The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1922-03-22
Judge Wilson Gives Each
az 10 Years
CASE APPEALED
TO HIGHER COURT

slaughter with Recommendation to
Mercy.
"Guiltyaof manslaughter with recon-
mcndation to mercy" was the verdict
returned by the jury Saturday after
noon at 5:i5 o'clock in the case or the
State against Luther Timmons and
Mcnrcc Willard, young Clinton men
4ried for their life last week in Grim
inal court for the death of City Po-
liccman Hosea Martin, killed on the
night of December IA when Martin, in
company with four other peace officers,
attempted to intercept Timmons and
Willard on their return from the noun
tains of North Carolina with a cargo
OF whiskcy en- route to Clinton. They
were given sentence Of ten years
feach by the presiding judge, John S.
Wilson, and after a motion for a new
trial was denied were granted bond
in the sum Of $4,000 each pending an
appeal to the supreme court.
Thus ended the first chapter in the
struggle which the two confessed IL
quor runners are putting up to gain
their freedom from the charge Of mur-
der laid against them by the state.
The next chapters will be written as
the case progresses through the SUI
preme court unless they decide to
abandon their appeal and accept the
verdict Of the lower court.
Called for trial Thursday morning,
the case has attracted more interest
than any other trial in the county in
court room on the first day of the trial
that the presiding Judge had to nolld
up the machinery of the court for over
a quarter Of an hour at one time un-
ficiently cleared to allow court offlc-
ials, jurors and witnesses to find seats
and until the doors and windows had
been sufficiently cleared to allow pro-
per ventilation. Many spectators
were here from time to time from out
side the county among them being
Chief of Police M. B. Chandler, OF
Greenwood, and Sheriff Eugene S.
>Blcase, OF Ncwberry.
The trial was marked, by sharp legal
clashes from the time that DR.. S. c.
Hays, first witness for tho State, was
put on the stand until the defense clos
ed with It's last witness in rebuttal. So
licitor Blackwell was assisted in the
prosecution by j. Robert Martini OF
Greenyille, and James H. Sullivan and
Phil d. Huff, Of the local bar. The de-
Tense was represented by the firm OF
Featherstone &c knight, Of the local
bar, with w r. Richey, associate
counsel. Mr.. Richey was unable tC
address the jury in the case when he
was expected to Saturday morning or
account Of bereavement in his family
the night before.
After the jury was dismissed Satur.
day afternoon, it was currently rum
ored that on the first ballot six jurors
stood for conviction III various degrees
and six for acquittal. BY process Of
compromise and dissection of testi
mony, the ratio was changed SO that
advocates OF conviction gained de.
cided majority, but resolute stand OF
the part OF a small minority lead to ;
report to the presiding judge from the
jury that they were hopelessly dis
agreed. After instructions from the
judge to deliberate further, the minori
ty was finally brought over by com
promise to the verdict which wa:
finally rendered. The jury remained
out for five hours and ten minutes.
1t appeared early in the trial tha
the state would base its case on th'
facts as related In the testimoh.
at the inquest, substantially in cffec
that either Timmons or Willard de
liberately shot down the police Office
in their attempt to evade arrest AM
that both, in the absence OF, q confes
sion, were parties to the crime.
The main plea OF the defense wa
that neither Timmons nor Willard, sho
on the; night of the tragedy, but tina
the death of. Policeman Martin was du
to q stray bullet fired by one Of tn
police officers themselves, the intima
tion by the introduction Of firearn
experts being that the stray bullet wa
fred by James r. Crews, Laurens chic