The Lancaster news. (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, August 19, 1908, Image 1
Thi
VOL. 3. NO. 91. SEMI-W:
How Ernest Plyler Lost His
Life?Shot to Death in
Pistol Duel in Oklahoma.
We have received the following
account, taken from an Oklahoma
paper, of the killint: at
Ardemore, Okla., on the 3?d instant,
ot Ernest Plvler, son of
Mr. J oseph Plyler, of this county,
as published in The News of
the 5th :
Ernest Plyler, driver tor the
fir?* department, lies dead at
Bridgeman's undertaking r< oms
with a bullet, hole through his
right breast and Joseph Roberson,
also a member of the lire department
is in, the county jail
charged with the killing and having
as a result of the bloody encounter
a bullet wound in the
right thigh.
The shooting occurred last
night at eight o'clock in the
doorway of the fire station and
, was precipitated by the fact that
Roherson believed that some
one of the fire hovs was 'knocking"
him.
Shortly before eight o'clock,
Roberson, who it is claimed had
been drinking, came to the stat
ion anu mane ttie remark to
boys eitting around that he
thought some one was "knocking"
him. He continued to talk
in this strain for a little while,
when Plyler, who was sitting
close by, asked it the iusiuattions
were meant for him.
According to Chief Slaughter,
he said Roberson said he meant
it for anyone that it seemed to
tit. After a tew more sharp
words the two men came to
blows. Chief Slaughter separafed
them and Kobison made the
remark to the boys that he would
go get h guu "and smoke the
whole crowd up "
Chiet Slaughter, thinking that
some further trouble migfit re
suit, asked Ollicer Duston it he
would stay around tor a while
and keep an eye out tor any
thing that might happen. Robinson
did not come back right
away and those who were there,
together with the ollicer, thought
the affair had blown over.
About twenty minutes later
v Mr. Slaughter says that while
out in front he saw Robisou
coming up the street irom the
direction of t;is home and noticed
that when 111 front of the
blacksmith shop sixty or seventy
ieet away, that he had his hand
111 his pocket. Plyler, who was
sitting on the outside, saw him
coining also and leti his seat and
went inside the station. Robi
nvm nnu uy < 11 ih tmif t;uiieii 10 me
doo way and began shooting.
l*lyIfr ran towards the little of
fice of the chief in the corner ol
the station and also shot at Kobison.
Chief Slaughter got to Plvler
as he was standing by the desk
in his office and asked him it he
was hurt. Plyler replied '"Yes,
I am killed, 1 am dying" and
with those words 9ank to the
floor.
Kobison, who was accompanied
by his brother, turned and ran
through tlie livery stable a door
or two awav and to his home in
Via novl kl aa!/ t??Vi ?> ^ " -
blir &1VAI WHCIC UC VVftn illrented,
and after being attended
by Dm. Bogie and Booth, who
dressed a bulle; wound in his
right side, was removed to the
connty jail. Deputy West said
that he was still under the influenee
of liquor when taken to
i'lyler was shot through the
right breast and only lived a lew
minutes. Chief Slaughter and
I LAN
LEDGER l&bz
EEKLY. LAN
the other members of the TJ
department say that it was be'tween
titteen and twenty mmtiI
tea alter the tirst light that Rob L
, ison returned to the station. It
, was learned that he went to a
1 gunsmith's store for the purpose
ot getting another weapon, but
did not get it. ' h
Robison was seen by a Dem'f 'n
crat reporter immediately after t-ra
'he doctors had finished dress- th
ing >1 is wound and asked if he re
cared to make a statement. He or
looked bewildered and said lkOh, aC
don't say anything about it." th
Oa being told that the affair w<
won d be published and asked it ot
he cared to tell how it happened n<
he said, "Just pay it was an ac- ari
cident. ve
"Is that all?" was asked him.
"Yes, that is all I will say now as
I I won't say anything else now." Hi
Ernest I'lyler was a young Tl
man, unmarried and about twen lit
ty-five vears old. His folks live
in South Carolina and he has a la
brother in Southern Texas, whom pr
he visited tor the first time in w
fifteen years last month. He bj
Ins been a member of the de- P*
partment for about a year A
"Joe" Robison is a son of dc
John A. Robison, the gunsmith f?
who l:ves at 14, first a venue th
southwest. He is married and A
for the past three years has been th
a member of the lire department. f?
