The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-12-18
Truth and Duty.

the people of South Carolina should at
once be assured Of the high authority
upon which our story of the murder Of
the Kearses was published, and know
ing that q signed article by good man
carries conviction to the public mind
above any anonymous communication,
no matter how vouched for. We print
the following letter from our original
informant, the honored pastor of St.
Paurs Lutheran church. of this city,
the Rev. E. A. Wingard, D. D.
Columbia. S. G.. Dec. 9, 1895.
To the Editor of the State.
Dear Sir: ! notice 10 your mornings
issue statement from Folks Store. |
write this simpty to reassert what | first
communicated not for publication uo-
less you deem it necessary to vindicate
the facts as I stated them. Even then
l would prefer that you weave it ioto
one of your editorials. because as a
minister I wish to keep out Of print as
much as possible and then too the
same facts have more force in an edl-
torial. leave it entirely to your judg-
ment.
l sadly wish that could soften the
facts. Most of my youth vas spent 10
that community 1 have broken bread
With the men who did the deed. Some
Of their families have been intimate
friends, and.-''tell it not in Gath. -
I vas the pastor Of TWO Of them Two
of them are connected by marriage with
my own home people. I could not,
/ would not. misrepresent them. CLAD
ly would / hear any real vind;cation
they could bring.
Let me give again the simple facts.
Isham Kearse was man of bad repu-
tatioo /; he had many tbiogs laid to his
cbarge-guilty, doubtless in some;
scapegoat in others.
AS to bis attempt at rape, know
nothing first heard it mentioned
after the murder. He broke into
Folks store aud stole some goods, SO l
have been told. Afterwards the store
burned dowu-this, then. without proof,
was also laid to his charge. He become
a kind Of pariah even his own co'or
Stunned him. Two we're steadfast.
his martyred mother and his bruised
aud beaten wife. He lurked iu the
woods. poor, hunted semi-savage. and
his mother and wife stealthily conveyed
him food.
DR.. HERS and others in the eighbor.
hood los. some hogs This was also
added to the long sum already cast up
against him They found out where
lsham s,aysd: end sent word to parties
ip Barpwel|.
O5ea bette ao organised party had
come ever, bunting him. sach was
their mood that my step-brother said
even if he knew his hiding place be
would net icform them.
o. that escntful Monday night the
four men named in the corners verdict
came over OF a still hunt for this out
cast. II the same crowd was Frank
Starl7, clerk at Folks store, vino lost
his clothes wheu the store burned down: :
Mr. Preston HERS aad M: Jake Folk
we're also With them whea the cegro
was taken. They wanted hin out Of
the conmu isy. bu: did not seek his
death. They tied rope around .hls
neck, ard roughly dragged and trotted
him along ,h. road. Mr.. Folk soon
left them and returned to his home.
The avowed purpose Of the party
was to re ,oves the stolen Bible aud to
punish Ishan for the theft.
Oo the way it was suggested that
his mother could tell where the Bible
was. The gang then divided, par;
going after Isha,n's wife and mother.
aud part moving on with the doomed
nan, until they reached the old spring
pear the river ford.
There they waited until toelr accou-
plices came with the helpless, trembling
women Out from uoder the spread
iog branches Of the great oaks they
took their way down the swamp until
they reached au open place. partly
enclosed by sand battery. erected 10
war times to command the passage over
B.oxtoo bridge. Here the victims
we're stripped and the brutal beating
Inflicted. Again the avowed object
was the discovery CT the stolen Bible.
In vain did Mr.. HERS entreat the ne
gro to confess. saying be would be
killed if be did not 10 vain did he
beg the rest to stop their cruel work
The heavy trace. like sounding fail,
rose aud fell With sickening ,hud on
the qui7eriog flesh. % deaf ears did
his cries fo: mercy fall, and TO hearts
bot with rage and iuaamed with drink
did bis appeals vaiuly cone tha: his
,;,ht ho anNo1 In dooth |