The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1893-07-25
st.J
Tho Recent Coprt.


rhe trial OF g. 4. jennings, a bright
Iaulatto school teacher,S n wife and
Clara Bullock for the murder OF an in.
FAINT OF Clara, was pending when We
went 10 press OF last Tuesday. The
Jury charged with tho case retired at 10
A.. M. on Wednesday morning and came
in with a verdict at 7 p. NJ, finding Jen-
nings guilty of murder and announcing
that they could not agree as to the two
women. SO a mistrial wss ordered. II
was q hard fought case and stoutly con-
tested. AS q homicide case It had some
interesting features. jennings is a
bright mulatto, q native OF Baltimore,
and came South, as a preacher under
the protection ofthe Northern Presbyte-
rian church some years ago. Two years
ago he was disconnected with church
work and was made principal OF the
colored graded school in this city. Clara
Bullock Is g negro girl, rather bright and
we'll educated, the daughter of a simple
negro laborer, farming four miles from
this city. She had been a pupil Of Jen-
nings and wife, the latter also being a
teacher, a bright mulatto woman who
came from Westchester, Pa, where she
has a respectable well.to do colored
mother and brothers. jennings la about
forty years of age n he and his wife
lived in their own house in this city,
whore they w a little property. Clara
Is about eighteen years of age. In 1892
jennings had u hired farm in tho coun-
try adjoining tho farm cultivated by
Eiihu Bullock, the father of Clara.
About the last of March the negroes of
tho city raised q clamor against JON
nings. They clBimed that improper re-
lations existed between jennings and
Clara; that Clara disappeared from
view abont December last; and that
Clara was really seoreted in jennings
house and had boon since her disappear
ance, demanding of the trustees of the
graded schools, all of whom are promi-
nent gentlemen Of the city, an investi-
CATION. This vas had, evidence was
taken. witnesses were called. jennings
was examined and stoutly maintained
that he knew nothing of Clara. How
ever, the clamor of the colored people
was SO great, that Jennings rendered his
resignation as a teacher. This was on q
Tuesday morning In April. On the fol-
lowing Saturday the Sheriff with a war
rant and posse went to the house of Jen-
nings and arrested the three, Clara being
found in the attic, and all were com.
mitted to Jail. They admitted hat Clara
had been delivered of q boy child a
week before and that 1t had been carried
to Elihu Bullock's house, there to be
cared for by his family. On Monday
morning tho chlld's grave in a secluded
wood one hundred and fifty yards from
Bullock's house, was found. A boy child
claimed to be Clara's was exhumed, and
an inquest held. 1t appeared OH the in
question:, that she had been attended
by DR.. Jones, residing a %neighbor to Bull
lock n his family physician, a gentle
man Of character, at the request OF Bull
lock; and hat the delivery was about
two O'Clock in the morning. There were
two issues In the case: one If the child
died from natural causes or was MUIR
dered; the other, who was responsible
for the death. The State released Elihu
Bullock, who also was charged and ar
rested. and used him as a witness. The
State contended that the Jenningses
and Clara murdered the child, while the
defense claimed that Elihu Bullock had
carried the child to his house In feeble
condition and was responsible and
should answer and recount for its death.
jennings alleged motive for secreting
Clara was the protection of her reputa-
ton and his own. The evidence was
purely circumstantial of a homicide
having been committed and the jury
must have entertained grave doubts,
having deliberated nine hours. lie was
sentenced to be hanged on September
1st, but his case will be appeald to the
Supreme Court which meets in Novem-
Der.
John Ferguson, who cut his wife's
throat in this city March last, was con- |
victed Of murder, and sentenced to hang !
on September, LIST. After the Judge pro- |
nounced the sentence he asked If he
could dispose of his little girl by will. |
He is "a years Did and was reared in this
city.
Charlie Green, George Bowers, and
Wade Cannon were convicted OF arson,
by burning the dwelling of J. ID. Hairs
ton near Goldvlile. There being no rec
concentration to mercy they wore SEN
fenced to die by hanging on the first of
September. There may be an appeal in
Green's case and possibly in all three.
X. G. Morrison was convicted Of cheat
ing and d~efrauding negroes under pre-
tonse OF r~esresentlng some benevolent
enterprise and sentenced to three years
In the p~enitentiary, A.. these unfortu-
mates belong to the negro raoo. 1T was
a bloody assize and we hope not to wit
ness the like again.
After disposing of a mass of equity mat
matters Judge Wallace adjourned the
Court sine dieon Friday afternoon. The
Court opens at Spartanburg on Monday
morning.
Union Meeting,
The union of the 4th section of