Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-01-20
SUICIDE OF J. A. WATSON.


result of careful and deliberate prepar-
alton. Death was instantaneous.
1t was about half past 10 o'clock
when Mr.. Watson's body was found
by Mr. 8. w. Watson, his son. lying In
the back Of the garden, but from the
surrounding circumstances 1t was ev-
ident that the shooting had taken place
at least two hours before.
When the reporter arrived on the
scene a few minutes after the alarm
had been given. he found that a num-
Der Of citizens had already gathered
about the corpse; but nothing had
been disturbed. The unfortunate man
lay on a bank OF grass covered earth,
the left side of his face covered with
blood and powder smoke, and the shot
gun still lying In the position in which
1t was left by the murderous dis
charge.
Mr.. 8. w. watson says he heard
the report of the gun. He was at
breakfast at the time. He did not know
where his father was; but had no
suspicion of anything unusual. The
firing of guns in the vicinity Is not
matter Of rare occurrence. Some
time afterward he walked down in the
garden and was Mortified at the awful
find against which he stumbled.
The body, as Il was found. lay on
Its side, In doubled up position. The
shot gun, which was double-barrel
muzzle- loader lay with the muzzle
within a few inches Of the left side
of the head and the butt near the feet.
From the hands to the trigger guard
extended a shoot of a wild cherry tree,
fork at the small end fitting over
one Of the triggers. Mr.. Watson had
cooked his gun, laid down on his side,
| placed the forked stick against the
trigger, and ended his life by means
of pressure with his hands. The soft
earth underneath the butt of the gun
| showed a slight depression that had
evidently. been made by. the shock OF
the discharge. and another not quite
so pronounced that was probably
made by a rebound. There seemed to
be nothing to indicate that death was
not instantaneous.
Examination of the wild cherry
shoot which had been used to fire the
gun, showed that all the limbs had
| been carefully trimmed, so as to leave
no jagged places. In fact the trim
ming could not have consumed less
than fifteen minutes, whether all at
one time or at different times, But
the stick was not prepared this morn
| Ing. The condition OF the knife marks
| show that the trimming must have
been matter Of several days ago.
The place where the stick was secur-
ed, was found on an adjoining lot and
the evidence there was the same, II
has since developed that the buckshot,
with which the gun was charged, were
purchased from the Withers Adickes
company about q week ago,
Mr.. S. w. Watson ave It as his
opinion this morning that his fathers
death was due to dependency. MY
father had been trying to get work
for some time past" said Mr.. Wat
son, land being unable to do so. be-
came very despondent. We all knew
OF this; but we had no idea that he
was contemplating anything like max
ing way with himself" A little negro
hn rla oh ho rd
Mr.. Watson several times lately say,
"Out of work; out Of bread" It is
understood that up-to-xhe past few
days the unfortunate man had hopes
Of getting a position; but when he A.
nally learned that he would not Sc
cure the place, he carried into final ex-
ecution the desperate purpose that had
probably been forming in his mind for
q week orsnore,
Mr.. James A. Watson was a son Of
the late Rev. Samuel NJ. Watson, for
many years pastor Of Bethel church,
and was born in Bethel township on
April /, 1841. He was well educated
and devoted the greater part of his life
to school teaching. He volunteered
his services to the Confederacy short
ly after the breaking out Of the war,
and became a member Of Company A,
18th regiment, Of which he was ap-
pointed second sergeant. Later he be-
came first sergeant, and was elected
second lieutenant. Afterward he was
promoted tc first lieutenant. He was
wounded at Gettysburg and the Will
derness, and was captured by the en-
emy at Sutherland Station on April
8, 1866. He remained a prisoner at
Johnson's Island, O., until some time
after the close Of the war.
Mr.. Watson has been living In York.
vile for nearly twenty years, and was
universally regarded as an upright
Christian gentleman. In fact he was
the very synonym Of honesty, probity
and correct living; but 1t would hard
ly be fair to say that he was a popu-
lar man. The only reason for this
probably was because he was too Sc
rious minded. There was absolutely no
levity in his make up. He was an
elder in the Presbyterian church of
Yorkville and was faithful in the dis
charge of his every duty. In a word, it
is not too much to say that a more
honorable or upright man never lived
in the county.
Mr.. Watson leaves a widow and
three children, all grown. The chill
dren are Mr.. 8. w. Watson Of York.
Vile; Mrs. R. C. Guy Of Lowryville and
Miss Virginia Watson, at present
holding a position as stenographer in
a Richmond, Va, bank. Mrs. Watson
is in a state Of collapse as the result
of the terrible shock. The absent
children have been telegraphed for.