Newspaper Stories from Anderson County, South Carolina Headquarters Mil. Post of Anderson Anderson So. Ca. July 21, 1866 Lieut. Col. H. W. Smith Asst. Adjt. General Hdqrs. First Separate Brigade Charleston, So. Ca. Colonel, I have the honor to state, that while on my way to Abbeville, July 20th, 1866 I learned of a horrible murder that had been committed on the morning of July 19, 1866 at Cokesbury, Abbeville District, by a desperate and ruffianly character by name of Reuben Golding of Abbeville. While at Abbeville I learned that this man has always borne a bad character and was much dreaded by the people of the neighborhood, he having shot three persons at different times since the close of the Rebellion. It is known that he left Abbeville on the morning of the 19th inst. heavily armed, that is, with a double barrel shot gun and pistol, with the intention of visiting Cokesbury, and I have heard, for the purpose of shooting a Negro, the name of whom I could not learn. While at Cokesbury, he deliberately, and without provocation, as plenty can testify, shot a Negro by name of A. Payton, who, from the effects of said shot, died that evening. This Negro always bore a good character in this neighborhood and has always been free. He has been absent in Canada and New York for the last five or six years, and at this time was returning to his home at Anderson. After shooting this Negro, Golding left town and was pursued by several Citizens of the place. The people of the County are naturally shocked at the brutal murder, and consider it a great disgrace and are mortified that it has taken place. The Governor of the State has issued a reward of $250 for his arrest, the prospects of which are very good. If I had but a few Cavalrymen I should immediately make pursuit, but with Infantry it is needless. I learn that he has crossed the Savannah River opposite Abbeville and gone into Georgia, somewhere in the vicinity of Washington. Several parties are now on his track and will no doubt soon arrest him. I am Colonel Very Respectfully Your Obedt. Servt. Chas. Snyder 1st Lieut. 8th Infty. Comdg. Post William Wilson Executed at Anderson for Murdering his Wife "The State" - October 8, 1892 Anderson, Oct 7 - William Wilson was hanged her today at 11:10 a.m. for the murder of his wife last spring.  His neck was broken.  He made a long rambling talk on the gallows, but it had not point to it.  He was very nervous and almost broke down on the scaffold.  The jail was guarded by the local military company, a cordon of pickets being on duty to keep the curious crowd off. The crime for which Wilson was executed was the murder of his wife.  The deed was committeed on the morning of the 10th of May last.  The weapon used was a razor. Wilson and his wife had not been living amicably together.  He had frequently ? her dreadfully, and for no cause, except that he was intensely jealous of her.  She was, however, known as a pure, good woman, and his jealousy was clearly without reason. On the day before the murder Wilson and his wife had agreed to separate, she to return with her children to her father, the Rev. Thomas Garrett. On the morning of the murder Mrs. Wilson was up early, making ready for her departure, and was stooping over cutting out a garment for one of her little ones, her baby sitting on the floor by her.  While she was in this position, and not expecting any harm from her husband, he under pretence of shaving, called for his razor, which was given him by ??, and stepping up behind the unexpecting woman, inflicted a terrible sound on the side of her neck, severing the jugular vein, from which the blood gushed in streams, literally saturating the woman and the baby on the floor. As son as she was cut the poor woman snatched up her babe and ran trying to escape from the inhuman wretch.  He followed her, caught her and, twisting his hand in her hair, ? her had back, and with one sweep of his razor, nearly severed the head of the unfortunate woman from her body. Wilson then cut his own throat, but not fatally, and in a few days he was carried to the Anderson jail. He was tried at the June term of court of Sessions, and though very ?? by Shuman & Dean of Gr?, he was convicted.  The defen? was insanity. This is the second man that has been executed here within the last four years for killing his wife. Accidental Death of Samuel Milwee of Anderson District Source: The Laurensville Herald, Feb. 23, 1822 We regret to announce that Samuel Milwee, esq., one of our old and most respectable citizens, was killed on last Saturday evening, on the Pendleton road, one mile from this town.  The circumstances seem to have been these:  Mr. Milwee was detained in town until sunset; when he left the village for home, he was seen riding at a very brisk gate.  His horse was very wild and fiery, and it is supposed that he was going at full speed, when he came to the bogg at the mile post, and in jumping across it, threw him from his balance.  His foot hung in the stirrup, until his body was dragged some thirty yards.  The ground was very hard and rough, and the violence of the fall, dislocated his neck and fractured the back part of his skull.  He was soon discovered, brought to the village, and every attention paid him, but all was in vain.  He died on Sunday morning, in the 27th year of his age.  Mr. Milwee was an active, enterprising man, well known, and highly esteemed, a warm friend, a fond father and a good neighbor, has thus met with a sudden and violent death.  Source: Krozer Courur, Feb. 6, 1858 The Anderson Gazette announces the death of Mr. Wm. Hubbard of that district, aged 97 years.  He was an old revoluntionary soldier, distinguished for the active part in the "time that tried men's souls." -transcribed and contributed by Dena Whitesell Back to Anderson County, South Carolina Genealogy Trails © all rights reserved to the original submitter