Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-01-02
WEDNESDAY, December l8.

the Laurcns conspiracy cases, without reach
ing conclusion.
WEDNESDAY,, December lS.
After disposiug of some matters on the
civil side of the Court, the Laurens consplra-\
cy cases were resumed and continued until
adjournment.
THURSDAY, December 19.
Ex.parte Lewis Merril-petiton for admis-
sion as counsellor and attorney at law. The
committee appointed to examine the appel
liant having reported favorably, on motion of
D. T. Corbin, ordered that Lewis Merrill be
admitted to practice as attorney, solicitor and
counsellor Of this court, and, is such, to be
duly sworn and enrolled.
United States us. Elijah Ross Sepaugh-conspi-
racy and murder. At the April term of the Cir
cult Court ofthe United States held i'll Charleston,
the defendant was tried and found guilty, and re-
commended to the clemcncy of the Court and the
Executive. A motion was made in arrest ofjudg-
ment. Upon hearing of the case, and due con-
sderation, the court announce that they are OPP
posed in opinion to the questions submitted by
counsel, to wit whether the court has Jurisdiction
to inquire and find whether the crime Of murder
had been committed as set forth and charged in
the latter portions Of the Indictment in order to
to the offense against the United States, charged
| in the former portions of said count Now, on
this, the 18th day of November, at Columbia on
motion of John F. Ficklen, defendants attorney,
it is ordered that the point which said disagree
ment has happened, and which said disagreement,
as above stated is directed by law shall be cert-
fled during this term Of the court under its seal
| to the Supreme Court OF the United States 10 Dc
! finally decided.
The Court was occupied the larger part of
the day, in the hearing of the Laurcns con-
spiracy case. Mr.. Jaeger presented his ar
gument in thorough, searching and close
review of the evidence urging upon the at
tention of the jury all the weak and discon-
Meeting points The District Attorney, D. T.
Corbin, ESQ.,, replied in the closing argu-.
ment Judge Bond then delivered his charge
and the case was given to the jury. The
jury then retired. All the jurors, except
those on this panel, were discharged from at
tendance on this term. The court then ad-
journed until Friday at 10 A. NJ
FRIDAY, December 20.
The Union furnishes the following report
of the sentences and statements Of prisoners
| JOHN WHIsoNANT, of York county, stated that
he belonged to Captain Mitchell's khan, but could
not tell who swore him in had been upon but one
|
his brother whipped; l6 Of the members Of the
klan met at Mount Vernon Church, he thought to
90 out and get the (militia) guns; did not know
anything else was to be done; he went to within
a very short distance of Leachs house; did not
see the act done, but was near by when he was
taken out and killed; Jim Leach was whipped;
the whole crowd helped whip him with limbs OF
a tree he gotta good many licks, when, as he ran,
ried to the creek by 10 Mitchell, Ed Leach, syl-
vanus Hemphill and John Wallace, and there
killed; never saw him alive any more after they
carried him to the creek he was shot by the party
they volunteered to do it; he (Whisonant could
not help the killing if he had attempted John
Wallace was the cause of his being killed; after
whipping Jim Leach and killing Alex the party
went home. Sentence-SlO0 fine and five years
Imprisonment.
| JEROME WHIsoNANT, Of York county, said ne
never had joined the khan; never was sworn in;
received orders the night referred to to go along
with it they were disguised met them at Mount
Vernon Church; did not know the purpose OF the
raid but supposed it was to get the guns; went to
Alex Leach's house part OF the party went IN
after Alex, another part went to get James Rice;
brought James back and whipped him; James
ran after being whipped, and was shot at; the
party took Alex to the creek and killed him prs-
oner did not 60 into Alexis house, though ne
started for the house, made excuse and stopped
near by; thought they went for guns and not TO
kill any one did not aid in the killing or whip.
| ping; supposed-beeved it was the revenge of
| John Wallace that caused the killing and whip
ping. Sentence-$lOO fine and five years lmpris-
| onment.
JAMES A. DONALD, OF York. This prisoner was
very nervous; the jury had recommended him to
mercy, there being extenuating circumstances; he
stated that he was the last one who got to the RAID
! on the night that Leach was killed. John Wal
lace came to him and ordered him into the ranks;
didn't know any of the other men as they were
all disguised. The Narrative of the whipping and
murderwas the same asa above recited. Sentence
| fine and ifonr riCOn m
ALFRED c. LAMAsTER, of Union-This prison.
er plead guilty. Acknowledged to having been
| in the second raid on the Union Jail when the
butchery took place there; was also present at the
killing in the Dogan raid and had been on two
other raids when the victims had been Killed;
also on several raids when colored men had been
whipped; joined the khan in 1870 in February;
| his first raid was on Jesse Long; went always in
the night great deal was done on the Union Jail
| raid; was not close by where the hanging and
| shooting was done; all the prisoners were put to
death was $50 yards or so distant; could not see
| them, but heard them two or three were hung
the rest were shot there were about 400 men in
the party, all Of whom were mounted and dis
guised; was on the raid OH Phil Ward they
| killed him he was shot; heard the guns; there
| was nothing against Ward, but o woman lived In
his house, who cohabited with my uncle; it raised
| talk we went there to talk to her; she had
young child; I and another party went q distance
to get some one to care for the child, while they
whipped her; she was whipped; while we were
| gone, Ward came out and ran; Leonard, one OF
the party, after him, shot at him several times
and killed him; Ward was good boy; we had
grown up together; felt bad when he was killed;
Whitlock was with me to get some one to take
charge of the child, while the woman was being
whipped Whitlock is here; said to Whitlock,
"It is too bad, they have killed Ward; the girl
that was whipped had on her night clothes; she
was taken out of bed and whipped with switches
| and limbs, twenty-five or thirty blows. Sem
| tence-Sl00 and five years imprisonment. -
JOHN WHITLocK of Union. This prisoner had
| plead guilty stated he was in both raids on the
| Union Jail the nights of the massacre was in the
raids on Stein, on Phil Ward, on Dogan, on Gst,
| on Long, on Bluford, on Kennedy, Ben. Rice,
| Scipio Clark and others; Joined the khan three
years ago; seventeen years of age then didn't
| know anything about what it was for; was sworn
in blindfolded on his knees with men in front of
| him, in George Bonners store, at Jonesvlle;
! helped whip Kit Stein; did mt know what he was
him didn't take his family out Stein made little
| noise while being whipped was in the Ward raid;
the crowd killed Ward didn't know as the vic
tim had been doing anything he was very quiet
| man was on the raid when Clarke was whipped
for having two wives; Littlejohn got Leonard to
he had fallen out about something; was present
| on the Union raid, when the negroes were taken
out and killed didn't help kill them; three or
four taken out on the first raid; seven, eight
or nine on hesecond they were all killed never
got off his horse all were disguised. Sentence
SlOO and five years imprisonment
H. D. MATHIS Of Union. Was thirty-eight
wears of age; had been on several raids; was on
the Squire Going's raid [The District Attorney
stated that Goings had just been elected by the
Republicans as Probate Judge when he was raided
upon.] Went at eleven at night; whipped him,
seven of us held the horses. The judge: It is
hard to find prisoner who did not hold the hors-
ynin 1yoc W until hv