The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1894-03-21
MURDER At EASTOVER.
Mr.. j. r. GAY0EN KILLED BY THE
THIEVES HE PURSUED.

THIEVES ne PURSUED.
R.chl., C and Sumter Aroused by FOUL
Mnrdar-The Interesting Sorry OF Gay
den's Fatal Chase after the Robbers
Ready loc o Lynching Bee.
WEDGEFIELD, Sumter CnuaLy, March
1c.-Mr. J. E. Ga7den, a well-knoTn
and most Eopular citizsa of Richland
Cousty, who lives at Eastover, was mur.
dered late last night near this place.
Mr.. Gaydeu, had taken a youog lady
home from the 9 O'Clock tram on the
Atlantic Coast Line, and was on his
way back to hi residence when he saw
light in the depot at Eastovsr. he
called to tue person in the depot think.
ing that it was the night watchman.
The man IN the Depot ran and Mr.. Gay
den pursued him, but could not catch
him. He aroused the whole town, but for
various reasons no one would go with
HIN 70 pursue the thief on &C count of the
la:eness OF the hcuc. Mr.. Gayden, is
very courageous man and determined to
pursue him himself. Hs said be was
going and be caught the uex5 train. He
got eff atthe Wateree juaction and moth.
ng more was heard Of him until this
morning, when his dead body was found
lYlng along the railroad side little dis.
tance above ldis place. He had bull
let in his neck aud had been struck on
tie forehead by heavy instru uent.
The people here were mystifsd, but
they knew Mr.. Gayden and telegraphed
back to Eastoyer. They suspected at
once that he bad caught up with the
thieves and had been murdered. There
vas great excitement about EastoVer
and special coach was attached to q
freight train, which brought large
crowd armed vita shotguas and pistols
to the place this afternoon for the pur.
pose OF searching for the murderer.
Nothing was known as to who or where
the murderers were, but there was de-
termination pictured on every face to
bring the murderer to justice swift and
sure, without the formalitY OF legal
trial.
How Mr.. Gayden came to be shot is
not positively know, but the theory ls
that after getting eff the train he came
up with the robber OF robbers and they
sho. uim. The murderer fred five shots
at him and then jumped out of the rail-
road cut and went some distance in an
4Gj,lning field. He came back to where
his vein lay, probably to see what
damage his bullets had done. All this
is from tracks which were carefully traced
from where Mr.. Gaydsn fell. At
certain point in the field tie murderer
had emptied the shells from his pistol
and left them lying there. Mr.. Gayden,
before he left Eastover, borrowed two
pistol and both Of them were found on
his person. Ole Of them was II his
hand but had not been fred. Oae cham
Der was empty, but it was so when be
got it. There are two theories advanced
as to who the murderers are. One Is,
and it is the most plausible theory, that
negro named John Cloud did the kill
ing.
When the robber was in the depot
be was trying to break open the safe.
He had pulled of bis coat and laid it on
the floor, aud when Mr.. Gayden called to
:,im he ran and forgot to take it away.
1t vas iound there last night, and the
negro pump hand at EastoVer positive.
ly Identified itas coat that be had seen
Cloud wearing abont sundown that al
ternoon. He had talked to Cloud and
had no doubts as to the identity Of the
coat. Cloud ls from Sumter, but has
been living near EastoVer lately. He
has suddenly disappeared, and this IL IT.
self is a suspicious circumstance. Some
gentlemen at this place are inclined to
believe that two white men we're con.
nected with the killing. Two tramps
and negro were seen at the Junction
Yesterday and they said they were 60
ing to Eastover, but would be back that
night. The tracks leading from the
place where the murder occurred show
that the man had about Dumber I
shoe and had high instep. The coro.
ner has been holding an inquest here to-
day, but 30 far the above are in substance
facts as developed.
Mr.. Gayden's body was brought to
this place and was prepared for burial.
It now lies y box car on a side tracs,
but will be tasen back to Eastover to
night. The crowd from Eas:oVef That
came down are the best citizen OF the
community. They are quiet but deter.
mined, and should they catch the right
man or men short work will be made OF
them. MIR. Gayden was universally
popular man and was prominent citizen
of the vicinity. He was at one tlne
county commissioner, aud was postmas'
ter at Eastoyer when killed. He leaves a
vile and large family. Itshould have
b,en mentioned hafore that Mr.. GaYden
knew the direction the robber took, and
that is why he took the train to over
,ske him. He carried lantern, and
this probably gave the robber the best
opportunity to shoot With fatal eject.
The lantern was found short distance
from Mr.. Gayoen aaa it was still onca'
ioe, only one shot hit him on toe lett side
of the neck. TIE bullet was 38-cassssssss
and went clear through. 1t was picked
up on the embarkment this morning
Lowered with blood. John Cloud, the
suspected mau, is about five feet SIX III
ches tall and is rather heavy set. He ls
of a dark ginger cake color, and has oae
tooth out on the right side. Telegrams
have been sent TO Sln.er and other
points asking that close watch oe kept
| f1r such a ma1.-News and CoucIer.'
|
Fell Doad In Court.
UNION, March 10.-Mr, Charles G.
Culp, one of the most prominent aad
able lawyers Of Lan Union Bar, died
very suddenly TO nisaC. While sitting
in the bar listening to judge Meltoo's
speech III the SIMS case ne tainted.
Doctors were summoned and be was
taken N one of the jury rooms. where
he died N tea minutes. Mc. Culp was
| Just in the prime of life and aQo.ren5-
I