The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-12-31
TURNS HIM LOOSE
sPARTANBURG MURDERER GETS
A PARDONIE full
KILLED MARRIED WOMAN
Was Tried for His Crime and Al.
though Represented by Learned
Legal Talent He Received Death
Sentence, Which Was Later Conn
muted by Governor Blease.
muted by Governor Blease.

Joe Bates, the convicted murderer
of Docia Better, white man. who
was pardoned Monday by the gov
ernor, arrived in spartanburg Mon
day night and is at the home Of his
father. He was met at the train by
his father and brother, Jack Bates,
who have been untiring in their ef-
forts to have pardon granted, and
a number of friends.
Joe Bates was at one time a police
officer in Spartanburg. He was COM.
victed in 1909 and sentenced to
death, but after many delays his sem
tence was commuted to life impris-
onment by the present governor, who
now grants him full pardon. Mrs.
Docia Boiter, aged Is years, wife Of
j. R. Better, a farmer living near
Fairmont was shot at and instantly
killed by Joe Bates, a former police
! officer, but at the time of the crime a.
guard of the city chaingang, on Sum
day morning, August 20, 1909, at
1880 at the home Of W. B. Cox, 103
Thompson street. z
Mamie Cox the eight-year-old
daughter of Mrs. Cox, who was stand
ing near with her little baby sister in
her arms was also shot by Bates and
seriously wounded. Bates was caught
in the hallway Of the house by Mr..
Cox before he could get away and
was held until the police officers ar
rived. Officers Lockman, Cudd, Cash
and Crocker arrived and took charge
Of Bates, who was carried at once to
the county Jail and turned over to
Sheriff White.
When the case against Bates was
called in the general sessions court
for October, 1909, he was represent
ed by learned counsel and it was one
of. the hardest fought legal battles
ever waged in the Spartanburg
county court room. The principle
defence for Bates was a plea Of In
sanity. He was convicted and SEN
fenced to hang, an appeal to the SUI
preme court was made without sue
cess and after two years confinement
in the county jail the governor COM
muted his sentence from death to life
imprisonment. The pardon restores
his citizenship.
The Spartanburg Journal tells. the
following story Of the tragedy for
which Bates was convicted:
Docia Boiter, until few weeks
previous to the shooting, was, Docia
Moore. She lived with Joe Bates at
his home at No. $50 Thompson street
as his housekeeper and alleged para
mour. She had lived with him for
about two years, when a month pre-
vious she left him and married ]. r.
Boiter. Since the marriage it was
thought that Bates was crazed with
jealousy. 1t is said that just before
she left him, the Moore woman sold
COW Bates had and number OF
household articles. For this Bates
had a warrant sworn out for her ar
rest, but before the case had been
taken up the woman was dead.
Mr.. and Mrs. Boiter were coming
to Mr.. Cox's house to spend the day.
As they neared the house. Bates was
in the road, so was Mr.. Cox and his
son William. Bates said to Mrs.
Boiter that he would put "them to
the bad', and followed them to Co1's
house. When Mrs. Boiter got out
Of the buggy Bates followed her to-
ward the house. Suddenly he left
her and passed around to the front
Of the building. He entered the from
door as Mrs. Boiter entered the back
door.
Mrs. Boiter took hold of the hand
Of little eight-year-old Mamie Cox
and was in the act Of placing ring
on her finger when Bates fired upon
! her from the door Of the back porch.
Three shots entered Mrs. Boiter's
body on the left side. one ball broke
her arm in three places, the other
ball entered her right temple. She
died almost instantly and as she fell
she exclaimed: ooh! my Cod" The
ball that broke Mrs. Boiter's arm IS
supposed to have entered the body Of
little Mamie Cox, dangerously
wounding her.