The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1922-05-18
Columbia Man Kills His
Partner For Life Insurance

fords and Ira Harrison were held as
principals and Glenn Treece as an &C
cessory in the death Of ]. G. Annette
by the coroner's jury Investigating
the killing last night, the verdict be-
ing reached after few minutes de-
liberation over testimony that had re-
auired approximately two hours and
a half to be heard. Jeffords was a
partner OF Arnette's in the operation
of the Elmwood filing station at the
corner of Elmwood avenue and Main
street, where the crime was commit
ted, while both Harrison and Treece
were employees of the filing station.
The case against the three men, as
presented before the coroner's jury,
is bottomed largely upon the testi-
mony of officers as to admissions they
said were made by Harrison, Treece
and Jeffords, following their arrest
yesterday morning, all three men, OFF,
GERS said, having voluntarily admitted
completely in the death of Annette.
Confesses to Officers.
This secondary evidence serves par
ticularly to bolster up Harrison's and
freezes statement of the motive OF
the crime, as retold by officers at the
inquest. The two men, officers testi-
fed, said that about two weeks ago
Jeffords, Harrison and Treece
plotted to take Mr.. Arnerte's life, JEFF
fords, Harrison and Treece told Off
GERS, having promised each of his two
confederates third interest in the
fIling station and third for of the
insurance money, which would have
been paid Jeffords upon Arnette's
death. Treece, officers testified, told
them that his family was in poor cir
cumstances and that he saw In
entering the plot an opportunity "to
get into business" J. L. Seegars, in
surance agent, testified in partial cor
roboration of these statements that
Annette and Jeffords had taken out
three policies for $4,000 each with
his company. One of these policies
for $4,000, Mr.. Seegars said, was TAX
en- out by Annette with Jefords nam
ed as beneficiary. A second policy
far $4,000 was taken out by Jefords
with Annette as beneficiary The
third policy, also for $4,000, was a
Joint policy, Mr.. Seegars said, and was
payable to the survivor upon the
death of either Annette or Jeffords.
Thus, Mr.. Seegars said, Jeffords
would have been able to collect S4,-
600 in insurance upon Arnette's
death. These two policies, he testi-
fed, are now due and payable.
Details of Crime.
It was this insurance that the trio
particularly wanted to secure, accord
ing to Harrison and Treece, officers
said. Payment on one of the policies
was due and, according to Harrison s
and freezes story as retold by OFF,
GERS at the inquest, the three men
met at Logan school at 1880 o'clock
Tuesday night and decided that
they would postpone the deed no
longer. The three men, Harrison and
Treece told officers, then at about
II O'Clock went to the filing station,
Treece remaining at the front to cut
OF the lights and to keep lookout
for any one who might pass, while
Harrison and Jeffords entered the
rear room of the building through
the side door, which Dreece had, ac-
cording to the story, previously open
ed. Harrison, officers testified, said
that Annette walked to the rear of
the filling station of his own ac-
cord. Harrison, it was also testified,
admitted that he had struck the first
blow, hitting Mr.. Annette on the head
with stick. The blow, Harrison
said, according to the officers, failed
to knock Mr.. Annette down and Har-
rison then, according to his story,
became frightened and moved away
to be called back by Jeffords. JEFF
fords, Harrison told the officers, af-
ter the first blow had been struck,
caught Mr.. Arnette by the neck,
dragged him over few feet and
then, according to Harr:son's tale,
hit him several tines in the head