The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1907-06-21
MAN is KNOWN.
Who Left ceffin in-Front Of Rev.
E. R. Lightfoot's Door.

Threats Against Orangcburg Minis
ter Had Some Developments. MAJ
Seen Around the House.
The Orangeburg correspondent of
the Columbia State says Monday
June 10, was the day on which some
violence was to have been done to
Rev. e. M. Lightfoot of Orange
burg, according to the threat incor-
ported in a note placarded on a cof-
fin left on Mr.. Lightfoot's door by
some cowardly person or persons in
the dead of the night. That day has
passed and Mr.. Lightfoot is yet I'M
harmed.
But another has suffered from the
deviltry aimed at the minister, and
his wife, who is very much broken
in health. has had to leave Orange
burg for a visit to Summerville in
order to get away from the excite
ment surrounding the incident which
caused such a sensation in the State.
Mr.. Lightfoot himself expresses no
concern, for he appreciates the fact
that the coward who under cover of
darkness thus attempted to brighten
him from his field Of labor and his
post of duty will not meet him face
to face.
1t was n night early in May that
the coffin was left on the porch Of
| Mr.. Lightfoot's home in the business
part of the city Of Orangcburg. One
OF the policemen on duty at that
time stated that he saw a brightmu-
latto negro driving a gray mule about
| o'clock in the morning and that
there was something in the q
covered with old corn sacks. He made
no further inspection. The owner
OF the mule has been located and the
name OF the negro is known. These
things have been learned within the
last week.
WRITER OF NOTE.
For some time it has been known
who wrote the note. 1t was written
on the back Of a printed notice sent
out by Walker. Evans & Cogswell
company, it has been learned to whom
the Charleston stationers sent those
notices. There were but a few in Or
augsburg, and by elimination it was
easy to learn whence the piece of pa
per was secured on which the notice
was written. Furthermore the writ
lng was made with an indcliblc pen
cll, and there T. marked character
lstlcs in the chirography which make
1t a very easy matter to trace the
writing to an individual in Orange
burg. Furthermore, there is some
proof of malice, and the same party
under suspicion is known to have had
i! feeling toward Mr.. Lightfoot.
Clrcumstantial evidence against a
certain party is strong, and it is en-
tirely probable that somebody will
serve a long term in the penitcntiary
when the Investigations are over. A
short time ago 1t was reported that
a certain party in Orangcburg had
confessed the whole matter. Mr..
lightfoot denies this. He states that
the man in question came to his study
one night and said that he was under
suspicion. Mr.. Lightfoot added that
the man was indeed under suspi-
cion, for he had been under the in
flucncc of liquor at the time that the
outrage was pcrpctrated and that the
suspected party had failed to use an
official position which he occupies to
ferret out the mystery.
When Mn. Lightfoot charged him
with these things the party under
suspicion proved an alibi, but also
proved that Mr.. Lightfoot's suspic-
ions as to the animus behind the
whole thing are in the main correct.
The handwriting Of the note in the
coffin nlHpge been been. identified at first
sight by half a dozen mcn MI naVe
had business dealings with the MAJ
under suspicion, and no one of those
who identified the writing knew at
the time that any one else had done
so.
1t appears to be a clean cut case
against this man. The animus is
%nown. ltcamc from Mr.. Lightfoot's
fearless pronunciation of certain civic
wrongs and Observation-Disclosures. The
writing is known to be that Of the
party said to have been aggricvcd by
the action of Mr.. Lightfoot in Ger
tain matters, and the same party is
known to have communicated by
phone on the night of the outrage
with the owner of the mule which
pulled the wagon in which the coffin
was carried to the house Of Mr..
lightfoot. The circumstantial cvi-
dcncc is strong.
Last Sunday was the eve Of the
day set for violence to be done Mn.
Lightfoot according to the threats
made by those who put the coffin ON
his porch. The man under suspicion
was observed to be bcstirring him
self in a peculiar manner on that
day.
That night by some freak Of chance
the lights on MIR. Iightloot's street
were not burning, although they are
said to have been burning brightly
in other parts Of the city. Mr.. Light
foot observed man sncaking behind
a tree in the ncighborhood. He and
his wis Icrc sitting ON the porch at
the time. Mr.. Lightfoot went to-
ward the nan and called to him but
the man made off, and Mr.. Lightfoot
returned TO his house to get q shot
gun. AS he was leaving the house in
pursuit Of the man who was ACTING
50 quccrIy, Mayor Doyle 'phoncd him
that on account Of the excitement he
had detailed Adjective to guard the
house, and the man whom Mr.. Light
foot had sccn was the detective.