The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1911-07-13
WHO SHOT R. GRIFFITH?
PROBABLE TRAGEDY NEAR co.
LUMBIA UNION STATION.
Nephew of Penitentiary Director
Griffith Probably Receives Fa-
Wound-Others Injured.


Wound-Others Injured.
Columbia, July 6.-In shooting
ing scrape near the union depot early
this evening, the details of which are
difficult to obtain at this time, four
men received gunshot wounds more
or less serious, and one of them
Rhett Griffith, belonging to a promi-
nent family, is thought to have re-
ceived injuries which may cause his
death, having received at close range
charge of buckshot from a shot
gun believed to have been in the
hands of Charles B. Stone.
The others wounded are Police
man James G. Moore, shot through
the shoulder with pistol bullet; a
young mill operative named w. H.
Hyden, and an unknown negro, who
in the excitement went away in search
of surgical attention. Young Crit
fifth and Policeman Moore are at the
Columbia Hospital, and City Physici-
an Nanny M. Rice thinks Griffith has
small chance of recovery.
Accounts Conflicting.
The shooting occurred at Heriot's
meat market, and accounts are con-
flicting, but most of them agree that
in a fusillade between Griffith, armed
with a pistol and Stone, who carried
a shotgun, Hyden received the first
shot through the right hand, the
negro was hit, Griffith received a
charge of buckshot, and Policeman
Moore was hit while trying to stop
the shooting. Stone is in the police
lookup, unhurt.
Developments tonight indicate that
this affray will produce one more Co
1umbia homicide mystery. Recorder
Werner, after an examination, held
in $500 bond, as material witness,
James v. Heriot, manager of the beef
market and grocery owned by J. B.
Heriot & Co., where the shooting
occurred. Bail was given by J. B.
Heriot, father of J. V. Heriot. The
bond is returnable tomorrow morn
ing, when the hearing will likely be
continued. Rhett Griffith is not ex-
pected to live through the night.
Two Theories Advanced.
There are two theories for the
shooting, as developed by the exam
ination of witnesses tonight by
Chief of Police w. G. Cathcart and
Recorder JAS. S. Werner. One theory
is that Rhett Griffith and his brother,
Hanson Griffith, both drinking, ap-
peared on the block and started a
quarrel with Charles Stone, who was
employed in the Heriot establishment
as clerk; that Rhett Griffith, armed
with pistol, opened fire on Stone
from the Schumpert barber shop,
Stone standing in the door of the
Heriot market, next door; that Stone
under fire, ran back into the Heriot
place, picked up shotgun, loaded
with buckshot and fired once in re-
turn, mortally wounding Rhett Grif-
fifth, who fired twice after he had
fallen. This is the story told by
James Heriot, who thinks that Po-
liceman Moore, across the street, was
hit by one of the shots which Griffith
fired after he had fallen. Stone
himself has not been questioned.
Hanson Griffith, brother to Rhett
Griffith, told recorder Werner tonight
that he himself did not see the actu-
al shooting, being in the barber shop
next door, but in the quarrel Charles
Stone was the aggressor.
Comedies with Police View.
Hackman Braswell said that James
Heriot, when the quarrel commenced,
handed a shotgun to Stone, saying,
"You use this" and Heriot himself
picked up a revolver and threw the
scabbard away. This supports the
police theory, that Heriot himself
participated in the shooting and per-
haps fired the shot which struck Po-
liceman Moore across the street.
Stone has been repeatedly in
trouble with the police. He and Will
liam Meetze made an attack several
years ago on W. H. McCaw, local
newspaper man, and later Stone and
James Heriot were actors in a lively
fight on Assembly street. Stone was
for time connected with "social
club" which the police drove out OF
business The Grifiths are nephews
of Capt. D. J. Griffith, superintendent
of the State penitentiary. Rhett
Griffith, a weaver in the Richland