The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, March 31, 1897, Image 2

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To Prove an Alibi V , Surprising Developments in The Murphy Case. ? \ - There were some startling revelations ';; in the Murphy case yesterday. In the first place City Attorney Carroll of Au gesta, the bright and wide-awake attor? ney who interested himself in the case of the unfortunate man at the time bis neck was about io be broken, because fae believed from what Murphy's broth - Bl ; er told bim that the man was inoooent, gave the testimony of a Baptist minis? ter, that minister's wife and his daugh? ter, to prove ao alibi. In tbe second place he presented evidence that the gun produced by the detectives at the trial was sot the gue that was sworn to on the trial as having been sold to Mur? phy in Oraageburg. bot was a gun pur* chased by Murphy at Beech Island aod was in the residence of the minister at the time the murder was committed. AU this was sworn to by many witness? es and it was shown that the tracing of th ? weapon tallied exactly with what'tbe condemned mao told his brother about it. Mr. Carroll went further aud pro? duced the gun that was bought io Orsogeburg. Then he produced ao affidavit going to show that the detec? tives had practical by admitted' that they had ' fixed1' their witnesses Aod to make the ca*e more complete in behalf of the condemned man be pat Su,psrin tendent Neal of the State penitentiary on the stand and proved by him that Governor Esra o s had given bim orders no| to 4allow any one to see Murphy after be was brought here for safe keep? ing save the detectives io the case aod those whom these detectives wanted to See bim. Thus was the delay in pre? senting the defense accounted for. Mur? phy's attorneys had applied for admis -sion to the prisoner, he testified, and had been refosed admission under this or?er. / Mr. Carroll came before Governor EUerbe yesterday morning with all his information in the proper shape. He brcnght along most of bis 'witnesses ?ntl everything that he wanted to pre? sent was io the shape of sworn affida? vits. He left no point unguarded and presented a case that was of intense interest. Assistant Attorney General Townsend was present and crossed ex . amin ad the witnesses. The governor himself frequently asked them ques? tions. The examination of .the wit? nesses occupied alf the morning. In the afternoon Governor E'lerbe beard Mr. Carroll present the case Mr. Carroll made 4 splendid speech. He arranged bis evidence io logical order aod' dissected tbe evidence produced at the trial io a masterly manner. He laid partida lar stress upon the fact that the chief State witness. Clem Barrs, ?had already appeared before the gover? nor and confessed that she was paid to Governor Eil:rbe listened intently to everything that was said. He stated ith?t be wou'.d announce his decision io tbs evening. At 8 o'clock he an? nounced that be had wirpd for Solicitor Jervey and Attoroey Branson, wno bad represente; ?be State upon tbe trial, as be wished to confer with them this morning Io the light of all of which, it is pretty safe to say that Mur? phy will not haog to-morrow -The State. Sentence Commuted to "Life Imprisonment. City Attorney Carroll of Augusta, ; by his energetic work done in the last 20 days, bas succeeded in saving the 1 life of Daniel C. Murphy, and that un- < formoate mau will not have to pay the death peoalty upon tbe gal lows This i 'will be read by many before Mi'phv knowe,"however, whether h? mu*t d;j . tro-day or not. He was not told la.-' dight, the prison gates having been locked for tbe night before any one kne w the result. Bis aged, grey haired father will doubtless be the first to give him the news at 6 o'clock or shortly ? thereafter this morning. As the case now stands, Murphy? sentence has ? beeo commoted to life imprisonment in the State penitentiary. Oo tbe streets every man one could meet approved :Lis action upon the part of the chief i executive ^ Gfverror EMerbe has given the ct^e the greatest a moo nt of careful and paints'a kine ^ consideration Since his last i-ireivi<-w wi;h the prisoner, be bas been convinced cf his guilt, and Mur? phy would surely have died on th?' gal low* io day, but far the earnest work cf Mr Carroll in securing the testimony of that Augusta minister, wboso char- , aster bad been so highly endorsed Yesterday morning, in response to the rrqaert of Governor Ellerbe. Solici? tor Jervey and H. II Bronson, Kcq , who prosecuted Murphy, came to IN> lumbia. and duriog tbe day the gover? nor bad them io consultation with him. Tbe Hteoographic report of the evideooc taken io tbe case tbe preceding day was read to them. What they had to say to the governor -is not known. Both atttoroeys