Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1906-11-28
THE HEDRICK CASE.
Defense Will EndeaVOr to Prove to Jury
Emotional Insanity on Part of Hedrick.

Emotional Insanity on Part Of Hedrick.
Conductor Hedrick's case cam
up for trial last Thursday after
noon. The jury selected to tr.
the case was composed Of the fol
lowing:
Paul G. J. Barger, Albert L
Lyerly, H. W. Silliman, Bovde'
G. Trexler, G.. W Isenhour. J, ]
Bostian, F. W. B3st. 7. S Hanps
J. Lawson Kluttz, P. J. Kirk. D
M. Campbell and S. W. Hart.
Senator Overman aud J.. II
Clement, Esq, appeared for tbs
defendant, while A. H. Price l.
for the prosecution.
DR.. Dorsett testified that, as
coroner, he examined the body OF
G.. G. Whitaker and found five
bullet wounds in it. Two of these he
spoke of as flesh wounds, but two
through the body, and one through
the groin we're sufficient to cause
death.
W. D. Dorton was as follows
He was in the store of the Spencer
Clothing and Shoe Company
Saw Whitaker come over from the
Y. M. G. A., and enter the store
to buy tie. Mr.. and Mrs. He'd
rick walked up and Hedrick said !:
"Whitaker, [ want to se9 you.
come ont here" Whitaker turf
ed, and Mrs. Hedrick throwing
up her hands shouted to Whitaker
not to come. Hedrick drew his
pistol and Whitaker ran. Hed~
rick fired and missed, and hotl,
went down the long aisle, Hedrlck
with histol IN his hand until
Whitaker leap7d over the counter
and found the screen door barred
Hedrick gained on the other mau
while he was trying to open door.
Hedrick shot several times. De-
ceased half fell into the back lot
and severa shots were fired after
ward, but did uot know who fired
them. The wood work of the
green door was struck by a bail
from Hedrick's 8 pistol.
J. F. Blggers, who was also in
the store testified that after tie
the first shot was fired, Whitak +
ran IN q oropched position a>4
when he leaped over the counter
his hand looked like it rad pis
tol in it. At the door after Whit
aker partially fell out, Hedrick
looked as if he held something IL
front of him, and went out and
shot several times more.
The first testimony that Whit
aker had pistol, came from r.
B. Gobble. He was in his shop
at work. Hearing the shots he
looked up and saw Whitaker run
ming with his pistol in his right
hand and pointing to the ground.
Deceased crossed the bridge over
the alley, fell into a small ditch,
his pistol by his side. Hedrick
walked up and pointing his pistol
down said, 81 will kill You now, ;"
and shot. Witness did not see
Whitaker try to use his pistol.
At 9:45 Friday morning when
the court proceeded with the case.
Dorton and Blggers, the eye wit
nesses to the beginning Of the
tragedy, were recalled for the
purpose of showing that Whitaker
had no coat on. Here the court
hung fire for 20 minutes, the de-
fense filing an affidavit that a
material witness living i'll Thomas
Vile had been subpGned and fail
ed and that the defendant feared
to proceed without her. The
court went on and Mr.. Dorton
testified that Whitaker was with
out coat.
John H, Harris was the next
witness for the State. He was
sitting on his back porch $50 feet
away when he heard shooting and
saw Whitaker as his leg slipped d
up and he fell into the ditch. He
ran to the gate and, going near
the body saw Hedrick with some
thing in front of him. He heard
snap, then saw the defendant
point the pistol down and shoot.
Mr.. Hedr.ck walked into the store
then came back about five min.
utes later and asked, Jake, is he
dead?' and was answsred yes.
W. 7. Bost was called to the
stand to corroborate Harris whose
testimony and character had been
impeached, Witness interviewed
Harris, who said the pistol was
not lying at that time where 1t
was when he first saw the deceas.
ed and that Hedrick was the on
ly man he had seen who had the
nerve to shoot man after he was
dead. There was some dlscusFloI
here as to the relavercy- Of this
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