Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1872-09-12
StIisfellameuns &eadimg.
Correspondence of the Yorkville Enquirer
FROM COLUMBIA.

Correspondence of the Yorkville Enquirer.
FROM COLUMBIA.
COLUMBIA, S. G., Sept. 2, 1872.
The great event Of the week here, swallow
ing up even the political excitement attendant
upon the rumpusin the Republican party, was
the unusual, and strange to say, attractive
sight of the execution of two murderers on
Friday last.
The victims of the offended majesty Of the
law were
BILL LUCAS AND NED HARRIS,
Convicted at the last term of the Court Of
Sessions here of the murder, the first of John
Simpson-the other of Patrick Murphy.
John Simpson was a plain, poor and indus
trious white man, who worked for his daily
bread in the machine shops Of the Charlotte,
Columbia and Augusta Railroad Company,
located near the depot of the said road in this
city. He was man about thirty-ive years
of age and had family. His associates
give him the name of having been a simple,
uneducated man but steady, reliable work.
man, without pretensions- kindly, in
offensive, and liked by all who knew. him for
sterling qualities of head and heart. His
great and almost only fault was that
HE DRANK TOO MUCH AT TIMES.
This unfortunate habit was the occasion,
though not the cause, of his death. The negro,
Bill Lucas, had, also, for considerable length
of time, been an employe Of the Charlotte,
Columbia and Augusta Railroad Company,
but had been discharged for some while pre-
vious to his fatal assault upon Simpson. 1t
appears that there was some old score between
the parties in regard to pitiful quantity of
powder and shot which Simpson had promised
to give to Bill Lucas. On the night Of the
murder, which occurred in March last, the
two men met in Hamberg's groggery, near the
Charlotte depot. 1t was Saturday night-the
hands were off work, and Simpson, as usual
with him on such occasions, had been indulg-
ing pretty freely his passion for the intoxica-
ting cup. Lucas had been drinking some, too,
and though by no means drunk as was poor
Simpson, had imbibed just enough to arouse
the slumbering fend of temper, naturally
vicious, aggressive and bloodthiHty. He had
the name of being bad, brutal, unfeeling
and fierce negro. When the parties met,
Lucas Immediately accosted Simpson in
surly tone and demanded that powder and
shot which had been promised him. Simpson
replied that it was all right and that he should
have it, but that it couldn't be had just then.
This did not satisfy Lucas, who seemed
bent on a row at all hazards, and he COM
menced cursing and abusing Simpson in a
most insulting manner. The latter, who it
appears from the evidence adduced in the
case, was somewhat afraid of Lucas-at any
rate not desirous of getting into a difficulty
with him-left Hambergs and went up the
street short distance, to the store then kept
by Messrs. c. E. Thomas & Co,
He was not there long until Lucas again
appeared and commenced second time
cursing and swearing at Simpson, and threat
ening that he would have his hearts blood.
The proprietors of the establishment, not rel
ishing such disturbance, and with view, too,
to keep the peace and to protect Simpson, who
was very drunk by this time, called in the
police and had Lucas, and the negroes with
him, put out in the street. In short while
Simpson followed, and just as he got we'll out
of the door and upon the pavement, Lucas,
who was lying in wait, sprang upon him.
Simpson cried for help, and the men in the
store rushed out to the scene of conflict with
a view to separate the combatants. But they
were too late. Just as they came up, the
CLEAN of the fatal knife flashed before their
eyes in the darkness of the night; second
more and Simpson, with groan, fell heavily
to the earth. He had received his death
wound, the knife piercing his groin and cut
ting the femoral artery. Some of the men
lifted him into the store, while others pursued
Lucas, who tried to escape. He was quickly
captured, however, and brought back to the
store where Simpson lay weltering in his gore
and rapidly bleeding to.death. Lucas gazed
upon his dying victim, cursed him again and
again, and gloated over his deed like mon
ster of savage ferocity, which he was.
Upon the trial, Lucas was very insolent and
defiant, cursing Judge Melton when his SEN
tence was announced, and swearing that he
would as soon die tomorrow as upon the six
teenth of August-the day first fixed for the
execution.
Ned Harris case was one entirely of cir
cumstancial evidence. Pat Murphy, the MUIR
dered man. was an old Irishman who had been
employed for years as pump-tender at Hamp-
ton Station, on the South Carolina Railroad,
five or six miles below Columbia. He was
rather queer old man in his habits lived in
a secluded little cottage few hundred yards
from the station was saving and rather par
simonious in the expenditure of his money,
and was believed by many, especially the ne
groes in the neighborhood, to have amassed a
goodly sum of gold, and to have it concealed
about his cottage. One Sunday morning in
last December-the Sunday before Christ
mas-the old man was found dead. Some of
the railroad hands passing along, and not
seeing him at the pump, where he was always
to be found when we'll, went to his house in
quest of him, thinking that he was probably
sick and needed assistance, as he kept no one
about him. In his yard, few steps from his
cottage door, they found the old man lying at
full length on the ground, cold and stiff in
death. The body was horribly mangled- the
skull being crushed in and scarcely an inch Of
:. . lI ..lot HOO haator, l,ruiSed and