The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1901-04-18
Capt. J. J. Griffin of the Norfolk and
Western Killed.
MAJOR B. B. tYANS IS IN JAIL.
The Shooting Done in the Latter's
Bedroom With His Pistol - The
Coroner'S Verdict.

! Of the Norfolk and Western railroad.
! one Of the most widely known and
| popular railroad men in this section.
/ lies dead in this city with a bullet
hole through his left breast, just
above the heart. and in the Rich
! land county Jail, Mai. Barnard Bee
Evans. brother Of EX-Gov. Evans. is
confined, awaiting the result of the
! corOner's investigation into the cause
Of Capt. Griffin's death. Whether
! Maj. Evans will be held responsible
! for the death of Capt Griffin remains
! for the coroner's jury to say. Capt.
| Griffin met his death in Maj. Evans
! room, the corner room on the second
| floor Of the main building at the cor
ner Of Main and Lady streets. There
! he died in the presence Of officers OF
the law, and the circumstances are
most peculiar. The fatal bullet came
| from a 44-calibre Colts pistol, said
to belong to Maj. Evans. found on
! the table in the room, with one cham
Der empty. There is no evidence
that any other persons We're about
the room. Capt. Griffin died with his
clothes or in Maj. Evans bed.
The first news of the tragedy caus-
ed a profound sensation throughout
the city. All knew the two men,
knew that they were friendly, and
We're shocked at the announcement
Crowds gathered in front cf the build
ing. and many tried to get past tha
police officers stationed at tho en-
trance All kinds of stories were
afloat as to the sad tragedy which
had ended the life Of a popular man
and sent another mantle son Of
Confederate general and the brother
of an ex-gOvernor-to Jail. to be held
pending investigation.
The tragedy occurred about three
o'clock, it is supposed or possibly a
little latter. At, about 10 minutes Of
o'clock the victim was stiff in
death, and the crowd was in search
of information.
To briefly sum up the essential
facts of the matter as gathered from
those first on the scene. it MAY be
said that Capt. Griffin had been to
Greenwood the day before. returning
in the afternoon. He and Maj. Ev-
ans were seen together during the af-
ternoon. and seemed to be perfectly
friendly. Saturday Capt. Griffin was
about his business as usual. and was
talking to some Of the coming reun-
ion in the most enthusiastic manner.
At 2 o'clock he was seen entering
the building in which Mai. Evans
roomed. and those who saw him say
he was not apparently drinking.
That was the last seen of him until
he was found unconscious and dying
in the room.r About 3:15 o'clock,
Mai. Evans came down into Muller's
grocery below and used the phone.
saving that a man had been hurt in
the building, and calling up several
doctors. Finally he gOc Or. Gibbs
over the wire and asked him to come.
Omitting for the present DR.. Gibbes
trying experiences, this summary of
what he found is given: There was
q pool Of blood on the floor some
feet from the foot of the bed. and
the footboard was smeared on the
outside with blood; in the bed, with
the head resting naurally on the pill
low, about ten feet from the blood
pool. was the dying form Of Capt.
Griffin. Doctors say he couldn't have
gotten there by himself His shirt
front was saturated with blood. On
the corner of the table most distant
from the bed was the pistol-a Al
calibre Colts. with one empty cham
Der. Nearby was Capt. Griftin's hat,
a derby with the crown indented as
if struck by a stick. Some eight or
+ho tho
ner angle Of the building, lay a
walking stick. smcared with blood.
On the table sat a pitcher contain
ing corn cocktail, and a glass near
by contained a stiff drink. On Capt.
Grifin's face and forehead there
were humber of bruises, and later
examination showed powder burns
on his breast and on the back OF his
right hand. In the farthest corner OF
the room was a keg Of corn Whlskey
cocktail.
1t seems that no one heard the
shot. The first intimation OF any
thing wrong was when Maj. Evans
came down into Muller's store to use
the phone in calling physician TO
attend some one who was hurt, CIV
ing no names and not stating the
trouble.
DR.. Gibbes was finally reached at
his Office. He answered the phone
| himself, and when he asked what the
character Of the case was he was
| told to wait till he came; 1t was no
matter then. When DR.. Gibbes got to
the building he could find no one
| about. He went down to Muller's
where he was told that Maj. Evans
| had been telephoning for a doctor.
Knowing where Mr.. Evans room
was. he went there and knocked.
He went into the room, finding no
one but Maj. Evans and Capt. Griffin
| therein the conditions being as de-