The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1920-04-23
CASE OF NEGRO
BABY AT HELENA

The following is the record in de-
tail
Eva Wright, sworn, said: | am sis
ter of Ella kinard. Went down TO
her house last night, April 20, 1920:
When [ got there Corneiia Marshall
and Alice Wright were there. They
STAYED a short while after got
there. Cornelia Marshall said she
would come back, but she didn't
come. Spent the night. Ella seemed
to be sick, but l didn't know what
was the matter. Heard strange
noise. | asked her what made the
noise; she said it was her leg tremb-
ling. l carried a bundle of clothes
to my home. The body of baby was
in the sack Of clothes. l did not
know baby was in clothes sack. l
did not know she was pregnant.
did not know that Ella had baby.
Eva Wright.
Mary Rutherford, sworn, says: l
went to the home of Ella Kinard
about seven o'clock on the night of
April 20, 1920: Went up to carry her
fish, as she had been sick so long.
She said she would not eat it that
night. While in room Maude Steven
son and myself heard a noise that
sounded strang; somewhat like per
son in pain. l went home at this
time. The noise we heard sounded
like something strangled. She never
admitted being pregnant.
Mary Rutherford (Her Mark.
Maude Stevens, sworn, says: am
Ella Kinardis daughter-in-law, and
and live in the home of Ella Kinard.
We were in Ella Kinard's room on the
night of April Goth, and some women
came in :. room. The women were
Cernelia Marshall and Alice; Wright.
After they left Aunt; Mary Wright
came. At that time we heard a. noise
that. sounded like a baby. Aunt
Mary Wright left at that time, and
Ella told me and my husband that we
could 20 to bed, that Eva Wright
would be with her. Eva told her that
she had to 20, and Ella asked Eva to
come back. We were still in the
room, and she asked us to leave the
room and we went out of the room
and went to bed. Ella had never ad-
mitted that she, was pregnant.
Maude Stevens.
Cannon G. Blease, sworn, says:
Am sheriff of Newberry county
Sunday, April 21st, received phone
message that there was a rumor in
Helena that baby was born up there
Sunday night, and that it was born
alive, but had been disposed Of.
went to Helena about 2:3O to see
what l could find out. On receipt OF
information received, stopped al
Mary Rutherford's house and asked
her if she knew anything about baby
being born up there last night. She
said no. I asked her where Ella
Kinard lived and she said next door
I went into room where Ella Kinard
lived and asked her what was the mat.
ter with her. She said she did moi
know; that the doctor was to see mel
last Friday, and he said she would
have to be operated on. I then asked
her if she had had a baby, and she
said, ''No, sir" She seemed as II she
was mad about it and insisted on me
telling her who accused her OF such
a thing. / questioned Maude
Stephens, who was in the house with
her. She at first denied knowing
ANYTHING about it, but later said that
Eva Wright, Elias sister, had taken
the baby and buried it. / then went
to Fielding Wright's house, where
Eva Wright lives, and asked her II
she knew anything about it, and she
denied it at first, and continued tto
do so until I told her if she did not
tell me whefe the baby was l woulo
have her put in Jail. She then went
into her room and went into the pot
tom of the washstand and got the
baby out of some old clothes. then
went back to Ella Kmard's house, anc
she admitted having the baby, but said
it was born dead. I put the baby IN
INV car and brought it to the coroner,
and he authorized me to have a doc
tor make an examination OF the baby
I took the baby to DR.. Jno. b. Setz-
ler S Office.
Ella Kinard, Eva Wright and Mary
Rutherford are Fielding Wright's
daughters and Maude Stephens is
Ella kinard's daughter-in-law.
Cannon G. Blease.
DR.. Settler gave the following GER
tificate: "This is to certify that l held
a postmortem over the body of the
deceased baby, and that, to the best
of my knowledge and belief, the baby
breathed after birth. Examination
of the body did not reveal any evi-
dence of external violence, but it did
disclose the fact that the cord had
not been tied, nor had the baby been
bathed
"John B. Settler, M. D.
"April 21, 1920"
The coroner's jury, composed of
~ 81 ooI :" r