The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-01-21
MANIAC SHOOTS Two
DRINK CRAZfD AUGUSTAN FIRES
ON Wife and Lad
Kill Wife, WOUNDS BOY

Recently Released From Georgia
Hospital for Insane Man Commits
DeplorabIe Deed-Seems Not to
Realize What He Has Done
Shouts and Whoops.
Recently released from confne-
ment for mental arrangement, and
after drinking heavily about four
weeks, Sam J. Norris Of Augusta
shot and killed his wife and very
probably mortally wounded William
Dennis, about II years old, In a
front room OF Norris home in that
city Wednesday afternoon.
After Norris had killed his wife
and wounded Dennis, he attempted
to and probably woul dhave, shot
Mr.. Felix Gunter, the first person
who entered the room where Mrs.
Norris body lay, had Gunter not
backed out Of the room. DR.. W. D.
Jennings Jr., police department sur
geon and who is also Norris family
physician, covered Norris with a re-
vovler as the latter was in the act Of
raising his own weapon on DR.. Jen-
nings, and disarmed Norris.
William Dennis was hurried from
the sidewalk, where he fell, to the
City hospital, where an operation was
performed. Just before going to the
operating table, young Dennis made
the following statement:
"I was In Mr.. Norris house, where
Mrs. Norris was, preparatory to taE-
Ing her out for an automobile ride;
we had already arranged for the ride.
Mr. Norris had given his consent for
his wife to go. All at once he just
rushed in and, cursing, drew his pis-
tol. His hand went up and he began
firing"
Previously he had made the fol-
lowing statement to DR.. Jennings.
who gave Dennis first attention, at
the scene of the shooting, and accom-
panied him to the hospital:
"I was at the home Of Mr.. and Mrs.
Norris, and was preparing to take an
auto ride with Mrs Norris. acting as
her chauffeur, all Of which was
known to Norris and had his ap-
proval. Just before we were ready
to depart, Norris came in, whipped
out a revolver and opened fire on
Mrs. Norris and myself" Dennis
said he knows no reason why Norris
should seek to kill him.
According to the witnesses Mrs.
Norris was preparing to come down.
town to do some shopping and had
stepped across to talk to neishbor.
After a few minutes Of conversation
she saw her husband calling Dennis.
the chauffeur, into the house. Fear
ing that Norris was not going to let
her 90 down in the automobile she
left Mrs. Clark and ran into the
house. The front door closed and
the woman's scream was followed by
three shots.
The shots were heard all over the
neighborhood and Mr.. Felix Gunter.
who lives next door, rushed over to
the house and met young Dennis
coming, staggering, out. He then
opened the front door and rushed
thrued through the hallway into the
front room, where he saw Norris
standing in the middle Of the room.
holding his still smoking pistol. At
another glance he saw the body Of
Mrs. Norris lying with her face to
the floor. ..'-..
Looking. up at Norris. he said.
"sam. you've played hell" where
upon Norris quickly, leveled his pis-
tol on Gunter and reolied. eyes, and
I'm going to play hell again" Gun
ter. seeing the man appeared to be in
a wild frenzy, ran out Of the house.
On the front porch he was met by
DR.. W. D. Jennings Jr. and Police
men Seals and Davis who. hearing
the shots. were rushing into the
house. Dr.. JENNINGS was the first to
enter and as he stepned into the hall
way he called "Sam" and getting no
renly he reneated the name. Norris
answered him and the doctor told
him who he was and Norris reDlied.
"Come on in doc. I won't hurt you"
The doctor found Norris sitting in a
chair. At first the physician did not
notice the pistol. which Norris had In
his right hand with his left hand
over It irving to conceal It. DR. Jen-
nings and Policemen Seals and Davis
made one lunse for the crazed man.
the doctor grabbing the weapon from
his hands while the officers pinned
him to the chair and placed him un-
der arrest.
Or. Jennings then turned his at
tentions to the woman who was W.
ing faced downward on the floor. He
made an examination and prononnc-
ed the woma dead. Dennis was dan
eerous1v wounded. The police arriv-
ed at this time and he was placed IN
It. to he rushed to the hosnital. Nor
ris was also placed in the patrol.
Norris yelled and whooped and
anneared very much amused at the
auto patrol tearing down Broad
street. and encouraged the chanf-
four to "burn the wind. The wound
ed man was carried to the hosnita'
while Norris was taken to the bar
racks and later carried to jail.
In free and easy manner. with a