The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-12-03
TIE LAST DUEL
In South Carolina Was Fought More
Than Twenty three Years
Ago.
j. II. Godfrey in Daily Mail.

Inc last duel IOuSnt Ill cOuCn Car-
olina, according to the regular duel
ing code, was fought about % years
ago when Col. E. B. Cash shot and
killed Col. Shannon.
This duel occurred at Dubose's
bridge, then in Darlington county,
but now in Lee.
The people Of the lower part Of
this state have this incident fresh in
their memories, but the majority Of
the up-country people have forgot
ten it. At the time, it caused great
deal Of talk all over the stale, but a
greater part Of this talk subsided
when Col. Cash was acquitted by
Darlington jury.
It will be recalled that Col. Cash
was one Of the most prominent cit
liens Of his community. He owned
considerable land and was a prosper
Gus planter. His wife was a Miss
Ellerbe Of one Of the best families in
lower South Carolina.
When the war between the states
broke out, Col. Cash was one Of the
first to go to The front. He was
elected colonel Of regiment, which
position he held until his term, to
which he had been elected, expired.
When the second election Of officers
of the regiment was held, Col. Cash's
name was dropped out. It is said
that on this account, be put some one
in the ranks in his place, and then
returned to his South Carolina home,
saying that men were needed on the
farms to raise provisions for the men
in the army.
It seems that Col. Cash's wealth
really belonged to his wife and when
they separated, she placed her estate
in the hands of Shannon & Depass,
prominent attorneys in Camden.
Mrs. Cash had a brother named
Bob Ellerbe, and it is frequently
said that he caused the differences to
exist between Col. Cash and Col.
Shannon, which resulted in the duel.
Others say that Col. Cash, in need of
money, looked to Col. Shannon to
supply his need, which Col. Shannon
refused to do. 1t is a matter Of his
tory, however, that Col. Cash and his
young son, Ellerbe Began Cash, Jr.,
who had only recently graduated as
captain at the Virginia Military in
stitute, became enraged with Col.
Shannon and that both of them start
ed by private conveyance from their
country home at Cash's station to
Camden to challenge Col. Shannon.
It is further said that the father did
not know that the son was on the
same mission, nor did the sol know
that the father was on his way to
issue a challenge. They made their
trip separately, and when young Cash
arrived at Camden, he found that MS
father had been there before him and
had already accorded Col. Shannon a
challenge, which was promptly ac-
cepted. Young Cash, although dis
appointed, then challenged Col. Shan
mons law partner, Mr.. Depass, and
likewise this challenge was accepted.
It was arranged that Shannon and,
the elder Cash should meet at Du-
bose's bridge on a certain morning at
sunrise. Col. Cash was an excellent
;s1ot. His reputation was known far
and wide.
True to their honor, Shannon and
Cash appeared at the dueling place
at the appointed hour. 1t is said that
Col. Cash wantedet to test his pistol
before the duel and that he did fire
one SHOT through a board in fence
and that he afterwards emptied the
remaining shots in the chamber
through the same hole.
The decision as to who should have
first shot was duly arranged accord
ing to the dueling code and it fell to
Col. Shannon luck that he won. Col.
Shannon, who either was very much
excited or because he was a poor
shot, fired wide Of his mark. It is
said that his bullet hit in the mud
directly in front of Col. Cash and
that it spattered mud on Col. Cash's
clothes. This did not unnerve the
steady colonel, for he placed himself
in position and fired and Shannon
dropped dead.
It has been said that Col. Cash
wore breast plate at the time of
the duel, but this rumor, has been de-