Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1892-06-23
Dave Shaw is Alive.
ATLANTA Constitution.

BLAcKvILLE, S. c., June 1.-THE
negro Dave Shaw, who lives at Merna,
Laurens county, and was reported to
have been lynched near that place, on
the 9th ultimc, is still alive, and had a
conversation with the CONSTITUTIONS rep
resentative a few miles from this place
tonight. 1t will be remembered that
when the two leading newspapers of
South Carolina gave graphic descriptions
of what has turned out to be an imagi-
nary lynching, a short dispatch appeared
in the Constitution, stating there had
been no lynching at all. However, as
Dave Shaw could nowhere be found, the
affair created considerable talk and much
interest all over the State, and, up to
to-day, mystery has lowered about and
shrouded the whole matter.
THE sToRT TOLD.
If Shaw's statement is true. Constable
John Abercrombie will find himself in an
exceedingly awkward and unpleasant
position. He certainly merits severe
punishment for his dastardly conduct
while acting as an officer of the law.
The two South Carolina papers came
very near telling the truth. Dave Shaw
was tArown into a gully, covered with
briars. and left for dead. The would-be
murder was not ~perpetrated by a masked
mob of fifty or seventy-fve. as has been
sworn to by Constable John Abercrombie,
but by a party of eight. of which the
constable was leader. Among this latter
number were j. II. Hopkins, jim Ball,
William Abercrombic, W. i" Hopkins
and viii Watkins.
A relative of the unfortunate man IN
formed me where the erstwhile dead
Dave could be found, and Immediately
set out for the spot.
He was stretched on a ragged quilt
that lay on the floor of the log hut. His
head was bandaged with blood-stained
cloths, and both eyes badly swollen.
AS entered the door, with a groan he
arose to a sitting posture. 1t was some
time before he would engage freely III
conversation. and it was only after con-
siderable effort he was persuaded to tell
the whole story of his mal-treatment.
He commenced by taking from his head
the bandage that concealed four gashes,
one of which was more than four inches
long. and laid bare the skull.
THE NEGRO TALKS.
The statement he made. although
somewhat condensed. is as follows:
Mr.. John Abercrombie, accompanied
by Mr.. Jim Ball. Mr.. Viii .AberGrombie
and VIII Watkins, came TO my house and
arrested me, on the 27tli of last month.
at about , o'clock N the evening.
They tied my hands very tight with a
rope and took me 70 Mr.. Will Hopkins,
where they rn.t me in his barn and kept
me until after dark. While | was in the
barn Mr.. John Abercrombie went of
and got up a crowd of men. After dark
they took me out and said they We're
going to carry me to Trial Justice Hell
lams. l got very scared, and asked them
to please not take me until morning. Mr..
.Johp Abercrombie told me to shut my
Cd d-n mouth.
II was the only one in the party who
walked. and the rest either rode horse
back or in buggies. When we got as far
as lanyard ford, Mr.. John Abercrombie
dismounted and led me across the creek
on a log Immediately below the ford.
When we got wei the creek he told me
they intended to kill me if l didn't tell
who broke into Mr.. Hopkins store. The
rest OF the men had hitched their horses
when we caught up. They dragged me
out of the road into a pine thicket.
"Mr. J.. II. Hopkins frightened the rope
around my wrists. then, throwing it over
a pine limb, all caught the rope and drew
me up from the ground. l begged and
prayed to them to not to kill me, but
they replied with curses and harder
blows from sticks, with which they were
beating me. They shot off their pistols,
and one Of the gentlemen shot me through
the hip"
THE EVIDENCE OF THE CRIME.