Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1901-05-01
EVANS TELLS OF oRIFf,n's DEATH.
Griffin Tries 10 Commit Sulclde--Evans Tries
to Take Pistol, Which Is Discharged.

|
Evans was to-day admitted to bail In the
sum Of three thousand dollars. John
Gary Evans, N. Geo. Evans and w. j.
Murray went on the bond and Major
Eyans has gone homo.
Geo. Johnstone appeared for Major
Evans and Judge Crawford and Major
Gary are associated in tho defense. The
chief and only sensational evidence was
that Of Major Evans and he testified as
follows:
WHAT EVANS SAYS. 3"
"Capt. Griffin helped mo to move some
OF the furniture, and when this was fin,
ished we went over to my room in the
Greenfield Building. A friend of mine
had sent me small keg Of whiskey, OF
which had before informed Capt. Grif-
lin, and our purpose was to open this
keg and try the whiskey. The keg was
sent few days before and had not been
opened. AS nearly as can recolleot II
was between II and IL O'Clock whom we
got to the room. called William Roof,
the janitor, to como and open the keg,
and he, under the direction of Capt
Griffin, did so. Whom the liquor was
poured out it was found to be colored
although 1t had been sont to mo for corn
whiskey.
"We remarked upon tho color as un,,.
sual for corn whiskey, but took a drink
Of it, and William filed a small waite,
pitcher with it and placed It on the table.
We sat down and talked upon various
SUBJECTS, and during the time took seve
raj drinks. 1t was drizzly day.
After sitting and talking for some
time, Capt. Griffin asked mo for q cigar
Not having one, never smoking, wont
down to get him one. Upon my return
William Roof came in and Capt. Griffin
remarked about my having only one
cigar and said that it would not last him
and sent William down to buy some
moro.
"We continued our conversation and
it drifted to my racc for railroad com
missioner in the last election in which
Capt. Griffin had taken such friondly
and active interest and in which he had
been my principal advisor.
He began to talk Of plans for another
campaign aud said he could elect me
next year.
"My dinner hour having approached, 1
invited Capt. Griffin to go with mo tc
dine at my boarding house. He replied
No. and said that L must go to Ber
David's restaurant and consented to dc
so. We arose and decided to take a
drink before going to dinner and Capt
Griffin had just finished taking his. had
poured out mine and was preparing tc
take it and was standing with tho bureau
to my side and back and was facing Lady
street.
SUICIDE.
"Capt. Griffin was standing up at
the bureau. My pistol was lying in the
top bureau drawer which was partly
open, the room not having been put in
order for tho day. My attention was
attracted to Capt. Griffin by hearing him
repeat poetry something about This is
not an ignoblo DEATH
81 turned around and saw him with
a pistol in his hand inclined towards
himself. Iput down my glass untouched
and exclaimed: Mind that pistol is
loaded. / sought to got possession OF
the pistol He did not release it and
while we were thus engaged tho pistol
| fired
"We both jumped back startled, and
Capt. Griffin stopped back. rushed to
his assistance, and he said: L am shot.
Go for DOCTOR rushed out to see If
could SEQ doctor. l ran down stairs
and went into Mullor's storo and tried to
call doctor over the 'phonc. l could
get no satisfactory answer. went to
DIR. Rice's Office, which is in Gervais
street, but found no ono in. came
down Main street and went to DR.. Fish
burns Office, but seeing no ono there
went to McMillan's drug storo and tried
to telephone doctor from there.
VI could get no ono and went back
across Main street and went into Ma
lone's piano store, but could not got the
uso of his phone, as it was being used
| went again into Mr. Millcr's store, ant
being informed doctor would soor
come, / went to my room.
81 found Capt. Griffin on tho floor be-
tween tho bed and tho table and tried te
help him up as best l could and got him
on tho bed. Iopcncd his collar and shirt
and asked him to breathe hard and ht
did so. Afterwards DR.. Gibbes came in
and asked him to do all ho could fo,
my friend and assisted him to tho best
of my ability.
DR.. Gihbes said that lio ijootcti siryci
nino and that Capt. Griffin was dying.
l had not realized that he was dying and
| blamed the doctor for the use OF
| strychnine, knowing it to DO n deadly
| poison.
81 became incenscd and greatly OK
cited Afterwards policemen came tc
tho room and l became indignant and
moro excited. | was taken into the Gus
tody of the law ard have boon imprs
oncd ever since.
THEY WE'RE WARM FRIENDS.
between Capt. Griffin and mo there
had existed warm and intimate friend.
ship for years past, and with him was,
perhaps, moro intimate than with any
other pcrson outside my immediate
family. During tho time that covered
| the sad occurrences related in this affi
dayit our friendship and intimacy were
not broken in the slightest degree
While guest in my room not an unkind
word was spoken, not an unfriondly act
suggested, and l sincerely regret his
death"
Tho Atlanta Semi Weekly Journal
and The CoURIBR for $1.75 a year.