The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1903-10-30

lR ( 4 u: ]. ] lal Z 'WHAM.

~ Z. 1850; q;
The sfendant On the stand lrslls Of
:sa s 8 4 SIS TIE l1e! IN N |. rder.
WHsAaM y. e al],l !. PLEADS SELF DEFENCE
Il ttgss:.
Hes adIpItss VI writing I'M Improper
ote TO the Niece or the Man
Siss ~ Whom HI Shot
Down.
sss5Ilhs case OF the State VS. John e..
~ IA, charged with the murder OF
age on the 9th OF last j uly !,
Iat Lahrens: last week. L..
W. Ramage was shot and Killed BY
the. .dgfendat. John G. Wham July 8
last;dasthe yard OF the latter who had
bee .slled upon by the deceased to
exiiiia sa and a2sreach settlement,
autteablysif possible certain conduct
Tegagded reprehensi BILE and charged to
fsiH5 Upward a niece, OF Mr.. Ramage.
~ ll: haI "a &, nd mibted that bis plight was
bad dahd agreed to make acknowledge
.met{ts lat the proper time and that
would sbei from his1viewpoint when his
preach would be present, probably
tha day Ramage insisted that he go
ovGrat, once and explain to Mr.. Simp-
sons fAmily.s He declined and went
back the house having met Ramage
and his companion at the gate. Ram
age seems entered the gate without
being invited and proceeded to the
bach df thett house going around. In u
momeht3 Wham appeared at an up
stairs window and ordered Blakely
who. had accompanied Ramage to
leave.IfAs he was withdrawing he
heafd the shot,. Wham shot Ramape
with9a parler rifle and Immediately
escaped.
IS ThelState had ten witnesses, two of
whom were ladies Mrs. .Thos. Simpson,
mother OF the young woman, whose life
the: defendant is alleged to have tried
to- wreck and Mr.. Jas. z. Dilard Of
TylefsYille. Mrs. Simpson told of the
note received by her daughter from
.Whaminvlting her over to spend the
ni1gSexplaining that young lady,
q relative, was visiting at his nome,
etc. The witness when shown the
note at once realized that there must
,be ome,mistake, sumet hing wrong be-
causeish Knew Mrs. Wham and her
company were at Cllntun spending the
AFTERNOON and that the note therefore
was % aHeceptfon and an insult to the
daughter and the family. Taking the
daughter, witness proceeded to
sWhamss house only few hundred
yards distant across the road, and de-
.mand 0ian explanation of his conduct.
AT :fr,A she said the note in question
had been found on the dresser written
presumably BY his young lady visitor
and sad daressed to Miss Simpson, that
.hssss nlVsnlcked 1t up and dispatched
:. .s:,,as; Is
dent: tlnally however he, admitted
that he was the author Of the often
stve missive. Mr.. Reid Blakely who
wentslwjth Ramage to Wham told
how tncy were met at the front gate
and that Wham seemed 10 be willing
to apologize but did not suit to go
then and turned to 60 back into the
house. Witness said to Rampage bet
ter not let him go back" whereupun
Ramage followed but did not enter
the house, going around to the rear.
Presently he heard shots. Called Lu
deceased but received no response.
Knew he was shot. but Mr.. Wham re-
fused to let him and the others who
had arrived go to the body Of their
dead friend.
Wham and his wife who was the. only
eJ witness to the shooting, testified
in his behalf. Wham showed little or
no hesitancy in making his stalement
and declared he believed when he fired
the fatal shot his life was in imminent
danger; that Ramage had his pistol
leveled at him and was standing with
in ten feet Of him, when quick as a
flash he presented his rifle and fired,
killing Ramage, who had entered his
yard unbidden and who was trying to
prevent his escape from his own house.
He admitted sending notes and ii. e
visits Of the Simpsons, including the
old gentleman to his house, and the
discussion concerning the import Of
the note. He denied cursing Mrs.
Simpson as had been stated, saying
that he used the language with refer
ence to the party who told her or any
OF tile family that he had stole his
property as charged by the lady upon
her second visit to his house. The
note was sent Monday morning.
Tuesday he heard there was going to
be trouble so he left home and lay out
that night, Wednesday and Wcdnes-
day night. He saw that Ra,1age and
Blakely had a gun in their buggy
when he met them at the gate and lie
refused to go with them to the Simp-
son house simply because he had no
friend to go with him at that time.
His wife substantially cOrrobornted
all her husband had sworn 20. So
went out and begged Mr. Rama .y.iys
leave and followed him around
house. Just as he got around,sh. : "
Wham appear at the back door MIR
Ramage drew his pistol and a shot
from her husbands gun was fired She
was looking at Ramagc. She was
cool and told her story quietly. The
case will be concluded Friday.
An unfortunate Case.