The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-09-27
NO. [.
AWFUL STORY
OF a Murderous Attack Made On
]. D. Hawkins by
OTHER WHITE MEN.


Who Was Left for Dead, Revives
and Tells How He Was Laid
on the Rail Road Track
to be Run Over.
The Columbia State O.: last WeGnes
day says Sheriff Jennings Of Picken'
County arrived IN Columbia on Tues
day VI last week with warrant fol
John Henderson and Tom Vaughn
who was In jail there charged with
the murdsrous assault upon J. D
Hawkins near Calhoun more THAI two
weeks ago. The Sheriff got the lris'
oners and returned to Pickens with
them on Wednesday.
The State says Henderson ano
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 Il as the result
OF telephone communication from
Sheriff Gilreath OF GIesnVille.
It was no5 knoWa at that time
whether the crime was committed IN
Grsenville or Pickens county and the
delay in removing the man from the
R;caland jail las been due to the fact
that it vas necessary TO wait until
Hawkins had sufficiently regained bis
sense to tell coherent story OF the
effort to take bis life.
he has now improved sufficiently
to do this and rsiSeratss what he Stat
ed at a former interval OF conscious
ness, that Henderson and Vaughn are
the men who attacked him anG placed
his almost helpless AID senseless body
on the track OF the Southern railway
to be crushed by an cncoming traih.
so as to conceal the crime that lad
been committed.
Saer,f Jennings stated that from
the info1 NATION nov at hand it seems
that Hawkins, who resides at the
Brandon mill in Grsenville, was on
Saturday afternoon, September 2,
about to take a train tor Easley, where
be intended to attend a meeting Of
the Odd Fellows lodge, and be had on
mis- person 800 belonging to the order.
This money be showed to several men
with whom he was associating that af-
5srnoon sad plot to rob him was..eV-
ldeutlG determined upon By them. At
ter attempting several ruses to get
aim to 3 point where the robbery could
be COZ -nitted Without fear OF discov-
cry, finally one Of them told Hawkins
a Scandalous story concerning his fam
ily and when Hawkins Indignantly re-
sented the falsetcoi he was told that
If be wcud 20 with them the men
could carry him to the man who had
said it ana would furnish proof OF its
truth.
1t g supposed that that night they
got il s1 empty freight car OF q pass
ing freight train enc, rode as far as
Calhoun where tteS got cf and start
ed on foo5 toward the Ssneoa river.
When about half way to the river and
near a saw mill, Hawkins companions
attacked him with heavy scantings,
striking several terrific blows on the
head and one on his left arm, which
broke it between the wrist and the
slboW. he was also given jab in bis
back with the spiintered end OF q
broken scantling, which made a
irEghtful wound. The blows OF the
wounded mans head had rendered
ain Almost unconscious but not en-
5irely so, as the assailants supposed.
Hawkins, bleeding and unable to raise
mis- hand to help himself, heard them
discuss the best ~ay to dispose OF bis
body. It was agreed by them to throw
ais body In the Seneca river and gath
erirg it 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 soon disappeared this
caused them to change their plan and
it was then agreed to place the body
on the railroad track to be napgled
under the wheels OF tie next train.
Tnis Was done and the would be mur-
derers quickly disappeared in the
darkness. HaHk;ns, dirly realizing
that certain death awaited him unless
be could crawl from the track, made
supreme effort sld managed to- drag
bis body TO the outside OF the track
and roll down thu embankmslt. It
! gill be remembered that his groans
were hsard by Nj. and Mrs. W. A.
Cha pman, Tho were passing on their
way 20 church tee neXG morning, and
the hslf dead man Was found and cared
for at their home.
Henderson ara Va1ghn were seen
at the jail Tuesday ard asked for q
s:atenenJ but tney vigorously denied
any knowledge Of or connection with
she affair. They said that they were
In TIE company OF HaHkns in Green
vile during the Day bat that they did
uot soc him At night, as they were
both at the Magnolia cafe and later
1t a lawn party al the residence Of
NJ. Whitesides. They claim to be
aaie to produce proof o. this alibi.
aawkins' statement is conclusive proof
5ns5 the assault occurred in Pickens
county and the eatirs matter is now
in the hands Of Sler;f jennings
A Ga0sI;y Find,
at B5ston, Mass, tie police we Z
called up to Investigate the death OF a
Homan whose dismenbered body,
Hrs pped Ia white Gil cloth, was found