The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-01-03
NEGRO KILLS NEGRO.
Wess Williams Lodged in Jail Charg-
ed With Murder in the Killing
of Nick Scurry. .

~, Ill CHc ,iOlndr1A SectlOnr OIL the
county. 1t appears from the testi-
mony taken at the coroner's inquest
That the negroes were at frolic at
the house Of one Tom Koon, and that
among others Wess Williams and
Nick Scurry went out in the yard to
gamble. A dispute arose between
Nick and Wess over twenty-five
cents, it is stated, and an alterca-
ton ensued, whereupon Wess struck
Nick in the head with a club. Nick
lived until Tuesday.
The inquest over the dead body
was held by Magistrate p. B.
Ellesor, the verdict of the coroner's
jury being "that the deceased, He'll
ry Scurry, came to his death from a
blow received OIL the head by an in
strumcnt in the hands of one Wess
Williams -
Williams was brougt to Newberry
and turned over to Sheriff Bufori
by Constable e. II. Wcrts. Sheriff
Buford had learned Of the killing
and had just finished tclephoning to
Pomaria and stepped out Of his Of
flee when he met Constable Werts
with the negro.
Williams has retained M'assrs.
Blease and Dominick to defend him.
Following is the testimony taken
at the coroner's inquest:
George Wicker, sworn, says: Was
at Tom Kooa's in the house when
some one come in and said Henry
had been killed off and I better go
See about him. Nobody there but
JOB Wicker and Henry. Henry was
lying on his side. Me and job and
Will Lane and Walt Bishop carried
aim over to my house. Didn' Il see
any gambling at ALL I saw Wcss
Williams there before they begin to
frolicing.
George Wicker
mark.
Walt Bishop. sworn. says: Was at
Tom Koon's Oh the night of Dee.
2G. 1907. Didn't see the knocking. T
had already left The fire. I was
standing i'll the yard, | suppose
about 100 yards from fire. [ walk
ed up to fire and heard them quarrel
ing and turned and went away. Don't
know who all were at fire Wess and
Nick were both standing up quarrel
in" when L saw them. I helped to
carry Nick 10 The house where he
died. Coul'ln't swear who passed the
lick. Donf know what they were
quarrslng about.
his
Walt Bis hop.
mark.
job Wicker. sownr. says: was a:
Uncle Tom Koon'S on Thursday
night, Dee. Goth, at party. The lick
was passed about 9 O'Clock. Wess
Williams and Henry had had a little
squabble about some money. Wess
said to Nick, You have took quar-
ter from me. Nick says, No, I
aidn't It. They cussed each other once
or twice apiece. Henry made no at
tempt to hit Wess as I saw. Diln It
see anything in his (Henry's) hands.
Wess got up and picked up a limb
about the size of my arm and about
4 or S feet long and said 3d.
You, get up, and struck Nick while he
was trying to get up. One more man
was there, but don't know his name.
Don't know if any others were there.
Walt Bishop and Frank Gallman had
, been there. had been there about
twenty-five minutes when lick was
struck. Geo. Wicker was first to
come up after he was struck Didn It
see any of them drinking. Had been
game being going on around the fire.
his
Job Wicker.
mark.
Tom Koon, sworn, says: Don't
know anything about the fuss. Didn t
know the boys had fire out doors
till they said Nick was nit. Geo. was
in my house when the news came
that Nick was hit T walked to my
piazza to see who was fightn" but
didn't see anybody but Job and
Nick Suppose it was about 9 or
half past o. Had given orders That
no fire was to be built out doors.
This was on the 26th Dee, 1907.