Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1906-08-22
while Governor Hayward was on bis

way to the scene. The road was
blocked by wreck, but about FIVE
o'clock the Governor reached New
Market, a flag station mile South
of Greenwood. Here he got little
mule hitched to a buggy and started
out. He reached the house about
twenty minutes later. The negro
had not been brought up and man
was seen to dash off at once on a
horse, presumably to warn the party.
This was what he had done and it
took hard work on the part of some
of the party to keep the crowd from
lynching Davis then and there, fear
ing the influence of the Governor.
However, Davis was brought on.
1t was with great difficulty that he
was taken out of the buggy and car
ried into the house for Identification.
MISS BROOKS IDENTIFIED HIM.
Miss Brooks identified him at
once. Davis admitted being in the
store, but said another negro did the
crime. As soon as the crowd learned
he had been identified it looked as if
he would be lynched on the front
steps. Planks were put up on the
palings and Governor Hayward was
lifted up on the improvised stand.
1t was dramatic scene. In the
piazza were the mother, sister and
other relatives.
GOVERNOR PLEADED WITH CROWD.
On two swinging planks stood the
Governor of the State bareheaded in
the broiling sun pleading for the vim
dication of the law and all around
him surging crowd seeing only the
horrible crime and the demand for
instant death of the criminal. At
first Governor Hayward was caeered,
when he said he was white man,
with white mans feelings, but he
thoughtfully requested the crowd not
to cheer as it would excite Miss
Brooks. Afterwards the crowd was
quiet. Governor Hayward pledged
his word that the negro would be
tried in two weeks and that Green
wood jury would try the case and
that the verdict would stand.
Some man in the crowd said
"We respect you, Governor, but you
cannot change us-this negro must
die"
Governor Hayward addressed his
remarks to him, but the crowd around
the negro had begun to move off
with him down the road. Governor
Hayward gave place to Sheriff Nc
Caslin, but the crowd would not
listen to him. Some of the older
men seemed to be wavering and
Governor Hayward mounted an open
buggy and again plead, saying he
had telegraphed Solicitor Cooper to
come at once. The crowd began to
flow down the road, sweeping the
negro along. Governor Hayward
followed part of the way, with
some fifteen or twenty men.
There was talk of burning the
negro. The girls father plead with
the crowd to burn the negro. Many
were for it, but the crowd was not
fully determined on that point.
Governor Hayward seemed greatly
concerned when told that burning
was possible, and wanted to 90 to
the spot, and again he was begged
by those around him not to do so as
he had done all he could and if he
went to the spot it would precipitate
the shooting and some one in the
crowd might get hurt.
Capt. f. s. Evans was pleading
with the mob not to burn the negro.
He had tried to prevent the lynch
ing, but failing in that he wanted to
prevent burning at the stake. A
negro was sent for buggy axle and
an axle to be used as a stake. These
were taken from him.
Governor Hayward sent the sheriff
to attempt to reason, but the crowd
would not listen tn him Tho noo,o