The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-03-17
THE MURPHY CASE.
AN AUGUSTA LAWYER WORKING ON

AN AUGUSTA LAWYER WORKING ON
O. alma to Have Secured Additional Evil
dence Which VIM Clear. the accused
But Fails to Say What It Is.
COLUMBIA, March 12.-Col. NJ. T.
Carroll, City Attorney of Augusta, is
in the city. He comes here, however,
not in his official capacity, but as a
citizen to do all in his power to pre-
vent the execution of Dan Murphy, oi
whose innocence he is profoundly
confident. Col. Carroll has no per-
sonal interest in the condemned man,
further than that any human being
would have in saving a man he be-
lieves innocent, and his disinterested
efforts in behalf of Murphy will per.
haps have more influence with the
Governor than if he appealed to him
professionally or on purely personal
grounds.
1t has been already stated in the
Register that Col. Carroll had become
interested in the case, but few people
know the reasons that actuated him in
spending time and money to save the
condemned man. 1t was the merest
accident, but it may turn out Provi
Dental one for Murphy.
The prisoner has a brother on the
Augusta police force named Dave
Murphy. One day very recently Col.
Carroll saw the policeman and one or
two others in conversation with Mr..
G.. W. M. Williams, a former attor
ney of this place. on a street in Au'
gusta. He saw some papers pasc be-
tween Mr.. Williams and the police
man, and casually inquired from one
of those present, after the meeting had
broken up, what it all meant. He was
informed that Policeman Murphy had
just paid Williams $35 for securing
an affidavit from a woman witness in
the case named Barr that she had lied
and, further. that Williams had pre-
sented the affidavit to the Governor.
Col. Carroll was not satisfied that
all was right and later in talking with
the policeman he found that the mon
ey had been paid. He then became
convinced that Dan Murphy was not
guilty and for his friendship for the
policeman resolved to help him all he
could in saving his brothers life.
He took the train for Orangebnrg,
consulted with Murphy's attorney,
and even visited the scene OF the muir
der. The more he could learn the
more he was convinced that the wo'
man Barr's testimony was false. He
visited her and fouad that she was a
common, drunken prostitute, but she
freely confessed to him that she had
been paid to lie by Detective" Hol.
land. Acting on this, be persuaded
the woman to come to Columbia last
week, paying ker expenses himself.
He arrived here at night, put the wo-
man in Q hotel and early the next
morning took her to the mansion to
see the Governor. There she reitera-
ted her story about being paid to lie
and talked in such q way that the
Governor is reported to have said that
it was impossible to believe her testi-
mony, so depraved and unconscious
BILE was she.
Col. Carroll after this tried to get
the stenographic notes of the trial, but
could find none, and was informed
that nobody interested in the matter
was able to pay for the transcribing
of the notes. He then wrote Stenog.
rapher Blackman of Charleston for a
copy, but found he was in New York.
When he returned to Charleston, Col.
Carroll renewed his demand for a
transcription of the notes, but was in.
formed by the stenographer that he
was busy with his court duties and it
would be physically impossible to
give him the testimony. Yesterday
Stenographer Blackman wired that he
would be only able to make extracts,
in view OF other duties, and asking
what part he desired. Col. Carroll re.
piled that a mans life was at stake
and he wanted it all, and, further
more, under the circumstances, he
would ask the presiding judge to have
it copied and another stenographer
employed, if necessary, as he had gone
into the case with view Of having
all the facts laid before the Governor.
These are the facts as the case now
stands. The testimony has never been
laid before the Governor, and until it
is and he has had time to digest it, it
is not believed that he will allow Muir
ply to hang, even if he has to give
him another respite.
Col. Carroll says that he found
many prominent citizens of Orange.
burg who expressed the opinion that
Murphy was not the guilty man. He
says the track" evidence in the case
can absolutely be proven untenable
and in fact has given the whole case
the thorough study that good crimi.
nal lawyer always does, and from it
he has no doubt of the prisoners ea-
tire innocence of all connection with
the murder.
Col. Carroll yesterday visited Muir
ply in his cell. As has been stated.
the prisoner is densely ignorant an6
at first refused to have anything to
say at all satisfactory, as he did when
the Governor and the local newspaper
men visited him on various occasions.
Having, however, received a letter
from his brother, telling of Col. Car
rolls visit to Columbia, he soon grew
confidential and told his story in his
own way, reasserting his innocence of
all connection with the crime. What
he said and what additional evidence
Col. Carroll has will be presented to