The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-08-04
THE SHOOTING OF B41AAM GRANT.
Coroner's Inquest-Evidence Of Drs. Leb-
by, Buist and Schroeder, and Of Eye
Witnesses to the Riot and Shooting

witnesses 20 the hlot ana -SH"o''As'
The death of Balaam Grant. the colored
man who was shot at tie poll In Ward (sires
street) occurred shortly after his removal 10 Inc
City Hospital, and the coroner having been notl'
fed, Jury OF inquest was empanelled that eve
ming to try the case. Owing to the want OF EVIL.
dence, the witnesses being absent at the polls,
the two prisoners, Robert Lyons and his son,
Robert Lyons, Jr., were lodged In the Guard.
house TO await the result Of the inquest. The
squad Of soldiers who were present at the polls,
when the unfortunate occurrence took place,
we're turned over to the civil authorities at 10
O'Clock that night and were brought before the
Jury; when it assembled, pursuant to adjourn
ment, at 10 O'Clock yesterday morning, 10 inTes-
tlgate the matter. The following is the substance
OF the testimony given:
DR.. Robert Lebby, city registrar testified that
deceased was brought to the hospital on Wednes-
day afternoon at 43o P. NJ. wounded by pail,
which had passed through him. 1t entered the
lower portion or left side Of the back, auG came
out through the lower abdomen, passing through
the bladder. and cutting the intestines IN several
places. he was In dying condition when
brought in. The wound was produced by large
sized ball. The wound caused by its exit was
larger than that produced by Its entry. witness
thought the party shooting the deceased was dl,
rectly In his rear, the detection In the course OF
the bali being caused by his running at the time
Deponent thought the wound considerably larger
than oae an ordinary pistol ball would produce
large navy revolver would produce similar
wound. ,z-.,. :, .ho
hospital, testified to the same facts and, 10 and-
ton, said that he had taken the dying deposlsion
rof the deceased,a copy OF which appeared ~
Syesterdsy 8 News. From the post-nsortene ex'
amination which was held, DR.. Buist was salts
ned that the wound YVES produced ey rlne Dal,
but stated that it might have been produced oy
the ball from large pistol. 49,.
hospital, al,sconfrnfed the above statemens, ana, ln
afitiftiou. said That the wounds OF the deceased
saying been dressed, he said she WasslM greaS
pain; deceased alleged that asodershsd S 81 snos na
and was running; be stated nothing OF any ones
having assaulted him; deceased further stated
that Old Lyons was running a1ter MIN WIN
knife. ,. - .,o
hospitaL testified TO the same facts, and further
stated that deceased had alleged that old Lyons
told the soldier, to shoot him..
ned thai he wasson duty Wednesday, as special
deputy eherifr at the poll in Sires street, alopg
With two policemen, three soldiers and sergeant,
under his command: {: went to poll at O'CLOCK a.
M. with the soldiers, and remained until T. M.
.Roundsman Bling then arrived, with orders TO
relieve deponent to enable him 10 vote and.ge
something to eat. Lett Roundsman Bing In
charge; did not return untll4 o'olock, aaa Knows
nothing OF the circumstances attending the
wonndlng Of the deceased. Had orders that II ne
could not quell any riot with the police and Sol.
'diers he was to call upon the cltizens neces-
HIS were WS,3s vesT om aa
at the ipol, no riot OF any consequence occurred.
About IL O'Clock he called upon the sergeant TO
pnsh the crowd back from the railing around the
poll. Beyond this, no disturbance oconrred which
wonld have required the asoidlers 20 quell
II: Deponent was sent In the morning TO take
exclusive cnarge.o the poll. He,Was relieved oy
Roundsman; Bing by order OF Lleutenant CnaE.
man. who: was stationed at the upper Guard.
house DepOnent was told In the morning BY
Captain Hendricks that he could, II he wanted
TO 20 away, leave the poll In charge OF Inc SOL
disrs. Roundsman Bing did not have on badge
as deputy sheriff; has been policeman for Blk.
