The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-06-11
DRAWS Big CROWD
TRIAL OF HUGH LONG FOR MUIR.
DER OF P. n. GUNTER
WHAT THE STATE SHOWS

The Wife of the Accused and the
Wife and Children Of the Deceased
Are Present at the Trial, Which
Exeites Great Interest Among the
People.
The Hon. Hugh Long. legislator
from Aiken County, and erstwhlle
country newspaper editor with
permit to practice law, is on trial at
Aiken, charged with the murder OF
Mr.. Pickens n Gunter, president Of
the Bank Of Wagner, farmer and
well known Aiken County citizen, the
homicide occurring during personal
encounter in the town of Wagner
between the defendant and the de-
ceased on about the Sth day of last
September.
The case was called the first thing
Tuesday morning when the Court OF
General Sessions began its second
days session. Some time was con-
sumed in drawing the jury, every
man presented being placed on his
voir dire, and both the prosecution
and the defence excusing, or object
ing to, quite number, but finally
the necessary twelve men were en-
panelled with Jas. r. League, OF
North Augusta, foreman. Twenty
extra veniremen had been drawn
Monday from the 'tseven-mile box" to
meet any difficulty that might have
arisen Tuesday morning in their Sc
lection. When the jury was COM
plete the panel had not been cite
exhausted.
When it became bruited abroad
that the trial Of the famous Long
case had begun individuals began to
fock into the Court House, and soon
every seat and available space had
been taken. Interested spectators
were Mrs. Long and her sister; while
the wife, children and more distant
relatives of the dead man sat about.
One Of the dead mans daughters, a
pretty little miss, apparently about
fourteen years Of age, wept silently
during the exhibition to the jury of
the clothing worn by Gunter at the
time he received the injuries that
brought death on October 1.
Judge Ernest Gary is presiding.
Messrs. Croft & Croft and c. E. Saw
yer are counsel for the defence, while
Solicitor Robt. L. Gunter is being as
sisted by his law partner; the Hon.
Herbert E. Gyles, mayor Of Aiken,
and the Messrs. Henderson, Col. D.
S. Henderson, of the last named Arm,
having conducted the examination Of
witnesses for the prosecution. The
session is scheduled to adjourn def
niteIy Thursday evening, and there
will be exerted every possible effort
by both State and defence to give the
case to the jury before that time.
The first witness was E. B. Jack
son, who IS cashier Of the bank OF
which the deceased was president, he
having been associated in that capac-
ity with Mr.. Gunter for the past three
years or more, during which time,
witness stated, there had sprung up
between them a mutual warm regard.
With slight variations and contradic-
tons as to minor details, the prose
cution, from its witnesses, presents
the following epitomized version of
the tragedy:
Long was standing on the sidewalk
with a newspaper in his hand; Gun
ter coming toward him. Just before
the latter reached him, Long, it is
claimed, half turned and dropped his
paper toward his pocket. Gunter col
Jared him, spun him around and
Knocked him out into the street, fall
ing on top Of and astraddle the pros
trate man, pinioning his arms. In
some manner Long managed to free
himself, possess himself of his re-
volver and fred, which first shot, 1t
IS alleged, inflicted no serious wound.
It seems then that almost stimuli
taneously with the first discharge,
Hayes Gunter, q cousin Of the de-
ceased, and indicted with Long as an
accessory, rushed from his store near
By, ran up to Pickens Gunter's back
and, throwing his arm about Gunter's
neck, began to choke him and drag
him away from Long, the latter fir
ing the fatal shot after Gunter was
clear from him and while Gunter, it
IS claimed, was absolutely helpless.
Clearly, and it has been so admit
ted to this correspondent by one OF
the attorneys for the prosecution, the
prosecution endeavors to establish
the fact that when the fatal shot was
fired Long was free Of Gunter, while
the latter was helpless in the grasp Of
one Of his kinsmen, under which con-
ditions, they contend, there was no1
warrant for the last and fatal bullet.
Two witnesses have stated that the
deceased a few hours after he was
wounded gave essentially this story:
Gunter said that he was coming
down the street and saw Long; that
as he approached Long the latter
dropped the paper toward his pocket,
turned toward him with an indescrib-
able contortion Of the facial muscles
and muttered some imprecation that
he did not catch. Gunter did not
know what Long was going to do;
might have intended to shoot so far
as he knew, and from that point the
general thread of the story is parallel
with that of eye-witnesses. One wit
ness, E. 3. Jackson, affirmed that he