bad been previously convinced of tbe mao's guilt, but nei ther of them were men who wished ao Ui?ocent man executed, if it could be soo WD that be was innocent. ' Goveroor Eltabe thought the case ever for some time after these gentle? men had left the city ; then about 6 30 o'clock he announced ihat he bad com? muted the sentence to life imprison? ment in the State penitentiary. Gov? eroor Ellerbe said that the testimony that bad been presented to him by Mr. Carroll was of such a character as to/ or?ate io bis mind the gravest doubts of tbe mao's guilt ; consequently be could cot permit him to be banged This was ali the governor said. His position seems to be about as follows: j While the integrity of the Augusta minister was not to be doubted uoder the certificates of cbaracer furnished, there was a bare possibility th?t he was mistaken as to the days he swears Mur? phy was at his bouse, and for this rea? son the governor could not grant tbe full pardon. If it ever be proven, by additional witnesses that the minister's statement is absolutely correct the stitas of the case is now such that be can be pardoned forthwith. The case ba? been ooe of the most inteose interest, since Mr. Carroll introduced the testi mooy, a summary of which was given yesterday. Governor Ellerbe's posi I tion in having to deal with such a case, j involving the life of a human beiog. was. to say the least, most- ucenvia ; ble. He has done what be considered the only proper thing to do and thus this case ends f>r the present.-The State. A Shocking Tragedy, Solicitor Thurmond Shoots Mr. W. G. Harris. Special to The State. Edgefield, March 24.-A sad and unfortunate homicide occurred here at 6 o'clock this afternoon. Solicitor Thurmond shot and killed W. G Harris, a drummer for The Murray Drrg company of Columbia, S. C. Mr. Harris ia a nephew of Collector j of Internal Revenue Townes, and son of W. G. Harris, a prominent citizen of Edgefield county The trouble, it seems, arose out of the fact that while Mr. Thurmond was a member of the State legislature he recommended that Governor Evans appoint a gentleman named Glover as magistrate instead of Harris, the old incumbent and father of the de? ceased. Since Mr. Thurmond has has been solicitor he has had noth? ing whatever to do with recommend ing applicants for positions of magis? trate, but under Governor Ellerbe's admmrstraion Mr. Harris, senior, was again an applicant, but Glover, who was appointed by Governor Evans, was reappointed by Eilerbe. Mr. W. G Harris deceased, seemed to think that Solicitor Thurmond was instrumental in having it done and about it be accosted Solicitor Thur? mond this afternoon at about 5 o'clock in the drug store of W. E Lynch. Mr. Harris. ' it is said, had been drinking and used very hit language Thurmond, to avoid difficulty, left the Lynch store and went to'h is of fice. He was there engaged at work when Mr. Harris passed by on the way to his lionel, in company with Capt DuBose. the proprietor On reaching the doorway to Thurmond's office Harris stopped Capt Du Bose walked on a few steps The subject of former discussion was again brought up by Harris, the latter final? ly saying to Thurmond that he (Thur mond) had acted like a 4 G-d d-d dog and scoundrel," and threw his hand to his pocket aa if to <?ratv his pistol and placed bis foot on Thur mond's doorstep. Thereupon 'thur i mond fired from where he was sitting ? I Harris staggered backwards and fell upon the sidewalk. He got up and < walked a few paces, when he fell dead The ball entered from the front just below the shirt stud and passed ii to the cavity of the heart ? jury of inquest has been sum mooed/and, after viewing the body, j adjourned until to morrow Great regret is felt here over the occur renee. Solicitor Thurmond was never known to have had any trouble before and is regarded by everybody a* a peaceful and law abiding citizen ile Kiirrendered himself and is now in j?il He is completely overcome by Iiis misfortune He has retained Messrs Croft & Tillman and N. G Evans to defend him * VERDICT O* THE ?OR ONER'S JURY. Solicitor Thurmond Held for Murder. - SppHnl to The State. Edgefield, March 25-At the cor oner's inquest to day, Capt D. S DuBose, the only eye witness to the killing, testified that when Will Har rip, who was on the street, Jenounced Thurmond as a dirtv scoundrel, Thur mond from his office door, shot Har? ris, who never spoke, but died in five minutes The jury of inquest found that Will Harris came to his death by a gunshot wound at the hands of J' William Thurmond. Capt. DuBose, who was only a few feet from Harris, testified that Har? ris was not armed. - mum -i tlectric Bitters. Electric Bitters is a medicine suited for any season, but perhaps more generally needed, when the languid exhausted feeling prevalga j when the liver is torpid and sluggish and the need of a tonic and alterative is felt. A prompt use of this medicine has often averted long and perhaps fatal bilious fevers. No medi? cine will act more surely in counteracting and freeing the system from mn lariat poison. Head che, Indigestion, Constipation, Dizziness yield to Electric Bitters. 