The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-08-03
SLAYER OF DAWSON.
Dr.. Thomas D. Mellow, Found Dead
in His Bed.
IN HIS HOUSE ALL ALONE.

IN HIS HOUSE ALL ALONE.
Judging from the State Of Els
c m p osed d Body, He
Must Have Been Dead
Several Days.
A special to the State from Charles
lesion says: Dr.. Thomas B. McDow,
the slayer Of Capt. F. W. Dawson,
late editor Of The News and Courier,
was found dead in bed at his residence
on Rutledge avenue Tuesday morning,
having been dead since probably
Saturday night or Sunday morning,
judging from the state OF decomposi-
tion OF the body. DR.. McDow's wife
and daughter we're in the mountains
and he had been occupying the house
alone, which accounts sor the long
time that elapsed between his death
and the finding OF his body.
The discovery Of the dead body was
made by J. e. McDow, stableman,
cousin Of the deceased, who was
notified Tuesday morning about 8
o'clock by DR.. McDow's negro buggy
driver that be had not seen the doc
tor since Saturday afternoon and was
fearful that something had happened
to him. When the negro failed to see
the doctor Tuesday he concluded that
be had taken run out Of the city,
but finding the house shut up again
Tuesday morning, after attending to
the horse and stable he notified the
cousin OF the dead man. Mellow
forced open the door Of the house and
then entered the bedroom, 20 find the
doctor dead. The room was in an
orderly condition. The mosquito net
had been carefully tucked in around
the mattress, DR.. McDow's clothes
were laid on chair near his bed and
a pitcher Of water and glass stood
on table by the bed. The body was
on it's back, with the arms carefully
thrown over the chest. There was
no evidence Of any struggle and it
looked as though death had peacefully
and suddenly come to him.
NO AUTOPSY HELD.
An autopsy was not held, being con-
sidered unnecessary on account Of DR..
McDow having been under treatment
for heart disease, DR.. 4. e. Baker is
suing a certificate that this was the
cause Of his death. DR.. McDow had
fainting spell few days ago at the
Office OF the Charleston Light and
Water company while paying his wa
ter rent, and the Supposition is that
the repetition OF the attack was too
great strain for the organ to bear
and he succumbed under it during
Saturday night or Sunday morning.
DR.. McDoW was 49 years Of age. BE
has been p-acticing his profession here
for number Of years and was con-
sidered to be in good circumstances.
He had nice home on Rutledge ave-
nue..
THE DAWSON TRAGEDY.
On March II, 1899, Dr.. McDow
shot and killed Capt. Francis War
rington Dawson, editor OF The News
and Courier, one OF the best known
men in South Carolina and a man Of
national reputation in the world Of
journalism and politics. Capt. DaW-
son had gone to Dr.. McDow's office to
demonstrate with him concerning
alleged attention by him to young
woman employed as domestic in
Capt. Dawson's family, and 1t was
while the two men were alone in the
Office that the killing occurred, at
about O'Clock in the afternoon. 1t
was not until several hours a:terward
that the tragedy beca me known and
it made an immense sensation in
Charleston and all over the country.
After killing Capt. Dawson, by shoot
ing him with a revolver, DR.. McDow
attempted to hide the body in a small
unpaved passageway leading from his
office, which he tried to dig grave.
He testified at his trial, upon charge
of murder, that this was done in the
high excitement and nervous trepida-
tion following the death Of his victim
and not with any intelligent idea OF
hiding the result Of his deed, and that
as soon as be had come to a realiza-
tion of what he had done, he reported
the death Of Capt. Dawson to the
authorities.
The trial Of DR.. McDoW was an
event Of absorbing interest In Charles
ton and every feature Of it was closely
followed by the crowds that packed
the court house. he was acquitted
upon a plea OF self-defenSe, his claim
being that Capt. Dawson had threat
ened him and had struck at him with
heavy cane.
In the excitement following the
first news Of the killing Of Capt. Daw-
son, there was some talk Of lynching
party and actually plans were laid by
some OF the overwrought friends of the
slain editor to take DR.. McDow from
the county jail and execute: him sum-
marily, but better councils, fortified
greatly by citations Of Capt. Dawson's
own firm views upon the dignity OF
the law, prevailed, and there was no
demonstration made.
Since the tragedy DR.. Mellow has
continued to live in the house on Rut-
ledge avenue and to have his Office at
the place where ne killed Capt. Daw-
son, and it was in that residence that
he died and bis body was found.
Died from Cigarettes.
Mr.. Chas. Steele, a young man %
years Of age, shot himself through the
head with a revolver at the home OF