Columbus Daily Enquirer Columbus, Georgia, Wednesday, 23 November 1870, page 1
Murder in Columbia County.
We are in possession of the following particulars of the malicious killing of a young man named Kinchen Adams*, on Wednesday last, at the steam saw mill of Messrs. Goodrich, Usry & Company, six miles from Dearing, Columbia County, by William Rivers, a one armed man, recently a peddler in Augusta. The difficulty occurred about half-past three o’clock in the afternoon. The two men, on horseback went to the mill together, having in possession several flasks or bottles of whiskey, of which they drank freely. Adams became very drunk, but Rivers exhibited only partial intoxication. Satisfied with the time spent at the mill, Rivers mounted his horse, calling upon Adams to go home. Being too drunk to mount, the latter was assisted into the saddle, but his horse refused to go in the direction desired. Rivers again called upon Adams to go home with him, threatening that if he did not, he would get down and kick him. Adams replied, “Kick away,” to which Rivers said, “I can do it d—n quick,” and, suiting his actions to the threat, slipped from his saddle, at the same time drawing his pistol, with which he commenced firing at Adams.
At the time of the first shot, Adams, too much intoxicated to retain his seat, was falling form his horse. Two shots took effect on the person of Adams, either of which, in the opinion of physicians, would have caused his death. The wounded man died on the following (Thursday) morning about sunrise. An inquest held upon the body of the deceased resulted in the following verdict: “That the said Adams came to his death by two gunshot wounds inflicted by a pistol discharged in the hands of one William Rivers, said shooting being done in a willful and malicious manner.”
Kinchen Adams, the deceased, it will be remembered, was involved in the sanguinary affair, which occurred at Dearing last Christmas, resulting in the killing of Mr. Augustus Hodo and a brother of Adams. A warrant was issued against him at that time, but he succeeded in evading arrest.
Previous to the war, Rivers became involved in difficulties with the father and brothers of Adams, in which he received a gunshot wound, which caused him to lose his left arm.
Neither of the men were in any manner connected with the mill, Adams having been there very seldom, and Rivers never until the day of the killing.
[Atlanta Constitution, 19th.]
*Son of Nancy Phillips (1825 - after 1860), daughter of Ichabod Phillips and Sophia Lord, and Rowel Adams, CSA (1824 - 1863)
