The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-01-22
SHOTFOR FANClED INSULT
Four Lives For a Trifle at q South
Carolina Party.
One Man Stepped on Another's Foot-By-
stander, Shot by Accident, Kills
Three Men-Is Killed in Return.

Columbia, S. C.-The village Of Rob.
bins, in the backwoods of Barnwell
County, furnishes the latest tragedy of
Importance. due chiefly to the custom
of carrying concealed firearms. A
country party was given at the resi-
dence of J. G. Griffin, at which dancing
was the feature. Neighbors were in
vited, and they came from miles
around All were of the well-to-do
farming grade in life. Almost every
young man who came was accom-
panied by q girl. Some one who had
visited the dispensary at Barnwell
brought some whisky, and this had
something to do with the starting Of
the trouble.
During one of the dances Charley
Hobbs stepped on Hayward Dunbar's
foot. Hobbs apologized, but Dunbar
reported to his father, George r. Dun
bar, who was in another room. that
he had been insulted. The father i'm
mediately drew his pistol and ad-
xvapced into the. room where Hobbs was
dancing with young woman. At the
door he raised his pistol to shoot. The
weapon was struck aside by a BY
stander, the bullet going wide of its
mark and hitting Fletcher Bennett. one
of the numerous guests in the room.
Bennett fell to the floor severely
wounded. He drew his pistol as he
did so and shot George R. Dunbar.
the father, through the heart. Rest
ing on one elbow. Bennett continued
firing. The next victim of his pistol
was Harry, the sixteen-year-old son of
George Dunbar, who fell dead over
his fathers body. The, Dunbar family
stood together. while others in the
room made a frantic effort to escape.
Men and women rushed for doors and
windows and fell over one another in
the stampede The room was on the
first floor of the house, and the girls
threw themselves recklessly out of the
windows.
Meantime Benefits pistol was con-
tinuing its ork Of eXterminating the
Dunbar family. Arthur Dunbar, an
other son of George R. Dunbar, was
mortally wounded and has since died.
The mother Of the two young men and
WllS Ol lSSCifSo -
bullet in the abdomen, but was saved
from death by a stool in her corset,
which broke the force of the bullet.
George Dunbar Kirkland, nephew of
Mrs. Dunbar, now dashed into the
room. He saw the last shot fired by
Bennett, and, drawing his pistol,
rushed upon ne wounded man. Ben
nett snapped his pistol, but it was
empty. 1t had taken three lives and
wounded a woman. Benefits brother
was supporting the head Of the man
who had been dealing death. AS Kirk
land approached, pistol in hand. Fos-
ter Bennett begged him not to shoot.
pleaded for his brothers life.
Kirkland ordered Foster Bennett. to
move aside or he would be killed also.
So the brother withdrew his arm from
under Fletcher Benefits head and
sprang aside.
The wounded man lay on the. floor.
looking up into Kirkland's face. His
energy had bene exhausted in firing
mis- pistol at the Dunbars. Now he
could not lift hand to defend him
self, and Kirkland, placing the muzzle
of his pistol to Benefits forehead.
sent two bullets through his brain.
Kirkland surrendered to the Sheriff.
The Dunbars have been well-known
family in Barnwell County for fifty
yaars