The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1917, 1915-03-05

death.
Two Green. ON Stand.
In addition to the states testimony
being Interesting for the reason that
the first eye witnesses of the alleged
murder OF Green Gibson were put on
the stand Il was interesting for the
further reason that the two sons of
Green Gibson, John and Will. who.
with their father, went across knoX's
Bridge to the store where the SIX de-
PENDANTS arc alleged to have admin
istered severe bcatings to George
Gibson and Tom Spights. ana engaged
them in battle with shot guns and
pistols, were put Oh the witness stand.
Line OF Defense.
There has been more or less specu-
lation AS to what line of 1cfcns" ouId
b.. followed in this case. Some nave
been inclined to think that the plea
O. self defense" would be used. Just
before court recessed this aftcrnooi.
howeuer, an incident occurred which.
in all probability. reveals, the line OF
defense that will be followed.
It was gathered from n 1ucS,:on that
was about to be asked the defendant.
William r. Mcclure. that the defense
would attempt to show that McClur'
was magistrate; that he set OUT to
arrest Green Gibson because Ec was
"armcd to the terror Of the people,;
that he knew Green Gibson to be a
dangerous man antl that with TINS
knowledge lie deputiZed several OF the
defendants to go along with him ana
assist in the arrest Of Green Gibson.
The prosecution objected TO the
question. and the objection was sus-
tanned by the court The court stated
that he knew Of no lew which per-
mitted Il magistrate to turn constable
and deputiZe another to assist In the
arrest of person for whom he had
10 warrant and who i,ad committee
no offcnse in the prcsensc of The mag
istratc.
1t was apparent iromt the courts
ruling that the defense had attempted
to bring out this testimony at an In
oppurtune time. as il laG not been
Gibson had not committed any Offense
in the sight Of the magistrate. OF
that the magistrate had any warrant
for Green Gibson's arrest.
Tell Their Stories. - Z!
The Green brothers testified that
they went across the river with their
father. who went to inquire as to why
the men were beating his son, George
Gibson. The witnesses stated that
they got no reply from the white men.
other than command TO drop their
guns and throw up their hands, which
they did not do. As they backed off
from the party of white men,, in the
direction of the river, they testified.
members Of the white party Opened
fire upon them first. The negroes
told how they returned the fire and
then fled. One OF the. brothers was
wounded, 1t was testified and he was
taken to the home Of "a relative The
other brother, 1t Twas testified, then;
went to his home. las to- what became
of their father, Green Gibson: after
that, the Witnesses stated shat they
did not know, other than that lie went
on up the road. IL '1 -.
Eye Witnesses Testify.
The remainder ofsthe testimony Of
fered by the prosecution was sprinci-
pally from WITNESSES who claim. 10
have seen the killing of Green Glib
son. The gist Of all this testimony
was that the ddfdndants, after the
shooting at Knox s sI3ridge, and after
the three Gibson negroes had disap-
peared back ON the South Carolina
side of the river, began d search Of
the country for the three negroes.
Witnesses testified that William T.
Mcclure went to the house Of q negro
woman living on his place and In
quired OF negro man Who was there
II he had seen, anything of Green Glib
son or any OF, his boys. tE.eceiying an
answer to the effect thai the. Gibson
negroes had not been seen, 1t was
testified. Mcclure then started around
the house; and that al he did he spied
Green Gibson at some distance. In a
ficld;s that Mcclure shouted to- ;,hiS
companions to come on boys, here. lie
Is and began firing at Green Gibson.
Tic testimony coAtinued to theaeffect
TINT Mcclure and Green Gibson came.
rather close together down In the field
anu that they. exchanged. shots;1 that
Gibson sank to the ground utter she5
had run tOs>within,4a, short. distance
Of zone Nose Williams' house !: .that
McCllre went TO- Nose Williams
house aud borrowed lls donhia bafTel,
ed shot gun, with n. .hich he fired two
mOyos shots Into ILL., PROSTATE body.
Of Green Gibson; fhlt Mcclure then.
advanced to the .,sRpt where Gibsofi's
body lay. and; piGlnng up one Fofi the
dead negro,s braces of guns, struck
the negro over the head with IL.
the. gun .s j.
The testimony Nciitinued ito the Of,
feet that after Gtsen Gibson had heeii.
killed Woodrow CaIapbell told tnearobs
In the vicinity to come up and look. Mt
the body, and @ssss how nice tt fiudl
been done b -
Testimony % Defense. y
s. At 4 o'clock the defense puts up Its.
first witness. Z, Another witnesa WAS:
put up. and at the sfpne court uf,ourn-s
cd one OF the def fmdAnts.i Wjuiam;iTa
tMcGlure was on ,Etes Stand The axana,