The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-03-31

he could not recall sufficiently to be
exact as to the dates of Murpby's arriv-
al and departure from his home. After
thinking the matter over, he remem-
bered that about that time he had
married three couples and had jotted
the date down in a book of skeleton
sermons he kept. He hunted this
book up and found that he had made
a note of having married one of these
couples-a runaway couple In Ham
burg-on Octoter 21st. The murder
was committed on October 90. Muir
phy had spent the 21st at his house
and left that evening. His wife and
daughter were examined and corrob
grated his testimony in every respect
except that they could not be certain
as to the dates.
Strong affidavits as to the character
of the Rev. Mr.. Murphy were present
ed, signed by Sheriff Patrick j.
|O'Connor, Tax Collector G. S. Boiler,
Ordinary w. r. Waller and joel
Smith, SUPERINTENDENT Of the King
Cotton mills. Dr.. Lansing Burrows,
the pastor OF the First Baptist church
in Augusta, one of the most promi-
nent divines in the south, certified that
he had been present at Mr.. Murphy S
ordination to the ministry.
Mr.. Murphy's testimony also de-
clared hat the gun with which the
killing of Treasurer Copes was alleged
to have been done was in his houss at
the time of the killing.
Mr.. Carroll then showed by John
Morgan and James Morgan, his broth
er, that Dan Murphy in 1898 kept
store at Beech Island, below Augusta,
and that when he broke up storekeep-
ing in January, 1894, Murphy bought
from John Morgan gun which they
described, and one of them stated that
he had cut four letters on 1.-TWO
"J's" and two ''H's"-on the stock.
The gun sent up from Orangeburg
was shown them and was testified by
both as being the same gun. The gun
exhibited to them was the same that
was used in the evidence and present
ed during the trial.
Then the affidavits of Mrs. Mere
dith and others as to the soldering of
a gun for Dan Murphy in January,
1894, were presented. This was the
same gun.
Messrs. Jesse and Thomas Butler
testified that Dan Murphy kept store
at Beech Island, and corroborated the
reasons as to that statement and also
that Murphy sold out in January,
1894.
Policeman Dave Murphy of Angus
ia, a brother of the convicted man,
was then examined. He told about
his visit to his brother. Dan had re.
fused to talk to Governor Ellerbe and
to Mr.. Carroll. He had said that he
had been treated so that he was afraid
to talk to anybody but his brother or
father. He had been given, he said,
no showing at all to have his side of
the case presented and he could not
make any one believe him. The pris.
oner had told him all about his gun.
he had traced the gun about and as
shown by the affidavits and evidence
the condemned mans. story had been
borne out in every respect. This was
the gun that witnesses had sworn at
the trial had been bought by Murphy
in Orangeburg. .
Mr.. Carroll when called Murphy's
aged father in and the latter brought
with him the gun that had been bought
in Orangeburg. 1t was found at vi.
mer's, s. c., just where the prisoner
said it would be found; there were &C.
companying affidaYits.
An Augusta man sent an affidavit
that Holland, the detective who had
worked up the case against Murphy,
had told him, speaking of Glen Barrs,
that they had got the woman all right;
they had kept her in good humor
with whiskey until she got upon the
stand and "you bet she knew what to
say" The deponent asked Holland if
he meant to say he had been getting
testimony by foul means and Holland
quickly turned it off, beginning to
talk about something else.
The other testimony presented was
just as strong.
When MIR. Barrett presented the
case to the governor he commanded
the close attention of all in the eXecu-
tive chamber. He took the testimony
adduced at the trial and showed that
aside from everything else, emitting
Glenn Bars testimony, there was no
physical fact whatever to connect
Murphy with the crime. There was
nothing to put him in the vicinity of
the scene of the crime. He then held
that he had produced evidence which
his client was debarred from present
ing heretofore, which fixed his where
about and there was nothing that
could move him from the place in
which he had been located by the min
ister. He dealt fully with the matter
of the gun, declaring it to be fully
disposed of by the testimony of the
minister and that Of the parties from
whom Murphy had obtained it. He
paid his respects to Evans order in
regard to refusing the prisoner the
constitutional right to see and consult
with his counsel.
Young Harmon Pardoned.
COLUMBIA, March Ex-Governor FL
lerbe to-day granted a full pardon to
young A. M. Harmon of Lexington
L L. IL ~