Coroner's Report - 1905 to 1907

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[handwritten] Testament of Dr. CD East

[Section marked through with "X'] Having been instructed Feb 5th 1905 by ME Carow of Laurens County SC to make an examination of the body of J. W. Atkins [?], Dead I do find a gun shot wound (shotgun) involving the Superior portion of right Region the lower [illegible] of [illegible] was injured [illegible] are intestim [page is torn, intestiment?] said wounds and hereby resilting [resulting] in death

C.D. East MD

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State South Carolina County of Laurens the State V.S.

[section marked through with "X"] Due [?] body of Lonnie Smith Wess Workman, himlf [himself], Duly swrn [sworn] saus [says] on the morning of the 29th of March 1905 heard Mist Truist [?] call to my wife and said Mist Alvin [?] was [illegible] over in John Smith Huus [house?] burning that the baby was crying, I ran to the house and as I got there they had broken the door open and yon in I went in the baby was burning and some man was [illegible] the baby out we put the baby out and went to Janna she was lying on her face dead

Wess Workman X his mark

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[Handwritten] State South Carolina Laurens County State V.S. _____________ [This page marked through with a large "X"

Dead body of [Janna?] Smith

Gina Smith being duly sworn says on the 29th of march 1905 I went to carry my Husban [husband] Brekfast [breakfast] I went up quick as I could as I was goin [going] back to my house I heard some one Hollor and say that [illegible] children was on fire and when I got there the baby was in the kitchen crying I picked it up and started [illegible]

Lanna was and found her dead I left the children [illegible] down before the fire having their Brekfast when I left to carry my Husband breakfas [breakfast] it was about a 1/4 of a mile to where my Husband was Lanno [Janna?] is between 3 + 4 years old.

Gina Smith X her mark

This is to certify that I have examined the dead body of Lanna [Janna?] Smith and find that death was caused by a burn. Juray W H Young M. D

G. D Smith Foreman H M Bl[illegible] C M Store Jon Finny F Y Boba W M Pitts R D Young Thos M Letta R C Philsus W D Copeland Tom Anderson C E Lodit

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[Handwritten] State South Carolina County of Laurens State VS April 3d, 1905 Dead body of Christopher Heron [?]

[large 'X' through page starting on next line down to 3 lines above the bottom]

Jim Fuller being sworn says He was up on the kitchen [?] and started to play a game of Card [Cards?] and got into a little trouble [illegible] and Dick Davis [illegible] not at any ones house Dick Davis sent for Cooter [?] Clardy [?] . Sent down to the church and told the manager to tell Clardy to come [?] up there. The damn niggers were trying to run over him. It [?] was in the afternoon 3d Sunday in March there were four of us playing cards me + Christ [Christopher] Heron were partners + Dick Davis + George Fuller were partners. There was a dime each the money what caused the [illegible] there were two hands debt off and Dick made a miss deal I laid Dick you have done that on purpose. he Said its a damn Lie I did not do it. We then got the cards together and Started another game and Christ [Christopher] won the money + Dick David piched it up and I told himnot to pick up my money. He Said I have got it and I would [illegible] to See you get it. By that time Cootter Clardy [?] had got there he 'came [illegible] the woods hat ff and pistol in his hand [?] and wanted to know who in the hell that was after Dick David I says [?] Coot nobdy is after Dick He says who is that talking I told him it was not [?] Jim Fuller he says is that your Jim

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[Handwritten] [page is crossed out with a large X]

I says yes I when he found out it was one he says I would not hurt a hair on your head you married my first cousin. I said I married you 2d cousin, He put his pistol in his pocked and put his arm about me + hugged + [kissed ?] me he then got up and said I want to know who this is was trying to run over Dick Davis up here He was taking to Dick Coot [?] Says oh Damn Dick Davis when he said that Cooter Clardy ran up and Shove [?] Christ back when he pushed him back he liked to pushed him down and before Christ Heron [?] had got straight [?] up Cooter had pushed out his Pistol and fired Cris [Christopher] fell about 2 minutes after he was Shot he put the pistol back in his pocket + him + Dick Davis slipped off throu [through] the woods. As soon [?] as Coot Shot Cris [Christopher] for Jim I dont know Dick Davis [illeible] Cooter [marked out] by the arm and Said let the Dm [Damn?] Son of a bich [bitch] go and went off up in the woods and then came back and Dick says who can prove Coot shot Christ [Christopher] he has not got a pistal any body wants to search him can do it while [we were?] standing there the Pistol dropped down Cooter Clardy pants leg + Dick Davi picked it up + put it in his pocked Dick Davis then offered me a Dollar to be witness for him that Coot died not shoot Cris [Christopher] I told him no I didnt want his money and turned round and walked off Dick + Coot left before I did

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[Handwritten] Cross Examined By Lawyer

[Paragraph is crossed out with a large X]

Some of us were drinking dont know where the rest got theirs I had a little of my own Christ [Christopher] had five before Coot [Cooter] and Dick left the first time I only have one pistol Pete [Willmond?] told the folks about it and I staid [stayed?] there till [until?] they come for Christ [Christopher] Dick Davis had a stick when he picked up the money and told me to take it if I was man enough to do it He left there with his stick still in his hand [Wa?]der went after Cooter Clardy he stays at Gray Court Dick Davis told him to go for Cooter

Jim Fuller X his mark

[Paragraph is crossed out with a large X]

Allen Park being sworn says when Christopher [Heron?] was shot me and my wife were coming up the road By the [Knob?] church where they were all drinking I thought I would stop and get me a drink while I was out there Jim Fuller + Cris [Christopher] Heron Dick Davis + Jim Fuller sat down and began to play cards They got to quarling [quarreling?] on the first game + Dick Davis got [crossed out] sent some one after Cootler Clardy Cootler came running up with a pistol in his hand and asked what the hell was the matter Jim Wharton told him there was nothing the matter and carried him off when he got him off Jim Wharton called me out there Cootter then gave me my [Drow?]