Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1911-10-25
New Series No. 6O5.-Volnne LXIII.--No s3
PAIIMERS AGAIN ARI,AIGNEn
Convicted OF Manslaughter, Partsmas
cd, Now Face Conspiracy ChaFv1s,

j. B. Palmer, Charlie Palmer, Y.a,.
thla Palmer and Lou Belcher wssze,,
arrested in Walhalla last Thuredaay
morning by Deputy Marshal w. ~.
Orr and Sheriff w. M. Kay and taSssn
to Greenville, where they were M.
raigned in Federal Court on tHss
charge of conspiracy against an on,
cerrof the Federal government.
The case of the Palmers is ynm
well known in Oconee to need t.,a-
tended mention here to recall IL aks
mind. 1t was in March, 1909 tsat,t
Deputy Marshal w. b. T.. Corbin and
his brother, c. d. Corbin, in dig
charging their duties in serving 81.
warrant on Bob Belcher for a mlnNr.
offense, that Of mutilating a rnrM
mail box, were shot and killed al sAsp
home Of j. b. Palmer, only & SsaiSt
distance from the incorporate Mnsft.Yj
of Walhalla. j.. B. Palmer, tira>
grandfather Of Bob Belcher, came tai
town and gave notice of the row THAI.
had followed the efforts Of the officer
and his brother to arrest Bob ReE,.
cher.
At that time all of the PalmeaS,
except the wife Of j. B. Palmer aAss
his daughter, Lethia Palmer, WAY,
accused of completely in the act ~"
killing Of the Corbins, and four -.
them were arraigned and tried. &fias
trial resulting in conviction of Bola
Belcher for murder, with recon Tnf1n,
dation, and the other defendants ME
manslaughter.
Bob Belcher was sentenced In,
serve the balance Of his life IN sh6.
State penitentiary, where he is 1n-,
day: Lou Belcher, Bob's mother,
was sentenced to eight years in .ls,
penitentiary, Charles Palmer to eigN&
years on the public works Of OcoRen:
county, and J. B. Palmer, father Afl
the two latter, received n senteD oe nff
six years in the penitentiary. Owing,
to the fact that Palmer is n very cltR
man, the Judge suspended his seu--
tence during good behaviour, and hsys
was never imprisoned except in &hp,
county jail to. await trial and durSn1;
the progress OF the hearing.
Last June Charlie Palmer and I&m
Belcher we're pardoned by Governor
Blease and they returned to WalhaIh.
la, residing near, here since that tiHe,s
10 t}lis pr I'd on Ing fSs I'll ese
is due, doubtless, the present arNsaS3
and future trial OF the PalmerB GE9
the conspiracy charge 1t is genas
rally conceded that, had the convirk
ed ones been permitted to serve seq.
tences even approXimating the ser,,r-
ity that the Nervousness OF their
crime warranted, the charge Of con-.
spiracy would never have been taNez,
up from the records Of the FeGcraGS
Court against them, though it has
been known generally that these
charges were to have been brougM
and pushed by the general govern
ment in case the Court OF Gcaar2s4
Sessions had failed to convict ON I'M
charge Of murder.
The outcome Of the trial that wtk
follow the returning Of true bills lI
Greenvillc last week will be watcs,4El
with interest. The Federal govHrn--
ment has a strong hand when III
comes to protecting the lives Of LhNse>
who serve in a public capacity, anS
Is no less energetic in its endeavS.ls
to punish adequately those who t8laa,
the lives OF the men who cndcavMf
to carry out its laws.
True bills were returned WedNes-.
day afternoon against each OF sNg
four who were defendants in the irfM
at Walhalla, and In addition a lrut2
bill was returned against Lethia PaN
mcr, who was not convicted alpnG
with the others. The fact that RuS,
Belcher remains within the walls nf
the State pcnitentiary saves him fyng
again facing a jury.
The Palmers and Lou BelChpy'
nave been granted bail jointly, ins
the sum Of 81 900 for their appear
ance OF the next term Of FederU
Court at Grccnvillc.
Mrs. J. B. Palmer died during ~
past summer.