The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-09-04
JOHN l. EARLE SHOOTS SELF.
Il GREENVILLE MAN
IN DYING CONDITION.
Has Worried Over Physical Condition
Growing Out Of Recent Injury. Son
of Late Senator.

Greenville, Sept. John Herriot
Earle, son Of a distinguished South
Carolina family, former railroad COM
missioner and prominent member of
the Greenville bar, shot himself in the
head a few minutes before o'clock
tonight. Attending physicians state
that he has no chance for recovery
and that he can not live more thar a
few hours. The bullet, fired from q
Al calibre derringer, entered just be-
hind the right temple and went into
the brain. l.. o. Patterson, another
lawyer, was standing in the door of
Mr.. Earles office when the shot was
fired. Mr.. Earle was despondent over
his physical condition. A few weeks
ago he was injured when a street car
smashed the automobile in which he
was riding. A broken arm was one
Of the injuries he sustained and the
arm has been giving much trouble.
This afternoon he complained Of acute
pain in the arm and discussed with
several friends the nature of the
break, explaining that a resetting of
the bone would be necessary. Early
in the afternoon he was apparently
cheerful.
Toward nightfall he came to the
Palmetto building, where his office
| is located, and calling Mr.. Patterson,
asked him to find his office key. Mr.
Patterson took Mr.. Earle's keys, OPEN
ed the door for him and then as the
key caught in the door he stopped to
get it loose. Mr.. Earle went to his
desk, took his seat and fired the bull
let into his brain while Mr.. Patter-
sons attention was devoted to the
key.
The injured man was rushed to the
city hospital but though several physi-
clans are attending him he has no
chance for recovery.
John II. Earle is a son of the late
United States Senator Joseph H. Earle
He was graduated from the Citadel
read law in his fathers office and
was admitted to the bar about 19 years
| ago He served as major or the First
South Carolina volunteers in the Span
sh-AmericaH war. While his father
who died in 1897, was senator, Mr..
Earle served as his secretary, and as
correspondent Of The State from
Washington. In 1901 he was married
to Miss Eliza Mays Beattie of Green
vile, who died ten months later.
In 1902 he was elected State rail-
road commissioner and served from
1908 until 1909. His mother is Mrs.
Anne Earle Of Greenville. He has
two brothers. DR.. Baylis H. Earle,
I. S. M. c., stationed at Tacoma,
Wash. Capt. Joseph H. Earle, U. S. A.,
stationed at Fort Miles, on the Po-
tomac; five sisters, Mrs. Sloan Craw-
ford, Spartanburg; Mrs. Victor Mont
gomery, Spartanburg; Mrs. H. F. Rice,
wife of Judge Rice Of Aiken; Mrs.
James Birnie. Greenville, and Miss
Wilton Earle, who is now in Balti-
more. He is a double first cousin to
State Senator Wilton H. Earle of
Greenville and to DR.. c. b. Earle,
also of Greenville.
Mr.. Earle is a man Of engaging
personality and when he first entered
into the practice Of law he was regard
ed as one Of the ablest young lawyers
or the State. AT one time he was a
partner Of the late Capt. Mooney. For
brief period he was associated with
Joseph T. Johnson, now federal
judge, and later he was a partner of
f. +. Beattie. For several years he
has practiced law alone, having large
commercial business.