The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-08-18
The Murder OF Dallas p. smith.


At an inquest before Coroner Thomas P.
Walker and a jury of twelve citizens, the
following evidence was submitted:
DR.. A. N. TALLEY deposeth and saith:
On Sunday morning, the I'd inst, was
called at O'Clock to see the deceased;
found him suffering from the effects of a
gun-shot wound in the left cheek, near the
outer angle of the eye. The deceased be-
ing very restless and unconscious, post
poned the examination of the wound till Q
O'Clock, of the same morning; 1 then in
troduced probe into the wound, which
passed inwards and backwards, in the ti-
rectlon OF the spine, to the extent of about
three inches; finding that the ball was too
deeply seated TO admit of any attempt at
extraction, desisted from the search for
it. At the date Of the visit last alluded
to, he was still almost entirely uncon-
scious; in the course of the day, the stu
por deepened into what is technically
called coma, which continued up to the
date OF his death, which occurred about /
O'Clock this Il. IN. AT the post mortem ex-
animation, in which l was assisted by.Dr
Edward ID. Smith, found that one of the
principal blood vessels of the mock had
been severed by the ball, and also one of
the large nerves; the muscles aud cellular
tissue OF the neck and face were iniltrated
with blood; the ball was found lodged in
one Of the largo muscles of tho back of
the neck. have no hesitation in declar-
ing that the death of the deceased result
ed from the gun-shot wound above de-
scrlbed. A. N. TALLEY, NJ. D.
DR.. e. d. SMITH, being sworn. says:
1 assisted DR.. A. N. Talley at post
mortem, on the body Of Dallas Smith, and
found Sun-shot wound entering on the
cheek-bone; traced the course OF ball and
found the direction backwards, inwards
and downwards. severing in it's course
large artery and an important nerve in the
neck; finally cut the ball out of the mus
cles on the back part of neck; have no
hesitation in saying that deceased came to
his death from said wound.
E. D. SMITH, MD.
STAnLING STRICKLAND, sworn, says:
That on Saturday night last, about 12
O'Clock, was on the city police; some had
assembled on the corner at Jacob I.evin's,
for the purpose Of going upon the Arsenal
Hill, for the purpose Of making arrests;
all at once, heard pistol-firing down town;
at once, they all made for the direction of
the firing; the party ran as fast as they
could, and scattered, 80 as to catch the
Partles9 who were shooting; then came
into Bridge street. and ran down the street
to the next street; there he met three
men; asked them where the shooting was.
they replied that it was on the next street
which was Senate street; these three men
whom he took to be colored men, said that
three men had run on Bridge street. in
the direction of the National Hotel: thev
(those three men) suggested to him that
he should follow that party and arrest
them; paid no attention TO them; went on
to where the firing was; when no got there
he found considerable crowd Of colored
mon, none OF whom he recognized, except
Beverly Nash and William Thomas; they
were all standing around Mr.. Dallas
Smith, the deceased; deceased was lying
upon the ground, bleeding; asked the
crowd who shot him, but no one could tell
who did it.; some one Of the crowd said
that some Of the young men had attacked
the members of tho Legislature, in that
house; witness asked them whom do Won
suppose had shot him; said they did not
know, as he had been shot from the inside
or the house; witness asked whose house
It was; some one said it was Murray's
mouse, used for the purpose of boarding
colored legislators; asked the crowd who
boarded in that house; one man Only re-
ssponded, who was white man named
Nixon; witness called upon Murray, who
lived some distance, and procured tho
names OF those why lived in his house; i'm
medlately in front, where this party board
ed, was where Mr.. Smith was living; Mr..
durley, q policeman, picked up two hats:
one was MIR. Smiths, the deceased, the
other was identified as belonging to ono
Richardson, a colored man, who afterwards
claimed it; left Mr.. Guriey, Berry and