Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-12-15

were cOIllLulIteu ~ jail 0iieo Ooo"' TTiiA
Craig, George Jameson, Scott Thompson,
Wadis Bankhead, David Wilkes, Moses
Roberts, Will McCluney, Wallace Reid,
And on the next day the following were
lodged in jail: Owens Moore, Allen Good,
Bob Smarr, Squire Thompson, Brown Rob
bins, Jack McCluney, Sam Good, VIM.
Washington.
The disclosures Immediately following
the murder, it having been learned from
the the confession of Prind Thompson and Dan
Roberts, though not formally before tne
Jury, that the reason for killing the little boy
was to prevent him from exposing their at
tempted theft of three baskets of cotton,
gave coloring to the statements of the wit
nesses: and besides, it was known that
secret society of colored men was in the
neighborhood, and though the meetings
were held in secret, several OF the members
were known.
The following jury Of investigation was "a
constituted: J. Ed. Leech, foreman, j: l..
Whitesides. Elijah McSwain, j. r. Jenkins,
]. A. Graves and Albert Robertson. On
last Saturday they met where the previous
Investigations had been conducted-in
small iog house near Dowdle's Creek, on
the Pinckneyville road, about 10 miles west
of town. Trial Justice j.. P. Blair presided
at the investigation.
ANOTHER SECRET SOCIETY.
Names of some of the officers were obtain,
ed and they were summoned to appear, ana
produce the books and papers of their So
ciety. This was partially complied with
by the production of small pamphlet en-
titled "The General Laws, Rules and Regu-
lations of the Supreme Grand Lodge TOR the
Government of all Subordinate Lodges OF
the Grand United Order of the National
Laborers Aid Protective Society of North
America" The headquarters of the order
seem to be at Biddleville, near Char
lotte, N. c., and its objects, so far as reveal.
ed by the pamphlet, are of benev0ient
character: ''To create fund to be applied
TO sick members in a good standing, anu III
case of the death of member in good stand
ing to appropriate sufficient amount to
defray his funeral expenses" This is all
that is revealed by the pamphlet as to the
objects of the Society, the remainder OF 1t
being devoted to laws for governing the
meetings, the rules modelled after the usual
style of secret societies. There is also a
ritual for initiation ceremonies, but this
was not produced. The lodge investigated
is known as Rising Star Lodge, No. "a, and
the charter, dated December, 1884, is grant
ed to Amos Tigler, r. D. Moore, Lewis
Tigler, R. G.. Smarr, r. M. Worthy, Rich
ard Pendergrass, N ed Thompson, James
FonZer, John Thompson and Brown Rob
bins; signed by S. M. Pharr, S. Scribe; O.
S. McMoore, S. H. P; J. N. White, Su-
preme Grand Approver, and countersigned
by a "Grand Manager" whose name is so
covered by the frame that it could not be
read.
The pamphlet and charter were examined
and the following testimony was taken:
Ben Thompson-We have been meeting every
Friday night, each member paying as weekly
dues ten cents. joinned it because 1 was tod
it was good thing.
Jeff Worthy testified that he joined it because
he thought it was kind of cooperative insti-
tuition, and the officers promised to send OF tor
some Salem Jeans for him, but they gave him
some very poor Gotten goods for his money and
i he withdrew his membership.
| John Ned Thompson said he belonged TO the
society and understood its object to be to secure
| provisions and attend to burials.
Rube Robson said he belonged to the society.
He understood its object to be to procure pro-
| visions. ,
Tom Worthy said be is a worthy officer in the
| society the object of which is to secure provls-
ions, keep up morality and bury the dead.
Frank Giles said he had been member OF the
society, but quit it, or rather was turned out on
account of speech he had made.
| Silas Thompson, colored preacher, said ne Is
| O member of the society but has not attended It's
meetings lately. It's object, he said, is to keep
| up morality ana SODrleCy.
Some other witnesses were examined
their statements tending to about the same
purport as the above.
Adam THOMPSON, who had been examih-
ed on the inquest, was the last witnessex-
amined. Adam is 16 or II years old, of me-
dunn intelligence, and without any preliml-
nary remarks, on the subject of secret socle-
ties, having told on Friday what he knew
about them, he proceeded with the follow
ing
STARTLING STORY.
Examined By Trial Justice Blair.--Prihd
Thompson had made arrangements to wayiay
Mr.. Elias Inman, which was to take place aiter
dark-about 8 o'clock on Friday night think
it was Friday night because there was" but one
day between the time and Sunday. Those who
waylaid him were Print Thompson, mysel1,
Giles Good, John Good, Wallace Reid and Bailey
Dowdle. The reason for waylaying him was
because they did not like him, and because they
thought he had money. I do not know when
Prind first spoke to me about waylaying Mr.
Inman. The last time he spoke to me about IL,
he said if did not 60 with him they would Kill
me. Giles had club or organization formed Of
men whom he controlled and who were to 60
when he gave the word. (Witness again re-
| peated the names of the members as given
above They did not say what they wou,a ndst 40
| ed nearest the road, and the others were secret
ed in the woods at different places about thirty
| steps from the road. It was not long from the
time we were posted until Mr.. 1nman came
along. I was lying down on the side OF the
road and saw him ride by. The moon was
shining but did not see him until he had pass
ed by. 1 was placed near the road to watch for
| him, and was to whistle as signal OF his ap-
proach. When Mr.. Inman rode up near to
where was his horse suddenly gave jump
and started off in trot. He soon came to
| bend in the road and was out of sight. Ihey
were great mind to kill me for not giving tne
| signal when Mr.. 1nman came up. They TOLD
me to go along-that they did not want to see
me any more. -...
Prind notified me to 20 that night. was then
| living at John Moore's. I do not know the
month, but it was about three months ago. The
| object of waylaying Mr.. Inman was 10 get
| money. The place was between MIR. lnmans
| house and McNeels store, on the big road lead
| ing from McNeel's to Inman's house: The horse
| trotted Oft from where we were. Nothing was
said about what they would do with him after
| killing him. ,
BIZ Mr.. Rush joined the club at Hopewell
Church. 1t was appointed to meet at the church;
Joined. Giles Good, John Good, Prndley Ihomp-
son, VIM. Thomson, Bailey Dowdle, Wallace
Reid and John Good were there. went by
myself. / went for the purpose OF joining
the club. 1 took no oath, and they did not
tell me anything was to 40 before rhsx Joinea, so
spoke of killing Glenn Good and Bill VIM:
E.) Good, but did not set any time, nor did not
say that those men should be killed before Christ
mas. On the night Mr.. 1nman passed stood by
big hickory tree up the road. Prind Thomp-
son Said that he had seen Mr.. Inman changing
money at the store on Friday, the same day of
the night we waylaid him. He was ridinga red
looking horse. About the time Mr.. lnman
rode up Prind jumped and broke stick.
Prind was about twenty steps from the road.
| Il fnyr 1S ha