The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-01-12
THE BLACK LYNCHERs.
Result of the coroners Inquest at Central
SDeciul to the Naps and Courier.

Result of the Coronerb Inquest Mt Central
Special TO the Nans and Courier.
GREENv1LLE, January 4.-The coro
ner's inquest over the dead body of Man
zeo Waldrop, alias Manz Gooden, th'
white man who was lynched by negroes
near Central, Pickens County, last Fri
day night, adjourned this afternoon
The facts of the lynching, as developed
in the course of the long and tediou!
investigation conducted by Solicitor
James L. Orr, conf FIRMS in every parlicu
lar the version already telegraphed tt
the sNe,Us and Coulter from here, which
was the first and the only accurate
account of the occurrence yet sent out.
Col. Orr went TO Central yesterday
morning and the inquest was resumed al
10 o'clock this morning. 1t lasted al
yesterday, and to day resulted in the
Identification ofall the riugleaders in the
lynching, with ample proof, it is believed
to convict them.in Court. The evidence
developed the following story:
THE CRIME AND THE VICTIM.
The negro girl, whose death from tie
effects Of a criminal assault originated
the trouble, was the daughter of Cato
Sherman, ard aged about thirteen years
The assault was committed last Thurs.
day aud The girl died on Friday. In the
coronersa inquest instituted on Friday
afternoon by Trial Justice B. D. Garvin.
acting cotoner, it was shown by physi
clans affidavit that the feloneous assault
had caused death, and suspicion was
directed 70 MANI Waldrop. He was
brought Tito the Courtroom and an
eight.year old sister of the deceased girl
pointed him out as the man who had
committed The crime. Lula Sherman
had confessed the commission of the
crime before she died, but did not iden.
tify her ass4lant. On his part Waldrop
stoutly denid any knowledge of the
affair. TbeEinquest was finished at 10
o'clock on Friday night. Waldrop was
placed in diarge of Constables D. E.
Garvin and Gaylard Eaton to be com.
mitted to jal. Garvin was regular
officer, and hl claims that Eaton volun.
teered to accompany him, while Eaton
alleges he wal pressed to go.
AN UHHEEDED WARNING.
1t was shows by the testimony of six
reputable meuiha the constables were
warned not to tart to Pickens with the
prisoner that light. Deep feeling had
been aroused already, and cooler heads
feared that sich proceeding would
tempt the nesroes to violence. Some
witnesses testified also that Acting Con.
stable Eaton, who was drinking that
night. was head to declare that "Wal.
drop ought to pc hanged anyhow, that
the rope with which he was to be hung
would break ht neck before morning,
and that be would tie the rope to hang
him if he could let three negroes to help
him."
In spite of tEese prudent warnings,
however, the consa.bles started to Pick
ems about midnight Friday night. Gar.
vim was driving mule to buggy and
had the prisoner Of the seat beside him,
while Eaton started off walking, remark.
ing that he would walk as far as the rail,
road crossing, but they wouldn't get any
farther than that. he afterwards got up
on the rear axle of the buggy and rode
that way.
MEETING THE LYNCHERs.
When the party reached point about
three-quarters of mile from Central,
they saw crowd ofsnegroes, apparently
about fifteen or twenty in number. Gar
vim, guessing their object, turned the
buggy around and drove rapidly back
towards Central. BE had gone but a
short distance when one of the negroes
ran in front, and cdtching the mule by
the bride stopped him, while Others
dragged the prisona from the buggy,
Garvin threatening, begging and warn
ing them by turns. At the approach of
the negroes Eaton bad stepped down
from the buggy, and 9hen Garvin drove
away back to Central be remained.
SHOOTING wALDRoi IN THE HEAD.
The gang of negrofs now proceeded
with Waldrop to a point about three
hundred yards from Where he had been
secured. He was then shot three times
in the head with patol. All this oc-
Cured near the residenfe of DR.. Clayton,
one of the best known citizens in Pick
ems County. Attracted by the noise of
the prisoner being dngged away, and
then by the shots, Dr.. Clayton, DR..
Folger, also prominent citizen, and Mr..
Payne, came upon the nj lgroes. As they
did SO all the negroes rstreated q short
distance. One who halted nearest by
them exclaimed: "Loot out! gentle
men; clear the way" The white men
found Waldrop lying by the road with
three wounds in his head He said he
had been shot; that he was going to die,
and would be dead in ten minutes. At
this the negro, who was standing near
said: "That's - lie;,you haven't
been shot,"
THE VICTIM DENIES 1Ils GUILT.
Among the first questions asked Wal
drow was as to his guilt Or. innocence of
the crime charged to hin. In the came
breath with the assertion that be was
going to die he declared / Sefore God that
he was innocent, repeatiag the declara.
tion with emphasis. Dri. Folger and
Clayton asked him to sit qp so they could
examine his wounds, whth they found