The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1906-09-13
HE GOES Fkhf /.
.CovAR ACQUITTED eY AJURYoF
HIS PIERS.

.CoVAR ACQUITTED eY AJURY,oF
HIS Pt ERs.
The Jury Was Cut All Fight Bef,re
arriving at a Verdict
in the Case
In the Court of General Sessions on
last Thursday morning he case OF MI.
r. E. Covar, charged with the murder
of late Mr.. Jas. r. Parks, was enter
ed into. 1t consumed the entire day
and the Jury did not bring in its ver-
dict until Il ur o'clock Friday morning,
bavirg BEEN in the jury room since
about six o'clock OF the evening before
If seems that one member OF the jury
" anted to convict Mr., COVar OF man
Slaughter, aud 1T took several NOUS
to bring him over to a verdict OF &C,
ouittal. MIR. Covar was Represented
by MessIs. Wolfe and Berry and CGl'
A. H Moss and Solicitor Hl'de'
brand was assisted in I he prosecution
by the Hon. T. M RaVsor: we pre-,
sent below the testimony OF seVeral OF
the NOR, in portant witnesses, lncluo
ing that of Mr.. Covar. who tCok tne
stand in his own behalf. He frankly
told all he knew about the difficulty
i in a coo', modest manner, ana ms oe'
meanor as witness made a most "a.
yorable impression on all who heard
his testimony. The following is the
testimony in the case:
WITNESSES FOR THE PROSECUTION.
The first witness introduced by the
State was DR.. A. S. Hydrick who
testified to the cause o. Mr.. PARKS
death. He was followed ly Mag1s-
trate G. P. Brunson, who was se1tlng
in his buggy near the scene OF the
tragedy on chat fateful julie morning,
Mr. Brupson said he saw Covar walk
ING on the Courthouse side OF Church
Street towards Russell street. and ne
saw Parks coming out the Courthouse
door. He saw them as the approach
ed the gate, one was coming down Cne
side walk towards the gate and the
other was coming out OF the Court
house: both were coming in the d.
rection of the gate. Just as they met
something was said, but be could not
hear what it was, as they spoke very
low. Just as Covar got there he was
walking with his head down tcwa' ds
Russell street when Parks came out
and said something. CoVar rlgh'
about faced and son etning more was
said, and just then Pa ks drew OH
that way and hit at Covar. did not
know whether he hit him or not, Dut
found out that he did hit him, ne
hit at him v ith al his might, so much
so that he raised his foot up of the
ground when he swung at him. Just
about that time Covar pulled out bis
pistol and shot, and then Parks pulled
his pistol, and the tir ng kept up till
they both emptied their pistols. lie
was positive that Parks struck the
first blow and that Covar fired the
first shot. He said he did not see Co
vars pistol before he commenced tlr'
ing, Covar was In his shirt sleeves
and had something in his hand, did
not know whether it was letters or
what. When Parks spoke to him he
turned right around and looked him
right in the face, and then Parks
struck him or at him. Said he could
not tell how many shots were fired by
either party. After the shooting
Parks went bach towards where Covar
had come from, and they were both
lingering at their pistols, and Covar
applied a vile 'epithet TO Parks and
said he was running. MI. Brunson
said Mr.. A. NJ. Board was talking to
him when the shooting occurred. He
also said he saw old Mr.. Covar with
"a pistol in his hand and told his son
to shoot Parks. Mr.. Brunson says he
told Parks to shoot Covar and just
then Mr.. Bowman came out OF his
office and said 'stop this, men, step
this shooting, can't you see that this
man is killed" Mr.. Bowman was re-
ferring 1oa Prks who was in the street
be- wetn the place where the shooting
took place and Mr.. Bowman's office.
Old Mr.. Covar then said NOW,
Robert, stop: don't you hear me, stop!'
The witness then said that Mr.. LlnS.
tedt and great many other people
had gal hered.. Mr. Brunson said there
was an interval of about ten seconds
between the first and The other shots,
but he cid not know who fired the
second shot. n, SAID Parks did not
draw his pistol until ovar had shot
him in the face. Then he wheeled
round and threw his body and head
toward and began 10 fire, but he ht
no pistol when the first shot was fired.
Just when they gut to the gate they
were about to pass and Parks saluted
him and he turned and Saluted Parks
and Parks struck at him and then the
shot was trad lie said Parks had
come down the morning Of tn shoot
ing from Columbia. where he lived
with Mrs. PdrhS ard the chil1rrD.
On cross examination M. BrunSon
said Old Mr. Covar came from The Pa
triot office and just aS be was passing
his buggy he head hi say to his sen
that he must shoot Parks. He sad
his buggy Was Ten or twelve feet q ahove
gate towards the Patriot otfi:e when
Old Mr. Covar passed with pistol in
his hand. Mr.. Hrunson. who is an
uncle Of Mrs. Parks, said the whole
thing was done so quick that 1t dazed
him. He also Saio he was naturally
very nervous.
Mr.. a. G. Linstedt was tn" next
witness put up by the prosecution.
Mr.. Linstedt said he was coming
down Church street from Russell
street on the Courthouse side Of the
street and was at about the second
panel OF the fence when ! saw Parks
and Covar meet and l saw Parks