The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1922-03-23
Nat Fielder; Jx., Slain on Main
Street Sunday BY /: Curtis Hutto

red in the early hours of Sunday
morning last on Bambergs Main
street, in front of the barber shop OF
F. B. Hooks which resulted in the
death a few hours later Of Nat Il
Fielder, Jr., we'll known young man
of this city and member of one OF
the community's most prominent
families. T. Curtis Hutto, might po-
licaman, is formally charged with the
homicide.
It has been many years since there
has been an incident in Bamberg sd
widely discussed as the Sunday
morning tragedy. Mr.. Fielder was a
young man who enjoyed the friend
ship of a wide circle Of friends and
acauaintances who deplore the un-
timely end he met. The remains
were inferred Sunday afternoon at
the Zeigler burial ground few miles
from Bamberg in the presence OF a
large concourse of friends and rela-
tives. The funeral service was con-
Quoted by Rev. S. O. Cantey. Mr..
FIELDER was a member of the local
Baptist church.
The tragedy occurred between
1880 and 100 O'Clock Sunday
morning in pistol duel between Mr..
Fielder and Mr.. Hutto, the latter. es-
Gaping unhurt. Mr.. Fielder was car
ried into the barber shop and given
first aid by hastily summoned ply
sician, afterward being taken to
Maek's Drug Store. The physician
pronounced his condition very criti-
cal with little hope for his recovery
and relatives were summoned to his
side.
Upon the arrival Of the five O'Clock
train for Charleston, the injured man
was placed on it an attempt to get
him to a Charleston hospital for an
operation with the possible hope of
saving his life. AS the train neared
Branchville the physician saw that
he was in dying condition, and at
his request the train was delayed a
few minutes in Branchville, Mr..
Fielder breathing his last on the train
about 500 O'Clock Sunday morning.
The body was brought back to Bam-
beng on the same train, reaching
here about $50 O'Clock.
Occurred on Street.
AS usual on Saturday nights, the
barber shop had remained open un-
til a late hour. The business in the
shop had been concluded and prepa-
rations were being made to close up.
Mr.. Fielder and the three BARRIERS,
f. B. Hooks, J. B. Scarboro, and L.
o. Lee, were the only persons in the
shop at the time. AS MIR. Fielder
came out, Mr.. Hutto was sitting, &C
cording to the witnesses, on the gar
bage can in front Of the shop. He
accused Mr.. Fielder Of having dis
charged his pistol in the rear of the
Barber shop, and demanded a $40
bond for the alleged offense. Mr..
Fielder, it was testified, demanded to
know who the officers informant
was, and an argument ensued, in
which both parties are alleged to
have used strong language.
All the witnesses agreed that Mr..
Fielder proposed shooting it out, and
that Mr.. Hutto agreed to the propo-
sition, some of the witnesses saying
that he tried to reason it out with
Mr.. Fielder before doing so; that
Mr.. Hutto had his gun in his hand,
and that Mr.. Fielder had his hand in
his right coat pocket. The shooting
began suddenly and. continued rap
idly until some six or eight shots
were fired, the witnesses agreeing
that appearances indicated Mr.. Eel
der fired the first shot, though both
first shots were very close together.
Bullets Enter Stores.
Two of the bullets fired entered
the store of A. Kirsch and the bar
ber shop, respectively; the barber
shop door being penetrated and the
bullet being stopped against the hot
water tank in the rear. The other
went through tho show window of
Kirsch's store.
During the firing both parties ap-
peared to clinch, and fell from the
sidewalk to the street; Mr. Hutto
getting up, and Mr.. Fielder trying to
do so, falling to the sidewalk NOR
tally wounded. Mr. Hutto was plac-
ed in the custody of Sheriff Ray, and
at the inquest Sunday afternoon at
800 o'clock was formally charged
with the homicide by the coroner's
Jury.