The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1916-03-31
MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF
JIM CLARK INVESTIGATED
BeSs Robinson and Jane Rail Held As
Access0ries-Re Party to
Killing Unknown.


Investigate the mysterious death of
the negro. jim Clark, whose body was
found near the western city limits on
Monday morning, March goth, assem-
bled in the court house Monday night
and after the examination Of a num-
Der of witnesses, brought in the YER
dict that the said Jim Clark came to
his death from a gunshot wound in
the hands of a party or parties IN
known to the jury with Bessie Robin-
son and Jane Ruff as accesso"'
The members of the jury were ]. H,
;Clary, foreman, Sam Burns, Jesse
Hit, NJ. F. Hardeman. Virgil M. Kiser,
Robert Hutchison.
DR.. J. NJ. Kibler who made the post
mortem examination was present and
his certificate was placed in evidence.
It follows: This is to certify that |
have this day examined the body Of
Jim Clark and performed an autopsy
and find that the deceased came to
his death from the effects Of a gun
shot wound the ball entering the body
through the centre of the scernum on
a line one inch below the level of the
nipple and cutting the descending
aorta.''
The first witness examined was
Minnie Lark. She testified that on
Monday morning, March Goth she
found a man lying on the ground (de-
scribed the locality and called to
Will Watkins wife that she had found
a man who was either drunk Or dead
but Watkins wife replied that she vas
sick and could not come out. She next
saw the street oyerseer, Mr.. Joe
Werts and called him and he came and
felt his hand and said, Eyes, this mig
ger is dead and has been dead lor
some tine" She said that she did
not know the dead man until they
turned the body over ana then she
recognized it as that of jim Clark.
Mr.. Joe Werts, the next witness,
testified that about 20 minutes t. II
G clock he was called to the spot
where Jim Clark's body was found and
on examination found that he was
dead, He was lying with his face to
the ground and Us shirt collar was
pulled up partly over his head. There
was no blood on top shirt but blood
was found on undershirt. while ex-
aiming clothes 81 in silver dropped
out Oh the ground. Witness thought
though the money had been placed In
dead mans pocket after he was kill
ed The negro's coat and undershart
we're on 'hindpart foremost. DR.. D.
NJ Kibler testified that it vas possi--
BILE ,.or the deceased to have oeen sipt
and removed TO the spot where found
without leaving blood stains On bed
clothing.
Tim Leak said he knew Jim Clark
AND recognized some property shown
him by the sheriff which was found
Lasr the body of jim Clark. The spot
where Clark was found is ABOUT 80
yards .ltm Jane RIFFS house.
Undertaken P. F. Baxter exhibited
Clark's clothing-coat, paints and
shirt ETC. and testified that if CLARK
had been shot with his coat on like
It was when his body was found, there
would have been a bullet hole through
the back of the coat. The top snlrt
was all torn up.
lin Clark's widow. Hester Clark,
said that jim left home at 9 o'clock
Saturday night. That she began
searching for him sunday norHlA5
about 10 O'Clock and went to Jane
Ruff's and inquired about him and
was told by Jane Ruff that Jim, nad
been there little while on saturday
night but that he had let. Witness
went back to James house SUNDAY
night but Jane told her Jim was not
there; that she could take lamp anu
look for him if she wanted to. one
did not look but went back nome
Jake Golden said that he was at oi-
lie Bryan's party Saturday night and
that Jim Clark was drunk and curslng
and that Bess Robinson asked MIN
to take them home in his auto trans
fer that he started with thele and
when they got to Jane Ruff,s Bess
got out aud called Jane to the door
They both came to the Car and per-
suaded Jim to go into the house. Bess
went back to the party with witness
When he got back Joe Jackson Hal