Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-08-15

orative circumstances completed the
negro's Identification and Mr.. Menden-
hall placed him under arrest Exam
ined In the guard house, he admitted
that his name was Robert Smith and
that he was wanted for the murder OF
Chambers Byers; but he claimed that
he was not guilty. He gave an out
line of his movements during the past
fifteen years. and said that he had been
back to see his people at least twice In
the meantime. He had written to them
to meet him on this OCCASION; but had
missed them because he came on the
freight train instead Of the passenger
train as he had at first intended"
On receiving the negro, Sheriff
Brown was unable to find a warrant
or other record Of the crime; but upon
application to Coroner Louthian, there
was unearthed a coroner's book which
contained a rather unsatisfactory ref
erence to the murder. The record,
however, did not include the date Of
the killing: but this morning the sheriff
was enabled to get full particulars from
the files Of THE ENQUIRER. The issue
of November 6, 1889, contains the fol-
lowing:
chambers Byers. colored, who was
shot and wounded by Bob Smith, also
colored, on the lands of Mr.. P. B. Nc
Afee, about nine miles west Of York.
Vile, on the night Of the 18th ultimo,
died on Tuesday night Of last week
October POI. On Wednesday. Trial
Justice Bell, Of this place. held an in
quest with the following jury:
IL. L. Smith, foreman; John Nee
land, w. ]. Love, G. w. Wilson, ]. G.
Brown, ]. w. Good, r. H. Hunt, Wash
Brown, Calvin Wright, Harvey Davis
Ben Mcknight, Hope Hunt
"Drs. W. G. White and r. A. Bratton,
as medical experts, certified that on
examination and dissection Of the body
of Chambers Byers, they found that
his death was the result Of peritonitis
and secondary hemorrhage, caused by
a gunshot wound which perforated the
bowels. entering the abdomen in me-
dian line about two inches below the
navel ranging downward"
"Only two witnesses to the shooting
were examined, whose statements are
given below:
"Adeline Allison, colored, testified
that she was on Mr.. McAfee's place on
the night Of October 1s. and on that
night saw Bob Smith shoot Chambers
Byers at the house Of Milton Davis
Chambers told Bob Smith not to curse
me, when Bob Smith turned round and
shot him. He shot three times. Cham
bers has died since that shooting
Chambers did not strike him or offer
to strike him before the shooting.
heard some shots in the yard before
the shooting in the house"
Rufus Grier, colored, testified that
he was at Mr.. McAfee's on OCTOBER
18th, and saw and heard the difficulty
between Chambers Byers and Robert
Smith. Witnesses sister was looking
for her cap and asked Bob Smith II
he had seen 1t. He commenced curs-
ing her and struck her. Chambers
Byers asked him not to curse her, and
with that Bob Smith pulled out his
pistol and commenced shooting. He
shot three times. l was within four
feet of him. Chambers said: Men
am shot and Bob shot me- l heard
pistol shot just after Bob went out OF
the door. Chambers did not have
pistol.
1.-THE jury returned a verdict that
Chambers Byers came to his death
from a gunshot wound at the hands OF
Robert Smith,"
"The murderer has not been ar
rested"
On the strength Of statements OF Mr..
Enloe and others, and the records IN
the case, Sheriff Brown today obtained
a warrant for Smith, and will at once
proceed to get together all the wilt
nesses to the shooting whose testimony
may still be available.