The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1889-02-07
HISTORY OF AN AWFUL CRIME.
Three Hundred Country1neE Bent On
Taking Swift Vengeance Oh the Sus-
pected Murderers of Mr. Abernathy
Confession of Negro.
TSpecial to the News and Courier.

prOudUISy De y uCuluS az AeoSIA 1Ii41'
I came from Columbia to-day. When
arrived the lynching excitement was
just over, so instead of attending the
execution I visited the new Standard
Cotton Mills. Well, cotton factory Is
better advertisement than lynching,
and as the evidence was not entirely
conclusive, it was fortunate that the
sensation expected did not occnr.
The crime was the murder of ". Z.
Alternately. The assault, which re-
rulted in his death, three days later,
was committed, on last Friday night,
January 25. Mr.. Alternately formed
the company of the mercantile firm OF
Massey l. Co., who did business at
Catawba Junction, on the Three US
Railroad, about nine miles from this
place. 1t was the habit Of Mr. Aber-
nathy to sleep in the store when his
partiIer, Mr.. Massey, was absent.
FIRST NEWS OF. THE CRIME.
On the night mentioned Mr.. Massey
was away, and instead of staying III bis
house, few yards distant, where his
wife and five children were, Mr.. Aber-
pathy remained in the store. About
1890 P. NJ. Mrs. Abernathy heard
noise at her door. Opening it she ad-
mitted her husband. 1t was dark IN
the room or entry, and she asked what
was the matter. Mr.. Abernathy an
swered family that he was very sick
and asked her to get a light. When
the light was obtained she discovered
that he was wounded and bleeding.
Alarmed, she inquired the cause, ana
her husband answered that he had
fallen down IN the store. lnvest!ga-
ton proved that he had received blo"
from behind with some blunt lstru-
ment which had broken his skull. The
| fracture extended across the head from
ear to ear. On the top of the head was
an indentation, the skull being de-
pressed and bearing upon the BRAIN.
Neighbors and doctor were sum-
moned, and the wounded man looked
after. He was evidently not in pos
session of his senses, and at different
times stated that no one had hurt him,
that white man had struck him, ana
| again that negro had doue it. An ex-
animation of the store did not reveal
the loss of any goods which could De
remembered. MIR. Alternately fingered
| UuIll MOuO6S OfSAAaSi
ARREsTING THE SUSPECTED.
The first arrest was made on Satur-
Gay morning. The negro arrested was
known as Charley Mack, but called
| himself McManus. He was suspected
| because be was the last man seen IN
the store with Mr.. Aberuathy on Sun
CAV night. His occupation was that OF
a section hand at Catawba Junction.
| He. stoutly maiui aimed his innocence,
and when taken before Trial Justice
Bell at Yorkville waived a preliminary
examination and was committed to
| iail. Several weeks before the murder
Mr.. Abernathy had some OF hls bee
hives stolen, and negro named Charles
Colston was suspected of the theft, and
this was the nominal cause OF his
arrest, although the act was stimulated
by the fact that lie remarked after the
assault on Mr.. Abernathy to negro,
who was expressing his regret az the
occurrence, that that was nothing, and
that if they, Massey & Co. did not look
cut their store would be in ashes before
the week was over.
CoLsToN's CONCESSION.
Trial Justice VIM. White, of Rock
Hill, issued the warrant OF arrest.
When be found himself in the tolls
Colston made what he declared to be
| a confession, duplicating another negro
section hand named John Feas-;
ter. Feaster had been arrested ana
trr re1s.
clared that on Thursday afternoon,
when he was hunting with Feaster, the
latter had asked him if he did not
want to make big haul of money.
| Upon his replying that he did, Feaster
proposed that he Charley Mack, Ed.
and three others should make a raid on
Massey & Cos store the next night.
Colston agreeing to join the party,
Feaster declared that if any man di-
vulged the secret the others would kill
him. To continue Colston's statement,
the seven negroes held meeting that
Thursday night and made their plans
for The robbery. 1t was agreed that
if either Mr.. Massey or Mr.. Alternately
was in the store be should be killed.
On Friday night they approached to
within fifty yards of the store, and
sent Mack there to reconnoitre. He
returned with news that all the white
people had left the store except Mr..
Alternately. They then went TO the
| scene Of the crime.
HOW THE DREADFUL DEED WAS DONE.
Reaching the store, Colston said that
they saw Mr.. Abernathy sitting under
q lamp with two shoe boxes at his back.
On the top Of the highest box lay a
singletree. Colston was placed at the
door to watch, while the others entered.
Mack got behind his victim and Feaster
in front Of him. Mack picked up the
singletree and struck MI. Alternately
twice on the back Of the head with it,
telling him so that bis head dropped
over nail keg in front OF his chair.
| Then Feaster struck him, but Colston
did not observe what weapon he used.
Feaster fumbled in the stricken man s
| pocket. Mack went to the money
| drawer of the store and tried to pull it
| open. A bell attached to it sounded an
alarm and frightened them. Mr.. Aber-
nathy then began struggling and the
assassins fled. Feaster carrying with
him a sack of -four They separated at
| the door. Next morning Colston met
| Feaster, who told him that he obtained
$40 or $50 probably from Mr.. Aberna-
| thy's pockets, which he promised to
divide with him, but did not do so.
| CoRRoBoRATIvE CIRCUMSTANCES.
This was the substance Of Colston's
statement to the trial justice. While it
evidently was partly false, the descrip-
| ton of the assault must have been
nearly accurate, for in a fish keg,
which the negro had taken for nail
keg, was found a quart of blood. The
| pillow and bolster of the bed in the
store were smeared with blood. Mr..
Alternately had evidently lain on the
Jed and when partially revived had
mechanically gone to shis house near
by.
IL consequence of this evidence Feas-
ter was examined by Trial Justice
White. He insisted that he was inno-
| cent, and was insolent and defiant.
| Colston claimed to be unable TO identify
any other negroes than Mack and
Feaster. Justice White practically con-