Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1890-04-17

y Capt Richard I, Lewis, es Cssit:.ee..,,
died suddenly on Tuesday of last week,
Of apoplexy. Whom the final summons
came, he was teaching school, and died
In tho school room without a struggle.
Capt. Lewis was a gallant Confederate
soldier, and attested his courage and
devotion to his country on many M en-
sanguiped field. When tho war closed
he accepted tho situation, and entered
heartily into every effort to rel,abilitate
the country. He leaves devoted wife,
numerous relatives and many friends to
mourn their great loss.
There was quite soverc storm in these
parts last Wednesday afternoon about 8
O'clock. 1t traversed tho county from
tho Northwest to tho Southeast, Wal
halla being about the centor of its track.
Tho blow was of short duration at any
given point, but the symptoms were, cy-
clonic while thoy lasted. The rain and
hail were heavy. The only serious dam
age done in this immediate vicinity, how
ever, WAS that sustained by Mr.. Kinnie
Wright. His house was blown down,
burying his wife and child under tho
debris. Fortunately, though, she was
standing by tho meal barrel and q table
with tho baby in her arms, when tho
house foil, and these acting rs supports
for tho tmbcrs, shc and the child were
afterwards rescued and found to be sin-
hurt. Had she been in any other spot it
seemed impossible that she could have
escaped with her life. for the house was
q complete wreck. Tho grand stand Of
tho Oconce Driving Association in West
Union was next completely demolished.
A great deal of fencing was blown down
all along the track of tho storm. Many
giants of tho forest were also laid low.
The covered bridge over Kcowco river at
Old Pickens was blown from it's pillars
and loft broadside in tho bottom of tho
river. The bridge on the Blue Ridge
Railroad ovcr Six-and-Twenty Creek was
blown six inches out of it's place. But
aftcr careful examination the engineer,
Mr.. James Iutchison, saw that he would
be safe in pulling his up-bound passenger
train over it, and SO informed tho pas
scngers aboard. They, however, were
not willing to take tho chances with him
and the train, but preferred to walk over.
Mr.. Hutchison, tho intrepid, pulled his
train over slowly but surely, and taking
up the passengers OH this side, arrived in
Walhalla on the regular schedule time.
! Excitement ran high in Lexington
county last Friday over tho respite of
Willie Leaphart, who was to have been
executed on that day for a criminal as
sault on Miss Rosa Cannon last January.
The respite was granted late Thursday
evening, and tho prisoner removed at a
late hour at night by Sheriff Drafts to
Richland county Jail. At IL o'clock Nj.
Friday there was an impromtu indigna-
ton meeting held in the Lexington Court
House, which passed strong resolutions,
condemning vchcmently tho action of
Governor Richardson, and appointed a
committee of fourteen prominent oiHzens
ITO wait Oh tho Governor and demand al
exclamation Of his action. Tho commit
tco Went to TSSi%snhia TtSi;;,,, and interviewed
the Governor on Saturday. They learned
that his action was bottomcd OH tho re
commentator Of Judge Wallace, whose
judicial action in tho matter was basct
Oh an affidavit submitted to him by Col
Graham, Lcapharts attorney. In re
sponso to the inquiry by tho committe,
as to his reasons for granting tho respit,
of Lcaphart, the Governor stated that Ii,
had donc so entirely OH the rccommenda
ton of Judge Wallace. AS the Judge be
fore whom Leaphart had been tried ant
found guilty and by whom hc had becl
sentenced to be hanged on Friday, til,
Governor had considered his recommcn
dation rs binding upon him, and that Ii,
(the Govcrnor) had little or no discretion
i'll tho matter. When tho Judge who hat
fixed tho day Of execution thought fit
from an affidavit presented to him in re
lation to alleged newly discovered cvi
dencc, to deem it Il case in which the exc
cution of the sentence should be sus
pended for time to, allow the matter tt
be looked into, and recommended
SUCH action, the Governor intimatcd
that he saw no other course tc
pursue, and no denunciation could
movo him in such case. Whel
asked by the committee for the pa
pcrs in tho case, the Governor stated
that as to the affidavit referred to, he did
not think it proper to make that public
at this timc; as to the other paper, copies
would be furnished in fcw days, II
desired. Before furnishing a copy OF
the AFFIDAVIT ho wished to communicate
with the Solicitor. On tho committee
signing written pledge that tho law
should bo allowed to take its course with
the accused, Leaphart, tho negro, was
ordered back to Lexington jail. He was
accordingly returned Saturday evening,
and everything was quiet.
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