The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-09-24
TIED UP BY HIS THUMBS
ANDERSON NEGRO's STATEMENT
CAUSES THREE ARRESTS.
Magistrates Constable and Two
White Men Indicted for Serious
Offence by the Grand Jury.

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Offence by the Grand Jury.
| A sensation was sprung IN the
court of general sessions at Anderson
Thursday when the grand jury pre-
sented w. W Adams, constable fol-
Magistrate J. B. Leverett, George
Smith and John Blackwell for assault
and battery upon the person Of John
Walker, colored." Warrants were
| ordered issued for these men by
Judge Rice.
John Walker appeared before the
grand jury, at its solicitation he de.
clares, and it is presumed that the
presentment to the court by the jury
is the outcome Of the testimony fur
nished the jury. The case is a side
issue Of the celebrated John HUFF
case in Asheville, n. c., for the mur-
der Of Policeman Mcconnell.
To an Augusta Chronicle repre-
sentative Thursday Walker declared
that he was taken by Adams, Smith
and Blackwell from Adams house,
after being arrested by deputy sher-
if and turned over to Adams to be
taken as a witness to Asheville in the
Huf case, and that these men tied
ropes around his thumbs, threw the
ropes over limb Of tree and held
him suspended until he promised to
"tell what they wanted me to tell in
the HUFF case" Walker says, also,
that Adams fred his pistol one time
to frighten him. According to Walk
er this occurred one Sunday night
early in May of this year, and he was
taken before Magistrate Leverett the
next afternoon where he affixed his
name to an affidavit prepared by the
men.
Walker was taken to Asheville by
Constable Adams, but never took the
witness stand in the Huff case. He
said that he told Mr.. Adams, after
their arrival in Asheville, that he was
going to admit signing the affidavit
when placed on the stand and that he
was going to tell the court that he
was forced to sign It. Walker says
that Mr.. Adams then decided not to
use him as witness. Adams had
arrested HUFF and on his conviction
depended the reward.
After HUFF was acquitted by jury
Walker says he signed an affidavit in
Ashevil1e for Adams arrest; that
Adams was arrested one Saturday
night about nine o'clock, and under
stood the trial would be held on the
following Monday morning. Adams
demanded an immediate trial, which
was called for 10 o'clock Saturday
night Walker says deputy notified
him of the change Of hour for trial
and he went to the magistrates Of
fce. On arriving at the Office Walker
says he inquired to learn whether or
not either Of his two lawyers was
present in the court room to repre-
sent him at Adams trial. On learn
ing that neither Austin nor Stiles
was in the court room Walker de-
cIares that he would not go in the
room because he did not think that
he should do so without one or both
of his lawyers. When Walker re-
fused to appear as the prosecuting
witness the charges against Adams
were dismissed.
Following the dismissal of Adams
the magistrate was arrested for vio-
Hating the oaths of his Office and he
was dismissed from serving as mag
istrate. A case was made against the
magistrate growing out Of the Adams
dismissal, and it will be tried in Oc-
tober in Asheville, so it is understood.
Mr.. Adams, who has served as con-
stable for about twenty years, denies
in toto all the charges. claiming there
IS absolutely no truth whatever in
them. He says that, on the night Of
the alleged offence, he took Walker
in his buggy from his house because
he did not wish to leave Walker in
his home with Mrs. Adams while he
had to go off to apprehend a negro
wanted for murder, and who was
said to be in that section Of the
country. Mr.. Adams says that when
he went to the house to search for
the man wanted he left Walker with
Mr.. Smith and Mr.. Blackwell, and
neither he nor Mr.. Smith or Mr..