The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-08-24
SOUTH CAROLINA HTRDERERS.
The Assassins of Monroe Harmon
Respited by Scott.
BLACK ESCAPES THE HALTER.
History of the Fiendish Butchery
and Robbery.
Political Influence Undermining the
Course Of Justice.
LEXINGTON COURT HOUSE, SOUTH CARoLINA,)


LEXINGTON COURT HOUSE. SOUTH CARoLINA,l
August %, 1872.
To say that CRIME is rampant In South Carolina
would be q mild way OF giving expression TO the
f0ui and dark deeds that occur almost daily IN the
State. Through the medium OF political judici-
airy, political black negro juries and political
prosecuting attorneys such crimes az murder arson,
outrage and nearly every other criminal OFFENCE
known to the calendar have become licensed to be
committed by the negro with mpunity. II he
should, by any mishap, be convicted and duly SEN
tenced to be punished according to law by the
Courts he is certain to be rescued from the gallows
or the pententiary whichever it may be, by the
never-failing exercise of executive clemency.
While the negroes torch, their favorite weapon
the axe the razor another choice weapon, the
bullet and the murderous club do bloody work in
the rural districts OF the State, public plunder
wanton asciviousness and all the vices which de-
grade humanity hold high carnival at the capital
among their white leadcrs-a foul blot upon Ameri
cain republicanism and a disgrace to the civilization
of the age. Right here, and not In the fifteenth
amendment, Is to be found the
ORIGIN OF THE KU KLUX KHAN.
The imprisoned members at Albany, who opened
their minds so freely to Colonel Whitley recently,
with view to procure pardons, may say what they
please, but well informed people down here say
they lie when they pretend they were entrapped or
forced into the Khan. Not one Of them joined il
who did not have some personal animOsity against
some particular negro or negroes to crafty, and
the great MAJ rity, particularly the most intelligent
and respectable members Of the Klan went INTO it
for the express purpose OF Furnishing negro
offenders whose crimes would not be
taken cognizance Of by the Courts or
II they were would be acquitted by
radical judges and negro juries. have no desire
defend the Kn kluX or to justify their atrocities,
but experience and impartial investigation into the
terrible condition OF affairs prevailing here show
that there at least an excuse, If not we'll
grounded reasons for the organization Of society
for the protection of the lives and property OF
the whites. Sometimes, however, justice does
overtake the murderer, rare though 1t be, and
to-day it was expected the stern vengeance Of the
law-death by the hangman's halter-wOud he
melted out to Simon Black, one OF three negroes
who perpetratcd, just before Christmas last, what
d. known here in ruraI parlance as
THE HARMON MURDER.
Monroe Harmon aged about thirty-one or two
years, belonged to that semi-degraded and ignOr-
rant class OF people who, in Rtchland-the adjOin-
here as "Piney-wOods people," He was type of
his class-lOw, ignorant. but cunning, and his pecu
liar talents and ambition LED him TO aspire TO the
key shop, where he dispensed the Vilest fluids to
white and negro patrons In common Among his
customers, and who were regular frequenters or
his grOggery, were three negro boys, namedrespect
lively Simon Black, Soly Norphet and Jake Johnston,
the first aged eighteen years and the other two
ranging from sixteen to eighteen. 1t was close
npon the Christmas holidays OF 1871, and these
three sable youths found themselves ''hard-up"
and without the Of having their usual Christ
mas fun, which to them was a calamity not easily
tie question of how to raise the wind'' presented
itself TO their imaginatons In more f0rcibe than
pleasant aspect. About this time Monroe Harmon.
keeper OF the GROCERY had been heard to boast OF
THE MONEY He HAD,
and IL seems that In one OF their various financial
consultations Simon Black had been heard to de-
clare that ''be damned If he didn't have money
somehow" both OF which observations coupled
together form an important link In the his
tory of the Harmon murder On the night OF
the 18th OF December it appears that, at
the instigaton OF Black, the three had de-
termincd upon the murder and robbery OF
Harmon. About dusk Simon Black and NOrphet
How long they renamed there is not known. Dusk
was succeeded by tue darkness Of night, and at
about half-past eight O'Clock Harmon left his grOg
gerry to go to his home in the country, some two
miles distant. Taking the theory OF the evidence
which was party ciac%msants an ana Party CON
Harmons steps were logged by the three young
Sssassins, ana when he had reached q mile from
town
in quick succession rang out upon the night air. fol-
lowed by the expiring cries OF "Hep, help murder
murder,r and then all was still again. Just pre-
vious to the time Harmon left his store Black was
seen in earnest consultation with Norphet and
the space
OF THIRTY MINUTES
were seen no more. At the expiration OF that time
the marderers again seen comforting together,
md they came TO the vicinity OF HarmOns store,
evidently to await the development OF the tragedy
they had just committed. The night had now
reached the hour Of halfpast nine O'Clock.
and soon after this negro coming into town
discovered the body or man lying IN
surprising it to be some drunken person. passed ~
without any examination. Following came TWO
negroes, who also discovered the body, and they
went in search OF assistance, n any could be rem
lered the inert mass OF humanity lying helplessly
in the cold Winter night. They found woman
who had previously heard the shots and cries, and
npon viewing the body she exclaimed, ats
MONROE HARMON, DEAD"
The neighborhoOd had now become alarmed, ana
a party came from town to see the body, among
whom were Solly NOrphet and Jake Johnston. The
first shot took effect in the murdered mans back,
coming out at his abdomen and the second. which
was discharged when he fell, pierced his lett tenn
Uarmon's store, and in the meantime party was
despatched to the railroad depot TO intercept
any suspicious character that might attempt 10
leave on the train. Soly Norphct was one
oi this crowd, and on the way he
said in excited manner that Simon Black was
going to Columbia on the train and must not ne
dnteriered with, and Norphct also eNhibited pistol
on the way. Black was not seen, however. He
had gotten under one OF the cars on the trucks
and In this way rode TO Columbia. On the next day
n was discovered that Black had he'd. ana gus
p,con soon centred on the three murdcrers H3r-
mons brother set out in pursuit OF Black and
ARRESTED HIM
<be very day after the murder In Columbia and
brought him back. lie first refused TO tell any
thing, but soon afterwards under persuasion that
was by no means MIDI he confessed the deed, max
sng Norpbet and Johnston the principal criminals
and himself the accessory. Norphet aud Johnston
were then arrested In possession OF both pistols
were found. two OF the barrels OF Norphet's being
recently discharged and one barrel OF Johnston's
On the trial the prisoners attempted to prove an
0itbi, but they totally failed TO account for