The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-03-17
More prominent" People in Trouble.

From the Oconee News We copy an account
OF the recent killing near Walhalla and the
incident leading up to the homicidee. The
account as published by the News excites our
sympathy for the people who are now In
jail and who the News wishes to see punished
at once. .
II seems that Bob Belcher was charged with
shooting mp . mail box, an inanimste thing,
worth perhaps, two dollars. Instead OF waiting
until daylight the constable went In the
night time TO take the boy away for doing
something which he ought not TO have done.
W. B. ]. Corbin and Chris Corbin went Tn
Palmerrs dwelling TO serve an arrest warrant.
"They knocked 1t the door and were refused
admittance 1T first, but gained access to the
room in some Day." This was In the night
time, about nine O'Clock. The Corbins Cal
ried nothing but . pistol each. There were
four guests in the Palmers house. After
searching the loft and finding Bob Belcher's
foot by which he was dragged ont and drop
ped to the door. q scufrle ensued at the door
when 1t was sought 10 take him away. One
OF the women. was shot in the Leg. Palmer
wss shot through the hand.
II Ia certain that the woman n Palmer
were shot before the oonstables were shot.
The constables could not have shot after
having received their death wounds. It
seems therefore, that the oonstibles forcibly
entered the dwelling house OF Palmer in the
night time TO arrest Bob Beloher for the crime
Of shooting up" q mail box.
The News says:
"Shota were fred outside the door as the
party reached the outside and then the two
little boys ran. They stopped some little
distance from the home and heard TWO loud
gun reports"
From this II would appear that Q constable
shot after they left the house, and that the
gun shots were then fred. The constables
had no guns. The idea OF . constable shoot
ing into . dwelling house, We submit, is
worse than shooting up q mail box.
Tho women resisted the officers In their
effort to to take Bob Belcher. Chris pistol
when found was empty and the woman and
Palmer were wounded. which shows that be
irst began the shooting. and that the Palm
ers shot, al they claim, In self defense.
The one.sided or prejudiced manner in
which the account OF the killing Is printed
in the News 10 unjust to the people who have
been wronged by the forcible entry OF this
house by the constables, one OF whom 1t Is
certain nrst used bis pistol in wounding a
woman and q man into whose house they
had forcibly thrust themselves.
The poorest man In all this land has q
perfect right TO protect himself and his
family In his " castle.
These people, whom the News would lead
US 10 believe were cor and ~uninfuential
had q lawful right TO shoot after the consta-
bles had wounded two members OF the family
In their own house.
The constable, after receiving his wound,
could, not have shot Palmer and the
woman.
90 often, do daring deeds may expect, sooner
or later to- die with their boots on. When
men get q reputation for violence, 1t often
occurs that other mon Of peaceable reputa-
ton are too ready for them.
A brave and unostentatious officer could
have waited q week or . month, II necessary to
execute . warrant. he need not have terror
ICED the family In the night time. The
probability IL, II the constable had sent the
accused word to surrender, that he would
have come and delivered himself up. The
onense was a slight one, and the News does
not state who Issued the alleged warrant and
IL does not state II exhibition was made Of
II. The Palmers had no ofdcial notice OF a
lawful errand and they may have thought
the constables were acting without authority.
But from the accounts Of the killings 1t
would seem that the law does not protect
poor folk from the unlawful act Of prominent
and highly respected citizens.
The News has no word Of sympathy for the
poor people whose house had been forcibly
invaded. and after VI members Of the house
had been shot by constables. The News says:
"By the better element he Nv. B. F. Corbin)
was the most highly respected mar in Oconee,
and by the lawless the worst feared"
What the respeotability Of the constables
had 10 do with the set Of their forcible entry
into the household Of the poor people two OF