The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-06-08
THE EDGEFIELD TRAGEDY.
The Lynching of the Harmon Murder
ers-Full Particulars of the Execu-
ton.
F,om ME dbbepil3e Press and Banner, May siM.

nish parallel to the atrocity of the MUIR
der of Mr.. and Mrs. John l.. Harmon at
their homes in Winter Seat, in Edge6eld
County, twenty-five miles from Edgefeld
Court House and nineteen miles from
Abbeyille Court House, on the night OF
Wednesday, the 18th inst.
These people lived alone on the public
road leading froni Abberille to Edgefeld
Court House, and were entirely Ignorant
of any evil design upon them. Being
unprotected the negroes had several times
robbed Harmon of his bacon and other
provisions, and in the Spring he, by due
course of law, had the house of a sus-
pected negro searched At this the
negroes pretended to be very much in
censed, and being prompted by desire
for further plunder and revenge con-
cocted and executed their diabolical plan
of the murder and robbery of their former
victims.
The cold-blooded murder and the will
fill attempt at arson shocked the whole
community, and many of the best citizens
of both counties assembled at the house
the next day Thursday when a jury Of
inquest was organized, which, although
they took recess in the meantime OF
two or three days, did not render their
verdict and adjourn until noon of the fol-
lowing Wednesday.
The proof of the guilt of those shot was
conclusive. None doubted. Besides the
full confessions of two of their number,
who implicated their confederates, cir
cumstantial evidence pointed unerringly
to them as the perpetrators of the crime.
The probability of their not being pun
ished if sent to Edgefeld Jail was dis
cussed. As few criminals had been pun
ished at Edgefeld, it was their fear with
an insecure Jail, the laws delay, poor
Solicitor, the shrewdness of lawyers in
detecting flaws in indictments, the posi-
bility of executive clemency, that some
gap would be left down for their escape
from pdnish mentj and so they resolved
that these offenders shUuld SITTER for their
crime on the spot: When the Sheriff
was kidnapped and carried off there
seemed to be no particular leader-all
were leaders-and moved to their deed of
retribution by common consent:
When the Jury of Inquest upon the
bodies of Mr.. John l.. Harmon and Mrs.
Catharine A. Harmon, re-assembled
Tuesday morning, 23rd inst, the foreman
of the jury asked the Coroner that Ste
phen Lake, who had been committed to
Jail subject to further order of the in
quest, be produced to give further evil
dence. The Sheriff of the county was
then present and remained in attendance
until the close of the inquest. A demand
was made upoh him for the production Of
Stephen-hc Immediately dispatched his
constables for him. Winter Seat is
twenty TWO miles from Edgefeld G. H.,
and hence it was in the night of Tuesday
before they returned. Stephen was on
hand Wednesday morning, when the
Court met at 8 o'clock, and announced
his readiness to cOiifess. AS soon as the
Court was convened; Stephen vas re-
called to testify. His testimony and con-
fession eorrHboratcd in the main the con-
fcssion of Austin Davis given the day be-
fore. 1t is proper to odd that Stephen
made his confession without having been
apprised that Austin had confessed.
Stephen acknowledged that he struck MIR.
Harmon the first blow with the dogwood
club, and implicated as present Austin
Davis, Larkin Holloway, JEFF. Settles, his
cousin Marshall Perrin and his brother
Jesse Lake. He did not see the women.
After recording his confession the other
four prisoners were brought forward, and
in their presence he reiterated it. An
opportunity was then offered them to
make statements. They made none.
This was about - o'clock and the in
quest took recess for one hour, and the
Jury retired to deliberate, and when they
re-convened at o'clock the verdict was
ready for the signatures of the Coroner
and Jury. The crowd waited with breath
less attention the announcement of the
verdict, and during the time necessary
for the Coroner and each member of the
Jury to sign his name, the silence was lit
erally paintul-whcn all signed, the ver-
dict was then read by the clerk.
Immediately upon the conclusion OF
the reading of this paper the Coroner rose
from his seat and handed to the Sheriff,
who was standing near, the commitment
Just as the Sheriff received it, two men
in mask threw over his head sheet COM
pletely covering up his head, and gather
ing him on each side dragged him away
and into the dwelling house near by:
Whilst this was being done not word
was uttered except the expression by
Larkin Holloway, "My Godl they have
got the Sheriff" At the same moment
the six prisoners, Austin Davis, Stephen
Lake, Larkin Holloway, jeff. Settles,
Marshall Perrin and Jesse Lake, who
were present to hear the verdict, were led
off not word being spoken, no order OF
command being heard. When they had
been gone perhaps five minutes a volley
of fire arms was heard apparently about
quarter of mile off, and it required
not an actual presence to know that the
six had paid with their lives the forfeit
for the bloody crime they had committed
Just week previous to that very day.
THE SHOOTING.
Tt is said that when the crowd arrived
at the place of execution near pine
field, the prisoners were Immediately
arranged in line fronting the guard, and
were told if they wished to do SO, they
could pray, when they Immediately knelt
and all except Lark Holloway com
menced praying aloud, and he wanted to
assert his ignorance of the whereabouts
of the Winchester Rife which it was
alleged he had taken from the Harmons
home after the murder. He was notified
that it was "too late for such talk now
if he wanted to pray to do SOTO be
quick about it." In few minutes after
this they were told to rise, which they
did, and instantly the firing commenced
At the first volley all fell except Stephen
Lake, who remained standing few
seconds longer than his comrades. In
less than half minute, however, from
the time the firing commenced all were
on the ground. The firing was kept up
at intervals for some fifteen or twenty
minutes, when the crowd left the bodies
to be taken care of by others.