The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1906-05-16
CRIMINAL COURT
CONVENED MONDAY
Judge Dantzler OF Orange
burg Presiding.
WALKER CONVICTED.
lie was Charged With Killing John p.
Soutll-Grand Jury Submits Report
and is Discharged.

The summer term of General S essions
and Common Pleas court was convened
Monday morning, with Judge c.. G..
Dantzler of Orangeburg, presiding.
Solicitor Cooper, Stenographer Aull,
Sheriff Duckett and Clerk of Court Bolt
were at their posts of duty promptly
and the court was soon organized. Mr..
B. Y. Culbcrtson is assisting the Clerk
Of the Court
In handing the grand jury batch of
pills Judge Dantzler briefly defined the
duties of chat body.
The following cases have been dis
posed of: State VS.. Rufus Childress
colored, assault and battery with intent
TO XII. Guilty, four years on the county
chaingang.
State VS.. Geo. Smith, colored. assault
and battery and carrying concealed
weapon. Guilty as to last charge, three
months on the chaingang or $50 fine.
State VS.. Will Sheppard, colored.
murder; Not guilty. He was charged
WIN killing another negro, Mart Rock.
State VS.. Hamp billiard, colored,
houseoreaking NJ and larceny. Guilty.
State Reformatory for six months.
The grand jury was discharged vcster-
day afternoon, after handing in their
report for this term.
Yesterday the court was enpaped q
greater part of the day with the trial
and arguments in the case of the State
VS.. Leavell D. Walker a young white
farmer of the Popular Springs section.
sullivan township, who was charged
WIN Killing his neighbour John p. South.
me taxing OF testimony was finished
M IL.
put up the following witnesses. Dr. +
H.. Donnon, j. II. Elledge, Albert South
Miss MIS- Sallie South, c. p. South, j. f.
Mitchell, j. f. Elledgc, magistrate of
Sullivan township, and Luther Wills.
With this the State rested its case.
IL. ID. Walker, the defendant. was
the first to testify on the other side
He was followed by Mrs. Walker, his
wife, j. p. Elledgc and j. A. Burton.
me State put up in reply II. T.. Wood
Albert South and j. Nj. Buzhardt.
Inc arguments were made and the
case given to the jury in the afternoon.
Messrs. Ferguson & Featherstone rem.
resented Walker, while w. R. Richev
Esq, assisted in the prosecution.
At n30 the jury returned verdict of
guilty of manslaughter. Notice of mo-
tion for new trial was made.
AS will be recalled the killinr of
South occurred last September near
Boyd's mill. Walker claimed that South
was advancing on him with q GRASS
hook when he shot, killing South in,
stantly. On the day of the TRAGEDY
south after going to Walkers house
and ascertaining from Mrs. Walker the
whte,reabouts of her%husband proceeded
TO the Held where Walker and his chill.
dren were picking cotton.
After passing some hot words South
acScordng nI to the defendants testimony
told Walker that he had come TO settiie,
thelr differences and that one of them
had to die. South was armed with a a
grass hook, 50 Walker testified Be
lieving his life in danger Walker m pot
away from South, ran to his house So.
cured his gun and was returning to the
ileId when he met South coming on af-
ter him. In this second encounter south
again declared that one of them had to
dle and raising the grass hook as if to-
strlkG a blow, he made at Walker, who
shot him dead. "'''
South was 81 and unmarried. Walker
is SO and has a wife and four children.