The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1892-06-08
THE LAURENs LYNCHING.
Particulars OF tho Tragic Taking OF o.
Dave Shaw.
Especial 10 the State.l

-Ss;;~ -
Especial tothe State.l
LAURENs, June 1.-From all I can
hear and see there seems to have been
a lynching in this county on the night
OF Friday, May q, that has been kept
very quiet, and I will try to give the
facts in the case.
On Friday afternoon, May q, John
N. Abercrombie. constable for John
r. Helms, trial justice, arrested a
negro Dave Shaw, on suspicion that he
had broken into the store of Villa 20
Hopkins on the night of May p. The
evidence on which the warrant was
issued was very slight, as follows !:
One negro said that Dave Shaw staid
all night at one place.an another negro
said be staid at another place on the
night when William Hopkins store
was robbed.
After arresting Dave Shaw, Aber-
crombie carried him to William Hop
kins' residence, arriving there at or
about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and
locked him up in a crib. Abercrombie
then went off, as he said, to hunt up
evidence against the negro. When
Abercrombie arrived at Hopkins with
the negro considerable number of
men had gathered there, and they
continued to arrive until forty Or more
had collected.
These men sat around and talked
until nearly sundown, and then left.
Abercrombie returned to Hopkins be-
tween sundown and dark, ate his sup
per, and then, in company with Will
liam Abercrombie and John Hopkins,
started with the prisoner for the home
of Trial Justice Helms, about five
miles away. Half mile from Will
liam Hopkins they had to cross Raoun
Creek. John NJ. Abercrombie dis
mounted from his horse and went
with the prisoner across the foot-log,
the others leading his horse across the
creek. When they all had crossed,
John M. Abetccombie continued to
wslk with the prisoner. William Aber-
crombie asked him if he didn't want to
ride. He said no, he would walk a
while.
Two hundred and thirty yards from
the creek, when John NJ. Abercrombie
and the prisoner were about twenty
i've or thirty yards ahead Of the other
officers, a party Of men ran into the
road, fired ten or twelve shots, de-
manded the prisoner, took him from
the officers and carried him into the
pine thicket. The officers ran back to-
wards the creek, and when they got to-
gether went back to the house of Will
liam Hopkins.
The mob carried the prisoner about
100 yards from where they took him
from the officers, and hung him to a
tree. The limb was too low, so they
carried him to another tree, about
fifteen feet away, and there found a
limb about ten feet high, to which they
swung him.
They beat the prisoner with pine
stic'- nd cedar stick until threads OF
his clothing adhered to the stick.
Neighbors who knew Dave Shaw's
voice heard him cry out: "You have
shot men' There was a considerable
pool of blood on the ground, and there
was blood on the pine tree and on the
leaves of the cowitch vine that ran up
the tree. There was q plain mark
where they had dragged the body from
the tree to the road; and now comes a
mystery. The body has never been
found. Scores of negroes, assisted by a
few whites, have searched rivers, lakes,
creeks and woods for four days without
any success. think the negro is dead
and efectually concealed.
The good people of this community
are outspoken in their condemnation of
tie deed. The concensus of opinion is
that the mob did not intend to take
the negroes life, but only wanted to
frighten him into a confession, when,
by some mischanee the poor fellows
life was forfeited.
The copsssels did not report the mat
ter 10 the Trial Justice until Saturday
night, when the Trial Justice went to
his home and asked him about it.
The constable went fishing on Satur-
day.
1t is believed by many that if this
matter is sifted to the bottom it will
create stir. LACRENS.
Smith & Wearn are closing out their
stock at discount. There is no hum
bug about it. Read their advertise.