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

sessions pointing directly to the guilty per
sons, sufficient facts were ascertained tt
warrant the arrest of four, and much tes
timony, startling in its character, was elicit
ed, which led to the unearthing ola band
negro desperadoes whose object was plum
lering and robbing, and which ends were
to be successfully accomplished even by
murder.
A large number of witnesses were exam
ined, the testimony of some being inmate
rial, and which we omit; but as leading uE
to the astounding revelations of band or
ganized for rapine and robbery and the com
mitment to jail of four, one Of whom confess
es to having committed this murder, impli
eating as aiders and abettors the other three
we print the testimony of the following
witnesses, examined by the Coroner's jury
THE INQUEST.
w. E. Good, father of the murdered boy-1 hat
gone to mill ON that evening. The murder hap
pened between sundown and dark. l know
no one having any personal enmity towards MI
except w. D. Parks. know of no cause VIII!
the murder was committed. My son, John Le
Good, was quietand we'll boy. Hewa
aged IL years months and IL days. do no
know whether there was any one hunting aoou
there on that day or not.
Eli Roberts, colored-I iye at w. e. Wylies
and work at We. Goods. was sitting in tn
out to put In feed for Mr.. w. E. Good, who hat
gone to mill. While out heard the cry Of Johr
Lee Good, the murdered boy, and l ran IN TN
direction Of the boys cry. 1 tound the BOY y
was breathing when got to him. I lifted hin
out of the gully and brought him to the house
The reason went to him so straight was tina
I heard him making noise. could see no.
hear no one about the place. The boy was PICK
ing cotton yesterday evening. 1t was abou
fho 1off tho anrinp watering
the mare, it was about fifteen minutes. can
not say how long it was he lived after he wa:
brought to the house, as went for the Doctor
Mrs. Mary J. Good, mother Of John l.. Good
The deed was committed between sundown ano
dark. Ny son was not accustomed to staying
out after the others came to the house, when he
knew he had his nights work to do. did MOI
hear his cries. When I went out could heal
my daughter Lula came and met me and said
Lee was killed. When / got up to him saw
the furrow hewas lying in. I cannot tell how
far was from Eli when he got to him. l do moi
know Of any cause or reason why ibis deco was
committed. My son was down in the cotton
patch when last saw him in the evening. He
was picking cotton with the two other children
They came to the house and left my son throw
ing up into hickory nut tree. The distance
from where they were picking cotton to where
he was found, is about three hundred yards.
DIR. J. B. Good-When 1 reached the wounded
boy found him in dying condition. HIS
jaw-bone was broken and he was injured in
ternally. Two large cuts were bleeding freely
one in the front and the other in the upper jaw.
The jaw was broken IA two places and probably
more The upper jaw was mashed and the teeth
were knock out The face seemed to be mashed
into a.jelly and blood was running from IT.
There Is no doubt that he died from the wounds
that he received. It seems that there VASE con.
test with the boy. There were other marks o,
violence on his body, but none serious. The
wounds in the face we're sufficient to cause death
He was beaten with two stones, weighing from
six to eight pounds each.
SECOND DAY.
After taking some further testimony, the
inquest was adjourned over for day, and
on the 3rd the following testimony was
taken:
Eli Roberts, re-examined-I was in Mr.. Goods
house eating potato. I was in the house about
ten minutes before went out, when I heard
know which, 4 was going to put in feed for the
stock. called Lula, sister of Lee. i asked hel
ifshe heard Lee. Then she came on with me to
the wagon In the field. ran to the edge of the
the other edge Of the pines, and stopped again
and heard another groan. then went on tG
where Lee was, took him out Of the ditch and
put him on the lower side. lido not know wheth-
or any strangers were on the place or not Dan
Roberts went that evening to cut some wood
for Mr.. Rainey. The evening before he asked
to plow for Mr.. Good. Mr.. Good gave him the
plow and he plowed about half an hour. Mr..
Good was present all the time hitched out
and went tGwater and Dan came to me at the
through drinking. Both left together. Dan
went In the direction Of Mr.. Latham's. We
take ont before sundown every evening. l do
not recollect whether Lee hadon coat or not. /
Jack Dowdle, colored, testified that he heard
the noise at Mr.. Goods. Soon after Nose and
Bailey went up the road, but returned directly
after. When Nose Lipscomb came home he
changed his pants, and at about dark; Prind
Thompson came up to his house.
Mary Roberts, colored, testified that right
smart while before night she met Bailey Dowdle
and Nose Lipscomb going up the road.
Ella Good, colored, testified that he met Nose
aud Bailey, coming up the road, half an hour
him. He did not see Dan, but after dark Dan
and his wife came to our house. Nose and
Bailey were at his house when Dan came in and
told of the murder.
Thompson about half an hour after dark. He
did not look natural at Jack Dowdle, who met
Nose and Bailey going down towards Jack Dow
dies, about o'clock in the evening. ask
ed Jack to go over to Mr.. Goods with me. but
he refused. He said he had just come from
there and he said the child had fell out of tree.
Early Good, colored-I returned to my house
on that evening from Mr.. Horizons, where had
been cutting wood. 1t was good dark when I
got to my house. Nose Lipscomb, Dan Roberts
and Dave Wilkes were there, and in short time
Bailey came. Bailey said Mr.. Goods little boy
was sick, that Eli told him so while he was on the
way for the doctor. Bailey Dowdle came
down the road with Bob Parks. 1 never saw
them any more after they got into the hollow.
This was about sundown, when both stopped
and were standing in the hollow. When went
to the field where the children were picking cot
ton, the dogs barked, as If at some one. The
,>s,~ hi f6of nnfc
Bailey and Nose had time and could have pass
ed, when the murder was committed, without
being seen.
Linda Roberts. colored, testified, that between
sundown and dark on that evening Bailey and
Nose, with several others, came to her house on
Henry Thompsons land.
Dave Wilkes, colored, testified: After I heard
the alarm, Sam Roberts was going about moan
ing. I asked him what was the matter and he
said, "Trouble-I am troubled" said to Sam
Why are you so troubled about the child You
act as if you might have done it. The white
people would not take on 80 about negro, AND
he replied, "Ah, but know more about it than
you"
Prind Thompson on the road after dark on thai
evening.
Prind Thompson testified: Ny home is at Mr.
Inmans. Late Tuesday evening was at Mr.
ford.l The sun was nearly down when crossed
I kept on down the road and stopped at Ella
Goods. The sun was good down when I go
there. then went down past Mr.. w. E. Goods
It was dusk dark when got there. met Oar
Roberts opposite Thomas Latham's. I talked
with him. He was in hurry and said he now
wished he had never married: kept on straight
down the road and met Mr.. Parks and spoke tt
him. The first noise heard was little child
am acquainted with Bailey Dowdle and Nose
Lipscomb.
Catherine Good, colored-I met Prind at Thorn
as Latham's.' The sun was about quarter o
an hour high when met him.
Mrs. Thomas Latham testified that Primo