The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1910-12-22
LAWYER KILLS MERCHANT
DISPUTE OVER SETTLEMENT OF AC,
COUNT LEADS TO TRAGEDY.
PRINCIPALS ARE PROMINENT.
Abe PcarlStinc il Shot to Death by
Lawyer Jones in BrnnChvill"
POStOffiCc.

Cial: The quiet littl" town OF .
IIanChville is in mourning to-
r;Ght AS result OF ON" OF the most .
terrible tragedies ever enacted in .
this community The life of one OF
its most prominent citizens has been
stuffed out from Il pistol shot At .
the hands OF another Of her cit-
zcns, who is behind the bars in
OrangeburG Jail charged with tn"
crime. Briefly the facts from the
Cn"Oner'S inquest ar" AS follows:
This morning at about as
O'Clock Mr.. Abe PCarlstinc went to .
the pOst0ffiCe To get his morning
mail, and Will" in III" lobby OF tn"
poStOfficr Mr. John ! Jones. an at-
tornoy located here. walked in Nir
Pc"rlStiu" handed Jones a paper.
witiCh il iS understood VAS az aC-
count Jon"S had collected from
f,.rlstinC for SON" foreign mor-
'ulttil" establishment. 20 thC amount
OF So So" r"coiptcd Tor il full by
Jones bat which account had never
h,,n turned over to tn" creditors,
aS alleged Ivy p'arlstinc. aud hc VA,
,udcaNoriug TO get this straight,
Wh"r"upOn Jones refused To account
IuT sam" and even refused 10 look
IL the CORE CSpondcnv".
Struck Jones.
Mr.. P"arlstinc, il appears agAra-
waited by Mr.. Jones diScourtrous re-
ply, th"rcupOn struck him with his
fist, and il appears several blows
were passed. when Mr.. j. Marion
BN rd, the postmaster, hearing the
noise. rushed out into the lobby,
separating the belligercntS. and ask
Ing the parties not to have diff.
cIlty in the presence of his wife.
Mr.. Pearlstine apoliGiZed to Mr..
Byrd and while assuring him that
he was very sorry for what had al
ready happened, Jones. apparently
leaving the postofiCe, stopped Just
inside q fthe door. whirled, drew
"a pistol from his hip pocket. slip
ped the gun out of 4 shield and
fired at Mr.. Pearlstine, who was
still Conversing with Mr.. Byrd.
The unfortunate man exclaimed.
60 to the doctor" Mr.. Pearlstine
replied. Tin dying" aud leaned up
against the door leading into the
postmaster's private office; mo-
mcnt later he fell backward on the
floor. where he breathed his last in
less than five minutes after the ia
tai shot.
Taken to O,angrburg.
Immediately Mr. Jones was ar
rested in his law office by Mr. : =.
Byrd, was turned over by Magis-
trate Dukes To Chief of Police
browning. who carried MIR. Jones
to Orangeburg and delivered the dc .
f"ndant to Sheriff Sally. Mr. W. &.
Martin appeared at the inquest.
representing the Pcarlstines. while
Mr. W. G. Wolfe, of OrangeDurS. .
w;-s present representing the de-
fcMdant 1t was brought out at the
i.Guost from the only three eye
witn' 'ssCs TO the tragedy, that the +.
deceased was not armed and did not
Lave Cn his person even It pen I
Knife
Has HimcSIf Photographed.
Orangeburg, December ID Jones
came to Orangeburg this morning, .
arriving here about two hours after
the difficulty. He showed signs OF
having been very roughly handled,
there being bruises ON his face rn
arriving here he at once went To a
photographer, who took his picture.
showing the sears and bruises
The correspondent of the News
and Courier called on Mr. Jones and
sought an interview, but he. having
placed himself in the hands Of his
attorneys, had very little that ne
cared to say for publication.
.HuNlStu 10 Leave.
Jones was so advised by rieuds
and at once made arrangements and
came to this city and put himself in
IEC hands Of the sheriff. Messrs.
Wolfe and Berry have been retain,d d
u r,prC sent Jones and others will
probably be engaged also Mr..
Wolfe left this morning for Branch
vile, but had not returned late in
tie Afternoon. There is no doubt
but that the bail for Jones will be
sought at an earl day by his attor.
HeyS.
J. J. Jones is an attorney, resid-
ins at Branchville. and Abe Pearl T.
slime Was a merchant doing busins s. .
trat Jones as an attorney held Ger .
tdin claims against Pearlstine, +
which he sought to collect, and ,
ON this condition of affairs grew .
tho terrible tragedy of this morn .
Ing.
Jones of Good Address.
Mr.. Jones is young man of good ,
address and shows a marked degree |
Of intelligence. He read law here !
some years ago and has been prac-
ticing his profession at BranchVille |
for some time. He has a family, |
wife and several children
Juryman Talks of Killing.
DR.. b. X. Minus and Mr.. l.. II. !
Fairey, of Branchville, were in the |
city last night. Mr.. Fairey was a .
member of the coronor's jury which |
sat at the inquest over the dead |
body of Mr.. Pearlstine. When seen !
last night by a News and Courier |
reporttr, DR.. Minus told the story |
of the tragedy as he had gathered |
It, Mr.. Fairey concurring in all that |
he said. DR.. Minus, in speaking OF |
the killing said:
"Pearlstine met Jones in tbeI
postoffice this morning about 9:45
O'Clock and handed him a paper,