The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1903-03-06
A DEPLoRABLE AFFAIR.
a School Teacher Shoots One of Ills
larger Pupils.

y very dcplorablc affair took place
at lnman In Spartanburg County the
first of last week, in which Mr.. Rcu-
ben 3: Pitts, the principal oi the In
man school: shot aud 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 In The teacher
and Foster went into the room adjuin-
ing, where the three remaining pupils
sat, and after closing the door Mr..
Pitts stated to Foster that lie would
have to whip him. Foster said notl-
ing. Pitts secured Il switch and be.
gan to strike the student, who was
larger and heavier in weight than he
About this time the door was showed
open and the three male pupils sur
rounded the teacher. Pitts changed
his hickory from his right hand to the
left, reached with his right hand into
his hip pocket and produced a. 81
calibrc pistol. AS he brough the Fl re
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 wa.
discharged. The bullet entered Eos
tcr's stomach. The wounded 10y was
carried to the home of Mrs. II. T.
Brown, near the school house, where
an operation was performed. Pitts
surrendered to the Sheriff and Is nov
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
lore dieing he made the following
statement:
The antc-mortcm statement Of Eos
ter was read as follows:
State OF South Carolina, Spartanburr
County
Personally came Il. l.. Foster before
me and made oath that he is a resi-.
dent OF this county, and, being badly
wounded by pistol in the hands OF
one Reuben Pitts on Feb. "a, 1908
and realizing that his wound is con
sidered dangerous and might prove IA
tai makes this his ante mOrlcm decla-
ration: First, that Reuben Pitts is
principal Of Inman graded school and
that on the afternoon OF February
24, 1908, the said Reuben Pitts caused
me to stay in after school was dis
missed: after words he called me ur
to him and said he was going tc
whip me. Ilc sent three otlle,
boys out Of the room. He asked
me why / did not stay in on the day
before. ! said did not miss but one
word and would not take Il whipping
lie then ordered me to get up and Sait
nc was going to whip me; brought twt
switches from roStrum and laid one or
bench; he gave me two licks l thcr
grabbed the switch and told him 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
oil: he then fired it, l t did not weaken
me at first. did not know that was
shot and ! caught him by the hair he
again threw pistol up. l then began tc
get weak and fell back on the rostrum
Fred l5allcngcr, Jessie Ballengcr anG
Raymond Wolfe who were also kept
in, who were in IN adjoining room
come in when the pistol fired. Pitt.
said us fell down Just as | expected
you are all on me-" lie jumped VI
two or three times saying he was aw
fully sorry about it. About that time
Jessie l'allcngcr had my clothes un
fastened. Pitts came up and wantct
to know where was shot. lie thcl
left the room saying he was going tt
give up. There was no one in TIN,
struggle with Pitts but myself.
toIgncd) Ed. Foster
Sworn to before me this Fcbr,lar,
9th, 1903, G. II. Camp, V. p.