The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1908-10-07
The Lexington Dispatch.
Wednesday, October I. 1903.
FOUR TRAGEDIES
NEAR ANDERSON
John McGaha Slain by Unknown Negro


Anderson, Sept. 27.-Two killings, a
shooting which may result in death
and an accidental death is the record
made in the past "a hours within a
radius of 25 miles Of this city.
The first of these occurred in Dunk
lin township in Greenville county last
night, when John McGaha, a white
man thrice tried and acquitted for
murder, was shot and killed by negro
whose name is unknown and who has
fed. According to reports received
here McGaha and one Of the Ashleys
went from their homes at Honea Path
into Greenville county last night to
arrest two negroes and take them
back to Honea Path. After capturing
the men and while returning with
them they were overtaken in the road
by negro, who opened fire upon them.
Between IL and Is shots were ex-
changed, and after the smoke had
cleared away John McGaha was found
dead as he sat in his buggy, with two
loads of buckshot in his stomach.
McGaha was acquitted by an Abbeville
Jury two weeks ago of the murder of
George Clinkscales, colored, his third
victim. The negro who shot McGaha
has skipped the county, and his where
abouts are unknown.
The second shooting scrape occur
red on Mr.. Woodrow Campbell's place,
two miles from Starr, when Luther
Ware shot and instantly killed Homer
Mitchell, both colored. Ware has
been lodged in the county jail, and
the coroner's jury has returned a YER
dict charging him with the crime.
When seen at the jail this afternoon
Ware said ne and several other ne
groes gathered at the home of Babe
Williams, a notorious colored woman,
near Starr, and that Mitchell picked
a quarrel with him on account of a
negro woman who was present. Ware
says Mitchell drew his shotgun on him,
but one Of the negresses prevented
his discharging the gun. Mitchell,
according to Ware, advanced on him
with table knife or fork, and Ware
then fired on him with a 38-calibre
Smith & Wesson revolver. Death re-
suited instantly, Mitchell falling at
Wares feet. Ware went to mis- home
and went to bed and was awakened
by a deputy, who brought him to the
jail here.
The third shooting occurred in Gen.
terville township, four miles east of
Anderson, when George Childs, col
ored, shot and mortally wounded his
wife. At late hour this afternoon
the woman is still living, but her death
is expected. Childs has skipped the
country. Several officers are scour-
ing the country for him, and his ap-
prehension is expected before tomor-
row. 1t seems that Childs and his
wife were engaged in dispute con-
cerning his cotton crop, and this led
to the shooting. He emptied two
loads of shot into her stomach at close
range. The shooting occurred on Mr..
Stonewall Watson's place.
Another sad event occurred yester-
day afternoon, when Jim Kelley, a
white man, 20 years of age, an en-
ploye of the Anderson cotton mills,
was killed by freight train of the
Charleston & Western Carolina road
at Iva. 1t seems that Kelley attempt
ed to board the train as it was leaving
Iva. It is said that the train was
running about Is miles per hour. Kel.
ley lost his hold on the car and fell
beneath the wheels. The trucks pass
ed over one of his arms and feartully
crushed his skull, death resulting in
ctont]v