The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-02-26
THE BIG ARSON CASE.
1t Consumes -Four Days OF Court and Re-
suits In o Verdict or Not Guilty Tor an sie
Parties Accused.

It Consumes -Four days OF Court and Re-
suits In Verdict or Not Guilty Tor an the
Parties Accused. )
Tho trial of Lewis Ellison, J. III. Gam.
brell, A. w. Poore, VIM. NJ. Ragsdale.
II. H. Hancock, and j. Francis Ragsdaie,
charged with burning the store Of Mai.
George w. Anderson. at Williamson,
last November, commenced on Wednes-
day morning of last week, and continued
through the remainder of the week. The
prisoners were represented by Messrs.
John E. Breazeale, j. 8. Murray, j. E.
Alien and John B. Moore. and the State
y Solicitor Cothran aid J. L. Orr, Esq.
The jury was empanneled and the exam
ination' of witnesses commenced about
IL o'clock, and continued until about ii
Q. m. on Friday. The following Is the
testimony as given on the stand:
g.. w. Anderson. sworn, saws |: Lives
at Williamson been living there since
1868; nm @ merchant; my store house
was burned up on the 10Th of November.
1879: entirely destroyed; my nephew.
w. p. Anderson, slept in there, with o
view to its protection; he was In the
house on the night OF the fire; it occurred
about two o'clock my first impression
was that 1t was accidental, but from what
wa9 told me, I changed this opinion Mr.
Gembrell and Mr.. Stone came to my
soore on the evening before the fre; Mr..
Gsmbrell appeared to be very mad he
cwed me he p:ede proposition about
bis debt whic.. refused he offered me
$SltSO on O 800 debt, which he said could
take or let <1t alone; the debt had been
standing nearly tive years said nothing
nnkin4; he left very much excited after
he LETT he returned after q while. and was
In the piazza: he told me with an oath
TO write out receipt; did So for Si9 !;
I.tcld him 1 had no hard feelings toward
him; he said had not been like any.
body else, nor would not be; ne abused
me very much and said had oppressed
the poor people; I then snt homo I
sued J. T.. Ragadale's father, and he came
to mo with an afiidavit claiming the
settle &c; he snid If he could not pet ale
levy released one way Off his cotton lie
would In aaother; MIR. Ellison had been
sued his wife made an affidavit TINT ali
the property belonged to her ] employed
ynnrtiaa ysara lssllal.tai 20 7 i..a
all except Mr.. Hancock sued him sew
eIal years ago we arrested Mr.. Ellison
nbouts q weeks or ten lays after the fire; !;
he was arrested and brought to my houEe
about O'Clock that night, I asked for
tsAA0 tI~fN
| next morning after break lslat, and li,5 q
talk with him I WIS informed that EIli-
son wanted to see me (; EeWent into tho
yard about ten steps from the house; we
snt down and asked him il he wanted
/ 70 tell me any thing about the flre, telling
| him il lle did to do so lie said ho knew
| nothing; I asked him for list OF the
party /; in the confessions Ellison made
| TO me i used no threat nor hope OF re-
| ward nor inlucement of any Kind he
| made no confession sc that time; he said
i he alluded to q Radical company of forty
4 mon, who burned Beaver Dam Greek
i Church tho night before my stoto waa
burued, when he spoke Of forty men;
had Eone 20 him st bis own request;
returned 80 my house.
1 Croasse exninfned by the State: He
stated over 10 town got another fles-
i sage from Ellispn that no wanted to see
ME. eni j went and found hiItt no soue
I was with him, hut Capt Alley xns g
i little way of (: lid q talk with him there
10 Inducements of any EiII0 were offafrI
10 him; no threats were rindei Capt
Alley sulit tho nleFSagD; /; ha was undei
arrest then. with handcuffa on i've oi
six pxtties brought him there the nigh
besoSe; there WAS no nne thefe when ths
j ohieseiop was Made.
4 Cfoss-exauincd ny the defense: HI
confessed agaiu In the presence OF InY
\ sslf. Mr.. Blaydon and Sif. AclSer, la thl
4 spring iot; no inducenionts of my KIM
q y r