The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-10-31
CORONER'S INQUEST.
Over the Dead Body or IL.
F., Wells-verdict-CO


Testimony Over the Dead Body OF H.
E. Observation-Disclosures.
John Edmunds. being sworn. says:
r. Z. Wells and / was present Wnen MT
Wells was shot; be was standing near MS en-
gine about $50 yards from Mr.. Waller Har,
M s house this morning aoOuh Rr,he Harmon I
come TO the saw mill through the bushes ;
each OF them had single barrel shot gun N
their hands; when they got In about tWenLy
mo. MIR. Wells said don't shoot me. a, an q
lust ut that time the guns fired; ootn Cilhl
and Bertha raised their guns and shot Mr.
Wells; Mr.. Wells started TO get hls, ana a. ne
drew It the guns fired, be. MI We,.s @ ietr fono ~
Mr.. Wells when be was shot. Dngies HaI :
mon, q brother Of Mr. Clint and Bertha, wa.
standing to right OF Mr.. Wells; at the tlme ni
and Bertha went off just after they shot MI
Wells; went the same way they come MI.
Wells WAS shopping down hrlng Dis eng,ne
when Clint and Bertha walked up: 1ust of-
fore The shoot, ny went to the aprlng; IN "
Clint and Bertha Harmon going down the
branch, both had guns. this was about iour or
We minutes before the shooting; old not wee
them when they crossed the cotHh patSt
did not hear them cay anything When they
was going down the branch; don't know
whether or not Dugles left the saw mill WIN
the two brothers or not; l know CIlnt an q
Bertha went back the same way they came
Cross examinstion. Don't know where M;
Wells had his pistol; did not see u untli
pulled It out: just as be pulled out DIS pisloI
and started to raise II be fel' 10 the ernunu
the shots was fred after Mr.. Wells got out ID
uistol, John Callahan was present when IN 9
shooting took place Mr.. Wells had been taR'
ing hia meals at Mr.. Walter Harmon's mouse
since he bad been at This stand ABOUT eIsn' ",
ty
night: I never heard any words passed When
the shooting occurred, except one Or Mr. Har,
mons said hands up. and Mr.. wells salu
don't shoot me; don't know what became OF
Mr.. Wells pistol.
John C. C.liaham. being sworn. says:
Wasat Mr.. Wells saw mill this a. no. when
be was shot; II was a6nnt O'CLOCK mr.
Wells and myself was grinding some axes
when we got through be told me TO take ooth
axes to woods and use either one wanted 10
he told me what size and Length logs 10 cul
started to the woods ana saw MT, U.inu W. ~
mill, both had guns. single barrel oreacn
loading; they walked up In about e,ehteen
or twenty steps to where Mr.. Wells was; he
was near the engine; !hey pinpeo ,nerr IT kums snS
raised their guns and one gun fired oy Chnt
Harmon, the other fred Immediately and
Mr.. Wells fell on bis knees at the hrst snnt'
ana when the second shot hred ne ieiI 10 tne
less 20, and they went of pretty near the
sa me way they came; I was close enough To
Clint when he shot MIR. Wells 10 pnt my
hands ON him. John Edmnnds ana Dugiea
Harmon was present when the SHOOTING tonk
place. After Clint shot Mr.. Wei he reload
ed his gun and then walk'd off; l did noi
know OF any existing trouble between Mr.:
Wells and the Harmon boys; Mr.. Wells olo
n of ssy any thing about them TO me.
Cross examined. l seen Mr.. Wells get his
pistol after Clint Harmon said hands up. and
held 1t mp as II he was going TO level IL down !;
thew was slow about shooting; WAS looking
was pointing his pistol hut did not have time
to- shoot; the second shot was nred I'm me-
diately after the first.
Dugles Harmon. being SWORD, says;
was present at :he shooting this q. m. {;
had been at the saw mill about hall hour
when the shooting took place did not Know
of any exietipg trouble between Mr.. Wells
and my brothers.
Henry Mcknight, being sworn. says:
I have been work ing for Mr.. Wells at saw
mill about Blk months; oeen at lne presene u,
break fast at the time OF the shooting; did
not DOW of bad feeling existing oetWe'n
Mr. Wells and the Harmon boys. Dugle Har.
mon and W. D. Harmon was at the ,,l saw miii la
W hen I left to go to breakfast; clint ana
Bertha as not at the bouse " hen we went 10
br reakfaat. On nv way back TO Inc saw mill
I met Mr.. W. y Harmon going towards MS.
house; be told me that VIII was dend AZ
hell: said Clint killed him said he (Walter)
had caught Wells In his house In the room
with Ciinrs wife did not say when 1t was he
ht him Mr.. Wells eat his dlhper at W.
D. Harmon's house yest,rday ne mao oeen
taking his meals with Mr.. Harmon since ne
had been swing at that stand did not < now
Of any bad ,eellne betw cen Wells and The
Harmon family; Mr.. Wells had been sleer-
ng at Harmon's house since W. had been al
u lu
WeIIs' "a " mill is on W. D. HarmOns land.
Cross examined. Did not know OF any i'm
proper relation between Wells and Clint Har
non's wife Wells told me be got note from
Mrs. Clint Harmon; said II was somtthing
bout not going 10 Augusta; did not see the
,ote.'
Z. r, Jennings, being sworn. eays:
That he was sent for 10 see r. h. Wells mis-
morning about $50 O'Clock; when | reachea
ne saw m I'D found r. E Wells laying about
,is head down the hill, K. f. Wells had his
,istol In his band when reached him.
AIKEN his pistol and handed II to Henry Me,
Knight. 1 then examined Mr.. Welis ana
ound gun shot wound OF iacs anna ~ 10 dhreneaa aa L.
Ialf from the umbilacus. / noticed the pls-
oil a short while after l gave II to MIR. Nc
might l found one empty chamber, also one
mpiy she'll. Either one OF an1,nS tne sno's YOU'D
ave killed. ". 1. 1enninss' W. ~
tate Of South Carolina,
County of Abbevile.
An ipouisi,ion indented taken al McCor-
nick. ip the County and State aforesaid, be
1re John H. Sanders, a Magistrate, acting az
oroner for said County and State, upon the
odv of r. E. Wells. then and there oelng
lad by the oaths of A. g. Bullock, 6. A.
,ewis, q. C Patterson, J NJ: Minor, J.; B.
mith, W. K. Price. John z. Edmunds, T. E.
erq heron. S. L. Edmunds. NJ. Fl. White, r;
. TIA bert and R. l. Smith, being laWlu
,ry of ir Quest, who being charged and sworn
, INQUIRE for the State OF South Carolina,
here and by what means the said r. r.
7 ellis ca me TO his death, upon their oalhs do
m shot wound in the hands nf Clint HaI-
ION and BeIhia Harmon. at or near MeCol-
tick, on the 2Gih of October. 1876
In witness thereof, l. John II. san ders, hcl-
~ as Coroner aforesaid and the Jurors atore-
i'd to this inquisitiou have interchangeably
NJ our hands and seals the day shove men, +
oned John II. Sanders,