Thriller Thursday~Murder and Mayhem in Chesterfield

7 May 1889 – Chesterfield, South Carolina

Photo Courtesy of Julious Burr

A. G. Douglass was shot down yesterday morning, over a land dispute, while engaged in chipping a turpentine tree near his home. Mr. Douglass and the shooter, W. D. Merriman, had been engaged in a land dispute resulting in a lawsuit. Merriman shot Douglass using a double barrel shotgun loaded with  buckshot.  
Sheriff J. S. White arriving on the site approximately three hours after the shooting found Douglass's body lying near the tree he was chipping.
An inquest jury was empaneled by Coroner Sellers. After deliberation the jury returned the following verdict: “That W. D. Merriman, A. B. Merriman, Burrell Merriman and Jim Pigg were present and saw the shooting and no one else saw it or knew anything about it.” ¹
Sheriff J. S. White  took the three Merriman’s and Jim Pigg into custody and transported them to the Chesterfield Jail.
 
This incident took place in the Cole Hill township approximately 6 miles from Chesterfield. 

On 10 May 1889, The News and Courier ran a follow up article on page 1, column 1  with the following headlines.

The Chesterfield Homicide.
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Additional Light Thrown on the Killing of Douglass
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The Story of the Merrimans—Signs Points to an Ambush—Inconsistencies Between the Statement of the Merrimans and the Position of The Body—It Looks Very Much Like a Foul Murder

Then on September 1, 1889, The News and Courier ran another follow up article with the verdict.
CONVICTED OF MURDER
Phenomenal Success of the Solicitor of the Forth Circuit in Conducting a Murder Case Against A  White Man
The newspaper read "The case of W. D. Merriman, for the murder of A. G. Douglass, was concluded last night. The jury was out fifteen minutes and brought in a verdict of guilty.
W. D. Merriman, A. B. Merriman, B. M. Merriman and James Pigg were charged with the murder of A. G. Douglass on May 6, On Wednesday, September 4, the case was called, and Solicitor Johnson nol prossed the case against all of the defendants except W. D. Merriman."

Nol prossed--- nolle prosequi (no-lay pro-say-kwee) n. Latin for "we shall no longer prosecute,"
 
Charges were dropped for everyone but W. D. Merriman who was found guilty. No follow up sentencing was found for W. D. Merriman.






 
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[1] The News and Courier, Charleston, South Carolina, Wednesday Morning, May 8, 1889, page 1 column 8. Also May 10, 1889 and September 1, 1889 editions.}