The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1905-05-11
THE EUrAWYILLE LYNcHERs
Henry Edwards Has Been Kept In the
Penitentiary For His Own Good.

Penitentiary For His Own Good.
Columbia State, 2nd.
Henry Edwards, the States witness
in the Eutawville lynching case, was
sent to Orangeburg Monday in charge
Of a guard Of the State penitentiary.
Edwards has been kept at the State
prison ever since his arrest, for it
was feared that violence would be
done him if he were left in Jail in
Berkeley county.
The so-cailed lynching at Eutawville
was the assassination Of Keitt Book
hardt by parties unknown the 7th day
OF last July. The negro had been put
in Jail on the trivial charge Of having
exchanged epithets with Henry Ed
wards. That night the negro was TAX
en- from the flimsy structure used for
keeping prisoners and his body was
found two days later in Santee river,
having floated and brought to the top
a heavy CRATE bar which had been tied
around his waist.
The body gave evidence OF inhuman
treatment at the hands Of the fiends.
The ears had been cut off and there
were other marks OF violence to show
in what manner the murderers had
tried to degrade the body of their
victim.
Governor Heyward's attention was
dire/Ied to the crime by letter from
M4J. D. Virgins, magistrate at Eu-
t&ville, who denounced the murder
and and begged Governor Hayward to
take some action. Accordingly Gov
ernor Hayward urged Solicitor Hide
brand to go to Eutawville for the in
quest. The Pinkerton Detective agen-
cy was also communicated with and
Inspector Demaio was put on the case.
The investigation resulted in the ar
rest, after three months, Of several
white men Of prominence in that Sec
ton.
These men were kept In custody at
the penitentiary until the 18th Of De-
cember, when a preliminary hearing
was held at St. George, Dorchester
county, Magistrate A. E. Mccoy pre-
siding. The preliminary was held at
st. George because that point is on
the railroad and was as accessible as
Eutawville and more accessible than
Monck's Corner.
With one exception the prisoners
were remanded to Jail to await trial
"Piney" Martin was released, as he
had been arrested on warrant intend
ed for Penny" Martin. The others
indicted are: Henry C. Edwards, who
confessed and is being used as the
prosecuting witness; S. A. Eadens, the
constable in whose custody the negro
was on the night Of the lynching; ].
H. Palmer, a policeman at Eutawville;
Penny Martin, Andrew Martin and Ad-
ger Butler. The latter was released as
nothing could be proved against him.
The crime was supposed to have oc-
CURED in Berkeley county, and the ac-
cused were taken to the county seat,
Monck's Corner, where they have been
lying in Jail since last December.
Sheriff J. B. Morrison, Of Berkeley
county, who was here a short time ago,
declared that although his jail is but
a log hut, the prisoners have been
quite comfortable as they had the use
of the yard in the day time and, as
he expressed 1t, were getting as fat
as pigs"
But when the case was called for
trial at Monck's Corner in January,
Solicitor Hildebrand sprang a surprise.
He had had the territory surveyed,
and while it is true that EutawVille
is in Berkeley county, still the place
at which the murder was alleged to
have been committed Is in Orangeburg
county. The case was thus transferred
to a county in which there was not SO
much personal feeling and interest. 1t
ss probable that at the approaching
iSm Of court, the defendants attor-
.sys, Messrs. E. J. Dennis and j. w.
Haynes, will make motions to take the
case back to Berkeley county.