The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1857-10-28

about two years before had been badly |
scalded, by one uf the prisoners family |
while ut Blackmon,s house in drunken
frolic, and who cherished in his bosom
deep seated and malignant revenge against
The cowasdly old Iman. On "Wednesday
night the 9th Aug, Jas. Honey in the COM
pany Of Young man with whom he lived,
came to ,the home of JOHN -. Blackm0n.
Both Honey and his companion wcre.drunk.
The object of their visit WAS not clear from
/ the evidence, but it seems Honey had his
sewing done by some ii the members Of
the family and business of that kind had
probably led him there and the other mere
! ly accompanied him without any particular
| business or design. Hsney went into the
house and made some disturbance among
those within and after running on az it was
termed, came out TO his friend who had re-
maincd in The yard and asked him to go to
house near b. where liquor was sold, and
get II dram Accordingly they went off,
and returned in an bour or two, with Jug
of spirits, which they deposited near the
| fence; n short distance from the cabiu-
After returning, both of them went into The
house. Honey took his seat on n bed
where sick woman, n daughter of the
prisoner was lying the other took his seat
at the fire. Honey commenced to plague
and tease the woman in the bed, who re-
poaiedly told him TO go away and tease the
| other girls, because she was sick and could
not bear to be disturbed. He, although Of
tcntimes requested to leave the bed, lies
| down by the side of Elizabeth in her sick
| bed, when John ID. Backmon, -ose from
! his bed and ordered him away, telling him
at the same time "to plague the other
gals"
| This act of B!ackmon's appeared TO n.
rouse Honey, and caused him To quit the
house, but as he went out, he caught hold
of both sides of the door and tried to break
it down, in whirh he failed. His comrado
then went out and cndcavored to take him
away, but could get him no farther than the
fence. He succeeded in getting him ts the
fence rs many rs four times, but he return.
IL
pole from the fence. with which he struck
the door in his attempt To give a blow to
Blackmon, who Was standing in the door,
and as he Qloncy) TUNED round, or WAS
pulled round by his friend. he received the
charge from the muskct, below the ribs on
the left side, causing Il wound two inches
in breadth and five inches in depth: he lived
until the 18th.
The ties timony Of the different witnesses
was sightIyicon,radictory. as TO the inten-
ton Of Honey in using the pole, but all
agreed that he was shot by Jehn ID. Black
mon, aided and abc.tcd by his son Min
lard
The prisoners John D. and Mniard Black.
mon were arraigned on Monday morning,
and chose Thursday the 22nd tor :heii triad.
On that morning the Court House vas crow.
result Of the matter. Col. II. n. DHwkins,
| and his youthful md talented partner, Maj.
John d. Wylie, with not shadow Of hope
Of reward, undertook the defence, Of these
unfortunate ard degraded wrctrhes, who
| are poor and humble in tho extreme. Their
appearing in the case was an act Of philan-
thropy, gnd they filed their Office, aS men
who We're diScharging a Christian duty to.
ward poor remnant of nor;a:ity. From
| the array of Jurors, after the usual ceremo.
ny Of challenging, the following was select
cd and sworn:
John w Twitty, For emdn, Landy John.
ston, Caswell Mobey, Anderson Bowers,
Wesley liiltoa, A J. Miller. Laban Fergu-
sou, Nathaniel Bowers, John Usher, Alvin
Massey, A NJ CASTOR, jr, ID. =. Robinson
The solicitor, Col. &. ID. Melton, was as.
sisted by Jos. GnlIuchat, Esq, of Manning
The examination Of the witnesses on the
part of the Stale, was short; on the part
Of the prisoners littie more time Was con-
sumcd: However, one day suiiiced for the
trial.
Mr.. Gallucha, opened the argument and
spoke in his usual impressive manner next
followed Major Wyie. This was his first
effort in n criminal case; he did honor TO
live 20 add experience to his natural powers
there is not doubt that he will nave 10
higher sphere in time to come. lie spoke
earnestly in behalf Of the prisoners, and by
his manner seemed to feel the responsible
~ of his posi,iOn-exhibitng clearly that
he pleaded for human life. Col. Il. n
Dawkins, Ex.Solirllor Of this circuit, arose
after WyIie, and entered fully into the mer
is Of the case; his reputation is establish ed
in this State can say nothing Of him that
is not already appreciated, unless Were to
add, that after serving the State for several
| years rs Solicitor, he has resumed the civil
practice, and without hope of reward enga-
ged in this case, as an act of benevolence.
Col. Melton CLOSED the argument Of the
case. HIS manner is chaste and refined ); his
voice is not quite SO full of volume as that
of his predecessor, Col. Dawkins, but he is
/ an eIoouent sneaker and clear reasoner