Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1912-07-31
FIRES voLLRY IN LODGE ROOM.
Candidate for Degree Probably Fa.
tally Wounds Team Leader.

Anderson, July 27.-Mistaking
that part OF tho initiation where fire.
arms are fluorlshed and blank cart
ridges are exploded as meaning to
do him bodily harm. Furman Bag
well, aged 81, q candidate being ini-
tiated into the mysteries Of the
Woodmen Of the World, rus he'd from
the lodge room and snat,hed his
pistol from his coat hanging in tho
ante-rocm, hurried back into the
lodge ru ON and fred there shots In
rapid succession at Milton Taylor,
aged 26, who was leading the degree
team in the initiation.
The first shot hit Taylor in tho
abdomen, fcarfully tearing the in
tcstines. The bullet hid itself in the
spinal column. The second bullet
hit Taylor on the right hip and bur-
led itself in the hip bone. The last
shot struck Taylor on the back OF
the neck and glanced off.
This occurred in Friendship lodge
room, three miles northeast Of Honea
Path last night. To-day Taylor was
brought to Anderson Hospital and
DR.. Sanders, the attending physi-
clan. says tonight that his condition
is extremely critical and that he
fears peritonitis will set IN.
Taylor was able to tell Of tho
shooting to-day after he came from
under the influence Of an anaesthet-
ic. He says that he and Bagwell
were warm friends; that Bagwe!l
became excited and in the heat Of
excitement lost his head and rush
ed for his pistol, evidently thinking
that he (Taylor) meant to do him
some bodily harm.
Bagwell is a clerk in store at
Honea Path and was at his post to-
day. He was married about two
months ago. Taylors father said to-
day that prosecution OF Bagwell de-
pended on whether or not his son
survived the wounds. 1t Is not like
ly that he will survive.
Young Milton Taylor Dead.
(Anderson Mail, 29th.)
After lingering in great pain for
80 hours, 8. Milton Taylor, the young
Honea Path man who was shot by
Furman Bagwell in the lodge hall Of
the Woodmen at Friendship church,
near Honea Path, Friday night, died
II 50 the Anderson iHospitaf Monday
morning at 6 o'clock. His father
and mother, Mr.. and Mrs. S. P. Tay-
lor, and a brother and sister, were
constantly at the bedside OF their
loved one, and were with him when
he breathed his last.
NOvitiate Becomes Crnzed.
While Bagwell was being initiat-
ed into the local Woodmen lodge he
became greatly excited, and when
Taylor, who was leading the degree
team, fired several shots from a re-
volver, said to be loaded with
"blanks,' the candidate for initia-
tion rushed into an ante-room,
where he procured a .32 Smith e.
Wesson revolver from his coat
pocket and turned upon Taylor and
began shooting. In all, four shots
are reported to have been fired, one
taking effect In the back Of the neck,
two making slight flesh wounds in
the hip and the fourth entering the
transverse colon twice, tearing large
holes in the walls of the intestine
The Fathers Statement.
s. p. Taylor, father OF the deceas-
ed young man, stated Modnay morn
ing that he would bring no criminal
action against Bagwell, being fully
satisfied that Bagwell harbored no
III feelings toward his son and shot
him under the stress Of the excite
ment. The father held no resent
ment to the assailant of his son,
strange to relate, but seemed to re-
gret more that the order had incor-
porated in It's initiation ceremonies
things which were likely to arouse
the wrath OF the novitiate and
which, In this instance, was tho
cause of the entire affair.