Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-11-17
Saturday, November II, 1900.

ulouSly, WllIully ana OF MS malice
aforethought with certain loaded pis-
tol did shoot, strike, penetrate and
wound; giving to the said Harry A.
Brown thereby in and upon the body
of him the said Harry A. Brown, one
mortal wound, of which said mortal
wound, the said Harry A. Brown did
then and there soon after die.
And so the jurors aforesaid, upon
their oath aforesaid, do say that the
said John s. Bratton, him the said
narry A. Brown then and there in the
manner and by the means aforesaid
feloniously, wilfully and of his mall
ice arorethought, did kill and mur-
der against the form of the statute in
against the peace and dignity of the
state.
And the jurors aforesaid, upon Eheir
oaths aforesaid, do further present
that Paul Bratton, late of the county
and state aforesaid, before the said
felony and murder was committed, in
manner and form aforesaid, to wit: on
the fourteenth day Of September, Ammo
Domini, 1900, with force and arms at
Yorkvine, in the county and state
aforesaid, feloniously, wilfully and Of
his malice aforethought, did incite,
move, procure, and hire, counsel and
said felony and murder in manner and
form aforesaid to do and commit
against the form Of the statute and in
such case made and provided and
against the peace and dignity Of the
state.
The first witness sworn was Mr..
Preston A. Neal at whose house the
killing of Brown occurred. Lives in
Rock Hill. On the night Of the 18th
was awakened by dog barking. Heard
some one knocking at the door. Went
out in the hall and looked out. Saw a
man standing in front Of the door.
Man asked for Mr.. Brown. I asked his
name and business. He said he had
come up from the Victoria mills to get
sign painted. Mr.. Brown, who was
asleep, was awakened. He wanted to
know what kind Of a sign was wanted.
While I was trying to find out about
the sign, talking to Mr.. Brown, pistol
cracked at my side. Mr.. Brown gave a
yell and tried to get up. looked and
saw man trying to shoot again. ar
rested his arm quickly and disconnected
his aim. The man ran out Of the house.
There was another man there, and the
man who had done the shooting threw
his arm around him and said, Don
you tell" I went for assistance, ard
when I got home, Mr.. Brown had been
lifted from the bed, and his head turn
ed to the foot. At the time the shoot
Ing was done, there were two lamps
In the room, and saw the man who
did the shooting, and at the flash OF
the pistol, had view Of his face. He
was man about my height, and from
what I saw he would weigh 155 to 16O.
He had on an oval crown straw hat.
He had no beard-looked as II he had
been shaved several days previous.
Had on pants Of light material, dark
coat but no vest. Never saw the pris-
oners before that night nor since until
this morning. Mr.. Brown died at s
o'clock. When I returned from the
street, DR.. Crawford and Or. Stevens
were there. 1t was some little time be-
fore they came In. I remained in the
house after my return.
Cross ExAMINAT1oN-By Mr.. Wilson
T..
moon was shining. recognized the
man to whom was talking as white
man. The other party took to be q
Negro. Witness lived in front room to
right Of entrance, and Mr.. Brown and
family lived in second room to right Of
entrance. Testified at length as to To-
cation Of rooms and position Of furni-
ture, beds, etc. Brown was in bed by
himself. The light was shining 80 as
to reflect on Browns bed and leave the
balance Of the room dark. My impress.
sion is that the man who did the shoot
Ing had mouStache-a short one. OF
that I was not certain. I did not say
before the coroner's jury that the man
had a moustache. I did not say to
Captain ]. w. Marshall, In the pres
ence Of Mr.. Pride Ratterree, that the
man was Of about Capt. Marshall's
build, that he had a weeks growth Of
beard on his face, and looked about As
years Of age. do not remember to
have given any impression Of the mans
age. have never stated that the man
would weigh about 14O pounds. Wit
ness was born May2, 1889. I have as
tigma in my right eye, and the other
eye has been weakened from youth by
improper, glasses. Physical health bad.
Was especially bad night Of the shoot.
ing.
REDIREcT-By Solicitor-In the same
room were my daughter, Mrs. Brown,
with little girl years old and a little
baby three weeks old. It did not oc-
cur to me to notice the time Of the
shooting; but when returned from up
town 1t was a quarter Of 2. 7 think
the shooting must have occurred at
about quarter past l o'clock.
RE-CRoss-By Mr.. Wilson-Mr. Brown
was absent from his home of and on.
He left home the Thursday before the
shooting after dinner. He returned in
the night; but do not know what
time. I have no recollection Of seeing
DR.. T. A. Crawford-Direct examina-
ton by the solictor.-Got to Mr.. Meals
house between 1 and 2 o'clock. I live
about half a mile away. Went there In
buggy. Nothing attracted my atten-
tion on the way. At house found Mr..
Neal, his wife and Prof. Cork. Found
Brown lying on the floor at foot Of bed.
could tell that Brown was fatally
wounded and so stated to the family.
Brown was conscious and said that it
was nonsense and that he would get
well. I found two gunshot wounds-one
in left arm and one in right side. Post
mortem showed that the ball had
punctured several Of the intestines. To
have found it would have necessitated
mutilation Of the body. The ball was
about 32-calibre. He died from hemor-
rhage caused by pistol wound.i He said
several times that he would get we'll
when I first arrived and an hour or two