The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1909-02-18
HEARING COMES TO AN END
THREE OF DEFENDANTS RE-
LEASED BY MAGISTRATE.

|
Arnold McAlhany and Merrinan
Reeves Detained on Charge OF
Numbering Game Warden.
St. George, Feb. 12.-One of the
most remarkable and extended pre-
liminary hearings ever held in South
Carolina ended here this afternoon,
when Magistrate Moorer decided that
three of the men arrested for the
murder of Presley Reeves be releas-
ed from custody. These were Tom
[Fairey, Charlie McAlhany and E. O..
Arant. The two men who will be held
for trial at the circuit court term in
April are Arnold McAlhany and Mer-
riman Reeves.
| This action was not received with
any great surprise or dissatisfaction.
1t was the claim of the defense that
no chain of evidence had been forged
by the testimony and that the few
links that existed were weak. This is,
of course, a rather broad statement,
but even to those of most neutral
mind it appeared that the evidence
was not connected or very definite.
From the beginning of the proceed
ing the defense was able to handle
the witnesses much more easily than
had been anticipated by the locker
on in st. George. OF course, often,
as in the instance of some negro wit
ness, this amounted to little more
than a bad distraction Of thought,
but some of the material witnesses
were contradicted in their statements.
Decision Not Unexpected.
The general impression here in St.
George where the defendants are not,
to say the least, particularly well re-
garded, appears to be that the de-
cision was about what was to be ex-
pected in view of the testimony.
Many still confidently believe that the
three men now free were more or
less connected with the death of
Reeves, but these, too, admit that
the men should not have been longer
detained in view of the evidence sub
mitted.
There was very little testimony to-
day before the arguments. One wit
ness practically refused to disclose
anything asked.
This morning the magistrate ruled
that evidence tending to show bad
feeling between the defendants and
the dead man could be introduced,
but that testimony showing animos-
|ity towards his surviving relatives
was not competent. This prevented
Merrick Reeves from relating the
feuds which are said to have existed
for many years.
The Men Arrested.
Tom Fairey is short and small and
not particularly intelligent in appear
ance. He has been segregated from
the other prisoners in jail and it was
because of his statements that yes
terday his attorney, John Jones, as
serted that the detectives had tried to
persecute him at the instigation OF
Weeks. Rumors were heard now and
then that Fairey would turn States
evidence in the event that he was
prosecuted with the others. This idea
probably arose because one OF the
witnesses stated that Fairey had re-
marked that he knew all about the
murder of Reeves and would tell it
when the proper time arrived.
The two McAlhanys bear strong
resemblance. Arnold, who has
rather weak and loose mouth, sat
with parted lips and watched the
nroceedings with keenest interest.
Arant, who is an elderly man OF
some so years, has recently been
paralyzed and one of his arms is Grip
pled as result. He is reported to
be worth about $4,000 and has
borne a good reputation with some
people, although the Presley Reeves
faction accuse him of indiscrimlnate
seining and dynamiting in the Edisto.
Merriman Reeves, who is also held,
lis thin, scrawny young man, Win a
sandy moustache His mother, who
has been in court constantly, is an
aunt of the dead man.
From all reports the section OF the
county "a little west of BranchVllle
end Reevesville) appears to be as
thickly populated with McAlhanys as
the Anderson-Abbeville line is with
Ashleys. Necessarily Merrick Reeves,
the father of Presley would have no
love for these people and he was
probably actuated to an extent oy
prejudice when he told the long story
of family bitterness and trouble that
existed over a period beginning as
far back as 1881. But there is little
doubt that he has been persecuted'
There was the inevitable church row
and a difficulty arising over school
house which he himself erected. One
incident he related as illustrative OF
Merriman Reeves character was that
this man let sick and glandered
mule into his uncle's land so that the
cattle might be infected. Merrlck
Reeves is over the half centurv mark
but his big, loose frame can stand as
much strain as it ever could. HIS
face is notably strong and resolute,
and in it are set as soft and beautiful
a pair of brown eyes as ever graced a
man or a woman. He is intelligent