The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1899-11-29
a SERIOUS CHARGE.
Against the Wife and Daughter of
John Laird.

The Columbia Record of last Friday
says the sheriff of Richland County
received letter from Orangeburg
which contains charges which, if true,
prove that a diabolical murder was
committed in this city week previous
to the fair. The letter is as follows:
Mr.. V. V. Laird was in here this
a. M, and tells me his brother was
killed in your city near the phosphate
mill. He was buried Wednesday,
November Sth, 1899. He wants to
know ifyou have any one in jail for
killing him. He tells me that he is
satisfied his wife and daughter had him
killed and Policeman Riley and DR..
Gibbes can tell you something about it.
So write Inc if anything has been done.
Has there been any warrants issued for
any one. He seems to think his brother
was murdered. Yours truly,
W. Hampton Dukes.
The facts in the case, so far as de-
veloped, are as follows: John Laird,
a mill operative, was found lying along
the railroad track near the Globe phos-
pha'e mill in Columbia Just a week
bef,re the opening Of the fair. He vas
scious and it 4as presumed that
in drunken spree he had fallen. There
were few bruises Oh his body and a
slight cat on his head, but an examina
ton made by DR.. Gibhes did not ipdi-
cate that the man was seriously hurt.
In fact, it was believed that it was
case of acute alcoholism and Laird vas
taken to his home in the mill district.
he lived a week, when he died. DR..
Gibbes made postmortem examination
and found that the skull had been
cracked and that death was caused from
a hemorrhage Of the brain. 1t was a
rather suspicious case and Mr.. 2. B.
McMaster, acting coronerin' n'Mr. Green's
absence, held an inquest. Not much
light was thrown on the case, though
it evidently was the belief Of some Of
the witnesses that Laird had been MUIR
dered. 1t was developed that another
operative had been Ssca with him and
that this same felloT had LIFT for parts
unknown, Leaving some money due him
at the Richland mill. This man name
could not be ascer:alned today, but it is
known to the coroner, whose records
were not available this morning. 1t
appears, however, that the testimony
duplicating this man was mere con-
j, cture and little attention was paid to
the circumstances.
The verdict Of the jury vas in effect
that Laird had come to his death by be-
ing struck on the head By some blunt
instrument in the hands Of parties un-
known. There the matter dropped and
Laird vas buried. The circumstances
of the case had passed out OF the minds
Of the officials until this letter was re-
ceived from Mr.. Dukes. There is no
such policeman as Riley and the police
know nothing of the case. No arrests
have been uade and it has noe been
decided what will be done about it.
Mr.. Laird oply thinks tnat the wife
and daughter are implicated in the
murder and future ioves:is CATION will
determine what action will be taken in
regard to them.
Every body was SO cngrossed with
the fair that the circumstances Of the
death of Laird were re; generally known
even to the sheriff and other county
Ct1i, ials, butthe letter fcom O.angeburg
may institute an iaves;i CATION which
will throw some light on the crime