Hickory daily record., 1922-11-02
YOUNG MINISTER
IS GWEN LIFE
SENTENCE

Statesboro, Ca, Nov. 2.-Elliotr
Padrick, youthful former Methods
preacher, was found guilty of first de
gree murder in connection with the kill
ing Of his mother-in-law, Mrs. Mamie
Lou Dixon, last June, the jury return
| ing a verdict early last night with /:
Recommendation for mercy. The verde
automatically carries sentence of life
Imprisonment.
The Jury's verdict was reached after
consideration on the case that lasted
since 8 o'clock this morning.
Satisfaction with the verdict and
sentence were expressed by Padrick as
he was lend from the court room by
Sheriff Joe Tillman to begin his term
Of life Imprisonment
Il will not appeal he said; |'I am
we'll satisfied with the verdict"
The jury returned it's verdict al
$50 o'clock after having taken the
case at Il o'clock Tuesday night.
Foreman j. L. Brannon presented
the verdict after the jurors had filed
into the court room and taken their
seats in>the box.
For the first time since the Staying
of his mother-in-law and young wife,
Padrick showed intense interest in
the proceedings that so vitally affect
ed his future. His face took on a
tense look as Brannon arase and read ::
Fs-7714 We find the defendant guilty"
Padrick quickly recovered his COM
posure, however, displaying a look OF
noticeable relief as he stood up to
hear Judge j. B. Park officially pro-
nounce the sentence Of life imprison~
ment.
With, a pleased look on his face,
Padrick turned to Sheriff Tillman
and was led back to his cell in the
county jail.
Padrick was placed on trial Mon
day for the confessed Staying of his
mother-in-law who was found dead
in an automobile on the road be-
tween Clito and Dover late on the af
ternoon of last June.
His wife was also in the machine
suffering from wounds from which
she died within short time.
Padrick was arrested a few hours
after the crime was discovered and
taken to the Richmond county jail at
Augusta, because of fear of vio-
lence. There he stated that he had
been directed ''by the hand of God
in committing the crime. .
Thirty minutes after Padrick's ar
rival at the Augusta Jail, newspaper
men who went there to get state
ment from him found the former min
lister sound asleep and apparently un-
over the outcome of the
in which he found him.
self.
Padrick states that he had no fear
Of an earthly court, that God would
be his judge; that he, had directed
his hand in the killing of his wife and
Appearing before the jury in his
own defense at the trial, Padrick be-,
gan his testimony by offering prayer
in which he asked that the jury join,
and followed with a brief sermon
from the text, ''Thou shalt not COM
nit adultery" In his speech to the
Jury, he condemned modern tenden-
cies and dress Of women which he
claimed led to sex appeal that caused
the downfall of young men and women.
Interview Begins
Mrs. HaI?' the spokesman began,
"on that part Of Mrs. Gibson,s story
(Mrs. Jane Gibson, the so-called eye
witness of the slaying) in which she
says you were present on the Philips
farm on the night Of September
14?"
Moistening her lips, Mrs. Hall re-
piled: 81.
s.What comment could / make? OF
course that was not SO, and that is
ALL
"You were not there ?" a
II certainly was not.'
For an hour, then, one reporter
after another volleyed questions at
her, taking her over her story of her
actions before and after the murder;
auizzing her sharply Tor any possl--
BILE knowledge she might have had
Of the rector's affair with Mrs. Mills;
seeking some point at which an en-
terine. wedge could be driven into her
story.
Dodges Several Times
n Three or four times she took refuge
behind the reply, 81 cannot remem-
Der, and three questions she re-
fused point blank to answer.
But throughout the interview she
maintained that she always had be-
lieved, and still believed in the faith
fulness of her husband to his mar
riage vows.
brushing aside the letters and the
diary, which her counsel admits is
3. continued on page six)