Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-11-05

NUOIC " 10 W. y lIoih anu hbSiSSo
was stopping at DunOvants. Frank
Castles came along about II o'clock,
and the three-Amzi, Frank and Ang-
less-proceeded to the old man Ben's.
AMI took along with him some pieces
of rope that had been used TO suspend
quilting frame. 1t was arranged
that Angles should 20 in front, and
when old Ben opened the door, the
other two rushed in and seized him.
After brief struggle they put d rope
around his neck and choked him to
death. Then they tied his hands and
feet, while his body was still jerking
and twisting in its death ugonies.
Next they inserted rail under the
ropes. AMI shouldered one end and
Frank the other, and thus, with Ang-
less, accompanying them they carried
their burdens distance of quarter
of mile to within few yards of the
old well. Here they removed the rail,
after which they picked the body up
by hands and feet and threw il over
into the depths below. Then Amzi
threw in a number of stones, after
which, the job completed, all left the
place. Angless did not 20 near the
old well again except for some apples
one day, and he saw Amzi there,
throwing in more stones.
In answer to questions by Major
Hart on the cross examination, Angles
said that after the murder, Amzi and
Frank searched the pockets of the
murdered man and also a closet and a
trunk looking for roots. He stated
also that he had heard Amzi say, on
previous occasion, that old Ben had
poisoned his, Anzi's child, and that
he, Amzi, would fix him. On another
occasion he had heard Amzi say,
THAT if Uncle Ben don't quit med
ding about my house, I'm going to
put him out of the way"
Major Hart asked the boy sharply
why it was that he had not told about
these things for so long time, and the
boy said his Uncle Amzi had threat
ened to kill him if he told it. Then
the major tried to get him to say how
he had at last been induced TO give it
away; hut he failed to give an answer
TO that question.
Didn't you tell Mr.. Plaxico," asked
Major Hart, "that you did not know
anything about what had become of
Ben Goore p
"Yes, SIR" answered the witness.
"Then,n continued the major, eff
YOU told this story, why did you after
ward tell about the killing? ?"
"Brcause it was right" the witness
answered; and here came the first
manifestation of the sympathies of the
colored auditors. They commenced to
applaud by stamping their feet; but
the demonstration was promptly check
ed from the bench.
The next witness was Sarah Duno-
van, wife of Amzi. Her testimony on
the direct examination, so far as it
went, corroborated that of Angles.
She said that Amzi and Angles had
left the house at about II o'clock with
another man whom she did not see but
whose voice she made out to be that of
Frank Castles. Shortly after they left
the house, she heard the noise of a
struggle over at Ben Goore's. Some
one exclaimed "Good God Almighty"
and shouted murder three times, after
which everything was quiet. She
told how Eliza Goore-old Ben's
wife-came to her home that morning,
made a trip across the creek and
came back in the afternoon; but did
not, upon the direct examination, tes-
tify to anything which seemed to di-
rectly connect the old woman with
the conspiracy. At the conclusion OF
the direct examination, the court ad-
iourned for the day, the cross exami-
nation to be resumed on Friday morn.
ing.
Mr.. John Montgomery testified to
the finding of the body of Ben Goore
in the old we'll, covered with large
stones. The hands and feet were tied
as described by Angles Castles, and
there was rope around the neck.
The next witness examined was MIR.
John Aycock. 1t developed that
shortly after the Imprisonment of the
defendants, Mr.. Aycock went to the
Jail and, through interviews with them,
secured confessions.
Major Hart asked the usual question
as to whether promises or intimidation
had been used to secure the confes-
sions, and upon the statement that
the witnesses had talked of their own
free will, the major inquired very Sc
verely as 10 the motive of the witness
10 making the visit. Mr.. Aycock said
that he went to the Jail purely from
motives of curiosity. Then address,
ing the court, Major Hart said he wan
ted to coudemn and denounce as un-
fair this common practice of allowing
visitors to visit the Jail and induce
ignorant prisoners to make testimony
against themselves. He said that the
practice was too common that it was
the custom of the sheriff to pick in
formation out of prisoners for the pur-
pose of using this information against
them, and be would like the court to
take such action as would put a stop
to it.
Solicitor Henry replied that he had