The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1907-05-22
Three men Held
For the Murder of R. 1.Westcott
in Columbia.
TWO ARE NOW IN JAIL

WV ERsa@
Tim Gardner, Jr., and J. 3. Hoy
Charged With the Crime and I.
C. Jones Wanted as Witness.
The authorities Determined to
Run Down the Guilty Parties If
Possible.
The State says jim Gardner, Jr.,
and J. B. Hoy are in the Richland
Jail as the result Of the inquest into
the cause of the death Of R. T. Wes-
colt, and the coroner's jury has rec
commended the arrest Of T. C. Jones.
who is said to know something of the
matter. Gardner was arrested the
afternoon Of the murder and has
been in jail ever since.
Hoy was arrested last Friday night
week after an adjourned session OF
the coroner's inquest, and was re-
leased Wednesday Of this week, pq1
was rearreste6 Thursday night. he
was with Gardner the night proceed
ing the killing Of Mr.. Wescott;
Tom Jones connection with the
matter is that he has declared that
he has information which would i'm
nlicate some one. He made this
Statement to Mr.. Jesse Thomas, the
father-in-law of Mr.. Wescott, and
the Jury had the information the
night of the homicide, it having been
conveyed to them privately. But Tom
Jones has been seen only once since
that time.
Mr.. Thomas statement to the jury
was that Tom C. Jones had come to
him the afternoon of the homicide
and had stated that if inducements
in the form of rewards should be Of
fered he would give information
which would incrirninate some peo-
ple. That is all that is known Of Tom
Jones connection with it, but the Of
fcers are very anxious to get him
and find out what ne knows. Coroner
Walker stated Thursday night that
he has an idea where Jones is ano
that he may get hold Of him Friday
The inquest convened THURSDAY
night at $50. This was the third sit.
ting. After having heard the testi'
mony of several witnesses the jury
deliberated about an nour anc
brought in the following verdict;
That r. 7. Wescott came to MS
death by gunshot wound at the hanc
of party or parties unknown to the
jury at this time. We, the jury, re
commend that Jim Gardner, Jr., J
B. Hoy and T. C. Jones be held 70!
further investigation.
George A. Burns, H. E. Watts
c.. L. Sigh, H. L. Creighton, R. L
Murrell, C. M. Miller, F. C. Grigsby
P. NJ. Malone, W. S. Brown, W. F
Stieglitz, T. l. Harris, J. D. Pop
we'll"
The coroner's jury also recon
mended that the grand jury be ap
prized Of the conditions in this coun
ty with the view Of getting mounted
rural police. This very interesting
action was expressed in the follow
ing language: ;, ;,
1--WE, the jury empanelled by tn
coroner to investigate the death O.
R. T. Wescott, after rendering ou
verdict do resolve:
'tThat the coroner be and is here
by requested to appear before TIT
next grand jury to Richland count,
and give an account of the murder
recently committed in our suburbs.
That ne express to the grand jury
and desire that they carefully consid
er the pressing needs Of a MOUNTED
county police service and make sucl
recommendations as will promote tn
inauguration Of such police protec
ton.
George A. Bruins, foreman; H
E. Watts, C. L. Sigh, R. L. Murrell
P. NJ. Malone, F. S. Grigsby, H. L
Creighton. G. M. Miller, W. S
Brown, T. S. Harris, J. D. Powell ,
At the inquest several interesting
things were brought out. Corone,
Walker so handled the case that Hoy
was confused and contradicted him
self. He was very much worked uI
over this and was quite unruly at one
time.
1t Will be remembered that Mr.. R
T. Wescott, a butcher who had a shor
on Taylor street and lived in Waiver.
ley, was found dead by the school
house in Waverley on the morning
of May 2. By his side was found q
32-callibre revolver with two empty
chambers and the suicide theory was
at first indulged by some. But later
Developments indicated foul play.
While the bullet which produced
death was a 32 calibre, yet the wound
was such that it was wellnigh impos-
sible for Mr.. Westcott, man with
one hand, to have inflicted it.
The homicide occurred about 5 a.
m. That afternoon Jim Gardner. a
rather notorious young man OF Wa
verley, was arrested on suspicion. He
had been seen hanging around the
Shandon dancing pavilion until about
"a. m. or later, and he was again
there about Z a. m. and knew ali OF
the particulars of the homicide
which had been discovered an hour
or two before.
His own contradictory statements
about his acquaintance with the de-
ceased and his knowledge that Wes-
colt was dead caused his detention
on suspicion.
J. B. Hoy was arrested on suspic-
ion also. He and Gardner were very
thick. They had tried to ''hold up"
ex-Magistrate E. A. Larick once, and
when they saw that their identity
was known they passed it off as a