SANDY PURVIS KILLED IN MARLBORO COUNTY
Shot by George Robinson, Who Was Wounded in Fight—Latter Befriended Wife of Purvis.
Special to The State.
Bennettsville, June 14.—Ina shooting scrape in the upper part of the county yesterday morning Sandy Purvis Purvis was killed and George Robinson wounded in several places.
The homicide occurred Sunday morning about 9 o’clock, and Corner McCall held an inquest yesterday afternoon, but particulars were not known here until this morning, owing to the fact that the coroner did not get back to Bennettsville until last night. George Robinson is in jail with gun-shot wounds—small shot in his right eye, breast, arm and stomach. He has one wound on his left knee which seems to have been caused by a pistol.
It seems that Robinson and his wife had some trouble last week and she had gone to her people with whom Purvis boarded. Mrs. Robinson, with their child, went back home Sunday morning for some clothing but remained only a short time. She started to return to her people and her husband accompanied her part of the way. He tried to detain her, and Purvis came up. Robinson and Purvis got into a fight and separated, each going for his gun. The difficulty was resumed and Purvis was killed, the shot having entered his back.
Robinson says that Purvis shot first but Emma McLean, the sister of the wife of Robinson, says that she fired the first shot that hit Robinson. Sandy Purvis boarded at the home of Emma McLean.
[The State, Columbia, SC, June 15, 1909, page 1]
A SUNDAY TRAGEDY.
ANSONIAN KILLED IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
Sandy Purvis, a native of This County Shot and Instantly Killed Just Across the Line in South Carolina by Henry Robinson—Roberson Shots in the face by Purvis’ Wife and One of His Eyes Out Out—Purvis Got Into the difficulty While Trying to Make Peace Between Robinson and His Wife.
The plantation of the late major Rufus Pegues, just across Pee Dee River in Marlboro county, S.C., was the scene of a terrible Tragedy Sunday morning. Sandy Purvis, who was a native of Gulledge township, this county, because he attempted to rescue a baby Henry Robinson and Robinson’s wife were fighting over, was shot and instantly killed by Robinson. Before Robinson shot Purvis he (Robison) shot Purvis’ wife, slightly wounding her. The woman returned the fire, filling Robinson’s face full of shot and putting out one of his eyes.
Purvis and Robinson both lived on the Pegues plantation and were close neighbors. Recently Robinson deserted his wife and took up with some woman of bad character on the place. Sunday morning, he went to the home of his wife and tried to take their 8-months-old baby away from Mrs. Robinson. The woman fought with desperation to keep possession of the baby and Mr. Purvis, hearing her screams, ran up and interfered in behalf of the child; as the man and woman were about to pull it in two <sic> in the struggle. Purvis finally managed to rescue the child before it was seriously injured.
About this time one of the women with whom Robinson had taken up with came running across the field with a gun. Mrs. Purvis saw the woman coming and ran in the house and got her husband’s gun and started for the scene of the trouble. By the time Mrs. Purvis got in a hundred yards of where the men were standing the gun had been given to Robinson, who raised the firearm and shot at Mrs. Purvis as she approached, hitting her in several places and slightly wounding her. The woman, undaunted, continued to run forward, firing straight at Robison as she did so. Robinson was hit in the face by a number of shot and one of his eyes put out. Mrs. Purvis then carried the gun to her husband but instead of trying to use it he apologized to Robinson for interfering in his domestic affairs. Robinson appeared to be satisfied with the apology and Purvis, thinking everything was all right, turned and started home. He had gone only a few steps, however, when Robinson deliberately emptied both barrels of his gun in the unfortunate man’s back, killing him instantly.
Purvis’ remain were brought to McFarlan, where he has a brother living, for burial Monday.
Robinson, who recently served a term of three years on the roads of Chesterfield County for stealing a cow, is now in jail at Bennettsville. He is said to be a desperate character.
[The Messenger and Intelligencer (Wadesboro, North Carolina) · Thu, Jun 17, 1909 · Page 1.][Source: Julie Hampton]
Alexander “Sandy” Purvis is a mystery to me. If you are reading this and have any information about Sandy Purvis or his family please contact me through this E-Mail Address.
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My thanks to everyone who contributed to this posting with special thanks to Julie Hampton.
[1] SANDY PURVIS KILLED IN MARLBORO COUNTY, The State, Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina, 15 June 1909, page 1, column 2].
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