The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1894-10-31
THE COPES MURDER.
Circumstsnces Which L ook Ugly for Two
Men.

COLUMBIA, S. c., Oct. Ex-Governor
Tillman has received private informa-
tion bearing on the Orangeburg assas.
sination, which to all appearances
comes nearer to solving the mystery Of
toe identity of the assassins than any.
thing that has yet developed under the
most powerful searchlight that the
people Of Orangeburg working night
and day, have been able to secure.
Yesterday morning the State men
toned that the Governor had tele-
graphed to the sheriff of Orangeburg
insrructing him to hunt for and detain
one Manuel Williams, a white man
supposed to be an escaped convict from
Alabama and also the man who COM
mitted the murder In the upper edge Of
Orangeburg county near the Le1ing-
ton county line short time ago.
When Governor Tillman was asked
about this yesterday he gave informa-
ton which makes out stronger case
against this man and pal he had, 80
far as the assassination Of Treasurer
Copes Is concerned, thsn anything that
has yet been found connecting any oae
else with the crime.
The facts which seem to make out
such strong case against Williams
and his pal are as follows:
Williams has lived in that section Of
the State nearly all his life. He Is
said to be an all.round crook. Some
time ago be disappeared, going, it Is
thought, to Florida. Some four or five
days before the murder Williams came
into Blackvllle, accompanied by pal.
They had beat their WaYll on freight
train. The pals name is not known.
he was small fellow, about five feet
four Inches in stature, and had just
SUCH a foot as indicated by the tracks
found at the scene of the murder.
Williams tracks also lit the descrip-
tiOn given of the tracks OF the other
man. Both had very small feet. Now
the information that the Governor has
is to the effect that Williams pal Was
seen to leave Bamberg, sitting oG d
wagon going in the direction Of the
Etlsto swamp. He said be was going
way up into the swamp to hunt. Bam-
berg ls about twenty miles from the
scene of the murder. He had double
narreled shot gun. He left Bamberg,
it Is said, on the third day previous to
the murder. Another significant thing
is that Btmberg was said to be the
only place where the peculiar kind OF
shell used in the assassin's gun could
be purchased And Bamberg was the
place the fellow started out from.
Williams was not seen after this time.
Neither of these fellows have been seen
since the murder so tar as any one
knows. Another significant thing 1s
that Williams, having lived In that
section of the county all his life, knew
all about the trips of the treasurer at
this time Of the year, knew the roads
and the localities. and even every foot
of the swamps thoroughly.
This is the information upon which
Governor Tillnan has based his orders
to have Williams arrested and held till
be can prove clearly that these circum-
stances do not fasten the crime upon
him and his pal. Williams. was once
the town marshal at Salley's, and later
at Springfield. Williams Is man
ab ,ut five feet, eight inches tall, of dark
complexion, has Gark hair, eyes and a
slight black moustache. Most OF the
time he goes unshaVen and dirty.