The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-12-14
REORGANIZATION .:
I AMONG NEGRO MEN
STORY SoF NEwBERRY FIRE
BRANRs GENERALLY DIS
= Credited.
Lewis Burton s = Observation-Disclosures
ed Negro Has Told Various sto-
ries of Those Said to be in
Conspiracy.
The State.

ganization among the negroes, in the
i neighborhood Of Mr.. P. N. Boozer,
4 whose barn and mules were recently
burned, is one among the women,
8 which owns a hearse, and has for it's
purpose the giving Of decent burial to
its members. An organization Of fire
4 brands is all fol de rol, according to
!. the best testimony, although there are
some who believe that such an organ
ization does exist. But so far as your
correspondent could find such an or
ganization existed only in the af-
frighted Imagination of Lewis Bur-
ton.
The fire occurred last Saturday
morning at about 4 o'clock. Burton
was arrested at about 'clock. Since
then he has given continuous per-
formance of different stories. AS soon
as he would finish one version, he
would cnmmenc, telling an entirely
different one, with innocent disregard
Of my conformity.
When first arrested Burton swore
that he and white man, and two
other negroes had done the burning.
A little later he declared that lone
Of these, had anything to do with it,
but that two other negroes were i'm
plicated Almost Immediately there.
after, he declared that the two last
named had nothing to do with it, but
thnt two others did.
The two negroes he first named
were Ernest Burton and Levi Ebaugh.
They were arrested and are now in
Jail. The two negroes that he last
named are Henry Clary and Sam
Pinson. Clary has been arrested and
is now in Jail but Pinson has not yet
been found.
Lewis Burton g Story.
Lewis Burton was seen in his cell
in the Newberry Jail by your CORES
pondent today. He talked freely,
and his latest revised story was as fol-
lows:
He had been a cropper with Mr.. J.
l.. Connolly for the past year. Had
made very poor crop, all of which
he had gathered and sold. He had
been unable to pay out. Now he was
engaged as fireman for the ginnery
engine belonging to Mr.. Boozer. Going
home about 8 O clock last Wednesday
from the ginnery he met Henry Clary
and Sam Pinson in the big road, about
hundred yards from Mr.. Boozer's
house. They passed the time Of day,
and then they told him that they
wanted to see him on Friday night at
Mr.. Boozer's store, which is near his
house, but on the opposite side from
the ginnery. According to appoint
ment he went to the store on Friday
night at about 8 o'clock. He found
Clary sitting on the plaza Of the store.
Clary went with him to the road,
some distance from the store. Clary
talked to him about things in general,
but nothing in particular. Very soon
Sam Pinson joined them and asked if
they were going to do what he want
cd them. Clary replied that he was
just beginning to talk about it. CIary
said Mr.. Boozer had charged him $50
for a pair Of shoes which he had stol-
en-, and he intended to get even with
him. Pinson said he was to be in it
too, but did not say how they would
even scores. They asked Burton what
time he went to the ginnery. He told
them between 4 and o'clock in the
morning to make the fire under the
engine. They told him they would
meet him there the next morning, but
did not say what they intended doing,
How 1t Was Burned. g..
The next morning he went to the
ginnery at his regular time; and very
soon after Clary came up, and Pinson
did too, little later. The three of
them then went to the barn which
was some distance from the ginnery
and in the rear Of the dwelling house
Clary said he intended burning the
barn, and went into the loft and lit q
match and set the hay on fire. Clary
and Pinson then left and Burton wen,