The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-03-09
Terrible Tragedy Shocks Spartanbure.

SpARTANBuRG, March lat 2.3O
o'clock this afternoon DR.. s. j.. Biy-
ings shot and killed II. j. TRIMMER in
the latter's book store on the public
square. An immense crowd gathered
in front of the store at once and all
kinds of rumors were ntloat, but no
demonstration Of any kind was made.
Both were men of prominence and
both had many friends: in fact, the
two were themselves bosom friends,
and az the news went from mouth to
m"":!i i; Shuchci and surprised every
body. Just what caused the difficulty
IL not yet known, but ii seems to have
bccnasomcthing about Bivings wife.
Mr. !. W. Cray, of Glendale. was
standing at Mr.. Trimmicr'S desk Civ
ing an order for somic printing, which
Mr.. TRIMMER was writing down. DIR.
Bivings walked up behind him and
fired 1T TRIMMER over his left .houl.
der. Mr.. Gray stated that it was so
close to him as to jar him considcra-
bly, and cause him to think some one
was firing at him. He turned quickly
and saw Bivings fire W more shots.
Bivincs then said: 81 will teach You
how to speak other than respectfully
Of my wife TRIMMER replied:
What do you mean and sank
down. In three minutes he was dead.
being shot through the heart. I,iv-
ings then turned towards the front Of
the store. Mr.. Trimmicr's son came
in and started back towards his father
and Bivings remarked: Don't bother
me. for | don't want to hurt YOU"
and shot him through the hand.
Bivings, with a pistol in each hand,
walked up to Policeman McAbec on
the street and surrendered. lie was
then licked iii jail.
If there be anything else the coron-
cr's inquest will have to develop it,
for ali parties refuse TO talk at this
time. The inquest will be held to-
night. This city has not had G pore
profound sensation since George s..
Turner'S day. Both mon we're raised
in this county. DR.. Bivings has been
practioing dentistry here for a number
Of years and Mr.. TRIMMER was the
proprietor OF the well-known Trim
mlcr's book store. Both have fami-
liea. The tragedy is dcplorablc.
SrARrANBURa. March 3.-The
friends of DR.. Bivings now say he was
crazy when he committed the awful
deed of Tuesday afternoon. 1t is only
on this hypothesis that they can ac-
count for his actions. T. j. Trim
mier had been perhaps the best friend
he had in the world and he had made
Trimmier's book store his h~eadguar-
teFs for a year or more. M.s. Bi7iug5
states that Mr.. Trimmer had always
treated her in a perfectly gentlemanly
manner and she had not seen him
since just before the Christmas holi-
days. If Mr.. Trimmer had ever said
anything derogatory about Mrs. Biy-
lngs to anybody it has not yet been
divulged. Such seems incredible, for
Mrs. Bivings is abovc rcproach and is
highly respected by all who know her.
BiviHgs' health has been bad for sew
eral months and he had given up the
practice of dentistry. Mrs. Bivings
stated to a reporter that on the after
moo before the tragedy ! physician
had stated to her that her husband
was suffering from mental alteration.
These facts, taken together with his
actions in the telegraph Office both be-
fore and after the shooting, cause
some to doubt his sanity. This be
not the case a cause for the deed has
yet to be fOund.-THe State.
A o, &c. C2-- sT "