Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1868-10-09
An AtrOciOus Murder.

ooeo'hes our painful duty to an
n"unce tho commission of an afro
c'ons murder, on tho afternoon OF
Monday last, about four miles from
tho Village, upon tho person Of James
Martin, Familiarity known as "Sncak
Martini" member Of tho 30 called
South Carolina Legislature. Wo
know nothing of tho actors ia this
bloody tragedy, or of tho motives
which led TO its commission. Wo on
ly know that Martin had boon repre-
scnted to have recently made certain
infamatory appeals to tho blacks, and
that having in his possession ut tho
timo of bis death ba,rol of whiskry
which he was taking homo, and might
bavo been suspected as about to use
for improper clcc,ioncoring purposes,
thcso may bavc led to tho commission
of tho murder. 30 tho case as it NAV
and however bad may have been tho
character of tho deceased, we givo
but expression to tho voice of this
community, in donouncirg the act as q
cowardly and taso assassinati ion,
which deserves general rorrotation.
The facts as developed u; On tho ir-
quest which was held on Tuesday
morning before ESQ. James McCaslan
arc rs follows: Martin left the vIlayb
riding mule, and accompanied a
wagon in which were two negroes aud
barrel ct whiskcy. Cn tho out.
skirts Of the village tho whiskey was
divided with some parties in in.crect,
and the party then proceeded on tho
road TO Ca!houn's mills. They were
soon after joined by third negro,
who accompanied tho wagon on toot.
About four miles from tho village, al:
ter tho wagon had turned out of the
main road for tho purpose Of avoiding
steep hill, tho wagon WAS oycrtaken
by thrco men, on horseback, who, dis
mounting, ordered the negroes TO
surrender their arms aud tho whis.
kov, and promised net TO harm them.
They saiI tho salro to Martin, who
Immediately dismcuutsd end began
retroa!irg to the rear of tho wagon.
Two OF tho men pursued Kim, and
when ho commenced running, tkoy
discharged their pis' OILS, but as tho
negroes testified, with apparently no
iutcntion Of hitting him. The fact
th:.t no received no ball in tho back
confirms this viow. Tho two men re
trrhed to tho wagon, and with the
.hird filled their butt!cs with whis!zov.
an'i emptied the ros, upon the ground.
Whilst oEgaged, tho sound CT pis,o!
sho: w%s heard, but as Martin was
then OFT ofhight of the wagon, the ;cs.
,iclouy Of the negroes coEii throw no
light upou the fact OF tho killing. One
OF tho ncgroca testified that ho had
seen two llcn in the rear of tho war.
on, and Mr. Sprous WAC lives on the
road tca:i!iod that five men had pass.
cd his house that day', following after
tho wagon. Martin was discovered
hrHt hya negro woman ATy, who
livos near. Ee was lying on the side
OF the road with his fcot in ditch
and gaze evidence hy MARKS in tho
road, ofh;s having dragged himself, or
having heca dragged. uo s-iti to tho
woman, ooh! Lord I en- aho.,"-he
said by three persons, but did not
know them. The shot entered his
groin, cutting an artery, and he blod
TO death very soon. His pocket book
was taken end alao his pis;ol, which
according TO tho testimony Of bis wife
he had with him. Tho negroes had
pistols but were not deprived Of
them. =
Such ere tho facts as detailed on tho
lnqueet.