Coroner's Report - 1905 to 1907

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[handwritten] State of South Carolina Laurens County

An inquisition indented taken near Barkdales Station on C + W. C RR Aug 24th ad 1905 before W. D Watts coroner for said county upon viw of the body of Henry Jackson then and there being dead by the oaths of A F Colman Foreman W E Barksdale W W Owens W M Henderson W F Walker W. B Brooks T H Henderson W J Burns E C Knight C L Owens S. W Garrets D F Brooks being a lawful juryof inquest who having been charged + sworn to inquire for the State of South Carolina where and by what means said Henry Jackson come to his death, upon their oaths do say that the said Henry Jackson came to his death be derailment of engine 212 on C+W. C RR at 102 Mile post near Barksdale Station cause of which is unknown to jury.

In witness whereof I [,] WD Watts coroner aforesaid and jurors aforesaid to this inquisition how interchangeably put our hands + seal the day and year aforementioned

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[handwritten]

Witness for the State in case of Henry Jackson

W. H. Calmon [Coleman?] Being duly sworn says That on the 24th of Aug 1905 the I saw the engine [?] turn over and Box cars on top of and saw the body of Henry Jackson under the trucks of cars he was dead I think W H. Calmon

W H Knight being duly swor [sworn] says I came down here yesterday, and found the Engine and cars all in a wreck I found the body of Henry Jackson under the trucks dead I helped take him out W H Knight

Dr R. E Hughs being swwr [sworn] says I have this Examined the body of Henry Jackson, cold and find the face of brain. fractured also other injurrie, the farewle how[illegible] is caus [cause] of dead body being caught and pinned under tracks of cars R E Hughis MD

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[handwritten]

State South Carolina Laurens County

An inquisition indented taken near 16r John Davenports on 25th August 1905 before W D Watts coronr [coroner] for said county upon view of the body of Laura Crofford then and there being dead by the oaths of T B Brock Foreman Walter Jorns Allen Ward Willson Pitts Jessie Fagy Ira Pitts Essie Pitts Ron Goggins Peter Borzer Archie Suber John Riley Evins Floyd being a lawful jury of inquest who having been charged and sworn to inquire for the State of South Carolina where and by what mean the said Laura Croffard came to her death upon their oaths do say that the said Laura Crofford come to her douth [death] froom [from] a gun shot wound in the hand of Johns Carter

In witness where of I [,] W D Watts coroner aforesaid + jurors afore said to this inquisition have interchangealy put are hands and seal the year and dy above [mentioned?] W D Watts coroner [seal]

T. B. Brock, Foreman [seal] Walter Jones [seal] Allen Ward [seal] William Pitts [seal] Jessie Fogie [seal] Ira Pitts [seal] Essic Pitts [seal] Ron Goggins [seal] Peter Boozer [seal] Archive Suber [seal] John Riley [seal] Evins Floyd [seal]

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[handwritten]

Witness in case of Laura Crofford

Olivet Austin being duly sworn says Laura Crafford was coming from sofe [?] with some plats she says alive help me fix table I said I will let henry play while I help you John carter said no body would play John said you can play if you think you can get off at that and drw [draw] the pistol on me Laura Caoffod [Crofford?] says John take that pistol out of here we dont need you he says I will shoot you and then the pistol fired and he run and come back and said Lord I have killed Laura Olivet Austin

Henry Williams bing [being] Duly sworn says I was in anothe [another] room when the shooting took place I went in the room and saw John Carter jump out of the room I saw Laura Croffard and she was strugerling [struggling?] out of the rooms I caled [called] her twice but she never ansered John Carter came by the spring and shot at a hat aboy had in his hand I taken the pistol away from him but he wanted it back and I let him have it the pistol was a 32 cal I Johnson Henry Williams

This certifies that I have Exma [examined] dead boy [body] of Laura Croffard Cal + that she died from the effects of a gun shot wound the bullet pearcing the heart and inst[illegible] through both vesticles W H Young M. D

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[handwritten] State of South Carolina Laruens County

An inquisition indented taken on Mr Wm [William] Browns place Oct 2d ad 1905 before W D Watts coronr for said county upon view of the body of Nick McDowal then and there being dead by the oaths of T B Brown Foreman D A Madden W F Barley W W Adair J F Langston Crockitt Beasley Lawrence Milam V Porter Douglas Moore Kellis Booker Frank Johnson Cark Vance being a lawful jury of inquest who having been charged and Sworn to inquire for the State of South Carolina where and by what means said Nick McDowal came to his death upon their oaths do say that Said Nick McDowal came to his death from a gunshot wound in the hands of Willie Johnson In witness where of I W D Watts coroner aforesaid and jurors aforesaid to this inquisition have interchangeably put our hands and seal the day and year above mentioned

W D Watts coroner [seal] D A Madden [seal] Shot on Sept 17 W F Bailey [seal] Died Oct 1st 1905 W W Adair [seal] J. T Langston [seal] Crockett Beasley [seal] Lawrence Milam [seal] V Porter [seal] Duglas Moore [seal] Killis Booker [seal] Frank Johnson [seal] Mark Vance [seal]