Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-02-01
HOMICIDE IN COLUMBIA.

Aaron Howell, formerly Of the Beth
any section Of York county; but for
several years past, a bookkeeper for
the CRANKY Mercantile company, shot
and killed one Of the operatives named
C. C. Armstrong last Saturday after
noon at about 2 o'clock.
At the inquest Sunday, officer Knox
to whom Howell surrendered after the
killing, testified that as soon as he gave
himself up, Howell said that Arm
strong had seized hold of him and he
shot to make him turn loose and get
back. Two eye-witnesses, ]. M. Brown
and w. P. Parish, who were with the
deceased, testified that Howell fired be-
fore Armstrong took hold Of him.
Their testimony agreed in practically
everything except as to the relative po-
sitions Of the two men at the time Of
the firing.
The testimony was that Howell fired
four shots with a 32-calibre revolver;
but only one ball inflicted injury. This
bullet entered between the second and
third ribs, and was found in the cavity
Of the right lung. Three other bullets
were found in the dead mans overcoat.
The shooting grew out Of a dispute
over an old account, and part Of Arm
strong's story is told in the Columbia
State of Monday as follows:
Armstrong visited Magistrate Jas.
II Eouylao Ir vpetardav stating that
he had worked for the CRANKY mill
about nine years ago, returning some
two weeks ago to re-enter the employ
Of this company. He went on to say
that he was preparing to leave Colum-
bia and enter laboratory work and
when he went to draw his pay an ac-
count was presented said to have been
incurred when he was in the employ Of
the company nine years ago. This was
a bill for suit Of clothes that he had
apparently bought from a store in CO.
lumbia, the CRANKY Mercantile compa-
ny guaranteeing payment. Armstrong
said that he had not purchased any
such suit and had so informed the conf
pany, and he was then told that the
matter could not be looked into at once,
as Maj. w. Arthur Metts, who was
manager of the Olympia mills store
nine years ago, is now absent from the
city and would not return before Feb
ruary Is. Armstrong told the magis-
trate that ne could not wait that long
and desired to bring suit for his money,
amounting to about $19. Mr.. Fowles
told him that he would have to deposit
$1.15 to cover the costs Of the action
and Armstrong left the magistrates
office and was killed shortly after
wards"
Armstrong was originally from Pied
mont. He worked in cotton mills part
of the time, practiced painless dentistry
a part of the time. He was not licens-
ed as a dentist, however, and because Of
that fact was tried for his life in New
berry in 1907. He used cocaine in ex-
tracing II teeth for Mrs. Cory Berry,
and she died shortly afterward of neart
failure. AT the trial, however, there
was testimony to the effect that Arm
strong had not administered enough
cocaine to produce death d he was
acquitted.
Howell was born and raised in the
Bethany neighborhood. and mas a num-
ber of relatives and friends in this
county His reputation is that of
straight forward, law-abiding citizen,
who would not take an unfair advant-
age, and his friends and acquaintances
generally seem to be of the opinion that
he did not shoot without good reason.