The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1919-09-10
ALEX. ABERCROMBIE
MEETS TRAGIC DEATH

HEElIo IhAU1C DEAIIk
Magistrate Of YOungs Township Killed
by Nephew Thursday Night. Taken
f0r Intruder.
Alexander Abercrombic, magistrate
or YounSs township, met his death in
a peculiar manner at the hands of his
nephew, Furman Abercrombic Thurs
day night shortly after midnight when
young Abercrombe fired at an ,n
known man, who later turned out TO
DC his uncle, walking in the yard and
making an apparent effort to enter the
hot5c. No motive for the shooting has
developed and the strange action OF
MI Abcrcrombic in seeking entrance
TO the house at that time of night has
not been accounted for. 1t is said
that Mr.. Abercrombic, who was a sub
stantial and highly regarded citizen,
was sometimes given to practical iok-
ing and the theory has been advanced
mat he was playing prank on his
young nephews, trying to frightcn
them, when he met his tragic death.
The fact also that he was slightly
deaf may have prevented him from
nearing Furman Abercrombie hailing
him.
Mr.. Abcrcrombic, it appears, spent
the early part Of the evening at
country store and is thought to have
started home about midnight. Instead
or going directly home, he went by
the home Of his sister-in-law, widow
OF the late Frank Abcrcrombie and
mother of Furman Abcrcrombie where
his strange actions first aroused Fred
ADercrombie, younger brother of Fur
man, who was sleeping on the second
foor. The younger brother made his
way downstairs in the dark and awak-
ened his older brother, Furman, who
was sleeping with Avery Dudkworth,
neighbor boy. The succeeding events
as told by FurmanAbercrombic, at the
inquest and substantially borne out
by Fred Abercrombic and Avery Duck
worth were as follows:
II got UP and went to the door be-
tween my bedoom and the kitchen to
get gun and saw man at the
kitchen window. l stepped Nback to-
ward the bed and told Fred to get a
shell. l then heard the man at tie
front door trying to get it open. It
was fastened on the inside. Fred
went back upstairs to wake mother.
Avery and | were quiet and shortly
the man appeared at the kitchen win
dow again. 1t was up and could see
through the door and the window from
where I was standing The man came
up to the window and hollcred at
him asking him.who he was and what
he wanted. He did not answer and I
told him to get away from there. He
still made no reply and I fired | saw
the man on the ground and we phoned
for Uncle Jot Abcrcrombie. Fred
phoncd Immediately and none of us
went out Of the house till he came.
We did not know whether there were
two men or just one or how many
there might be. When my uncle came,
we found that the man was dead and
that he was my uncle, Mr.. Alex Aber-
crombie. We had no light in the house
at the time fired"
Magistrate Abercrombie was 54
years Of age and had been magistrate
OF the township for eight or ten years
He Is survived by eight children. Fur
man Abercrombie Is eighteen years Of
age and Is one of eight children, the
youngest being about two years of age
His father died some time ago.
At hearing before Associate JUS
ticc Watts Friday afternoon bail was
granted Furman Abercrombe in the
sum Of $500
MyrOn W. Hill.