Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-12-17
Mistellaneorls 8eadins.
LAST SOUTH CAROLINA DUEL.
Another Version of the Famous Cash
Shannon Affair.

Editor Yorkville Enquirer:
I have carefully read the article in
the last issue of your paper Untitled
Last South Carolina Duel" credited
to ]. H. Godfrey. This article is about
equally divided between fact and fic-
| ton.
The writer has read the Cash
Shannon Duel" published by Col. E. B.
c. Cash himself. Later he made thor
ough canvass of Chesterfield county
in 1SS4-S5, talked with the people and
got the consensus Of opinion Of the duel
in question. He also visited Col. Cash
at his beautiful, stately home at Cash's
depot, where he was made the recipi-
ent of every courtesy. It was the
boast of Col. Cash that no man ever
visited his home without having good
time.
Col. Cash was a man to make last
Ing impression. 4 man Of striking
personality, tall. broad. straight and
finely propOrtioned. His reputation
as got It from friends, neighbors,
and people Of his country, was that he
was a true. noble friend or bitter and
merciless enemy-a man Of undoubted
courage who feared neither man nor
DEVIL
Col. Cash was colonel of the Eighth
South Carolina regiment which, l was
told, he equipped at his own expense.
AS to his financial ability. In 1884 his
plantation was valued at $65,000.
Col. Cash did not challenge Col.
Shannon. Col. Shannon was the chal-
longing party. II was claimed, how
ever that Col. Cash, who was a master
Of sarcasm and invective, goaded Col.
Shannon into sending him a challenge.
That part of the story descriptive Of
the actual duel Is, in part, erroneous.
visited the dueling ground, near La
mar in an old field near Duboses
bridge in Darlington county, in COM
pany with a native who was an eye
witness of the unfortunate affair."
He pointed out the stakes. which were
yet standing, and described the rela-
tive position of the parties in detail.
The bullet from Col. Shannon's pistol
did not strike the mud and spatter the
mud in Col. Cash's face because there
was no mud there even after the sub
sidence Of the fiood-nothing but sand,
sand. This Is only a minor error,
however.
According to Col. Cash the bullet
from Col. Shannon's pistol struck the
ground at his (Cashs) feet and threw
the sand in his face, which produced a
stinging sensation and he thought for
a moment that he was struck.
According to the code duello the men
were to fire simultaneously. 1t Is true
that Col. Shannon fired first after
which Col. Cash deliberately shot him
down. ...
The trial Of Col. Cash for the killing
Of Col. Shannon at Darlington court
house, South Carolina, was a most
sensational one and was watched with
peculiar interest throughout the state.
Col. Cash was defended by the venera-
BILE Col Spann. His speech was
masterpiece Going back to the ear
liest times, he reviewed the history Of
dueling and argued eloquently that 1t
was right and proper for gentlemen to
adjust their differences by the code
duello and that never had a duellist
been punished, especially the chal-
lenged party.
The anti -duelling law was the direct
outgrowth Of the CASH Shannon duel.
Colonel Shannon was an exceeding
ly popular man and his unfortunate
end was the occasion for the newspa-
pers of the state, led by some Of the
best writers, to jump on Col. Cash with
both feet. However, those who read
the Cash Shannon Duel" written by
Col. Cash himself, will admit that they
found a foeman worthy Of their steel.
AS for Began Cash, his friends told
me that he was the most magnificent
specimen of physical manhood, they
had ever seen. Over six feet tall,
weighing 23O pounds. and of military
bearing, he was a veritable Apollo.
He was warmhearted and generous to
his friends, cruel and relentless to his
enemies.
The history of his death, as told me
by his neighbors was about as follows,
as near as memory serves me after
twenty seven years. One Richards
was chief of police in Cheraw. He
was something of a petty tyrant and
bully. He had been tantalized by
| those who didn't like him for not ar
resting Began Cash. On one occasion
Began Cash visited Cheraw. For some
cause or pretext, Richards attempted
to arrest Cash. A fight ensued. Cash
was badly beaten by the policeman;
but the officer got decidedly the worst
Of it.
Sometime later on Cash again went
to Cheraw. Again he got into trouble
with Richards and shot and killed him.
At the same time he accidentally kill
ed a man by the name Of Coward.
Cash expressed much regret at the
1
killing Of Coward. Cash Immediately
rode away to his fathers home, six
miles from Cheraw and disappeared.
AS usual in such cases everybody
knew where he was and yet no one
knew. He was located every where
from South Carolina to South Amer
lea.
Gov. Hugh S. Thompson instructed
State Constable Richburg to take
picked body of men and go to the
home of Col Cash and arrest Began.
They proceeded to Cash's depot and
made search for Began; but without
success. They then arrested Col. Cash
as accessory to the killing Of Rich
ards.
Finally Began Cash was located and
betrayed by one Douglass, and posse,
headed by E. T. King (Zeke)-after-
wards sheriff of Chesterfield county
proceeded by night to the plantation OF
/ |a.l> -, Tho Iaa Dao river about