The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-01-12
FURTHER PARTICULARS
OF TEPoIRLE ACCIDENT

his home town near the depot, the
fatal shot being fired, it is supposed.
by his aged father, Capt. John W.
Lanford, through a terrible mistake
Capt. Lanford was himself slightly
wounded, either by his son after ne
fell or by an unknown party. Oscar
Lanford lived more than an hour and
was conscious for while, it IS stated.
A physician from Enoree was secured,
but Mr.. Lanford expired soon after
the arrival of the doctor. DR. Vim
cent of Laurens was called and reach
ed the scene shortly after the Enoree
doctor came.
The tragedy followed confusion
among Capt. Lanford, Oscar Lanford
and ]. L. Fleming, a son-ln-laW OF
the elder Lanford, who had gone 70
the railway station for the purpose OF
acprehending a burglar reported from
Ora to be headed toward Lanford,
after robbing the residence of W. I.
Blakelv at Ora and the office of DR..
R H. Bryson at Bryson. Mr.. Blake
lv callsd Mr.. Higgins, at Lanford On
the phone, and told him Of the rob-
berv. Mr.. Higgins notified the Messfs.
Lanford and they with Mr.. Flsmmlns
went at once to the station, which
is located near the stores Of the town.
The Messrs. Lanford took position
at the west corner of the depot While
MIR. Fleming stood over at the other
end of the building, next the rail-
road After watching little while
psrson was seen approaching from
the south side of the town. carrying
flashlight. He stopped at the Drum
mond store and walked around the
building once or twice, continuing to
use the fiashlight at short intervals.
He then, it appears, moved across to-
ward the depot when Oscar Lanford,
who had evidently stepped in ahead
of his father, keeping close to the
station platform, suddenly moved out
toward the road, putting himself in
line between Capt. Lanford and the
approaching figure with the fash
hight. Immediately the firing com,
menced, Capt Lanford and his son
shooting several times, it is said, with
the supposed rcbber as the target, as
they thought. Oscar Lanford was
shot in the back but he managed to
get back to the platform where he col
lapsed. In the confusion Capt. Ian
ford received wound in the back
of the leg near the thigh, the bullet
ranging upward, making its exit be-
low the waist line, inAicting only d
slight wound. The supposed >robber
may have taken hand in the shoot
ing, as Mr.. Hammett who rooms over
the Lanford store, is quoted as saying
that he saw shot flashes from the To-
cality Of the person carrying the
fiashlight. AS to this point it may
never be definitely known. Mr.. Flem-
ing WHO was armed with shot gun.
fired one time in the direction of the
approaching figure, but his gun fail
ed to work any more. and he went to
the assistance Of Oscar. 1t was 8
dark, cloudy night and only the out
lines of a person could be seen by !
any of the party when they became !
separated, which fact explains the
confusion and it's deplorable result !
After the robbery at Ora Mr.. Blake !
ly notified the Laurens authorities, !,
and shortly after o'clock Deputy !
Sheriff Owings and Rural Policeman
Owens left for Ora and Lanford, !
reaching the latter place about twenty ,
minutes after. the shooting. Officer !
Owens drove to Enoree and got ply |
sician, and then with the deputy, pro-
ceeded on the trail of the burglar, |
who had fed toward Spartanburg.
Upon reaching Woodruff the Of
ficers were Informed that Chief of |
Police J. w. Kellett had arrested d !
stranger at the station just as he i
was about to board a north bound |
train. AS the man could give no
account of himself he was brought !
to the Laurens jail and is held as a !
suspect. He refused to talk. On |
his person We're found a fashlight. |
a razor. gold band ring. which has !
been identified as the property Of !
Mr., Blakely. and a bunch Of skele-
ton Keys. He appeared greatly ia
tigued and for day or more slept !
all the time. Wednesday he became
somewhat communicative and is said i,
to have given his name as James No
ran, claiming that he came to this
country a few months ago from Eu-
rope, landing at New Orleans. then
drifting to Atlanta where he remain
ed for time before coming into this
State. He refuses, however, to dis
cuss the Ora robbery or the Lanford