The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1920-10-14
FIND TWO TURNER'S
GUILTY OF MURDER
Room Crowded During Trial Of AL
legged Slayers of Edwin White

Marion, Oct. 2.-The jury in the
case of the State VS.. Thomas, Mack
and Archie Turner, charged with the
killing of Edwin White last March,
today brought in verdict of guilty
of murder with recommendation to
the mercy of the court as to Mack
Turner and Archie Turner. Tom
Turner's case really was ended yester-
day when Judge Prince ordered the
jury to bring in verdict in the
old mans favor.
The court room has been crowded
all the week and for the first time
ever noted IN a Marion court the
white people literally crowded the
colored people out of court. On the
first day of the trial Judge Prince
caused the court room doors to be
closed, so great was the crowding and
confusion. Thursday the weight Of
the people mashed one Of the posts
of the courthouse, caused heavy
timber stringer to crack and begin to
break. This case, which has attracted
Statewide attention, came on for trial
Wednesday morning and until Judge
Prince began his charge to the jury
early today, Attorneys Stackhouse and
Woods for the defense and Solicitor
Gasque, assisted by Attorney Bullard,
of the North Carolina bar, carried on
a fierce legal battle. Every particle
of evidence was fought over and every
legal technicality was taken advan-
tage of.
History of Case
1t is recalled that Edwin White, a
quiet, harmless citizen, left his home
one afternoon in March TO go to a
neighbor who had gone on before in
the erecting of tombstone over the
grave of a loved one. The road he
followed as he walked away from
home curves within sight Of the house
and his sister watching him as he
turned that curve was the last person
to see him except the Turner's until
his body was discovered nine weeks
later by a party of fishermen in Little
Pee Dee river.
Two negroes, who admitted that
they had written certain threatening
letters to Mr.. White, had been arrest
ed under suspicion and placed in Jail
long before the body was found. Feel
ing in the community ran very high
and strong against them andparticu-
larly after the body was found in the
river, and it became known that the
body had been wrapped with wire and
plow irons fastened thereon.
Sheriff Rowell and his deputy, Fur
man Edwards, continued TO work on
the case and it being alleged that
there had been a small amount of
trouble between Mack Turner and Ed
win White, they began close investi-
cation at the Turner home. One day
Deputy Edwards found broken plow
point which matched with the irons
found on the dead body fitted perfect
ly. The Turner's were then placed in
Jail. AT first they stoutly denied any
connection with the killing but finally
Archie Turner, it is said, admitted the
killing but claimed that ii was an ac-
cident. Later Mack Turner admitted,
it is said, that Archie killed White
but varied the story about the dis
position of the dead body. Archie
claimed that he alone disposed OF it.,
while Mack claimed that he helped
Archie. Later all of them, ii is said,
agreed that Archie killed White by
accident and that his brother Mack
md his father Tom helped him dis
pose of the body.
Ti,ra,v lSo,Iy i'm River
1t was Archie and Tom who COM
mitted the body to the deep water in
d cove OF Little Pee Dee river, ac-
cording to the tale told in court.
Archie Turner was the only defend
ant TO take the stand in court and
he made most remarkable witness.
He remained firm and cool under
the heavy fire OF questions and not
once did he waver or culver. His
was a most remarkable example OF
physical nerve. A more nimble-wit-
ted man never faced a volley of ques-
tons with clearer or more rapid an
swers. The attorneys for the defense
have filed a notice OF appeal for a
new trial. The people feel, it is be-
lieved, that this is really the end OF
the Edwin White murder case myS-