The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1894-09-05
TWO MEN KILLED IN BLAczv1LLE.
A pispenssry Constable who Persecoted
the Browns Until They Got Tired-The
Coroner Charged With Murder.
ATLANTA Constitution

Atlansa Constitution.
RLAcKvIBLE, S. c., August Is
This afternoon at 2:36 O'Clock the
bloodiest tragedy ever; enacted N TINS
quiet village occurred on the Maln
street OF the town directly opposite the
passenger station. solomon HroWn,
Che etwenty-two.y yea.-ofd soE OF S!eion
Brown, and John Griboen, OF the state
Dispsnsary constabuiary force, lie colo
in death. This double murder IS the
result of s. fead oflong standing. .
AT the time when Tillman was hrst
nominated as governor, Gribben, then
the town marshal, was especially active
in his cause, though incurring the en-
naity of the conservative citizens OF the
81 town. In the ensuing municipal cleo
ton they supported and elected coun,
Gil, the members OF which pleagea
themselves in advance not to appoint
Gribben town marshal. The lnhuen-
tial Brown family were earnest sup,
porsers ofthe conservative faction and
did much to bring abcat tpe defeat OF
the man who favored Grlbben's con-
tinuance as town marshal. After hls
defeat and prior to the passage OF the
dispensary act, Gribben posted letter,
letting upon Jews, which further
widened the breach.
After his appointment as member
of the State constahuiaTy, Grlooen,
upon three occasions, opened packages
p consigned to various members OF the
Brown family, which naturally en-
gendesed bitter feelings.
OPENED A CASE OF CLOTHING.
To-day about 1 O'Clock he entered
s the freight shed and opened case Of
clothing from Baltimore consigned to
Solomon Brown, ostensibly to search
for LIQUOR brought into the State in
pio.ation of the dispensary act. Shortly
after O'Clock Simon Brown, the father,
meeting Gribbeni in the street ,reproach-
ed him for opening this particular
package, accusing him of persecution.
phe argument waxed warmer. Simon
81 Brown was joined by his three sons
Z Solomon, Isadore and Herman. Grib-
z ben offered to fgbSaDy one of them and
Isadore Brown, q youth about twenty
wears of age, promptly accepted the
challenge, asking him to remove his
coat and official badge. Gribben struck
IN the direction of lsadore Brown, who
parried the blow, knocking Griohen
against the wall of George A. Stills
8 store.
~ AT Ghi a iuncture pistols were drawn
py Solomon Brown, Herman Brown
ard Gribben, and six or seven shots
were fred in rapid succession. Gribeen
was shot through the left shoulder and
near the heart, the ball entering the
s. left lung. He staggered into Mr.. Stills
store, firilg at. Solomon Brown, who
fell half way to the ground at the>first
shot. This was quickly followed by
two or three others, one of which took
effect In the head. another hit him
Ia the right side and a third entered at
& the back, perforating the heart and
4 causing almost Instant death.
eRIsBEN DROPS.
Yeupg Bro&n's s remains were carried
to his home by friends, who quickly
reached the scene of the awful tragedy.
Gribbin, after Brown had shot him,
walked through Mr.. StilFs store to
the back yard, where he fell and died
within ten minutes. Solomon Brown
was tho third son of Simon Brown and
had recently embarked in the furnish
ing goods business on his own &C
count.
He was engaged to be married to a
young lady in Savannah, and besuti-
full home, where he expected to con-
duct his young bride, is now under con-
struet;on. He was an especially shrewd
& business man, popular and courteous,
and his untimeiy end is deeply depioreo
by all who knew him.
John Gribben, the dispensary con-
stable, was native of Irsland, about
forty years of age, and came to Black
vile as town marshal IN 1887. Hew
REGARDED as competent official, but
rather lacking in Judgment. This posi-
ton he retained under several admin
istrations, losing it when he espoused
the Tillman cause.
Before coming to Blackville he had
been successively a private IN the
British army and in the United States
marine corps from which be deserted,
and afterwards in the Fifth UEited
States artillery, from which ne was
discharged.
He was an especially active membe.:
of the constabulary force and though
esteemed by the supporters OF the dis
pensary act, his course had made him
very obnoxious to those not in synpa-
thy Herewith. He leaves a widow and
four children.
About 4 o'clock p. m., Coroner II. P:
Dyches, who, it is asserted, fred the
shot which killed young Brown, i'm:
paneled Jury to view the remains OF
The dead constable. The jury proceed
ed 20 a grove near by to hold the in.
Quest. After examining Messrs. H. d.
johnson, J. G. Strobel and George A.
Still, a communication from Solicitor
G. Duncan Bellinger was placed in the
coroner's hands. 1tsuggested that 10
view of the fact that it was openly
charged that Dyches bad fred at leas,
one shot during the melee, it would De
better that he should not preside at the
INQUEST. In this opinion, however, the
jury did not concur and insisted upon
concluding its duties. The examiDa'
ton of Mr.. Still was resumed when
boy from the sherif7s office notified
the coroner that the sheriff was on his
way to the INQUEST which he desired
should be held by Trial Justice Ham
met.
notwithstanding this official mes
sage, the jury persisted in the perform
ance Of its duties. Coroner Dyches
who had interrogated the witnesses q
to whether or not they had seen mn
- fire shot at Solomon Brown, ana aisf
ifit was possible for Gribben to have
shot young Brown in the back IN tn'
position they occupied respectively, t'
which be received negative replies il
both cases, was not at all loath to con
duet the inquest to an end. He evlncet
no desire to exercise his prerogatlve t
adjourn the proceedings. ,
The examination of Mr.. Still wa
again resumed, when Sheriff Lancas
ter, accompanied by Trial Justice ham
met, appeared on the scene and sum
moned the coroner. TIE sheriff drew
an official document from his pocSe
and placed the coroner under arrest
charged with the murder of Solomon
SiNnol GonNnn1nPn