulty Involving the
Evans and Tillman Families--No
Politics i'm the Affair.

n ICfSO1at InyOlVtnH tn0
Evans aud TilIman E'aniiies--No
Politics i'm the Affair.
COLUMBIA, S. c., January 15. AT
Edgefield yesterday afternoon, in the
narrow confines of Attorney G.. Me-
Gowan Simkins's law Office, two young
mon, members of the closely aslied
and politically powerful, families OF
Tillman and Evans, fought an iff<
promptu duel, discharging their pistols
at each other three times each, and
shedding one another's blood. The
news of the affair did not reach any
point till to-day. fortunately neither
of the men are seriously injured. One
OF the young men was Capt. James H..
Tillman, q nephew of the Ext Governor
and son OF Ex-Congressman George d.
Tiilman, formerly tho clerk OF the
Congressional committee on patents,
and the other was the eyoungest brother
OF Governor Evans, Barnard IL. Evans,
an insurance agent.
There has been bad blood between
the two young mon for over year. IL
began at n german given during the
holidays of 1893 9i, in Edgefeid, by
the club of which Evans was president
and Tillman a member. Both claimed
to have been insulted by the other.
The feeling has grown intense during
GuS ycuI, htSb olC UllibS uilcu
another adding fire to the flame. The
men were brought together in the
Office by Mr.. Simkins. Gilman owed
Evans o note. He had paid all but q
small amount when Evans placed it in
Simkins's hands, telling him to bring
suit. Tillman stated that this was
unnecessary, as he was willing to
settle it If Evans wero present. MIR.
Simkius went to Evans, telling him
Tillman insisted ho should be present
and saying Tillman was waiting at his
office. Evans mentioned the intense
feeling and said it were better that
thoy should not meet. Finally he
went
1t seems that Tillman referred to
the old trouble, saying he had been
insulted by Evans. Evans said this
was another matter, but if Tillman
felt insultud he would give him satis-
faction ut any time, but this Office was
not the place. Til'rn IN s;.iG this wUs
as good timo as any and remarked that
Evans "had acted tho - rascal all
the way through" Evans gave this
the - lie. Each ciaiius that tho
other iircd first. Evans's friends claim
that Tillnun shot directly at Evan5's
head. Tillman's friends claim that
Evans fired at Tillmun while his back
was partly turned, tho bullet entering
the rear purt Of tho check and coming
out at the chin. Tillman's ball entered
evans arm. The second shots wore
fired simultaneously, Tillmons piercing
Evans's left breast, glancing around
the body and lodging under the
shoulder blade, while Evans bali en-
tered Tillman's right hand and ranged
up the arm.
The third and last shots were fired
close together, Tillman's bullet enter
ing Evans hat at the baad. Had not
Evans lodged the shtt it would
have been fatal. Evans's last bullet
puncturcd Tillman's trousers. Evans
brother, N. q. Evans, was in the next
room. One story is to the effect that
he fired twice as he cane. Tillman
stood in front of the office aftor he
cane out and stated that Evans had
tried to shoot him in the back. Evaus
is said to be in bed, with physicians
probing for the ball in his shoulder.
Tillman is ut his Office and going about
as usual to-day. There is no politics
in it at all. The affairs has caused
quite a fluttcr Of excitement all over
the State.