It is said that Will Robersoe 'u
was with his brother on both pi
visits to the station and is being of
held in custody by the county pi
officers. Jnst what the charge Pr
against him will be is not known
at this time. ec
Chief Slaughter said that he A
thought there were as many or
as five shots fired and when th
Robinson first began shooting he 'o
thought he was trying to scare ar
Plyler, but on the second shot T.
he drew a level aim and fired Ji
pointblank. It is said that Ply- ce
ler secured a revolver that had w
been lying around the station for pi
some lime, but when found it ?f
was on the floor of the little office
several feet away, where it had wi
heon drnnnod Tha imnj <?f liAth Hi
? r?*"**" wv/ " ^
were examined and showed three 1?
exp oded shelis in each. sj
The puns were of thirty-eight
calibre. ^
As ?oon as the shooting became
known a great crowd form
ed around the lire station and it
was with dilliculty that the p';ysicians
and newspaper men could 81
make their way through and ,n
Chief Slaughter had to have the
place cleared several times. 111
I'lyler's body was removed to 1,1
the undertaking parlors and re- 11
laUves ot the dead m.'in were df
communicated with. No preparations
have b"en made for the
funeral as vet but it was thought M
last nijrht that the remains would
he shipped to his brother in
Texas, where they will be buri- 111
ed.
. ? . oi
Why There Was No Prea- j1
ching at the Six Mile Church
I Sunday ? Services Next
i Sabbath. a(
n'
Kditor of Lancaster News:
8 V
l'leasa allow me to apologize ^
to ilie congregation who assem- ^
hied at Six Mile Presbyterian ^
church last Sabbath. Circum (j
stances were such that 1 could jH
neither come nor 'phone them
i that I would not.
There will be communion ser- ''
vices next Sabbath morning,
Aug. 23, at 11 o'clock. The f<
I public is cordially invited. 1 a
^will try and be on band at that c
i.tiino. Kesoectfullv. *
r * > I
J. L McKinstrv, I'a^tor. b
i Waxliaw. N. C. 1H
CAST!
REVIEW 1878 ENT
CASTER, S. C., AUGUST 19, :
HE REUNION AT DIXIE.]*
argest Gathering in History
of the County?-A Day of
Unalloyed Pleasure. li,
What is estimated by many as sli
e largest crowd ever assembled hi
Lancaster comity was I lie j h<
itherin}: at Dixie last Friday, | at
e occasion beim; the annual e?
union of the Confederate vet bl
ant, ot Lancaster. Old soldiers? M
customed to sizing crowds, say sj]
at lully live thousand persons in
9re present, l'ertect order was in
iscrvrd throughout the day? U
> drinking nor disturbances of E
ly kind. In addition to the XI
iterans and their tamilies, the te
iniors and Woodmen as well
many o'hers participated in w
e pleasures Oi the occasion.
tie veterans, when torraed in oo
ae, numbered about 85. pe
Mr. W. G. A. Porter, the sal- A
nt commander ot ('amp Dixie, eb
esided oyer the bin meeting,
hicli was opened with prayer yt
r the Rev. E. M. Mclvissick, a
istor of East Lancaster circuit, to
n address o* welcome was then |G
diyered bv Commander Porter, R
llowed by some tine mus e by
e ' 'o'd tiddlers' convention" H
splendid address was made bv b<
e lion. M. J. Hough, of Lands- n.
rd, who eloquently and lorce- a,
11 v emphasize 1 the vital im- w
stance ot teaching the youth w
the country the true princi- a.
es for which their fathers and fcj
andfa'hers fought. w
Capt llougn's speech conclud- te
I the I'xercmeo bv the veterans. Qf
capital address was men made f0
1 behalf ol the Woodmen by rj
e Rev. R. T. Blackmon, folwed
by a highly entertaining jv
id instructive one by the Rev p(
A. Dabney, ou behalf of the tjc
inior Order; after which a re ^,r
iss was taken for dinner. Not- jp
Lthstandmg the large number n(
esent, there was an abundance m
good things to eat for all.
