The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1891-09-29

mendation 90 mercy.
The States case was about as follows;
In the neighborhood of Mountville, on
the Georgia, Carolina & Northern rail
road, in Hunter township, there is a
negro church known as Piedmon. The
surrounding country is densely settled
by a more than usually intelligent col
ored population. The few white people
are for the most part large planters and
lane owners. Edmund Nance is an hon
est old negro farmer respected by his
nei8hbors without regard TO color. John
Nance, his son, was accused of writing
a note containing indecent proposals to
the wife OF II of the prisoners, John
Atkinson. On the night Of August 5th,
services were held at Piedmont church
and Edmund Nance, with his wife and
sons, John, Sam, Thornton and Ed
mund, jr., attended,. The congreg alton
dispersed at nine or ten o'clock but the
Atkinsons, Adams and others WHO had
not been in tho church, remained for
soino time on the outside. They picked
a quarrel with John Nance and threats
were freely made that he should not
live. Old Edmund was for a long time
"''o'" w val IouIt III dllCT I1lOSG Ol
his enemies had left he lit a lightwood
torch and set out with his people. Be-
foro they had gone many steps, they
noticed w crouching figures pass at u
quick gait to the side OF the road. They
were recognized as members of tho At
kinson crowd. When the Nances had
reached a point five hundred yards from
the church where the road is sunk be-
low the level and there is thick growth
OF bushes and grape vines, two men
spranS out and attack ed John Nance.
In an instant tho road was full of armed
negroes and a rapid firing commenced
which was kept UP for more thar a min
ute. Then the gang fled leaving Thorn
ton Nance dead and Sam Nance desper-
ately wounded. John Nance escaped
unhurt.
Tho coroner testified that the inquest
held on the following day over the body
Of tho dead boy was the largest he had
ever seen. The negroes were numbered
by thousands(thero arc six thousand
in Hunter Township, but of the ten
prisoners, all living in a radius of two
or three miles, only Munroo Young
was present, and he was sent for by the
coroner. Warrants were issued for
them and Henry Suber, but the latter
got out of tho way. The State MAIN
tained that Thornton Nance came to his
death at the hands of a band of c%onspira-
tors who had planned tho assassination
of his brother John. Tho States wit
nesses sworo positively to all of Ii ten
prisoners hayIng been present and parti-
piN, Z #, ar lt,f Ia, ,n,,,,l L;ll;,x ,., ,,, al
II jim Young. one OF the prisoners was
slightly wounded, presumably by acct
dent, by II of his w crowd. The de-
fence set up an alibi as to seven of the
accused and attempted to provo that
John Nance was armed with Il shot gun
and was the aggressOr; also that the IA
tol shot was fired by Henry Suber, :ho
man who has not been arrested.
At mid day Friday the prisoners were
sentenced. 1t was a remarkable scene.
Eight of them stood in a line at tho bar
railing and t~. in the dock behind.
They appeared decidedly aboye tho av-
erage negro aborcrs in dress and intel
ligencc. Ligo Atkinson and the Adams
boys are good looking mulattoes. Judge
Hudson delivered a short lecture before
PioIOuitSiilS oCiltCllCC 'c1tdHu Gu
on the habit OF the colored people to
choose church meetings for riots and
deeds of violence. When tho last words
of the sentence Tell from his lips, there
was acry from the. audience. 1t came
from the wife of Perry Adams. others
Joined in her lamentations and finally
had to be taken from the court ROOM.
Tho prisoners themselves showed little
or no feeling.
The State made out a strong case and
tho verdict was noC n surprise to those
who istcned closely throughout the
trial.
The wives, parents, children and other
kindred of tho ten men collected in a
group on the public square and waited
till the condemned men were carried
back to jail. AS the latter passed in
charge OF Il strong force of ~constables,
the cries and lamentations of tho women
and children wero pitiable. Never on
the public streets of Laurens or perhaps
Of amy town was a moro powerful scene
witnessed.