Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1909-07-14
THE pAI.MER-BELcHER TRIAL.
Jury Returned Verdict of Guilty as
to Ali Defendants.

. .s. Z 4 .
The Paimer-Beicher murder trial
was brought to final close last We'd
nesday night at 11.30 o'clock, when
the jury reached an agreement on a
verdict after having been out four
hours.
Considerable difference of opinion
existed as to the final outcome, but
the verdict seems to have met with
general public approval Following
is the substance of
h The Verdict.
Robert Belcher, guilty of murder
in first degree, with recommendation
to the mercy of the Court.
Lou Belcher, guilty of manslaugh-
ter.
Charles b. Palmer, guilty of man
slaughter.
j. B. Palmer, guilty Of manslaugh-
ter.
Friday afternoon at the conclusion
of the Vandiver trial the Palmers
and Belchers were brought into
Court and Judge Dantzlcr, after lis
tening to remarks made by the at
torneys for the defendants, read out
The Sentences.
Bob Belcher, life Imprisonment in
the State penitentiary at hard labor.
Lou Belcher, imprisonment in the
State penitentiary at hard labor for
a period Of eight years.
Charles Palmer, Imprisonment for
term Of seven years In the peni-
tentiary at such labor as he might
be able to perform. Upon request of
defendants attorneys this was chang
ed to an alternative sentence, the
alternative being seven years at hard
labor on the public works Of Oconee.
Palmer donned the stripes Monday
morning and left with other convicts
for the county chain gang to do
service on the public highways
j. B. Palmer was given q sentence
of six years in the State penitentiary
at such labor az he might be able to
perform. Intercession was made on
his behalf by attorneys on eccount
of his age, he being now rs years
old, and Judge, Dantzler suspended
sentence during good behavior.
Upon consultation between the
counsel for the Palmers and Solicit
tor Bonham 1t was agreed that the
case against the Palmers and Belch-
ers for the killing of Chris. d. Cor
bin would be mol pressed and that
there should be no appeal from the
verdict and sentence in the case
heard, which was for the killing of
w. B. f. Corbin. This action wiped
out the charge of murder that other
wise would have hung over Lou Bel
cher, Charley Palmer and J. B. Pal
mer for the killing of G.. d. Corbin.
Cleo VandiVer was convicted Of
manslaughter. This was case for
the murder Of Mann Phillips, which
occurred two miles west Of Walhalla
on December 31st, 1908. Judge
Dantzler sentenced Kim to serve
term of five years in the State peni-
tentiary at hard labor or a like term
on the public works of Oconee. He
accepted the latter alternative, and
on Saturday was taken to the county
farm to begin the serving of his
sentence.
The case against the Russells,
charged with infanticide, was called.
Two physicians were sworn, and
upon their testimony to the effect
that they could not say positively
that the child he'd breathed after
birth, Judge Dantzler directed a ver-
dict Of not guilty.
The Southern Railway wrecking
case (the Harbin's crossing wreck, in
which the engineer lost his life,) was
postponed.
Court adjourned Friday evening,
and the Court officials left Saturday
for Greenville to hold n special ses-
sion Of the Court of General Sessions
for that county.
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