The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1915-08-31
PREFERRED DEATH
TO BEING ARRESTED
CBAZED BY COCAINE AND RECENT.
LY DISCHARGED FROM ASYLUM
Officers DorrOh, Kinard and Chappell
Granted Bail by Judge Watts
In Nominal Sum.

Deputy Sheriff William NJ. Dorroh
and Messrs. ]. H Chappen and ]. A.
Kinard, assisting him in making an
arrest, had the unpleasant duty on yes
terday of being forced to kill Abram
Hardy, negro man about 40 years
old. Hardy seems to have been a negro
of rather bad reputation and it is said
.as been several times lately crazed
from the use of cocaine. For a while
he was in the Hospital for the Insane,
but the authorities there thought him
sound and released him several mont $
ago.
Magistrate Kinard several days ago
issued warrant for the arrest of Har-
dy, charging him with disorderly con-
duct and cursing on the public high
way. Yesterday morning early the
magistrate and his constable, Mr.. H. B.
Richardson, went to arrest Hardy. The
negro defed tie officers. Hoping to
avoid having any trouble, the magls-
trate telephoned the, sheriff's Office for
assistance. Sheriff Blease could not
go in person, being busy. on other i'm
portant matters. He instructed Dep
11tv Sheriff Dorroh to go to the assist
ance of the other officers and depu-
tized Mr.. ]. H. O:appell, who has had
much experience as peace officer, to
go with Mr.. Dorroh. These two gen.
tlemen were joined by Mr.. Kinard and
they went to Hardy's home to put him
under arrest.
When the officers arrived at Hardy's
house they found him coming from
some woods. He was armed with two
large hickory stocks, one an old axe
handle. 1t is thought that Hardy was
trying to get back to- his house, where
he had a shotgun. The officers inter
cepted tim, and ordered him to put
down his sticks. The negro immedi-
ately gave fight, striking at Mr.. Dor
roh, whom he just grazed, and giving
Mr.. Kinard terrible blow. Deputy
Dorroh shot the negro in the leg, hop
ing to stop him, but H3e shot had no
effect, and the negro continued fight
ing. 1t took six shots from the wea-
pons of the officers to stop him, and
then he was dead.
The sheriff and coroner were imme-
diately notified of the killing and both
these officers went to the scene of the
difficulty. The inquest over Hard3's
body was held by the coroner and a
jury. The jury found that the negro
came to his death at the bands of Of
fcers Dorroh, Chappell and Kinard,
while these gentlemen were discharg-
ing their duty as officers of the law.
The testimony taken at the inquest is
published in full. Tie women who
testified were the wife and daughter Of
the slain negro. 1t seems from what
they swore to, as we'll as from the tes-
tfmony of Mr.. Sease and the officers,
that Hardy had made up his mind to
die rather than be arrested.
Sheriff Blease, under the law, ar
rested Messrs. Dorroh, Chappell and
Knard and carried them to Jail They
will have to appear before the grand
jury at HE next term of court Their
attorneys, Messrs. Blease & Blease, ap-
piled for bond yesterday evening be-
fore Mr.. Associate Justice Watts at
Laurens, and bond was granted in
nominal sums.
The Testimony.
Mr.. B. I. Sease testified: Saw shoot
ing from the house Saw Abram Har-
dy running uR on parties and saw the
scuffling. heard him say t3is morn
ing that he was not going to be ar
rested. My father told him U1at they
might kill him; he had better go or
be arrested. He said he did not care.
B. I. Sease.
Carrie Hady, being sworn, says: L
saw shooting when started, but turned
and came back to house. Abram said
he would not be with US long Maen he
went to house this morning. Three
gentlemen came to the house this
morning and asked where was .Abram.
7 told them he had walked off a piece: