The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1907-05-24
MEN HELD
I FEssarder Of r. 7. #sstcots
= in Columbia.
MO ARE NOW IN JAIL

@. Jones Wanted as u Witness.
F, 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. II. Wes-
colt, and the coroner's jury has rec
commended the arrest Of Il. G.. 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, but
was ~rearrested Thursday night. He
was With Gardner the night proceed
ing the killing Of Mr.. Wcscott.
Tom Jones connection with the
matter is that he has declared that
he has information which would i'm
plicate some me-. 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 G.. 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 incriminate some peo-
pie. That is all that is known of Tom
Jones connection with it, but the Of
ficers are very anxious to get him
and find out what he knows. Coroner
Walker stated Thursday night that
he has an idea where Jones is and
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
d~eliberated about an nour and
brought in the following verdict;
That r. Il. Wescott came to his
death by gunshot wound at the hand
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. G. Jones be held fo,
further Investigation.
George A. Burns, H. e. Watts,
G. l.. Sliah, II. l.. Creighton, r.. l.,
Murrell, G. M. Miller, f. C. Grigsby
P. M. Malone, w. S. Brown, w. f.
Stieglitz, T. |. Harris, j. d. Pop.
we'll"
The coroner's jury also recon-
mended that the grand jury be ap
priced 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:
we, the jury empanelled by the
to investigate the death of
r. T. Wescott, after rendering our
verdict do resolve:
That the coroner be and is here
by requested to appear before the
next grand jury to Richland county
and give an account of the murders
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 such
recommendations as will promote the
inauguration of such police protec-
ton.
George A. Bruins, foreman; II.
-. Watts, G.. l.. Sigh, II. l.. Murrell,
2. M. Malone, f. S. Grigsby. H.. l..
Creighton. G.. M. Miller, w. S.
Brown, Il. S. Harris, j. D. Powell"
at the inquest several interesting
things were brought out. Coroner
Walker SO handled the case that How
was confused and contradicted him
self. lie was very much worked up
over this and was quite unruly at one
time.
1t will be remembered that Mr.. r.
II. Wescott, a butcher who had a shop
on Taylor street and lived in Waver-
ley, was found dead by the school
house in Wavcrley on the morning
OF May 2. BY his side was found a
32-callibre revolver with two empty
chambers and the suicide theory was
at first INDUCED by some. But later
developments indicated foul play.
While the bullet which produced
death was a 80 calibre, yet the wound
was such that it was wcllnigh impos-
sible for Mr.. Westcott, a man with
one hand, to have inflicted it.
The homicide occurred about S q.
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
z a. m. or later, and he was again
there about z a. m. and knew all 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 Wcs-
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"
cX-MagiStratc f.. A. Larick once, and
when they saw that their identity
was known they passed it off as a
joke. Likewise they held up a bow
named Shull in Waverley one NIGHT.
and when he called their names thcv
a4ain passed this off as "iust for
fun Hoy and Gardner were re-
10. cd to have been seen together on