The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1890-01-22
READY'S CRUEL DEED.

ElEhDl > UhU Eu UEED.
DETAILS OF THE LATEST BLOOD,
BARNWELL HORROR.
An Negro Petty TEief Under Arrest. Tie
, TO Tree and s;is Brains Shot Out b
! Il Brutal White alan-Thc Alurderer Let
to 60 Free and iiis Cowardly Companion
DISCHARGED from Custody.
The Charleston Budget.
BARNwELL, SC, Jan. 1.-The negr
who was so brGtally murdered near Rob
bins Tuesday morning, as Published ex
clusively 10 the World today was Wl:!.aa
Black. aged 20, an ex-convict who hat
lust been released from the State penl
tertiary, where he served short teru
for larceny, having pleaded guilty. HI
was on bis way home whep be entered
tie house Of jim Bennett, about five
miles from Robbins, and ate some colo
vietuals that he found there; then stole
an overcoat,ssa hat and some other small
er articles and left.
Bennett soon returned and discovered
that some one had entered his house and
that certain articles were missing. he
at once looked about for any trace of the
thief, aud soon found some tracks lead
ing from his house in the direction of
Robbins
He followed these tracks, after going
to Trial Justice Dunbar ard informing g
him what had happened, until he came
to Robbins Here he inquired of some
men. among whom was Dave Ready, ar
| unprincipled white man, if they had
seen anyone around there with aD extra
hat and overcoat.
Ready said that a negro had just left
there few minutes before, going in the
direction Of the mill (on Mrs. Elmore
Ashley's place., with an overcoat under
his arm and something else, but be did
not know what. Ready was drinking,
and volunteered to assist in catching the
thief. He and Bennett went in the d.
rection that the negro had been seen 60
ing short time previous, and soon came
up with him. The negro had the miss
ing articles, which Bennett identified
and took from him.
Then they took Black back to Robbins,
where they we're met By Henry Sweat, a
negro who Mr.. Dunbar, the Trial JUS
tice, had deputized to arrest the thief if
he could be found, and bring hin be
fore him.
Dave Ready said to Bennett: "You
have got your things back, so I guess
you are satisfied, and if there is any
money in this l want it,"
Bennett said he was satisfied, and
then be and John Walker, young
white man, Dave Ready and the negro
constable, Henry Sweat, started with
the prisoner to 60 to Trial Justice Dun
bar.
When they had gone about four hun
dred yards from Robbins, Dave Ready,
who had the negro in charge, turned of |
from the public road, and went down an /
old road leading though field, crossed |
the railroad, and then told them that he
was going to kill the prisoner. Bennett,
Walker and Sweat all say that they beg
ged Ready not to do any thing of the
sort, but he said he was going to do it,
and told the negro to say his prayers,
which he did.
Ready, who was the only one armed,
then gave bis gun to Sweat and told him
to hold it while be tied the prisoner to
little hickory tree standing By. Sweat
said he did not want to take the gun but
be was afraid Ready would kill him, as
he was drunk, if he did not, so he took
it. After binding Black around the
neck and waist to the tree, the three
towards stood by and saw Ready deliber
ately place the gcr to the negro's temple
and blow out his brains, scattering them
on the tree and over the ground, /
around.
This was done about II O'Clock on
Tuesday night. The three men who
who were present and saw the murder
committed. aud who are wanted as &C.
cessories in the first degree, did not
mention it until Thursday, because as
they say they were afraid Ready would
kill them if they told it. They finally
informed some one, who swore out a
warrant against the four parties, three
of whom, Bennett, Walker and Sweat,
were arrested on yesterday (Friday)
morning.
Ready went to Augusta on Thursday,
and it is not known here whether he has
been arrested or not
The above contains the facts and cir
cunstances as gathered by your cores
pondent from a conversation with Mr..
Eugene McCreary, a merchant of Rob
bins, who was here to-day. He said it
was most foul murder aud that all the |
parties should suffer for their crime.
Trial Justice Dunbar failed to bind |
over the three prisoners, Bennett, Walk
er and Sweat, notwithstanding they tes-
titled at tie coroner's inquest, held by !
Dunbar, 70 the fact as stated above. |
He seemed to think that as the three
prisoners did not help directly to muir
der the negro that they were only wit
pesses against Ready, the principal muir
derec.
Mr.. James S. Davis has been retained
to assist the prosecution, and says he
will see that the guilty parties are
brought 70 justice
At