The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-10-12
THE BLOODY RECORD Of
JOHN MORRISON.
Desperate Whom the Courts Had
at Least Twice Acquitted.
Four Men Had Died at His
Hands.
Adv. 4Esr:
Snoisl 70 The State.

Special to The State.
Camden, Oct. 3.-If John Morrison,
the desperate who was put to death
by mob in Lancaster county last Sat
urday night, had lived in the days of
the James boys and possessed the dar-
ing and courage which made those
men conspicuous. he would have been
eligible to a nom commissioned Office
in that famous band. There seems
to be no dor bt but that he possessed
the other qualities to marked dsg~ee.
Little is known of his life before
he turned his back on the mountain
Businesses of his native State. North
Carolina, Is years ago, but his career
during this period suggests little Of
peace and good citizenship on his
native heath de came across the
border bearing the brand of Cain, and
the number of his victims here verihes
the stigma.
The facts surrounding the murder
which he is said to have done in
North Carolina are not available,
but that there was such q crime was
persistent rumor long before this last
deed brought his name into promi
nence.
Twelve years ago he met solitary
hunter in a York county forest and
slew him. This victim was found
some days after with bullet hole
through his head, and suspicion rest
ed on John Morrison. He vas tried
and acquitted on the plea Of selfde-
feuse Unfortunately a gun was
found beside the dead man, and this
and the fact that the victim was col
ored man were enough for the jury. =
A short while after this he moved
to Kershaw and within its e1virons
be gratiied his thirst for blood. A
kindly providence saved another col
ored man, reighbor from his bullet
Fancying that he had a grievance
against him, Morrison proceeded to
shoot at bim as his figure was silhou-
cited against the sky on nearby hill
This colored man had the courage
to prosecute Morrison. but again 1t
was q case of white man and negro.
and be went unpunished.
Some time last year party of ne.
eroes we're walking up the track Of
the railroad on which be lived, and
he killed one. He was tried ct Cam
den for the murder and acquitted.
He claimed that they we're engaged in
singing vulaar songs and were other
wise riotous. It is stated that with
his Winchester he chased the terroriz
ed colored men over the surrounding
country until be had exhausted his
ammunition. These negroes were
SC ineimidated that they were afraid
to testify against him on the trial.
4 short while ago, while he was en-
gagged in running the pumping engine
for the tank below Kershaw, he was
reported by an engineer for not hav-
ing water in the tank. After be
learned Of the report be carried his
rife to meet all trains and said openly
that be would use it on any who
reported him. His malignity was so
patent that. when be refused to leave
when told to do so by the railroad
officials. engineers were afraid to stop
at that tank for water and were in
constant dread Of the trestle nearby
being burned under them.
When be was notified to leave by
the railroad officials he refused to Do
so for some time, and finally when he
Gid go admonished them to send a
coffin with his successor
1t is said that he bad planned to kill
his successor last Monday bus was
tbwarted. The circumstances sur
rounding the killing of his last vic
tia are so fresh in the minds Of the
people that they need no recouuting
here