The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-11-18
STOPPED BY A BULLET.
Office ~ Allowed n Prisoner 10 Run
an Then Shot III i'm.
Yorkvile Enquirer.

Dent treat me that way. Hold up! Stop
Halt =! Bang
1t was Thursday night at $50 o'clock, JUS
after the verdict in the great murder trial
The speaker was Dupty Sheriff r. l.. Scog
gins. and the man he was speaking TO was NJ
K Reese, one of the convicted murderers.
Upon the announcement of the verdc
there was solemn silence in the court room
At first Reese and Luckie appeared calm anc
unconcerned. But then, alter moment
their faces began TO take on picture OF des
pair Luck les head fell over toward his sis
ter and she kissed him. Even Colonel You
mans, OF their counsel, showed deep agia
tion, but without delay he got up aud gave
notice OF u motion for an arrest OF judgmen,
and new trial.
While Colonel Youman was writing the or
der for the release of Mrs. Anderson. Reese
got up aud took the chair that his counsel b al
vacated near the aisle. Several who were
watching the scene noticed him cast his eyes
around 1urtively toward one of the side doors
They also noticed Deputy Scoggns quietly
walk over in the direction indicated; {; but thai
was all.
People began to leave the court room, and
DepEty Scoggins and his brother Frank
started out Of the door with the prisoners
the deputy In charge of Reese and bis brother
In charge OF Luckie. The audience had
moved out of the front door, and when the
stragglers we're reaching the side gates, those
the challenges and shot as they are recorded
above. Rushing In the direction indicated
they met Deputy Scoggins. Senator Finley
and w. M. stowe, supporting NJ. r. Reese
staggering like drunk man and proceeding
to DR.. Miles Walkers office.
The deputies. with their prisoners, had just
gotten down the back steps from the court
room. K. l.. ScoggIns and Reese were in front
and Frank Scogging and Luckie were beh ind
Lucke requested permission 10 speak 10 Mr.
Mellow, and standing within easy reach with
his hand on his revolver, Mr.. Frank ScOggins
permitted him to do SO: Then few mo
drew his pistol to shoot; but his brother was
directly between him and the fugitive,
Mr.. Il. l.. Scoggins was fully equal TO The
emergency, however. Standing on the side
walk. he leveled his pistol at the fleeing man
as cody as If shooting at target. The dis
tance was about Is steps. Reese gave utter.
ance TO loud groan, stood dazed for mo-
ment, and fell In heap In the gutter.
Deputy ScOgginS did not fire again but i'm.
mediately rushed up to the fallen man.
Senator Finley. who who Just going into his
office at the time, was at the scene at the
same instant, and az Mr.. Reese began 10 rise
TO his feet, the two men seized him by either
arm, and he said to Mr.. Scoggns, you have
killed me ~
The wounded man was taken first TO Kuy:
kendal's drugstore. and then to the office ol
Miles Walker. 1t was found that the bal III had
struck the thick portion of the skull In the
back of the head just above the spinal
column. Drs. Il. A. Bratton, Miles Walker
and w. &. White took charge of the case, ant
after probing for two hours or more, finally
extracted most of the bullet In three pieces
| 1t had broken and scutt ered and IL IL not Ger.
tain but what there Is u plece OF II Is still In
| the wound,
| Reese stood the operation bravely and with
remarkable patience. After II was over he
was taken to Jail. and at last accounts was
resting as comfortably as could he expected
From the best information the reporter has
| been able To arrive at, the bullet did not pene
trnte the brain, although Is Is posi- 6le that the
wound may prove fatal, the chances for life
are strongly In the unfortunat mans favor
He told Mr.. Scoggins, however: 81 wish you
| had killed me-"
| Deputy Scoggins had but little TO say. All
the while Reese and Luckie had been treated
with The utmost consideration, Instead 0
being kept behind the bars at night. they
! were allowed to sleep down stairs with Mr.
ScOggns on guard. After the verdict, Reese
told Sheriff Crawford: "YOu can continue tC
trust me as you have BEEN" 1t was on &C
count of the fact that after this the prisoner
ran that Mr.. Scoggins seemed to have :nosI
regret. SO far as his own action was concern
ed. he thought aud the public agrees, that he
did his duty just as did the jury which render
ed the verdict.
People acquainted with the whole case have
been noting rs remarkable condolences, the
:act that both Williams and Reese were sho
on Thursday night at about the same hour
$50 o'clock. Both were shot with 3S-calibrt
bullets near Presbyterian churches anC
istIuck within inches of the same spot, anC
both were running. The only material dil
ference here Is that one went down before the
bullet of an assassin, and The other Was
check ed by faithful servant Of the law.