The Penn's Grove record., 1919-01-31
PAGE FOUR
County Court Proceedings

continued 44OlA4 paSC
man in its flight, infiicting a slight
wound. 1t then rolled along the eat
ing counter place and fell to the floor
where it was found and placed IN eVl-
dence at the trial. Crutchfield was
taken to the Wilmington hospital
where he remained eight days.
Defendants counsel IN cross exam
nation attempted to show that
Crutchield came toward Dean in a
threatening manner, also that he was
a bad man when under the influence OF
LIQUOR and was we'll marked from
many fights he had been in. A long,
ugly scar was discovered on Crutch-
fields back when he stripped before
the Jury and counsel wanted to know
how he got it. The Court, however,
ruled out all evidence of previous
affairs.
Inspectors of gun cotton McCabe,
Higgins and Abrams said it was about
half past one in the morning when
they stopped at the Plaza to get a
meal; that they noticed Crutchtield
sitting on a stool at the counter talk
ing rather loud and apparently under
the influence of liquor and a guard
was p~ersuading him to leave the place.
Crutchfeld said that he would go as
soon as the meal he had ordered was
served and wrapped up for him. The
witnesses said Big Boy" felt in his
pocket for money to pay the bill, but
was shy fifteen cents and promised
to pay this when he came in for an
other meal. This was satisfactory to
the waiter and offering his hand to the
old guard said: Il respect the du-
Pont guards and will 60" but the
guard refused to shake and left the
building. While Crutchfeld was pre-
pairing to leave, they said, Dean ap-
peared on the scene and declared he
would throw the lack-- out,
at the same time having a revolver in
his right hand. They then heard
Dean say that if he didn't come out
he would shoot, whereupon Crutch-
field started toward the door and with
outstretched arms told Dean to "shoot
and be damned" At first they thought
it was a bluff and only a blank cart
ridge, but when the waiter in the rear
was struck in the breast with the bull
let that had passed through Crutch-
field they found they were mistaken.
The bullet was offered in evidence.
The three witnesses said that after
the colored man was shot he walked
out of the building and cross the
road, fell, arose and walked a short
distance and fell again and was fina}y
taken in an ambulance to the Plant
hospital. Dean did nothing to assist
his victim to get medical treatment,
so far as they could tell.
On cross examination the inspectors
denied that Crutchfield made any
threat toward Dean and that there
was any attempt on Deans part to ar
rest him for d~isorderly conduct.
The defense was that Crutchield is
a dangerous man when under the in
fuence of liquor and bears a fighting
reputation. That when he came in a
threatening toward Dean he took no
chances on what the colored man
might do and fired the revolver at
him. There was nc attempt made to
deny the shooting.
Guard Vaughn, who is stationed at
Plant No. 2 gate with Guard Dean,
testified that after Crutchfeld went
into the restaurant the night IN
question, he chased the proprietor and
walters out two or three times and
created such a noise that complaint
vas made TO MIN ana d SudIu dSheu
for. He received instructions to send
the old guard James over to quiet the
man, but this could not be done, SO
another appeal for help came and this
time Dean was assigned.
Dean was not a very good witness
for himslf and did not help his case
any by some of his statements. He
declared that the colored mar called
him a vile name and he shot him, and
added, ~ would do the same to any
man who called me that name"
Crutchfeld is we'll known as big
Boy" getting the nam because of his
extreme height and powerful buJd,
and no doubt is not a very easy man
to handle when in a fighting mood.
How he survived the bullet wound
and practically recovered in eight
days is a mystery, for many a person
would have expired before reaching
the hospital.
The Jury took about thirty minutes
- JoI;boro+a apd randaTnd a verdict