The age-herald., 1901-10-06
Preliminary Hearing at AshVINs Results in Release of
 the Official THE SOLDIERS RETURN HOME Last Chapter In Trouble Growing Out of Awful Crime of Jim Brown,
 Who Was Recently
 Hanged.

Ashville. October 5-(Special.) )-The pre- liminary trial of Sherff J. L. North of St. Clair county which has been in progress at Ashville since last Wednesday came to a close this afternoon. The result was the acquittal of the sheriff. North was charged with the murder of Walter Blankenship who was killed dur ing the attack on the court house by tho mob on August 22 when an attempt was made to lynch Jim Brown. the negro con- victed of criminal assault. | The evidence brought out tended to show that North did nothing more than was his official duty in protecting the prisoner. An effort that was made to prove that North was directly responsible for the killing of Blankenship failed. | It Is said that the verdict gives general satisfaction among the people although 1t displeases the friends of Blankenship. There was no attempt at violence on the part of the Blankenship faction.
 Shot With Buckshot.
 Dr. J. B. Bass, one of the physicians who attended Blankenship when he was wounded, testified today that in his opin- ion No. buckshot killed Blankenship. The prosecution has tried to prove all through the trial that the deceased was killed by pistol shot. Sheriff North was armed with a Colts 44-calibre revolver on | the. day of the Brown trial, when Blank ensbip was killed. s
 Judge W. s. Forman was recaIied at the morning sessicr andshe testified that the first shots he heard were the accidental | ones.
 James R. Forman, a member of the sheriffs posse. stated that he was in the ante room when Truss gun was accident- ally fired. North was in the vestibule,. when I came in. He was talking to Blank enship just before I came in My father came up one side of the steps with Mr. 1 Blankenship. North told Blankenship not to come up here. Did not hear Blanken- ship tell North to bring the negro down. Should not think there was over six or seven shots fired from the court room window. Don't know whether they were pistol or gun shots.
 
 he was in the vestibue when Deputy Truss gun was fired. Noticed North in the vestibule at the time. That when the firing was going on North went to the right-hand window going out of the court room and stayed there while the firing was going on. He was not inside the rail ing of the court when the firing that kill | ed Blankenship occurred Never heard anything said about taking the negro daxxyr rNt Int t1na bule. Between the two accidental shots | were fred Blankenship came up stairs; was watching MT. North and did not look | to the right. Don't know what shot kill | ed Walter Blankenship, nor was where it | came from. All of the shooting was | done at one time except the accidental | shooting.
 l Elize Bowlin a deputy sheriff, was in | court house yard on day of Brown trial; was armed with gun and pistol; biggest l crowd of us had shot guns. Saw North i just before, near right hand window. | Was one of sheriffs posse. Cross examination: Don't know how many with guns or pistols; think some | twenty-five or thirty. The nrst shooting took place in front of court house. North Did Not Shoot Biankenship. Gus Gates testified as follows Was | looking at the court house window when | the shot was fired. Think saw the man | that did the firing. It was a gun of some | description and was pointed towards Blankenship, who fell at the firing | Don't think Shrriff North was in the | window at the time of the fatal shot. In my opinion North did not shoot Blanken- ship.
 l Cross examination: To best of my re- | collection l heard three or four shots ar- ed before Blankenship fell. Saw Blank | enship fall. Did not see any shots fired lslra MY fell. Don't know whether Blankenship voted on the motion that the negro should be legally hung. Think Walter was killed by the fourth shot When looked up in the window I saw smoke No shots that heard before the third Of fourth shot killed Blankenship.
 pr. J. B. Bass.
 pr. Bass, one of the physicians who was called to attend Blankenship-The only wound I found in the body was on the right temple. I probed for bullet Life was not extinct The bullet did not go through the head. My opinion is that the bullet was No 6 buckshot not lar ger than a No. 3. My opinion is that if person was shot with a 3S bullet from the gun of Sheriff North it would have gone through the head or body. Blank enship died from the shot (witness shows hat Blankenship wore). This looks like the hat saw. Don't remember seeing all of the holes in 1t. My Judgement is that the ball that struck Blankenship did not penetrate his hat. Put the hat on the evening of the shooting. Picked up shot gun wads on line with window.
 Cross Examination: Several were pres- ent when the wounds were examined by me-
 J. R. England testified that he was twenty or twenty-five feet from Blanken- ship when he fell. I saw man direct a gun towards Walter and fire. It was not Sheriff North. Only saw one man in the shooting. know who the man was Had heard no shots fired on the outside of the courthouse before Blanlkenship was shot.
 Talk of Dynamite.
 J. K. Simmons testified that he heard