The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1911-11-15
AN ENViABLE RECORD
HAS been BROKEN
Craney Mccullough Dies of
Pistol Wound.
FIRST HOMICIDE
SINCE LAST NOVEMBER
Only Exception was Where Two New
berry County Negroes Crossed Lau-
rens County Line and got into Dif-
iiculty, One killing the 0thcr-Jim
Shell the Murderer Now,

Shell the Murderer Now,
The record which this county has
made for the past fifty weeks was
broken Sunday night when Craney
Mccullough died of wound inflicted
by Jim Shell Sunday evening, Novem-
ber 5th. With the exception of the
case few months ago where one
Newherry county negro killed anoth-
er after they had crossed to this side
of the county line, this is the first
homicide in Laurens county since No
Vember 2Sth of last year. If the wave
of peaceableness had continued for
two weeks longer the county would
have had the enviabe record Of go
ing whole year without a homicide
being committed within it's borders by
any one of its own citizens.
The difficulty in which Craney Nc
Collough was shot took place last
Sunday evening, November 9Th, at the
home of Evelena Dial, his sister. Ac-
cording to the testimony at the coro-
ner's inquest, held Monday morning,
the disturbance came about when
Craney Mccullough objected to his
sister, EeVelena Dial, going to ride a
second time with Jim Shell They had
already gone to ride one time and re-
turned home. Jim Shell asked Evele-
ma to go with him up town to get q
lunch when Evelena said she could
not go. Jim Shell insisted end Craney
Mccullough interfered saying that
Evelena could not go. At this Jim
Shell evidently got mad and Ques-
TONED the cause Of the refusal More
words ensued when Frances McCol-
Tough, Craney's mother, went in be-
tween the two men saying that she
did not want any fuss around as they
were pcaceable negroes and had white
neighbors who they did not want to
disturb. Jim Shell replied by say
ing Damn the white folks" Craney
called on Jim to quit cursing before
his mother when Jim Shell pulled his
pistol, shot around Frances McCol-
! Tough striking Craney Mccullough on
the left hand side of the neck, the
pistol being close enough to the neck
of the deceased to cause powder burns
on the skin and on the clothing. After
he had done the shooting, jim Shell
Jumped into his buggy and went away.
The next morning he surrendered to
the sheriff and was placed in Jail, on
OH
intent to kill, to await developments.
"he charge will now be changed to
that of murder
The following is the testimony of
Evelena Dial, with whom Jim Shell
took the ride and about whom the diff
iiculty started:
Evelcna Dial sworn, says that last
Sunday night, the 5th of November.
1911, Jim Shell came to my home i'm
the city of Laurcns, came to my house
some time after three o'clock in the
afternoon and asked if Bee Madden
had been there told, he had not and
| would not know where to find him.
Bee Madden had carried Jim Shells
buStoS away w lllit ldlhlliS, Muuutll
came up and he and Madden talked.
They came back into my room and
talked to me-. He asked me to go to
ride and | did He treated me alright
and showed no signs of being drunk.
When we came back he asked me to
go to town to get a lunch Told him
| couldn't go. My brother, the de-
ceased, objected. He, Shell, got mad
and said to Craney, "Haven't always
treated you right?" My mother,
Frances Mccullough, also objected and
said, 81 don't want to have any fuss
here" My mother said,
II don't want any fuss here because
we have some white neighbors liv-
ing around us" jim Shell said,
J"Damn the white folks, and then
Craney said Look out friend, that's
my mother YOU are talking to- lin
Shell said. Look ont Crancy, I'll lam
it right to you and then shot him
with a pistol at once Jim Shell then
got into his buggy and drove off There
were no other men folks there. Mad
den had left.
Evelcna Dial
Amelia Anderson visitor at the