Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1913-03-05
TWO KILLINGS FOR oCoNEE.
Frank Thrift Killed by Will Smith
With Blow from Hammer.

CIn Wednesday night of last week,
about 9 o'clock, difficulty arose be-
tween Will Smith and Frank Thrift
Ct the home OF Galloway Smith, about
seven miles above Madison, when
Frank Thrift was struck in the head
with a hammer by Will Smith.
Statements made concerning the
affair are to the effect that the two
men quarreled over matters concern
ing woman, Thrift threatening and
striking Smith with hammer, which
the latter wrested from hiI:, striking
| Thrift heavy blow on the head with
| the weapon, inflicting fearful
wound, from which he died about AS
hours later at his home, which is
near Old Liberty church, where he
had been taken Thursday morning.
The details of the affair are meagre,
the statements given above being
merely current reports regarding the
affair, and are not given by us as
facts in the case.
Smith was arrested Friday after
noon by Ex-Sheriff B. r. Moss, who
was sent to the scene of the trouble,
bringing Smith to Walhalla, where he
was lodged in Jail. His victim died
within a few hours after tho arrest.
Sheriff Davis was not in Walhalla
when a message was received asking
that an officer be sent after Smith.
Both men connected with the af-
fair are comparatively young, Thrift
having family. Frank Thrift was
regarded as quiet, prosperous far
mer, owning, it is said, splendid
farm OF considerable size.
Thrift was about 40 years Of age,
and Smith about 80.
The inquest over the dead body of
Thrift was conducted by Magistrate
S. X Marett, OF Westminster.
There is bit of peculiar history
that comes to mind by reason Of this
addition to the criminal history of
Oconee. The Thrift family is one of
the best known in the mountain sec
tion of this county, the men of the
family being fearless, The deceased
was familiarly known as Little
| Frank" and was a son of the late
Rance Thrift. His mother was a
Miss Rusk, a sister of Senator Rusk,
Of Texas. Frank Thrift had five
brothers, two Of whom (Thos. ]. and
j. Allen ThrifD are still living. Rob
ert Thrift, 1t will he recalled by
those familiar with events in the
past as they have transpired in the
mountain section of Oconee, fought
to the death with John Moore, and
with the ending of the encounter the
lives Of both were ended, they being
| SO equally matched in strength and
endurance that they literally killed
each other. This occurred some
eighteen years or more ago. The
fourth brother, Little Bill" Thrift,
was killed by Logan Ramey few
years ago. The fifth brother'is also
dead, and mounds mark the place
where three men who were unfamil-
lar with fear sleep the last long sleep
name Of Little Frank" Thrift, the
latest of this family, peculiarly fated,
to pass from time to eternity.
Negro Killed.
Near Keowee Station, on the Sou
thern Railway, Green Thompson, col
ored, shot Silas Evans, also colored
last Monday morning, inflicting a
wound from which Evans died Tues
day about noon.
Shortly after the shooting Evans
was sent to Greenwood, his home, and
| Thompson was arrested, Sheriff
Davis going down to Seneca in an
automobile, and from there to the
home Of Thompson's father, some
nine miles below Seneca, where
Thompson was found grinding an axe.
He seemed surprised when told of
the condition of the man he had
shot, stating that he did not think
that he had hit Evans when he fred.
Sheriff Davis found that Thompson
still had with him the pistol with
which he had done the shooting, the
weapon being found in his coat
pocket, the coat having been hung
up on the porch of the house, in the
yard OF which he was engaged in as
sisting about some work. He
had told the sheriff, however, that
he had thrown the weapon away
when he ran after shooting. He Of
fered no resistance whatever to ar
rest, but Sheriff Davis had driven up
to within speaking distance OF him
before the negroes took note OF the
approach of the buggy
Thompson was lodged is the Jail
at Walhalla Monday afternoon to
await the results of the wounds in
ffcted on Evans, and Tuesday at
noon telegram was received stating
that Evans was dead. It is stated
that the ball from Thompson's pis-
tol entered the back, penetrating the
| lungs.
| Thompson and Evans were both
members OF railroad section crew,
and the difficulty which led up to the
| shooting grew out of the loss of a
| pistol by the section boss, which, it
is said, Evans accused Thompson of
having taken. Thompson fired two
shots, Evans taking to his heels when
| the first was fred and ihe secoud