The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-10-14
R. N. BATEMAN RELEASED,
JURY BRINGS IN VERDICT OF
NOT GUILTY AFTER BEING
OUT FOR SHORT TIME.
Story OF the killing as Told by Il. Nj.
Bateman Motion to Direct
verdict Overruled - Arguments
This Morning and Testimony
Thursday. Afternoon.

The jury which tried r. Nj. Bate
man on the charge Of murder re-
turned a verdict of not guilty to-
day about one o'clock, after being
cut for slightly more than thirty
minutes. BY this verdict r.
M. Bateman went forth from the
court house a free man after the
charge of murder had been hanging
over him since last Christmas day,
when the killing of Eddie Bossard
too place.
All OF the morning was taken up
In the arguments Of counsel on both
sides. The judges charge was brief
and in less than twenty-four hours
the whole case was tried and COM
pleted.
HEAD IN TRANSIT. :.
The trial of r. NJ. Bateman for
murder was commenced Thursday
afternoon in the court of general
sessions and by the adjournment of
court for the day all Of the evidence
was submitted and today the argu-
ments We're made before the Jury
by the attorneys on each side.
1t will be remembered that Eddie
Bossard, negro hackman of this
city, was killed at the passenger sta
ton on the evening Of last Christmas
day by j. w. Harper, and Bateman
was with Harper at the time of the
shooting. Bateman had in the morn
ing Of the same day entered into an
argument with Abram Bossard. a
brother OF Eddie Bossard and at the
time 1t was claimed that Harper had
shot Eddie Bossard, thinking him to
be Abram Bossard, in avenging the
wrong Of his friend, r. NJ Bateman.
The killing created considerable eX-
citement at the time and much in :
terest was caused by reason Of the
fact that Harper escaped and an in
vestigation was made into the alleg-
ed negligence Of the police force
However, this investigation resulted
in practically nothing being done
and Harper is still at large, his
whereabouts being unknown to the
public.
Bateman entered plea Of not
guilty through his attorneys, Capt.
". C. Davis OF Manning ana j. b.
Cllitcn ot thIs city The State Is
represented by Solicitor z. n. Stoll,
who Thursday seemed 90 be showing
more interest and activity in this
case than he showed in the Dunlap
case. The first step in the case was
the drawing, Of the jury. This was
done In a few minutes. several Of
the jurymen being the same who
served on the jury which tried Joe
Dunlap. The names Of the jurors
are: S. W. Rumph. foreman; d. NJ.
Campbell; ]. e. Norton. j. Murray
Nelson, II. B. Dickerson, ]. w. Cox,
T. NJ. Bradley. Peter Gallagher. Jr
G.. j. Myers. Robert Ardis, T. Z.
Hudson and j. A. Boykin. A.
The State commenced it's case by
putting up DR.. S. c. Baker, who tes-
titled as TO the course Of the bullets.
One bullet had entered the side and
the other had entered the breast and
downwards, stopping some
where near the back bone. 1t was
this last bullet which had caused
death for 1t had cut an artery and
Bossary bled internally. death re-
sulting from bleeding.
Abram Bossard stated that he had
some words with Mr. Bateman on
the morning Of the day Of the shoot
ing. He said that Bateman had
cursed him for a damn black son Of
a b." and he had cursed Bateman
for "a white one" They had after
wards made up, shaken hands, and
gone on about their business. He
had not come out again that day,
he having been up all Of the night
before.
Sam Green, a hackman at the
time of the shooting. testified to
having been at the depot at the time
of the shooting. and shortly before it
Mr.. Bateman had come to him ask
ing for Abram Bossard. He had in
formed him that he did not know
where Abram was. Bateman had
CURSED \ hram and said that he