The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1911-01-19

Branchville, in Colleton county. He
said Pearlstine was not friend of
his, but he had nothing against
Pearlstine, only he didn't want him
to bother him. He gave Pearlstine
no cause to have feeling against him.
Pearlstine came in his Office a few
months before the killing, he said,
and cursed him, because he had writ
ten R. Pearlstine concerning a claim
of long standing.
"Pearlstine said I was writing him
too much. told him that was not.
He said, DO you mean to dispute my
word, if you do, I'll knock your
teeth down your throat?' "
He said he held a number of claims
against the R. Pearlstine store. He
thought Abe Pearlstine was manager
of this store. The day before the
killing, Jones said, he received
small claim against the firm and he
mailed this claim of $3.50 or wrote
R. Pearlstine of the claim, early the
morning of the killing. This letter
was introduced in evidence and read
to the jury.
Cursed Him.
Jones said he went back to the
postofice about $3.50 on the morning
of December Is to get the Bowman
mail. He saw Pearlstine in the post
Office reading a letter. He also saw
]. w. Sheriff in the lobby; but didn't
see any one else. Just as he got op-
posite Pearlstine, while going to his
mail box, he saw Pearlstine looking
at him piercingly. Jones said he
stopped and looked in his mail box.
When he raised up, Pearlstine said,
"Read this again, read this. dog"
Pearlstine then said, Damn you,
take this" striking Jones. He said
the blow was very severe and knock
ed him up against the wall in the
corner of the lobby. He said this
lick was over the eye, disclosing a
scar to the jury, which he said was
the result of the lick. Blood flowed
profusely.
Jones said he couldn't defend him
self. After the the first lick, he said
Pearlstine closed in on him and kept
on striking him in the corner, IL or
Is times. He begged Pearlstine to
stop, but he kept right on. Jones
said he was holding his hands up
trying to protect his face. Pearlstine
knocked him nearly blind. Pearlstine
said he was going to Kill him and
then he managed to jerk loose. CAT
this point of the examination Jones
was moved to tears.) At this time
the postmaster came out and took
hold of Pearlstine. He jerked away
from Pearlstine and the jerk placed
him a little distance from them.
Struck no Blows.
He said he struck no blows, but
that Pearlstines blows had reduced
him almost to insensibility. He said
the front door was closed. He walk
ed q short distance in a blinded con-
dition. He stopped to locate himself
and turned to see where Pearlstine
was. He said Pearlstine was at
close distance, three or four feet,
looking at him, bent his fist, said
with an oath, II am going to kill
you Then he fired one shot at
Pearlstine. Just as he fired the pis-
tol he walked out of the office. He
said his hat was knocked off and that
Pearlstine was walking toward him
when he fired.
The shooting took place very
quickly after the separation.
Expected Trouble.
He said he shot Pearlstine to save
his life. Jones said he didn't hear
any conversation between the post
master, Byrd, and Pearlstine and that
he was carrying a pistol in protection
of himself, as he expected trouble
from Pearlstine He said he went to
his place of business after the shoot
ing. He testified that his health was
very bad.
Jones told of the claim that he re-
ceived payment of from Pearlstine
and that the money had been remit
ted to the proper parties and that the
sending out of this same claim again
to Pearlstine was no fault of his.
Jones introduced his check stub
and also the check recording the
claims payment to it's owners. This
claim misunderstanding was the re-
suit of a mistake and the prosecution
acknowledged it as such. Jones said
that all the claims he held against
the Pearlstines had been settled ex-
cent one He said the pistol that he