The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-10-07
Pennsylvania N:gro SurreDdtrs Himself
to Charleston Police
HAD KILLED TWO WOMEN
Gave Himself Up Because His Con-
science Troubled Him.-He Was
Surprised to Learn that He Had
Killed Two Women Instead Of One
as He Supposed.
as He Supposed.

as He Supposed.
Two people were killed in Hack
ett's,. Washington County, Pa, by
Stuart Palmer, the negro who sur
rendered himself to the Charleston
police a few days ago, instead of one
as Palmer thought, according to the
statement made Thursday to a re-
porter for The News and Courier by
County Detective William McCreary
of Washington County, who arrived
in Charleston Thursday and took
Palmer back to Pennsylvania with
him. Palmer stated that he had
not known that he had killed two
but that it was all the same thing
County Detective McCreary arriv-
cd in Charleston Thursday morning
ard spent most of his time at police
headquarters, whittier Stuart was
taken. from the Jail. He had beeh
notified of the arrest of Palmer a
few days before by Chief Boyle, and
had left for Charleston as soon as
he could secure the necessary papers
He recognized Palmer as soon as he
saw him.
Mr.. ,McCreary seemed to- be of the
opinion that Palmer had very good
case of self-defence. The detective
knew the circumstances of the case
and treated the negro very kindly
He said that he would report to the
authorities in Pennsylvania the good
conduct of the negro while in Char,
lesion, and it is expected that Pal
mer's behavior here after surrender
ing himself, together with his quiet
and confident demeanor, will go a
long way in his favor.
Palmer is tall negro, between sc
and 40 years of age. During the
time he was on the road and in jail
he grew small side whiskers.. His
face is not an unpleasant one, and
his manner is quiet and subdued. He
answered all questions put to him
by the authorities very readily, and
tells a very straight story of the
whole affair.
When asked by the reporter to tel
how the trouble occurred, Palmer
said that the whole thing began ov'
er a crap game in which he was
playing. He said he had some words
with another negro in the game, and
that he gave the latter a slight
scratch on the cheek with a pen
knife. Shortly after this, he said
two women, friends Of the man with
whom he had had the trouble, threat
ened him, but he took no notice OF
it.
The day after this, Palmer said
he went to the two women and asked
them if he had offended them. The
women cursed him and threatened
him again, one showing large gun
In the room. Palmer stated, were
olso the mother of one of the women
and the man with whom he had had
The woman with the gun, accord
ing to the story, pointed it at Pal
mer and led him to believe she was
going to kill him. Palmer ther
reached in his pocket for his pistol
and the other man in the room grab
bed him around the waist from the
back. Palmer then fired two shots
into the room wildly and breaking
loose, fled He learned that one oi
the women had been killed.
Palmer then started South, riding
on freight trains and working here
and there to get something to eat
After four weeks of this, ne arrived
in Charleston. His conscience, he
said, troubled him so that he was
forced to give himself up to the
Charleston police and confess tho
killing.
Detective McCleary told Palmer
that two women had been killed BY
the shots. Palmer seemed surprised
hut added after few minutes
thought that he might as well be
tried for killing two as one. Pal
mer is reported to have told soma
of the men in the police station that
he was tired of living and was ready
to 20 back to Pennsylvania, even
if they should hang him.