The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1892-01-28
T HE FATE OF AN lNCENDlARY,
Detected and Killed in tho Act of Sstting
Fire.

Detected and Killed in tho Act of Sstting
LACKENS, 5. C., Jan. 14.-Lawrence
Thompson, q twenty-year old negroI
was caught almost in the very act of
liring Mrs. Richardson's house and was
shot to death by her son, j. Oswell
Richardson, last night.
Last Thursday night Mrs. S. u. Rich
ardsons boarding house on Harper
street was set on fire, and the evidences
OF lncenulary origin were unmiStak-
bic. Since then, Mrs. Richardson's son,
j. Oswell Richardson, a young man
twenty yeas old, has been Keeping
guard, staying up pretty much all
night. He had placed his brecch-ioad-
ing shotgun loaded with buckshot un-
Der the back steps, where he could get
1T conveniently If 1t was needed. AS it
was raining last night, Richardson
cohcluded not TO stay up, and a few
minutes before twelve o'clock went out
to get his gun. When he reached the
rear of the house he saw a negro 20
around the side of the house and enter
the cellar. Richardson went to the
step and got out his gun, but in doing
so made some noise. He went back
and without being himself seen, saw
the negro peering through the cellar
door. The negro went In again, was
gone several minutes, came back and
stood for m mute or two looking
back. Richardson fired two shots with
his shotgun, and then thinking that he
neard some one running behind, went
back little to look for them, knowing
that the negro whom he had seen
could not escape Oh account Of high
hnn i,,
| advanced, thinking the negro had gone
| again into the cellar, but came on him
| standing behind the cellar door. Rich
ardson then opened fire with his pistol,
llred iive times, reloaded and fired
! three times again. 1t was only ut tho
last That he recognized the negro as
| Thompson. Policeman Winters ar.
rived before the firing ceased. Thomp-
son Gied immediately.
| Winters found just within the cellar
door quart bottle containing about a
| tumolcrtul Of Kerosene oil. Some of
the plank enclosing the cellar were wet
with oil. Matches were found on
thompson. An inquest and autopsy
were held this morning. The verdict
was that the killing was justllabe.
| Richardson surrendered immediately.
| Thompson has always been a Vaga-
bond worthless boy, and has often Iig-
| llred III the mayors court, but was not
considered dangerous. Richardson, in
| charge OF the sheriff and accompanied
by his counsel, Is. w. Ball. went to Col
umbia tonight, and a motion for bail
| Will be made before Judge McIver to-
morrow. The unanimous sentiment OF
the community justiies Richardson
and the verdict of the coroner's jury
State.
| The Columbia State, from which the
above is taken, in its issue of the 18th
instant says: Last night j. O. Rich
ardson arrived in the city in the Gus
tody of Sheriff b. +. Ballew, and ac-
companicd by his attorney, Col. B. w
Ball.
Mr.. Richardson told the story of the
occurrence to The States representa-
tive. lie said the house had been fired
last Thursday night, week ago, and
since that time he had been on the
watch determined to capture the fire.
bug. Wednesday night Thompson had
saturated portion of the house with
Kerosene and was about to light il
when he was discovered. Mr.. Richard.
son then shot him with his double bar.
rel gun, and the negro leaned against
the door. lie rushed to him, and the
rascal, although wounded, grappled
with him, catching him by the arm
In the struggle Richardson shot the
negro five times with his pistol, killing
him. He was forty feet away when he
fired the first shot and it was within II
minutes OF midnight.
Richardson said he whipped the ne
gro on Monday last. His mother had
raised the rascal, he being son of an
Old slave of the family and it was as if
! they had warmed the adder that was
to sting them. Last night Col. Ball
took the young man before Associate
Justice Pope, the attorney general ap.
pearing for the State, ana 1t appearing
that the killing was justiiiable the
young man was granted bond In the
sum of $1,000 which will be given in
Laurens today. Mr.. Richardson IS a
quiet looking young man of good adj
dress.
| Death of Con. Capsrs.
| CHARLESTON, S. c., Jan. 15.-General
| NJ