The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-01-13

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to show it conclusively.
Mr. N. W. WERTZ
went to the Jail with Mr.. Wanna
maker little after o'clock. He WA
asked whether the discharge was sl
right, and said it was. He got in tht
buggy with Mr.. Wannamaker. Brown
told Mr.. Wannamaker he knew moth
ing about the burning of his barn.
Mr.. Wannamaker told Brown that ht
did not have much evidence agains
him although he believed he was gull
ty, and if he promised to behave him
self he would have him released.
ADDISON HAYNES, CoLoRED,
corroborated the testimony of Mr.
Knots as to being in his store about
10 o'clock, i. e., he was in the store
with Mr.. Wannamaker and Mr.. Knots
when the firing was heard outside.
MR.. wANNAMAKER,
bving recalled, said that Brown was in
his buggy only for few minutes, ard
he told Brown to get out, as he had
other business. Brown did not ride
out with him.
MR. ALBERT BENNETT
swore that he lived near Stilton's. He
was at home Tuesday, and in the after
noon took load of oats to his new
place. Returned home about 8 o'clock
and went to spend the night with his
father, who lived about a mile away.
He heard of the lynchiug next morn
ing. He saw Brown Friday night at
his house. Rrown lived on his place.
He did not see Brown Tuesday night.
Yesterday Isham Brown, brother
of the deceased, testified that he saw
three men ride by his house after he
heard firing.
This ended the testimony 10 the
case. The jury, of which Capt. George
w. Brunson was foreman, went into
a consideration of the case, and rem
dered the following verdict:
THAT Lawrence Brown came to his
death by violent means, inflicted by
party or parties unknown to the jury" "
The jury was dismissed, and this
ended the second chapter in the ira
gedy.
As was stated this morning, it was
suggested that the confederates of
Brown were suspicious of him and
fearing treachery on his part, killed
him. This is theory.
Then there is another, which is much
more likely. The community, hear
ing of Browns release, not knowing
of Mr.. Wannamaker's plan to use
Brown in making other arrests, but
feeling that Brown was the guilty par
ty and would not suffer just punish.
ment, Immediately organized and dis.
patched the supposed fire bug" This
frame of mind was assisted by the
fact that there had been three such
fires in the immediate neighborhood
within a short period, and that a
brother of Brown was now serving a
ten-year sentence, having been con-
victed of setting fire to Mr.. Elliott N.
Wannamaker's barn.
There has not been any talk about
the relatives of Brown bringing an
action under the provisions of the new
Constitution for the violent" killing
of the lad, and it's not known that
any such proceedings will be under
taken.
HE WAS NOT A MARRIED MAN.
It is said that Brown and his family
lived on piece of property that went
into the hands of Mr.. Wannamaker,
or mis- family, and that when the
Browns had to leave the place Law.
renee said: ''It will never do him
any good" This is alleged to have
been a threat that pointed to Browns
guilt.
The last lynching in Orangeburg
County was that of Jack Prater, who
was stung up in the eighties, after q
jury had failed to render verdict in
response to public sentiment.-News
and Courier.