Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-11-21
sition, and the examination Of Mr..
Lowry was proceeded with.

Lowry was proceeded with.
Mr.. Lowry testified that on the night
Of the 18th Of September, between 10
and II o'clock, his attention was at
tracted by cries Of help, help, murder,
murder" emanating from the premises
of Mr.. John s. Bratton, across the way.
He hurried to the scene as rapidly as
possible, and on arriving there found
struggle in progress between Mr..
John s. Bratton and II. A. Brown. Mr..
! Bratton was dressed only in shirt and
drawers, and was barefooted and bare
headed. Brown had on no hat or shoes.
Bratton was hitting Brown with his
fists. Witness caught Brown by the
back of his neck and held him. Others
also caught hold of him. Bratton con-
tinued for awhile to beat Brown with
his fists, and also beat him in the face
with stone that he had picked up. At
the time witness arrived, Bratton had
lust been disentangled from the rope
of a swing near by. Mrs. Bratton was
standing few yards from the struggle.
| She was dressed in night gown or
wrapper, partly open, and had on a
small shirt Win short sleeves. WITNESS
was asked what Mrs. Bratton was do
| ing; but the solicitor objected, and the
question was not pressed. The ques-
ton was evidently intended to show
that the attitude Of Mrs. Bratton was
friendly to Brown, rather than to her
nusband.1 Witness went on to say that
Mr.. Bratton explained that he had
caught Brown in his wife's room. Brat
ton asked, "Oh! my God, men; what
must I do? My home is broken up and
am ruined forever" Mr.. Bratton
asked for a pistol with which to kill
Brown, or knife with which to cut
q
furnished. II would have given him a
knife, but" [Solicitor objected and
the objection was sustained.l Brown
admitted that he had been caught in
Mrs. Bratton's room, and said that he
was not fit to live. He begged us to
take him off and kill him-shoot him,
cut his throat or do anything to hint
did not make any difference what. At
ter had sat there awhile, Brown left
and went away. I do not know where
he went to. Witness said Brown had
boarded at Mr.. John 8. Bratton's some
time previously; but as to whether
Mrs. Brown had ever visited there ne
could not say Of his own knowledge.
George w. Williams, sworn, testified
that on the night Of the thirteenth
of September, he and Mr.. w. P. Har-
rison were visiting at Mr.. r. B. Low
rvs They heard shouts of murder and
calls for help. The shouts and calls
came from the direction Of the home
Of Mr.. John s. Bratton across the way.
Witness and Mr.. Harrison started in
the direction;, but on account Of re-
mark made by Mr.. Harrison, witness
hesitated for few moments. Witness
was asked about the remark. Solici-
tor objected; but witness replied that
there had been a report to the effect
| W
This report, it is not improper to re-
mark, Is said to have been started by
Mrs. Bratton. There Is story to the
effect that on several occasions previ-
GUS to the occurrence here being testi-
fled to, she remarked to acquaintances
that Mr.. Bratton was acting peculiar
ly and that she would not be surprised
he had hanged himself. Developments
..e had hanged himself. Developments
subsequent to the events here testified
to have led to the belief that these re-
marks were probably preparatory to a
purpose Of ultimately getting Mr.. Brat
ton out Of the way In the manner tndi-
Gated. This, however, 1t should be un-
derstood, did not come out in the testi-
mony.] Witness went on to say that
he and Mr.. Harrison were induced to
go on by calls from Will Moore. They
| found Mr. Bratton tangled up In q
rope with Brown holding him. Mrs.
bratton was standing nearby In her
night clothes. Mr.. r. B. Lowry seized
Brown, by the back Of the neck and
held him. Mr.. Bratton disentangled
himself from the rope and commenced
beating Brown with his fist. He took
him off Of Brown. He asked for pis-
knife with which to cut his throat, and
also for gun with which to kill botn
Brown and his wife. I saw Mrs. Brat
ton for only a short time. Mr.. Bratton
said to her, in my presence, my God,
Fanny; have I got such wife?" He
seized her by the arm; but offered
her no further violence. Mr.. j. w.
Carr came up, and Mr.. Bratton said
Here Is my friend" and shortly after
ward all three of them went into the
house.
]. w. Carr, sworn and examined, tes-
titled that his home was in the neigh
borhood of a hundred yards from that
of Mr.. Bratton. On the night of Sep
tember 13 he went to bed about 10
o'clock; but read for nearly an hour
before blowing out the light. Just
about the time he blew out the light he
heard calls for help coming from the
direction of Mr.. Bratton's house, and
hurriedly putting on his clothes he
went to answer the calls. AS he ap-
preached Mr.. Bratton's residence, he
hear somebody saying "Give me pis-
tol and let me shoot the d 8
b." Johnny recognized me as
came up, and taking me by the arm led
that he was ruined-that he had caugh.
man in his wifes bedroom, and ask
ed me what he must do. Someone
came up to us about that time and I
advised him that the first thing to do
was to put on his clothes. He said
that If he had had a pistol he would
have killed Brown. His feet were lac
Grated and bleeding, his shirt was torn,
and there were marks Of a rope on his
arms and around his neck. He said
that he must see his wife and have
talk with her. She appeared to be
afraid to be with him alone, and at his
request went into room with them;
Testimony objected to.] Defense tried
to get the conversation that occurred
between Mrs. Bratton and witness;
but failed, except that the witness was
allowed to state that Mr.. Bratton made
an effort to induce Mrs. Bratton to ad-
init her guilt She denied her guilt,
however, and persisted in the denial.
Captain ]. Wilson Marshall, sworn
and examined, testified that on the
morning after the shooting, Mr.. P. A.
Neal said to him, in effect: 1.-THE man
who did the shooting was about your
build, only not quite so high. He look
ed to be about IS or 40 years Of age,
and wore a brown moustache. There
was about a weeks growth Of beard on
his face He was dressed very much as
I was. Mr.. Neal said he saw the mans
face by the flash Of the pistol distinct
ly."
Major T. c. Beckham, sworn,
testified that he acted as coroner on
the occasion Of the inquest, and that
the testimony, as taken on that occa-
sion, was correct. He said that in tes-
llfying as to the appearance Of the
man who did the shooting, he pointed
to one Of the jurors-Mr. John M. NC
Fadden-as having moustache that