The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-10-21
SUMTER NEWS.


SUMTER NEWS.
The Killing of PenningtOn-Ghe Con.
yictionS at the Recent Court.
SUMTER, October l5.-The killing Of K.
Pennington at Lynchburg on last Saturday
night as briefly stated in my dispatch last
night is in some respects at least a very un-
fortunate affair Bad blood bad existed be-
tween Pennington and the Phillips family
for some time on account of Pennington's
prosecutions for alleged robber!es, etc
These prosecutions never amounted to any
thing, however, and a good many people be-
sides the Phillipses regarded Pcnnington's
acts as prosecutions. The trial OF young
Phillips here last week for carrying con-
cealed weapons resulting in his conviction,
was prosecuted by Pennington 1t Was the
very irony Of fate that Pennington should
be killed by the same man and the same
pistol.
Young Phillips is a youth about IS years
of age and when seen in the jail told q
short. simple story of the killing. He said,
without apparent hesitation, that after his
trial and conviction here last week and pay
ing his fine he went to his attorney and got
the pistol and put it in his pocket, where it
could be plainly seen. On Saturday after
noon, in company with his father, he
took the train for Lynchburg, his home, ar
irving there about o'clock. When he got
there he at once started for home. but had
gone only short distance when he was
told that his brother Jim was being beaten
at the depot. He handed his bundle to
negro, and, hurrying back to the depot,
found his brother in the hands of one Boyle,
with K. Pennington beating him in the
head. He got upon the platform, when
| Pennington stopped beating his brother,
and, cursing him, (defendant,) advanced
and struck him blow, which knocked him
off the platform on the railroad track.
When he fell his pistol dropped out of his
pocket Pennington having run his hand
into his pocket and made move as if he
was going to come down from the platform
at him, he picked up his pistol and COM
menced firing, which he did three times,
resulting in the death of Pennington.
Asked about the report that he was follow
ing ND Pennington in the streets of Sumter,
Phillips denied it, saying that he had no
weapon Of any sort until he got his pistol
from his attorney.
This statement of young Phillips is sus-
tanned by G. W. Stokes, one of the witness
es at the inquest, who testified that he was
with young Phillips and his father when
they heard of the fight. They al started
back, but Willie Phillips got to the depot
ahead of the others. He saw him run up on
the platform and that he either jumped off
the platform or was showed off on the rail
road track when he turned round and COM
menced firing, and after shooting several
times turned and walked off with his father
and brother saying, "We have been imposed
on long enough, etc.
Stokes's testimony was corroborated by
other witnesses.
Sam Rose testified as to the circumstances
of the fight between Jim Phillips and Boyle,
which Pennington egged on by encourag-
ing Boyle, and that when Willie Phillips
came up Pennington said to him he had
nothing to do with it and took hold of him
and threw him off of the platform on the
railroad track, when Phillips commenced
! shooting at Pennington. Rose IAN off when
the shooting commenced When he got
back he heard one of the Phillips boys say,
Come on father, we have got him" but
did not know whether Pennington or Boyle
was alluded to-
The Immediate cause of the killiLg was
the fight between Boyle and Jim Phillips,
which Pennington encouraged, thus bring
ing the trouble on himself with its fatal
consequences. The case will not be tried
until the next term of the court.
Before the adjournment of the court OF
sessions last Saturday Judge Norton i'm pos
ed the following sentences on the convicted
prisoners:
Willie Phillips, carrying concealed weap-
ons, thirty-fve dollars; paid.
Joe johnson, housebreaking and larceny,
three years in the penitentiary. johnson is
the wholesale furniture thief.
Edward Anderson, obtaining goods un-
der false pretences six months in peniten-
tiary.
Joe Cowan, assault and battery, two
months in pentiary or forty dollars.
Perry Williams, housebreaking and lar
ceny, one year in penitentiary.
Jack johnson, larceny, two years in pen
itentiary.
Jimmie James, larceny and entering
house, two years and six months IN penl-
tentiary.
Charles Nun, housebreaking and larceny,
two years and six months in penitentiary.
Mack Couyers, same offence, and same
sentence.
Dowdy johnson, carrying concealed
weapons, two months in penitentlary or
thirty-five dollars; paid.
Robert Moses, arson, penitentiary for
life.
FrankJ. Nelson, entering house with in
tent to steal. and assault and battery with
intent to kill. six months in penitentiary
for first offence, and three years in penitcn-
tiary or three hundred dollars for second
offence.
Frank Nelson is the light colored dude,
theological student and amateur slugger
from Columbia, whose exploits have already
been told in this correspondence. He will
now have an opportunity to study geology
instead of theology in observing the forma-
ton of the earth and rocks while digging
in the Columbia canal.
The other case against MIR. John +.
Keels has been continued until the next
term of court, as were also cases against
several other persons for various offences.
Some cases for adultery, etc., have been re-
ferred to trial justices for Investigation.
Nothing wrong has been found against
any of the trial justices in Sumter county.
Justice Wells made large return Of fines.
It will be seen from the above that from
this term of court Sumter county sends to
the penitentiary one convict for life and
nine others whose aggregate terms amount
to seventeen years and eight months.-Ne,cs
and Courier.
Hoods Sarsaparilla