The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1906-07-06
MIR. j. T. Parks Shot and Killed
In Street Row
BY MIR. ROBT Ell. COVAR
Who 10 Himself Seriously Wounded Ia
the Shoulder. 1ae Shooting Was
Causedb BY Some Business Tfou.
BILE Between the Two Men
Brewing Sometime.

acted In the streets Of Orangeburg
about eleven O'Clock last Friday morn
ing, resulting in the death OF Mr..
JAS, II. Parks, Of Columbia, and the
SERIOUS wounding of Mr.. Robt. H.. 90
a Of this city. These two gentle
men met in Church street, In the
rear of the Courthouse, and without
exchanging many words went TO
shooting each other with the result
above described. The tragedy caused
o great shook to the entire communi'
ty, and for o time business was almost
suspended and nothing was talked
about hardly but the terrible occur.
Yenco that had resulted In the death
Of n gentleman and the desperate
w~ounding Of another.
1t was about eleven O'Clock when
several pistol shots rang out In rapid
succession, which startled every one
who heard them. The shooting dld
not last but q few seconds, and no one
could say how many shots were ex'
changed between the two combatants,
20 rapid was the firing. 1t Is supposed
that eight or ten shots wore fired IN
ell. AS soon as possible people hurried
to the scene after the pistols had been
emptied. Immediately after tho shoot
Ing Mr.. Parks was seer slowly walking
backward and sideways towards the
Northwest corner OF the Courthouse
Souare and MI. Covar slowly following
him, both gentleman apparently re-
loading their pistols.
When Mr.. Parks reached the corner
he CROSSED we Church street n en-
GeYed the law office of Messrs Bowman
81 Bowman. Wnen he reached the
Eea hesgavo hi FpiBtotto a, w. Bows
man, Rsq., who was standing In bis
Chloe door, having gone there on hear
ing the pistol shots. At this time Mr..
Parks did not seem to DO badly hurt,
but he was very pale, and said to
those who had gathered that he was
fatally shot. Mr.. Parks sab down IN
o chair, and 1t soon became apparent
that he was seriously hurt. He was
examined ay phyBioians who at first
thought that he was not fatally
hurt but after being removed tt
tho residence Of hts brother in.law,
X. DR.. j.. II. Percy clear, AID a care
full examination made, 1t was found
that he was shot completely through
the body and the attending physicians
pronounced the wounds fatal. Mr..
Parks was hit In three placeB. One
ball entered his chin and two struck
him In the 8tomach, n passing clean
through his body and lodging just
under the skin on the other side. He
was conscious up to half past nine
O'Clock, but about that time his mind
began to wonder and al half-pas,
twelve O'Clock the end came.
Immediately after the shooting Mr..
A. O. LindstedJ took Mr.. Covar's
pistol. About this time Mr.. Oovar'f
father came up and commanded his
son to stop, which he did and turned
from following Mr.. Parks and was
carried to his tflce, where he was
examined by physicians and found to
Lave been hit In two places. Ole
ball passed completely through his
right ahoulder and another struck
him In the right hand, shooting of
his thumb nail. Another ball passed
through his hat, but did not touch
his head. Several bullets struck the
store Of the Orangeburg Hardware
J.. Company on the corner Of Russell an(
Church Streets. These balls mus
have come from Mr.. Parks pistol
and indicates the position Of the com
batants at the time Of the firing. Mr.
Ooysr was removed to his home
where he now lies suffering from hi
wounds, which are quite painful an
may result seriouaiy.
In the excitement incident to sucl
o deplorable affair statements var,
and 1t has been quite D difficult matte
to obtain the facts. Some OF tn
nearby Witnesses state thai they ar
unable to say which Of Thorn fred tn
first shot. Others say that Mr.. Park
spoke to Mr.. O0var and appeared +
ask him o question. The reply fror
Mr.. Oovar seemed to be amtmativ
and then Mr.. Parks struck him in tn
face with his tst. Then Mr.. Park
fired and both pistols were emptied
an incredibly short time. When til
shooting took place MIR. Covar o. |
his shirt sleeves, and carried his pist(
buttened up In his shirt. One thin
10 certain both mon expected q diff
oulty and had prepared for 1t.
The trouble seems to have bee
caused by o business trouble hetwee
the two gentlemen. While Mr.. Park
resided In Otangeburg he owned al
publiahed Tho Patriot Newspaper
Mr.. Oover moved here from EdgeRel
county TO take charge of tho meohar
ioal work Of the paper for Mr.. Park,
and was In his employ for sever,
years, during which time they SCENE
to boon the most pleasant and int
mate terms.
When Mr.. Parks moved to O0lun
biz about two years ago Mr.. CoVar b
came Interested In the business, ar
was given entire management Of I'll
paper except the editorial department
whioh was retained by Mr.. PARK
who came down each week TO LOT
after 1t. About the first of the ye
Mr.. Parks sold his interest
The Patriot and the printing out
TO Mr. j. II. Funderburg and Mr.. Z
var, and the newspaper has since be-
published by Funderburg So Covar
publishers and proprIetors.