The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-05-31
EVANS IS ACQUITTED
in RICHLAND COURT
WAS CHI .fRGED WITH ACCEPTING
REBATE OF $50.
Jury Reached Verdict in Five Minutes,
Agreeing On First Ballot After
Retiring.

was the verdict of the jury in the
Hub" Evans case, this being returned
at 2::3O on Wednesday afternoon.
1t took the Jury only about 8 min
utes to come to the agreement. The
court had recessed, but judge and de-
fendant were called back to the court
room and the verdict read. The jury
reached a verdict On the first ballot.
The H. H. Evans case was called in
the court of general sessions Wednes-
day morning at 10 o'clock and all tes-
timony was taken and the case COM
pleted when the court took recess
for dinner.
Evans was represented by Eugene
S. Blease, brother of Governor Blease,
and Robert H. ,Welch, of Columbia
The State was represented by the at
torney. general, assisted by Mr.. w. F.
Stevenson, of Cheraw, and Solicitor
w. H. Cobb. The indictment charged
Evans with having received a bribe Of
| $50 from NJ. A. Goodman, liquor sales
man.
The Evans case was called at 10
o'clock and the drawing Of the jury
was started at once.
The Jury.
The jurors on the case were P. E.
Derrick, G.. T. Coleman, Charlie Ham
mond, w. P. LeGrande, J. S. Nelson,
E. ]. Arthur, E. W.. Sylvan, E. W.
Martin, Willie Coleman, j. F. Row.
land, w. B. Kelly, E. H. Mcpherson.
B. M. Harrison, F. A. Lever and G..
n. Helms were drawn but were re-
jected by the State J. A. Cathcart, J..
H Sims, B. Lucas Webb and w. F.
Jones were rejected by the defense.
Attorney General Lyon offered in
evidence those parts of the journals of
the house of Representatives showing
the election of H. H Evans to the
board of control of the State dispen-
sary.
First Witness Called.
Mr.. W. T. Dove, assistant secretary
of State, was, the first witness. He
presented the books of commissions
showing that Mr.. Evans had been COM
missioned as member of the board.
Mr.. S. T. Carter, chief clerk in the
Office of State treasurer, was the Sec
ond witness. He was called upon to
identify the signature of H. H. Evans
on certain checks and letters. These
papers were offered in evidence.
Mr.. Robt. H Welch of counsl for
the defense stated to the court that
these checks and letters had not all
been issued in Rictland county and
he objected to their being offered in
bulk. He wanted onlyfthose issued in
Richland county to be accepted as
evidence. Court suggested that this
motion be renewed after the State had
completed it's case. Mr.. Welch read
into the records his objection to some
OF the letters, these being issued from
Atlanta, Newberry and other places
The checks and letters were shown to
the jury.
Mr.. Carter said that Evans had turn
ed no rebate money into the State
treasury.
The witness was questioned consid-
erably by counsel for the defense as
to his knowledge of the signature of
H. H Evans.
The State, in argument, made much
of the friendship that existed between
Goodman and Evans.
Mr.. Alex. S. Salley, secretary of the
State historical commission was the
next witness for the State. He iden-
titled the minutes of the board of con-
troll of the dispensary, and the attor-
ney general offered in evidence the
minutes of the board.
The State rested its case. The most
| important feature of the States case
was letters from Hub" to Goodman,
and when the State rested the defend
ant and his counsel retired and con-
sidered these.
The defense offered no witnesses
and arguments were begun. Mr. Eugene
Blease presented the first argument.
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