A Dastardly Murder.
A Negro Shot Down in a Most Cowardly Manner.
Jordon Franklin Called to the Door of His Home and as Soon as He Appears is Filled With Lead Slugs.

There was a negro killing out on Mr. E. E. Freeman’s plantation Friday night.

About ten o’clock some one came to the home of Jordan Franklin and called to him to come out of the house as he was wanted on business. Franklin asked, “Who are you? And the one outside replied “Ferguson” and claimed to have a private message for Franklin. Franklin knew no one by the name of Ferguson and hesitated before going out. He told his strange visitor to come in the door but the man in the dark still insisted that he wanted to see Franklin privately. Franklin finally opened the door and as he did so the end of a gun barrel was quickly placed against his abdomen and the trigger was pulled. It proved a fatal shot, as Franklin died about six o’clock the following morning.

The wounded man was asked if he knew who shot him and he replied in the presence of several witnesses that it was Martin Dorsey, a negro employed by Mr. W. H. Lumpkin, at Rogers’ station. Several weeks ago three brothers of Dorsey’s and Jordan Franklin were arrested on the charge of stealing cotton from Dr. Felton. Franklin turned states evidence and claimed that he did not have anything to do with the stealing further than hiring himself to bail the cotton. Franklin was set free but the other parties were bound over to court to stand trial.

There is no doubt but that this tragic affair was caused by Franklin’s action in the stealing case.

Sheriff Roberts arrested Martin Dorsey and Dave Archer on warrants charging them with the crime and they are now languishing behind the prison bars.

Coroner Frank Patterson empanelled a jury of inquest and the evidence was substantially the same as above stated and the verdict returned was in accordance therewith.