The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1911-06-16
Sam Boozer Convicted;
Jno. c. Hipp Acquitted

sentence pronounced upon Boozer on
Wednesday afternoon was passed by
Judge Gary at the last term of ses-
sions court he held in Newberry, in
the fall of 1907, when he sentenced
a negro to death for arson. A new
trial on atfer-discovered evidence was
subsequently granted in this case, al
the negro is now serving a life SEN
tence.
Should there be no interference
with the death sentence passed upon
Boozer, his execution will be the first
legal execution in Newberry county
in fourteen years. The last hanging
was the execution of Tony Lyles, for
criminal assault, on August 20. 1897,
the first year Sheriff Buford held the
Office of sheriff.
Boozer is a negro between 30 and
35 years of age He has lived with
Mr.. Hipp practically all his life. His
old mother is still living near Dyson,
in Greenwood county.
Boozer was not placed on the stand
as a witness in the case.
The Testimony.
A mass of testimony was taken in
the case, a synopsis of which is given
herewith:
T. &. Sanders.
The first witness introduced by the
State was Mr.. T. R. Sanders, who lv-
ed about a half mile from MIR. Gill
liam's home. He said he went to the
Gillian home as soon as he heard of
the killing, on the evening Of March
3. and found Mr.. Gilliams dead body
lying in the yard. The load from the
shot gun, he said had entered the back
of the head and back of the neck. He
said he saw where some Of the shot
went in the housef and, from the size
of the hole he judged the shot to be
No. 3's or As.
J. w. White.
Mr.. J. w. White, who is engaged in
the sale of guns, among other things
in the city of Newberry, testified that
just after he returned to the store,
from dinner, on the afternoon of March
3, at about quarter past two o'clock
or ten minutes past two-someWheT
near that time-Mr. J. c.. Hipp came in
the store and traded single-barreled
shot gun for double-barreled gun,
agreeing to pay ten dollars difference,
and told Mr.. White to Wrapit up and
lay it on the counter, that he would
be back for it directly. He said Mr..
Hipp asked him what Kind of shot
it would shoot whereupon witness
told him it depended upon what he
wanted to shoot. well, Birds" re-
piled Mr.. Hipp, said the witness, and
MI White told him rs or SIS was what
he wanted for birds. He said that
some ten, fifteen or twenty minutes
! later, while he was in the back part
OF the store, with his back to the front
door, some one-he didn't look up to
see who it was-came to the store and
said, Il want my gun" Witness said,
"Just take it, and the person asked
him, won't you, wrap it up?"A Mr..
Hipp said Mr.. 3. F. Melton was stand
| ing near him in the store, and he ask
ed him to wrap up the gun, which he
did, and the party left without Mr..
White having seen who it was. He
said Mr.. Hipp didn't buy any shells
from him.
On cross-examination Mr.. White
said he had sold Mr.. Hipp five or six
guns in the course of few years, and
his recollection was he had sold him
three at once on one occasion. In re-
! ply to a question, he said Mr.. Hipp
had several boys, but most Of the
guns he had sold him Were for his
/ hired hands.
B. F. Melton.
| Mr.. 3. F. Melton, who was working
in Mr.. Whites store IN March 3, said
! that on that day, shortly after Mr.
White came from dinner, at about 2.2C
Sam Boozer walked in Mr.. Whites
store first and stopped somewhere
near the door, and Mr.. Hipp walked
in and told Mr. White he would gel
his gun, and Mr. White told him tc
take it, and Mr. Hipp said he wanted
it wrapped up, and Mr.. White told wit
ness to go up there and wrap up the
gun for him. Witness said MT. HipI
unbreeced the gun laid it down or
| rho cOunter and told me- to WraD il