The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-11-29

James Chick, Sam Chick and jim NC
Clerkin, charged with murder. The
case was given to the jury On Wednes-
day morning, the verdict being guilty
with recommendation to mercy as to
! Andrew Pratt, and not guilty as to
the three other defendants Pratt was
sentenced to life Imprisonment. The
/ defendants. were charged with the kill
/ ing of another negro, Gordon Hodges,
at a church in the Maybinton commu-
| nifty, in June, 1911, the evidence ad-
duced by the State being to the effect
| that the fatal shot was fired by Pratt
and the State contending that the 9TH
ers abetted and encouraged Pratt in
the commission of the crime. BY ap-
pointmen1 of the court, Mr.. B. V. Chap
man represented Pratt, and Messrs.
Henry C. Holloway and Frank w. Fant
represented the two Chicks and Nc
| Clerkin.
The Hayird Case.
The case of the State VS.. B. Mayer
Havird, charged with murder, was
tried on Wednesday. Havird shot
Luther Bledsoe at. Silverstreet on De-
cember % of last year, with a shot
gun, inflicting upon young Bledsoe a
wound in the leg from which Bledsoe
died a day or two later. At that time
Havird was intendant of the town of
| Silverstreet.
The testimony was to the effect that
Havird and Luke Sheppard had an al
tercation in the store of H. C. Lake
early in the morning on December %.
The testimony of the witnesses differed
somewhat as to the details of this diff
fculty, but it appeared that Havird and
Sheppard were separated by Mr.. Lake
and Will V. and Luther Bledsoe In the
alteration Hayird lost some articles
out of his pocket-just exactly what
the witnesses did not pretend to be
| definite about These articles, or some
of them, were pickedMp in the store
and handed to Havird. Havird and
Sheppard then both left the store. Hav-
| ird went home and secured his shot
gun.
The testimony of witnesses for the
State was to the effect that H. C. Lake
and Luther Bledsoe met Mr.. Havird as
he was coming back down the street
with his shot gun. The States con-
tention was that Lake was asking Hay-
ird to go home and put up his gun, and
that Bledsoe went forward to hand
Havird some articles which Havird had
| lost in the difficulty in the store, when
Havird fired upon Luther Bledsoe. w.
V. Bledsoe, a brother OF Luther Bled-
soc, then fired several times at Havird
with pistol, inficting one wound up
on Havird, w'ach did not prove Sc
rious.
Havird said he went home and got
his gun with the intention of going
| back and arresting Sheppard. Il
thought" he said, that l would pro-
tect myself and arrest Mr.. Sheppard.
l went on down street, and when l got
down there Mr.. Lake and Mr. w. V.
Bledsoe and Mr.. Luther Bledsoe were
coming up the street l was near the
I edge of my store yard, or right at the
edge of my store yard, and Bill Bled-
soc was coming on up the street with
his hands in his pocket, walking this
way, and Luther Bledsoe was COM
manding me to put up my gun, and
says to him, What have you got to do
with it?' When l says that he run his
hand in his pocket this way (indicat-
ing) and the gun fired" He said he
was dazed as a result Of the difficulty
in the store, and that his hand was
numb from wound inflicted upon his
hand in the store. He said he had no
intention of killing Bledsoe. He said
his gun was in his hand pointing down.
wards. AS Hayird had come out of his
home with the gun just before the
tragedy, it was discharged, Hayird
said he did not know how, the lead go
ing up in the piazza ceiling. Mrs. Hav-