Greenwood daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1919-1926, 1920-04-21
People Of County Have
Been Greatly Inter-
ested In Case.
McGRAW PLACED
ON WITNESS STAND
Sam Mays, Negro, Said
Leonard Planned Rob
Couple.

One of the most interesting cases
,ver tried in the Justice of Peace
Court, was brought to a close yester-
lay afternoon when Mr.. and Mrs. R.
=. McGraw were acquitted of the muir
ter of Leonard Golden, negro taxicab
iriver at Itta Bena on last Thursday
light. The case was scheduled to be
alled at 2 o'clock and before this hour
he crowd flowed the Board of
Supervisors room and it was announ-
ed that the case would be held in the
circuit court room on the second floor.
IN their eagerness to hear the testi-
nony, the platform of the court room
vas crowded. Some stood in the seats
n order to get a better view of the
.ouple as they were brought into the
court room.
Mrs. McGraw, who admitted she
sired the bullet, which killed the ne
gro, entered the court room with her
husband and was cool and self posses
;ed throughout the entire trial. She
and her husband listened intently to
he evidence produced and little con-
,ersation took place between them.
fIrs. McGraw was attired in dark col
,red skirt, with brown sweater trim
ned with blue and tan plaid and wore
:. large hat of brown maline. She is
a.runette, pretty and attractive.
Sheriff Vardaman was first witness
20 take the stand. He told of the
hiding of the dead body of the negro
It the home of DR.. Crisler, described
where the bullets entered the body
md the contents of the suit case which
vas left in the car.
Sam Mays, the negro who accom-
panied Leonard Golden on the trip to
ttta Bena was the next witness called.
The negro stated that he had been
working with Leonard, his partner,
for only ten days. He said they were
hired to take Mr.. and Mrs. McGraw
Ito Itta Bena in order that 'they might
get in game" He told of the trip
across the Pelucia Bayou bridge and
Stated after going past the Planters
Dill Mill they were forced to turn back,
owing to the bad road. When ques-
toned why they went across the Pei
zucia Bayou if they were hired to go to
sItta Bena, Sam stated he did not know
1Leonard's reason for driving in that
direction After close questioning Sam
admitted they stopped the car, remov-
] ed the taxicab sign and the tag num-
l,er. The negro said this was done In
,order that they might not be arrested
FOR speeding. The negro also told OF
a conversation between himself and
/ leonard in which the latter had ex-
pressed a desire 'to get in hand reach
of the McGraw's money" He said
Leonard told him that McGraw had
some money and he was going to try
and rob him. Sam stated that he re-
.monstrated with Leonard and told him
he would get into trouble if he attem-
pted this. Sam also admitted that
Leonard had told him he intended to
| go to Greenville, sell his car and leave
for Oklahoma.
Mr.. Vardaman was recalled to the
witness stand and he gave in detail
the different conflicting stories which
Sam Mays had told him, regarding the
affair.
Near the close of the trial. Mr.. Nc
Graw was placed on the stand. .
came to Greenwood from Clarksdal'
Thursday afternoon on the O'CLOCK
train," he said "The first time l saw
Sam Mays was at the depot that ev
ening about $3.50 o'clock, when he &C
costed me and asked me for match
I gave him one and he asked me IT
wanted to hire a taxicab. l tolt
him did not unless he could take MI
to a place where / could "get into
game" l told him / was a strange
here and he asked me if didn't know
anyone. 1 told him l did not. HI
told me he knew of place at lit;
Bena where there was a game in prog
ress day and night and said he woul'
take me there. l asked him what n
would charge and he said 81. l toll
him would go get my wife. He en-
gagged in conversation with anothe
negro and when I returned with Mrs
McGraw the strange negro took tn
wheel and we started on the trim.
McGraw told Of the trip across tn
Bayou bridge. He said when the.
were forced to turn around there's O
account of the mud that the negroe
told them they would take them owe
another road to Itta Bena, how thei
Suspicious were aroused by the re
.moval of the tag number. and taz
|aien. McCraw declared that h tpa
/ ~ Z