Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-12-31
MURDER ON THE HIGHWAY.


during the past year.
MURDER ON THE HIGHWAY.
A typical case of highway robbery
and murder occurred on the South
Carolina and Georgia railroad, short
distance from the residence of Mr..
Richard Garrison, near Newport, last
Monday night. The perpetrators OF
the deed claim that they were just in
fun; but from facts as developed,
there does not appear to have been
much fun about the tragic circum-
stance.
The victim was Samuel Simril, an
old Negro who resided in Rock Hill
He had been to one Of the distilleries
near the North Carolina line after
whisky, and was OH his way home
with his jug, when he was held up ny
three Negroes, near the cabin Of John
Moffatt. For several hours after the
occurrence, the facts in the case were
somewhat yelled in mystery but as
the result of private aud legal inves-
LEGATIONS, the story is now pretty well
developed.
John Moffatt was the man who gave
the alarm. At about 8 o'clock ne went
to the house of Mr.. Garrison and told
him that a man had been killed. The
story spread rapidly, and Messrs. WI
and w. w. Miller, who also live near
by, were soon on the scene. Motfal'
told pretty straight story to the effect
that while standing at his door short
while before, he saw man going along
the railroad toward Rock Hill with g
Jug on his back, and that two Other
men were walking abreast of him on
the highway. He had thought nothing
of the matter and went back into the
house; but presently he heard loud
talking and a voice say, "Turn ii
loose-turn it loose, damn it," This
was followed pretty quickly by several
pistol shots, and he went to the door
again Just in time to see the man with
the Jug stumble blindly around two OF
three times and fall to the ground. 1t
was Immediately after this that Mofatt
went to alarm Mr.. Garrison, and some
of the first. arrived on the scene
in time to see the old Negro die. They
did not hear him speak, however.
In answer to telephone message,
Superintendent Culp of the chaingang,
went to the scene with his blood
hounds. The dogs arrived as soon as
practicable; but there had already
been so much walking about the scene
of the killing that the trail could not
be followed with much satisfaction.
The dogs failed to leave the neighbor'
hood for any considerable distance,
and also to follow up the tracks OF
any particular individual.
A jury of inquest, organized by
Magistrate Anderson, acting coroner,
continued in session during Tuesday
and made as thorough investigation
as was practicable. A good deal OF
testimony was taken, aud as the re-
suit of such evidence as could be Sc
cured, circumstantial and otherwise,
suspicion began to point to Ed Young,
West Eastis and Jess Wright. MIR.
w. J. Miller had seen these three Ne
groes together the night before, and
they had gone with him to the scene
of the murder. They acted suspi-
ciously, and after events led to their
arrest; but it was not until after one
of them, Eastis, had been empanneled
on the coroner's jury. Young, who
was also playing the Innocent act, II
he is guilty, was arrested while assist
ing in the work of putting the body of
the murdered Negro into wagon to
be taken to Rock Hill.
Jesse Wright is the one who threw
more light on the situation than any
body else. He talked to members of
the jury and implicated himself and
the other two Negroes. His tale did
not appear to be exactly straight in all
particulars; but it was in effect that
they only wanted to scare the old
Negro, and that they did not intend
to kill him. 1t also developed that
Wright had remained with the body
on Monday night, and that he had
given his revolver to the wife of John
Moffatt to keep for him. Examination
of the weapon showed that four shots
had recently been fired and tie cylin-
der still contained one loaded cartridge.
The accused Negroes were promptly