Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-07-18
FRANK MOORE CONVICTED
Party to killing Of Policeman Pen.
nlnger Guilty Of ManSlaughter.
SENTENCED TO ten YEARS In PRISON
Jury Recommended Defendant to the
Mercy of the Court-Moore Will
Serve Sentence in Penitentiary-
Scores of Sharon People Heard the
Trial.

Serve Sentence IN fehitentIary-
! Scores of Sharon People Heard the
Trial.
Frank Moore, % years of age tried
in general session court Tuesday for
the killing of Policeman T. R. Pen
ninger Of Sharon on September 80
1918, was convicted of manslaughter
with recommendation to mercy Tues
day evening and on Wednesday morn
ing was sentenced to ten years i'm
prisonment by Judge Ernest Moore
who took occasion to tell the defendant
that he was getting off very light for
his part in the heinous killing of the
Sharon officer.
Trial of the case occupied all of
Tuesday. Each juror was placed on
his voir dire as he was called and
about an hours time was required to
select jury, which was as follows:
w. w. Gill, foreman; G. F. Grant, H.
B. McCleave. w. H. Dickson, w. A.
Slime, H. R. Merritt, R. w. Barnett. S.
H. Epps, Jr., ]. B. Love, ]. r. Fergu-
son, R. T. Beamguard
Moore, a neatly dressed, weak-faced
young man, preserved calm demean-
or throughout the trial, and during
most of the day held his three-year-
old child in his arms. His wife and
sister were with him during the trial.
He broke down somewhat when the
Judge pronounced sentence, evidently
expecting lighter term than was Civ
en- him. T. F. Mellow, Esq, represent
ed the defendant and Solicitor Henry,
the state.
Many people from Sharon and COM
munity came to Yorkville Tuesday to
hear the trial of the case, among them
being the widow and children Of the
slain man. Immediately after sentence
was pronounced Moore was taken back
to his cell in the county jail. He will
probably be taken to Columbia today.
Trial of the case was hard fought
by both the defense and the state, al
though the only witness for the de-
fense was the accused man himself,
and he undertook to make no defense
of his admitted act in striking Mr.
Penninger over the head with pistol.
The prosecution, however, admitted
that it was not this blow; but pistol
shot fired by Mills Moore, brother of
Frank, that caused the death Of Mr..
Penninger.
il. Whitesides, who was mayor of
Sharon at the time of the tragedy and
who had deputized Mr.. Penninger to
act as marshal on the occasion, was
the first witness for the state. He told
of having words early Monday morn
ing September 30, 1918, with Frank
Moore, because Moore objected to the
holding of Ford car for bond required
of his mother, Mrs. Brown, because OF
her alleged disorderly conduct. Moore
had told him later that he would raise
the required bond-s25. Shortly after
IL o'clock, one of the two Brown girls
who were living in Sharon with their
mother Mr.. Whitesides said, came to
him and told him that her brother
Frank Brown wanted to see him at
Penningers blacksmith shop. Upon his
arrival there, Frank Moore said, "WCll,
I've got the money; that settles 1t
don't IT." Mr.. Whitesides replied that
one case was settled but there was
another warrant for Frank Moore be-
cause of alleged disorderly conduct
the previous night Mr.. Penninger had
been deputiZed to serve the second
warrant and proceeded to read II.
Frank Moore said something about the
warrant being "a damned outrage ana
struck Penninger behind the ear with
his pistol. Both Mills and Frank Moore
or Porter Brown and Frank Brown as
they were known in Sharon drew their
pistols and ordered him and Marshal
Penninger to hold up their hands. Tire
Moore boys backed them into Mr.. Pen
ninger's shop where Mills Moore fired
twice, Mr. Penninger falling dead. The
two Moores then backed out Of the
SHOP, SUN SONtliilS liC "iIhSSo e'iAN
fed.
The Brown girl Mr.. Whitesides said
exclaimed Mills run you've killed that
man" and the three ran off toward the
house in Sharon occupied by the wo-
men.
Mr.. Whitesides testified on cross ex-
animation that he had never seen
Frank Moore before the morning of
the tragedy Moore's pistol with which
he struck Penninger was a blue-steel
3S. The pistol was offered in evidence
by the state. He said that Penninger
had nothing in his hands save the war
rant at the time Frank Moore struck
him one time with the pistol
James Shannon testified that he was
on the opposite side of the shop when
the shooting occurred. Both the Moore
boys were cursing and both had their
pistols drawn when he first became
aware of the difficulty. He saw Frank
Moore hit Mr.. Penninger with his pls-
tol Ar that time the witness left and