Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1921-03-16

uo~H INC CREEK III HlBSlHS pdStuf
where, under orders from the off,
GERS, the men threw up their hands
and surrendered. They were takeL
directly to the jail 1T Pickens, where
medical attention was given Ballew,
and 1t was found that he lid been
shot nine times in the breast, legs
and arms. On their way to fail the
officers state that Ballew cursed
continuously and begged to be kill
ed Wilson talked but little.
Chief Holcombe was shot but once
and the bullet entered his nose and
lodged in the back Of his head, kill
ing him instantly.
l}allew Native Of PicI1ens.
Wade Ballew is native Of Pick
ems county, and his mother lives
few miles above Pickens. He is
grandson Of John Ballew, also Jake
Adams, both of whom live near Pick
ems Alex Ballew, Wade's father,
left his wife in Pickens county years
ago and went to Arkansas, where, 1t
is said, he married again. He later
returned to this county and took
Wade back to Arkansas with him,
where the latter spent several Year,.
After being absent from Pickens
county several years Wade Ballew
| returned last year and made crop
with his mother near Pickens. lie
left this county last fall and went
to FLORIDA.
Vowed Never to be Arrested.
In Jail Monday afternoon Ballew's
partner gave his name as Robert
Wilson and said that he was from
Oklahoma. He said lie and Ballew
were once arrested in Florida, and
after being released had bought pis-
tolls and vowed they would never be
arrested again; that several unsuc-
cessful attempts had been made by
| officers in other places to arrest
| them. Wilson said he and Ballew
| had come from Atlanta on q freight
| train, alighting at Alice Cotton Mill,
| and were washing in the branch
preparatory to coming to town for
something to eat when the officers
| approached them.
Both are young men, Ballew ap-
pearing to be about 81 and Wilson
about 25 years old. The pistols OBJ
! tanned from them were fine blue steel
weapons, one a .3S calibre and one
a .45.
Though there was no more excite
| mcnt than would be usual over such
an occurrence, Sheriff Roard thought
| 1t would be better TO have the pyis-
they could be better guarded and
their wounds better cared for. Con-
sequently, under proper guard and
in high-powered automobile, the
prisoners left Pickens some time on
Monday evening for the peniten-
tiary.
Mr.. HoIcombc Good Officer.
Chief Of Police Holcombe was a
fine officer and uncommonly popular.
1t is seldom that town is wrapped
In as deep gloom as overshado owls
the town Of Easley on account of
the tragic death Of this faithful
guardian Of the law. He was always
alert, faithful and unafraid to do his
duty as he saw 1t, yet he was unusu-
ally considefate Of the rights of all.
Every day he had smile and kind
word for his friends.
He came first to Eatsley as an Of
ficer about five years ago from Gen.
tral, where he has been an officer of
the law, and served the town here
about two years. He then farmed in
Laurens county one year. He then
started to farm near Liberty the
next year, but was persuaded to
come back to Easley as chief of po-
lice in May, 1919, and he hold the
position OF chief from that time un-
til his untimely death last Monday.
He was born in Laurens county
43 years ago. He was a member Of
the Six-Mile Baptist church and was
also w. O. w. Surviving him are
his widow and one daughter Miss
Viola Holcombe; his mother, Mrs.
Elvira Holcombe, Of Pickens county,
and the following brothers and sis
| ters: John Eslie and Jos r. Hol-
combe, Of Liberty; w. r. Holcombe,
or Easley; II. A. Holcombe, Of Laur-