The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1902-09-26

AoSSNC-y 14AN4A lA4tS WV
! Edward Adams, living on Mr.. l. M.
Smiths Davis place, in No. 8 Town
ship, was shot and killed by a negro,
George Caughman, living on Mr.. jim
mic Abrams place nearby.
Wednesday afternoon at 5 o'clock
Caughman was trailed by blood hounds
to a point about one hundred yards be-
hind his home, where, in order to es-
cape capture, the s~elf-confessed muir
derer had shot himself and lain down
to die.
Some time Monday night Caughman
became engaged in a difficulty with a
negro woman on Mr.. Adams place.
This difficulty was reported by the
woman to MI. Adams. Mr.. Adams
and Mr.. C. A. Pogue, who lived on the
| same plantation, Immediately went in
search of Caughman, and finding him
in an orchard nearby, administered to
him a severe whipping, giving him
about twenty-five lashes. Next morn
ing Caughman went to the field where
Mr.. Adams was picking cotton, about
800 yards below Adams house, and it
was here that the shooting occurred.
Three shots were fired by Caughman,
one taking effect behind the left ear,
one in the right breast, and n under
the right arm. The last two shots
were witnessed from her piazza by
Mrs. Adams, who a to the door upon
hearing the first. When she reached
her husband he was dead.
Caughman when found on Wednes-
day was hardly able to speak. He was
asked if he killed Mr.. Adams and re-
piled that he did, holding up three fin
gers to indicate the number of shots.
He said he was advised to do the shoot
ing by Henry league, a negro living
on Mr.. l.. M. Smiths place, and that
league had p~romisedto be present with
a shot gun and help. That he went to
Mr.. Adams cotton field the morning
of the shooting with the intention only
of making Mr.. Adams pay damages for
the whipping. That when he got to
the field he was kindly greeted. In
reply he told Mr.. Adams he wanted
damage for the whipping Mr.. Adams
said he was ready to settle at once,
and proceeded to pick up three
rocks. One of these he held in each
hand and one under the left arm.
| He ordered Caughman not to run.
| Caughman replied that he did not in
| tend to do so, and fired his first shot.
Adams fell in the ditch in front of the field
| Caughman fired again, and while run
ming, whirled and fired the third shot.
Returning, he passedMrS. S. Abrams in
his field picking cotton. Abrams had heard
the pistol shots and asked Caughman
what it was all about. Caughman re-
| piled that he had killed Mr.. Adams.
When the story of the shooting be-
came generally known, to say that the
country was aroused is to put it mildly.
Searching parties were Immediately
organized and a thorough search begun.
All day Tuesday the woods were secured,
and Tuesday night until 4 o'clock
Wednesday morning every negro house
in the community was watched.
The Safe penitentiary was wired for
blood hounds and they arrived Wednes-
day at noon in charge of Capt. Jim
Irby, and were Immediately taken to
the scene of. action. When the reporter
arrived they had been given the scent,
and the air for miles around was filled
with the music of their barking. About
one hundred men on horseback with
rifles and shot guns were in hot pur-
suit. But the first trail had grown
cold and the dogs were called back to
| Caughman's house and again given the
scent. This time there was no mis-
take. They obeyed to the letter Capt.
Irby's loud command, Ego find him."
Striking off into a patch of pine woods,
we followed the dogs. About twenty
yards from his house the negro's hat
and coat were found in the forks of a
tree. The trail had become warm. 1t
could be heard Sizing. Less than one
hundred yards from the place where
the coat and hat were found, the dogs
reached the negro. A few seconds be-
fore he was seer by those in front he
cried, "Here he is, here he is"
C~aughman vas lying on his back,
his face upturned to the sky.
Excitement ran to fever heat. There
Eswere cries of Lynch him." 'tlet's
swing him up" and pandemomium
reigned. But in that crowd there were
nerves that were steady, pulses that
were normal, and heads that were
cool. Magistrate j. H. Chappell and
Mr.. J.. H. Dorroh were the first to
alight. Aidedby Deputy Sheriff Johnson,
Capt. Irby and Rev. M. Swope, and
many others in the crowd they begged
and beseeched and fought for the ne
gro's life. Soon these efforts, aided
L. 1.-J.~ e IL .21.o, H..