About 11:30 am, on September 28, 1911, Ernest Grimsley (28 yrs.) was finishing an early lunch at the counter within the Acme Café at 1219 Taylor Street. Before paying up, Grimsley reminded the waiter, Walter “Wally” Sandifer (22 yrs.), that he was owed another piece of bread. He claimed that two slices automatically came with any bowl of soup.

Sandifer curtly told him he was entitled to one piece, and he would be charged an extra dime for the second slice. Consequently, the two young men began a bitter argument over this seemingly trivial matter.

At that point, Mrs. Cora Bessinger, the cook, joined the fray. Upon trading insults for several moments, Grimsley was ordered to leave the premises. When paying his check, Mrs. Bessinger told Grimsley he was barred permanently from Acme. Four hours later, though, he suddenly reappeared with a .45 caliber Colt revolver. In front of six horrified spectators he calmly gunned down both Sandifer and Mrs. Bessinger.

The Columbia Record reported Grimsley worked as a chain guard for Richland County. Although a resident of Hopkins, he frequently came to visit relatives in Columbia. He also was known “to be a violent drunk.” Meanwhile, Sandifer generally was considered a personable young man. Due to a serious childhood leg injury, he walked with a notable limp.

Mrs. Bessinger (61 yrs.) was Sandifer’s aunt, and the co–owner of the Acme Café. On this fateful day her husband, Peter W. Bessinger, was out of town on business.

After departing the Acme, Grimsley headed to Oliver K. Newton’s house on Blanding Street. He borrowed some ammunition for his revolver from Newton. During the next several hours he began drinking heavily at an Assembly Street pool hall. Around 3:15 pm he decided to return to the café and “settle accounts” with his two antagonists.

When entering the eatery, Grimsley shouted obscenities at several startled customers. He aimed initially at Sandifer, who was standing behind the counter. The bullet struck the crippled waiter squarely in the forehead, killing him instantly. Next he pumped two shots directly into Mrs. Bessinger’s abdomen. She died two hours later at Columbia Hospital while undergoing emergency surgery.

Apparently, the shooter also intended to murder the dishwasher, William Stewart of 1102 Huger Street. Although not involved directly in the earlier altercation, Grimsley wanted to kill the him “on general principles.”

Stewart fortunately managed to escape unhurt into a back alley. An onlooker, Mrs. Mamie Buggel, testified that Grimsley methodically fired two more shots into the fallen Sandifer.

After emptying his pistol, Grimsley departed through the front door onto Taylor Street where he quietly surrendered to Patrolman J. Caldwell Jackson. He readily admitted to Caldwell, “Yeah, I killed those two, dirty louses!” His sole regret was that he had not shot the dishwasher as well.

Of course, a sizeable crowd had assembled on the street in front of the Acme Café. The killer cheerfully told Chief Detective John W. Richardson, “Give me back my gun, and I’ll clean up Taylor Street real quick.” Instead, he was transported in the patrol wagon to the Columbia City Jail on Lincoln Street.

He was arraigned on two counts of first–degree murder, in lieu of $10,000 bond. Two weeks later an anonymous party posted that amount, thereby securing Grimsley’s release. His family also arranged for Robert H. Welsh to serve as the defendent’s legal counsel. The lawyer opined publicly his client had been mentally deranged while committing those murders. But Grimsley now was “perfectly sane, as well as most remorseful about those killings.”

On January 14, 1912, Grimsley’s trial was convened in the Richland County General Sessions Court. Welsh managed, however, to have the charges reduced to two counts of second–degree homicide. Following a deliberation of 40 minutes, the jurors found him guilty as charged. Circuit Judge Mendel H. Smith sentenced Grimsley to serve 15 years in the SC State Penitentiary.

After serving three years, in January 1915, Governor Coleman L. “Coley” Blease pardoned the killer. Some politically influential people had convinced Blease to issue the gubernatorial pardon. Upon being released, Grimsley headed westward “to start a new life in Texas.”

Grimsley’s prompt departure from the state apparently had been a condition for commutation. No one seemed to care that justice had been denied ultimately to the victims’ families. Furthermore, everyone blissfully forgot that the whole bloody business had started over an extra piece of bread.