The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-22

| Cure the grand jury IL to be q perpetual
body, six members of each jury holding
over to serve with the next. These
were drawn on Wednesday in open
court and the following gentlemen will
serve another year: II. S. Boozer, Pet
Lominick, A. j. Willingham, M. Nc
Carlcy, u. +. Werts, w. II. Lominick.
| Next year only twelve jurors will be
I drawn.
ANDREW HORTON CASE.
The only case that is attracting much
attention aL this court is that of Andrew
( Horton, white, charged with admins
/ tering strychnine TO negro, Dorroh
f johnson, from which he died on May 8
last. 1t was commenced on Wednesday,
morning, Mcssrs. JolAnstone & Welcl.
representing the defendant and Mr.. G..
} l.. Blcase assisting Solicitor Seasc in
/ the prosecution.
The following jury was secured only
after both sides had exhausted the
number of challenges allowed them un-
der tho law: II. II. Burton, foreman;
). 5. Ringer, Geo. A. Counts, jr., W..
Julius Cromer, w. B. Harmon, II. c..
Perry, w. Fl. Counts, j. sam Pugh,
Hamilton Buzhardt, Gus b. Sigh, p.
N. Boozer, j. q. Whitman.
The hearing OF the testimony con-
sumcd the time of the court until the
noon recess on Thursday, 16 witnesses
being produced for the State and % in
behalf of tho defense. Great public in
terest was manifested in the trial and
the court room was crowded through
out the progress Of the case.
Sarah johnson, the widow OF the do
ceased, testified that carly on the night
OF Johnson's death he was called from
his house by Joe Smith, colorcd,
another occupant OF the same house,
| aud the two mon spent some time in
| conversation with u third man whom
she took to bo the defendant, that John
son returned 10 his house, soon became
sick and died about 10 o'clock, after q
series of five or six convulslons. She
| had been married to Johnson q month,
previous to which time she had been
criminally intimate with Horton, who
was the father of one Of hcr children.
Mary Smith and Joe Smith, both
colored, contradicted Sarah Johnson's
testimony, and the latter testified that
he, in company with Horton, left Hor-
| toms house about dark and went to a
point near Johnson's house, where
Smith called Johnson out at Horizons
request to have a talk, and then left
| them together. Horton had two bottles
of whiskcy and gave Smith drink out
| of one Of them.
| DR.. j. i. johnson testified that Hor-
ton, short while before the killing,
| had gotten an order from him for
strychnine to kill crows, and that on
tho morning after Johnson's death Hor-
ton went to witness and asked him not
| to give him away about tho stlychnine.
M. p. johnson said that on the same
morning that Horton was excited and
| told him that he expected to be ac-
cused Of the murder Of Johnson because
he had been keeping Johnson's wife.
Rush Secder and Amanda Recder,
both colored, swore that shortly before
tho killing Horton told them he in
tended to kill Johnson because johnson
had married his woman. Other minor
suspicious circumstances were proved.
DR.. Peter Robertson testified that he
had made chemical analysis of tho
contents OF the dead mans stomach and
found unmistakable traces of strych-
nine. He was cOrroborated as to this
test by Drs. Glider and Kibler, who
also gave the symptoms Of strychnine
poisoning which correspondent very
closely with those exhibited by john
son before his death, according to the
testimony.
The defense introduced Drs. O. B.
Mayer, w. q. Houscal and DR.. Geo. Y =.
Hunter, who stated that according to
certain authorities the chemical tcst as
used by DR.. Robertson was not conclu-
slve as to the presence OF strychnino.
Half dozen or more witnesses were
sworn who proved the good reputation
for pcaccablcness and lack of violence
OF the defendant, and bad reputation
for truth and vcracty of Joe Smith and
! Mary Smith, witnesses for the State.
Mrs. Emily Horton, Mrs. Ella Auton,
| and Marccllus Horton, mother, sister
! and brother of tho defendant respec-
lively, and Loomis Auton, testified that
| Horton was at home or elsewhere than
at Johnson's at tho time the poison, If
any, must have been administered
| Willie Rccdcr, NJ. A. Wheeler, Willie
Buford and one Or two other witnesses
testified to facts tending to support this
plea of an alibi.
| The defendant testified in his own be-
half and exhibited during this ordcai
considerable evidences of nervousness.
He said that in the afternoon OF The
day OF Johnson's death he went 20
Kinards to meet his sister, Mrs. Auton,
! got back homo with her shortly after