The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1885-10-27

down the right-hand side to the shoe
box, which was in the middle of the
store between the counters. Ferguson
and Benedict were on the opposite sides
of the box. Could not hear what Fer
guson said to Benedict, but Benedict
said, "What did you say I" The shoot
ing then took place.
Lucy SANDERS, coL.oRED:
y Went to Auerbach's store to get shoes
on the oath of December, 1884. Fer
guson was leaning against the right
hand courier when the shooting was
done. Benedict was on the 'left-hand
side Of the store. Did not near either
Ferguson or Benedict say anything.
When I first saw the pistol it was
cooked. was not ten steps of.
RICHARD soNDI.Ey:
Saw Benedict coming out Of the store.
He asked me to catch him. He had his
hand on his heart. Helped to carry
him to the hotel. He lived twenty or
thirty minutes. Benedict had nothing
in his hand. Witness had had a diff
Guilty with Ferguson about a year be-
fore the shooting. There was no pro-
vocation for the row that he knew Of.
Ferguson at the time looked natural.
He saw nothing wrong with him. We
came to blows. L thought he acted
foolishly. Pretty hard words passed
between US. He struck the first blow.
| would have hit him first if he had
given me a little more time.
D.. j. JORDAN,
Saw Benedict and Ferguson on Satur-
day before the homicide. The shoot
ing was on Monday. Heard words pass
between them. Ferguson said to Bene-
dict yon are n Id liar and Bcne-
pict replied You arc another" They
then separated. Ferguson looked like 4
man that had been drinking.
said that Ferguson came into his store
on the day Of the homicide and asked
for cartridges. He called for thirty
two or ,hirty-eight. Told him he did
not have any. He then felt
in his pocket and said he had enough to
kill u man. This was not more than
fifteen minutes before the shooting.
Ferguson was drinking. He talked we'll
and appeared in a good humor.
SAMUEL M1LFoEn.
Said that he was seventeen years Of
age. Was in town the day before
Christmas. He saw Ferguson in Rubc
Haddon's barroom sitting on q box. He
saw Ferguson with Stark Martin near
Knox's corner. Ferguson asked Martin
to come on down here if you want to
see inc kill a id jew" Martin
told him not to do it. Ferguson said
what he did in his regular voice. He
loked like q drunken man. He was not
noisy. Witness had never seen him
drunk before.
Evidence for the Defence.
The State closed here. and the de-
fence put up as their first witness,
PROF. ]. r. RILEY,
who is a minister of the Presbyterian,
church but who has been engaged in
teaching for some time. Ferguson had
boarded with him, and he also taught him
at Adger College in 1880. The first time
he noticed anything wrong with him
was in the class room. He turned pale
and seemed to be about to fall over
Witness could get no intelligent an
swer from him. Another time was at
the breakfast table at witnesses house,
when he was affected in the same way.
He turned pale. Witness asked him
about the matter and he said that he
had frequently had similar attacks be-
fore. He frequently came to be excus-
ed from Rotations on account of his
mind.
Cross-examination He said he had
those feelings though he did not always
get down. He had strange sensations
about the head. He was punctual at
school and made considerable progress.
He was ordinarily diligent. Have had
boys to make excuses, but they were
not of the same kind as Ferguson:s.
The motions Of his body were the same
as if he had tainted. Noticed nothing
but a peculiar palcness. Did no know
what he was suffering from. Knew it
was some disease Of the head. Did no
say OH former trial that it was vertigo.
Saw nc indications of weakness of
mind except ut those two times.
When he had t. ose attacks water was
put on him. Saw him after class adj
jousned and he was about rs usual.
The attack at the table was not as Sc
any mental weakness.
MARTHA WHARTON, CoLoRED,
Used to nurse Ferguso on when he was
q baby. He was more than a year old
when she began to- nurse him She
nurSed him about Ave years. He was
| given to those spells. He would fall in
the yard, and she would have to carry
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