The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-08-13
YOUNG MAN SAYS HE
KILLED HIS UNCLE
Coroner's Jury Charge His Father
With Crime-GOvan Watts Talks
of Deed.

Lexington, Aug. S.-With his shirt
bloodstained as if coming off battle
field with a wound on the top of the
head jus+ above the right temple and
with the sign of deep worry and loss OF
sleep depicted in his counteance, Gov
an Watts, aged % years, was lodged
in the Lexington county Jail this morn
ing. The charge was that he killed
his uncle, Adam Watts, aged 73 years,
yesterday afternoon about o'clock,
the weapon used being small knife
with which he cut the old mans throat
from ear to ear, and slashed him in
a number of other places, it is said.
The crime occurred at the home OF
Adam Watts, about three and one-half
miles east of Swansea, in the presence
of the members of the Adam Watts
family. When seen at the jail today,
Govan Watts talked freely, and claim
ed that he chad it to do; that the old
man and two of the women were on
top of him, pounding him with stick
and choking him." He says that when
he ha faen choked almost into un-
consc. 2usness he drew small knife
from lis pocket and commenced to cut
right and left with all the power that
he pc ssessed and that when he was
able to arise the old man had been cut
to decth. Besides the wound on his
head, the young man displayed large
lump On his wrist, which he says was
caused by hicw from the old mans
stick. His throat, however, does not
show any signs of the severe choking
which he says he was subjected.
When told that the coroner's jury
had laced the crime on his father,
Jake Watts. the young maa said that
it was all mistake; that he had kill
ed his uncle himself, and that his
father did not arrive upon the scene
until it was all about over. He clings
firmly to this, in spite of the fact that
the witnesses who saw the deed, say
that Jake Watts used the knife.
He said that they all jumped on
him and he had to fight his way out.
Information is hard to obtain as to
the cause of the terrible tragedy, which
has shocked the entire Swansea sec
ton, but it is generally believed that
whiskey played it's part in the crime.
In fact, it is stated that Jake Watts
and his son, Govan, went to the home
of ADJ m Watts under the influence Of
whisky and that a general family Tow
startel, resulting in the cid man be-
ing killed.
Coroner B. D. Clarke and Sheriff
Miller went to the scene of the trag-
edy last night, but the inquest was
not held until this morning. The
coroner, being in the county cam
paign, did not return to Lexington,
making it impossible to secure the
story as it was told at the inquest.
Sheriff Miller returned to Swansea to-
night to bring Jake Watts to jail, the
verdict of the jury placing the crime
on his hands.
Adam Watts and Jacob Watts are
brothers, and according to Govan
Watts statement, they lived only about
a half mile apart Adam Watts had
the reputation of being a peaceable
citizen, according to the reports from
Swansea, while the reputation OF Jake
Watts is not so good. Govan Watts,
the young man who says ie did the
killing, has never been ip trouble be-
fore and his reputation is said to he
good.
THE PRESIDENT OF HAITI