The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1903-10-13
JUSTHIABLE HOMICIDE.
mat Is the Fnding OF the Coroner's Jury
III the killing OF Raymond Sizer by
Clarence Brooks.

A. brooks killed negro by the nam
OF raymond Sizer. An inquest va
heid on Sunday AMI the jury says tn
killing was done in self defense. Tha
Is the story briefly told. Mr. Clarenc,
brooks Is only seventeen years old. II,
had retired for the night in the store o
his father where he and his brother
slept. The negro aroused him to make
some purchases. AS the negro started
out the door he made an insulting re-
mark to Mr.. Clarence Brooks and ther
made at him with a large iron weight
and Mr.. Brooks fired with the result
stated, the bullet going through his
heart. Only three witnesses were
sworn at the inquest and their testi-
mony is given.
The inquest was held by Magistrate
). w. Ropp at the written request of
MIR. Z. A. Brooks and Mr. B. w. Good
win.
The verdict of the jury is: That the
said Raymond Sizer came to his death
from gun shot wound inflicted by the
hands of Clarence Nj. Brooks acting in
self defense or to protect his life"
The jury was composed of J. R. Scurry,
NJ. D. Smith, H. B. Lindsay. Jno. B.
Scurry. T. R. Workman, NJ. J. Long
shore, NJ. l.. Connolly, S Nj. johnson,
K. S. Boazman, ". J. Sullivan, Henry
Workman, J. J. Amick
warrant was issued for Mr.. Brooks
and he Immediately gave bond in the
sum OF two hundred dollars for his ap-
pearancc at the sessions court to an
s"cr the charge of murder IF SO
deemed necessary by the solicitor.''
The following is the testimony of the
three witnesses sworn at the inquest:
Clarence NJ. Brooks. sworn, saws:
Live at Vaughanville, Newberry Coun-
ty. On 10th of October, 1903, was here
sleeping in store, was in t. ID at 10. 80
o'clock
Negro came here knocked at the door,
wanted to come in. | asked him who it
was. He said "Clarence. open the
door ~ | said, that is not my name !"
He said, what is it then" | said,
MIR. Brooks, to a negro He came
in and Walter got up and waited on
him, when he got ready % 90 he said,
Cd d-m, Clarence Brooks wants
me to call him Mr.. Brooks. but | will
not do it. Then | said 70 him he had
better get out Of the store.
| came on up to the door and told
hlm to get on out. Then he said. You
Cd d-n son of a b-h, you must be a
fool and | struck him with pistol on
the side Of his left face. Then he came
over with weight, don't know when
nc picked it up. told him he had bet
ter stop, he then made another step.
My pistol fred. / shot him. He turned
and went out and dropped the weight
He had it drawn back in his right hand
this way demonstrating shot him
because | thought he was going to kill
me with the weight.
am seventeen years old, weigh a
hundred and thirty-five pounds. Had
no difficulty before. | did not know
him and had not seen him since he was
small. G.. NJ. Brooks.
Walter Brooks, sworn, says: | am
fifteen years old. Clarence Brooks, my
broth.., was in the store when Ray
rnOnd came in.
He knocked at the door and said open
this door, Clarence
Clarence said, "Don't call me Clar-
cncc.' He said, "What is it then"
Clarence said, "Mr. Brooks, To ne
gro"
got up myself and opened the door
and waited on him. When he got ready
TO go he said, &c d d-n, Clarence
wants me to call him Mister, but will
not do it, Clarence told him to get
out Of the store. He said, "a will not
DO it, you Cd d--n son Of a b-h."
lie then struck Clarence and Clarence
struck him with his pistol, he then
picked up weight and was coming at
Clarence and Clarence told him to stop,
the negro would not stop and Clarence
shot him. He had it drawn back this
"ay n his right hand There was no
":ic about, inside or out of the store
that ! know Of.
Walter g.. Brooks.
{. A. Brooks, sworn, says: Live at
Vaughanvile, Ncwbcrry County, have
store near my dwelling. The store is
on my land, and WAS the house my sons
were sleeping in at night by my direc-
tions.
Knew Raymond :,izer. He is about
seventeen or eighteen years old, about
the same size Of Clarence, maybe better
muscle, but not quite 80 tall. heard
the pistol fire, and came out right away.
The store is about seventy-five or a
hundred feet from my dwelling.
found the negro lying on the steps when
! got out here, where it is now and my
| sons in the store. The night was clea :
| and nobody else was here, of if there
was could not see them. The boys are
accustomed to sleeping in the store all
| tho ip,o Wbnp fhau aco M hnp,o rlo.