The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-07-21
LOCATED AT LAST.
Murphy, the Murderer of Treasurer
Copes, in tho Army.


Copes, in tho Army.
Penitentiary Authorities to Make
Inquiries. Brief Resume OF
the Crime and Escape.
The murder Of Treasurer Oopes, Of
Orangeburg, in the year 1896, has
passed from the memory OF the public
now, although 1t created an immense
sensation in the state at the time. 1t
Is recalled at this time by the report,
which is more or less we'll authenti.
Gated, that Murphy, white, who was
convicted of the crime Is now in the
Philippines, private in the army,
though what regiment or company he
Is q member Of is not known.
A former penitentiary guard told q
Columbia Record reporter that rela-
tive of Murphy told him that, now
that the whole thing was over, he
would say that Murphy was In the
Philippines, though his exact where
abouts in the islands he did not know.
Superintendent Griffith said he had
never heard the report until informed
of it by u newspaper man, but said he
would make some inquiries, though 1t
Is hardly probable that anything will
come of them, as Murphy most likely
Ia living under an assumed name, and
possibly has 80 changed in personal
appearance that 1t would be di I'll cult
to identify him.
Treasurer Copes was killed about
1896, having been on tax collecting
tour through the country. He was
shot with a shotgun at q lonely place
on the public road some miles from
Orangeburg, and for sometime there
was no clue whatever to the criminal
Finally, Murphy, o somewhat worth.
less white man, was arrested and &C
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 court, was
sent back, as the circumstances are
recalled, and second conviction was
had. Murphy was sentenced to be
hanged. His aged father, however,
succeeded in enlisting the services Of
MIR. M. P. Carroll, prominent lawyer
in Augusta, who secured a great deal
of circumstantial evidence going to
prove an alibi. Much Of this evidence
was considered worthless by those
who knew tho source OF 1t, but per
sonal appeals added to the alleged
evidence induced Governor Ellerbe to
commute the sentence to life impris-
onment.
Murphy was during appeal taken to
| 10 fso~ So
vious to final action. The governor
visited him In his cell once or twice.
Newspaper men were frequent callers
and penitentiary authorities were con-
lstantlyscn thos ;al lsfts & g :atS ,iaaSl fse.
quent endesvors to get Murphy to
talk about the crime. Further than
deny his guilt he would say nothing,
and either tried to appear imbecilic
or was actually parsonage on that
order, though 1t was evident that he
was o man Of such mental capacity as
to be accountable for any crime lie
may have committed.
After the Communication he was put
to work about the penitentiary and
his life was no different from that OF
other convlcIs In the yard. He was
placed in o cell In the old building
with white convict named Cullom,
sent down from Oconee for highway
robbery. Their cell was on the sec
ond floor, facing a long portico run.
ming around the building. BY some
means they managed to secret files
and other tools about their persons OF
In their cell, and after what must
have been long and tedious and con
stantly 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
the portico, sliding down one Of the
supporting columns 80 the ground.
The penitentiary yard is brilliantly
lighted by electricity and very high,
smooth brick wall surrounds the
building. Notwithstanding this the
two mon succeeded In escaping the
eye OF the guards and scaling the walls
and securing their liberty. Before
leaving one Of them, at least, showed
that he possessed the sense of humol
to some degree. With charcoal writ
ten on the walls were sentences like
the following: Sorry to leave you. ;
God he with you till we meet again.
Good bye, we are bound fer South
America There were some other,
on similar order mingled with ob
scenity.
Every effort was made to recaptur'
the men, but they successfully eludet
detection and never were heard Of un
TIL few weeks ago, when the repor
that Murphy was In the Philippine
reached Columbia. Penitentiary au
thorities had forgotten the circum
stance along with everybody else. NJ
information has ever been received a
to Cullom. He may be In the Pa Gift
islands TOO, but as his crime was no
SO serious az THAT of his cell partner
perhaps he did not think IL necessar.
to get so far away from home.
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