The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-03-13
THE DEAD CHIEF
OF THE ASHLEY CLAN
JOHN MARION ASHLEY LEADER
OF FAMOUS FAMILY CLAN.
The Coroner's Inquest Policeman
White viii Plead Self Defense
for the Killing of the Giant
Ashley.
Lewis G.. Wood, Jr., in the State.


Honea Path, March 9.-John Mar
ion Ashley, leader Of the famous clan
of Ashley, lies dead here today. He
has gone to his last sleep, but his
memory fingers, for his cohorts are
gathered and are still loyal. He was
killed yesterday by Chief Of Police
White of this town in case Of self
defense, if ever that maltreated term
of the law can be employed in South
Carolina courts.
The streets Of this pretty little town
were thronged with people this morn
ing. Upstairs, over the Citizens
Bank, the physicians were conducting
the autopsy on the body of John Mar
ION Ashley, while on the streets below
moved scores Of his relatives. When
was in Abbeville last month for the
expected trial for the lynching OF
Allen Pendleton I thought that there
must be so Ashleys living in this Sec
ton, but now that I am here at Honea
Path, am convinced that there must
be fully twice that number within but
a few miles. There are many differ
ent families, but they all seem to be
connected in some way or other.
There is no race suicide among the
Ashleys, for John Marion Ashley
leaves about l3 children, while Jesse
and Citizen Josh each have about as
MANY. While related and intermar-
ried, all Of the families are not law
less, for it seems that Jesse Ashley
and his children are more law -abid-
ing than the others. The same char
acteristic manners and cunning seem
however to pervade all, for Cal Ash
lev, a son of Jesse, interrupted me
today while was "pieking' Bob
Moore, with the remark, II wouldn't
saw nuthin' unless I had to.
It seems strange that in civilized
community; such conditions as are
known here can exist Honea Path IS
a peaceful, thrifty and law-abld,ng
community, and it is said that almost
every one Of the disturbances which
occur can be traced to the Ashleys.
There must, as has been said, be LOU
Of this name. When sober and at
home, the Ashleys do not seem to be
bad citizens, but when liquor gets IN
its work, Honea Path is the goal and
a general "cutting loose" is in order.
John Marion Ashley was. essentially
the strong and dominating leader OF
the clan.
A gentleman said today that the
fact that the Ashleys surrounded
Honea Path on all sides was what IN
terfered materially with the idea OF
forming a new county with the town
as the county seat. 'Now, half are
in Anderson, half are in Abbevllle,
but if all were in one county, what
could we do with them?'' ne asked. =
The Pendleton Case.
It is Of course remembered that
some of the Ashleys and connections
and friends were implicated IN the
lvnching of Allen Pendleton, in Sep
tember of last year. John Marion
Ashley was accused Of being the ring
leader. He died yesterday and his
guilt-if real-may never be proven
If it is, one may well think Of retrl-
outive justice when che remembers
the negro dragged to a swamp, a trace
chain about his neck and shot to
pieces like a dog.
Thursdays Tragedy.
From the best information and
from the testimony at the coroner s
inouest, it seems that Josh Moore
(who, by the way, is one Of the men
,,nder indictment for the Pendletor
lvnching), John Marion Ashley, jim
Bob Ashley (the dead mans sony, JAP
Ashley and Charlie McClain were
coming from livery stable yesterday
afternoon and turned the corner Of
the street near Holiday & Trayn
hams store. The Ashley faction de
nv that John Marion had been drink
ing, vet it is freely said that he ha<
been. He had come into town abou
noon, with a number Of his clan, al
hent Oh enjoving the lustrous pleas