Camden, S.C.
Kershaw District
January 17th, 1843
In the course of the past week it was intimated to me that there had not been any inquest held upon the body of John Pettigrew of this district who had come to his death by wounds inflicted upon him by one Bennett Dozier of the sane district who is now in jail to await his trial at the next court of sessions for the offence. As soon as I was fully satisfied that no inquest had been held, and deeming it strictly one of the cases that my duty required I should attend to, on yesterday the 16th inst. I issued my warrant to Vachille A. Smith a constable for the district who made return of his warrant to me this day at about 12 o'clock when the inquest was held.

The body had been buried without sending for the coroner from ignorance of the law, and from the supposition that because that there was so long an interval between the time he was wounded and his death that it was unnecessary. The parties who buried him were his friends and relations. Judge Adkins and Alfred R. McKain both of whom are important witnesses in the case and will be at court. Under these circumstances I could not see that I would be aiding Justice or assisting the due administration of law, by taking any precedence against them.

[on a separate sheet]
Testimony taken on an inquest on the body of John Pettigrew held on the 17th day of January 1843, State of South Carolina, Kershaw District.
B.F. Kilgore, the doctor who attended deceased being duly sworn saith I seen the deceased about 2 or 3 o'clock on Tuesday afternoon the 27th day of December last at Mr. McKinney's. I found him lying on his back with a severe wound on the abdomen out of which were a portion of his intestines. The external cut of the wound was about six inches and internally about three inches or may be a littlee more. I believe the wound was the cause of his death. Pettigrew died on the Sunday morning following, that was Junary 1st 1843. Saw him every day from Tuesday till Sunday the day he died. I consulted Doctor William Thorn on the case who went with me to see the decased on Friday before he died. [signed] B.F. Kilgore.

Judge Adkins. One of the jury being duly sworn saith I sween John Pettigrew on Tuesday the day he was stabbed which was the 27th day of December last. He was in his senses and told me he was coming along the road that morning when he met Bennet Dozier. Dozier said to him Pettigrew that he intended to whip him. He Pettigrew replied that he had not done any thing to him Dozier that he ought to whip him for. Dozier then asked him Pettigrew what made him protect the negroes the night before at Mr. Sevenson's. Dozier then cursed him and said eh intended to whip him for it, and then put down his gun and took off his coat and hat. He Pettigrew stood still. Dozier walked up to him and stabbed him before he knew he was going to do anything and as soon as he Pettigrew found he was stabled he run or [?] to the house of Mr. McKinney which was about one hundred & fifty or two hundred yards. Dozier followed him into the house and into the bed room where he had lain down or where some of them in the house had lain him. I was one of the persons that arrested Dozier and went with him to Camden when we first took him. He said he had stabbed Pettigrew and he was sorry for it. The next that I took notice of particular, he said he wished Pettigrew was well, that he Dozier was back with his family and if it was not for his Dozier's wife and child, he did not care any more for his life than for the wind that blows. Dozier said that if Pettigrew died he expected to be brought out of jail cold. Dozier was a sober man when we took him.

Alfred R. McKain, one of the jury was duly sworn and saith I seen John Pettigrew the deceased on Tuesday the 27th day of December last at the house of Mr. McKinney on the bed, lying on his back with a portion of his intestines hanging out. It was then about one hour after he had been stabbed as well as I know. I then went to see that Dozier was taken. Wm. Randolph and Judge Admin went with me. We found him Dozier at home in a room. We took him, and searched him, when I found a knife in his Dozier's pocket which he Dozier said was the knife that he had stabbed john Pettigrew with. I went to Camden with Dozier, on the way I asked him what Pettigrew said or done to him that made him cut him so. He said that Pettigrew had meddled with him at Mr. Owens when he had no business to do it. He said he Dozier was at Mr. Owens patrolling and that Mr. Kelly and John Pettigrew prevented him from whipping the negroes. He met Pettigrew that morning and asked him where was the negroes that he Pettigrew had protected the night before at Mr. Owens'. He Dozier cursed Pettigrew, and told him he intended to whip him for it. Pettigrew replied he reckoned not, as he had not done any thing to him Dozier to whip him for. He also said that Pettigrew did not make any resistance whatever. He said Pettigrew did not see him Dozier have the knife until he had stuck him with it and after he cut him with the knife Pettigrew got over the fence and went to McKinney's house where he Dozier followed him to see if he was hurt bad or not and to do something for him. He said he had not any authority to patrol the night before but just went out on a spree.

On the Friday following I seen Pettigrew he said that when Dozier struck him he had not any stick or weapon nor did he strike Dozier or make any resistance to him. When he found he was cut he jumped the fence to go to Mr. McKenny's house when his intestines fell out. He got to the house and some of those in the house put him on the bed, and that Dozier followed him into the house and caught hold of his clothes and pulled them open and caught hold of the wound when he Pettigrew begged Dozier not to do any thing more to him that he Dozier had given him his death wound or killed him.

McKinney's wife then put Dozier out of the house on hearing Pettigrew begging him to let him alone. Alfred R. McKain