Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1901-01-02
aloopY CRIME ASABsEslLLg.
A Rntflan, a Stranger from Massachusetts and
the Sheriff Of the County Killed. N

the Sheriff Of the County Killed.
I Greenwood, December 80. AT Abbe
j Vile last night, rs q result Of q sdrunker
man's spleen and malice, three men ,weFe
killed, one Of whom was the sheriff oi
the county. The story OF the triple
tragedy sounds more like an account Of
an occurrence in some Western borde,
town than anything that has occurred
In South Carolina within recent years.
Last night about O'clock In the office
of tho Miller Hotel several men were
having a social game Of cards. One OF
tho players was William Kyle, a North.
erner, who has been experimenting the
building of tie new addition to the Alb
beyille Cotton Mill. While the game was
In progress John Dansby, q somewhat
notorious character, entered the room.
He was drinking and In qnarrelsome
mood. 1t is said that he had a difficulty
with Kyle in the afternoon. In few
moments he managed to have some
words with the latter and applied q vile
opithet to him. According to the story
of witnesses, Kyle got up from his chair
and rem0nstrated with Dansby, but
without making any demonstration of
violence, Dansby drew his pistol {, a 46
Colts, and when a bystander grabbed his
arm he quickly changed the gun to the
other hand and fired, the ball striking
Kyle in the abdomen. The shooting oc-
ourred 80 quickly that those present
hardly realized what had happened.
Dansby then backed out of the room,
declaring ho would shoot any man VIII o
attempted to stop him, and started to
the house of his father-in-law, Tom Van
Cresswell, near the cotton mill. The
news of the shooting quickly spread, and
Policemen johnson and O'Brien started
in pursuit. Of the murderer. They over
took him near Cresswell's house, but
Dansby stopped them with his pistol and
said he would shoot if they advanced.
The policemen then went to nearby
house and telephoned uptown for as
sistance. In a short time Sheriff r. l..
Kennedy, with several citizens, respond
cd to tho summons. They surrounded
tho house, tho policemen being stationed
at the windows, and Kennedy going to
| the front door, called to Dansby
to come out and surrender. Dansby
came out, closing the door behind him,
and with the remark: swell, we'll all
go to hell together," commenced firing.
Dansby was shot twice, once in the leg
and once full in the chest. Kennedy was
struck once in the left breast, near the
heart. Both mon emptied thoir pistols.
Kennedy fell as soon as hit, but Dansby
walked some fifty stops, and was reload
ing his pistol when one of the police
men ran up and grabbed him and took
the gun out of his hand. Several others
of the party were firing at Dansby at the
time, and there is some uncertainty as to
who fired the shots that struck him, but
it is thought that they were fired by Ken
nedy. Handouts were placed on him,
and he was carried to the Jail, but died
soon after reaching there, about an hour
after the shooting. He did not speak
after being shot. Kennedy was carried
to the Jail and expired within few
minutes of Dansby. Kyle, who was first
shot, lived until o'clock to-day, whom
he breathed his last. The coroner to-day
held an inquest and tho jury returned a
formal verdict in accordance with the
facts. This, in brief, is the story of the
bloodiest tragedy Abbeville county has
ever known.
John Dansby, the cause of the terrible
affair, was notorious character in Alb
beville county. He was about IS years
old and bod a, hoo,, n ,,o1.1...
He was noted gambler and had killed
two or three men before. His associates
werc mostly negroes. He was tried for
the murder of negro several years ago,
but was acquitted. He was for several
years deputy United States marshal.
He leaves wife and ono child.
Sheriff Kennedy belonged to one of the
best families in Abbeville county, and
was universally popular. In tho recent
primary he was elected on the first bal
lot over several opponents. He took
charge of his Office only nineteen days
ago. He was man of unquestioned
courage, and was a splendid citizen. He
was about 35 years old, was vice chan
cellor of Abbcville Lodge, X. of F., and
had $4,000 insurance in that order, and
was also insured in the Woodmen of the
World He leaves wife, who was n
Miss Hanvey, and one child. His re-
mains will be inferred tomorrow at
Lower Long Cano church, near his old
home.
Kyle was from Ludlow, Mass, and had
been experimenting tho erection of the
now addition to tho Abbeville Cotton
Mill. He was about 40 years old and
unmarried. He had finished his work at
Abbeville and was to start to his homo in
Massachusetts, to-day. 1t 10 se;a that ne
and Dansby had quarrel yesterday, but
this cannot be verified. During his stay
in Abbeville he had conducted himself
we'll and had many friends.
On his visit to Abbeville to-day The
News and Courier correspondent found
the people there overwhelmed by the
tragedy. Groups of three and four stood
around tho street cornera in the drizzling
rain discussing the affair in it's details.
Without dissent Dansby is blamed for
tho whole affair. He was man without
regard or respect for himself, and, nat,,-
rally, cared nothing for his own life or
tho life of others He had lono hean a