The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-01-13
A NEGRO LYNCHEb.
TIE MYST ERlOUS HANGING OF LAW
Renee Brown.

The Barn OF Mr.. Z. +. WannaIrsiier. near
Stt..on--Arres1td and Dischsrsed--
Hanged and Eidulea with Bullets Lister.
ORANGEEURG, Jan. 6.-The people
of our city were thurGerstruck this
morning when il was made known
that there bad been 8 lyncalug within
three miles Of here last night. The
following are the fees as a<certslneo:
Early this morning The Efeless BODY
of Lawrer &C Brown, q welt-o9llt ne
GRO of shout 30 years. was found hang
ing from the danger signal st the
crossing OF the old stage read and the
South Carolina and Georgia railroad,
one mile from Stilton, and about three
miles from 0rangeburg. How It gct
there is still a mystery to every oae'
Several bullet aud gunshot Wcunos
were found on the body.
The post from which the oooy was
hanging is about Is feet nigh ana
feet from the track. The face OF the
corpse was turned towards the post
and his tsck 10 the railroad. Pinned
10 his back was found a placaIo Win
the following Inscription:
"Noticeto sll whom it may co1cern:
Judge Lync1's court is N session to-
night for the protection of cur proper.
". and by the help Of God he will
convict and execute any man, woman
or child that burns or destroys our
property with fire. We will protect
our homes and property and our
neiehbors shall not suffer loss from
the hellish FIRE bugs. Let this be
warning TO others"
Coroner Dukes went to the scene OF
the lynchin, early this morning ana,
after empaneling a jury, OF y reliable
men, with Capt. &. w. Brunson as
foreman, commenced the lpques5.
lsam Brown, brother OF the deceased,
testified that late last night he heard
several shots fred IN the direction OF
the crossing, which is about half q
mile from his house. and later ne saw
three persons on horseback from That
dirsctior, but could not tell VINO they
were, whether neg roes or whites, Or
even if they were men or women. he
attached no importance Whatever 10
these circumstances until ne loano
that his brother had been lynched.
Mr.. R. E. Wannamaker testlhec
that he also heard several shots hreo
last night about the same hour as
sworn to by the negro, but thought
nothing of it, as it was very common
occurrence. No one knew until today
what those shots reant, but now there
is no doubt but that those with the
rope used, were the means OF sending
the soul of Lawrence Brown INTO
eternity. Whether or not justice mas
been done, time alone will prove.
Following are the facts and circum'
stances which undoubtedly led to this
lynchins: On last Friday night the
barn of Mr.. r. Z. Wannamaker, who
lives at Stilton, was burned to the
ground, proving very severe loss 10
The owner. Lawrence Brown was
suspected Of the crime AID LOGGED
in iail to await preliminary hearing.
Mr.. Wannamaker said he had strong
proof against Brown, but as there were
others implicated also, and he wished
to catch the whole crowd, he decided
Yesterday to withdraw the charge
against Brown, turn him loose and N
this way, with the aid OF detective,
discover who the others were. Ac-
cordinsly yesterday (Tues3a5) the
charges against Brown were with,
drawn and he was sent on his way re
ioicing, but his Joy was apparently
Short lived. Brown didn't go straight
to his home, and nothing more was
heard of him until his ghastly corpse
was found dangling by the side oflhe
railroad. Who did the deed, no one
knows, and it will very likely always
remain mystery. There are two
theories esa6vance6-one is that Browns 5
accompliceS, fearing expose at his
hands, committed the deed and placed
the placarc on his b2ck to n.lsls ac
those interested. Another IS that II
was done by the friepds and neigh
bors of Mr.. Warnamaker, who sym:
pathized with him in MS great loss OF
property. No one can tell which OF
these is correct.
This is the second time Mr., Wanna
maker has been burnt out in about
two years. 4 little over two years
ago. ut night, Mr.. R. E Wannamaker
had his barn and outbuildings burnt,
and the very next night those OF Mr.
E. N. Wannamaker, who also lives at
Stilton, were burnt. Several negroes
are now serving terms in the penlten-
tiary for these crimes. Coroner Dukes
was not satisfied with the result OF
+o6sv,s INQUEST. so adjourned the IN
Quest until tomorrow, when It IS hoped
that other fsc.s will be made known.
Some excitement and indignation pre-,
walls among the negroes, but nc trou-
bic is feared. The coroner is using
his best endeavors towards hldlng the
guilty parties, but whether or not ne
will succeed is yet 10 be seen. 1t IS
hoped, however, that success Will
crown bis untiring efforts. State.
DIR T. A. JEFFORDS,
irregular licensed practicing pay sician
of the county of Orangeburg and State
of South Carolina being duly sworn,
SAYS that at the request of Coroner D.
E.Dukes and q jury ofinQuest empan-
elled in the case OF South Carolina VS.
Lawrence Brown, deceased, he exam
lned the dead body of Lawrence
Brown in the public stage road about
three and a half miles from Orange
burg, and found the neck OF the de-
ceased broken, pistol bullet on the
left side under the skin, about four
inches below a lire drawn through
the nipples ard about FIVE inches from
the meoian line, one pistol ball IN the
lett groin and about four lncneS from
the median line; bullet was under the
skin; one pistol ball IL right SIDE,
about eight inches from median hne,
and about eight inches below the line
of nipples; this bullet was also under
the skin; a few abrasions On the chm
and under the chin on the !eck.
There were 10 other marks on front
Of the body. On the back OF the BODY