Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1904-10-19
SOLICITOR SPEAKS PLAINLY
Asked MANY Pertinent QUESTION: OF
Pr6minsrf. People Even Preachers
Fiuuratively Say amen" =

/
Mr.. j. K. Henry, solicitor Of the
| sixth circuit, last week submitted to
! Gov. Heywsrd a report on the Ker-
shaw lynching: Mr.. Henry Is very
cutspoken in his condemnation Of the
double killing and calls attention tn
state CT affairs in Kersbaw which
he says riakes it almost impossible
fer the State to get any evidence.
In view. OF. the attention which has
been attracted to the case as wei:
as to tine strong statements in the
letter itself. Mr.. Henry's official com
munication to the Governor Will be
very interesting reading:
Chester, S. c., Oct. u, 1904.
Gov. D:s.G. Heywaydl,
Columbia, S. G.
Sir: In obedience to your request
arrived at Kershaw, S. C., at noon:
on Monday, October 3. to investigate
the lynching of John r. Morrison fer
| the killing of William Floyd on the
Saturday previctis; After. comforting
with the sheriff Of Lancaster, John P
Hunter, Esq. who had. preceded mc
that morning, conferred with anf
interviewed the mayor, some OF the.
aldermen, the town marshal. severa :
CT the citizens, the wife and sen Of
Morrison and two CT M6rrisod's neigh
bors. From these learned that thu
attitude of the entire town and sur
rounding country was, by hand or
heart, "His blood be upon us and oui'
children" Not a single man amcne
them but what deplored lyhching and
excused this one, "if one. was ever
oxcusabl9." Everyone with whom !
ccnversed seemed to labor to impress
me with the fact that this was the
most orderly, quiet end sober lynchins
that ever occurred-a. real piouss
lynchins; with the preachers in the
background, almost audibly saying
"amen." did not get to see any OF
the local preachers; but several spoke
to me after leaving Kershaw, on the
sub ect Of this lynching. and to my
entire estoliiehment. they vcicet the
sentiment, "If there evei was an ex.
cusable lynching this was it, Where:
are we going to end up-these horrl-
BILE midnight murders by lynch law
on all hands and public sentiment
fast head ng the same wayE A sense
of paralysis came upon me with the
darkness of Monday night 81
On Tuesday morning called a.
special meeting of the town council.
Every member. with the town mar
shall. met us (Sheriff Hunter and my.
self in a special meeting. explain.
ed that the Governor had sent me to.
investigate the lynch:ng;; they were
Sworn officers. like myself; l wanted
their help; Morrison had been taken
from their custody they were some
what responsible on this account; i
wanted them to deal with me in a.
perfectly honest and straightforward.
manner; would try to dc the same
with them: there was no use in my
wasting effcrt il they were in SYM
pathy with the lynching or would OBJ
struct or refuse to help me il the.
investigation. My appeal for help
was in the interest of law, and the
uame of the State and Cur Maker.
After this I asked each and every
one Of them the following questions:
1. Are you in sympathy with tha;
lynching? Z:
2. Will you help the States officers
in ferretipg cut and bringing to trial.
these lynchers, honestly?
8. Was this lvnching done by town
forks or from the surrounding coun
Try?
To these three questions I have yer
b. tim answers on file. Two aldermen
answered that they were Indifferent to
the lyaching and would net holp to-
ferret cut tie iynchcrs. The MAYOR.
and. one alderman answered that thev
were rot in sympathy with the lynch
ing and would help the State officers.
provided it did not interfere with
their business (both Of these had
much pusiness.) One alderman had
done. all he could to prevent the
lvnching ind would do nothing more.
The clerk was in sympathy with tn
iynchers and would net help to ferret
it, out and would cover up evidence if
he knew of any.
The town marshal was net IN sym.
pathv with the lynching. did all he
could to prevent it and would help all
he could to ferret it out, but he wa's
busy collecting taxes.
AS to the third question, the opinion
of three of those present was that the.
lynching was done by country people.
and Of four that he crowd that did
it was mixed; b bv four that the
country people p 1minated, because
nobody could be issed from the
town after Mcrri; was taken from
the guard house mis- last is the
opinion cf the gr majority of the
townspsople to who l talked. After
interviewing the ,o~n n officers, re-
quested the town marshal to go to eV-
cry business place and announce that
| would rem3in at the council cham
ber until 5 p. M, (taking 80 minutes
fer dinner) and wanted to confer with
any one who would give me any as
sist2nce. I urged the marshal not
to pass hv single man. If possible
AS a result six persons called on me:
one CT them a member Of the inquest
Jury -on the lynching of Morrison.
This member CT that jury had taken
g hand in lynching bee to the ex,
tent of voting to hang the culprit;
hut this was for the usual(D crime
Of all six none knew anything except
as they say"
tried to meet The States cores,
pondent, sent word to him and went
tn his office. He was cut CT town
asked fer End tried to find frien"
OF the dead man, outside CT bis ow"
family. II there was one he woulI
not own 1t. One man spoke kindly o.
Morrison, md man who had known
him longest and best.
The following are my conclusions:
William Floyd was a good, average
citizen, sober and populfr, and OF
popular and influential family. John
T. Morrison was cross-grained and
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