The State vs. the Dead Body of Allen

he would not take a whipping, he be damned if he wouldn't cut his throat first

Date: 
September 4, 1858

Deceased

Allen
Description: 
negro man
Sex: 
Male
Race: 
Black
COD Category: 
Suicide
COD: 
Firearm
COD Method/Implement: 
rifle
COD Inquest Finding: 

upon their oaths do say that the deceased came to his death by ball shot from a rifle gun into his forehead causing instant death, the gun lying by his side, the ram rod drawn out and lying on the ground, a long forked stick lying lengthwise on the body

Coroner

Coroner: 
Henry M. Smith
Coroner Title: 
magistrate acting as coroner

Location

Inquest Location: 
at Mrs. Moor's
County: 
Greenville County, SC

Source

South Carolina Department of Archives & History
Columbia, SC
Inquest Images: 
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Transcription: 

?

the boy Allen came to the back door & said he wanted the fun that west[?] wanted it to kill two squirrels that were treed. That they boy west[?] was in the habit of sending some of the other boys to the house for the gun when a squirrel was treed

yesterday in the field he called Allen to him to whip him but the negro said he would not take a whipping, "he be damned if he wouldn't cut his throat first," the nego then ran off but was caught the same day & corrected in moderation

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