The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1910-05-26
FELLED WITH AXE.
Negro Attacked A. C. Anderson at
Camden Sunday.

Camden, May 22.-Felled with an
axe in his own yard this morning by
a negro named Arthur Wells, employ
ed under him, N. c. Anderson, local
section master of the Southern rail-
road, lies unconscious at his home
here, with a deep cash in his head.
His life is hanging in the balance and
the odds are rather in favor of death.
Mr.. Anderson himself, lying pros
trate on the ground in a pool OF his
own blood. the wife in a dead swoon,
and the five children besmeared with
the blood of their father, received as
each in turn tried to support his
head, was the CHASTITY sight which
presented itself to those who first ar
rived upon the scene.
So aroused were the citizens in the
northeast portion of Camden, in the
neighborhood of the Pine Greek cot.
ton mill, where the affair took place,
that action on their part was feared
& by the officers here, and, to make
sure that lynching would not take
place, Wells was fastened to Colum-
bia in an automobile and placed in
the penitentiary for safety by Chief
of Police Halle and Constable Smyrl.
The attempt to murder occurred at
about 10 clock this morning and
seems to have been caused by very
trivial matter. From statements at
the house, it appears that earlier in
the morning, Mr. Anderson gave
Wells, who lived in little house in
the yard, 10 cents with which to get
ice for him. The negro did not go
at once, saying, according to what
could be learned, that he would go
later. Mr.. Anderson afterward sent
one of his little girls twice to tell the
negro to go ahead for the ice, VINO
came back both times with the an
swer that the negro said, Nothing
doing, he wouldn't 60" 1t was then
that Anderson went himself, and the
next thing that those in the house
knew Of the affair, it seems, was that
Mr.. Anderson was lying at the wood
pile in a pool of blood, having been
struck a terrific blow in the head by
Wells, the negro using the blunt end
Of the axe.
It appears that within minute or
so after Mr.. Anderson had gone out
to see the negro, his wife sent a
boarder out to tell him not to hurry
the negro, and in that small interval
of time the whole affair had taken
place.
The negro's version, as obtained
through the officers who made the
arrest, seems to differ very little from
the above. He told the officers that
Anderson picked up small piece Of
wood and slapped him on the elbow
once. It was then that he, Wells,
picked up the axe and struck Ander-
son terrific blow in the head. When
asked if he meant the blow to kill,
Wells stated in very unconcerned
manner that he intended to hit him
as hard as he could. The negro was
arrested by officer Whitaker and
Willie Halle, who happened to be
near at hand. Wells was making his
way across field close to the house.
He was Immediately lodged in Jail
and was soon taken from there to Co.
lumbia in an automobile.
N. C. Anderson came here from
Columbia some three months ago to
accept the position as section master
on the Southern. He had been SINH
larly employed in Columbia and
brought Wells from that place with
him, and it seems that they had no
former disagreements. 1t is known
positively that Wells went to Colum-
bia for liquor Saturday, but no one
seemed willing to say that he was
under the influence when the affair
occurred.
DR.. S. F. Brasington, who is at
tending the injured man, stated this
afternoon that he considered Ander-
sons condition very grave; that the
cash in his head is about two inches
in diameter and that Anderson is
paralyzed on the right side.
Ben Robinson, while fastening to
summon aid for the injured man this
morning, fell from his bicycle and
broke his leg.