The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1920-11-18
BETHEA GETS 80
YEARS IN PEN.

Negro Charged With Killing Deputy
Sheriff Kitchin Submits to Second
Degree Murder - Evidence Indi-
Gated that Fatal Shot Might Have
Been Fired by Negro that Kitch,n
or Rural Policeman Smith Killed.
Lumberton Robesonian.
Thirty years in the State prison at
! hard labor was the sentence imposed
upon John Henry Bethea, negro,
charged with shooting and killing
Deputy Sheriff j. A. Kitchin, by
Judge Lloyd Horton. Bethea entered
plea of second degree murder,
which was accepted by the State.
The trial came up Friday afternoon
and was completed about 1880 Fri
day evening. While no jury was Inn
paneled in the case, the evidence was
taken for the records. A special ven
ire of 100 men had been summoned
from which to select jury.
Rural Policeman w. w. Smith,
who was with Deputy Kitchin on the
night of July 2, last, when he was
shot, was the first witness put on by
the State, Mr.. Smith testified that he
and Deputy Kitchin had started to
search for a blockader on the night
of the murder. When near the
Seven Bridges they came upon a car
stopped in the road. They stopped
Just before reaching the car for an
other man to pass. After the other
man passed, Mr.. Smith drove the
car beside the one standing in the
road. He then saw two women Jump
out Of the car and run. This arous-
ed his suspicion and Deputy Kitchin
stepped out of the car and he fol-
lowed. Deputy Kitchin went around
in front of the car where John Hen
ry Bethea was standing, and he
(Smith) looked into the car. He
found that the car was loaded with
whiskey and called to Deputy Kitch-.
in, advising him that the car was
loaded with liquor. At that time the
firing between Kitchin and Bethea
began. He did not know who shot
first. He started the>car and met Ben
Bethea, John Henry's brother. Ben
| had something in his hand and he
| took no chances, but fired at him,
the bullet entering Ben's forehead
He fired one other shot at Bethea as
he was fleeing. Deputy Ktchin was
following after Bethea and when. he
fired all the bullets from his pistol
he called to Smith for his gun. Mr..
Smith asked him not to shoot any
more, as the two women were In the
road about Bethea. Deputy 'Kitchin
never fell, but told him he was para
lized when ,they went back to the
car. He then rushed Deputy Kitchin
to Maxton and sent him to hospital
at Hamlet.
Sheriff R. E. Lewis testified that
Smith told him the same story the
next day after the killing and that
the two women in the car told him
that John Henry Bethea was the man
in front of the car when the OFFICERS
drove up. The women also told MIN
that the men said they would Kill
any officer about their liquor.
Deputy Sheriff A. H. Prevatt, call
ed to the stand, presented Deputy
Kitchin's hat. The hat had two bull
let holes in the brim, one In the
front and one through the edge OF
the left side. No other witness were
put on by the State.
The defense put on number OF
character witnesses. J. D. Manning OF
Dillon, s. c., testified that he had
known Bethea for number OF years
and that up to the time OF the kill
ing, his character was good. j. n.
Meadors, an officer Of the Bank OF
Little Rock, S. c., said he had known
Bethea for a long time and consid-
cred him "a very good negro Al
ter the killing the negro sent word
to him that he had confidence in him
and wanted him to advise him what
to do. He informed him that he
would have nothing to do with the
matter until he placed himself In the
hands Of the law. Later Bethea,
through somebody else, asked II he
would take him to Columbia and see
that he had good counsel If he sur
rendered to him. He sent the negro
word that he would. Bethea came in
and he carried him to Columbia in
an auto and placed him in the coun-
ty Jail. While on the way to Colum-
bia Bethea wanted to talk to him
about the killing, but he advised the
negro that all he wanted to know
was, did he kill Deputy Kitchin. The
negro said he would swear he did
not shoot Kitchin.
J. B. Gibson, an attorney Of Dill
lon, said he knew Bethea as good
negro" F. NJ. Huggins, Of Lumber
ton testified that he had known Be-
thea and never heard anything
against him. r. L. Smith, an at
torney, OF Cheraw, s. c., testified
that he had some dealings with Be-
thea and found him "all right"
E. B. McLaurin Of McColl, S. c.
testified that he was at the hospital
at Hamlet the night Deputy Kitchin
want there He helped carry him to