50c. and $1.00 per bottle at J. ?.3F. DeLorae's Drug Store 1. The Flood Not Over. Gootinued Rise of the Swol len Mississippi River. Memphis Teoo . March 23. Another fill of one tenth of a foot in the river at Memphis is announced fby to Dight's official bnlleotin from the Weather Bureau. This very slight drop in the water here is not consider? ed by the Weather Bureau officials as being indicative of a permanent or ma? terial change, but is caused, ir is thought, by the giving way of the levee above Memphis The end of the fbod is not yet dis? cernible. The gauge this morning registers 36 9 feet or ooe fifth of a foot below the highest poiot reached. This drop bas not made any change for the worse io Arkansas, wbieb bas been in? undated by the water rushing through the broken levees above Memphis. At Cairo, III., the river is still rising, the gaoge indicating 31.3 feet, a rise of three-tenths of a foot io tbe twenty four hours endiog this moroiogl At Marked Tree, on the St. Francis River, the rise is even greater, the gauge registering 49 feet, a rise of eigbt-teotbs ?of a foot in twenty four boors. With the rise continuing at Marked Tree, and at Cairo, there is no hope of immediate relief at Memphis. The rise continues at every poiot be? low Memphis, except at Arkansas Ci'y. At Helena, the gauge this morning registered 49.4 feet, a rise of three teoths of a foot. The river at Heleoa is LOW 12 4 feet above the danger Hoe. At Arkansas City, there has beeo a fall of four-tenths of a foot At Greenville, ou the other band, there has been a considerable rise, the gauge registering 43 4 feet, a rise of six-tenths of a foot Tbis briogs the river at Greeoville to a height which is 3 4 feet above the danger une At Vicksburg the rise bas been even greater, the gaoge in? dicating 46.8 feet, a rise of a foot since yesterday. At point- below Vicksburg the gauge indicates that the river is rising slowly. Both the Cumberland aud the Tennessee Rivers are falling Altogether, the feeling prevailing in regard to the condition? may be more cheerful than it has been at ?ny time heretofore. AU tbe levees below Memphis are as yet intact and are being guarded with the greatest care ard strength wherever any weak spots "are suspect el The hope grows more and more cocfideat that these levees will be able to w tb stand all pressure in tbe fatnre as they have dooe in the pawt, been somewhat re? lieved by the break above Memphis. Since the Caruthersv[I!c break, no oth? ers have occurred at anv poiot up to this writtDg. All the trains are again ront-i g on schedule time with the exception of ?he thr^u^h iraiort <>u the L>ui.?ville and Nashville Bead -No further loss of life has beer? r?< port?di. The relief boa's are no longer kept busy, &* the ove<?>wed territory bas b&eu gone over and all in danger or in distress have heeu brought tu this city, where * ff ?rf** are now being con (^titrated in the work of feeding and lodging thom ? The work of the relief committee las atisumeil enormous proportion* and ? here is (KU a moment when the head? quarters in Second street are not be-ieg el with a m?'b of negro applicant* for every ki? d of assistance, lt is almost impossible for the committee to attend to the ne^ds nf a l who apply, but they ar? doing great work. Oh, My Heart! Palpitation-Weak-Uncon? scious at Times-Sleepless - Asthma-Kidney Troubles Recovery Would Seem Like a Miracle Yet Hood's Sarsaparilla Cured "I bad been in very poor health for several yearsj and two summers I was so weak I was obliged to lie in bed 3 months at a time. I was all run down, had Unconscious Spell? lasting for an hour at a time. The j doctors thought the trouble came from j my heart. I used to say that if I could only be up around, I should be so thank? ful, and that it would seem like a miracle if I should be well. The neighbors all know of the poor health I had been in, and how much better I am now. I had asthma for many years, and some nights B Could Not Sleep my breathing was attended with so much difficulty. Sometimes I would have to sit bolt upright in bed. As my general health grew poorer, my asthma grew worse. I had kidney and other troubles and seemed to be generally 1 out of sorts.1 I heard so much of Hood's Sarsaparilla that I decided to try it, and I experienced great benefit from it. I have recom? mended it to many people, and I cannot say too much in praise of Hood's Sarsa- ! parilla. I have not been in bed for over j a year on account of illness.y' MRS. S. J WATSON, 432S. Columbia St., Warsaw, Ind. Hood's5 parilla ; Is the liest - in fact the One True Blood Puri? fier. Sold by all druggists. Get only Hood's. uAi4j)" Tiltia c,,re b'ver ills; easy to liOOa S PHIS take, easy to operate. 