The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1908-06-12

b racy in Columbia to Injury Him
Professionally, and That Certain
Records Have Disappeared.
Alhdavits containing sensational
statements and charges were present
ed to the Supreme Court Tuesday in
the argument OF the case OF Jesse
Hunter, negro, represented by Mr..
John L. Duncan, OF Columbia. After
hearing the case the Court dismissed
the motion for new trial on after
discovered evidence
Mr.. Duncan, who has put up a
hard fight for his clients, Jesse Hum
ter and his wife, Frances Hunter.
convicted of assault and battery. pre-
Scnted lengthy affidavit from him
self IN which he set forth the proercs,
of the case and charged that Ger
!, ain attorneys OF Columbia and others
are in conspiracy. to injurc him pro-
fessionaly, and that certain re-
cords in this and other cases in
which he was attorney have been
lost or stolen from tho Office Of the
clerk Of the Supreme Court
One Of the principal aHdavits in
the case was that Of negro, Jeff
Taylor, who stated that it was him
self and not Jesse Hunter who did
the shooting for which Hunter was
convicted, and that he had feared to
= testify TO the truth OF this matter on
the trial by reason Of intimidation
This affidavit was probated by Mr.
Washington Clark, an attorney Of
Columbia.
Solicitor Bcnct presented an af1i-
davit from NJ Clark, stating that he
had one day been called into the Of
flee OF Mr.. Duncan and asked to pro-
bate paper signed by n negro, and
that the negro who afterwards owned
tceLilA name Of Taff4traN Nlor-s was not
the negro he saw in the Office OF Dun
can, but was Of entirely different APP
Dcarance.
Solicitor Zimmerman also denied
that he had received the papers said
70 nave been served on him by Mr.
Duncan, but on the other hand Mr.
Duncan presented alIidavits to show
that he had been at The Drafts
Hotel, in Lexington, and seen Mr.
zimmerman. ON Il certain date. In
his own affidavit Mr.. Duncan dcnoun-
ces Mr.. Zimmerman as coward as
we'll as a liar, and fled With the
Court note addressed to Mr.. Tim
norman containing these cpithcts
Mr.. Duncan also charges the now
solicitor, Mr.. Christie Bcnct, with
being in the conspiracy against him
ana denounccS him. He names Mr.
-, w. Robinson, an attorney OF this
Bar. and Mr. Robcrtson's father-in-
law, Mr.. w. G.. Childs, president of
the Bank Of Columbia, rs among the
chief conspirators, and declares he
might name many others to the court.
Mr. Duncan made the race for the
United States Senate in 1896, and on
~he stump made grave charges against
then Governor Gary Evans, and in
his lengthy ailidavt he refers to this
fact and to Governor Evans.
He presents an affidavit from his
former stenographcr, now married
witch contradicts that Of Mr. Clark
il. regard to the description OF the
negro who gave The affidavit signed
ny JEFF Taylor
The two negroes whose cscapad-
cs brought about this sensational
state Of affairs, Jesse and Frances
Hunter, were convicted Of assault
and battery with intent to kill in
June, 1908, and Jesse was given five
years and Frances was given IL
month The shooting for which they
Nwerc tried occurred in January, 1906.
n, Il, %
Nand County and it was asserted that
Jesse Hunter had put his aged moth
er out OF the house where she had
lived for years. and which was said
to be her own property.
Her other children demonstrated
and the officers Of the law were call
ed in Magistrate lykcs, with a
posse. went to the house and they
were fred on by some one. Jesse
Huntcr and his wife were arrested,
indicted, tried and convicted for
shooting the officers, and at the trial
JEFF Taylor was a witness for the
prosecution, but since that time 1t
has been stated that Taylor was the
on this aftcr-discovcrcd evidence
that Mr. Duncan asked for Il new
trial for his clients, which motion was
refused.
The Supreme Court Tuesday after
noon Of its own accord, issued an
order requiring Mr.. John II. Duncan,
an attorney Of the Columbia Bar to
show cause before the Court on Mon
day, June s, why he should not be
no attached for contempt OF Court or
disbarrcd as an attorney FOR sub