The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-01-23
AN IMPROMPTU DUEL
BETWEEN TWO PROMINENT YOUNG
MEN OF EDGEFlELD.

BETWEEN TWO PROMINENT YOUNG
MEN OF EDGEFIELO.
Members of the Families of the Ruling
Powers Bang Away at One Another in All
Edgefield Law Omce-A Personal Mat
ter.
| COLUMBIA. S. c., Jan. Let does
seem strange to hear of members of
| the Tillman and Evans families pop
ping away at each other with revolv-
ers at short range in an impromptu
duel. especially when one considers
! how intimate Ex-Governor Tillman
and Governor Evans have been in
their political life. 1t was therefore
matter of the keenest surprise to
many Yesterday when the news reach
ed Columbia that Capt. James H. Till
man. the nephew of Ex-Governor Till
man and son of eI-CongreSSman Geo.
ID. Tillman, and Mr.. Barnard B.
Evans, the youngest brother of Cover
nor Evans, had had such duel in the
law Office of Attorney S. MCGOWAN
Simpkins, in Edgetield. and that both
the combatants had been wounded.
The shooting had taken place on Mon
day afternoon about $50 o'clock, yet
no news of it was sent out from Edge
field by wire. None could be obtain
ed yesterday in that way.
The first news of the affair was I'M
parted to Governor Evans by. a rela-
tive, who came from Edgefeld on
Monday night, and the Governor
went over on the early train yesterday
morning.
During the day several gentlemen
came in from Edgefeld-friends of
both parties-and from them several
stories of the affair were obtained.
| The stories on opposite sides conflict
in most material particulars. Last
| night The State received a story by
wire from Edgefeld, the informa-
| ton in which is incorporated below.
The State endeavors to present below
the substance of all these stories, with
out prejudice to either side. 1t IS a
difficult undertaking, but then if there
be shortcomings, none but those IN
the room when the shooting took
place can give a true version, and
doubtless the version OF each man
present would vary greatly.
For long time there has been bad
blood between the two young men. 1t
originated during the holiday season
Of lS93-94, over a year ago, at a ger
man given in Edgeield by the club Of
which Mr.. Evans was the president
and Capt. Tillman a member This
trouble was purely of a personal ma
ture. And twas the direct cause Of
the shooting, the feeling having
grown more intense on account of ut
terances on the part of each, since the |
affair occurred.
The young men were brought to-
gether thus: Prior to the affair men
toned above Capt. Tillman had en-
tered into financial obligation to
Mr.. Evans. He had very nearly dis
charged the obligation it seems, when
he failed to meet a cs-.ain s+far aste e,n NJ.
toFheS tEFhaeS t5fsn t5fsnpkfns alhGss hands, instructing
him to bring suit. Capt. Tillman
sienified his desire to discharge the
obligation and end the matter, provl-
ded Mr.. Evans were present. Mr..
Simpkins on Monday afternoon went
to Mr.. Evans and Informed him that
Capt. Tillman was at his office and
said he was ready to end the matter,
but insisted on Mr.. Evans being pres
ent. So far all the stories agree, ex-
cept that one says that Capt. Tlllman
was asked" to meet Evans in Mr..
Simpkin's Office.
Several stories agree that when Mr..
Simpkins went to Evans and told HIM
of Capt. Tillman's statement, Evans
said that there was bad blood between
them, and it would be best that they
should not meet. They say, too, that
Mr.. Simpkins said that it was only a
business matter and that alone was
| concerned. Anyway Mr. Evans went
to the office. While Mr. Simpkins
| and Capt. Tillman were talking, it
seems, Capt. Tillman, so one story
goes, remarked that the thing would
have been settled sooner, but Evans
had insulted him a year ago and had
acted the d-n scoundrel all the way
through. This story then goes that
Mr.. Evans, who was behind Tlllman:
i fired, the ball entering the cheek and
coming out at the chin.
Other stories say that Tllman
brought in the reference of the old
difference, when Mr.. Simpkins said
that was not the matter to be settled:
Evans said that if Tillman felt he bad
been insulted, he was ready to give
him satisfaction at any time, but that
| this was another matter and he had
come there to settle it. According to
these accounts Tillman then whipped
out his pistol and with the remark
that if Evans was ready to give salts
faction, the time and place was imma-
terial, and they might as well settle it,
fired shot, the ball going through
Evans hat.
Another story is to the effect that
when Tillman made his remark about
the scoundrel, Evans gave it the ''d-n
lie" and thereupon the shooting be-
gan.
1t is hard to tell mucn apOuL Ine
shooting itself. Some say each man
shot four times, and some say three.
Some say Evans fired the first shot
and some say the contrary.
The first story was to the effect that
| Tillman fired first; that Tillman was
going out of the office when Evans
| fired his last shot, hitting him in the
chin, and Tillman turned and fired
his last shot, hitting Evans IN the
| shoulder.
Another story goes that Tillman
saws Evans shot him from the rear
when he was not expecting it; that
Tillman's first shot went through
Evans hat; that Tillman next ran
along Evans arm and came out back
of the shoulder; that Tillman was
shot in the chin and had his pistol