Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-03-08

cheers were deafenlng. The galleries
Joined in the outburst. Patriot songs
were sung and cheers given for the
army, navy Dewey and Wheeler.
The CHARLESTON SENSATION.
Mysterious Circumstances Attending the
Death of Thomas Pinckney, Jr.
The city of Charleston is still very
much agitated over the mysterious
killing of Thomas Pinckney Jr., near
the corner of Pitt and Calhoun streets,
on the night of February 25. Pinck-
uey died at l o'clock the following
Tuesday morning, and the jury of in
quest was organized on Thursday.
The News and Courier bus been pub
fishing the evidence of the principal
witnesses verbatim, and the proceed
ings are of sensational interest. But
underneath them there appear to be
several elements of deep mystery.
Pinckney was shot within few
moments after be left the home of
Mrs. Bardin, at about IL o'clock. He
had been entertained during the even
ing by Miss Elizabeth Bardin at a
supper. The other guests were Mr..
Arthur Barnwell and young lady
friend who was visiting Miss Bardiu.
Miss Jennie Bardin and her younger
brother Henry Bardin, were in the
house during the evening; but spent
their time in the library. They did
not participate in the supper.
Pinckney had been quite lively dur
ing the evening. Arthur Barnwell had
accidentally broken champagne glass
and Pinckney, when leaving, took
it away with him in order to replace
it without the knowledge of Mrs. Bar
din. He also carried off the empty
champagne bottle which he said he
intended to keep as a souvenir of a
Geli-htful evening. So far as the tes-
timony on that point went, and all OF
the people who were in the house, gave
their testimony, the evening passed off
very pleasantly. Pinckney was the
first to leave and few moments after
ward shots were heard in the street.
From the testimony of Mr.. Barn
we'll and the young ladies, it appears
that Mr.. Barnwell went out to learn
the meaning of the shots. He was fol.
lowed by Mr.. Henry Bardin, and later
by the ladies. They found Mr.. Piuck-
ney lying on the sidewalk. Several
other people came up about the same
time, and two men were seen running
down the street. Pinckney said he
had been shot by two Negroes because
be had refused to throw up his hands
Such was the testimony of all the peo.
pie present. From the testimony,
however, he did not appear to be at all
worried about his condition, and Meth.
er he or the others seemed to be espe.
cially concerned about the "two Ne.
groes" who did the killing.
Up to Saturday it looked as if all
contrary theories were to be refuted
and the "two Negro" story was to be
confirmed beyond question, when The
testimony of a light mulatto named
Robert McFall reopened the field Of
speculation and deepened the clouds oi
mystery over the situation. McFall's
story in brief, was to the effect that he
was the first man to reach Pinckney
after the shooting. He was there be-
fore Mr.. Barnwell got to the spot. He
had seen the flashes of pistol from
the side of a board fence, and had seen
white man running away toward the
cemetery. The white man wore sack
coat and was we'll dressed. He thought
the white man was bareheaded ; but
not certain. He had also seen two Ne
groes going down the street about the
time of the shooting, but they had al
ready passed Mr.. Pinckney before the
shots were fired. He asked Mr.. Pinck'
ney who shot him and Mr.. Pinckney
told him that two Negroes did it. he
then asked Mr.. Pinckney who the
white man was, and Mr.. Pinckney told
him to say nothing about it. About
that time Mr.. Barnwell had a whisper.
ed conversation with Mr.. Pinckney,
and at the conclusion of it remarked
to McFall to remember that Mr.. Pinck.
ney had said that two Negroes shot
him. Mr.. Barnwell gave McFall some
money, so the witness said, and as
sured him that Mr.. Pinckney would re-
member him when he got we'll, if he
would not forget that the shooting was
done by two Negroes. McFall said
also that there was a champagne bot
tie lying by the side of Mr.. Pinckney,
and that Mr.. Barnwell threw it over
the fence. He said also that upon the
arrival of Mr.. Barnwell at the spot
where Mr.. Pinckney lay, he overheard
that gentleman (BarnwelD say: "He
shot h-ll out of him !; he shot h-ll
out of him."
1t seems that the young ladies came
to the spot where Mr.. Pinckney was
lying. He insisted that they 60 back
into the house ; but they refused un.
til he consented to allow himself to
be brought in. He was taken into the
house few minutes later, and was
made as comfortable as possible until
the arrival of physicians and an ambu-
lance, when he was taken to the Riv.
erside hospital.
The doctors in attendance testified
that Mr.. Pinckney could have made
an ante mortem statement if he had
desired to do so; but that he only said
that he had been shot by two Negroes.
The testimony developed that Miss