The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1899-08-11
DENIAL FROM MIR. CROUCH.
Tho Report as to Ills Breaking Down aud
ConfessinE Proved to DO ~ Falschoud.
(Tho State, 0th.)


Crouch from Ncwborry County for
stealing and destroying mail. In
that account it was stated that Crouch
had broken down and made tho
statement thut ho hud loved iho cir.
better than anything in tho world
and that was why ho had taken tho
letter. The State had no desire TO
DO sensational or to do the defendant
i'll the coso any Injustice. Tho story
as published was obtained from ono
of the government officers who had
charge Of the case and was given as
related by him to reporter of tho
State.
Tho following has boon received
from Crouch's Attorneys:
Newbcrry, S. G., Aug. s, 1890
10 tho editor of Tho State.
notice in your paper of tho 3d
inst what purports to bo an "articlo"
giving nn account OF tho case of tho
United States VS.. Wellington Crouch,
and what happened at tho Office of
Mr. jennings, tho United States
Commissioner at the timo whom the
preliminary hearing was waived and
bond given. 1t is therein stated that
"Ho broke down and cxclaimod: Il
loved that girl better than any ything
in the world, and 1 couldn't stand
for that fellow to como to SEQ her;
this is why I did it," There also
occurred in tho samo "articlo" the
following statements "NVhlo at tho
Commissioners Office he broke down
and uttered tho words at tho begin
ming Of tho "urticlc."
Permit me to make tho following
statement: represented Mr.. Crouch
at the timo aid place aud Oil tho
occasion mentioned in tho "articlo"
as his attorney. There were present
at tho time MIR. jennings, tho Com
missioner; Mr.. j. II. Davidson, tho
oflicor who had Mr. Crouch in Gus
tody; MIR. Crouch and myself, and |
think Magistrate Smith and also a
gentleman writing at desk whom
do not know. I stated to 1lr. Jon.
nings that L waived tho preliminary
hearing aid wanted to give bond
MIR. jennings took me into the rear
room of the Office and asked mo
about bond. l stated to him that 7
was prepared to mako it. During
this short interval, which was cor
tainly not longer than 30 seconds,
MIR. Crouch and MIR. Davidson wore
left win the othor gcntlcmen Just
mentioned, out in tho front room.
When Mr.. Jennin IS and [ returned
from the rear room into the front
room he at once got blank bond
and Mr. Crouch being in hurry to
leave for Newborry on the 4.3O Co.
lumbia, Nowberry and Laurons train,
he only filed out the bond to tho OK
tent of the amount of it, leaving the
rest to be fully filled out afterwards.
MIR. Crouch signed the bond and |
then signed it as attorney, in fact
for his father, and wo both loft the
ollco together and continued togcth
or until no reached tho Joromo hotel,
at which | was stopping. i directed
HIM how to reach tho depot, at his
request. Ho left me, going in that
direction, and I have reason to bo
lleve went Immediately to tho depot
and never returned to the commits
sloner's Office or up street Those
are the facts just as they occurred.
Mr. Crouch mado no such statement
as is attributed to him, nor indeed
dId ho mako any at all. Tho only
remark which | recall is, when sign
ing tho bond, he asked mo whore to
write his namo. He did not break
down nor did he show any signs
whatever Of breaking down. When
l returned to the room after q vory
few moments, ho was perfectly at
himself and showed no signs what
over of emotion or of breaking down.
| will state further that tho two
rooms mentioned horoin woro only
separated by q single wall through
which there is n door, and this door
was open ut tho time, and I went but
few feet inside of it, Mr.. Crouch
being also but fow feet from tho
door in tho front room. ] fcol fully
satisfied had he made any snch state.