The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-06-10

the third primary, he had thought that
would bring an end to the political
troubles. Further, he said, that his
home and his business were IN Wagon
er, his money invested tn, in fact
everything he had, and he felt that he
had a right 10 return to Wagner; that
under the circumstances he didn't feel
that he could do anything else.
FOrgaye Political Enemies.
But before he went back to his home
he had published to the voters of Ak
en- county card of thanks, in which
he expressed to them his appreciation
of their vote, the confidence they re-
posed in and the honor they conferr-
ed upon him, stating in the card that
he could even forgive those who have
mistreated me, for have not one tinge
of hard feeling left in my heart for
any one" The published article was
exhibited in court and accepted as
evidence.
The defendant then continued that
when he returned to Wagner, he
found that his newspaper Office had
ben entered surreptitiously and his
private papers ransacked even that
his home had been surrounded and
pried into, and, he declared, some par
ty or parties had been at his house
after midnight, but, after unseemly de-
monstrations and efforts to enter at
the window, departed.
Longs Story OF Tragedy.
He had been to the postofice, he
said, and was standing glancing over
the headlines of a newspaper when he
was approached by man in his en-
plov. They stood there some moments
conversing, he testified, when he felt
some one grab him, jerk at him and
strike him a stunning blow in the back
Of the head. He had not seen Gunter,
he declared, and was not aware that
he was anywhere near.
The blow stunned him, and as he
fell to the ground he recognized the
face of Pickens Gunter, whose .coun-
tenance, he said,, Cooked like that OF
a wild man in cage" The legislator
said that as he fell, he had an idea
that the affair was the execution OF
the numerous threats made against his
life, and that this fear prompted his
deed of a few moments later. About
the time. he fell, he said, his assailant
struck him a heavy blow between the
ewes and h';nded him to such an ex-
tent that he did not remember to have
been conse cutively or very consciously
ANYTHING else that transpired until he
got up.
Afser hey fell to the ground, Long
affirmed Gunter'sl eft hand gripped
over his throat an dwas choking him
to uncousain,. .sness. He was crap
pling for his pistol and when Gunter
realized this he grabbed Longs wrist
ard rrieu 10 wcest 'he revolver from
it, The first shot did not find its mark
and Gunter, said Long, renewed more
vigorously than before his efforts TO
secure the weapon, but Long fired the
second and fatal shot, and Gunter's
muscles relaxed.
At this juncture, Mr.. Long, in clear
steady voice, declared:
Says Believed Life in Danger.
'I shot because I believed my life
to he in imminent danger and that
myself would be killed unless I did
fire, I fired the two shots in defense
of my life. 1 knew that if Mr.. Gun
ter secured my revolver he would
kill me. if his friends didn't"
Mr.. Long went on to the house-he
had already seen behind him the
shouting mob of armed men coming
toward him-ran upstairs, he said,
and looked out of window to see J.
B. Harley and J. Chester Busbee run
ming up with guns. Busbee is the
young man from Wagner who was
elected to the house of representatives
at the third primary election, and
who this week receives his diploma
from the law department Of the South
Carolina University.
Surrendered to Sheriff.
Long refused to surrender to Bald
win, the chief, he said, because the