Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-12-16
THE NEvINs ASSASSINATION.

f. P. H. Nevins, who was assassinated
in the door Of his store two miles
northwest of Fort Mill last Monday
evening at about I o'clock, developed
no evidence as to the probable perpe-
traitor Of the dastardly deed, and the
good people of the surrounding neigh
borhood continue in a state Of shocked
indignation at the horrible crime.
Fastening to the scene as soon as
possible after having been notified,
Coroner Louthian on Tuesday morning
summoned jury of inquest and made
such Investigations as seemed prac-
ticable at the time, the jury being COM
posed as follows: T. H. Merritt, fore
man; Will Coltharp, David Gibson,
Tom Wallace, Bob Kimbrell, Sam
Stephens, Luke Parks, r. L. Varna-
dore, L. q. Humphries, Boyce Bennett,
Louis Adkins, Will Belk.
The general situation confronting the
jury was the dead body Of E. p. H.
Nevins lying in the road about half
way between the front of his store and
the rear of the store of w. E. Griffin,
about 35 or 40 yards away. Nevins
was peppered with shot holes, most of
them in his chest but few in his face,
arms and stomach. There was blood
on the doorstep of his store and blood
in the road between the door and the
spot where TIE body lay. There were
shot holes in the facing of the front
door, and in the weatherboarding
and also in the inner wall in the
rear. A gun wad picked up in the
store described the murderous charge
as having consisted of three drains
of powder and one ounce of No. 5 shot,
and the holes in the dead mans body
as well as those in the store conformed
to this description. The line of fire as
indicated by the relation Of the shot
embedded in the rear wall of the store
to the holes around the door facing,
indicated that they had cone from the
direction of the rear Of r-ifin's store,
and the pattern" made by the charge
seemed to suggest this place as the
position of the man who fired the gun.
DR.. T. S. Kirkpatrick, after a careful
examination, testified that the deceas-
ed had been struck by forty or more
shot, and most of them had penetrated
the cavity of the chest. One shot pass
ed through the heart and another
lodged there. Others penetrated the
large blood vessel that passes from the
lungs to the heart, and some lodged
in the lung tissue. Death was caused
by internal hemorrhage, due to the
wounds.
w. E. Griffin, proprietor Of the store
across the road, testified that just after
he sat down to supper, he heard the
report of gun, and shortly afterward
his boy came and said that Eb Nevins
had been shot. He told the boy to go
back into the store, and following
went to his front door and looked out.
He saw Nevins coming from toward
the shop" and proceed to near the
middle of the big road, and turn back
the way he came. He listened to see
if he could hear anybody, and hearing
nothing went back to his supper.
Shortly afterward Adam Edwards
came into his store and said that Eb
Nevins had been shot, but he did not
go out again.
w
his way home from Fort Mill on the
night Of December II at about o'clock,
he stopped at Griffin's store to get
warm. Mrs. Griffin came into the store
and called Mr.. Griffin to supper
whereupon Adam left. When he pass
ed the store Of Nevins, he saw Nevins
in front of his fire; but little later
heard him walking, and after witness
proceeded about fifty yards, he heard
the report Of a gun. Looking around
he also saw the flash. He could see
the top of Nevins's head as he came
out of his door, Nevins called, Uncle
Adam" He was then walking down or
across the road. Witness turned back
and asked Nevins, who shot you?" but
Nevins did not reply to the question.
Then Mr.. Bayne came up and went for
a DOCTOR After that Mr.. Gamble came
up and asked Nevins if he had been
drinking. Nevins replied that he had
not drunk a drop. Nevins said twice
to Mr.. Gamble, Don't let me die"
Witness then went into the store and
directly Mr.. Gamble came in and said
that Nevins was dead. Witness said
the place.
N. L. Bayne testified as follows:
Nevins took supper at my house last
night and after supper went back toI
his store. He asked me if l could go
with him. but could not go. l heard
my dogs bark, and then l heard gun.
After that l heard Nevins calling me, /
went to him and found him lying near
a peach tree. He was not dead but |
would not answer questions. Adam |
was with him when / arrived.
| went and phoned for a doctor. Mr.. |
Gamble came up and called me. l
IT. Il aa1,a 6 l. n
He said no. We both went to Eb and |
found him dead.
]. Harvey Griffin, sworn, testified |
that he had been hunting during the
afternoon before, and that there was
nobody with him. He went from the
field to the house of Mr.. Gamble and
while there heard somebody say that
Eb Nevins had been shot, and went |
on back to the store. He did not hear
the report of the gum
J. NJ. Gamble, sworn testified to the
following effect: Mrs Griffin telephon-
ed me at my home that Eb Nevins had
store. l saw Adam Edwards at the
front door and asked him where New
ins was, and he told me in front Of
'the shop" l went and asked Eb
If he had been drinking. He said, mot
a drop" I asked him who shot him.
He did not answer, but said, Don't let
me die" Harvey Griffin was not at my
house.
C. w. Martin. sworn, testified as fol-
lows: When the gun fired l was be-
tween CANDLES mail box and this
place. I came on to Griffin's store, and
A dam Edwards told me that some one
1ad shot Eb Nevins. When l got to
where Nevins was lying, he was still
alive and I heard him say to Gamble, |
Don't let me die" He died few min