The Lancaster News

Mrs. While Attending the Funeral of her Mother in Lancaster County. Her Son is Killed Near Columbia.

While Mrs. John Sims, of Columbia, was in this county last week attending the funeral of her mother, Mrs. Wesley Hilton, whose death was noted in the News at the time, her little son, Master Hilton Sims, was shot and killed. A special from Columbia in the News and Courier of Oct. 27th gives the following account of the sad tragedy:

"Hilton Sims, a white boy, about ten years old, was shot and instantly killed today. A little negro boy, Hal Gordon, about nine years old, is responsible for his death.

Young Sims with Oscar Forde and Alvin Sims, about the same age, were in the woods near Benedict Institute. They had with them a single-barrel shotgun. Some of the boys had sling-shots, and they all laid the gun aside and were shooting at birds with their slings. While engaged in this, the little negro came up and began handling the gun, the other boys not noticing him. Suddenly the gun fired and a shot from it penetrated young Sims's chest, striking the heart, and killing him instantly.

The other boys immediately alarmed the neighborhood, but nothing could be done for the unfortunate boy. It is presumed that the killing was purely from carelessness and ignorance on the part of the little negro. The coroner was duly notified.

The dead boy was the son of Mr. Jack Sims, who is employed at the Southern Railway shops, and who lives in the eastern suburbs, on the Two Notch road."