The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-03-11
FOR STEALING CHICKENS
A Negro Man, Negro Woman and
White Man Plead Guilty.
All Before Magistrate
Chappell.

Johnstone had some peas stolen from
an clubhouse on his plantation, and a
negro on Col. George Johnstone's
plantation, had some chickens stolen
on the same night. Constable Can
mon Blease went immediately to that
vicinity when he heard about the
stealing and soon suspected who the
guilty parties were, and then re-
turned to town and 'phoued for
Magistrate Chappell, and Mr.. Cro-
mer, who swore out warrants for
two negroes and a white man.
Mr.. Blease, when he had arrested
the parties, carried them to where
tracks were seen around the place OF
the stealing and when it was found
that the tracks fit exactly, the ne
gro man confessed but the white
man and negress denied having
known anything about it.
Mr.. Blease brought the parties to
town and put the two negroes IN
iail but the white man gave bond
t for appearance for trial on the 8th
of March. On Tuesday, March 8,
when the white man came before
Constable Blease, he tried to work
on the sympathy Of the constable,
picturing the condition of his wife
and children and soon had him very
:sorry for his family. Constable
Blease then appealed eloquently to
Magistrate Chappell to allow the
case compromised but Magistrate
Chappen stubbornly refused.
Promptly at three o'clock the
case was called for trial. There was
quite a crowd present. Magistrate
Chappell called the court to order
and asked the negro man if he was
guilty or not guilty and the negro
said distinctly, "Guilty.'' Magis-
trate Chappell then asked the ne
gress what she had to say and she
pleaded guilty. When the white man
was asked if he was guilty or not
he nodded his head. Mr.. Blease re-
peated the question and said that
they did not want any noddlng OF
the head but that he must speak out,
whereupon the white man said that
he was guilty. .....
Before the sentence was passed,
Mr.. c.. G. Blease arose and said: ''f
your honor please I have no sympa-
thy with a white, who has fallen 50
low as to steal, but your honor, when
I arrested this man, I left his wife,
a sick woman, and I, also left in his
yard four little children and for
their sake and for the sake Of the
sick woman, ask your honor to be
merciful. ...-,''' :. - -
Mr.. Jeff Cromer, the prosecutor,
being touched with Mr.. Blease's elo-
quent plea for the woman and the.
children, them arose and said: "For
the sake of the woman and her chill
dren, I also ask the court to be
merciful." The court then said:
"Mr. Cromer, I am glad that you
have seen fit 10 speak for mercy. 1
had intended to fine the man one
hundred . dollars and after Mr..
Blease asked for mercy, I decided to
make it fifty, but since you, the
prosecutor, ask for mercy, I viii
make it TEN, or thirty days Of hard
labor on public works of the coun-
ty."
The negress was also fined thirty
days or ten dollars. Magistrate Chap
peu then turned to the negro man
and said: "Joe, you get the name Of
Turkey joe by being profession
al chicken and turkey thief. You
are not able to work on public
works so I will not sentence you at
all just now, but I will give you un-
til tomorrow evening to get out Of
Newberry county and if I hear OF
you again, I will put you on the
gang and see if I cannot get tha
boss man to whip you every Monday
morning." 4A1
Magistrate Chappen then turned
to the white man and said: con
account Of your having white skin,
T am ashamed of you. We do not
expect any better Of a negro but we
do not want such white men as you
in our county, so I hope you will
have manhood enough to be ashamed
to stay around Us and will leave the
county,"
The conr+ then adjourned