The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-03-13

pany's shows.
Just in front Of the store, Police
man White met the man. He (Whlte)
had with him Charley Moore, a negro,
and asked Ashley why he had hit the
negro. From the testimony Of Char
lev McClain and Bob Moore at the
coroner's inquest short colloquy en-
sued, at the end Of which White ad-
vised Ashley to leave town as he was
drunk. The officer seemed more bent
on getting him out Of Honea Path
than on having trouble.
"He won't have to leave until he
wants to- put in Jim Bob. 1t has
not been fully developed for what
cause, but just here, White attempt
ed to strike thes peaker. At this mo-
ment the shooting began.
Some of the most reliable and sub
stantial citizens Of Honea Path, who
will be witnesses later on, say that
John Marion Ashley reached over Jim
Bob Ashley-there seemed to be a
small crowd congregated-and shot
downwards at White. This must have
been the shot which grazed his hand
at the intersection of the forefnger
and thumb, and which split his billy.
These gentlemen say that as Ash
lev reached over, White stuck his
hand around Jim Bob and shot the
older Ashley twice.
| The Ashley stories differ from this
McClain testified that when White
tried to strike Jim Bob, the latter
knocked the billy from his hand, and
that as John Marion caught hold OF
his son the policeman fired and that
White ran to the store door and shot
twice as the other man lay on his
back. Josh Moore testified practl-
cally the same.
This testimony maintains that two
shots were fired at Ashley as he lay
on the ground, but how this can be IS
hard to see as there are but two bull
/ let holes in the corpse and if so-what
made him fall? Josh Ashley said to-
day that his cousin made a dying
statement to this effect.
The "Citizen" seemed very much
broken up by the event. AS he stood
in the wagon yard outside the little
red brick jail, where the inquest was
being held, the glow of the sunshine
| beneath his wool hat gave his ruddy
and healthy face the look Of man OF
is instead of 81, as he told me he
was. These Ashleys are a sturdy
stock. living close to the soil and out
in the open. John Marion Ashley was
physical giant, for he weighed over
275 pounds and stood over six feet in
his knit socks. His eyebrows and
moustache were white and his hair
was very, very gray. This, coupled
with his ruddy face, gave him a pc
culiar appearance. He lowered above
other men.
! But this is digression.
Fired After he Fell. :. -.
| After Ashley fell, it is said by
some witnesses, that he, struggling,
turned and fred over his body. This
may have been the shot which struck
Bill Ricketts,, an innocent bystander,
and cut one Of the latchets from his
snoe. Bill wore the same shoes to-
day and was quite a hero as be sat on
a bench on the street with the foot
stuck prominently in view.
The witnesses at the coroner's In
quest say that White shot as he stood
in Holiday & Traynham's store, but
an eve witness told me that the po-
|liceman stood with his back against
the store wall, probably expecting a
| further attack, and that Policeman
Haynes, who ran up, got him inside
| and the door was then closed.
| Once inside, White went to the back
door, but as he opened it, someone
shot at him. The bullet hole is in the
door. Who fired this shot cannot be
definitely stated, but it is said that a
close kinsman of the mortally wound
! ed man was the one, and that he ran
| from the front of the store to the
! back.
| It is said White wanted to come