The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1919-07-18
FAMILY TELLS STORY
OF WARREN'S DEATH
Version of Fatal Shooting in SaIuda
Does Not Agree With Pub
hshed Report.

Saiuda. July 1.-THE scene OF the
killing Of Joseph NJ Warren near
BatesbuVg was visited last week bv
Sheriff Sample. NJ. II. Duffe. msgis-
trate, and ]. E. Smith. foreman OF the
grand Jury. II will be remembered
Warren vas killed b. revenue officers
last week and one OF the officers. J
G. Fannin. was wounded.
According to the published account
said to come from the revenue off,
GERS, Fanuin. accompanied by T. G.
Coleman and c. Rector, visited the
Warren home and explained their
mission. They were invited into the
home to conduct search FOR a still.
The officers are alleged TO have To-
Gated an outfit except the cap. War
ren was placed under arrest and
member OF the family told the officers
where the cap could be found. War
rem. il is said. made some pretext 10
go 10 his room. Rector noticed the
man as ne advanced toward a window
and hollered. Look out" Fannin
vas close TO the window and pitched
TO the ground when a pistol shot rans
out. Another shot from Warrens gun
missed the mark and Fanniu began
firing. He shot FIVE times and War
ren fell about Il feet from where he
lay. The first shot fred by Warren
entered Fanuin's hip. disabling him
instantly. He fell. pulled his gun and
hred as he rested on his side
Sheriff Sample and others stated
they saw the alleged so gallon still
found by the revenue officers and all
they could make ou; o: it was So
gallon kerosene tank. with holes rust
ed N the bottom and which evidently
had not been used for a long time
also reservoir from q range vas
found which Mrs Warren said she
had been using for preserving fruits.
The county officers said the pres
eHce OF 50 many guns. rifles and pis-
tolls in the home OF Warren was ac-
for by the family and neigh
bors by the fact that Warren was a
gunsmith and had these guns there
working on them II is said some OF
the guns discovered by the revenue
officers had no locks and others had
no stocks
According TO the family OF Warren.
the revenue officers entered the house
and demanded that some liquor be
produced or they would kill the
whole family Upon being told there
was no liquor there it is said that one
OF the officers went out to search the
outhouses. while another walked down
20 the creek. near the house. ,eavins
one on guard. II is claimed that when
Warren was told ne would have % 60
with the officers he agreed. bur asked
time 10 change his clothes. He then
went into another room. II is said.
and changed trousers and when ne
came back into the room in which
the Office vas on guard h -aa. he
down unt-- a mattress o! bed. So
cured h.s revolver and jumped or, ot
the window. The family say NJ was
sho, while running and did no, IRE a
shot from his revolver. They claim
that the only shot from Warren's re-
vo.ye- was after he vas shot down
when one OF the officers ran UP and
took his IWarrens pistol and sho,
him through the chest II Is claimed
that after and before the killing the
revenue officers terrified the family
with threats and curSirg
Il is said Warren bore a good re2u-
tation in his community as being a
quiet. law-ab;ding citizen and that rs
neighbors who had lived near him for
years do not believe he was opera,-
Ing still. but that ne was killed
without firing a shot by the revenue
officers II is not believed that War
-er shot Fannin. but that the latter
was shot by bullet from one OF nj.
own pistols II is possible some in
teresting facts will develop at the in
quest.