The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-10-30

Murder of Frank Normcnt-No Bill
Against O. s. Mccullough.
Special to Columbia Register. Va,
DARLINGTON, Oct. 25.-The,trial OF
Constable McLendon for killing Frank
Norment in the Darlington riot com
menccd today. There is great interest
taken in the trial and the court house
was crowded with spectators during
the hearing OF the testimony. While
the interest is intense there is no ex-
citement.
Judge Norton presides and when
court was opened McLendon was az
raigned and pleaded not guilty. The
constable looked bad and it was gen.
orally remarked if he didn't get a trial
at this term he would.not live to get
securing jury. The State exhausted
it's challenges and the defense most
of theirs. One juror was set aside by
the court at the jurors request, he say
ing that he could not give the case the
calm consideration that it deserved.
Solicitor Johnston conducted the pro-
secution and was assisted by Mr.. G.. S.
Nettles. Col. Robert Aldrich and Mr..
IL. ID. Brunson appeared for Constable
McLendon.
The first witness for the State was
l.. S. Yelling. He testified that he
was at the depot on March 30 and went
there with Frank Norment and G. S.
Mccullough. He noticed Willie Floyd
there and he appeared much excited.
Chief of Police Dargan was present
and said few words to Floyd. In q
few minutes Paul Rogers, Turner
Floyd came from the platform crying
and said she could not take it," Nc
Lendon was standing on the end of the
platform. Rogers said Floyd "was u
---." The chief of police said that
there must be no row there and tho
crowd commenced gathering around
About this time fourteen or fifteen con
stables came up. Frank Norment said
to the boys that they must not have q
row. Redmond said that Rogers could
whip Floyd in fair fight. McLendon
ran his hand in his pocket, pulled out
some money and offered to bet that he
could not.
In a few minutes Floyd called on MIR.
been treated fair in his fight with Rog-
ers before. Before Battle had time to
reply Rogers said that he had been
taken advantage Of. Some one asked
him by whom: Pointing to McLendon
he said: "That ---." McLendon
called him another and said: "I can't
take that" He pulled his pistol and
commenced firing in the direction of
Frank Norment, who was standing
about four feet in front of him. The
crowd ran and witness ran with them
into the depot. About twenty shots
were fired but he didn't see the result.
Perhaps one of the most important t
witnesses was @. s. Mccullough who
o1, Ii II
Pepper. His testimony developed some
interesting facts about the riot and the
action of citizens of the town. He tcs-
tilted that he was standing two and Il
half or three feet in front of Frank
Norment. Rogers or Redmond cursed
McLendon and said that he was to
blame for the whole trouble (referring
TO the fight between the boys). Nc
London cursed back. Frank Norment
said something and added eyes, he
is tc blame" McLendon called him
"a d-n lying = -" McLendon
kept his hand on his pistol and when
Nurment cursed he said, sd if
can stand that" and drew his pistol
Some one said: "Mc don't do that"
McLendon replied: mo, Cd d-n
direction of Frank Norment who was
standing in front of him. Witness had
kept his eye on McLendon. Saw him
pull his pistol and as soon as he popped
at Norment, witness shot at him and
hit him in the stomach, he thought.
Witness then ran into the depot with
the crowd.
On cross-examination some impor-
tant testimony was brought out from
the witness. Colonel Aldrich said he
desired to show the conditions exist
ing in Darlington two or three days
previous to the riot. He proposed to
connect the deceased with those pro-
ceedings. With the understanding
that these conditions should be shown
to be res gestae, Judge Norton per-
mitted it to be brought out.
The witness said that the excite
mont was on account of the presence
of the constables. They were suppos-
ed to be hunting for whiskey. He said
there was an understanding between
citizens that If the constables went to
search residences they should be re-
sisted. He admitted also that there
was an understanding that tho town
bell should be rung in case constables
entcred private residences to make
searches.
In response to question, "Then
what ?" witness said: "We were to
do what we pleased. You can imagine
what we would do, | reckon" In re-
sponse to a query as to what tho ring
ing Of the boil meant, the witness
said: "We were to assemble in the
square and bring along whatever we
wanted-a cannon If man had one.
This was to be done only in case q
private residence was to be searched. -
Continuing, he said only two resi-
dences had been searched and they
belonged to colOred people. The pri-
vate apartments of gentleman had
been searched, but these caused no ex-
citement as it was suspected that
whiskey was being kept. The con-
stables were to he resisted only in case
they attempted to search private re-
sidences.
DR.. Garner, the next witness, testified
as TO tho wounds of Norment.
l.. M. Norment, brother of Frank
Norment, after describing the killing
of his brother, which was substantially
the same as other witnesses had re-
lated, testified that he too was shot
while lifting up his brothers. body
Seeing that he was dead, he turned to
go to the depot and as he turned he
saw Redmond kill Constable Pepper.
a.. G. McFall, M. Rich, conductor on
the Atlantic Coast Line, and other
witnesses were examined, but in the
main, nothing more than the above
was developed. The testimony was
about the same as developed at tie
inquest.
The State has examined nearly all
OF its witnesses. 1t Is expected that
fl,nf feia p,i1