Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-10-01

the favored port, DuC, OF course, as Ille CtI-
olina Central road is backed in this enter
prise as in others by the seaboard System,
of which it is part, much business will
20 to Norfolk or Baltimore eventually, or
perhaps directly. There is desperate and
bitter fight, which always goes on, between
the Seaboard and Richmond and Danville
Railroad systems Of course all are in the
pool, with headquarters at Richmond, so
that there is uniform rate of freight. But
there is always bad feeling and absolute
lack of harmony, and the Seaboard road
waits and hopes for the day when it will be
law unto itself and have no part in COM
binationS.
THE EDGEFIELD TRAGEDY.
Another act in the terrible tragedy which
began with young Hammondss assassina-
tion in Edgefeld county few days ago,
was enacted in the town of Edgefeld late
on Monday evening Of last week. 1t will
be remembered that young Hammond was
shot down on the night of the 18th ultimo,
in the yard of Mrs. Culbreath, wife of 0. T..
Culbreath, with whom she has not lived
for the past two years. Suspicion settled
upon Culbreath, and on Monday night the
suspicion eliminated in the lynching of
Culbreath, by band of masked men, in the
heart of the town.
Early MOuudy WulAdilV NsAo
sworn out before Trial Justice Glover for
the arrest of Mr.. O. r. Culbreath, the hus-
band of Mrs. Fannie Prescott Culbreath,
charging him as the assassin of young Ham
mond. The warrant was placed in the
hands of Constable Robert Ramsay, who
found no difficulty in executing the same.
Returning to Edgefeld village, it was
agreed that Mr.. Culbreath should not be
placed in Jail, as no fear was entertained OF
his fleeing from justice, SO he was left at the
hotel. After tea that night he repaired to
the office of his attorneys, Messrs. Gary d
Evans, to consult with them in reference
to his bond and petition. 1t had been rain
ing all day and at about ten minutes before
eight o'clock the village was as quiet as
such an occasion could demand, when Con.
stable Ramsay rushed into the office of
Messrs. Gary & Evans and informed them
that body of men were coming up the road:
Rumors of lynching party had been heard
in the village, and Mr.. Culbreath had been
advised to leave by friends, but he said no.
body wanted to hurt him, and it was prob
ably an attempt to extort information from
some negroes on his place who were thought
mond's death. When the constable enter
ed the Office with the announcement that
body of men were approaching, it could no
longer be doubted that
THEY WE'RE AFTER CULBREATH,
and he was told to enter the back room of
the office and make his escape through
door opening into small yard. He had
no sooner left the room and closed the door
than the mob knocked at the front door,
and asked if Clubreath was in. They were
informed that he was not, but, not satisfied
with this answer, they entered, and two of
the men, covering Mr.. Gary with cooked
pistols, two threatening Mr.. Evans in the
same manner, and two others proceeded to
open the back room door. Messrs. Gary &
Evans were unarmed, but protested vehe
mently against the invading of their private
office. Upon the opening of the door of the
back room Mr.. Culbreath fired, his shot
taking effect above the door. His fire was
Immediately returned, one ball striking
Culbreath in the right shoulder and another
penetrating the door. Culbreath cried out
'Don't shoot me any more,
"I AM KILLED"
He was seized and dragged out of the office,
all the while protesting his innocence and
the great wrong that was being done him.
He was dragged, between two men, about
a mile back Of the Court House, out of town,
to small hollow between the Creighton
and Eichelberger places. He called the
names of several members of the party, beg
ging them to let him ride, saying that he
was dying from his wound and was unable
to walk also asking certain persons, whose
names he called, if they were not ashamed
to treat an old friend that way, and alleg-
ing his innocence of the crime for which he
was being murdered. When they arrived
at the hollow he asked to be allowed to
pray, and also requested that he be shot in
the back. He was then shot three times,
one ball striking him in the small of the
back, one in the hip and one lower down in
the leg, neither of which were serious
wounds. He sunk to the ground and the
mob dispersed, leaving him for dead.
By this time party of citizens had been
organized and set out in pursuit of the
Creighton they met Mr.. Culbreath walk
ing back to town. He was taken in vehi-
Gle and carried back to town, and placed
upon a bed in the jail for safety. The doc
tors suppose that he tainted from loss Of
blood an exhaustion just about the time he
was shot the last time, and thus it was that
the mob thought him dead. He was unable
to lie down, and complained of eXcruciating
pain in his side. He was propped up in
bed, but the attending physicians did not
consider his wounds fatal He was per-
fectly conscious, and the account OF the
fearful outrage upon him, which has just
been related, is
AS TOLD By HIMSELF.
He protested his innocence throughout
and prayed for his murders, calling the
names of several whom he recognized. He
fingered until o'clock Tuesday morning,
when he died.
THE CORONER'S INQUEST.
The coroner's inquest over the body of
Culbreath was in session Thursday and Fri
day. On Thursday, James Minis, a very
reliable young man, gave as evidence, in
fearless and cOmmendable manner, that on
the day of the lynching he was at Antioch
Church about eight miles from the court
house, making some repairs on his fathers
grave, when he noticed passing in easy
hearing distance some eight or ten mounted
men, some of whom were partially disguis-
ed, though not sufficiently so to avoid iden-
tification that some of them spoke to him,
calling him by name. Those whom he
mentioned as recognized by him are w. l..
Mcdaniel w. l.. Holmes, DR.. w. E. Pres
colt, VIM. Parkman, Memphis Culbreath,
Lou Prescott, Ned Bussey, "One-eyed"
Wilson, and Collier Hammond, only three
of whom were disguised. That a few min
utes after this he saw Luther Bell and ID.
A. &. Bell, Jr., standing in pine thicket,
who inquired if crowd had passed. Minis
answered yes and called the names of some
of them. They replied that it was their
crowd and went in pursuit toward the
court house, saying that they were going to
take ''him'' from the constable and see If
something could not be found out about the
murder.
DIR. Hill, one of Culbreath's physicians,
testified that his patient told him that Bill