Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1914-12-03
JUDGE PEBBLES CAUSES BIG
SENSATION IN GREENVILLE.
tBy4T. ". c~hambnss.l

tBytT. w. Chambliss.l
GreenviIe, N. G., Nov. 25.-Tuesday
was q day of intense interest here.
Judge PEBBLES, presiding In the supe-
| rior court was the central attraction.
He started the day when he called q
Jury, which had the case of g. M. Pol
lard, charged with murder, and told
them that unless they~agreed upon a
verdict by 5 o'clock in the evening he
would hold them together and If neces-
sary until December 81, and they
| would be required to pay their W
board The assembled croWdsm@the
court house wa sastounded, the solicit
/ tor, Mr.. Alternately, vas dumbfoundeds
and other attorneys were surprised.
Solicitor Abernethy Immediately put
| himself in communication with Attor-
ney General Beckett but did not! give
! out the result of the telephone inter-
view. Men gathered in groups on the
streets and discussed the situation and
incidentally were guarded in the ire
marks, for it was generally understood
that any criticism might result in con-
tempt of court. Rev. C. M. Rock, pas
| tor of the Baptist church had delivered
severe structures on Judge PEBBLES
Sunday night and this was commented
upon and arrangements were made
for bondsmen in case the minister
was arrested as the rumors said he
would be.
+ Polls the Jury.
Immediately after his deliverance to
the jury, Judge PEBBLES adjourned
court until 5 O'Clock in the afternoon
and there was a crowd present when
the bell called the time. Judge Peeb-
J les asked the jury if they had agreed
upon "a verdict and the strong voice
OF the foreman answered just one
word: NO; and it rang through the
court house.
Turning to the jury, Judge PEBBLES
said: Those members of the jury who
believe that S. M. Pollard is guilty of
murder in the second degree, will
stan dup and be counted" Two men
rose. Then the judge said: "Those
stand up and be counted" Two men
guilty Of manslaughter will stand up
and be counted" None arose. The
third question followed: '"Those who
believe S. M. Pollard to be not guilty
OF any crime will stand up and be
counted" Ten men stood.
Calling the clerk, Judge PEBBLES die
tated his final order-discharging the
| jury. Dumbfounded at the complete
change of front, the audience filed out
q~uietly--but when the men reached
| the street the. change was immediate
and it was a crowd of commenting
| critics. What did it all mean.
Notable Case.
This case has attracted attention
throughout Eastern Carolina. S. M.
Pollard was d merchant in Farmville,
and a man of prominence and means.
! Well connected and of large influence.
He had been charged with offenses be-
| fore but, nevertheless, he had retain
ed his position. He shot Chief of Po-
lice Smith, of Farmville, in his store
one evening last January, and the ex-
element was intense. Smith was
rushed to a hospital, but died the same
night. Pollard was arrested, tried and
convicted of manslaughter and SEN
fenced to five years. This trial is that
which brought on the excitement in
Greenville the past few days.
Possibly there was never a more
formidable array of legal talent in
criminal case in this state-ceruainly
never in Pitt county. The state is
represented by Solicitor Alternately,
Fl S. Ward, Harding and Pierce, w. F.
Evans and Albion Dunn. For the de-
tense, Attorneys Harry Skinner, ex-
Governor Thomas ]. Jarvis, ex-GoV-
ernor William w. Kitchen, F. G.
James and Son, julius Brown, w. H.
Long,M. w. Outlaw, F. M. Wooten, L.
I. Moore, and Judge Manning.
The defendants attorneys included
two ~ex-governors, ex-state senator, ex~
mayor of Greenville, the present coun-
ty attorney Of Pitt county, the ex-
county treasurer, ex-solicitor and ex-
United States attorney.
WORK DAY FOR ORPHANS HOME.