The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-01-15

deed set FIRE to the house and ran away. VIII
lam Brown, negro who lived near, testified
at the inquest that he saw four negroes in the
light Of the burning house. He fired into the
crowd and saw one. tall mulatto fellow fall.
The others picked him up and hurried of with
him. Gabriel Graves. one OF the negroes in
the party. was afterwards arrested. and on
trial convicted Of the murder. Ed Tompkins,
who is supposed TO be his chief accom- lice,
disappeared from the neighborhoOd and no
one could say what became Of him. The body
found in the river some miles from Charles
ton has been identified as that OF Tompktns,
and IL Is now almost sure that he was
wounded by Brown, and the supposition is
that when Graves found that they could not
get away he killed Tompkins. and threw
his body into the water.
A fight between two negroes at Pregnall's s,
s. c., resulted in the death OF William Geary
at the hands Of Jim Kennedy. IL seems that
Geary was formerly in the employ Of the
Charleston, Sumter and Northern railroad at
PregnaLs but for some reason was dis
charged several weeks ago, and Kennedy,
who was in the employ Of the road at Sumter,
was sent to take his place. The parties have
had several quarreis, but nothing happened
until this afternoon. when Geary, deciding
that ennedY was occupying his place too
long, determined to put him out OF the way.
Accordingly he armed himself with pistol
and went to ind the man who had taken his
position He found him at his post OF duty
and succeeded IN drawing him into a dill
Guilty. During the progress Of the fight Geary
drew his pistol and attempted to shoot Ken
nedy, who grasped the arm OF his assailant
and prevented him from carrying out his pur-
pose. The pistol was fred twice during the
dimculty, and when the bystanders interfered
II was discovered that the second shot had
struck Geary in the back OF the neck. Geary
died in a very few moments after being shot.
Kennedy claims that he acted in self defense
and is ready TO surrender himself to the proper
authorities.
J. d. McClendon. white. Of North. shot a
negro just outside Of the city limits at Orange
burg Monday morning. The Negroes name is
Wade Reed, and he is wounded with two bull
let's from McClendon' pistol. The men had
had previous quarrel About three months
ago Reed went to McClendon's blacksmith
shop at North. and there abused McClendon
aoout some work done for Reed by McClen-
don, row ensued in which Reed knocked
McClendon senseiess with q lghtwood knot.
Reed afterwards threatened the life OF Nc
Clendon, declaring that the next time he saw
McClendon he would shoot him. McClendon
has ever since been on the lookout for the
negro. Monday morning Reed and his wife
were coming to Orangeburg. MCClendon
was ehlnd Reeds wagon, in company with
Lewis Gibson. AS McClendon drove alongside
OF the negros wagon he said to Reed: Now
you have your opportunity to kill me-" or
words to that effect. Reed was sitting on a
bale OF cotton and rose to his feet. At the
same time he started TO place his hand to his
hip pocket, but McClendon was too quick for
him, and sent bullet crashing through
Reeds head. Reed fell to the ground, and as
he started to rise McClendon shot him again
Reed wife late swore out warrant for the
arrest OF McClendon. Reed is sal to he a
very desperate character. He was one of the
leaders In the crowd that attempted to rescue
the CASTOR rapists from the custody Of the
lynchers some time ago.