The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1910-12-08
BRUTAL MURDER
Inlense Excitement Follows the Wanlon
Killing Of a Negro Boy.
LAKE CITY Is AROUSED

The Testimony Causes the Coroner's
Jury to Charge Will J. CoclSfcld
With killing Henry Alfonso, Nc
gro Attache of Carnival, and j.
Fl. v. Gaskins as IN Accessory.
A dispatch from Lake City says
Henry Alfonso, a negro atta"he CT
Wollcott's show, was shot and IN
stantly killed l,e-c Sunday murning
before day, crowd OF armed men
of the town and community estah
lished a reign of terror on th' show
grounds, which eliminated =: this
homicide. The witnesses ware Sd
terrorlzed they refused to ak at
first, but 1t was certain that Alfonso
was killed without The slightcs: pro-
vocation and ti:1 h:s slayer was a
white man Of that section.
Little by little, enough was WORM
ed out during Monday to sat's', the
others ri the Identity Of ta' wit.
nesses and of the fact that they
would testify IL assured of 3r' ectlon.
Whereupon, Magistrate Baldwin. act
ing cororer, sent Tor soi los S!t!l
and Sheriff Grannln. A j'iy was
sworn in, and after viewing :hc b'iy,
and after Iii examination ~ Dr.
Woods, the inquest was adjourned
until Tuesday.
Besider the .',micide. is sr'.l
that several of the show peopl; were
robbed at the points of pistols by
these said to be responsible fer the
trouble. Intense excitement prevails,
the whole community h." aroused.
The best men have banded together
10 protect the witnesses, bring out
the truth and see that the law 's
vindicated.
The substance of the testimpn; a.
rectly in point was as follows: Il" Fl.
Gaskins was acting chief Of police;
he was authorized by Mayor Black
we'll to appoint special policemen, If
necessary, but cautioned to select on
ly sober men. He appointed several,
who are said to be notorious for
their drinking habits and rowdy
characters, and. among those appoint
ed was VIII J. Cockheld; there wos
more OF, less drinking among these
po.:.. it was stated.
About one o'clock Sunday night
Henry Alfonso, negro attache OF
Wollcott's shows, who was assisting
in moving the show property to the
cars had sat down on the show
grounds by fire to warm; he was
talking to another negro and was
laughing, when Will Cockfeld came
up and said something about shoot
ing. Cockfeld said as given In tes-
timony: "You laughing at me, niger
You don't believe I would shoot
you?" to which Alfonso replied:
Yes, boss, believe You would shoot
me-" Jerking his pistol from his
overcoat pocket, Cockfe'd fired al
the negro, who ducked his head and
the bullet went over his mead. so
witnesses testified.
Just as Alfonso raised his head,
Cockfeld fired again, the bulle;
striking the negro in the left eye
brow, and Alfonso fell backwards.
dead. This was the testimony Of
two white boys, who we're eyewlf-
nesses, and their statements we're
corroborated in numerous details by
other witnesses.
]. H. V. Gaskins testified that he
ran towards the fire where the
shooting took place and just before
he reached the dead man he saw
Cockfe|d come from unrer a near
by shed, and that he asked Cock
field three times before getting a
reply: Where was the shooting?"
and Cockfield said, Towards the
railroad, and that Cockdeld went off
in a different direction. Notwith-
standing this Gaskins did not ques-
ton Cockfleld, nor attempt to ar
rest him, it seems.
Other witnesses, who went to the
dead man, swore they saw Gaskins
Immediately after the shooting 80 off
with Cockfield around house near
the scene. Gaskins' own testimony
and that of several others pointed 20
the fact that Gaskins knew that
Cockfiel shot the negro. Yet made
no attempt to arrest him and even
assisted him in getting out Of sight.
Further, Immediately the magis-
trate reached the scene, Gaskine IN
sisted that the inquest be held at
once, Notwithstanding the confusion
and the midnight hour, and volun-
teered to at as constable in 2etlinS
the jury AMI did summon jury. and
among those thus summoned were
W. B. Goodwin and G. r. Bowen. bo,h
policemen.
In the finding Of the jury. no: a
dissenting voice has been heard. The
testimony was conv!ncin, and went
into details. consuming three hours
in the telling. So strong WAS tnc
evidence that it was common CON-
mcnt that it was sufficient, 10 give the
case TO Il petit jury.
Gaskins is 4 white m"n ;ihG.: -.
children and gTuat,ni1.. I. - - u