The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-06-17
TIE SESSIONS COURT.
Several Cases Disposed Of-Stand.
more Langford Case Given to
Jury Last Night

ShdlSCo WALL
of Riley Penn, a negro, young Stan
more Langford was placed on trial IN
the sessions court here yesterday
morning. There was little difficulty
in securing a jury, and the State,
through Solicitor Cooper, Immediate
~ entered upon the presentation OF
it's case. The defendant was repre-
scented by Messrs. Blease & Domin-
lex and tombstone & Cromer.
Two of the witnesses for the State,
who we're under bond, did not ap-
pear, kirkland Wicker, who is now
living in Florida, and George Robin
son, colored, who, it was stated, had
gone to Columbia On an excursion,
Solicitor Cooper said that he desired
to go to trial, Notwithstanding the
fact that these were two eye witness
es to the difficulty, but he said that
he would ask the court for bench
warrants for their arrest for failure
to appear when they had been sub
poenaed and were under bond, and
would take such action as the law de-
manded in the premises. both as to
the witnesses and as to their bonds.
The first witness placed upon the
stand yesterday morning was Annie
Bell Young, a negro woman, who
said that on the night it is alleged
that Langford shot Penn, as she was
passing Mr.. R. Y. Leavells's back
gate, Langford vas standing there
and caught hold of her arm, and said
he was going to shoot her. She said
she pulled loose from him, and Lang
ford fell down and then shot at her.
Coroner Felker was sick at home
and unable to be in court and the
jury, the solicitor and the counsel for
the defence, went to his home and
took his testimony. He was asked in
regard to the dying declaration Of
Penn He said the dying declaration
was written by Mr.. Cannon G.. Blease,
and Coroner Felker said he admins
tered an oath to Penn, and Penn
signed the declaration in his pres
ence. This declaration was publish
ed in The Herald and News at the
time Of the difficulty, along with the
other details. 1t is as follows:
State Of South Carolina,
Newberry County.
I, Riley Penn, of the county and
State aforesaid, who, being = duly
sworn, says, that I believe T am in
"extremis," i. e., I am going to die.
That on Saturday evening, February
20, 1909, I was coming from towards
town On my way home, and that after
I passed the residence of Mr.. r. Y.
Leayell, a young man asked me for a
match. This young man was accom-
panied by another young man, who l
did not know. When he asked me for
a match, I said alright, sir, here is
one. Then Mr.. Stanmore Langford,
who asked for the match, says, hurry
up, and whirled his pistol around.
Then I says, alright, sir, and gave to
Mr.. Langford the match. Then I
said, I am going home. Then he shot
me in the back. Then I came on
home unassisted.
His
Riley x Penn.
mark.
Sworn to before me this 23rd Feb
ruary, 1909.
W. E. Felker, q. 81,
Coroner for Newberry County, S. c..
The statement of DR.. P. G. Ellesor,
given at the coroner's inquest, was
admitted, as follows:
DR.. P. G. Ellesor, being duly sworn,
says: I was called to see Riley Penn
on Saturday night, between 8 and 9
o'clock. He was at home, with a
gun-shot wound in his back. He was
partly dressed. I had him undressed,
dressed his wound, and attended shim
until he died. I understand he died
last night. He died from effects Of
wound in back. He had no other dis
ease that I know of. That is wound
that I had covered with absorbent
cotton. T do not know of my own
knowledge who shot Riley Penn. I
did not probe for ball. I could not
locate from exterior examinations. I
was first callde February 20, 1909.
P. G. Ellesor.
The first witness put on the stand
by the State after dinner was Mr..
Kiefer Wicker, who testified that On
the evening of the shooting he and
| Orlando Wicker left. Stanmore Lang
--- =