The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-04-27
SHOT in alS OFFICE
w. r. sABN FATALLY WOUNDED
BY r. CHESTNUT.

Not Definitely Known What Caused
the Shooting, But Report Says a
Letter Did. %a4
W. R. Sabin, manager Of the Dix
ie Lumber Company, Of this city,
was shot and seriously wounded In
the office of the company Tuesday
morning at eight o'clock by R. Chest
nut, contractor and builder Of this
city. Sabin was at his desk when
Chestnut fired the first shot. If Sab
in had any weapon he did not try to
use it, as he closed in on Chestnut
before he was shot. The ball entered
the abdomen and inflicted very
serious wound. The wounded man
was taken to Columbia, where he
died about two o'clock Wednesday
afternoon.
The details Of the affair
are that about eight o'clock
Tuesday morning Chestnut walk
ed into the Office of the Dix
lie Lumber Company, where was seat
ed Mr.. w. R. Sabin, the manager,
and after applying vile epithet to
Sabin pulled a pistol and fired two
shots at him, neither Of which took
effect. About this time Mr.. Cum
ningham, an employee Of the lumber
company, and the only eyewitness to
the affray, except the participants, at
tracted by the reports of the weapon,
entered the Office and demonstrated
with Chestnut, who was being plead
ed with by Sabin to desist in further
attack and ito explain the cause of
his action, as he, Sabin, was Lot
aware of anything he had done to
give offence, when Chestnut cursed
Cunningham and threatened to shoot
him, but at the same time placing
the pistol in his coat pocket.
Talk was rapid between the thrae
men, however, and Chestnut not hav-
ing cooled off, again drew the pistol
when Sabin closed in upon him and
was shot in the left side, just peloE'
the heart, and fell to the floor. Az
ter shooting Sabin, Chestnut is said
to have retreated very rapidly, in a
run, to his home, which is not far
away from where the shooting Was
done, where he remained onlS. a
short time, then coming out and sur
rendering to the sheriff. The above
account, which was furnished The
News and Courier by it's Orangebnrg
correspondent, agrees nearly with
what we heard of the tragedy. MIR.
Sabin was at once attended by DR..
l.. C. Shecut, but it was impossible
to determine how serious the wounl
was, an ugly one, and it was hastily
decided to take him to Columbia on
the 10 o'clock train for treatme f..
One of our prominent business men
reached sabin few minutes after the
shooting, and the wounded man told
him exactly how it happened. Sab
in said while he was sitting at his
desk Chestnut entered and fired at
him almost before he was aware Of
Chestnut's presence. There was quite
an interval between the first and Sec
ond shots. In the meantime Sabin
had demanded Of Chestnut to know
what he was trying to kill him for.
In answer, Chestnut opened fire
again, and in an attempt to save his
life Sabin closed in on him. While
the two men were tusseling, some Of
the boards of which the Office was
built gave way, and they fell out,
with Chestnut on top, and then he
shot Sabin. Sabin told this gertle-
men that he knew of no cause why
Chestnut wanted to kill him.
There were all sorts of reports in
circulation as to the cause of the diff
ficulty, but the one perhaps which
explains Chestnut's actions is of a
domestic character. 1t is said that
he found Tuesday morning at his
home letter signed by Sabin and in
eliminating in terms, which so infuri-
ated him, that he lost control of him
self and rested not until he had made
the attempt to avenge the wrong he
thinks had been done himself and
family. 1t is further stated, however,
that the lady in the case denies the
slightest intimacy with Sabin, assert
ing that she barely knows him and
pronounces the letter a forgery. It
is said that Sabin denies writing any
such letter, and asserts that he is
barely acquainted with the lady to
whom the letter was addressed.
Both the men are comparatively
new comers to this city. r. Chestnut
is g contractor. and has been a resi-
dent of this city only a few years.
He is a quiet, hardworking man, with
good habits, SO far as We have ever
heard. He has a wife and Children.
His present wife, who is said to be a
handsome woman, is his second wife,
to whom he has been married only a
few years Be fore her marriage she
was a Miss Blewer, of this county.
She has relatives and friends who
could not be made to believe that she
would be guilty of any such impro-
prietY as is implied by the note that