The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-04-18
The Military Court.

The Columbia and Charleston news
papers print the detailed report Of Briga-
:dier General Eichbourg regarding the
operations at Darlington, giving much Of
the correspondence between the Governor
and himself Included in It is the report
of the military court Of enquiry appointed
nnder Governor TiIlman's orders to sit
with the jury Of inquest It Is as fol-
lows:
April 5, 1894.
BricadIer : General r. N. Richbourg,
Commanding troops, Darlington, 8. c.:
The undersigned having been appoint
ed BY you to constitute military court
OF, inquiry, under orders OF Governor
Tillman, commander-in-ohief, to sit with
the Jury OF inquest In session at the Coast
Line depot, said inquest being for the
death Of Frank e. Norment, r. H. Pep
per and Lewis Redmond;
We have the honor to report that we
attended the inquest, asking through the
coroner such questions as We thought
proper, and heard all tho testimony.
We have reached the following conclu-
sions therefrom: -
The sad tragedy which ended in the
death Of the three men above named had
It's origin In q fight between two young
men Of the town Of Darlington--Rodgers
and Floyd. They met at the depot and
amer q. few words engaged in 9 fisticuff,
|in which Rodgers was whipped. At the
Fight one j. D. McLendon, State con +.
stable, was tho friend and backer OF
Floyd, having q good deal to say TO en-
courage the fight. After the fight Rod
gers went up town snd returned with
several friends. About the same time
the chief Of police OF the town arriyed at
and at the same time pointing to McLen-
don. said that he had aided Floyd, using
very opprobrious epithets, TO- which Nc
Lsndon replied in very forcible language.
The chief Of police arrested Rodgers and
Floyd and for the moment had order
restored. Mr.. Norment and one or two
other citizens pointed to McLendon and
said that he WRs responsible for the whole
matter. Norment called MoLendon Q
id s-n Of b.. McLendon replied
that he would not take that and immedi-
ately drew his revolver and fred at Nor
ment. Immediately some six or eight
citizens drew their pistols and the consta-
bles drew their pistols and te2an hring
at each other, several Of the constables
using Winchester rifles. We firmly be-
lieYe that had McLendon not interfered,
the chief Of police would have had no
trouble In preserving order and averting
the tragedy. We deem 1t unnecessary TO
state all of the testimony, as the copy OF
the same will be transmitted to your
headquarters and to the commander-tn.
chief.
We conclude from the evidence that
Frank E.. Norment came to his death In
Darlington, s. c., on the 30th day. or
March, 1894, from the effect Of q gun shot
wound inflicted by one ]. D. McLendon
and that the said killing was felonious
murder, and that w. P. Gaillard, c. B.
Mcdowell, J. @. Murphy, J. L. Nunna-
maker, r. M. Gardner, John Fielder, j.
M. Scott, l.. II. McCants, William Liv-
ingston, o. G. Cain, E. G. Black, j: w.
Holloway, w. H. Bryson, Jack Holtng
and Wash Owens are accessories.
1--WE conclude that r. H. Pepper came
to his death at the same time and place
from the effect of q gunshot wound In
f1icted by one Lewis Redmond and that
the said Lewis Redmond came to his
death at the hands Of o. G. Cain and that
said killing was lelonious murder. Red
mond was running from the constables
and Cain shot him in the back with q
Winchester rife. All OF which is res
pectfully submitted.
J. A. MOONEY,
Capt. and Chm'n Court Of Inquiry.
81. J. HARVEY, Captain.
J. @. COOPER, Sergeant.
A, D. Unlisted, Corporal.
F, H. pANTzLER.