The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1913-11-13
SERIOUS SHOOTING AFFRAY.
jeff j. Hughes Dangerously Wounded
by Willie Steedley.

Tuesday about noon Willie Steed-
ley shot and dangerously wounded
Jeff J. Hughes. Both are white farm
. ers and live a few miles below town.
The shooting occurred on the road
from Bamberg to Ehardt, near the
old Milestone place.
Mr.. F. H. Copeland, of Ehrhardt,
brought the news of the shooting to
Bamberg, he and Mr.. Padgett, of
WATERFORD, being eye-witnesses to
the difficulty. Mr. Copeland was on
his way to Bamberg in an automobile
where he was bringing Mr.. Padgett
to attend court.
Mr.. Copeland stated that he met
the men in the road, who it appears
were in a buggy going in the direc-
tion of Ehrhardt, but when he reach
ed them they both had gotten out
of the buggy and were standing in
the road, to one side of the buggy.
| When he came up he asked that
their mule be moved out of the road
so he could pass, and Mr.. Hughes ask
ed his to get out and stop with
them. He told them no, that he was
in hurry to get to Bamberg with his
passenger, and that Hughes then
said there was the mule, he could
move him. Mr.. Copeland says he MOTTO
ed that both seemed to be drunk, and
| he got out of his machine and went
to the mules head and started to lead
him out of the road, when Hughes
started to walk towards Steedley but
did not say anything. Steedley then
said to Hughes that if he came any
nearer he would kill him. Hughes
walked on a little nearer Steedley
when Steedley at once fired three
times One bullet lodged in his neck,
barely missing the jugular vein, the
finger of one hand was shot off, and
another ball lodged in his wrist,
| breaking the bone. The pistol was a
3S-calibre.
After Hughes was shot, Mr.. Cope
land says that he said to Steedley
that he had better do something for
Hughes, for he believed he had killed
him. Steedley replied that he knew
Hughes would die, and be believed he
would kill him another man, flourish
ing the pistol toward him. He talk
ed to him quietly, saying "You
wouldn't shoot me, would you?"
That Steedley called him Chassereau
and said yes he would. Mr.. Copeland
then told him he was mistaken in the
man, that he was not Mr.. Chassereau,
but Copeland, for whom he (Steed-
ley) worked Last year, when Mr..
Copeland was superintendent of the
Hacker Mfg. Co. at Ehrhardt. Steed-
then recognized him and said no, he
wouldn't shoot him, but remarked
as he put the pistol in his pocket that
he had been near it. Mr.. Copeland
says that he saw Hughes was badly
wounded, so he told Steedley he had
best stay there with him while he
came on to Bamberg and brought
Doctor Steedley agreed to do this,
but when Mr.. Copeland started the
machine he came and jumped on the
running board and said he was 60
ing to Bamberg and give up, to
which Mr.. Copeland assented. Steed-
ley then jumped off and said no, he
wouldn't go, he wanted to stay and
kill him another man. Mr.. Copeland
replied that he had better stay there
with Hughes and attempt to do some
thing for him, and he said "All right,
if you say so, I will stay"
The sheriff and DR.. Stuckey i'm
mediately left for the scene when the
news of the shooting came, and Steed-
ley was there with Hughes when they
arrived. He was arrested and plac-
ed in Jail, where he now is.
Hughes was also brought here in an
| automobile, and at present is at
the home of Mr.. A. j. Steedley, Jr.,
section master of the Southern Rail-
way here. He is being attended by
physicians, who have given him every
possible attention. The wound in
his throat is a dangerous one, but he
is doing as well as could be expected
under the circumstances. He may
die, and the chances for his recovery
are not good.
We learn that Steedley's story is
that the two men had been quarreling
and Hughes threatened to shoot him;
that he took the pistol from Hughes
and then Hughes came at him with a.
knife in his hand and he shot to pro-
tect his own life.
Hughes says Steedley had TAX
en- his pistol, and when he went to-
| $@ toll