The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-05-01

charge whom | am compelled to see
respected 4 negro soldier came into
the cars and insulted the ladies grossly.
l ordered him out. He the negro
said I had no business to interfere.'
Several negro soldiers comingu at the
time this Captain told them they knew
their orders and how they must obey
! them. The man must be taken to
YOUR commissioned officer deceased
was under arrest and you must not
IL will do so.' The deceased said 81
have hurt one, if the others attempt to
impose on me will hurt as many as l
can" In going to examine the train
I met Mr.. Bowers aud asked him the
cause of disturbance. He said the de-
ceased and a negro had had a scutfle.
In moving back from train saw sev-
eral negro soldiers take hold of Mr..
Bowers, eXclaiR:ing "here's the damned
rel ell who cut him-kill him-kill
| him." / walked back to the car and
saw Mr. Bowers on the cotton plat
| form protesting to the men that If they
killed him Bowers they would kill an
! innocent man. / went Immediately to
a Captain of - troops, near by, and
asked him to come and intercede for
Mr.. Bowers. He paid no attention to
me whatever. | went back and found
they had released Mr.. Bowers only
temporarily till they found the deceased
who admitted that he had cut the ne
gro soldier. The deceased stated that
he had done the deed, and with the
knife he had in his pocket. He was
made to produce the knife. The Ser
geant in charge said there was no blood
on the knife; and deceased said, "this
is the knife did the deed with" The
colcred soldiers wanted to kill him at
sight. The Sergeant prevented it and
said he would take him to superior Off
Ger. The soldiers said unless he was
killed they would put a bullet through
the Sergeant. They tied his hands and
took him to camp. The man tied last
night by these soldiers is the man over
whose body we are holding this in
quest, here where | understand is the
headquarters Of the Colonel Of colored
troops.
Solomon p. kinard sworn testifies:
Lives in this place about two hundred
yards from where the body lies about
half an hour before day was aroused
at my residence by three negro SOL
dies, who asked me for a mattock and
shovel. They told me they wanted
them to bury a rebel who had cut the
throat of one of their comrades while
he was asleep, and whom they were
going to shoot. One of them stated
that he supposed his comrade was
dead. About daylight came through
myorchard towards the camp here and
heard the gun fire. l met one of the
negro troops whom took to be SEN
tinel. He told me the troops We're
very much excited, and that had bet
ter not go among them. thought
there was only one gun, but the
wounds of the body show that there
were more fired together.
After short lapse of time-about
half minute-1 heard another shot.
I then approached nearer, but was
again cautioned by the negro whom l
took to be sentinel. / was about fifty
yards from the party. The grave was
dug before the firing. Then came up
to the party where they were burying
the body, and some ten of them
jumped on the grave and stamped the
body. A negro soldier while stamping
his body said: "Now damn you, lie
there. wish every damned rebel was
in your fix" The Regiment was just
moving off. I heard voice say Gen
tlemen and soldiers 1 assume the re-
sponsibility of this act.n a negro SOL
dier told ME that it was the Co.'s. voice
upon my asking him who made use Of
that expression. One of the negroes
who was stamping and dancing over
the grave threatened that before ten
O'Clock to-day that the town Of New
berry should be in ashes if the Regi-
ment stayed here.
Willis R. Phillips sworn testifies:
Lives about one hundred and thirty
yards from where deceased was shot |
daylight. Did not know that they
were shooting; I heard, however,, the
negro soldiers say: Now we have
killed the damned rebel" I was about
fifty yards off: I drew nearer and
asked them what they had done, and
they said: 1--WE have killed the damned
reb, and they wished that all the
damned rebs were in the same fix"
They were stamping and dancing over
the grave. The Regiment was in line
to march, drawn up some fifty yards
from the grave. I saw some two or
three white officers on their horses in
trout of the Regiment. After break
fast some eight or nine o'clock I as
sisted Mr.. John w. Miller and others
in taking up the body from the small
| 11-hi iIh no
it in order to wash it and prepare it for
burial. I heard one Of the teamsters of
the 56th New York Regiment say that
the Col. of the colored Regiment as
serted that be was alone responsible
for the act.
DR.. Geo. w. Garmany sworn testi-
fes: Have made post mortem eX-
animation Of body. Deceased came to
his death from gunshot wounds. Five
gunshot wounds from minnie balls in
the chest and one pistol shot ia left
| temple. The last shot must have been
fired close to his face, as it was powder
burnt.
| A. G.. Small sworn testifies: Am
carmaster on G. and G. r. r.. The
33d Regiment colored troops came ON
| OOH II lioll y C9IClNdS w -NS"c cSlI olio
stayed here last night, and I do not
know of any other colored troops hav-
ing passed over the road.
Geo. E. Isaac sworn testifies: Am
conductor on G.. and G.. r. r. Was
not in charge Of train yesterday, l was
at Aston from one o'clock yesterday
till the train came up. came on it,
l saw deceased there yesterday. He
was with party of some four or five
other passengers from Charlotte road.
I heard him called Crozier, and learned
that he was from Texas. Heard him
say he had not been to his home since
the beginning of the war. ! was re-
quested to take charge of a lady on the
train, but the deceased relieved me
anG came with her to the depot.
Jno. c. Martin sworn testifes: Am
hotel keeper in this place. Two Off
GERS of SD colored troops stopped with
me last night. Their names on My
register book are Maj. Whitney, 33d
L. S. G. r.; DR.. Stewart, ditto" / was
aroused between three and four o'clock