The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1899-12-13

news of the occurrence to Governor
McSwecncy, who telegraphcd lack
directing the chief constable to write
full particulars and 20 have the Sheriff
arrest Howard. Mr.. LaFar ordered
Constables Bishop and Eubank from
Spartanburg and Constable Thomasson
from Rock Hill to this pace. Mr..
LaFar is himself laid up with a badly
sprained ankle. He bears testimony to
the faithfulness and gcntlcmanly bear
ing Of the dead constable as we'll as Mr.
Cooley. He is impressed with the idea
that gcntlcmanly department and kind
treatment OF moonshiners is no guaran-
tee to make a constable's occupation in
any degree safe.
Several members of the numerous
Howard family came down from the
Dark Corner on the receipt Of the news
of the calamity that befoll their kinsman
Ihey proclaimed that they would make
it warm for any of the "spies" who came
their way. They declare hostility
against all men enforcing the liquor
laws, especially against constablcs. They
protest George was a crippled, inoffcn
sivc man and had nothing to do with
the liquor.
Howard himself asserted not long be.
fore his death that he was merely pass
int by and had stopped and was talking
TO the man who ran away. He said
there were two men in hiding near by
who opened fire on the constables.
The man who, 1t is alleged, owned the
Whiskey and wagon, is thought to be one
william Gosncll, Of the Dark Corner,
who has been noted for his moonshining
exploits. He was chased a few miles byy
Deputy Sheriff Whitmire, but his trail
was lost. Howard refused to divulgc
the name of this man.
George Howard was about forty-fiyc
years of age, and was a cripple, and he
was rather a harmless, inrocent looking
man, but he was known to be game and
had been implicated in at least one of
the stirring shooting scrapes which have
made the Dark Corner famous. His
family livcd>at the Poe mill. He leaves
a wife and several children. 1t was
freely predicted that he would get over
the shooting, many people believing the
Towards were unusually hard to kill.
John Bennett Cornwell, was twenty
eight years old and q son Of the late
Representative Cornwell, Of Chester
County. The family is one of the best
in Chester. Young Cornwcll was a
brave officer and a quiet, courteous gen.
tlcmen at all times. He was q total OBJ
stainer from intoxicants and singularly
free from vice of all kinds He was a
consistent member of the Baptist church,
and not long before the end he said
ne was prepared to die, but was
terribly grieved to leave his young wife
and his aged mother. He was for a
year or moro a student at Furman Uni
versity and made many friends here
while in that school. He was sent hero
over a year ago as q constable and made
a most favorable impression on all. By
the people who knew him as a boy, a
man and an officer he is spoken of with
great feeling and respect. Six weeks
ago he was married to Miss Nora Wise,
or Chester County. She became sick
about two weeks ago and was very i'll
at Mr.. =. q. LaF'ar's when MIR. Cornwell
received his fatal wound. Her state
was alarming and it was feared she
you'd not survive the shock. However,
she insisted on going to Chester with
the remains of her husband, and it was
decided to allow her TO do 80. Her
brother, a physician, accompanied her.
Mr.. Cornwclls mother, his two sisters,
Misses Kate and M. l.. Cornwell and his
brother, Sheriff j. e. Cornwell, of
Chester, arrived Thursday. Another
brother. t. J.. .Cornwell, president of the
Bessomer, Ala, Savings Bank, also
niiirou thursday. Me:SrS. d. Il. and
i. j. Cornwell were students here at
the Patrick Military Institute, and j. e.
Cornwoll graduated at that school in
. DIR. Simpson Wise of Clinton, N.
g. and j. II. Wise, OF Chester, brothers
OF Mrs. Cornwell, arrived Thursday
night. Col. II j. Cunningham, a promi-
nent citizen Of Chester came over. The
afflicted ones were given the tenderest
attentions by Mr.. LaFar, Rev. w. l.
Boggs and wife, Rev. II. w. Sanders and
others.
Constable George l., Cooley is at the
nom or Chief Constable LaFar. He is
shot in the back and in the left hand.
HIS wounds are severe and very painful,
but he has not been at any time con.
sidered In grave danger. He has asked
to be taken to his home at Honea Path,
but the physicians have not agreed to
this. MIR. Cooley Is about forty wears
old and has a wife and eight childre n.
lie has been on the force four years and
has never before had a difficulty. He Is
a native of this county and is well.
known and highly esteemed. He Is o
pious kind hearted man and commands
the respect of.the people of this co,nmu-
nifty to q marked degree.
Coroner Wilbanks can do nothing at
present except possibly to arrest Cooley,
which would probably seem farcicel.
The only witness Is himself and his tes.
timony, although 1t fixes on him the
killing of Howard, will hardly convict
him Of anything.