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

Lawrence would have beer 22 year
old in q couple of weeks. He has NO
seen mis- sou sirce Christmas. HesaI
him at his home; sirce then he ha
not seen his son until the killing. Il
was not at the fire. Lawrence Wen
home TO spend Christmas, and CARRIE
presents with him. He was told o
the killing by little boy, who say
him while or his way to school. ii
heard OF the affair during the morn
ing. He knew his son was in Jail
and he came down to see about III
! boy Monday. 1t was then put Oft un
til Thursday.
Mr.. Jefords: "You knew he wa
discharged9'
Uncle Isaac: II knew nothing
about the whole thing"
He said he knew absolutely moth
ing of his sons death or how it oc
CURED.
GEORGE WHETSTONE,
bright looking negro, said he lived
on Mr.. r E. Wannamakers place
and knew Lawrence Brown, whose
body was found by the roadside. He
was going up the road yesterday Il
look after some sttc with William
Govan. He saw the boys body hang
ing on the cross piece. He did not &C
any closer to the body, and recognized
the body as that of Lawrence Brown
A short while afterwards his brother
recopnized him. He then went back
to his home and reported his hod
The last he saw of Brown was the
night of the fire until he saw the deao
body. BY his clock the shooting oc
cure d at sixteen minutes to 10o'clock
When he was reused there were eight
or ten shots fred, and he was in doze
and the firing did not disturb him.
RICHARD WILSON, CoLoRED,
lived near the scene of the trouble
He was at home on the night of the
killing. Yesterday Isham Brown
asked him to come to town with him,
and on his way from home to town
they saw Lawrence Browns dead
body. He did not 60 to the body.
Isham Brown recognized him.
He heard shooting about 10 o'clock.
He last saw Lawrence Brown alive
Friday morning. Brown worked fol
Mr.. Bennett. He did not 60 to the
fire at Mr.. Wannamaker's.
ISAAC BROWN,
a brother of Lawrence Brown, was al
the O'cain place the night of the kill
ing. He knew nothing further about
the killing.
J. BOX ROBINSON. WHITE,
lives near Jamison. He knew moth
ing about the case. He did not hear
the shooting, living about II to II
miles of Orapgeburg. He saw Brown
Tuesday afternoon in Mr.. Wanna
makers buggy.
MIR. J. NJ. KNOTS,
a young white man from the county,
who lives about 16 miles from here,
was next examined. He bought the
railroad place." where Mr.. Alfred
Bennet lived. The "place" was owned
by the South Carolina and Georgia
Road. He was yesterday moving to
the place. He is Mr.. Wannamaker's
brother in-law. Day before yester,
day, Tuesday. he heard OF the Wsn ma
maker fire. He found the barn burn
ed, and saw Mr.. Wannamaker about
sundown Tuesday at his home. They
were all in the store about 10 o'clock,
when they heard shooting. There
were in the store with him: Mr.. Il.
E. Wannamaker, Clifford Westbury,
Addison Haynes, Solomon" col
ored boy, probably. and myself. He
was certain that Mr.. Westbury, Mr..
Haynes and Mr.. Waunamaker were
there with him. They heard shooting
about 10 o'clock. The front door was
closed and they could not locate the
firing. Some said it was up at a ne,
gro house on the place; they all
thought it was frecrackers shooting
off. At first there was a gun fire,
both barrels were fred. After that
the firing was all from pistols, ne
thought. They walked to the door,
and by that time all was over. They
did not see anyone pass. The next
morning colored boy told Addison
Haynes there was a dead man up the
road hanging on the railroad crossing
post. He and Mr.. Wannamaker re
turned about 10 o'clock. They were
together all evening. They were talk.
ing business, as he had Just moved
over. He knew nothing about the
guilty parties, or of the burning.
Mr.. R. E. Wannamaker simply cor
roborated the evidence of Mr.. Knots.
He saw Lawrence Brown Tuesday.
He went on to say that Brown was
held on suspicion of burning his barn,
and "in fact, I believe we had enough
evidence to convict him."
After consultation with his attorney,
he had him turned out, and to with
draw the indictment temporarily for
the purpose of working up other testi-
mony duplicating other parties. Mr..
Lide was the attorney I consulted. At
ter getting the discharge he went to
the Jail and had Brown released. He
wanted to ask some questions of Brown
and wanted a witness present to hear
what he had to say, and asked Mr..
Noah Wertz to 90 up with him. The
jailer was not present when he went
there, and a young lady allowed
Brown to be removed after getting the
order of dismissal. Brown came out
with Mr.. Wertz and Mr.. Wannama-
ker. He asked him if be was going
home, and he replied, yes. He asked
me if he could get seat in my buggy
and I at first told him yes, but know
ing and believing he was the party
who burned my barn, I told him he