The Pickens sentinel-journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1903-1906, 1905-09-27
Hawkins Tells Story OF Murderous
x ,.'sa. Attack.

1 w
derson and Tom Vaughn, who ar
IN Jail here charged with murder
! GUS assault upon J. D. Hawkln'
near Calhoun more than tw,
weeks ago. He will return tt
Pickens with his prisoners this
morning.
Henderson and Vaughn are the
two men who were arrested in the
weave room Of the Olympia cotton
mill by Deputy Sheritfs Knox and
Cathcart last Thursday afternoon,
as result Of a telephone commu.
nj G O tiop from Sheriff Gil
reath of Greenville. 1t was not
known at the time whether the
crime was committed in Greenville
or Pickens county and the delay
i'll removing the men from Rich.
land Jail has been due to the fact
that 1t Was necessary to wait until
Hawkins had sufficiently regained
his senses to tell a coherent story
of the effort to take his life. He
has now improved sufficiently to
do this aud reiterates what he stat
ed at O. former interval of consci-
ousness, that Henderson and
Vaughn are the mon who attacked
him and placed his aim ost helpless
and senseless body on the track of
the Southern railway to be crush
ed by all oncoming train, 80 as to
conceal the crime that HAD been
committed.
Sheriff Jennings stated yester-
day that from the information now
at hand it seems that Hawkins
who resides at the Brandon mill at
Greenville, was on Saturday after
noon, Sept. 2, about to take a train
tor Eusley, where he intended to
attend meeting of the Odd Eel
lows, and had on his person 500
belonging to the order.
This money he showed to several
mon with whom he was associating
that afternoon and a plot to rob
him was evidently determined ups
Oh by them.
After attempting several ruses
to get him to point where the
robbery could be- committed with
out fear of discovery, finally one Of
them, told Hawkins a scandalous
story concerning his family and
when Hawkins Indignantly resent
cd the falsehood he was told that
If he would 60 with them the men
could carry him to the man who
had said it and would furnish
proof of it's truth. 1t is supposed
that that night they got into an
empty freight Car Of n passing
train and rode as far as Gal.
houn, where they got off and start
ed OIL foot toward the Seneca river.
When about half way to the river
and near saw mill Hawkins COM
panions attacked him WIN heavy
scantlings striking several terrific
blows on his head and one on his
left arm which broke it between
the wrist and elbow. He was also
given jab in the back with the
splintered end of O broken soant-
ling, (which made frightful wound.
The blows on the wounded mans
head had rendered him almost un-
conscious but not entirely 80, ae
the assailants supposed. Hawkins
bleeding and unable to raise his
hand to help himself, heard them
discuss the best way to dispose of
his body. 1t was agreed by them
to throw hls body into the Seneca
river and gathering it Il, they
started toward tho rlvir bank, but
when about half way they saw the
watchman of the bridge approach.
ing with a lighted lantern. Al
though he soon disappear ed this
caused them to change their plan
and 1t was then agreed to place the
body on the railroad track to be
mangled under the wheels Of the
next train. This was done and
the would. be murderers quickly
disappeared in the darkness. Haw.