The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-08-04
FOUND GUILTY
Kennedy Convicted but Recon-
meaded to the
MERCY OF The COURT
a Notable Trial at Barawen. Crow

4 Notable Trial Mt Baroweu. Crow
inr Out Of the Assassination OF
Perry Cssery Last November
Comes ,o an End By the Convie-
ton OF Negroes and White Man.
4 famous ca-e was ended at Saru'
well on Thursday by the conviction
OF Chester Kennedy, white nan.
Tor murder. The case went TO the
iyry a little after l o'clock and
after celebrating for seventeen
hours thew agreed upon o verdict
OF guilty With recommendation 70
| mercy. Il is understood that all OF
The jurymen except one. wanted to
convict outright. bat that there was
oce man who would not agree 70
a yerdic, OF this kind.
The crime for which Kennedy has
been convicted IS one that has at
.racted attention throughout the
| State since It was committed. Last
November Perry Ussery was shot
from ambush and instantly killed
At the time OF the tragedy he was
in the company OF Mr. Marvin Hoi-
land. The shooting occurred on the
carnival grounds almost in the heart
OF the town, about II o'clock at
aight.
Il was on Saturday night and the
carnival people were closing up to
tear down their tents, etc. prepar-
atory for q move the next day. In
the midst Of the excitement Incl
len, 10 this work, the lend report
Of shotgun rang out upon the air.
That shot. It has been proven. was
fred By Johnson and at the insdSa-
ion of Grubbs and Kennedy in or
der to kill Mr Marvin Holland.
The assassin made his escape that
night. and it was several days be-
:ore any definite clue could be had.
n the mean time. however, the au-
,horities and citizens Of the town
and community had been aroused By
the infamous deed, and were doing
Ill in their power 20 locate the man
:, Or mn who had committed the
crime.
l, was not long before material
facts were picked up. and. when De-
:ective Harry Killian. OF the PtnkeT-
, ton agency. arrived. he was enabled
20 start right in and get results. Ey
ne valuable aid given him by tao
local authorities he was able 70
. weave a thread OF testimony around
2 the guilty men. and ere they knew
9 il. they were held tignt within the
J mesh OF the law.
. Story Of the Crime.
The story OF the crime as II was
] developed on the witness stand. and
j. is substantially as follows: On Sat-
urday night, November 2S. 1908,
Mr. Perry UsSery was SHOT from am
bush by negro. Quitman Johnson.
and instantly killed, and Mr. Mar
;. vin Holland. who was with Mr.. Us
se-y when he was killed, was also
wounded. The testimony went TO
show that johnson was trying to kill
Holland and shot the wrong man.
Ferdinand Grubbs. negro man past
tie middle age OF life, was John
sons aid. and abetter.
Johnson did not know Holland.
and il was Grchbs who bought tho
gun with which the crime was con-
. mi,ted. who pointed Holland out to
!. Johnson. who selected the place for
the crime TO be committed and plac-
ed the gun N concealment beside the
screens. and who after the shooting
met Johnson just outside Of town
in his buggy and took him ts his
home, and concealed him until he.
Johnson. could get 20 Aiken cora-
ty.
The testimony brought out by the
State went to show that there was
i'll feeling between Kennedy and
Holland: that Kennedy was afraid
, for Holland to come to Barnwell to
, testify in certain case at the No
, vember term Of Court last year: that
IN order to shut Hollands mouth
and keep this information he had
hired Gru5bs to get this man John
son 70 asSaSS.nate Holland before
court commenced: that in attempt
ing TO kill Holland on the Saturday
night before the opening OF court
Johnson made a mistake and .!lled
Ussery instead.
, Kennedy's defence was a general
denial. backed up by proofs Of aihies
in contradiction to statements mIde
IN the confession by johnson aid
statements made on the stand by
Grubbs- Notwithstanding the hard
fight by the defence. It was Inpos-
sib!e TO shatter the strong array OF
testimony put up By the State. and
Kennedy IS today convicted by twelve
OF his peers.
Kennedy was not arrested until
after the trial OF Johnson ana Grub
5s held at the March term OF court,
when negroes were convicted for the
killing. 1t viii! be -emembe that
they were convicted and Johnson
sentenced to be hanged and Grubbs
sent up Cor Ike.