25c. i). M. YOUNG, ATTORNEY AT LAW. Prompt auentioo to ?Il business entrusted to him. Office on Court House Square, in Blanding office. For nih? Our stock of Spring Goods is now complete. We have everything that the market offers in the way of Novelties. SPECIALTIES IN WASH SILKS-We have a large acd ?eil aborted lot o elegaot Wash Silks at 25a per y-ird TINSEL AND SILK STRIPED ORGANDIE;-Guaranteed to w?Vfa wwbout fading or money refunded. FEDER'S BRUSH SKIRT PROTECTOR will make every lady happy that tries it. It is the ?Standari Dress Edge of the World. A* effective as a Tomming as it in peifeet as a proiecrur. It cleans eat-?y: A shako and the du*t M off ; A rub aod it's clean ; J A brush and it's new, Ask to see it at our .?.tore. Brown's Skirt Fastener. The first and only'ap pliauce perfectly closing the placket, aod abso? lutely securing the Skirt Band about the Waist. It also attaches the skirt to the waist or barque io an easy and secure maooer, thus sav? ing io other devices much more than its cost. It can be applied to ar>y *kirt, old or new. It fastens with spring fasteners which are very durable and give no trouble whatever to fasten or unfasten. You bear the snap and know that you are perfectly dieased. even in the dark. PRICE 25 CENTS. Have you seen the lot of 90o . 753 and 50c, TAM O'SHANTER sample caps that we are selling at There U not. one in the lot wor'h less thao 50o regular. Washable Tams at 25a also. New novelties in Ladies' Pearl Waist Set*. IN OUR CLOTHING AND FURNISHING DE ' PARTMENT We are working wonders. STROUSE & BROTHERS7 Cloth? ing are, as always, in the lead. OUR SHIRTS For this Spring are the nicest we have ever had. Our Shirt Window is the talk of the city. Prices are the cause of it. Colored Bosom Shirts with pair of Cuffs 85c. No wonder they sell. A large assortment of Men's and Boy's sample Golf Caps, 75c. and 50c. Caps at 25c each. Have you seen the new Howard Hat For Spring, in Black and Tans. They are beautiful. Prices $1.75, #2.50 and $3. Alpine Hats At 85c, $1 25, $1 50 up to $3.50. HOWARD STYLE. Our Straw Hats will be ready Saturday, March 27th. YOURS FOR BUSINESS, The Large Store. Two Pound? FOR We have just received a large ship? ment of first class writing paper in one pound packages. It was bought at a bar? gain and is sold the sanie way While the lot lasts it will be sold at 15 cents per pound or two pounds for a quarter ( ?. E. 0S??1 'J Liberty Street. ?A n/m HAS JJ nc ww PIDO Airooopa Tur. Tie Sto??er Morita Tire, resilient, lieh^, durable aod guaranteed against puncture. No leather, steel or wire. STODDKR PUNCTURELESS TIRE CO , ?3 Warren St., N. Y Ci'y. Also STANDARD BICYCLES, are nigh grade in every particular, pric^ 31C0. Special ir due mente to clubs. Relbia ?gents wanted in all unoccupied territories. Address Tie Geo. Hasiraci Co.. 7th Ave , 28 & 29th St., >\ Y. City. March 24. BEAUTY HATH CHARMS and all the charms which beau? ty likes best to don are shown in our grand display of fash? ionable jewelry for this season. Jewels like these would en? hance the charms of the most fascinating belle, and surely no fair one would despise such brilliant aids to ? her beauty. Like personal loyeliness, they conquer admiration on sight ; they score new victories at ev? ery inspection. Those who look over our stock do. not willingly stop with examina? tion. Beauty may now be made ea.i?y irresistible by a few judicious purchases from our display of up to date jew? elry. L. W. FOLSOM, 9 Jeweler and Optician, SIGN OF THE BIG WATCH, Oct. 16. SUMTER RESTAURANT. Reduced Prices Regular Meals 2?cts. Private Dining Room for Ladies. Dec. 30. THE BANK OF SUMTER, SUMTER, S. C. City and County .Depository. Transacts a general Bunking business, also bas ? Savings Bank Department Depots of Si ?nd upwards received In? terest wl?owed ar the rute of 4 ter cent. p?-r mau ? . Payab'e quarterly, on first davs of January, April, Ju iv nnd October. W F. B HAYNS WORTH, W F. RHAME, Cashier. Presiden:. J-n 13. Who Usc I PENS, INK, $ Paper, Blank Books:| fi At H. G. OSTEEN & CO'S S I ? ?You can get everything that you ? want at the lowest prices. Weare PO j, J? situated that we cm afford to make [[? P prices closer than any one else. ty V Jj g All Goods are new and of <P j? the best quality. No shop- | ^ worn goods. | We maKe a specialty of School % ?Supplies and also keep a full lin*- of di Stationery, Blanks Books, Etc. ju ^ Come and inspect our goods. $ ? H. Gi (MEN & CO., j ft LIBERTY STREET, ? I SUMTER, S. C. j