The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-03-04
q DEPLORABLE AFFAIR.
4 School Teacher Shoots One Of His
Larger Pupils.

\ very deplorable affair took place
at Inman in Spartanburg County the
first OF last week, in which Mr.. Reu-
ben b. Pitts, the principal OF the In
man school, shot and dangerously
wounded one of his larger pupils by
the name of Ed. Foster. 1t seems
that on Monday Pitts had ordered
Foster to stay in after school was dis
missed, but Foster did not regard the
teachers WORDS. Tuesday afternoon
the request was repeated. and along
with Foster three other Of the Oldest
pupils were kept 10. The teacher
and Foster went into the room aGjoin-
ipg, where the three remaining pupils
sat, and after closing the door Mr..
Pitts stated to Foster that he would
have to whip him. Foster said moth
ing. Pitts secured switch and be-
gan to strike the student, who was
larger and heavier III weight than he.
..oout this time the door was showed
open and the three male pupils sur
rounded the teacher. Pitts changed
bis hickory from his right hand to the
left. reached with his right hand into
his hip pocket and produced a 32
calIbre pistol. AS he brough the fire
arm in front Foster struck forward
with his hand, hitting the pistol and
causing the weapon and the arm OF
the teacher to fall, and the gun was
discharged. The bullet entered Fos-
ter's stomach. The wounded boy was
carried to the home Of Mrs. r. +.
Brown, near the school house. where
an operation was performed. Pitts
surrendered to the sheriff and is now
in jail. Foster is laying at the point
of death and is not expected to re-
cover.
FOSTER Is DEAD.
Foster died on Friday morning. Be-
fore dieing he made the following
statement:
The ante-mortem statement Of FoS-
ter was read as follows:
State of South Carolina, Spartanburg
County.
Personally came E. L. Foster before
me and made oath that he is q resi-
dent Of this county, aud, being badly
wounded by a pistol in the hands OF
one Reuben Pitts on Feo. y, 1908.
and realizing that his wound is con-
sidered dangerous and might prove ia
tai makes this his ante-mortem decia-
ration: First, that Reuben Pitts is
principal Of Inman graded school and
that on the afternoon Of February
p, 1903, the said Reuben Pitts caused
me to stay in after school was dis
missed: after words he called me up
to him and said he was going to
whip me. He sent three other
boys out of the room. He asked
ne why l Gid not stay IN on the day
before. I said l did not miss but one
word and would not take whipping.
He then ordered me to get up and said
he was going to whip me; brought two
switches from roStrum and laid one on
bench: he gave me two ,icks l then
grabbed the switch and told him I.was
not going to take it. He changed
switch from right to left hand and put
his hand on hip pocket and drew a
pistol threw it up in my face. then
grabbed pistol and tried to knock it
off: he then fired it. 1t cid not weaken
me at first. did not know that | was
shot and l caught him by the hair he
again threw pistol up. ! then began to
get weak and fell back on the rostrum.
Fred Ballenger. Jessie Ballenger and
RAYMOND Wolfe who were also kept
in. who were in an adjoining room.
come in when the pistol fired. Pitts
said as fell down Just as | expected.
you are all on me- He jumped up
two or three times saying he was aw-
fully sorry about it. About that time
Jessie Ballcnger had my clothes un-
fastened. Pitts came up and wanted
70 know where l was Shot. He then
left the room saying he was going to
give up. There was no one in the
struggle with Pitts but myself.
(Sicned) Ed. FoSte::.
Sworn to before NE this February
2tth. 1903. G.. H. Camp, '. 2.