Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-12-02
Wednesday, December 2, 1895.
TRAGEDY IN EDGEFIELD.

Mr. Leon u. "llllamb 1"O ucus
Troy Special to The State, November 30.
The usually quiet community of
Liberty Hill, in Edge6eld county,
was terribly shocked on Sunday af-
ternoon when the news spread that
Mr.. Leon J. Williams had shot and
killed Messrs. L. D. and ]. V. White,
brothers.
The particulars leading to the kill
ing date back to the election of 1894.
Mr.. Williams was then a candidate
for the legislature, and reports were
circulated detrimental to his charac-
ter. Mr.. Williams was informed that
Mr.. L. D. White was responsible for
these reports; hut matters were kept
quiet till the canvass of 1896, when
Mr.. White was a candidate for the
legislature.
"A short while before the election,
letters very damaging to Mr.. White
were received by different parties in
the county. By chance one of the
letters fell into Whites hands, and he
saw that Mr.. Williams was the author.
The contents of the letter was of such
a nature that Mr.. White thought a
retraction and apology necessary and
he 80 stated to some of his friends.
Friends of both parties then went to
work to try to ameliorate matters and
it was thought that the differences
were partially settled, or SO much so
that trouble would be avoided but it
seems that this was not to the salts
faction of Mr.. J. V. White, who cham
pioned his brothers cause, and kept
the matter agitated.
The union meeting at Bethany
church yesterday was an occasion when
the surrounding county turned out en-
masse, and it was the first time the
principals in the tragedy had met.
Just after services Mr.. ]. V. White
approached several gentlemen and
told them that he expected to have a
conversation with Mr.. Williams and
would like them to be present but he
was told that it was neither the time
nor place and to let it alone, and no
more was thought of it.
All except a few had left the
grounds, and Mr.. Williams, in compa-
ny with his mother, was driving off in
bis buggy, when he was called by J.
v. White and told that he would like
to see him. Mr.. Williams got out of
his buggy and went to where J.. V.
White aud L. D. White, P. B. Callison
and w. H. Yeldell were standing.
When J. v. White said something
about the letters that had been writ
ten during the last canvass, Mr.. Will
liams replied that he thought the mat
ter had been settled, and if they were
not satisfied they would have to act.
White then cursed him and shook his
fist in Williams face, whereupon the
latter knocked him down.
When White arose, he had his pistol
in his hand, and before any one could
interfere, Williams drew and fired,
shooting his antagonist through the
heart, killing him instantly.
L. D. White then began cutting
Williams about the head and face,
when he turned his gun and shot the
second White twice in the stomach
and in each arm.
Mr.. White fingered till 4 O'Clock
this morning when he died. He had
a pistol in his pocket but did not draw
it at all. He stated before his death
that he could have killed Mr.. Will
liams had he cared to.
Mr.. Williams received severe cut
across the temple and it was thought
that he would bleed to death before a
physician could reach him /; but he is
now resting well and is considered out
of danger.
He is an ex.member of the legis-
lature and is now member of the
state dispensary board of control. He
is we'll known in many parts of the
state and has hosts of friends.
The bodies of the dead men had
not been removed from the church
this morning. Their sad deaths are
doubly deplorable, as each leaves a
wife and children entirely dependent
upon them for support. Both were
Masons and will be buried tomorrow
at Bethany, the scene of the difficulty,
by the Mccormick lodge.