In the afternoon addresses
ere made by the three candi- m
?tes lor congress. Messrs. Fin
v, isutler and i'olluck, each|t/(
>eaking 30 minutes.
tincaster Lady Jiitten by a
VemnnouH liepfile. h<
Mrs. McManus, wife of Dr. C
. 0. McManus, wa> severely jE
'ten on 'he foo' hy a poisonous
lake Mon lav al'ernoon. Hearu(
g a commotion among her boles
in the yard, she ran out to
vesliiiate tile cause. In wals- a<
g through the weeds, the rep- fe
le, which she di t not see, -udmly
thrust its f in-.- into her ^
ot, making 'wo w?unds With
ire presence of mind Mrs. Mc- 1
anus hurriedly reentered the hi
use and heroically enlarged m
ie wounds with a hat pin, caus- di
g tiiem to dlsctlalge a eonsid j
ahle quantity ot green, poisonis
maiter. as well as blood into
basin of water in which she
ad placed her foot.
Dr. McManus was quickly ?'
immoned, and upon ins arrival ^
Imiuistered antidotes for the
>ison. The wounded member ^1
vellea rapidly and Mrs. Mc- ,r
[anus suffered mucti pain all of 61
onday night. but the swelling ^
ad greatly subsided by yester- w
ay morning and the unfortunate ft
dy was resting easier It is
loueht that she will be *11 right 11
gain in a dav or i wo n
? .... w
Fire broke out in the trans- h
>rmer house of the .Neolv naill ! ?I
t Yorkville Sunday afternoon, e
ausing damage of several thous- n
nd dollars. It is said that a b
olt of lightning caused the tire, c
Lock IIill Record. ti
5R N
ERPRISE J89J
1908.
ev. IV. V. Kwart Dead-- bussed
Await at 11 in Home in York- |,
villa MohiUii/ SiuUt. !
'1 he many friends here and i
irouuhout the county, as well i
i elsewhere, ol th- Key. Wil- ]
im Cameron E wart will be i
locked and urievi <1 to hear of u
h death, whicli occurred at Ins it
>me in Yorkville Monday niirht
>out 11 o'clock, lie was si rick- t
i with uastritis and heart trou i
e a few days ago at Northfield,
ass., where he had 2?ue to
. *
end his {summer vacation, lie
imediatelvstarted home, reachis
Yorkville Friday afternoon.
e was met at tiastonia by Mrs.
wart and the family physician. ^
le burial was in Yorkville yes- |
rdav atternoon at 5 o'clock.
For eleven years Mr. Kwart
as the beloved pastor of the
liloh A. R. P. church in this
mnty, and tor six years ol that
?i..~
iiii U nao clinu pwmor I? I lilt} 1
ssociate Reformed Presbyterian .
urch of Lancaster, makinii his
sideuce here. About five .
>ars ano he accepted a call to j
bbeville, removing from there
Yorkville in January, 1004, :
accept the pastorate of the A.
. P. church at that place.
Mr. Ewart was a native of .
untersville, N. C , and was
>rn Sept. 19, 1864. lie was
graduate of Due West College
id Theological Seminary, lie s
as twice married. His first
ife, who waR Miss Lucy Reed,of
bbeville county, died during
8 pastorate here. His second |
ife was Miss Alice Ross, dtiuirhr
of the Rev. Dr. R. A Ross ,
York, who survives hiua, with
ur children by the first marage.
Mr. Ewart was an able, effect
e preacher and a man of strong
ireonal magnetism. He en- *
>ared himself to all ot his con- (
ega'.ion, as well as to the pub- (
3 generally, regardless of de- f
>minational lines. Many, very *
any homes will be deeply sad- \
med by the untimely passing 1
vay of this upright, godly '
an.
r>e Lit nee lletn Nine Yearn f<tr
KUlintf lAttle Girl.
Joseph Lance, who is said toj
a one of the two young North j
arolinians who were implicated
i the killing ol an old colored
tan nain^d Hood in tins county
one two or three years ago,
is on liisl Sjitnnlnv sont?r?r??<l !
