The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-12-11
WHO KILLED Rec YES
TESTIMONY TAKEN AT TEE COR.
oNEEs INQUEST.
Several witnesses Testified to

Threats Being Made by Several
Persons Against Presley Reeves.
We make the following extracts
from the testimony taken at St.
George in the inquest over the body
of young Presley Reeves, WHO was
most cowardly assassinated Sep
fember 22 in Dorchester county some
miles this side OF St. George as we
and it reported in the Branchville
Journal:
Mr.. A. NJ. Reeves testified he we'd
In Dorchester county and was the
father Of the deceased. He said on
the 22nd Of September little after
dark found his sons body lying
down over the dash board Of the
wagon. He had left the house half
an hour before sun down to carry
some cotton pickers home below
here about two miles. ! telt his
pulse and took the mules from the
wagon. I followed the trail of ths
blood to the place where ne WAS
shot. I do not know for certain
who did the shooting. I heard last
fall at Branchville that Merriam
Reeves kept picking a. Presley an5
Mr.. Hill came along and grabbed
at PRESLEY and Presley said, Damn
you, if you are picking for some
thing you can get it, Tom Fairey
came along and said that Presley
Reeves, the bully, was tring to run
Merriam Reeves out of town. I had
a lawsuit with Ellis Arant and Tom
Reeves concerning negro who was
working for me at the time.
Bill Jenkins was sworn and said:
I knew Presley Reeves, saw min
Monday evening. Don't know who
killed him. Mr.. Tom Fairey told
me he knew something about II and
would tell it. when the timesca1ne.
I heard that some one stood behind
anothe.' one on the ditch bank. He
said that he heard Ellis Arant stood
behind Orna MeAlhany's back AMI
saw him do the shooting. He told
me this in Branchville. He made
out like he was drunk, did not tell
me who told him. Never did hear
any threats. Ellis told him "don't
you know Merriam Reeves did it and
don't you know that the d-n s.
should have been killed long ago?"
Tom E. Fairey was sworn and
said: ] know Presley Reeves,
saw him the day before he was kill
ed at Branchville, went from the
gin to Branchville. Did not see him
any more until after he was killed.
10 hot know who killed him.
Fever lid hear any one say that
PRESLEY Reeves had to be killed.
Ali that 7 heard was what I heard
others say. did not tell any one
'hs. I woui1 tel all about 1t when
The time came. I did not tell j. M.
Jenkins who was on the ditch bank
when he was killed. While in the
wagon talking about picking cotton.
Was on good terms with Presley
Reeves. I never did tell any one
that I would tell who killed Press
ley Reeves. I have heard COM
mon threats. Do not remember who
made them.
Tiller McAlhany-I knew PRESLEY
Reeves, didn't know how he came to
his death. Heard two fellows were
laying in wait on the ditch bank.
I could not swear whose tracks it
was, one was small one and the
other was large one. I did say
thought one Of them looked like
Tom Fairey's track; saw this track
$50 yards from the scene of killing.
I did not hear any one say that they
would kill Presley Reeves. I heard
that some one said if Presley
Reeves came down to Georges he
would not come back like he went.
Mr.. H. A. McAlhany-I knew
Presley Reeves. Saw him two
weeks before his death. The even
ing he was killed was hauling ou:
cotton, that evening about sundown
I was hauling out cotton across the
branch, did not see him pass my
home, saw no one pass my home in
a wagon. Never heard any one say
anything about killing. About two
weeks before his death Presley
Reeves came to me in the presence
OF Shields McAlhany and told me,
"You have been cursing me and if
you will go out Of town we will
settle it, and I made no answer as
was sick and did not feel like hav-
ing any trouble. I did not go to
the river duck hunting-have not
been acres Mr.. Connelly's field this
year.
Jane Hoover being sworn says.
I knew Presley Reeves. was at
home near Merriam Reeves on the
day of the murder. I went to his
home next morning. Did not tell
anything to any one. Did not tell
Robert Simmons anything. Did not
see Mr.. Chas. McAlhany when he
was on his way to town. Neve.
heard Merriam Reeves say anything
against Presley Reeves. NJ. Reeves
went to the house for water and