The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-09-11
PURV|S MUST HANG
BIackweII's Slayer Convicted
of Murder.
--aar EInNT La IIhDME
THE FIRST IN HARNETT
PRISONER MAY DIE BEFORE ii l.
LAW CAN BE EXECUTED.
EAllEN OFF FROM 1860 TO us POUNDS

Mount, and After Being Put Of, PurviS
ma Fit of Temper Shot
Blackwell.
I,illington. y. c., Sept. 1O.-(SpeciaD-
Guilty.
So say the jury.
The slayer of Flagman Blackwell Is
re,uyicted of murder in the first degree
The OLE. county of Harnett is to have
aer first hanging.
The readers of the News and Observer
will call to mind an account i'll TINS
paper some weeks ago of the dastardly
shooting and killing of Flagman Black
well, of the Atlantic Coast Line by an
unknown tramp near Dunn. Since then
the authorities of the road have by per-
sistent efforts and good work of detec-
tives followed up clew after clew or the
chain of evidence which led TO the APP
Drehension of Ed. Purvis, mulatto, anu
I'D. Lonax, negro. Both prisoners
were lodged in Cumberland county jail
for safe keeping.
Yesterday sheriff Pope, OF Harnett.
brought these parties to Ellington IN
order that Purvis might be tried for
his life 1T seems that LomaX was held
unIy as witness. Judge Allen presldes
at this term of Harnett court. Solicitor
IL. w. Pou was assisted in the prosecu-
ton by Geo. NJ. Rose and Chas Bidgood,
attorneys for the Atlantic Coast Line.
The prisoner having no counsel, the
Judge appointed w. Il. Murchlson and
J. G. Cliffort to represent the defense.
I'll n md N
ahe small room used as a court room
since the unfortunate burning of the
court house, packed almost to suffoca-
ton. the court proceeded to hear the
evidence. The first witness called was
engineer Jno. Nj. Dolan.
Dolan's testimony: "On August 10Th.
after my train left Rocky Mount several
framps were discovered on board. They
were put off at Wilson. Again at Kenly.
when the train reached the water tank
at Mingo, near Dunn. / saw two or three
tramps on top Of the train-one a ne
gro: the other white man or bright
mulatto. The train was stopped and the
Captain ordered them to come down. One
of them replied mot for your life Flag
man Blackwell and one of the tramps
were standing in the shadow of the
car The tramp ordered Blackwell to
get upon the train again, saying there.
d-n you, take that and Immediately
the pistol fired. Young Blackwell said
I'm shot / Immediately hurried to
the spot and found Blackwell kneeling
with one hand upon the wound and the
other hand holding his lantern. 1 have
since recognized the voice to be identical
with that Of the prisoner"
The testimony Of J. w. Hill, conduc-
tor, was substantially that Of Dolan's.
Said Conductor Hill: Blackwell was
placed upon the train and died inabout
twelve minutes. l also recognized the
voice as that OF the prisoner"
The third witness was P. G.. Meara,
purporting to be of Savannah, Ga. He
said, 81 was a free passenger ON board
the train that night beating my way
South. This man Purvis was also on
board and made various threats of what
ne would do il any attempt was made
to put him off. /, with three other
tramps, was put off at Kenly. Some of
them got on again. / failed to get on
and know nothing more about the mat
ter" On being asked if he had a pass
he replied, "No, had no time to get
q pass-the train would have left me-"
Grant Cobb, the fne-looking colored
porter, corroborated the testimony of
Dolan and Hill in ightforward,
taking manner.
Ed. Lomax, the colored tramp, who
was incarcerated with the prisoner, stat
ed. in substance: II was with Purvis
ON the train. Both Of us were put off
at Mmgo, near Dunn. Blackwell was
standing between Purvis and the train.
Purvis said get back ON that train,I tell
you. There, d-n you, take thatv and
fred his pistol. He then ran out into
the woods. ran out little way from
the railroad, and, as soon as the train
pulled off, walked after it.
The next day / saw Purvis several
miles down the railroad and we walked
together for some distance. He showed
me his pistol and said THAT is the pistol
that killed the man last night
On cross-exam ination the witness said:
II had been working for the railroad
and was beating my way home that
might. / have been indicted three or four
times. Puryis told me he shot Black
well because he thought he was going
10 hit him with an iron pin he had in
his hand. He said he was sorry he had
killed him, and that he had too much
temper to carry a pistol anyway"
Tom johnson, a colored man, living
near the railroad, testified: 'Itomax and
Purvis came to my house next day after
the shooting and / gave them something
to eat. Purvis had bundle. / felt of
the bundle and discovered pistol in it."
THE sixth witness was DIR. China, who
lives near Blackwelfs home in South
Carolina.
II had the body of Blackwell exhum-
ed" he said, land held an autopsy. /
found that the ball ranged slightly down.
ward, passing through the bowels, and
lodged near the backbone. 1t seemed
to be the ball of a thirty-eight calibre
pistol"
Sam. Chromartie was next put upon
the stand.
Said he: II was with Purvs in Cum
berland jail after his arrest I heard
Purvis talk of the murder. He said
he did not want to die with lie on his
lips. He had killed Blackwell. He was
at that time sick and thought he was
going to die"