The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1894-09-13
RAPlNE AN D MURDER,
Tho Charge Against a whito Rlsu of Fort

Lawn.
CHESTER, Sept. 4-The short dispatch
containing the news of a rape and q
murder, which appeared in The State
OF September 1st, has caused great
deal moro excitement In tho county
than was at first anticipated. There
was no special attention paid to It by
any OF your readers until later In the
day, Saturday, when young white
man named Lawrence Rlves. appeared
at the doors of the Jail and asked the
sheriff for protection. News soon
reached this city that he was susp ected
of the crime and had been advised by
his father and friends to give himself
up to the sheriff rs there was strong
threats from the negroes Of lynching
him.
The facts in the ca9e, gathered by
your correspondent today at Fort
Lawn, where Trial Justice Minors was
holding a coroner's inquest, are as fol-
lows: Matte Heath, the young wife of
Andy Heath, a negro laborer, living on
the farm Of Col. Cade Rives. near Fort
Lawn, went to the house Of a neighbur.
Amelia Marshall, on the morning Of
3lst ult, and, having remained there
short while, started on her re-.
turn home, but never reached her des.
tlnatlon. Her husband had been work.
ing on the public roads that day and in
The evening, on his return home pass.
ed through the yard of Col. Rives, who
told him that Matte had not been
| home since morning.
| After learning from his children that
his wife had gone to tho house of the
Marshall woman, Andy started along
the path leading to that place. About
2OO yards down the path he found the
Douy or MS dead wife lying across the
path IN terrible condition. Her throat
was cut from ear to ear, her head
mashed In and her clothes burnt from
her body. Trial Justice Minors was
summoned and a jury empanelled.
suspicion at once pointed to two men,
and old negro, Jack Ferguson, and the
young sou Of Col. Rives. Circumstances
cleared Ferguson but young Hives was
not 50 lucky. The justice adjourned
the inquest then until the 11tb, giving
time to get up more evidence, but the
disappearance of young Rives Friday
night caused him to convene his Jury
again Saturday. 1t was found during
Friday night Rlves had csossed the
Catawba River and taken the Georgia,
Carolina and Northern train at way
station Saturday morning for Chester.
Iney then adjourned again until today,
when evidence taxing was resumed and
the prisoners wired for. Justice Min.
ors, fearing that serious trouble would
result from the maddened and threat
ening crowds Of negroes gathering
around Fort Lawn, wired tho Governor
for special force to help keep the
peace, liz answer to which Attorney
General Bunchanan authorized him TO
swear iii as many extra cunstables as
was necessary. Sheriff Hood also got
orders from the same source to order
out the Lee Light Infantry to conduct
tho prisoner in safety to Fort Lawn.
About 1890 a special train left for
Fort Lawn bearing half dozen citi.
Zens. the Lee Light Infantry, twenty
Tour strong, the Sheriff and prisoner
anu two newspaper correspondents.
On reaching Fort Lawn trouble
seemed imminent. About 500 infuriat-
ed negroes had gathered near the depot
ana were surrounding an Old store |
house, where the inquest was being |
conducted. Forty or lifty special con-
stables, armed with all manner of arms.
were lined up to each side of the track, |
Iho special coach containing the pris- |
oner was guarded about forty minutes, |
when Justice Minors ordered the
prisoner to be brought before the Jury.
This was done by the military without |
any trouble and by the tina his testi.
INrnc fnIr
was ready for Chester and the
prisoner and Lee Light Infantry de.
parted, leaving Fort Lawn and the
negroes in the hands Of tho special con
stables.
Inc negroes were aroused by the fact
that the suspected white man, whom
they claimed had ravished and murder
ed one of their daughters, had not been
arrested. The whites checked their
rashnesS In great measure by raising
purse and obtaining the service Of
Attorney John Green, of lancaster,
to represent tho prosecution at the in
quest. j. X. Henry, OF this bar, was
employed by the defense. 1t will be
Impossible to get the verdict until to.
morrow morning, as news has lust
reached here, at 8 o'clock p. IN. that
the jury has not agreed as yet. The
evidence is strong against young
ttves and all the circumstances tend to
make 1T further than suspicion with
him. During his eXamation he con-
tradictcd himself several times and his
fathers testimony also. 1t Is clearly
case of rape and murder and the young
white man will likely bo held In safe
Keeping in the Chester jail until the
higher court meets.-State.
Ppp at 4
WASHINGTON, Sopt. 5.--Populists
horo are claiming that great results will
follow i'll tho Western States from Sen.
ator Jones' detection from tho Republi.
can parry. Thoy claim that Idaho will
60 Tor the PopulisLs, but Senator Du.