The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1910-12-22

face. Postmaster J. Marion Byrd,
fearing a fight in the postof1ce,
walked out in the lobby and asked
the two men not to fight, as Mrs.
Byrd was in the building and she
was very nervous.
"Pearlstine started to walk of
with Postmaster Byrd. He begged
the postmaster's pardon and asked
him to excuse him for raising q
disturbance in the building. Jones
started out of the front door. Just
as Pearlstine and Postmaster Byrd
were about to enter Postmaster
Byrd's Office Jones came back, and
stepping in front of Pearlstine, drew
his pistol and fired, the ball taking
effect in the right side. The wound
was fatal. Pearlstine reeled and
fell in half a minute. Jones ran out
of the postof1ce and across the
street to his place of business. He
stood in the door aiming his pistol
toward the postofice as if he were
uncertain of having killed Pearlstine
and expected him to follow him.
CDR. J. S. Wimberley, who was on
the street, near the postofice, heard
the pistol shot and ran Immediately
in the postofice to the wounded
man. Postmaster Byrd had called
the assistant postmaster and told
him to go for doctor, but before
he could start out of the building
DR.. Wimberley appeared on the
scene. Pearlstine called out to the
doctor before he reached him that
he had been shot land was dying.
In few minutes he had breathed his
last
''Mr. Pearlstine was very pop
ular man in Branchville, and when
it was known that ne had been shot
by Jones many of the citizens were
so aroused that they began to talk
of taking violent measures with the
slayer. In few moments big
crowd had gathered around the post
office. Alderman S. S. Byrd went to
Jones place of business and took
ch"rge of him. He turned him over
to Chief of Police M. o. Browning,
who disarmed him. AS it was about
train time officer Browning decided
it would be best to get Jones to Or
angeburg and place him in the coun-
ty jail without delay. Accordingly
/ he and Mr.. Howell Black boarded
the train with Jones and took him to
Orangeburg."
Jones Badly Bruised.
In less than three hours after the
unfortunate encounter Jones was in
the sheriff's Office at the court house
in Orangeburg. He gave evidence OF
having been pretty roughly handled
by Pearlstine. He had several
bruises on his face which we're still
bloody from the blows he had receiv-
ed in the fight. After arriving there
he went to a photographer and had
himself photographed. The picture
shows the scars and bruises he re-
ceived in the encounter. Jones re-
fused to be interviewed by the presA
saying that he would rather not make
any statement about the unfortunate
affair for publication. Jones was ad-
vised by his friends to leave Branch
vile at once.
w. c. Martin, Esq, of Branch
vile, represented the dead mans
family at the inquest, and w. c.
Wolfe, Esq, represented Jones. It
was brought out at the inquest that
while Pearlstine was the aggressor,
he was not armed, not having even
a pen knife on his person at the time
the fatal encounter took place. It
is claimed by Jones' friends that i'm
mediately before the shooting, Jones
was set upon by Pearlstine, who be-
gan beating him very violently,
knocking him against the wall of the
building, which prevented Jones
from being knocked completely
down; that during this onslaught
Jones repeatedly asked Pearlstine to
desist, but without avail.
Mr.. Jones, who did the killing, Is
a young lawyer who has been living
in Branchville some two years or
more. He came there from Colleton
county, where he was born and
raised. He is about 35 years of age
and has a wife and several children.
He is a young man of good address
and department. Mr.. Jones has not
the appearance of an aggressive or
quarrelsome man.
Mr.. Pearlstine, the victim of the
unfortunate tragedy, was "a years
old. He was born and raised in