Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-09-13

dren and not resisting it. This served
to arouse all the gall in DR.. Earle's
heart, and my father said he heard of
tie doctor making threats against
Yancey when he was under the influ-
ence of liquor.
One morning my father and Col.
Yancey rode into the town of Green
vile together from their farms. AT
that time the postoffice was in one END
OF building also used as a barroom,
with a piazza in front 1t stood across
the street from where the old Mansion
house was once located. My father
says as soon rs they got in sight of
the postoffce he noticed DR.. Earle on
the piazza, and from his actions saw
that he was excited and drinking.
Yancey had heard about the threats
that DR.. Earle made against him and
went always armed. He advised Yam
cey not to go to the postoffice, for he
was almost sure to have trouble with
DR.. Earle. Col. Yancey replied that he
came for his mail and did not intend
to be driven away from its place OF
delivery; that he did not seek trouble
with DR.. Earle, but would not run like
a coward to avoid it.
Col. Yancey then walked up the
steps leading into the postoffce, when
he was stopped by DR.. Earle, who had
n walking cane in his hand, and which
he waved in an exciting manner. The
doctor brought up the subject Of Yam
| cey slapping the face of his son. Yam
cey replied that he thought that mat
ter had been settled, but this did not
satisfy DR.. Earle, who advanced on
Yancey, flourishing his cane. The pi-
azza of the building was several feet
above the level of the street, and Yam
! cey began to back toward the far end,
and which had no bannisters. He drew
his pistol as DR.. Earle continued to
advance, shaking his cane at Yancey,
and when q short distance from the
| end of the piazza Col. Yancey pulled
the trigger of his gun, the bullet pen
etrating DR.. Earle's heart and produc-
ing almost instant death.
| William Yancey was arrested and
tried for murder and the sentence
passed was 81 900 fine and a years i'm
prisonment in Jail. | think this was
| the sentence. But the Jail part was
omitted, and shortly after Yancey
moved to Alabama to avoid a vendetta
that would have resulted between him
and the Earles after the killing of Dr.
Earle.
Years after he came back to Green
vile on some business, and stopped at
the home of his mother law, Mrs
Earle, who was always friendly to
| Yancey, 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. Yanccy
! the SLAYER of his father had returned
to Greenviile county, armed with
shotgun he rode up to his grandmoth-
er's front gate and demanded that Col.
! Yancey arm himself and come out into
! the road and meet him. Old Mrs
Earle was plucky woman, and COM
! in~ herself to the door with pistol
| in hand, told Elias that Col. iancey
was her guest, and while Elias was
| her grandson, if he dared cross her
| threshold or made any assault on Col.
| Yancey while under her roof she would
put 4 bullet in aim.
Col. YanCCy then spoke from the
passage and told Elias that he had up
on his hands all of the blood of his
! family that he wanted, and to return
home, and that he (Yancey) would
| promise to leave Greenvil!e county and
South Carolina at once and never re-
turn. On this assurance Elias left and
ColS Yancey, went back to Montgom-
cry, Ala, and did not return to his ma
tive state until he was a delegate to
the Charleston convention.
The year before the war, when 4.
child travelling down the Alabama riv-
or, between Montgomery and Selma,
on steamboat, my father and Colonel
and Mrs. Yancey met for the first time
since they were young people. / re-
member hearing Col. Yancey say to
my father, "Tom, you were with me
when ! shotrand killed Earle. l had
no intent OF shooting him. | drew my
pistol to try and intimidate him when
he raised his cane over me. | kept
backing &ntil | felt | was stepping Oft
the edge of the piazza, when | mad
vcrtently pulled the trigger Of the pis-
tol. I would give fame, fortune and
all else I have in the world if could
only wipe the blood of DR.. Earle from
my nands."