The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-11-25
A TERRIBLE CRIME.
a Prominent Merchant Of Bamberg
Waylaia and Murd red.
MR. M. 3. warm IS TIE VICT1M.

w dS li1l GuO
MR. NJ. 3. warm IS TIE VICT1M.
His Head Was Crushed by a $40"
from Behind and His Money
Stolen. Several Negroes
Under Arrest.
The town of Bamberg was shocked
and thrown into state Of excitement
THURSDAY night over one Of the bold
est and most high-handed murders
that has ever happened in this State.
The following account Of the bastard
" crime we take from The State:
Mr.. NJ. B. Warn, a prominent mer-
chant of Bamberg, left his store on
Main street Thursday night about 9
o'clock to go home. He lived in the
southeastern part Of town, on Carlisle
street, nearly mile from the business
portion of town. He did not arrive
at his usual hour, so about $50 o'clock
his wife became alarmed and started
out, accompanied by one OF her little
sons, to see what was tAe matter.
About 100 yards from her house,
nearly in front of the residence OF Mr..
G. P. Harmon, they stumbled over
Mr.. Warns body lying on the sidewalk
on his face in a pool of blood. with
the whole back of his head crushed in,
ghastly sight. His skull was frac-
tured, be was unconscious and never
spoke afterwards.
The alarm was raised, several leigh
bors hurried to the scene and the man
so badly done to death was carried to
his home Physicians were hastily
summoned but nothing could be done
and ne died at 10.l5 o'clock. He was
hit twice in the back Of the head with
some heavy blunt instrument, the ma
ture of which has not been determ-
ined. An axe handle and a heavy
piece of iron, a part of a buggy spring,
apparently, were found in the street
not very far from the body, hut no
blood was on either.
Two men evidently did the killing,
as two different tracks were found at
the body, as well as on a vacant lot
on the street near town where they
had sat down in the weeds and watch
ed for their victim to pass. When he
cane they followed short distance
until a favorable opportunity for
striking the fatal blow presented
itself. Mr.. Warn usually took bis
money home at night in little sack.
He did this Thursday night, counting
it out in the presence Of drummer, a
gentleman from town and a negro.
This sack was missing from the
body. From examination Of his cash
book Fridy it is supposed to have con-
tanned IS or $40. In small pocket
book in one of his pockets was found
some silver and a SIS bill. He also
had some bills in another pocket.
which were not touched, the robbers
40 doubt thinking h1 had all his
money in the sack. His watch was
not gone.
Magistrate W. W. LightSey form
ed a jury Of inquest Friday morning,
who viewed the body at the house,
took Mrs. Warns testimony and reas-
sembled at the court house, where the
attending physicians were examined.
No light was thrown on the tragedy
and they adjourned until Monday for
more thorough investigation.
Three negroes have e 4 arrested
on suspicion and are now in jail-JOe
Robinson, Ned Warren and Tom Ma
terry. Robinson and Warren formerly
drove dray for Mr.. Warn and he has
had some trouble with both Of them.
Last summer Robinson, after work
iag fer Mr.. Warn some months, bought
a horse and wagon and started dray
Of his own, naturally getting work
from some of Mr.. Warns former Gus.
toners. Recently Warren has been
working for Mr.. Warn, but was dis
charged last Saturday, as his returns
for collections were not satisfactory.
On Monday Robinson got horse and
wagon for Warren and started him
up in business and Mr.. VaTn and
Robinson had some words about this,
so it is understood
The shoes of each we're taken of
after their arrest and fitted to the
tracks on the vacant lot and at the
body and it is said they fitted exactly.
Matery is an associate Of these two
and it is thought that he knows some
thing about the murder. The dead
man had been cautioned about his
practice of carrying his money home
at night and whoever did the killing
evidently knew Of this habit Of his.
His wife testified that a few months
ago two men followed him home, one
with a shotgun, but did not molest
him. They acted suSpiciously and he
told his wife about it after reaching
hcme, saying that in the dark places
Of the street they walked fast, but
under the lights they Stacked up.
An effort was made Thursday night
to get bloodhounds for the purpose of
trailing the murderers, but they could
not be obtained in time. The negro
who saw him put his money in his
pocket Thursday night is not known.
The town has been saddened and
horrifed at this awful occurrence
happening right on one of the princi-
pal streets Of the town so early in the
evening, but all is quiet Thursday
night and there is disposition to let
the law take it's course.
City counsel had a special meeting
this morning and offered reward of
| c900 for tho nnur1ererS Private