The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-11-20

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to send registered letter addressed
to R. p. Cromer, at Driand. and 1t
put the post office authorities at De
land Oh notirc to loo!: CIT for the
person wilo called for the letter. r.y-
cry prccaution was ;lkcn. ana
through Sheriff Buford'> ) efforts Will
liamS WAS arrested and he was
brought to Newberry by Sheriff Bu-
| ford.
It was evident that the offender was
some one who had lived in Newberry,
Mr.. R. P. Cromer and Mr.. D. P. Werts
both being Newberry men, the sender
Of the bogus checks evidently know
ing these gentlemen. When Sheriff
Buford was bringing Williams to
South Carolina he would moi give hi>
name. saying he would let the law
settle that. When Sheriff Buford
reached Columbia with him, how
ever, Williams was identified as Wal
ker Dawkins, who formerly lived in
Newberry county, and who was sent
to the penitentiary from Newberry.
Williams was placed on trial charg-
ed with uttering a forged instrument.
One Of the principal witnesses against
him was Miss Marion Golfer, general
delivery clerk Of the Deland post Of
flee, who testified that she was posi-
tive the defendant was tine man who
called for the registered letter ad-
dressed to R. P. Cromer.
Frank Kelly, colored, was acquitted
Of the charge Of attempt to commit
arson, the offense alleged against him
being the effort to set fire to the house
of a negro woman on Mr.. Caleb D.
Buzhardt's place. Kelly was repres-
ented by MessrS. Blease & Dominick
Lee Dominick, a little negro aged
fifteen years. pleaded guilty to Il
charge Of larceny, and one Of house
breaking and larceny, one offence be-
ing the stealing Of watch from Pink
Wicker, at Prosperity, and the other
Of entering the residence and stealing
rings from Mrs. Fannie Schumpert. at
Prosperity. and was sentenced to five
years in the State reformatory.
John Lindsay, ;.'lored. pleaded
guilty to violation of the dispensary
law, and was sentenced to pay fine
of $50 or serve six months. He had
already been in Jail four months.
Joe Henly, j., colored, pleaded
guilty to breaking into the store of
r. C. Williams & Sons and stealing
watches therefrom, and was sentenc-
ed to serve eighteen months.
Jim Reeder, colored, was placed Oh
trial Wednesday afternoon charged
with murder, it being alleged that at
Mt. Zion church, near Silver Street,
he cut his brother-in-law Rob Daven-
port, Davenport having died in a
hospital in Columbia from the effects
Of the wound inflicted The defend
ant denied that he did the cutting. He
was represented by Messrs. Blease Il
Dominick. The case was given to the
jury yesterday morning.
The jury returned a verdict Of gull
ty Of manslaughter.
Arthur Byrd, little negro, was
placed on trial yesterday morning
charged with murder in the killing
/ of Willie Ruff, also colored, in July
Of this year. The testimony showed
that Ruff and some other negroes
were out hunting and had stopped at
a peach tree to eat peaches, when
Arthur came up, and said it looked
"like all you negroes are mad at
me-" Will Ruff told him nobody was
mad with him. whereupon with an
oath Byrd picked up gun which one
Of the negroes had set beside the tree
and shot Will Ruff in the head as Ruff
was reaching for peach. Mr.. E. S.
Blease, representing the defendant,
admitted that guilt attached to the
defendants act. but pleaded foi
mercy for the defendant on account
Of his age, asking that he be sent to
the reformatory under verdict Of
manslaughter. The States conten-
tion was that Arthur was above IA
years Of age, the age above which
persons are presumed to know right
from wrong. Mr.. Blease contended
that there was serious doubt as to
whether he was II. throwing the bur-
den upon the State to prove beyond
all reasonable doubt that he was cap
able Of committing crime. He plead
ed for verdict Of manslaughter. The
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