The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-09-23
END OF THE BLACK TRIAL.
4COUITTAI OF THE PRISONER-HIS
TOHY OF TIE CASE.
Forming the Jury-The Evidence OF q
Cloud Of Understanding the Fatal
Shot-BIack Released, and Re-arrest-
ed upon the Charge OF Assault and
Battery with Intent to XIII.

SnOE-DkdCA ~
ed upon the Charge OF Assault and
Battery with Intent to Kill.
rFRoM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENCE
BLAcKv1LLE, 8. G., September 81.
The trial of E. j. Black, formerly of your
| CITY. for the murder of Town-marshsl Turner.
took place yesterday. Your readers will re-
member that there was an alteration between
| Solomon Groves and Captain Black, who,
after the quarrel, went home for his pistol.
| Before his return to the spot where Groves
was. Marshal Turner interfered to preserve
| the peace. Captain Black killed Turner and
wounded Frank Groves, the son of The man
with whom he had the difficulty. An Intense
| interest was manifested In the trial. and the
courthouse was crammed With eager listeners.
The Jury was composed exclusively of colored
men. Robert Aldrich, Esq, and the Hon. 4.
P. Aldrlch appeared for the prisoner, and Soil
cltor Wlsgin for the State. At eleven O'Clock
at night the Jury rendered q verdict Of not
guilty. I give you q condensed report of all
the evidence In this highly Important case.
The prisoner having objected to twenty
Jurors, and the State requesting five to stand
aside, a Jury was finally obtained, consisting
entirely of colored men. The prisoners fami-
" were seated near him. The prisoners coun.
sell requested that the Witnesses should be
kent out of court, and only one allowed 10 be
in attendance at once, and they were placed
In charge of the sheriff, with Instructions to
him to act accordingly. The case was then
opened by the solicitor In appropriate re.
marks.
DIR. s. B. Graham, sworn: Resides 10 Black.
Vile. and Ia q practiclng physiclan; was called
away 10 dress the wounds OF Black. While
away Turner died, and died from the pistol
shot, in his opinion.
John G. Callf, sworn: Resides In Blackvilie.
On the I'd day Of July, about ?. NJ, the pris-
oner and Sol. Groves and John Pender came TO
hig bar and got drinks. They drank, aud
Groves and Black went out into the piazza,
and sat down, and began to talk about poll
lies. Black said he was a friend TO the cLlUred
mamie. Mr.. Groves asked him how be could
be-. as he had never given them anything.
Black said ''what the Iell had he (Groves)
ever given them" Groves said he had given
them bread and meat whenever they wanted
III. An0 blHCh CAllcu ulu y y q oloSn
said II he wanted anything TO step outside.
Groves did 30. Black struck him on the
month. Groves tried to strike Black, and was
prevented by Charles Lartlgue. Turner took
lhe prisoner away from Groves and let Black
loose. Prisoner met his little son between
Or. L%artigue's shop and Bonner's, and asked
tim to go home and get his pistol. The boy
Uonld NOT give II to him. Then Black vent
| home and got the pistol himself. In about
three.ouarters Of an hour he returned to his
(Witness'l store and told Groves he was ready
Tor him, and drew bis pistol out OF his. coat
pocket TO shoot the old man, Sol. Groves. Wit
ness saw the pistol and Identified 1t In court.
Frank Groves, son of Sol. Groves, caught hold
OF Blacks right arm, and Turner, the town
marshal, said he commanded the peace. AS
he said that, Black c.cked his pistol acd shot
Turner. Witness saw him cock and aim at
Turner. Frank Groves stepped aside, and
the prisoner shot him also, and then cooked
his pistol to shoot old man Groves. Then NC
Fall struck tine prisoner with a bar of Iron.
Witness saw the prisoner cock the pistol. NC
Fail, after knocking the prisoner down, took
his pistol away from him. Two men picked
him up, and carried him to B. Nerland's. Dr..
Graham dressed Blacks wounds. Witness
saw Turner when he fell, and saw him when
he died. Two shots were fired.
Cross-examlned by Judge Aldrich for the
defence: Fender came into the shop with
Groves and Black to take q drink, and they
ing frequently before and WAS under the lnfu-
ence of Iiuuor. About four o'clock p NJ, after
thew drank, they walked out into the piazza
and appeared friendly. Black said he was q
irIend to the colored people. Words occurred
between them, and prisoner said 10 Groves.
ssIf you have anything against me, step OUT"
After they went out, Black struck Sol. Groves.
- ia .@k frlE plQnR Tr1rnar wQR
there when they commenced the quarrel, ana
LartIpue separated them. Black was absent
three.ouarters of an hour. The shooting was
al a quarter to S P. III. Saw Black COCK his
pjstoi. Turner Was about twenty PAGES of
when Black shot him. Saw Black cock his
pistol twice. Was about FIVE feet from Black.
There were present Gus Hntto and Mccall,
besides the others, the Two Groveses and Tur-
ner Witnesses lather was then up at Inc
ner and Black. Saw the prisoner and de-
ceased frequently. They were apparently
friendly. The prisoner was carried TO a trial
~jlstice's office Immediately after being
knocked down. When Black returned from
his home with his pistol Groves was sitting In
the piazza. Groves appeared to be Q little
intoxicated, but not 30 much as Black. Young
was sbot he was carried into the back room In
lChk VI u onks
after being shot
A.. McFail, sworn: Resides near Blackville;
was present on the day of The murder; was
sitting down In Califf 3 piazza. 8. Groves and
the prisoner had q tracas some time previous
on the same day, and had gone iuto the street
and got hold OF each other, and other parties
got hold of them and pulled them apart.
Black said he would 80 home and get his
pistol and come back. he went of, and
STAYED away about half to three-quarters of
an hour. When he returned witness was on
Califr's piazza. Witness heard Black say,
"Dsmn YOU, now l am ready for YOU" Wit
meas did not know who the prisoner was I'D.
dressing. Black drew bis pistol from his
pants or coat pocket, and raised bis hand.
Witness thinks that Frank Groves had hold OF
Blacks pistol arm, and that he said, 'Captain,
don't do So" About that Time, the deceased,
the town marshal, came up and commanded
the peace, and Black stepped q little 10 the
right of Frank Groves and shot Turner. Pris-
oner then turned q little 10 The LETT and shot
at Frank Groves. Black again turned around
towards the piazza and presented bis pistol
at Sol. Groves, when the witness struck the
prisoner a blow with q piece of iron Ia win
dow bari and knocked him down. Witness
then took the pistol from The prisoner, and
kept 1t until this trial.
Cross-eXamIned by Judge Aldrich for the
defence: Is not related to Groves, unless by
marriage; was not present with the parties
when they went into Califf's shop to drink; the
parties had been drinking, but not u great
deal, Could not tell who separated Black and