The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1915-03-05
EVENTS MOVED SWIFTLY
ON CLOSING. DAY TRIAL
All Testimony Completed by Close of Fore
noon Session. Afternoon Was Devoted
to Arguments'and Courts Charge
Three Days Hearing.

over Green Gibson's body because
they were not present when he was
killed. The defendant denied the ac-
cusation made by other witnesses that
he struck Green Gibson over the head
with shot gun, or shot at him with
the breech-loader which he took from
Mosc Williams. Mcclure stated that
he did not fire at Gibson at all, for
the pistol he carried at the time Glib
son fired r shot gun at him would not
shoot when he pulled the trigger.
Throughout the examination the de-
fendant stuck steddfastiy to the state
ment that he had, nothing to do with
the whipping OF Tie negroes at Knox's
Bridge or the Killing OF Green Glib
son, and that the other defendants
had nothing tosdo with either trans
action. q
Testimony Barred.
A number OF other witnesses were
placed on the stand by the defense
after Mcclure came down. but the
testimony given by them was not OF
very great Importance. Among the
witnesses wasa daughter of Wood
row Campbell. who testified that on
December 19,the wife and the daugh-
ter OF Spights caine to Mr.. Camp
bells house while fleeing. from Tom
5pigts; that Tom Spights followed
close after them and came into the
house: that Mrs. Campbell ordered
Tom Spights out or the house, but he
refused To go and cursed at Mrs.
Campbefl; that Mr.. Campbell then
came around the house To where Tom
Spights was The witness stated that
II her father took Tom Spights OF and
whipped him for his conduct before
Mrs, CainpbelI, she did not know
anything about it.
AT this junctura the defense was
about TO intrsauce testimony which
was intended to show that the de-
PENDANTS were prompted to administer
a whipping TO Tom Spights because
OF threats he had made against Wood
row Campbell, hut the court held that
such Testimony was not competent,
as 1t had no bearing on the issues at
stake. Announcing that IL had con-
siderable evidence Of this nature to
offer, In case It had been admitted,
the defense proceeded to call o num-
Der OF character Witnesses, both for
the purpose OF testifying as to the
reputation Of Green Gibson for tur-
bnlence and violence and TO the repu-
tatton OF the defendants for peace and
order,
Character Witnesses.
Tie defense produced number OF
witnesses who testified that the re-
putation OF Green Gibson for "yio-
lence and turbulence2 In the CONF
munity was bad . But none Of these
witnesHes could cite any instance of
whore Green Gibson had been guilty
of turbulence or violence prior 70 his
death Neither could any OF the wit
snesses cite any instance ofswhere the
negro had beer convicted OF anything.
Several Witnesses OF i, large nuin-
Der who had been summoned to tesr
;tify us 20. the reputation Of the de-
| PENDANTS for paae6 and order were
/ put on the stand Among these wit
nesses were several citizens OF An
derson. namely. Clerk OF Court James
NJ. Pearman, Sheriff Ashley, Lee O..
Holleinan, j. j, FretweiI and Coroner
Harden. The witnesses placed on the
the iefendanta for peace end order
Twas good. After listening to "a few
i! 1f llnA largo nnrnhar nf Hitneaaaa ON
this paint the solicitor, agreed 10
Eccept simiiar testimony from ali
other wltnesses withous their going
on the stand 3 81
lsef1te Green TeStISeny
In rebustal OF the test s61ty offered
as 20 the reputation OF Green Gibsea
for turbuience and Violence the State
| put up q number OF witnesseg, !, Among
these witnesses was Mr.. Ailen MERIT,
ION whose farm Green Gibson had liy-
| ed for the past 10 orr IL years. Who
testified that the negro's reputation
for peace and order was good Anoth-
Ter Witness was O FORMER auditor ci
ooonee county. who testified TINT he
had known Green Gibson for some
| IA years, and that the nefSeos4 repn-
| tation for peace and order was very
| good Otliar witnesses from the Fair
IPiay Hection who had known Green
Is0ibeon fer i silsnaber or years testi-
sles that the rskros reputation was
go.ss: and thar they never heard oi
his being In trouble s
-. Testla95y Closes.
! With the exnn.ir ation Gf she eiiarac-
4 ter witneEEes completed. the prnsacu.
tlon and the defense nnnnunSed that
an stoatisnehy was IN The attofaeyl
/ then eunfereed hs to afennlefifs. Ii
being annopneed that tie defense
would have three speeches to make
cf 80 minutes tich, ana that one
tepeech would 30 snande BY the state
1 o. less durAtfok than the total tlfpC
aASaa by the deselfsa for It's nrgn,
aBy This time II was i o'eiosk. ane
81 ths attorneys dik NOT Sase Is "a