Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1905-07-19
WALHALLA, 3. e.
"WEDNESDAY. JULY 10. 1905.
ROMANCE OF A MURDER.
The Killing OF Treasurer Copes, OF Orange
Murderer Leaves Penitentiary.

c
ln the year 1896, has passed from the
memory of the public, although i,
created an immense sensation in the
State at the time. 1t is recalled al
THE time by the report, which is
more or less we'll authenticated, that
Murphy, white, who was convicted
of the crime, is now in the Philip.
pines, private in the army, though
what regiment or company he is a
member of is not known.
A former penitentiary guard told a
reporter that relative of Murphy
told him that, now that the whole
thing was over, he would say that
Murphy was in the Philippines,
though his exact whereabouts in the
islands he did not know. Superin-
tendent Griffin said he had never
heard the report until informed of it
by newspaper representative, but
said he would make some inquiries,
though it is hardly probable that
any thing will come of them, as Muir
ply most likely is living under an as
sumed name, and possibly has so
shanged in personal appearance that
it would be difficult to idetify him.
Treasurer Copes was killed about
1896, having been on tax collecting
tour through the country. He was
shot with shotgun at lonely place
on the public road some miles from
Orangeburg, and for some time there
was no clue whatever to the criminal.
Finally, Murphy, somewhat worth
less white man, was arrested and ac-
cused OF the crime. A great deal of
the evidence against him was circum-
stantial, but he was convicted.
His case went to the Supreme Cour', =,
was sent back, az the circumstances
are recalled, and he was convicted
second time. Murphy was sentenced
GO be hanged. His aged father, how
ever, succeeded in enlisting the SER
vices of M. p. Carrall, a prominent
lawyer in Augusta, who obtained a
great deal of circumstantial evidence
gong to prove an alibi. Much of
this evidence was considered worth
less by those who knew the source
OF 1t, but personal appeals, added to
the alleged evidence, induced Cover.
ner Ellerbe to commute the sentence
10 life imprisonment.
Murphy was taken to the peniten
tiary for afe-keeping previous to
iinal action. The Governor visited
MIN in his cell once or twice News
paper men were frequent callers, and
penltentlary authorities were con-
stantly on the alert and made fire.
luent endeavors to get Murphy to
taIk about the crime. Farther than
deny his guilt he would say nothing,
and either tried to appear imbecilc,
or were actually somewhat so,
slough it was evident that he was
man OF such mental capacity as to
@e accountable for any crime he may
have committc d.
After the Communication he was
put 20 work about the pcnitentiary
and his life was different from that
Of other convicts in the yard. He
was placed in a cell in the old build.
-ug with a white convict named Cul-
@om, sent down from Oconec for
highway robbery. Their cell was on
The second floor, facing long por
uico RAINING around the building. BY
some means they managed to secret
faies and other tools about their per.
e ons, or in their cells, ard after what
must have been long and tedious and
constantly interrupted work they
were enabled to open the cell door.
One dark night about four or five
years ago, watching when the guard
was elsewhere, they opened the cell
door, crawled, likely, to the end of
she portico, sliding down one of the
columns to the groand.
The penitentiary yard is brilliantly
lighted by electricity and very