Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-09-19

Yorkville, came round the corner Of the
Ratteree building. He knows Caldwell;
asked what he was doing here at that
time Of night. Caldwell said he drove
a team for Glenn & Allison, and had
brought Mr.. Paul Bratton down. Mr..
Bratton was looking for Mr.. Brown.
the painter. Mr.. Bratton said he must
find him tonight. A few minutes later
the Negro and Bratton were both out
of sight. The carriage drove east on
Main street. Half an hour later the
carriage came west on the same street,
going rapidly; slowed up about the
postoffice and crossed the Southern
railway slowly. He believed the driver
to be Caldwell. After crossing the rail-
road the carriage drove away very rap
idly. Witness saw Brown after he was
shot and asked him If Mr.. Paul Bratton
shot him. He asked three times and
understood the answer to be 'yes."
DR.. T. A. Crawford: "Saw Brown
short while after he was shot and saw
at once on examination that the wound
was mortal. He informed the family
Of his condition and advised that
Brown make statement. He objected
at first; but later made a statement.
He said ne didn't know who did the.
shooting; out he had had a difficulty
with John S. Bratton this week. He
was dazed when the shot was fired
and could not say positively who fired
1t, but that it was one of three men,
Amry Crockett, Gale or Bratton him
self.
DR.. w. Gilmere Stevens testified that
he heard Brown say he was shot by
Amry Crockett, Gale or Bratton. Wit
ness thinks he referred to John S. Brat
ton. He heard DR.. Crawford tell Brown
that he was mortally wounded and ad-
vised him to make statement. Brown
was perfectly rational. When asked
what Crockett he meant, Brown an
swered, The brother Of that GIRL ans
that he came from Richburg. Paul
Brattons name was not mentioned in
the room before Brown was asked If
Paul Bratton shot him. RefereIfse
was made to one Of Browns eyes,
which was badly bruised, and he said:
That was not done tonight
Henry Ford and George Robinson,
colored, both stay at the livery stable
Of Mr.. Kerr; they described the car
riage, horses and men. Robinson was
asked where the painter, Brown, lived.
The witness followed the carriage to
Kimball's stable. While the men were
talking there witness saw pistol in
the pocket Of the man wearing a straw
hat. The other man had a gun in the
surrey.
Walker Mills, at Kimball's stables,
was called up by two white and Ne
gro driver. They threatened him with
a gun and ordered him to go with
them. He swears that ne did not 60.
The vehicle was closed surrey drawn
by two grey horses.
Mr.. Pride Ratteree says: paul Brat
ton, Of Yorkville, was In my room
about / o'clock, I was asleep and was
walked by him. He asked II had any
thing to drink and asked where Brown
lived. Witness told him Brown lived
far below the graded school and that
he would hardly find him. Bratton said
there had been a fuss in the family,
that it was a delicate subject and he
did not seem to want to talk about 1t.
This concluded the testimony Of the
day, and the inquest was adjourned un-
til 10 o'clock Sunday morning, when
Will Caldwell was examined. Caldwell
testified that on Friday night he drove
Messrs. John s. and Paul r. Bratton
over to Rock Hill. He did not know
what they were going for. When they
reached Rock Hill they began hunting
for the residence Of Painter Brown.
After making three mistakes they
found the right place and both men
got out Of the hack. In about 10 min
utes witness heard two shots, and
shortly afterward the two men return
ed to the carriage, when witness
heard "Mr. Johnnie" say that he had
killed Brown. Witness then drove the
vehicle back to Yorkville.
After about a half hours delibera-
ton, the jury found THAT H. A. Brown
came to his death by a pistol shot
from the hands of Paul R. Bratton and
that John s. Bratton was accessory
thereto"
Major Beckham lodged in the hands
of the sheriff warrants for Paul r.
Bratton, John S. Bratton and VIII
Caldwell. Paul r. Bratton was held
as principal, John s. Bratton as acces-
sorry, and VIII Caldwell as an import
ant witness. The Negroes bond was
fixed at $500.
Previous to the inquest, Mr.. Paul R.
Bratton had retained T. F. McDow,
ESQ.,, as counsel, and Mr.. John S. Brat
ton had retained w. w. Lewis, Esq.
These gentlemen, with Messrs. w. B.
McCaw and W. B. de Loach. attended
the inquest. Upon the return Of the
train from Rock Hill Sunday afternoon.
Mr.. Lewis notified Mr.. John S. Bratton
of the finding Of the jury, whereupon
Mr.. John s. Bratton surrendered to the
sheriff.
Both Mr.. John s. Bratton and Mr..
Paul r. Braton are still in jail. They
have been visited by quite a number
of friends. Owing to the nature OF the
whole affair neither is inclined to talk
about details. Mr.. John s. Bratton,
however, has no hesitation In stating
that it was he who fired the shots by
which Brown came to his death.
Brown, the deceased, was an Eng
lishman by birth, and although he has
lived in this section about 20 years, at
the time Of his death he was still a
British subject. He was well connect
ed, some Of his relatives being promi-
nent and influential. He had one
brother who was an artist on the Lon
don Graphic and another who worked
for "Black and White" So he was ac-
customed to say. He was man OF
considerable information, and had evil
IDENTIFY seen much of good breeding. He
was addicted to the gross abuse of
whisky, however, and his reputation
for good morals was very low. He was
married some IL years ago to Miss Jen-
ME Neel, then Of Mecklenburg, now of
Rock Hill. He gave his family only
partial support. spending most Of his
earnings on whisky and other excesses.
He leaves a widow, lady who Is high
ly respected and esteemed by all who
know her, and four children, the
youngest being an infant of only few
weeks.
Mrs. John S. Bratton. the woman
who was the cause of all the trouble.
left town Monday in closed carriage.
She was accompanied by relative,
and it is presumed that she went to
Richburg, at which place the family
formerly lived. Public condemnation
Of her Is strong.
The killing Of Mr.. Brown aroused
indignation in Rock Hill
at first That was before the people
knew anything as to the reason Of 1t.
They thought the man had been as
"a ssinated without cause. The full