Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1921-06-15
MYSTERY SURROUNDS DEATH.
Body OF Farmer Found Hanging to
Limb Of Tree Ncar Taylors.

Charles NJ. Shipman, aged 73, farmer
| Of the Chick Springs section, who
! was found hanging to tree on the
farm Of his sonin-law, w. w. Tay-
lor, near Chick Springs at daylight
this morning. The man evidently had
been dead before the body was takeris
down and conveyed to the morgue Of
j. D. Woods at Greer. Mr. Shipman's
! neck was broken.
Stories told by members Of the
family Of w. w. Taylor, son-in-law
OF the dead man, vary considerably
IN detail. said Sheriff Rector, who
visited the scene early this morning.
and who added that 1t was admitted
that there had been some difficulty
between the aged man and Taylor
yesterday. Taylor at first said that
Mr.. Shipman had left the house late
yesterday, and that he (Taylor) had
gone down to the woods where the
body was found this morning, and
begged the old man to come back
home
Mrs. Taylor, said Sheriff Rector,
told different story, saying that
there had been quarrel between
her husband and her father ycster-
day morning, and that Taylor had
told the old man to leave the house
and the State, and that Taylor had
gone to the woods to run the old
man of the place.
Taylor, questioned second time,
according to the sheriff, reversed his
first story and admitted that he had
told the old man to leave not only
the place, but the State. Taylor went
to Greer and swore out warrant
before a magistrate for his father-in-
law, 1T was stated.
Coroner Vaughan went to Greer
shortly before noon to-day, and in
formation received over the tele-
phone from that point is to the Of
feet that the inquest has not yet
been held, nor has the Coroner an
nounced any time for the holding of
| It. A physician who examined the
dead man, said that his neck was
broken, and the undertaken at Greer
| said that the doctor was planning
a further examination, the nature OF
which was not known.
TO Make Investigation.
Sheriff Rector to-day said that he
Is making a thorough investigations
Of the death, but was not prepared
at this time to make any statement
or 10 advance any theory as to whe-
ther Mr.. Shipman took his own life,
or whether there was evidence Of
foul play. When he reached the scene
tho body was hanging to low cedar
tree, the feet just off the ground.
The rope by which Mr.. Shipman's
body was suspended was tied around
limb Of the tree, and the dead
mans hat, pocket book and walking
stick were on the ground beside the
body. The clothing was covered with
leaves and dirt, as iMr. Shipman had
been rolling on the ground, accord
ing to the officer, and there was big
torn place in the trousers.
w. w. Taylor Arrested.
Greenville, June 9.-To-day's do
velopments in the mysterious death
Of Charles M. Shipman, aged farmer,
whose body was yesterday morning
found hanging 10 a tree on his SON
in-law's farm near Chick Springs,
came thick and fast with the arrest
Of w. w. Taylor, son-in-law Of the
dead man.
A coroner's jury viewed the body
Of the dead man and listened to a
statement made by DR.. Fl. Il. Brock
man, Of Greer, who, in company with
DR.. Wilson, Of Greenville, performed
an autopsy on Mr. Shi.pman yester-
day. DR.. Brockman declared that
Shipman came to his death by stran-
| gulation caused by rope around his
neck. The inquest was then sus-
pended until June 18TH by which
timo Coroner Vaughan hopes to
have all available evidence that may
throw light on the affair in hand.
Taylor was arrested by Deputy
Sheriff Harris on demand made by
Buel 'Shipman, of Woodsde Mill,
| brother Of the dead man, who de-
| clared that as soon as he could get
| to a magistrate he intended TO swear
| out a warrant charging Taylor with
murder. Taylor refused to make any
statement further than to say that