The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1921-09-06
LARRY GANTT'S WEEKLY LETTER
By T. Larry CAN'T

/, gentleman, like all of the name, but
when drinking he was Quarrelsome
and dar. ,rous man.
After hearing Yanceys statement
the doctor remarked: "Yancey, you
know that there is no very friendly
feeling between you and my branch
| of the family, and you should have
first come to me and | would myself
have punished Elias. 1t is not very
pleasant thing to have another man
punish your children, something thai
should be left to the parents. But
Elias l know, is a rather pert and hot
headed boy, he is devotedly attached
to Thompson, and / suppose that had
'. our positions been reverse and it hae
been your boy who insulted me that
would have done just as you did
and before thinking slapped his face
So let the thing end where it is"
But the wife of DR.. Earle hated
Yanecy' with intense bitterness, and
( she kept eaafng her husband about
letting Bill Yaneey beat up his chill
dren and he not resenting it. This
served to arouse all tie gall in DIR.
E;arl's heart, and my father said ne
beard ef the doctor making threats
against Yancey when he was under
the influence of liquor.
One morning my father and Col.
Yancey rode into the town of Green
vile together from their farms. At
hat time the post Office was in one
end of a building also used as bar
room, with a piazza in front. 1t
stood across the street from where
the cid Mansion house was once To-
Gated. My father says as soon as
they got in sight of the post office he
noticed DIR. Earle on the piazza, and
from Us actions saw that he was
excited and drinking. Yaneey had
heard about the threats that Dr..
Earle made against him and went
always armed. He advised Yancey
not to go to the post Office, for he
was almost sure to have trouble With
DIR. Earle. Col. Yancey repied that
he came for his mail and did pot in,
tend to be driven away from its
place Of delivery; that he did not
seek trouble with DR.. Earle, hlt-
would. not sun like a coward to avoid
IT, IT.,
Col. Yancey then walked UP the
steps leading into the post Office,
when he was stopped by DR.. Earle,
who had a walking cane in his hand,
and which he waved in an exciting
The doctor brought up the
subject Of Yaneey slapping the face
of his son. Yapeey replied that he
Thought: that matter had been set
tied, butt this did not satisfy DIR.
EaAe. WAo advanced on 4aneey -four
;shing his cane. The piazza of the
building was several feet above the
level of the street, and Yaneey began
to hack toward the far end. and
Which had no banaisters. He drew
his pistol as De. Earle continued to
advance, shaking his cane at Yaneey
and when a short distance from the
end of the piazza Col. Yancey paA-:
ed the trigger Of his gun, the bullet
psnetrating DIR, SEarle's heart and
producing almost instant death.
William Yaneey was arrested and
tried for murder, and the sentence
passed was $1,000 fine and years
Imprisonment in Jail. l think this was
the sentence. But the jail part was
omitted, and shortly after Yaneey
moved to Alabama to avoid vendetta
that would have resulted between him
and the Esarles after the killing Of
Dr.. Earle.
Years after he came back to Green
vile on some business, and stopped at
tha home Of his mether-in-laW, Mrs
Earle, whe was always friendly to
Ysncey, although the blood Of one of
her sons was on his hands. Elias
Earle, the youth whose words had
caused the killing of his father, had
in the meantime grown into young
man, and hearing that Col. Yancey
the slayer of his father, hao re-
turned to GreenNille county, armed
with a shotgun he rode up to his
grandmother's front gate and de-
manded that Col. Yancey arm himself
and come out into the road and meet
him. Old Mrs. Earle was plucky