I have been spending too much time on the Library of Congress’ Chronicling America website.
That is where I pulled the original articles about the murder of Carolina Farrow by William Belton (Bee) Martin after Dr. Ware tipped my off to them. In looking for information of W. B., I found something interesting about his brother, my great great grandfather, J. Campbell Martin.

 

The news and herald (Winnsboro, SC)
March 3, 1881. Image 2.

“A Terrible Murder”

J. Campbell Martin, a brother of W. B. Martin who was indicted with C. A. McClung for the murder of Pem Guffin some months since,…

 

What?

Um.

It’s 2am and the baby will be up in for the day in five hours but WHY NOT LET’S SEARCH.

 

Anderson Intelligencer
September 30, 1880. Image 3.

A difficulty occurred in Abbeville on last Monday between Mr. P. L. Guffin and Mr. McClung over a game of billiards, which terminated in the latter shooting and killing the former. We have not been able to obtain the particulars of the altercation.

 

Anderson Intelligencer
October 24, 1880. Image 3.

“Brief Mention.”

Charles A. McClung and J. Campbell Martin, the parties charged with the murder of L. P. Guffin in Abbeville week before last, the former as principal and the latter as accessory, were brought before Judge McGowan, at Abbeville, on Monday of last week upon a writ of habeas corpus, and, after examination; admitted to bail in the sum of $3,000 each.

 

Anderson Intelligencer
October 28, 1880. Image 3.

C. A. McClung and J. C. Martin were tried in Abbeville last week for the killing of L. P. Guffin and acquitted.

 

That’ll have to be it for now until I can dig through local newspaper and court records at some point. The Abbeville newspaper isn’t part of the online collection. There are much more interesting questions that I need answers to before I explore this novelty of family history though. Maybe I would be more curious if it didn’t fit so well with the ideas I already have; if it was pointing me in another direction. It’s not.