The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-05-04
fRE MANNING TRAGEDY.
Its Cause Remains a Mystery---
Testimony Of Eye-Witnesses at
Coroner's Inquest.
Attac|< Appears to Haye Been Made by
KeeIs, but There was no Testimony
That He was Armed.

keelS, 0ut tEerc was no testimony
That He was Armed.
Manning, May S.-The story Of the
tragedy enacted yesterday afternoon,
almost within the temple Of Justice
itself, is best told by the witnesses
before the coroner's jury. All of the
witnesses examined are representative
men from different sections of the
county, being here, either attending
Court or the County Convention.
After the body of Mr.. John r. Keels
was examined by DR.. W. M. Brock
ingtol,, who found that all five shots
had taken effect, four having passed
entirely through the body, and that
I this v7as the cause Of his death, the
following witnesses were examined :
Mr.. W. T. Sprott, Of Foreston.
swore:
81 vas standing about 40 yards in
front Of the Court House when I heard
shot. At first I only recognized
Mr.. Keels backing of, and
Mr.. Yoemans stepping aside, shoot
ing Mr.. Keels. I saw Mr..
Keels until he backed behind the COL
umn, then I could not see him. He
seemed to be trying to get around the
column. IF Mr.. Yeomans had stood
still the column would have been be-
tween them when the last shot was
fred"
MI. r. NJ. johnson, Of Pinewood,
swore that he was across the street
when the firing began, and that Mr.
Yeomans was on the Court House
steps when he fred the first shot.
When the fourth shot was fred Mr.
Keels threw UP his hands and stag
gered back. Mr.. Keels was nearly on
the ground when the fifth shot was
fred. Mr.. Yeomans was the only
man ] saw with a pistol in his hands.
I saw Mr.. Yeomans advancing on MIR.
Keels and Mr. Keels going backward.
Mr.. ]. S. Evans, of Salem, swore
that he was standing at the Court
House steps when Mr.. Keels rushed
by, going in the direction of Mr..
Yeomans, and said,. G-d--n you
saw his right hand was back. Mr..
Yeomsns fred just as MI. Keels pass
ed by me. After the first shot Mr..
Keels staggered the least bit, which
threw HIM directly between me and
Mr. 1'eomans.aa Il then stopped and
made an effort to get in the Court
House door. Whens / looked again
Mr.. ]zeels was behind the post and
Mr.. Yeomans fred Que or two shots
more. From she tone Of Mr.. Keels's
voice / am not certain that he was
mad. did not see Mr.. Keels strike
at Nj. Yeomans. The first shot was
fred, it seemed to me, within two or
three feet Of Mr.. Keels. Mr.. Yeo-
mans did not make any attempt to
strike Mr.. Keels, only to shoot him.
M. J. b. Timmons, Clerk Of Court,
swo,e that as he started across the
path 10 go to she street Mr.. Keels
passed hin rapidly in the direction to
where Mr.. Yeomans was leaning
against the post. Mr.. Keels was
walking so rapidly that it attracted
his attention. AS Mr.. Keels got in
front Of Nh. Yeomans be attempted
to strike him. He struck at Yeo.
mans's face, but I don't think he hit
him. It seemed to be glancing blow.
Mr.. !zeomans threw up his hands,
which caused Mr.. Keels to throw up
his. ldr. Yeomans then pulled his
pistol, fred in such rapid succession
until I could not get between them,
I saw Keels drop his head and catch
at the column and fall. I did not hear
anything said by either party. 1 saw
no weapon on Mr.. Keels. They we're
about four or five feet apart when the
first slot was fred.
S. ". Mcintosh, swore: was stand
ing in the Court House door and
heard a voice, which I took to be
Keels's say Cd d-n you, and when
loolged around I saw Keels stagger
back as if he had been pushed. He
had his hand IN his hip pocket.
When the second shot was fred l saw
blood. I do not know whether it
came from his mouth or not; Did not
see MI. Keels have any stick or wea-
pom of any kind.
Upon the above testimony the coro-
ner's jury, with E. D. Hodge as fore
man, rendered the following verdict {:
"That the said John R. Keels came
to his death from pistol shot wounds
s.o~, tbo beodc oe G M Voornope Of