Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-03-19
&. 3. EVANS A SUICIDE

Hanging to small dog wood tree by
his belt, and evidently having been
there for several days, the lifeless
body Of Mr.. Edward B. Evans was
found in a patch Of woods on the
farm of Mr.. F. C. Riddle about three
miles north Of Yorkville shortly after
noon Tuesday, by his brother Mr.. W
L. Evans, who, together with a dozen
or more other people had been
searching for him since the previous
Thursday.
Mr.. Evans's mind had been de-
ranged for some time, but he had
been watched closely and his brothers
Messers. John and w. L. Evans with
whom he lived had no intention thai
he intended to take his own life. Fol-
the past twelve years the three broth
ers had been living on the farm OF
c. E. Spencer, Esq, about five miles
north Of Yorkville and this year
moved to a farm just off the Kings
Mountain road within the corporate
limits Of the town. Mr.. Ed Evans had
never become accustomed to his new
surroundings and had several times
expressed his desire to return to his
former home. Being familiar with
his p~eculiarities. his brothers paid
little attention to his expressions OF
dissatisfaction.
Mr.. Evans spent last Thursday
morning picking cotton and at noon
came to the house where he and his
brothers kept bachelor quarters. for
his dinner, as usual. He went out
about 400 Thursday evening without
saying anything to his brothers who,
paid no attention to him, and he was
not missed until after dark when they
became uneasy since he had never
stayed away from home all night.
Thinking that he had possibly gone
to the vicinity Of his former home,
however, to spend the night with
friends, Messers John and w. l..
Evans made no search for him but
when he failed to come home next
day the alarm that he was lost went
GU and there commenced a search
which continued until the finding Of
his lifeless body.
Tuesday morning several friends
started out in search of the lost man,
each going in different directions.
About noon MI. w. L. Evans noticed
a buzzard circling around a patch Of
woods on Mr.. Riddles farm and his
suspicious being aroused, he in
vestigated further and after some
little search saw his brother suspend
ed from a small dogwood tree by
means Of his belt, his feet barely
touching the ground. His neck was
not broken. He had choked to death.
He had made a moose of his leather
belt, selected two dog wood trees
growing together, climbing up one
while he tied the end of the belt
around the other, and had then slip
ped to the ground, the height from
which he was suspended not being
quite great enough to remov his
body entirely off the earth. There
were no marks on his body except
one place on his neck where the belt
buckle had bruised the skin.
Immediately after the discovery the
authorities were notified but no in
quest was held, owing to the fact that
it was clear his death was the deed Of
his own hand.
Mr.. Evans, who vas about so years
old, was the son of the late John and
Jane Evans, and was born in Yorkville.
He had lived all his life in this vicinity.
He Is survived by two brothers, Messrs
John and w. L. Evans and two sisters,
Mrs. M. Louise Jackson and Miss Vir-
ginia Evans, all Of Yorkville. Funeral
services were held at the late home Of
the deceased Wednesday morning con-
Quoted by Rev. ]. L. Oates and the in
sheba.