The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-04-15
ACQUITTED IN FIVE MINUTES.
The School whipping Case--Much Interest
In tho Jones-Martin Case-An Unusual
Prncceding Tho Defense OHers
No Testimony.
(The State, l4th.)

After reassembling at $3.50 o'clock p.
M, the case OF the State against B. l..
Jones, principal of Laurel Street grad
ed school, fCr aggravated assault and
battery on young Arthur Martin, the
son of Mr.. w. II. Martin, was taken
up. There was some trouble in obtain
ing jury, as many had expressed
themselves, and after many. objections
by both sides the following jury was se-
lected: w. Ii. Gibbes Jr., II. II. Aud,
). ). Howell, II. j. Gorham, Chas. Will
Bowers, ]. w. Mants, 9. w. Suber,
Jao. II. Mates and S. G. Wilson.
Andrew Crawford, Esq, represented
Prof. Jones and Hon. H. q. Patton as
sisted Solicitor Thurmond. Mr.. w. II.
Martin was the first witness sworn for
the State. he said he examined his
son the day after he was chastised by
Prof. Jones, and that he had several
large stripes on his thighs about as
long as his finger, and that his arm,
where he was vacinated, was in very
bad condition, but he could not say
whether it was aggravated by whip
ing or not. He said that the stripes on
young. Arthur's legs were swollen and
that the thighs were black and blue.
Mr.. Geo. r. Rooster corrOborated
Young Arthur Martin testified as
follows: know Prof. Jones; he whipp-
cd me with two other boys on January
IL of this year, but seemed to hit me
harder and locked as If he was angry;
struck me some Is or 20 licks with rat
tan, and caught me by my vaccinated
arm. tod him my arm was sore and
to please let 60; he did so and grabbed
me In the collar, but soon again grabb-
ed mo on my arm. / then cried out
and he let mo go. He told mo he
whipped me for misconduct, but had
not spoken to me for anything during
the entire day.
When cross examined by Judge
Crawford, he said: am IL years old;
the rule of tho school Is that boy
shall be whipped when he gets six de-
merits. [ talked three times that day;
every time we talk we get three de-
merits. Martin said that he OF ght to
have had whipping, but not 60 much
as he got.
Pierce Rucker, ono of tho boys who
received ilogging at tho same timo
Martin did, said that he saw Prof.
Jones whip Martin, and he did not
whip him any harder than the rest; he
said that Arthur told him that Jones
could whip other boys and get off, but
could not whip him and get Off. He
said that wncn Professor Jones grab
bed Martin by the arm and was warned
that he was Vaccinated, said: "Excuse
me-"
Louis LeConte said that he saw
young Martin whipped, and that the
licks were pretty hard, but not more so
than usual. He said that mono ever
cry when they are whipped, and that
Arthur's whipping was not more severe
than his or young Ruckcr's.
The defendant did not put up any
testimony.
Hon. II. G. Patton made the opening
argument on behalf OF the State. He
did not dwell much on the testimony
but simply appealed forcibly to the
feelings Of the jury.
Solicitor Thurmond followered with
quite long speech upon the rights Of
a school teacher to whip pupil.
Judge Crawford then addressed the
jury in behalf of the defence in his
unusual elegant and eloquent style. He
dwelt at length on the testimony, and
cited many cascs on a parallel with this,
where the teacher was eXonerated from
any blame for whipping severely. He
said that 1t was the teachers duty to
chastize pupil when law of the school
was violated, and that it was discre-
tionary whether it should be light or Sc
we're.
The jury returned q verdict acquit-
ting Mr. Jones.