The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1915-12-14
YORK COUNTY JURY
ACQUITS EISENHOWER
SAYS HE SHOT TO SAVE HIS OWN
LIFE.
Verdict Received in Silence-Resume
OF the TeStimOny-Other
Gases Continued.

After being out one hour and thirty
minutes, the York county jury which
tried Ernest Isenhower, charged with
the murder of Raleigh Boulware at
Winnsboro on June IA, returned YER
dict of not guilty at $3.50 o'clock Fri
day afternoon.
The result was heard in silence by
a packed court room, there being no
sign of demonstration of any kind,
The verdict was returned Immediately
after the convening of court for The
afternoon session, the case having been
given to the jury at 1 O'Clock, after
which court was adjourned for the
noon recess.
Ernest Isenhower, testifying in his
own behalf stated that he knew Boul-
ware and was friendly toward him,
that he had shot at Boulware only after
Boulware lad twice fired at him and
i, then fired only one shot in defense of
his own life. Isenhower said one OF
the bullets fired at him went through
the left shoulder of his coat.
In testifying as to the occurrences
on the day of the Winnsobro tragedy,
Mr.. Isenhower said, 81 was somewhat
excited, but whatever l did was done
with deliberation and calmness.'
Every seat in the court room was
occupied when court convened at $40
o'clock Friday morning. Many per-
sons were turned away by the bailiff
sons were turned away by the bailiff be-
cause there was no place to seat them.
The York county court house audito-
rum will seat only about 240 persons.
Former Governor Cole. L. Blease,
chief counsel for Isenhower, spoke an
hour and ten minutes to the jury and
made a powerful argument on the facts
as presented before the court, In con-
cluding his argument he told the jury
that the state of South Carolina was
watching them and waiting their YER
dict with interest, not because of Ern-
est Isenhower or the law of South Car
olina, but because they were anxious
to see whether the u men would up
hold the women of South Carolina.
Before the conclusion of Governor
Blease's argument Judge Rice warned
the audience against making any ex.
preston or indication of approval or
disappraval Of anything that Governor
Blease or Solicitor Henry might say
in their appeals to the jury.
"You must try this case in accord
ance with the statute law and the tes-
timony If you disregard the law, then
there is no safety in this country,
said Solicitor Henry, who spoke to the
Jury for about an hour.
In his charge to the jury Judge Rice
told that body they coud not return
a verdict on the grounds of the Gun
written law" The indictment was
handed to the jury at o'clock.
After the dinner recess Of the court
on Thursday afternoon, Albert E. Hill,
solicitor of the Seventh judicial cir
cult, opened with the argument for the
state. and was followed by A. L. Gas
ton of Chester for the defense. T. F.
McDow of York, for the state and John
R. Hart of York, for the defense, re-
spectively, presented their sides Of
the case to the jury Thursday after
noon.
Among the witnesses heard for the
defense was the Rev J. P Isenhower,
a Baptist minister in charge of three
churches in Fairfield county. who told
of being in Winnsboro on the day Of
the affray in which his brother Clyde,
Sheriff Hood and Boulware lost their
lives. He told of talking to Clyde Isen-
hover in DR.. Douglas Office about
2 or o'clock in the afternoon after
he was wounded in the morning, the
fatally shot brother saying: Johnnie,
I am shot all to pieces I can't live.
I will have to turn my business over
to you. I want you to take my farm,
work it out and pay my debts, want
you to collect my life insurance and
take care of my baby"
The witness said that when he spoke
to his brother about preparing to meet
his God, the wounded man replied: 81
have been praying and I am all right y
B On cross-examination Rev. Mr.. Isen-
yhower said he had not anticipated any
trouble and did not see either Clyde
or Ernest Isenhower on the morning
of the Winnsboro affray. He said that