The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1885-11-25
A SHOCKING TRAGEDY.
Three Men, Father and Two Sons, Killed
by Kinsman Particulars of tho Occur

(From the Ners md Couraer.)
AT noon Oh "Wednesday the 18th inst.
q white man, named Corley, and 4
negro, named Charles Brooks, gallopcd
into Edgeteld with the news Of a
most horrible crime The victims are
Edward Presley, a white man, who is
over eighty years Of age, and his two
sons Charles and Edward, aged about
twcnty-six and thirty years respect
ivcly The murderer is Robert Jones,
also white, who married the grand
tlaus sh;ar of Presley and who lives
on the farm with them. The scene OF
the tragedy is about eight miles west
of the courthouse.
The representative OF the NeWS and
Courier, upon hearing of the occur
renee, at once set out to investigate 1t
and gathered ine following details OF
the horrible affair: Jones, the mur-
dcrer, it appears. came here from
Georgia several years ago and married
Mr.. Pressley's granddaughter. The
Presslevs rent some land in the neigh
borhood, portion of which was occu-
pied by Jones, who, however, paid
no rent for it. On Tuesday evening
before the homicide Charles Presley
went to Jones's house and told him
that he would have to vacatc the land
as he and his brother could not afford
to pay the rent for him. On Wedncs-
| day about II O'Clock Jones entered the
field where old Presley and his sons
Charles and Edward were p'oughing.
a colorcd man who lives near the
scene Of the murder states that he saw
Jones go up to Charles PRESLEY and,
without any words, raise q double
barrelled gun to his shoulder and
empty the contents of both barrels
into the body of his victim. He then
turned and walked off in the direction
of the woods. Edward Presley, the
brother of the murdered man, putting
down his plough, started to pursne the
murderer Of his brother. Jones waited
until he came up and, then taking
knife, stabbed him in the right side
ripped the knife entirely across his
chest, killing him almost instantly. In
the meantime old PRESLEY was in the
field irving to hold bis sons plough
horse which had been frightened at the
sound of the firing. Jones deliberate
ly reloaded his gun, approached the
old man and shot him dead. He then
went home, mounted his horse and
rode off. John PRESLEY, the only
remaining son, was in the house at the
time and came ont after hearing the
firing, only to find his father and his
two brothers lying dead in the field.
A messenger was dispatched TO the
courthouse to get ont a warrant. The
PresSlcys have the reputation Of being
respectable, quiet and orderly people,
the elderly son, John, having served
through tile war with bravery. Jones
came to Edgefield about six years ago
and settled in the county. His sisters
are married there, one of them being
the wife of Mr.. Parknan, one Of the
defendants in the Culbrcath case.
There is the strangest sequel to this
horrible affair, however. About ,
o'clock in the afternoon a short, thick
set man, attired in an ordinary home
spun suit, entered the village, carrying
on his shoulder double-barrelled
shotgun. He went to the postoffice,
left his gun with man in there, and
then slowly and deliberately walked
on to the jail, which is situated next to
the court house and which has front
yard, rallied in by al ordinary ssiron
railing. "That's Jones'" said some
one, and as the news Of the murder
had been known for some time a crowd
speedily followed Jones. lie applied
to the negro turnkey, who opened the
gate, and entered the place and gave
himself up. lie was followed into the
jail by miscellaneous crowd, but no
one made any attempt to injure him.
Upon entering the jail he remarked
to some of the prisoners who knew
him that he had killed three of the
best men in the county, but he was
obliged to do it. At this point his
relative interposcd and advised him to
say nothing more, and he obeyed the
injunction.
The evidence before the coroner's jury
was brief. Charles Brooks, an eye
witness Of the killing testified as fol-
lows:
s'I was at my house shucking corn
and the first noise heard was gun,
then heard q scream, and l raised mp
aud saw two men running whom l
recognized as Edward Presley, Jr,
and Bob Jones. | saw them catch
hold Of each other and l saw one
reach out of his hand as if he was
using his knife but I don't know which
oneit was, but saw Mr.. Presley fall,
and Mr.. Jones walked of with his gun
in his hand, and then saw something
lying on the ground that l took to be
Charles Presley. Mr.. Jones walked
back in the direction Of where Mr..
Charles Presley was lying and stop
ped and loaded his gun, after which
he walked to where Edward Presley,
Sr., was standing and said, "Dog gone
it, I will shoot you too,r aud there
upon he raised his gun and shot him.
Mr.. Jones then walked on towards
his house, about 400 Yards off. Mr..
PRESLEY, Sr., fell as soon as he was
shot. When saw Mr.. Edward Press
ley and Mr.. Bob Jones running Mr..
Jones was in front. The first report
that heard seemed to be as if both
barrels were discharged at once. No
one else could have done the shooting
without my seeing him. l am salts
fed from what saw that Mr.. Jones
killed all three of the PrcSsleyS. Dan
Mitchell and myself were about the
second ones to get there after they
fell. did not see any weapons of any