The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-12-09
] TRIPLE TRAGEDY.
Madison James, Lunatic, Kills his
Wife and Rrother.iasLaw.
WAS HIMSELF SHOT TO DEATH.

z y. Z -. +. r.
WAS HIMSELF SHOT TO DEATH.
Three OF the SheriH's Posse Was
Wounded in an Ail-Day Fight
With the Desperate
| Man.
Madison James, farmer living in
the Kelleytown section of Darlington
County about five miles from Harts-
vile, shot and killed his wife on Fri
day night, murdered his brOther-in-
law, Mr.. Sid Kelley, Saturday MORN
Ing about O'Clock, and was himself
shot to death about a O'Clock Satur-
day afternoon by a sheriff's posse
afteran allday battle. James was a
man about fifty years OF age, and
heretofore a peaceable, inoffensive
man. Two years ago he was sent to
the asylum at @ ,lumbia and had be n
discharged and returned home only
about seven weeks ago.
james was we'll do farmer in
spite OF the mental infirmitles from
which he had suffered and was thought
TO be cured. With his wife, who was
a Miss Kelley, of Kelleytown, locali-
ty in Darlington County, we'll known,
he lived in large farm hCue. His
mother in law, Mrs. Kelley was in the
hou e Friday ngnt and about 10
O'Clock quarrel arose between this
venerable woman Of IS and James.
Mrs. James took the part If her
mother. James rage beclme ungov-
a n h n N nd l,0 -
for his shotgun. The elder woman
fled ont into the night and, terrified,
escaped to. u neighbours house. Mrs.
James was overtaken on the piazza by
the frenzlei husband, and a charge
fired into her body. That is the story
of Friday nights tragedy.
Later in the night, about 2 O'Clock,
r. Sydney Kelly came to the James
house. All was quiet. James pruba-
oily was sleeping after the exhaustion
following mis- furious passion. Mr..
Kelly went up the steps Tito the
piazza and covered the body of his
dead sister with a Sheet He then re-
turned to his home.
Saturday morning he went again to
the hodse. He had had great intiu-
ence over James. He had carried
: him to the hospital when he first BE-
came insane and believed that alone
he could best quiet the maddened
man. When he r-ached the house
lanes was within. All the doors
were locked. Kelley went to win
dow at the side and James appeared.
~ conversation followed. X .l!ey sit
ting on box, and after few m nutes
Kelley turned his face away. In an
other instant the man from within
had tired load OF shot into his neck
aud he fell dead. The muZzle OF the
gun was only foot or two from him.
Meanwhile Sheriff George b. Scar
borough and his son, Robert j. Scar
borough, who is his deputy, had been
notified, and they left Darlington,
fifteen or eighteen miles distant, com.
, ing as rapidly as posi- ole towards the
scene, sun,moning p sSe on the way
When they reached keleytown there
we're from twenty to thirty men in
the posse, most Of them residents of
the surrounding country and some
from Hartsv ! g.
When they approached the James
house no sound was heard. Ga the
piaZzTlay the Sheet covered corpse OF
the dead wife, and few. yards dis
tant, on the ground, was the body OF
b Slaini elder trO her. No answer
!, came to Sheriff Scarborough's repeat
ed calls. at last the sheriff mounted
the steps, his son close behind him,
and began to force open the door. AS
the door was giving way the roar OF a
shotgun and the raGtle Of shot on the
cip
craZed man had opened fire. II g
; Sheriff and deputy retreated. The
pt SSe surrounded the house. In a mo-
ment another shot came from within,
tired from window. The fire was an
swered by the posse. Pistols and Win
chester rifles cracked and shotgu Ms
reverberated. The window from which
X the shot had c3me was the target.
II, From 1t other shots came, and for
az brief time the desperate man ci u
tKnued to lire. the battle, for such it
wasi, lasted only short minute or
tWoA Somebody's bullets, more than
one, Mad found their mark and the
unhappy creature In the house was
dead. Tha walls AMI ceiling Of the
room In whiG.h he made his last stand
were filled WHY, bullet and shot holes
and the window p&.nes shot into frag
mcnts. a shotgun AND Winchester
rifle were found in the house. When
the smoke had cleared away it was
found that four members OF 9he posse
had received wounds, none Of which
is expected to prove fatal.
Mr.. Kelley was one of the most
prosperous men Of his neighborhCod
and a man who exerted among his
people most excellent influence fo:~
good. Everyone here feels it a loss
to the section that he has been killed.
for bigger hearted, more honest
man 1T would be hard to find. Neigh
bors insist that James was not crazy
when he murdered his wife and her
brother. They say that he was an
cry with Kelley fir sending him TO
the asylum and that the murders fol-
lowed as result OF this.
His action from all accounts were
remarkably deliberate and his fight
for eight hours remarkably we'll con
Quoted for a man who was tempora-
rily beroft Of mind. There can be no
doubt, however, that Mr.. Kelley be.
lieved him insane when lie approached
him Saturday morning or else he
would not have acted in a way so
foreign his usually careful, If fear
less, disposition. There was much
excitement Saturday and men came