Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1894-05-02
FOUL M MURD Err
An Edgefeld Man Murdered by
Negroes in Louisiana

The following account OF tn
murder of Mr.. H. B. Boyce, late O
this county, we clip from tn
Vicksburg, La, Commercial Heralt
sent us by Mr.. John M. Mays
with whom Mr.. Boyce lived
number of years before his de
parture to Louisiana: "Mr. F. S
Hewes, Jr., of Barnes, La, arrived
her. yesterday afternoon with tn
first news of the dastardly ant
treacherous murder of Mr.. II. B
Boyce, manager of Col. w. B. Muir
doch's Banner and California
plantations, in Madicon parish, by
a party of negroes who are nos
fugitives and being sought in every
direction by posse of 100 armed
men. Details of the crime and tht
occurrences preceding it are nara
ted as follows:
Mr.. Chas. Mcfarland, manage:
of Mr.. T. F. Wards plantation
had a difficulty with a negro
tenant named Joshua Hopkins
last Friday, and started out tha
evening, accompanied by Mr.
Boyce and Messrs. Bishop, Richard
Barnes, Asa Broadwater, and I. +
Ward, all gentlemen Of the neigh
borhood, to find and arrest tn
negro. They first went to his house
and then to his fathers, and no
finding him at either, started tt
Shirley plantation in search o
him. AS the party passed tn
house of Pomp. Claxton colored
the latter's dog ran at Mr.. Boyce
who drew his pistol to shoot tht
animal, but was urged not to do 81
and fetrained accordingly. Hi
action, however, seemed to enrag'
the negroes on the plantation tt
an unusual degree, though this wal
not known at the time.
The party went on towards
Shirley about two miles, when MIR
Ward turned back and retracec
his way to Crescent plantation
where Claxton lived. The other
went on to Shirley plantation ane
thence to Tallulah.
Upon reaching Crescent, abou
10 o'clock at night, Mr.. Ward fount
five or six armed negroes in the
road, among whom he recognized
Pomp. and Shell Claxton, Ton
Griffin and Scott Harvey. HI
asked them what they were doing
and they replied that they did no
mean to be imposed on, and tha
if Messrs. Boyce and Bishop re
turned, to ,tteh,ahidoze h,ah hliiddoze them they woult
kill them. He talked to them ant
by his remonstrances succeeded d
apparently, in dissuading then
from the course they were bent OF
adopting; in fact SO thorough.
was he satisfied of this that he pas
sed on and considered the matte
disposed of. The negroes, however
had other thoughts in their minds
as the sequel proved. Severa
hours latter Mr.. Boyce and com
panious set out on their return
from Tullulah, Messrs. Boyc'
and Mcfarland were half a mill
in advance of the others, and wer'
halted on Crescent plantation by
the negroes, who fred on them
Mr.. Boyce fell from his saddle, in
stantly killed, it is supposed, four
teen buckshot having entered hi
body, some of which passet
through from back to breast. MI
Ward, who was slightly wounded
in the face by the discharge, es
capped to the woods.
The murderous shots were heart
by Messrs. Barnes, Bishop ant
Broadwater, but did not excit
their attention, as shots were fire
quently heard at night. The.
failed to see Mr.. Boyce's body be
cause it was lying twenty to thirt.
steps from the road and proceeded
to their homes in utter ignoranc
of the tragedy that had beel
enacted.