The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1900-11-21
BRATToN TELLS ruE STORY.
Ho Killed Harry Brown at Rock Hi
Had Caught brown / u Ills Vito,
Room ~ Worthwhile.

Room ut Eorkyillc. .
The triSl OF Paul II. and John $
Bratton for the murder of Harry A.
Brown AT Rock Hill on the 18Th OF
September was concluded on Saturday
last at NorkyillG, resulting in the &C.
qGittal Of the B~rattOns. One of the
features OF the trial was the absence
OF Mrs. Fannie A. Bratton, who was
wanted as g material witness for the
defense. She is John B~ratton's Young
wife, on whose account BrowH Mas
killed. a warrant was Issued for her
arrest put she was not found. 1t was
supposed thai she could not face her
former friends in that role.
The last witness for the State, DR.. Y.
a.. Crawford, testified TO having at
tempted TO get a statement from Brown
as TO who had killed him. B"owu hAd
said it was either Amery Crockett
Gaze or Bratton. Crockett is u brother
ana Gale Il brother in law OF Mrs. John
BrHttOn. Asked whether Paul BratlOn
mad n o him Brown replied in an in.
Grtlculatc manner, but affirmative tone.
While Paul BrattOn WAS more closely
connected with the killing than his
brother, add while the evidence at the
COroner's Inquest tended TO show he
mad gone inLO the house, leaving his
brother in u carriage, aud had shot
Brown while in bed with his family,
nothing was developed to connect him
with the killing. He was Indicted rs
principal and John rs accessory.
The sensation OF the trial occurred
when John ). Bcatson was put on the
stand and took upon himself the whole
responsibility for the shooting, shield.
ing his brother vt every point. Brat.
ton told, to an immense crowd that
packed the courthouse TO the waiis, the
: story o! the tragedy in which his wife
had played SO prominent part on tho
) night Of September 18th. He said hr
had made an inves' lgatiOn OF suspicion,
noises in his house. On going dow
( stairs, in his nil MT clothing, he ha,
0 surprised Brown in Mrs. Bratton'
: room. Brown had jumped out of
window and Bratton followed An,
v caught him. Brown as the most pow
o erful mat n Swing being near, b,
got the rope around l3%rattOn's neck AN,
d nearly str%nglcd him. B9fore lOsin,
consciousness Bratt0n had cried Muir
der" and ne'ghbOrs came and release
G him. These neighbors testified t
d having come upon the scene and rcscu
It ing Bratton from Brown. Mrs. Br.tto
8 was in her night clothing and Brow
q partially disrobcG.
q Bratton left Brown with thum /
L hOAoi "AAA hS "CiS w IOOk Tor a DlSbi
Is with which to kill him. In his al
Q scnce Brown told them he had bee
caught in a torrible p~rcdicament an
y to take him OFF and hang him, or d
1t what they would with him. They =,
p. leased him before B%ratton's return.
a Bratton continued his testimony b
y, saying he determined to follow Brow
.. to his home ut Rock Hill and kin hir
>, He asked his brother, Paul, TO n
| company him. He tried to dissuaC
G. hasty action, but finally went, as J0E
IS was determined to go, II alone. [
ir told about the midnight drive to Roc
G Hill, being directed 80 Browns hon,
sr by a policeman, following Brow
* fathcr-in-law from the street door ~
le Browns room, and shooting him
err bed.
'e The speeches by eloquent lawve
m for the defense made many mon
m court weep. The jury remained o
ut eighty minutes and returned with
verdict OF not guilty" Tho BrattoI
c. we're overwhelmed with congratnl
n. tiOnS.