The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-09-02
NINETY SIX MAN
KILLED BY OFFICER
POLICEMAN SHOOTS WILLIAM
HERRING IN SELF DEFENSE
AFTER BEING SHOT AT SIX
TIMES, is CLAIM OF OFFICERS
RUSH AND DUKES.
Index-JourI1al.

AS a resul of series of homicides
in Greenwood last night, a white
man is dead, killed by a policeman
at Ninety-Six, and a negro woman
and small child are dead at Hodges,
killed by a negro in jealous fit. In
addition to the homicides, two ne
groes are wounded at Hodges, and a
white man W. C. Hill is wounded
slightly at the store Of Hill and B.
a. Matthews on the Saluda road,
| about Is miles from Greenwood.
The dead man at Ninety Six is Will
liam C. Herring, "a years old, an ex-
soldier, who was killed there late
yesterday afternoon by Policeman
T. E. Dukes after he had shot at Of
ficer Dukes and Officer j. C. Rush
six times: ''.-,.:.- $500, -.
The negroes killed at Hodges are,
Andrea Belcher, grown woman
and Tommie Romans, a small girl,
the dead woman's niece, Rebecca
Belcher, the woman's mother, and
Maggie Romans, her sister, were also
slightly wounded. ,.t,..s.. T.
Willie G. Herring, was shot yes
terday afternoon at $50 o'clock by
Officer T. E. Dukes near the meat
market of W. j. Connolly in Ninety
Six after he had shot six times at
the officer and Policeman ]. C. Rush,
who were attempting to arrest him.
Offers declared that he was drunk
and cursfng loudly. They were at
tracted by the disturbance and went
to the scene. As they came down the
street, Herring who was standing in
the street not far from his car began
to curse and to shoot at them, they
declared. He. shot four times at Of
fcer Rush who returned his fire
shooting only at his feet in the hope
that he would surrender. One shot
cut the officers coat. Herring shot
again at Officer Dukes who leveled
his gun on him and told him to sur
render. Officer Dukes says Herring
threw up his hands, exclaimng,
"That' all right, Mr.. Dukes, won't
hurt you" The officer then dropped
his gun to his side and as he ap-
preached him, Herring fired again
the bullet whizzing close to his head.
Officer Dukes then shot Herring, the
bullet taking effect in the abdomen.
Herring was carried to store
nearby and a doctor summoned. He
was later brought to the Greenwood
Hospital where he died shortly after
midnight. The funeral will be con-
Quoted from the chapel of Howard
B. Ellis tomorrow at II a. m, by
Rev. O. A. Jeffcoat. Interment will
be made at Magnolia Cemetery.
Herring is survived by his parents,
Mr.. and Mrs. J. C. Herring, Of Nine
ty4Six; three brothers, Joe, Garlan,
and Frank Earle Herring; one sister
Mrs. Furman Garren, all of Ninety
Six. :.
Herring had for sometime been an
inmate of the government hospital
at Greenville. He was gassed in the
service overseas and had been treat
ed in the Greenville hospital. He
had brother, Jimmie Herring, who
was killed overseas.
Herring is said to have created a
disturbance at the White City Park
in Greenwood last night. Accord
ing to eye witnesses, he fourished
two guns and drove men behind box
es an buildings. One eye witness de-
clared that Herring approached a
man and pointing his gun at him
said, "You are a mean looking" ="
He then is alleged to have shot sew
eral times at the ground near the
feet of the man whom he accosted.
Officers Dukes and Rush came to
Greenwood this morning and sur
rendered themselves to the sheriff.
4 They both expressed themselves as
deeply grieved over the .deplorable
tragedy. T never hated to do any
thing so bad in my life," Officer
Dukes declared 'Tbut it was ques-
ton of him shooting me and Mr..
Rush."
"I could have killed him with my
first shot Int Thought Of his moth