The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-07-08
AN ASSASSIN DIES.
The People of Norway Hangs the
Doer of a Dastardly Crime.
AN OLD SOLDIER AssAssINATED.

AN ULU SULUtEh ASSaSSiN a EO-
a Horrible Scene at supper Table
Which Worked the People
I'd TO Fever Heat and
Desperate.
AS was predicted the people of Nor
way avenged the brutal assassination
of Mr.. John T. Phillips, an old Con-
federate soldier, early Wednesday
morning by lynching Charles Evans, a
mulatto negro who along with his
brother, jim Evans, are known ali
over the community as two bad men.
In addition to the lynching, the best
citizens Of the place agreed that it
was only right and proper to teach a
lesson to several negroes who came
within the environments of the village
armed and threatening, and they took
them cut just before Evans was lynch
ed and severely beat them. Mr.. Ran
dolph Smith, who was sent to the
scene of the trouble to report the af-
fair for the State says whatever may
be the merits or demerits Of lynch law
there perhaps never was an instance
before where the circumstances came
SO near juStifiying the crime.
LIKE A STORED ROMANCE.
The whole tragic incident is more
like the chapter fron-a romance OF
some feudal time than a page from
life in the twentieth century. The old
soldier who is fatally wounded and
cannot live through the night, accord
ing to his physician, is utterly blame
less Of having injured the negroes in
any way and says he has personally
done nothing to excite their ire. The
trouble dates back to last Saturday
snorning, June 2I, and, as is usual in
such cases, started over comparative
" small matter. The negroes in the
vicinity of Norway have been very tri-
fling and impertinent for some time
spast. Many of them have positively
refused to work in the fields, and the
crops have suffered not little in con-
sequence. So on Saturday as above
stated when Lorenzo Williams, a ne.
gro with bad reputation, swore at
Addie Phillips, son Of John T. Phil
lips, Phillips spoke to some Of his
friends and they al agreed that this
was going a trifle TOO far. and advised
him to whip the negro. This the
Phillips boy, with the aid OF his broth
er, Judge" Phillips, attempted TO do.
They secured a buggy whip and sum
moned the negro to them. Then they
proceeded to give him--what every
body in the community said that he
deserved thrashing. The two
Evans negroes are friends OF the Will
liams negro. When they learned that
be was to be punished they followed
him to the scene Of action. When the
elder Phillips boy began to lay on the
lash they protested, and the Phillips
boys warned them away, telling them
that unless they minded their business
they would get into trouble them
selves. The negroes surlily took their
departure, and nothing was seen Of
them on the following day, Sunday, by
the white people Of the village. Some
of the negsoes who are inclined to be
loyal to their employees, however, say
that both Of the Evans negroes came
back to the outskirts Of the town on
Saturday evening, and openly made
threats against the whole Phillips
family, women and children included.
How these threats we're carried out is
the after story.
EDUCATED NEGROES, THESE.
The Evans negroes were both edu-
Gated. They could not only read and
write but it is said had a knowledge
of literature and read a number OF
northern newspapers. The Phillips
family and the other residents Of Nor
way paid no attention to the threats.
In fact it seems that they simply re-
par6ed them as threats and no atten-
tion was paid to them. Every BODY
in the village now regrets that the
proper respect was not paid to these
threats. The Phillips house is a mod
est home about half mile from the
railroad and on the outskirts Of the
village. At the south side is a big
cotton patch, skirted by woods and
so situated that any one approaching
across the field can readily be seen
from the dining room Of the Phillips
home. It was not yet dark few
minutes before O'Clock Monday
evening, when many Of the people
about the village were atsupper, that
q shot rang out ir the village. When
the smoke clared away two figures,
evidently those Of negroes, were seen
running across the big cotton held,
and cries Of help were heard from the
Phillips hOms.
scEsE OF CHASTITY CRIME.
The Rev. D. H. Grassland, whose
home is just next to the Phillips
house, was the first one TO get to the
stricken family There 4 scene met
his eyes that was tinged with a hor-
ror that the community had never
known. The aged Mr.. Phillips was
half leaning, half reclining on the arm
OF his e-year. old son, Lee. The sup
oer table, which had just been spread,
was literally covered with the blood
az the old soldier who had served
through the Civil war only to die at
the hands Of a negro. Through the
window pane Of the porch window,
happened to be down, there were ! l
hnllet holes that told the story Of how
heavily charged the gun mad been:
which aroused the whole village and
brought them to the scene. Eve OF
H.