Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1912-04-24
THE PALsiER-BEIGHER CASE.
Prosecution Had II Witnesses---The
Jury--COnvictiOn---

SiSSh'lllSp April
the entire time OF Thursdays session
Of the United States Court was taken
up with the hearing Of testimony In
the case of the government against
j. b. Palmer, Chas. B. Palmer, Lou
Beleher and Lethia Palmer, Jointly
indicted for murder and conspiracy
and resisting an officer in the dis
charge OF his duty" the charges
growing out Of the killing Of United
States Deputy Marshal VIM. B. Il.
Corbin and his brother, G. d. Corbin,
near Walhalla, in March, 1909.
The Palmer-Belcher case Is the
first in the history Of the State where
the government has taken hand in
case that has gone through the
State Courts. y
j. B. Palmer, Charles b. Palmer,
his son; Lou Belcher, his daughter,
and Robert Belcher, his grandson.
were tried in the State Court at Wal
halla for the murder Of William B. r.
Corbin. All four We're convicted; j.
B. Palmer being sentenced to six
years, Lou Belcher to eight years,
Charles B. Palmer to seven years and,
Robert Belcher to life Imprisonment.
j. B. Palmer's sentence was suspend
ed on account Of his extreme age.
Lou Belcher went to the State peni-
tentiary, rs did Robert Belcher. Chas.
B. Palmer went to the Oconee county
chain gang.
Governor Blease committed the
sentences of Lou Belcher and Chas.
B. Palmer from eight and seven
years, respectively, to twenty-five
months. Soon thereafter the depart
ment Of justice ordered an investi-
cation Of the case, with the result
that all four, and Lethia Palmer,
daughter of j. B. Palmer. not impli-
Gated in the States case. were in
dicted by the Federal grand jury.
When the parties were called for
arraignment Tuesday, counsel for the
defense interposed the plea of for
mer jeopardy, they having been
tried in the State Court Of General
Sessions of Oconee county or the
murder Of William B. +. Corbin,
which necessarily included the
charge Of conspiracy, which cases,
were finally disposed Of and ended. 4
Counsel claimed that the State.
Court Naturalization .;of every elee5
Wment of crime growing out OF the
facts, which was fairly disposed of
and they could not again be placed on
trial. Judge Smith sustained the
plea as to the counts for the killing
Of William B. T.. Corbin, but over
ruled 1t as to the counts for the kill
ing Of G. ID. Corbin, by sustaining the
! demurrer Of the district attorney.
Case Goes to Trial.
At the adjournment Of court late
Thursday afternoon the governments
seventeen witnesses had been exam
ined, and one of the defense's' wit
, nesses, Charles B. Palmer, placed
upon the stand.
The drawing Of the jury yesterday
| was one Of the features Of the days
proceedings, each juror being exam
| ined on his vOir dire. The govern
ment exhausted it's full quota OF
challenges, while the defense made
several objections
United States District Attorney
Ernest f. Cochran, Of Anderson, rep
resented the government. while SEN
ator J. r. Earle, of Oconee county,
! represented the defense.
The following jurors were charged
| with the case: w. S. Durham, fore
man, Chester county; S. W. Guy.
Chester county; NJ. p. Hammett,
| Cherokee county; G. A. Robinson,
Fairfield county; II. J. Cunningham,
Chester county; J. w. Turner, Lau-
rens county; B. B. Blakeley, SPAR
tanburg county; w. S. Mobley, Lau-
rens county; A. w. McDavid, Jr.,
Geenville county; 9. n. Boyd Spar
tanburg county, and Thos. Shaw,
! Laurens county.
The Verdict.
"J. b. Palmer, Charles B. Palmer,
| and Lou Belcher, guilty Of conspir-
| acy and manslaughter; Lethia Pal
mer, not guilty; J. B. Palmer, rec
| commended to the mercy Of the
Court" is the verdict Of the jury rs
announced at 10 o'clock tonight in
the United States District Court, in
the case OF the government against
the above named persons.
Tho Sentences.
(Greenvirn Nows.l
Lou Belcner ........... years.
Chas. b. Palmer ........ years.
}. IS. Palmer ....... years.
AT twilight in tho United States
District Court last evening sentence
was pronounced upon aged J. B. Pal
mer, his daughter, Lou Belcher, who
has passed the fiftieth milestone Of
LIES pathway, and Charles b. Pal
mer, his son, 46 years of age. Ia
ther and son are to labor for two
years and five years, respectively, in
the United States penitentiary at
Atlanta, Ga, while tho daughter IS
to serve six years in the State prison
or Kansas, at Lansing.
The sentencing Of the old man and
two children was one of the most pa
thetic scenes ever enacted in q court
at Greenville. A wearer OF the
cross Of honor and follower OF