The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-02-26
THE BIG ARSON CASE.
It Consumes Four Days OF Court and Re-
suits in a Verdict OF Not Guilty for all the
Parties Accused.


Parties Accused.
The trial of Lewis Ellison, ]. NJ. Gam
brell, A. w. Poore, VIM. M. Ragsdale,
II. 81. Hancock, and J. Francis Ragsdale.
charged with burning the store of Maj.
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. S. Murray, J. E.
Allen and John B. Moore, and the State
by Solicitor Cothran and J. L. Orr, Esq.
The jury was empanneled and the exam
ination of witnesses commenced about
IL o'clock, and continued until about II
a. m. on Friday. The following is the
testimony as given on the stand:
G. w. Anderson. sworn, says: Lives
at WILLIAMSON; been living there since
1868; am merchant; my store house
was burned up on the 18th Of November,
1879: entirely destroyed; my nephew,
W. P. Anderson, slept in there, with q
view to its protection; he was In the
house on the night of the fire 1t occurred
about two o'clock; my first impression
was that it was accidental, but from what
was told me, I changed this opinion Mr..
Gambrell and Mr.. Stone came to my
store on the evening before the fire; Mr..
Gambrell appeared to be very mad he
owed me; he made proposition about
$3.50 on a $50 debt, which he said could
a
standing nearly five years; 1 said nothing
unkind he left very much excited after
he left he returned after while, and was
in the piazza: he told me with an oath
to write out receipt; did so-for S48 !;
told him had no hard feelings toward
him; he said I had not been like any,
body else, nor would not be; he abused
me very much and said I had oppressed
the poor people; then went home;
sued J. F. Ragsdale's father, and he came
to me with an affidavit claiming the
property levied on; I begged him to
settle it; he said if he could not get the
levy released one way off his cotton he
would in another; Mr.. Ellison had been
sued his wife made an affidavit that all
the property belonged to her; I employed
detective to work up the case; these
parties were indebted to me; had sued
all except Mr.. Hancock; sued him sew
e1al years ago we arrested Mr.. Ellison
about week or ten days after the fire /;
he was arrested and brought to my house
about o'clock that night; asked for
an interview with Ellison, and saw him
next morning after breakfast, and had q
talk with him; was informed that Eli
son wanted to see me we went into the
yard about ten steps from the house; we
cot dour ond ask od him If he wantf.d
to tell me anything about the fire, telling
him if he did to do so; he said he knew
nothing; I asked him for list of the
party; in the confessions Ellison made
to me used no threat nor hope of re-
ward nor inducement of any kind he
made no confession at that time; he said
he alluded to Radical company of forty
men, who burned Beaver Dam Creek
Church the night before my store was
burned, when he spoke of forty men;
had gone to him at his own request;
returned TO my house.
Cross-examined by the State: lie
started over to town. / got another mes
sage from Ellison that he wanted to see
me, and went and found him; no one
was with him, but Capt. Alley was \
little way off; had talk with him there
no inducements Of any kind were offered
to him; no threats were made; Capt.
Alley sent the message; he was under
arrest then, with handouts on; five OF
six parties brought him there the night
| before; there was no one there when TIC
confession was made.
Cross-examined by the defense: He
confessed again in the presence of my
self, Mr.. Blaydon and Mr.. Acker, in Tho
spring lot; 10 inducements OF any KIND