teen years, and. 8 roundsman for three. Depo!
nent told Roundsman Bing to use all means In his
power to keep peace, and that there were the SOL
ders ana ne wantsS 20 oconrss% anrtn9
deponent,s absence from the polls Deponent on
leaqing the polls;s said nothing 70 the sergeant
He considered that, upon his leaving, Rounds,
and military. Deponent was present when the
instructions were given to the soldiers. They
were, that they must obey deponent, ana act 1n.
der his orders. Dep0nent understood tnat ne
Of the SQUAD Of soldiers. Opponent acted both as
deputy Sheriff and; ;roundsman Of the police force.
He uaderstood that the soldiers were to use their
arms II Unnecessary to,preserve the peace:
D. s. Jones testified that he.was at tie poll 10
Sires street. and saw the disturbance, but did not
see Balaam Grant; that q man went up TO the
poll to. vote, and his vote WAS objected te; the
crowd said there was an attempt oelng mace S 70
by the crowd into the middle OF the street, ana
deponent saw man, whom he supposed 10 oe
colored, raise club and strike white man, Wlo
fell. A few seconds after this he heard report
OF gun, about fifteen or twenty PAGES from him,
but out OF sight; did not think 1s was pistol; saw
no one fire and saw no one shot; the clno raised
was similar that carried by The police; the man
who struck the blow had on coat OF dark
]. Ravenel, waitiugmau, testified that he was
at the poll In Sires street standing near the sol.
dieSs. when hedeceased walked OF from the polls
and said "By God, gentlemen, I voted the Re.
form ticket.n A short man named Lyons was
talking with the soldiers, and stepping up to de.
ceased Lyons said, "What is that you say, you
SYon are another d-d son Of a b-h; am moi
speaking TO you." ]. r. Lyons, Jr., then caught
hold Of de, eased and showed him back. Deceased
put his hand IN his right pocket as, II to draw
soldiers, "Shoot that d-d black con OF o-h." 4
AS he said so, the sergeant Jumped up, took The
bsyonet or his gun and fred Immediately. De.
ceased ran and attempted to get into gate
opened:the gate. Deceased was shot on the same
side Of the street as the poll. The gate was two
doors above the enginehouse. Deponent lden-
tiHedS Sergeant Maloney as the man who
nred the ahot; the soldiers were stand
ing on the side or the street, opposite the poll,
toward Borgard street, about fifteen feet above
the polls; deponent was standing nve or SIX
steps from the soldiers, on the same side OF the
5he cuIeing the sergeant pn5 his
another cartridge, which he dropped, and some
one in the crowd picked 1t up; aeponent was the
frst man to reach the deceased, and, when he
turned him over, there was large crowd, prln.'
cipally white men, present; three colored boys
helped deponent to carry dece eased into tne oacs
part OF the yard, and lay him down under the hg
tree; MI. Johnson afterwards had him put on the
piazza; deponent saw no one use any violence
towards deceased after he was shot; deponent
helped to put deceased In wagon TO
take him TO the hospital the policeman
said TO the sergeant. ~ dld not not order sI
there; he did not use any violence towards de.
ceased. 1.-The had done SO, deponent would nave
seen 1t. Deponent believes 7. Dolan to be the
policeman who said to the soldier that he gave
no orders to fire. Deponent was at the poIss an
hour before the shooting took place. TheSer,
geant had three stripes In the shape Of half dla
mond, q. d some brass across the top on his arm
The stripes were light green or blue. Deponent
recognized Sergeant Maloney as the man with the
stripes Deceased said to deponent, as he turned
him over, a0h, Jim, lam shot limo ocently.n Ser
stripes upon his arm. There was no brandshing
or clubs and sticks after deceased was shot,.
the evidence showed little to criminate Mr..
Robt. Lyons IN the melancholy affair, and he was
upon giving bonds IN the sum Of $500,
to appear before the coroner's jury this morning.
The jury then adjourned until 10 O'Clock this
when the investigaaon viii be con-
f{nued e-i..-i- sasszs-.