Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1906-07-25
THE Preliminary TRIAL
Attorneys Getting at the Truth in the
Now Famous Lgerly Murder Case
-sS The Witnesses.

/
Now Famous Lyerly Murder Case.
z The witnesses.
Pgblicsinterest in The now famous
Lyerly murder that occurred at Bar
hers Junction now ccnters in th'
trial Of the five negroes now i'll tht
Charlotte Jail charged with the crime
The fr3t examination of witnesse.
for Tie Slate was held at Salisbury
last Saturday, and the proceeding!
are given in substance lis reported by
Mr.. ii. e. c. Bryant, a staff core
spondent OF The Charlotte Observer.
Story of Murdered Mans Son.
! The first witness TO make a state
menl was Mr.. j. G. rNerlv, a son oil
The murdered man ana a half broth.
er of the children. TIc said: "Jin
Taylor. the boy who had been work,
ing for my father, told ME Of the
murder about 4 clock iii the morn.
ing. Tavl"r had spent the night al
Nh. R. + Cookies. with Sam. ] went
viii Mr.. Piess Barber 10 the ole
,nine Ed. Barber, Charlie Brown and
Ed Carter were there when we ar,
lived. | tLiSk MIR, Matt. L. Webb
Iaas The FIST Man n,the premises
'Inf'ter The girls left. He was accom-
.cmpanied by Mr.. Watson, Il cattle
|caler who occasionally with my faith
s,. Watson MIS- on his way there
that morning 10 gel breakfast:
"Snnn alter I arrived there those
si.e: had assembled thought it best to
| lrtest a,ksDiliineLam, as the girls
had said something about a quarrel
!l:al fol!icr ard ,aci; ;:ad had the
hay y-bclorc. The nesin lad said some
thing alp,Ll cursing father.
".,Nheil we crier.d the hol,se We
fn,i.d liz front door op.n,. just as
lie girls had left il, Mhcl they start
I'd 10, AZ. G.cI.e's l:enc. The bodies
IF father and John were on the floor.
Dr.. Chenault aud myself hunted for
and found sthe money, about $175
shat father kept in the house. Some
IF it was upstairs in a drawer, and
remainder. in the. little rear room,
lear the kitchen.
1.-The house II Which Ncase Giles
pic lived is located about Il quarter
&c E::ffs i. mile west of the LycrlS home.
Jack Dillingham; lived southwest:
about 800 yards. -
.sWhen we went UP 10 fathers
home we saw a feather bed, bureau
'lrawcr and lamp i'll the front walk.
where the girls had left them. The
Lyerlyst were all friendly Father
and his children were on the best Of
terms.
s:Last Christmas heard father
say tllat lie and Nease had had some
words about their contract. Father
had told Nease that he would have
70 work crop, as he had promised
10 Go. or get out of his house. Neasc
cursed him, an. in turn, was ordered
,nt of the yard. Henry, old Fannie
fiillepsie' s son. left and went to Me-.
Leroy Powlass 10 live. Nease corl-
tinued TO drive for Mr.. John Penning-
~, saw mill man.
Miss Mary Lyerly Makes Statement.
The next witness to take. the stand
was, Miss Mary Lverlv, the oldest
laughter, of Mr.. Isaac Lycrly. She
was dressed in black. Miss Lyerly
S Is years old, las an attractive face.
light chestnut hair and soft, attrac-
live brown eyes. Her lips are thin
and sensitive. She seems intelligent,
and sprightly. After a most trying
week she appeared fresh and composed
.A'esterlay. -Hef manner was Of a
quiet, modest but plucky maiden. She
is neither backward nor lbrazen. but
willing and .j'cady.
81 knew nothing after | retired
about 9 O'clock said Miss T.yerly.
z.tlmtl Altlic called me. declaring
that the house was OH fire aud that
papa and mamma were dead. ! WAS
nearly suffocated. The house was full
of smokes
"Wlen went down / found Ad-
die at work. She had already drag
ged papa and John from Tie bed and
was fighting the fire. caught hold
of papa and pulled him further out
from the bed. We threw water on
the bed aud carried out the burning
things.
81 went over aud felt mamma $
face; it was cold. She was lying
just as She lay when SHE went to
sleep, except that her feet we're hang
inc out. / saw blood all over the
pillow. ] picked Alice. who was still
alive, up i'll my arms and carried her
out into the yard. where we tried to
bring her too. We could barely hear
her breathe. Addie went back up
stairs and brought Us some clothes.
which we put on in the yard. We
then left for MIR. Cookies, Addie lead
ing Jaiiie and J CARRYING Alice.
Door and Window Open.
.'.Tbe. front door and the window
that opens into papa's room from the
porch were en.>{.Thc key was OH
The inside II the door always lock-
ed the door at night but after papa
went out and. Oh returning. forgot
to turn the key. Any one could have
gotten i'll through the window, with
out much effort.
tPapas, axe lay at the woodpile,
for l saw 1t lacrc the afternoon be-
fore: John and Alice had been cut
ting wood
when i went TO bed papa was
fast asleep. snoring. Mamma was
doing off. That was aiew minutes
before 3 O'Clock. Addic and | slept