The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-09-29
OF a Murderous Attack Made on
j. D. Hawkins by
OTHER WHITE MEN.
The Victim Of the Murderous Attack.
Who Was Left for Dead, Revives
and Tells How lie Was Laid
on the Rail Road Track
to be Run Over.

to be Run Over.
The Columbia State Of last Wednes.
day says Sheriff Jennings of PickenB
County arrived in Columbia on Tues.
day of last week with a warrant for
John Henderson and Tom Vaughn,
who was in jail there charged with
the muIdarous assault upon j. d,
Hawkins near Calhoun more than two
weeks ago. The Sheriff got the prls-
oners and returned to Pickens with
them on Wednesday.
The State says Henderson and
Vaughn are the two men who were
arrested In the weave room Of the
Olympia cotton mill by Deputy Sher.
ifs Knox and Cathcart last Thursday
afternoon, September IA as the result
Of telephone communication from
Sheriff Gllreath of Greenville.
1t was not known at that time
whether the crime was committed in
G%reenville or Pickens county and the
delay in removing the mon from the
Richland jail has been due to the fact
that 1T was necessary to wait until
HAWKINS had sufficiently regained his
sense to tell a coherent story OF the
effort to take his life.
He has nOW improved sufficiently
to do tGis and reiterates what he stat
ed at q former interval Of conscious
noss, that Henderson and Vaughn are
the men who attacked him and placed
his almost helpless AID senseless body
en- the track OF the Southern railway
TO be crushed by an oncoming train,
~ 90 tO ornpnal tho crirno that bod
been commiJted.
Sheriff Jennings stated that from
the information now at hand 1T seems
Brandon mill in Gr~eenville, was on
Saturday afternoon, September 2,
about TO take a train for Easley, where
he intended to attend a meeting Of
the DAD Follows lodge, and he had ON
nis person 500 belonging to the order.
This money he showed to several men
with whom he vas a%ssociating that az
ternoon and q plot to rob him was..ev-
identity determined upon by them. Af-
ter attempting several ruses to get
him to q point where the robbery could
be committed Without fear OF discOv-
cry, iinally Of them told Hawkins
a scandalous story concerning his fam
lily and when Hawkins Indignantly re-
sented the falsebo0a he was told that
If he would 20 with them the men
could carry him to the man who had
said IL and would furnish proof of It's
truth. (.
II Is supposed that that night they
go5 In an empty freight car of a pass
inE freight train and rode as far as
Calhoun, where I'll e. got of and start
ed on 1905 toward the Seneca river.
When about half way to the river and
GEAR a saw mill, Hawkins companions
attacked him with .hea ny scantlings,
striking several terrific blows on the
head and n on his lt fl arm, which
broke IL between the wrist and the
elbow. He was also given q jab in his
back With the splintered end Of o
broken scantling, which made o
frlghtful wound. The blows on the
wounded mans head had rendered
him almost unconscious but not en-
tirely 80, as 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
his body In the Seneca river and gath
ering 1T up they started toward the
river bank, but when about half way
they saw the Waterman Of the bridge
approaching with his lighted lantern.
Although he 500 disappeared this
caused them to change their plan and
1t was theh agreed to place the body
on the railroad track to be mangled
under the wheels OF the next train.
This WIS done and the would be muir.
derers quickly disappeared in the
darkness. Hawkins, dimly realizing
that certain death waited him unless
ne could era wi from the track, made
a supreme effort and managed to drag
his body to the outside Of the track
and roll down the emblnkmant. 1t
will be remembered that his groans
were heard by Mr.. and Mrs. w. A.
Chapman, who were passing on their
way to church the next morning, and
the half dead Ia was found and cared
for at their homo.
henderson and Vaughn were seen
at the jail Tuesday and asked for o
statement but they vigorously denied
any knowledge OF or connection with
the affair. They said that they were
In the company OF Hawkins In Green
Vile during the day but that they did
not see him at night, az they we're
both at the Magnolia cafe and later
~ q lawn party at the residence Of
Mr.. Whitesides. They claim to be
able to produce proof OF this alibl.
Hawkins statement is conclusive proof
that the assault occurred in Plckens
county and the entire matter Ia now
In the hands OF Sheriff Jennings.
"A Gh0stly Etnd.
At Boston, Mass, the police we o
called up to Investigate the death OF 9
woman whose dismembefed body,