The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-21
THE BrOxton Bridge Horror"

A criminal trial that will receive more
than usual attention beyond the limits
of the community directly interested was
begun in Colleton county. South Carolina
yesterday. The trial is that of the per
petrators of what is known through the
newspapers as the "Broxton Bridge Hor-
ror." the horror taking it's name from the
section of the county in which it was per-
petrated.
One night last December Isham Kearse.
his wife and mother, negroes, Were drag
ged from-the home by party of white
men. The next morning Kearse was
found dead where the lynchers had left
him, his mother was found dead in
small pool not far away from her sons
body, and his wife barely escaped with
her life. All of them had been beaten by
the lynchers; two, as it proved. with IA
tai effect. Isham Kearse had been sus-
pected of several attempts at incen-
diarism, but the offenses for which he
was beaten to death were an attempt at
rape and the theft of Bible from a
church, it is understood.
tive upon the case to work it up. with the
result that seven white men and one ne
gro were arrested for the crime. locked
up in Jail, and are now on trial upon the
charge of murder. Among the white men
is DR.. W. b. Alderman, a physician of
some local prominence. The other de-
PENDANTS are Frank Jenney, Frank Brant.
L lob E.0T
ley and Press HERS. They have secured
the services of the best legal talent, and
the trial will be hard fought
While considering the Broxton Bridge
lynching, and the trial of white men for
the killing of blacks, it is of interest to
note that before the war, while negroes
were slaves, in this very county of Col
Teton, two white men were hanged for
the killing of negro. In 1858 Thomas
Motley, the son of a wealthy planter, and
William Blackledge, a poor backwoods-
man, caught a slave in the swamps with
the assistance of a pack of hounds They
tortured him for a night and a day, and
finally made the hounds kill him. They
were ably defended, and the case was
taken to the supreme court after the
lower court had convicted them. But the
higher court only affirmed the decision.
and they were executed.
1t can only be hoped that the jurors of
the Colleton county of the present day
will be as firm and conscientious in the
suppression of the horrible crime of MUIR
der. especially when attended with such
outrageous details. as were the jurors of
the Colleton county ofthe days of 1858.
The Maryland legislature is considerins
bill to provide against injuries, cute
or punctures to pneumatic tires on We
hicles.' The bill provides that ''whoso-
ever places or causes to be placed in or
upon any highway. avenue, alley street
or road any tack, nail. piece of iron.
broken glass or other substance which
may cut or puncture any pneumatic tire,
shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and
upon conviction shall be fined not more
than $50 nor less than So" The legisla-
tion is sensible The bicycle has become
a vehicle of business, as well as one of
pleasure. The majority of wheels, prob
ably, are owned by people of small means.
There is a great want of legislation for
the protection of bicycles and riders. The
legislators are recognizing the machines
rapidly enough in the matter of taxation.
1t is only a matter of simple justice that
some beneficent recognition should be ac-
corded them.
Some party ought to nominate Tillman
for the presidency, and be sure of secur-
ing one state. He can carry South Caro-