The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1910-12-22
KILLING AT BRANCHYILLE.
ABE PEARLSTINE is SHOT BY
j. j. JONES.
Difficulty Grew Out of Business Mat
ter-Killing Occurred in the
Post Office.

Branchville was terribly shocked
Thursday morning when it became
known that Mr.. Abe Pearlstine, one
Of the towns most prominent mer'
chants, had been shot and killed by
]. ]. Jones, Esq, lawyer residing
In the town, In a personal difficulty
in the postofice. The particulars OF
the unfortunate affair, as brought
out before the coroner's jury, shows
that 1t was one of those deplorable
tragedies that is liable to happen
when men resort to force to settle
personal matters.
Thursday morning at about q
quarter to ten o'clock, Mr.. Pearl.
tine went to the postoffice to gel
his mail, and while he was in the
lobby of the Office Mr.. Jones came
inito get his mail. AS Mr.. Jones
was about to pass him, Mr.. Pearl.
stine accosted Jones, and handed him
paper said to have been request
to Pearlstine for the settlement OF
a mercantile debt of $37.S9 which
he owed some house from which he
had bought goods. 1t is said Pearl
stine had paid this account to Jones
some time before and held his re-
ceipt in full for the same.
Jones made some reply, which
seems to have aggravated Pearlstine,
who then struck Jones in the face
with his fist, bruising him up pretty
badly and bringing the blood. The
two men then passed several blows,
Jones being badly used up in the
encounter. Hearing the noise out
side in the lobby, Postmaster Byrd
rushed out and separated the two
men, requesting them not to renew
the difficulty, as his wife was in the
postofice. Pearlstine, who had pre-
cipitated the row by first striking
Jones, apologized to Postmaster Byrd,
for what had happened.
Jones, who seemed to be very
much excited, passed by Pearlstine
and Byrd while they were talking
with the intention apparently OF
leaving the Office, but he stopped
just inside the door, faced about,
drew a pistol, and after slipping it
out of a case, opened fire on Pearl:
stine, who was only few feet away.
Jones fired only once, the ball strik-
Ing Pearlstine in the abdomen.
When, he was shot the unfortunate
man exclaimed: '1 am shot" Post
master Byrd said: Lets go to the
doctor" Pearlstine replied: 81 am
dying" HE then tried to support
himself by leaning up against the
door leading into the postmaster's S
private Office; a moment later he fell
backward on the floor, where he
breathed his last in less than five
minutes after the fatal shot.
Drs. Wimberly and Parker were
hastily summoned, but were unable
to render any assistance to the dy-
sing man. Immediately after he fired
the fatal shot, Jones left the post
Office building and went to his law
Office, where he remained until he
was taken in custody by Alderman
S. S. Byrd. He went to Orangeburg,
accompanied by the officers, and sur
rendered to Sheriff Salley, and was
locked in Jail.
Magistrate A. S. Dukes presided
over the inquest which was held at
3 O'Clock Thursday afternoon. There
were but four witnesses examined,
Postmaster Byrd, G. A. Dukes and
Earl Smoak, all of whom saw the
killing, and DR.. ]. S. Wimberley.
Postmaster Byrd testified that Pearl
stine was walking away with him,
when Jones came back from the
front of the building and shot him.
Earl Smoak was standing partly be-
tween Jones and Pearlstine when the
shot was fired. The verdict Of the
jury was that the deceased came to
his death by a gunshot wound in the
hands of John J. Jones.
Another Account
DR.. B. K. Minus and Mr.. L. H..
Fairey, of Branchville, were in Char
lesion Thursday night. Mr.. Fairey
was a member of the coroner's jury
which sat at the inquest over the
dead body of Mr.. Pearlstine. When
seen by News and Courier reporter
DR.. Minus told the story of the trag-
edy as he had gathered it, Mr.. Fair
ey concurring in all that he said.
DR.. Minus, in speaking of the killing
said:
s'Pearlstine met Jones in the post
Office this morning about 9:45