The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-01-13
THE OTRANT0 TRAGEDY.
THE INQUEST BEGUN, BUT AD-
JOURNED UNTIL THIS WEEK.

Five witnesses are SAID to Esve Seen More
or Less of the Tragedy. but Only Two
Have Been Examined Yet-The Story Is
Sill = Horrible One.
CHARLESTON, Jan. Sit was a nor
riole tale, that which the News and
Courier was forced to tell yesterday
morning. At the breakfast tables it
caused shudder and all day the peo-
pie were talking OF it. Two men
Slain and their blood on the hands Of
another-a man who had been always
known as both hospitable and nu-
name. And, worse still, one of the
mel lying dead was said to have been
a personal friend of the man who shot
him down. Not five hours before the
fatal shooting Mr.. Poppenheim is said
to have greeted Mr.. Mazyck most cor
daily and extended to him the privi-
leges OF his hunting preserves. It was
known that there had been hard feel
ngs between Mr.. Brown and Mr.. Pop
oenbeim, bat no one was prepared for
such tragic and fearful end to their
dispute
The story in the News and Courier
yesterday was even discredited by
..,eny. It was too hard to believe for
those 1Sss.soew the men and had bu.
snort time bef0se,ssrhaps, been in.
timately associated wit6<4A~<Ss;
is was only too true. From all sources
the story comes and the variations are
but few. Mr.. Brown and Mr.. MazTck,
it seems, were hunting upon lands
leased by Mr. Blown; a buck was
jumped and wounded; it swan the
creek, aud in order to pursue it the
two men went over onto Mr.. Po2pen-
helms land, hitched their horses and
hired boat. Tney were out in the
stream when hailed By Mr.. Popp9n-
helm and told to take their horses aud
leave his land. Then a conversation
occurred, it is stated, between B:own
and Poppenheim. Brown is said to
have gotten up IN the boat with his
gun and the next instant fell over
board, shot to the heart. His COM
panion, Mszyck, IS then said to have
made move as if to rise and use his
gun, and received the second load
from Poppenheim's gun in MS fore
head. Both men were killed instant
ly. M8zyck fell forward in the boat.
Mr.. Po2penneim, it appears, gave
some orders to several negro hands
who were employed about the place
and then went up to Strawberry,
station about eight miles from the
scene of the tragedy. He did not sur
render 10 the sheriff of Berkeley Wed
nesday night, as was stated, but yes.
terday morning. He is now in the
Berkeley county Jail, and has en-
ployed Mr.. II. Z. jenkins and Major
Dennis as counsel.
THE INQUEST
was begun at the Ceoar Hill landing
by Magistrate Whaley, acting coroner,
yesterday morning.
There were FIVE coIored witnesses to
the shooting. Two of them gave their
testimony yesterday, and then the in
quest was adjourned to be continued
tuesday nocn, a: Osranto. Toe tssti:
nony given below is exactly as taken
down by Mr.. John Bazon for the act
irg coroner. Magistrate Whaley. l.
is in a crude form and statements are
repeated continually. but as it is below
it IS IN possession of the proper au-
thorities:
The jury was as follows. J. s. NAL
lard. white, foreman; John Watson,
coIored; Aleck Jones, colored; Caro-
lima Davis, colored; Christmas LEI
tenant, colored; Sam Gamble, colored !;
Richard Ladson, colored Joe Nelson,
colored Sam Leftenant, colorat Dan
iel FLUID, white; William Young, col
ored; Robert Jefferson, colored; W.
D. Mccoy, colored; Sam Green, COL
ored.
James Gold, colored, the first wit
ness sworn, said: 4 was away around
oak pile cording oak wood; saw Mr..
Brown and Mr.. Mazyck coming down
the road down 10 the river. They got
off their horses. Did not see them
again till they were in the boat about
middle OF the river, padding out. !
then heard the galloping OF a horse
and on looking to see who It was
found it out to be Mr.. John Poppen-
neim. Just as Mr. Poppenneim got to
the landing near the water he said:
Did :. not ask YOU not TO tresoass
on my land p l heard the gentlemen
in the boat speak, but could not hear
VIVA! they said. Come back; take
your horses off my lands" l heard
one of the gentlemen IN the boat say,
AL right" They turned the boat
about so as to return to the landing.
When they got near the shore I heard
Mr.. Poppenheim say: Did I not
ask you not to trespass on my land z"
Did not hear what reply the gentle
men IN the boat made. Heard Mr..
Poppenheim say: u do not want to
hear word from you" Heard no
more until gun was fired. Mr.. Pop
penheim called me to help Cato Reese
to get him out OF water. I asked Ca
to who was in the water and was told
that Mr.. Blown was. Cato got into
the boat before me. Before we got to
him Mr.. Brown sunk. We picked up
his hat. One man was dead in boat,
face down, across the seat next to the
stern. Did not near Mr.. Poppenheim
tell Cato to take horses off. Just be.
fore the gun shot heard Mr.. Brown or
Mr.. Mazyck talking, but could not
hear what they said. Cato was near
est to Mr.. Poppenheim, Mazyck and
Brown. When hearG qua fired l
jumped up on wood pile, looked over
II the river ard time l get upon wood
pile I heard another shot. When
second gun fired l jumped of wood
pile. Mr.. Poppenheim called me- 10
help take him out OF tie water.
Cato Reese, sworn, says: When |
came down yesterday met Mr.. James
Gold and three other boys, Sandy