The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-04-14
From the Daily Item April 10.

o'clock today at the home Of his faith
er-in-law. Mr.. w. F. Flake, on South
Salem avenue. by Mr.. Flake, who shot
him at close range with a single bar
rel shotgun as Mr.. voight was trying
to force an entrance into the house
after having been warned to desist at
the peril Of his life. The shooting
was done on the door steps and
voight fell dead. his head only few
inches from the blood bespattered
steps. with wound. about the size
OF dollar. through his right chest.
and there his body was lying, with
a sheet over II when a reporter reach
ed the scene.
The first news Of the tragedy was
brought up town by Mr.. Flake him.
self. who came Immediately after the
shooting to surrender. He met
Ofiicer Tribble on Main street. told
him that ne had killed Mr.. voight
and wished to surrender. He accom-
panied Officer Tribble to the guard
house and was locked up.
Mr.. Flake talked Of the tragedy
freely and without hesitation or re-
servation. To several persons he
made substantially the following
statement:
Voisht. the deceased, married his,
Flakes. daughter Leila. a girl less
than twenty years of age. about six
months ago and within a few weeks
after marriage began to mistreat her
IN brutal manner, beating her quite
frequently. voight's mistreatment of
his young wife was notorious and
neither pleadings nor remonstrance
had any effect upon him in the way
Of inducing him to desist from beat
ing her. This morning voight met
|hie' wife on Dugan street 4nd slapped
her face and struck her with his fist
She got away from him and calling
hack went to her father, Mr.. Flake,
and asked him to do something to
protect her as she was in terror of
her husband, that she felt certain he
would do her serious harm. Mr..
Flake took his daughter and went to
Recorder Hurst and had warrant
Issued for voight, charging him with
assault. The warrant was served on
Voight at his place of business, the
New York Bakery. by Officer Weeks.
Voight was greatly angered when the
warrant was served. but he finally
put up $40 as bond for his appear
ance. Shortly after the service of the
warrant Mr.. Flake was standing on
the sidewalk In front Of the Farmers
Bank and Trust Co.. when voight
rode up on his bicycle. voight stop
ped at the edge Of the sidewalk and
said to him. "You got a warrant for
me did you?" Mr.. Flake replied that
he had. voight made some remark
and rode off. Mr.. Flake then went
home and had been in the house only
coming toward the house. He step
ped out on the piazza and called to
Voight. who was still on the opposite
side OF the street. not to come into
the house. Voight retorted that he
vAs coming and without pausing
started across the street. He called
out to Voight several times not to
come. but seeing that voight was still
coming. he stepped inside the door
| and got his gun. voight was by this
time approaching the steps. He told
him not TO come In. and Voight re-
Piled that he was coming, that he
was ready to die and all he wanted
was to get his hands on him (Flake)
MIR. Flake then told him il he at
tempted to come up the steps he
would kill him. voight cursed him
and started up the steps. Then. when
Noight was on the second step. Mr..
Flake fired. Voight fell to the ground
and died almost instantly.
Mr. Flake stated further that
Voight had threatened his life more
than once. and he was certain that
Voight intended to kill him If he got
within reach. About three weeks ago
Voight came to Mr.. Flakes house and
raised row and tried to break in
through a window. AT that time Mr..
Flake went out on the piazza and ask =
ed Voight not to create disturbance,
but to came inside and talk matters
over. Voight refused. threatened 90
XIII Mr.. Flake. and went away maxi
ing threats. Mr.. Flake talked at
some length and related other facts
going to show the violent aud des-
perate nature Of Voight and the
grounds he had for believing that it