The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1920-04-01
THREE MEN DEAD
IN A GUN FIGHT
TRIPLE TRAGEDY IN
AIKEN COUNY
Hugh Tanning. Julian Cooper and
Bryant Salley Killed OH the
Spot.

THREE White IdTueTS TeSlQl1S near the
Salley section in Aiken county, were
shot dead at midnight last night by
Carlos Corbett, a white farmer, who
claims that the men were drunk and
after wantonly burning away cane
embankment in front of his place,
had cursed and abused him. Corbett
also fatally wounded Jones Salley,
one of the crowd.
Sheriff Howard and Coroner Bell,
of Aiken. were called at o'clock
this morning to the scene of the
shooting, which they found upon ar
irving had taken place just across
the Aiken County line in Orangeburg
County. Carlos Corbett, after the
killing, got into his automobile and
drove hastily to Columbia where he
gave himself up to the authorities.
The story of the killing as told by
Sheriff Howard is as follows:
Late last night a car filled with
men passed noisily by his home with
the muffler of the car wide open. Cor
bett ran to the door of his home to
see who the noisy people were but
could not discern them in the dark.
A few minutes after the car passed
Corbett says he found newly re-
paired washout in front of his place
on fire and believed the men had pur-
posely set it ablaze. In half an hour
the car was heard returning up the
road toward Aiken and Corbett step
ped outside of his home to demand
of the men why they set his newly
filled washout on fire. The men, it is
alleged, became abusive and finally
cursed Corbett who drew his gun
killing each of the men in rapid sue
cession.
Zones Salley was seated in the car
some distance away and finding that
the first shot did not kill him, it is
alleged Corbett went up to the car
and shot him again in the head and
body. A young boy in the crowd lay
flat on the ground and played dead,
thus escaping. The people of Salley
are greatly worked up over the af-
fair"
The dead men were unmarried.
Carlos Corbett SurIenders.
Columbia, March 28-Special: Car
los A. Corbett, who killed Hugh Fan
ming, Julian Cooper and Bryant Sal
ley, two miles from Salley in Orange
burg county last night surrendered to
the State Penitentiary here this
morning. He claims self-defense and
the protection of his home against
marauders.
Claims He Shot in Self Defense.
Carlos Corbett, who shot three
men to death and seriously wounded
a fourth, near Salley, Aiken county,
Saturday night claims he shot in self
defense and to protect his home which
was jeopardized by a fire started by
the parties shot.
The following special from Colum-
bia to the Charlotte, IN. CO. Obser-
yer was printed yesterday morning,
giving Corbett's side of the trouble:
Columbia, S. c.. March 28-Carlos
A. Corbett, who last night killed
Hugh Tanning, Julian Cooper and
Bryan Salley and seriously wounded
Jones Salley at the Corbett home,
in Orangeburg county, two miles
from Salley, came to Columbia early
this morning in an automobile and
itentiary authorities.
Corbett said that he acted in de-
fense of life and to protect his home
against the alleged marauding party.
According to Corbett's story, he
and his wife were awakened, last
night about II o'clock, by flames
shooting up in front Of his home,
which, along with his farm build
ings, were threatened.
He said that he had cane stacked
in front of his house to the height
of three feet paralleling the public
highway and this was afire with the
flames shooting toward the house.
When he had the fire under control,
he said. the automobile, bearing a
party which had passed his house
came back up the road. He averred
that one of the party said: HE +
put out the fire, les start it again,
Corbett said he was standing in
dense smoke emanating from the
smoldering Goals and they did not
see him.
Threatened His Life.
when this threat was made"
said Corbett 'I warned the party
that I would protect my wife and
my home at all hazards and after
I had spoken, one of the men. a
hoarse voiced man. Jonas Salley
think exclaimed: Damn you, we
will kill you" With this. two Of the
men advanced towards me with their
hands in their hip pockets and tw
other men left the rear Of the ca'
with their hands in their side pock-
cts like they were going to draw
their knives. These last two ad-
vanced as if they were trying to cut
me off from the year. I then began
shooting.
Corbett said that when he first
discovered the fire he smelled an
odor of either gasoline or kerosene
and he is of the opinion that some
member of the party sprinkled the
cane and then ignited il.
II ,,-oc of tho opipion that the