The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-10-30
KILLED BY A NEGRO.
Mr.. Nathan G. Garriei, a Young
Farmer, the Victim.
The Murder Was Committed by Hal

The Murder Was Committed by Ham
DIV GIoster Near the Place Where
Constable Valentine Was Murdered.
Handy Gloster, a negro tenant on
the place of Mrs. Samuel Dibble, near
Cope, shot and killed Mr.. Nathan
G. Garrick, on last Monday afternoon
in the presence of Mr.. VIII. Champey,
constable for Magistrate C. P. Brun-
son, of this city. There are a number
of negro tenants living on this place,
and Mr.. Garrick was Mrs. Dibble's
agent, and Gloster had given him
considerable trouble during the year.
Gloster is said to be a bad, turbulent
fellow, and evidently had made up
his mind to have it out with Mr..
Garrick when he could safely do so.
He owed Mrs. Dibble $3.50 rent,
which he was very slow about pay
ing All the other tenants had set
tied up, but he had not paid a cent,
and did not seem to care whether he
paid or not. 1t "a Mr.. Garrick's
duty, as Mrs. Dibble's agent, to col
lect the rent from Gloster. In at
tempting to do so, Mr.. Garrick and
Gloster had several rows, but did not
come to blows. Finally Gloster told
Mr.. Garrick that he would not pay
him the rent but would come up to
Orangeburg and pay Mrs. Dibble him
self. This was some weeks ago, but
Gloster did not come to Orangeburg
and pay the rent as he said he would
do.
In the meantime, Mr.. Garrick kept
a. close look out on Gloster, and
found out that he had shipped some
of his cotton to a merchant at Black
vile. It was evident to Mr.. Gar
rick that Gloster did not intend to
pay the rent at all, and was appar-
emily getting ready to skip the coun-
ty and possibly the State. Under
these circumstances 1t was clearly
Mr.. Garrick's duty to report the mat
ter to Mrs. Dibble, for whom he was
acting as an agent, which he did on
Monday morning. Mrs. Dibble turn
ed the matter over to her attorney,
Capt. B. H. Moss, to attend to. Capt.
Moss got Mr.. Champey constable for
MAGISTRATE c. P. Brunson, to go out
to where Gloster lived and collect
the rent.
Mr.. Champy, who is a cool, discreet
man, left the city Monday morning
to execute his mission. He went to
Gloster's house and while talking to
him about the rent and running OF
his cotton, MI. Garrick approached
from behind, but was not seen by
Mr.. Champey until Gloster rushed by
him and grabbed a pistol that MI.
Garrick had in his hand and shot him
before Mr.. Champey could interfere.
The ball penetrated the heart and
Mr.. Garrick fell dead after walking
a short distance. The shooting was
by Mr.. Champey and the
wife of .Gloster. 1t took place near
the house of Gloster.
Mr.. Champey then arrested Clos
ter and started for Orangeburg with
all haste, as he was afraid that II
the murder leaked out that Gloster
might be roughly dealt with. AS
soon as he got to a phone he notified
Sheriff Dukes, who, with his usual
promptness, started out to meet Mr..
Champey and his prisoner. He met
them about two miles from the city
and accompanied them to jail, where
Gloster was kept until a few min
utes Of eight o'clock, when he was
taken to the train and carried to
and lodged in the Peni-
tertiary for safe keeping. While we
have not heard of a single threat OF
violence on the part of anybody, we
think the precaution taken by Sher-
if Dukes in sending the prisoner to
was the proper thing to do.
Mr.. Garrick evidently carried his
pistol in his hand, as he had had
several times during the year
with Gloster, but there is no evidence
that he attempted to use the pis-
tol. In fact it was in a case. He
had just returned from Orangeburg
having reported the fact to his
employer and Gloster's landlady
that Gloster was making way with
his cotton and she had better take
to protect her interests.
This report caused the sending of
Champey to Gloster's home
to collect the rent.
Mr.. Champey, no doubt, had told
Gloster what Mr.. Garrick had told
his employer in Orangeburg, and also
hat he, Mr.. Champey, had been sent
collect the rent due by Gloster.
This no doubt made him more angry
han ever with Mr.. Garrick. Knowing
he mission of Constable Champey
and seeing him talking to Gloster,
and remembering the many rows he
had had with Gloster during the year,
It was perfectly natural for Mr.. Gar
lick to approach Gloster with his
pistol, handy for use in cas he was
attacked.
AS Mr.. Champey was between
1loster and Mr. Garrick it was an
Easy matter for Gloster to spring on
Mr.. Garrick and catch his pistol be-
'ore it could be taken out of its
,ase. Being a more powerful man