The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1919-07-15
FAMILY TELLS STORY
OF WAREEN'S DEk,
Version Of Fata. Shooting in Sal.
Does Not Agree With Pubiishe:.
Reports.


killing of Joseph NJ. Warren near
Batesburg was visited this week by
Sheriff Sample, M. H. Duffie, magis-
trate, and j. E. Smith, foreman Of
the grand jury. 1t will be remember
ed Warren was killed by revenue Of
ficers last week and one of the Of
ficers, J. G. Fannin, was wounded. '
According to the published ac-
count said to come from the revenue
officers, Fannin, accom- .,ainied by T..
G. Coleman and C. Rector, visited the
Warren home and explained their
mission. They were invited into the
home to conduct a search for still.
The officers are alleged to have To-
Gated an outfit except the cap. War
rem was placed under arrest and a
member of the family told the Of
ficers where the cap could be found.
Warren, it is said, made some pre-
text to go to his room. Rector noticed
the man as he advanced toward
window and hollered, "Look out. ?"
Fannin was close to the window and
pitched to the ground when pistol
shot rang out. Another shot from
Warren's gun missed the mark and
Fannin began firing. He shot five
times and Warren fell about IL feet
from where he lay. The first shot
fired by Warren entered Fannin's
hip, diabling him instantly. He ::ell,
pulled his gun and fired as he restei
on his side.
Sheriff Sample and others stated
they saw the alleged 60 gallon still
found by the revenue officers and all
they could make out of it was 60
gallon kerosene tank, with holes rust
ed in the bottom, and which evident
ly had not been used for long time;
also reservoir from range was
found which Mrs. Warren said she
had been using for preserving fruits.
The county officers said the pres
ence of so many guns, rifles and pls-
tolls in the home of Warran was ac-
counted for by the family and neigh
bors by the fact that Warren was a
gunsmith and had these guns there,
working on them. 1t 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 to the creek, near the
house, leaving one on guard. 1t is
claimed that when Warren was told
he would have to go with the office,
he agreed but asked time to change
his clothes. He then went into an
other room, it is said, and changed
trousers and when he came back
into the room in which the officer
was on guard, he reached down under
a mattress of a bed, secured his re-
,volver and jumped out of the win
dow. The family say he was shot
while running and did not fire a shot
from his revolver. They claim that
the only shot from Warren's revolver
was fired after he was shot down
when one of the officers ran up and
took his (Warren's) pistol and shot
him through the chest. 1t is claimed
that after and before the killing the
revenue officers terrified the family
with threats and cursing.
1t is said Warren bore a good repu-
tation in his community as being a
iquiet, law abiding citizen and that his
|neighbors who had lived near him for
years do not believe he was operat-
ing a still, but that he was killed,
witho,1t firinor shot. bv the revenue