The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1914-05-14
ATTORNEY dies 4 "
MARTYR TO DUTY.
j. Nj. CANNON KILLED BY j. G.
SULLIVAN IN LAURENS COUNTY
SCHOOL ROW TIE CAUSE.

trate Hellams's court at Gray Court
this afternoon John M Cannon, a
prominent attorney of the Laurens
bar, and one of the best-known citi-
zens of the county and State, was
shot and almost instantly killed by
Joseph G Sullivan, son of Thomas
J Sullivan, and a prominent young
farmer of Tumbling Shoals. Mr. Can
non was shot five times, four of the
bullets penetrating his body and the
fifth piercing his arm near the elbow.
One of the bullets struck a bystand-
er, Archie Willis, passing through his
leg near the ankle. Sullivan was
brought to Jail soon after the shoot
ing. When seen by newspaper rep
resenatives he declined to make any
statement, saying that he might have
something to say tomorrow. The
body of Mr. Cannon was brought
here this afternoon on the late train
and the burial will take place tomor-
row.
The tragedy grew out of case
brought in the Magistrates court
by Miss Maude Sharp, teacher Of
the Mount Bethel school, in Sullivan
township, against Humbert Sullivan,
aged IS, a pupil of Miss Sharp and
a brother of Joseph G Sullivan, the
alleged slayer of Mr. Cannon. Hum
bert Sullivan was charged with COM
mon assault, using profane language
in a public place and committing
depredations on the property of the
school building several weeks ago.
Mr. Cannon was employed by Miss
Sharp to prosecute the case. A
change of venue in the case was
obtained and the trial came up for
hearing today before Magistrate
Hellams, of Dial township. W R
Richey, Sr, of the Laurens bar.
represented the defendant. A num-
ber of witnesses for both sides testi-
fed, including a sister of the defend
ant. After ascertaining that Miss
Sullivan was a sister of the defend
ant, Mr. Cannon is said to have ask
ed to come down. Exception
was taken to this by opposing coun-
sci and Mr. Cannon disclaimed any
intention of rejecting on whatever
she might have testified to and thus
the incident ended.
Mr. Cannon made the opening and
closing arguments and is said to
have excoriated the conduct of the
young defendant in no uncertain
terms. When the jury filed out of
the depot Office, where the trial was
held, Mr. Cannon stepped out into
the depot yard. He was approach
ed by a patron of the school, who
complained that the attorney had in
his speeches reflected on the charac-
ter of his son, one of the principal
witnesses for the defence. Mr. Can
non is said to have replied that he
sought only to bring out the truth
and had no apologies to make, where
upon Mr. Wood, the patron, turned
away, saying he wanted an apology
or trouble. At this juncture it ap-
pears Joseph G Sullivan took up the
matter and told Mr. Cannon that he
had disgraced his brother and the
Sullivan family, and that when he
made certain derogatory statements
he (Cannon) knew they were lies.
Mr. Cannon resented this and
struck Sullivan on the head with a
cane, which the deceased had used
since his leg was broken several
months ago in a railway accident.
The instant he struck Sullivan the
latter drew his pistol and fired five
times in rapid succession, and at
very close range. Mr. Cannon was
standing near the steps of the depot
and sank as he attempted to ascend
them. Friends rushed up and
caught him before he fell. He said
he knew he was mortally wounded
and was going to die, but he was