The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1907-11-06
BROTHERS HAVE
FATAL ENCOUNTER
Frank Jerry Killed by
John G.. Jerry.
LETTER THE CAUSE {?
Defendant Thought His Brother Had
Tried to Defame His Character,
II is Alleged.


was the fatal fight last Wednesday af-
ternoon between brothers, Frank and
John c. Jerry, in which the former was
mortally wounded, death ensuing twenty
hours later. The deadly encounter
took place at the home of their father
Joseph Jerry, the well-to-do German
farmer who lives near Madden, and was
witnessed by the aged mother and An
drew Jerry, another brother.
Frank Jerry was living at the old
home with his aged parents, while John,
his younger brother, lives on farm in
the Holly Grove section, four or five
miles from the city. 1t is said that
the brothers had not been on good
terms for several months, but the fatal
difficulty was the result, it is claimed,
of the receipt Of a letter by John Jerry
containing defamatory statements al
legged to have been made bv
Frank Jerry in reference to his
brother. Upon receiving the letter in
question John Jerry rode down to his
fathers, about a o'clock Wednesday af
ternoon. Frank and Andrew jerry
were at work in the garden, cutting
weeds when John rode up and said that
he wanted to see Frank about a letter
that he had just received. Frank came
out and John produced the note and
proceeded to read it to Frank, when
the latter broke in with the remark
that 1t was all lie, a fabrication got
ten up by John himself; that he had
made no such statement to anyone.
and that John knew he was lying. John
tried to make some reply when Frank.
according to Andrew Jerry, made at
John with hoe He was prevented
from striking his brother by Andrew,
who ran between the two and caught
the handle of the implement, and at
the same time took hold of Frank. in
his efforts to keep him from attacking
John. Tearing himself away from the
grip of Andrew, Frank, it seems, made
the second attempt to get at John,
when the latter drew his pistol and
struck his brother several blows on the
head, knocking him down.
John remounted his horse and loft
Immediately, returning toward the
city. A little later Frank recovered
from the stunning blows, and, after
washing the blood from his face. be
started out walking, coming also in the
direction Of town. When about a milo
from home the wounded man became
very weak, and tumblcd over in gully
near w. II. Hudgens' gin house. He
was found by Mr. Joseph j. Dendy. of
Waterloo, who gave him assistance un-
til the Mcssrs. Madden came along in y
wagon. Frank wanted to 90 cn over
to Mr. j. A. p. Moore's, but his friends
insisted that he, in his condition, should
return to his home, and thereupo.
placed him in the wagon and carried
him back home. He stated to Mr..
Dendy, the first person to see him after
he left home, that his brother had
beaten him to death with a pistol, and
he is said to have made statements of
the same import to the Messrs. Mad
den.
DR.. w. l.. Bailey was summoned
from the city, but the injured man had
lost consciousness when the physician
arrived. He was given all the relief
possible, and fingered until about 8
o'clock Thursday morning.
The inquest was held late Thursday
afternoon by Coroner Watts, the post
mortem being made by DR.. Bailey. Mr..
w. Il. Richey, Jr., of the law firm of
Richey & Richoy was present, repre-
sentlng the defendant, and several wit
nesses were examined, including Mrs.
Jerry and Andrew Jerry. The verdict
of the jury was in accordance with the
facts.
Thursday afternoon John jerry was
arrested at his home by Deputy Sheriff
Sullivan and lodged in Jail On Friday
application for bail was made by de-
fendants counsel before Judge r. c..
Watts, at chambers here, and the same
was granted in the sum of 81, 600. Fri
day night the bond was executed, with
SIX sureties, and jerry was immediately
released
On the same afternoon, in the Gus
tody of the deputy sheriff, Jerry was
permitted to attend the burial of his
brother, which took place at New Pros
pect church.
While prisoner at the Jail Jerry
stated to representative of THE AD-
VERrIsER that he greatly regretted the
affair, and that he had no idea the DIFF.
fculty would end so seriously, but he
had to defend himself when the hand of
ms brother was raised against him.
lie is about 81 years Of age and has
a wife and one child, his wife being a
daughter of Mr.. Farris Templcton.
The deceased was AZ and widower
with two children Joseph Jerry, Jr..
who lives with his grandfather, and a
daughter who is married and living IN
New York,
1T is great sorrow brought upon the
aged parents, who in 1874 landed in
THIS country from Germany, without
much means 10 begin the struggle for
a homo and a competency save brave
hearts and determined will power. Mr..
Jerry is 81 and Mrs. Jerry is ten years
younger.