The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1904-10-21
LYNCHERS JAILED.
Six Men Brought to Columbia For
Safe Keeping-Result of Quiet
And Skillful Work.

| AS the result OF hard, quiet, and
skillful detective work there are six
men incarcerated in Columbia, charg-
ed with connection in the Eutaw-
vile lyncning. The following ac-
count appears in this mornings
State:
Six white men suspected of hav-
ing caused the death of Keitt Book
ard at Eutawville on the night of
July 18th were arrested yesterday,
and are now in the state penitenti-
ary awaiting trial. Among the sus-
poets arrested are J. H. Palmer, who
was marshal of the town of Eutaw-
vile, and S. A. Eadon, constable to
! Magistrate Wiggins. The others
are Piney Martin, Benny Martin and
their brother-inlaw, Adger Butler,
and H. C. Edwards. The latter was
arrested Sunday, but no mention of
the fact was made for fear that the
others named might become fright
ened. Another of the Martin broth
ers will be arrested today. He has
moved to another part of the state.
The formal arrest was made by
Sheriff J. B. Morrison OF Berkeley
county, the officers who worked up
the evidence being unable to get con-
stables to serve the warrants. Gov.
Hayward was asked to send officers
from Columbia, but they could not
get there in time, and Sheriff J. e.
more Martin Of Charleston Dispatch
ed four deputies to Eutawville to as
sist Sheriff Morrison, but the latter
had made the arrests when the dep
uties arrived No trouble was en-
countered, the men at first taking the
affair lightly, but when they heard
that Edwards had been arrested they
! did not show so much pleasure. Ed
wards is a very material witness, and
seems to have left the neighborhood
rather suddenly on the night Of the
murder.
The crime for which these men
were arrested as suspects is one OF
the most revolving in the history Of
the state. The only alleged reason
was that Edwards had quarreled with
the negro and the latter had cursed
Edwards. But there was, perhaps,
deeper motive, which may be made
apparent in time 1t seems that the
difference with Edwards was made
an excuse for the negro to be ar
rested.
A little more detailed statement,
as taken from the report at the time,
is as follows: On Thursday, July
9TH, Piney Martin, Gilmore Martin,
Adger Butler and H. C.. Edwards,
white men, and Keitt Bookard and
Eugene Washington, colored, went
to a lake near Eutawville to spend
some time fishing. There was some
horse play in the wagon and Andrew
Martin threw Edwards out The lat
ter, thinking that it was the negro re-
turned the epithets and threatened to
spank Edwards.
After the return from the fishing
trip the Martins began to urge Ed
wards to have the negro prosecuted.
! The negro was arrested on July 18th
and was taken before Magistrate
Virgins who fined the prisoner SIS
with an optional sentence of serving
IS days on the changing. The prls-
oner was unable to raise the money
and was kept in the guard house at
Eutawville that night to be taken to
the county jail the day following.
Keitt Bookard never reached the
county Jail. Some time during the
night he was taken from the guard
house, his body was mutilated in d
most horrible manner, his ears be-
ing cut off and there being score of
knife stabs in the body. A CRATE bar
weighing 50 pounds was tied to the
corpse, which was thrown into the
Santee river. Search was made, and
it was not until Friday Of the same
| raal. tl1at the hndv Mas found float