Anheville to the penitentiary
?r a term of nine years for the
tiling o! little Alma Green in
ecember last, at Buena Vista,
. C., having been recently tried
r ttie offence and convicted of
anslaughter An Asheville
tspatch concerning the trial
ives the following account of
te tragedy.
The killing ot little Alma
reen, a child probably 15 years
age, occurred at the bend jus'
eyond Buena Vista. The little
rl with her brother had gone to
le embankment to watch the
ain pass, and to wave at the
utrineer, a friend of the child,
s the train passed a shot
as tired from one ot the cars
nd the little girl fell mortally
uwiiutui, in i? iew minutes caiiig
for her mother. Lance was ar?9?ed
by the trainmen charged
rith firing the shot. There was
itense feeling at the time and
lireats of violence. The prisonr
was brought here and lodged
o jail and subsequently indicted
y a grand jury. The Jcase was
ontinued from two courts and
nally set tor hearing belore
vir. xiuu^n nau a iorce of hands
>uhy yesterday cleaning up the
vindows, lloors, etc , and plac
ng in position some large and
decant class front showcases
vhich he has .just received from
he manufacturers. All the
xjuipment and furnishings are
lp to-date in every particular.
Today Mr Ilough will move his
tock into the new quartets, and
ust as soon as he gets things
icttled, he will go north to buy
? larger and better stock than he
iiae ever handled.
The Union County, N. C.,
Election?Second Primary
Necessary.
Monroe special in Monday's
Jharlotte Observer : The count
>f the ballots cast in the Demo
rwimMriftc voulorftuu wroa
io 9I0W that nothing definite aa
o the result could be obtaiued
jntil alter 2 o'clock this mornng.
With three precincts yet
to be heard from, it is pretty
well assured tha' a second primary
will be necessary for all
the county offices except those
of county commissioner and recorder.
As Recorder Stevens
had no one running against him,
he was, ol course, reelected ; but
the vote for recorder was verv
light, a number not voting on
that office at all The following
candidates will run in the second
primary: For sheriff, John Griffith
and Thomas (J. Leo: for
treasurer, (i M. Lanev and J.
11. Williams; tor register of
deeds, -J. Ed Stewart and Bright
< InH'i r? F<\?r Hanr. ?out a liirao it
looks now as if there would be a
second primary with Messrs.
McNeelv, Lemmond, Houston
and i'rice in the r<?ce, though
there is a possibility of the first
two being nominated in the first
primary when the three missing
precincts are heard from.
Mr. K. V. Catoe, who lives on
tlie Poag place north of Lancaster,
was badly hurt in an accident
coming from the Dixie picnic
last Fridav.
VI- ~ A \f _ . eh I > ? I- ? i
mi, ?*in* iurn, otuuuy iirttKH moveci
Monday from Mrs M J, Perry's
place on Chesterfield avenue into
the Crawford house on Dunlap
street lately vacated by Col. A.
R. Ranks and family.
MisslVarl llimter ia visiting the
family of Mr. 'rawford Bulk at Fort
Mill.
Miss Clara lJarrott Strait is visiting
friends in Book Hill.
\f ant.r I- LV *
' <V)I IIU1 v iw.VLUII, in III*. I" I TNI
National Dank, is spending a while at
Piedmont Springs, lie was aoeompanitd
there l?y Mrs. Croxton, who r<*turned
home Monday.
EWS
PRICE 5 CENTS PER COPY
Judge Ward. Lance is a most
attractive younu te'low ami when
iof drinking i? pleisiug compaly,
(juiet and peaceable. With
vhiskev in iiim he is dangerous.
It is alleged til it lie was drinkng
at the time of the tragedy,
ind after firing the shot declared
hat ''I am a m^ati mm." accordo
one ot the witnesses. The
rial attracted great crowds while
nterest was intense.
t/r. It. C. 11 outfit '.i Handsome
Jewelry listahlishmetit? Will
Mttve Into If is Sew Quarters
Today.
Mr. B. C. Hough, the well
tnown jeweler, not content with
lis present nice quarters in the
Springs block, which his busiiess
has really outgrown, is now
irrangiug to have one ol the handsomest
establishments cf the kind
n the State. Having leased the
arge and spacious store room in
he new Mackey building, next
ioor to the First National Bank.
II- If 1- ? J " - '