Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1915-10-14
IN
MYSTERY CASE
PLEAD gull TY
DEFENDANTS FINED s1,O5O AND
s BANISHED FROM STATE; PRIN.
GlPAL5 STATE WITNESSES FAIL
10 APPEAR; SCHOOL FUND rs
SWELLED.

The motive for the CarLer-MiIls-
Thompson shooting one night last
summer was not made known to the
public but the affair is out of court
and the school fund of Henderson
county has $1,000 to its credit as
lresult of the submissions of the five
defendants
! The witnesses for the prosecution
failed at a time of need. When court
convened they were not to be found
z hereabouts.
As result Of the pleas of guilty
entered by the five defendants fines
aggregating $1,0J0 were imposed and
road sentences were pronounced that
mean the 0anisLn.ent of some of the
defendants from this part of the
country.
Ed. P. Mills, upon whom Gepen-
dence had been placed by the proseeu-
ton since he was the one fired on by
thompson when the latter and his
gang called at A. Arthur Carter's res
idence about 8 o'clock at night, had
given Solicitor Schenck assurance
that he would return, but he finally
pleaded feeble health down in Allan
i ia.
Ambrose" Carter's chauffeur, who
witnessed the shooting and who re-
NAMED in Hendersonville until Just
recently; was conspieuousIy absent
when time came for trial.. These abb
/ sences crippled the prosecution and
the defence was very anxious to get
the cases out of court so pleas of guilty
to carrying concealed weapons and
assaults we're entered and fines i'm.
posed.
The Fines Imposed.
Albert Thompson of Spartanbure
was fined $3.50 and taxed with the
costs in the case of carrying eel-
cealed weapon and in that OF an as.
sault he was given term of ninety
days on the roads, capias to issue af-
ter twenty days, meaning that he was
given that length of time to make his
departure and in case he returns tc
! any county in North Carolina the
capias may be served and the road
sentence enforced.
S. G. Leonard, who remained WITH
Thompson after the shooting, botE
seeking shelter at the home of Chas
Sunofsky because of Thompson's
wound. was fined $3.50 and taxed with
the costs for carrying a gun and il
the assault case was given ninety
: days on the roads, capias to issue IL
twenty days and che same to be en-
forced provided he ever returns tt
} either Haywood. Buncombe or Hen
derson county.
Criss Woodfin and Aiken Mitchell
charged with an assault, were eacr
fined $25 and taxed with the costs
} They made their getaway after The
shooting and were arrested during the
J night in Asheville.
Carter, who fired on Thompson from
his window, was charged with an as
sauIt but he was depended upon a.
one of the main witnesses for thu
prosecution and his case was no
pressed.
The defendants knew that the
chances were against them provided
the State could hold its witnesses
Mills being bound to court on hi.
recognizance, but influences were
brought to bear that resulted in theil
absence and Solicitor Schenck felt tha
he would not be able to get them anc
decided it would be we'll to accept ths
pleas and swell the county school fune
considerably and have all costs paid
He could not have successfully prose
cuted the cases with the main wit
nesses absent and the public is in
clined to take the view that Danish
ment from the country of such out
laws and the fines and costs constitute
a good turn for the prosecution.
/. The parties to the mysterious shoot
= ing were out of town people. Nc
cause or motive for the affair has beer
given, but it is generally believed thai
it was the result of previous gambling
troubles, with some notorious women
and liquor on the side