The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-03-11
THE AFFIDAVIT.

| Pitts, who being duly sworn, says:
That in September last; deponent
was employed by the trustees OF Iuman
graded school tn take charge of the
| school as Its principal for its session OF
eight months. That his school at the
time OF the occurrence which resulted
in the death of Edward Foster, con-
sisted OF an enrolment of about 1875
boys and glrls, ranging in ages from
ID toe; deponent having one assistant
as teacher. That deponent graduated
from Furman in June, 1902. That he
was born and raised in Laurens county
and is now 20 years of age, about feet
inches in height, and weighing about
126 pounds That at the time of said
shooting, deponent was, and for some
time had been, and is now, suffering
from weak back, which renders him
very weak physically, and for which
he wore and still wears a plaster, un-
der physician's advice.
That four of the largest and most
powerful boys in the school were Ed
ward Foster, Fred Balleuger, Jesse
Ballenger and Raymond Wolfe; each of
whom was larger and stronger than de-
ponent, and about II or Is years OF age.
That from deponent's observation
those four boys seemed to run tog ether.
That for long time Edward Foster
had given him and the school cons,d-
cradle trouble by his misconduct or
misbehavior - in one week while the
demerit system was in force, deponent
recalls that he, Edward Foster, in
CURED about 10 dement's; but that de-
ponent dealt with him very leniently
and wi h as much patience as any one
could have expected, refraining from
inHicting the penalty of whipping, un-
til 1t became unavoidable, leading UP
TO the lamentab'e @ tragedy OF Tuesday
afternoon, the Gath of this month.
FLATI.Y REFUSED.
On Monday, Feb. 23d, Edward Fos-
ter missed his spelling and deponent
told him to stay in on account thereof,
after school was out. He ilatly refused
to stay and did not stay. That know
ing the intimate relation between him
and Fred Ballenger, deponsnt stated to
the latter that II Fred Foster came back
TO school next morning he would have
to take q whipping, that he could not
permit that kind OF thing to go unpun-
ished; and that II on account of his age
or size, and II his father did not so wish
then he must stay away from school;
that il he did come back, it would be
with that understanding, namely, that
he would have to submit to that dscip-
line. That deponent expected that
Fred would tell Ed what he said, and
has since learned that he did.
That Tuesday, the Oath Edward Fos.
ter came back to school, The short re-
cess was from 2.l5 p. m. to nearly 8 p.
m. During that recess, deponent had
one of the smaller boys of the school in
the room lecturing him for running
away from school. A number OF the
other boys were looking in at the
window at deponent and the boy. De-
ponent shook his head at them and
they all left except the four big boys
Ed, Fred, Jesse and Raymond and
few others. Deponent then went to the
door and told them to go away; they
all left except those four and they re-
faces at the window, and another win
dow, till deponent dismissed the young
boy. School was reconvened q minute
or two later, and remained In session
till the regular closing time, O'Clock.
just before dismissing the school, de-
ponent read out the list of those who
were to stay in after school, and
amongst them those four boys, ed,
Fred, Jesse and Raymond; these four
being keing kept In on discipline and
the others on lessons. While hearing
the lessons of those thus kept in, the
four left the room without permission
and against the rules, leaving their
hats Deponent, after dismissing those
who had been kept in proper time on
lessons, took up the cases OF these four,
who had returned TO the room. He sent
Fred, Jesse and Raymond into the lit-
tie room, and told Ed to remain with
him. Deponent thereupon called to
his attention his fl 1T refusal to stay in
the afternoon before. Ed con'ended
that he should not have been told to
stay in. Without going into details of
that contention here, doponent said to
him, in substances: That this thing of
disobedience and infractions Of the
rules and discipline of the school by
him had been going on SO long that he,
depQnent, could not permit it any longer.
Deponent had been charged and ac-
cused by the other boys of the school
that he had been excessively lenient to
him, and had let him off for doing what
he punished them for. Doponent tod
him to stand up and take his whipping;
deponent having gone to the corner of
the room to get two switches. He got
two, because he sometimes found that
the switches had been cut or notched.
Qeponent hit him two ordinary licks
with one of the switches across the coat
back. Immediately Edward throw his
| right arm violently around deponent's
neck, with very strong and tight ell
bow grasp, aud pressed and pulled de-
ponent's head down TO his, Edwards
chest = teasfs1p, him down. At the Same