The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1919-04-24
HAM BRABHAM KILLED.
Shot With Shotgun Sunday Morning
by X. o. Williamson.


Sunday morning at Ehrhardt, when
w. Ham Brabham, prominent white
man. was shot and killed by R. O..
Williamson, also prominently con-
nected. The unfortunate affair oc-
Cured on a street in Ehrhardt, al
most in front of the home of the de-
ceased, as the latter was leaving his
house, it is said, to go to the home
of a relative to eat dinner in honor
of another relative recently returned
from overseas service in France.
The two men were next door neigh
bors. 1t is said that some hard feel
ings had been caused a few days
previous to the tragic incident when
the children of the two men became
involved in some trouble, and that
this led to the killing Sunday morn
ing. Very little is known of the de-
tails of the affair at the time of the
killing. There were no witnesses at
the inquest who saw the killing, al
though it is rumored that there was
at least one witness to the homicide.
Mr.. Brabham was a member of
one of the most prominent families
| in this section of the State. He had
previously lived at Allendale, and
came to Ehrhardt a few years ago.
He was about so years Of age. Mr..
Williamson came to Ehrhardt some
three or four years ago from Rock
Hill, and he engaged in business in
the community
Mr.. Brabham was shot twice. with
shotgun loaded with small shot.
Immediately after the killing, Mr..
Williamson came to Bamberg and
surrenderd to the sheriff and he is,
now in the county Jail. The inquest
was held Sunday afternoon by Coro-
ner Seigler. Only two witnesses were
examined at the inquest, their testi-
mony being as follows:
J. P. Griffin, duly sworn, testified:
When I heard the shots, was at the
depot. About the time the second
shot was fired, I was leaving the de-
pot; was running. Got around the
corner of the box cars; saw man
lying on the ground. l ran up to this
man and found it to be Mr.. Brabham.
Mr.. Williamson came running out of
the house. I asked who killed him.
He answered, 'FI did" Asked me
could I take him to Bamberg. I an
swered him, Eyes, We started over
railroad crossing. Mr.. Fox came up
in his car and I asked Fox if he
could take him to Bamberg. He
said, "Yes." I then looked around
for Mr.. Williamson, but did not see
him. Started back to where Mr..
Brabham was lying and saw Mr.. Will
hanson in car with Mr. Moore.
Some one said Mr.. Moore was going
to take him to Bamberg.
Question: Mr.. Copeland asked if
Mr.. Brabham was dead when Mr.,
Griffin got to him.
Answer: 81 suppose he was. There
was no weapon on the dead man at
all that I could see"
C. c. Moore, duly sworn, testified:
I don't know anything about the
shooting. When I came out Of my
house 1 met Williamson at the front
and he said that he had shot Mr..
Ham Brabham and wanted to give up
and wanted to go to Bamberg, and
asked if I minded taking him, and
told him that I would carry him.
DR.. Robert Black, who held the
autopsy upon the body of Mr.. Brab-
ham, described the wounds as fol-
lows: Gunshot wounds caused by
small shot on left side of neck and
upper part of chest. Gunshot wounds
caused by small shot on right side of
face and in right ear. These wounds
caused death.