The Wichita daily eagle., 1891-10-24
CONDEMNED OUTTHR0ATS.
Ten South Carolina Negroes Awaiting
Hanging for Murder

CHARLESTON. S. c., Oct. 23-The ten
negroes convicted of the murder of Thorn
ton Nance and sentenced to be hanged at
Laurens today, have been reprleved, pend
ing an appeal of the case to the supreme
court. The supreme court will hear the
appeal at its November term.
IAURFNS. s. C, Oct. 23.-The crime for
which the ten negroes were to be executed
here today was committed on the night OF
August 8, 1891. just after a church meet
ing. IL occurred at Piedmont, on the
Georgia Carolina and Northern railroad.
On the night Of Aug. 5 a service was held
at Piedmont. and Edmond Nance, an old
and respectable negro, with his wife and
four sons, was of the congregation. The
Nance family had received an inkling
during the progress of the meeting that
their lives were in peril. When they
started for their home they saw hanging
about the portals of the church a number
of negroes, among whom were the ten
men TO have been executed today. 1t
seems that John Nance had made indecent
proposals TO John Atkinson's wife and the
husband was thirsIing for vengeance
Finally most of the Atkinson crowd left.
and old man Nance, followed by his vile
and sons. Set out for home.
Five hundred yards from the church
John Nance WAS held up by one or two
men, and IN another moment the road was
full of armed negroes. Shot after shot was
fired. Then the murderers fed, leaving
Thornton Nance dead and Samuel Nance
dangerously shot [ rough the lungs.
john Nance escaped unhurt. All of the
prisoners were positively Identified by sew
rral witnesses as having assisted in the
assassination. The prisoners were brought
TO the coUri room on the morning of > pit.
"a Judge Hudson eYerruled a motion for
"A new trial. and they stood up to receive
the death sentence. II WAS a remarkable
scene. Their wives. children and parents
were grouped together in the public square
As the ten condemned men PASSED back to
the Jail in charge of deputies, aud the whole
quarter resOunded with their cries and
Neeping.
LEAvENwoRTH Kan, Oct 23-Dis-
patches sent from here last night purport
TO give "a confession of c. A Benson, the
murderer of Mrs. Mettman, who is 10 be
banged in this city on Nov. ). According
20 these dispatches Benson told Rev. DIR.
Page, his spiritual advisor, that Mrs
SIetiman accidently shot herself in a
drunken row with her husband and that
he (Benson) helped to cut her body up and
carry it TO the river Dr. Page was seen
today by a representative of the Associated
Press and aut hOrized denial OF the whole
story. He said: mo confession has been
made to me by Benson. Benson has only
Ieptdbtu Tie SNOt1 NC has bO4u All 1lOuG,
aud which is familiar to the public
FORT MONROE, Vt, Oct 2S.-Robert
Jordan (colored} was hanged at Hampton
today for committing an outrage on Mrs.
Moore, a white lady, in July last.
LOUISVILLE, Oct 23-Logan Murphy
was sentenced yesterday to hang at Say
lersville on Jan. s. He WAS convicted of
killing his father and the case was taken
TO the court of appeals. The sheriff ut
Saylersvllle says he will resign rather than
hang Murphy.
NEW YORK, Oct. 23-Marlin ID. Toppy,
convicted of numbering his wife Hester,
on July 4, 1890, was sentenced TO death to
day, the court of appeals having confirmed
the judgment of the lower court. He is to
be electrocuted during the week COM
mencing Dec. z.
CADDo, l. T., Oct. 23-Jackson Fletcher
was not shot today. He has once more
been respited for one week. This time it
ls to allow him time to visit his relatives.