Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1921-06-15

sIUIsIs# scAsE WITH HORRIBLE
Detatis.t5Siet Hidden by AsSailunt
Threa&Days Without Attention.

----
one soR9he most horrible murders
that's hasStaken place in Oconee. con-
siderings3he after details of the af-
fair, occnTred in the Unity section Of
the couLHt8sTsl esday Of last week, but
nothmgAIas4 known of It until Fri
day.. %neRthe victim, in an uncon-
sctons ycondtt was taken to his
home ny th8 man who had attacked
MIN aud Eqe1yered the blow on his
head Sthat@resulted finally in his
death on saturday following the ira
gedy. yt$
Stories Differ in some minor par
ticulars aato what lod up to quar-
rel betWeenJohn Swofford, about 35
years or age, and married, and s. p.
Adams, 23Sears Of age, and single.
1t is generally believed. however, that
the statement Of SwOfford. who did
the klllinaisfs about correct. He has
stated that Adams accused him Of
lnformingYon him TO the liquor law
enforcemeht officers regarding Ger
tain .Stlllstthat had been captured,
and IN congection with the operation
or which sAdams had been accused.
arrested and convicted. lie had twice
recently been charged and apprc-
hended IN Thisltey cases, and at pres
ent there Is bond in force for his
appearance for trial later.
WhateYer the direct cause Of the
troubleS the two men met Tuesday
of last week near the home of Swof-
ford, and quarrel ensued, Swofford
striking Adams OH the head with a
wagon doNble-tree. Adams was rem
tdereda une6nscious for the time being
and SWOfOrd, becoming frightened,
carried sthe'limp body into his home
and conceded it. Parties missing the
intgred msn, made inquiries at the
S#offora .home. but were informed
thEb 5he had left the Swofford place
TueBdaysand had not since been seen
hya them ;$It is stated also thnt Swof-
70 ogd,,fS Fearing that Adams, who had
|, ,Tsgatnsd partial consciousness, would
talks SfSleftlt the home, carried him
S!MSithNhimHp his work In the field
10 H,lS6Mld lay the injured man in
(tlleSsNAde Sf trees nearby while he
\ sW9N carrying him back to the
~ rs he had occasion to re-
=, rEF. was ysuf ffering from the
bursting Of several arteries in the
head, though his skull was not frac-
tured, and in this critical condition
he remained at tho Swofford home
for three days. 1t is said that when
Aadms again became unconscious
Swofford then took him to his home.
on Friday. On Monday at o'clock
in the afternoon Adams died.
An inquest was held by the COro-
ner, and the verdict OF the Jury was
that Adams came to his death as the
result Of injuries inflicted at the
hands of John SHoford, the jury
having considered evidence that en-
braced the statements above given
concerning the tragedy.
Swofford, we understand, lived on
the farm of Jesse Adams, an uncle
Of the deceased, the trouble occur
ring in the Unity section, on Tugaloo
river.
Swofford Is in the Oconec Jail. hav-
ing been taken into custody shortly
after the killing became known.
1t Is thought that. had Swofford
at once notified Adams's people that
he was injured, and If medical or
surgical attention could have been
given at once. he could have recov-
cred. However, after the wait of
three days in his serious condition,
nothing could be done to operate to-
ward recovery.