Mr. Pettit Drops Dead

Tries to Stop Fuss Between Man and Wife.

The Excitement Of Moment.

Causes Him to Succumb to Heart Trouble of Which he Had Suffered for Some Time.

Mr. B. F. Pettit dropped dead suddenly in the yard of one of the tenant houses on his farm, near Cassville, last Monday morning at about 8 o’clock.  His death was caused from heart trouble, from which he had suffered for some time.

Mr. Pettit had gone over to the home of the negro, whose name was Oscar Shaw.  He was accompanied by Mr. Bryson, a white tenant.  When they got to the home they found the negro beating his wife out in the yard.  The negro was so severe and seemed so enraged that Mr. Pettit interfered and tried to stop the trouble, but about the time he did so, the negro pulled out his knife and flourished it, attempting to cut his wife.  Mr. Pettit, all at once, started to fall.  He was caught by Mr. Bryson and the fall arrested.  He expired in a few moments.  The excitement had brought on the heart trouble, which caused his death.

The negro, seeing Mr. Pettit dead, became alarmed and fled at once.  He was seen going through the field on a run by people on the place.  Shaw had threatened to kill his wife and those who saw him running away from his home thought he had done so.  The woman was badly beaten up but it is thought she will rally.

Shaw was captured a short ways from the Pettit farm in the afternoon and brought to town and committed to jail.

Mr. Pettit, whose death occurred in a way so unusual, was a good citizen.  He was 73 years old and came to Bartow county from Spartanburgh, S. C., in 1870.  He fought gallantly in the civil war in Lee’s forces in Virginia.  He was a member of the Baptist church and took an active part in all church work.

He was married three times, the last time to Miss Crow, who survives him.  One son by a former wife, Mr. J. H. Pettit, also survives him.