The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-12-16

SOLICITOR COBB CONSENTS TO
RELEASE WITHOUT HEAR
ING.
Statement Made by j. w. Harper
Same i'm Effect as That Made by
Bateman at His Trlal--Ailidavits
as 10 Injuries to Harper; Other
Aflidavits.


Afiidavits.
]. w. Harper, who surrendered TO
Jailor Owens last Friday afternoon,
was Thursday morning released on
bail of $2,5OO, his bondsmen being
H. T. Edens> and ]. D. Harper.
The release of Mr.. Harper comes as
surprise as Thursday at 3 o'clock
was the time set for the hearing of
the habeas iorpus proceedings. The
release on $2,500 bond was consented
to by Solicitor w. Hampton Cobb, of
Columbia. who was asked by Solicitor
Stoll to appear at the hearing in his
place. The petition for release was
signed by Eugene B. Gary, Associate
Justice Of the Supreme Court and the
release was made Thursday morning
about II O'Clock when the bond was
fled with Clerk OF Court Parrott.
The hearing Of the case was set in
the bond for the spring term of
court
The habeas corpus proceedings
consisted of a number of affidavits
furnished by various parties. The
affidavit Of j. w. Harper is in effect
the same as the statement made by
r. M. Bateman at his trial. The
affidavit was taken before G. d. Levy,
notary public, on December 9. 1911.
In it Harper states that he and Bate
man stopped at a store on Manning
avenue on Christmas afternoon where
they had come words with Eddie
Bossard Later he saw Eddie Bos-
sard at the passenger station where
they had some words, continuing
what had been said. at the store. Ed
die Bossard knocked him down with
a stick or buggy whip. striking him
twice and then attempted to cut him
with knife, cutting through his
clothing on one shoulder and pierre
ing holes in his hat on the second at
tempt. He drew his revolver while
getting up off the ground and fired
at Bossard twice. He thought that
the first shot missed, but the second
found its mark. He had, after the
shooting. gone on home. first calling
for Bateman, who had not appeared
and whom he thought was on the
other side of the station.
Following up this statement comes
.affidavits from Belle and Maude Har-
per. daughters Of J. w Harper. This
affidavit was also made on December
g. and sworn 20 before Geo ID. Levy.
notary public The Misses Harper
stated that their father was at nome
about half an hour after the shoot
ing took place and had bruises on
his face of the nature described by
him in his affidavit. They were told
by their father that he had received
the bruises in a difficulty with Ed
die Bossard. Another affidavit from
]. d. Harper made at the same time
was TO the effect that he had seen
the bruises and the damaged hat.
other affidavits were those of r.
M. Bateman made at the time that
he applied for bail. from DR.. C. S.
Baker. as to the wounds, as testified
to by him at the inquest; Wesley
Bossard. II. G. McKagen and Jim
Williams, also testimony offered at
the inquest over the body of Eddie
Bossard. The verdict of the jury
follows these affidavits, stating that
Eddie Bossard came to his death
from pistol wounds received at the
hands Of n. NJ. Bateman and ]. w.
Harper.
The last affidavit on the list is
signed by Messrs. L. /. Parrot. clerk
Of court; ]. K. Bradford, chief Of po-
lice; j. NJ. Barwick, police sergeant:
H. G. McKagen, police sergeant; Geo.
Hatchell. police officer; j. S. Sykes,
deputy sheriff; w. II. Epperson, sher-
iff; d. w. Owens, jailor. This af-
fidavit is to the bad reputation Of Ed
die Bossard.
Following the reading of these af-
fidavits Solicitor Cobb consented to
the release Of Harper on bond.