Tabor City tribune. (Tabor City, N.C.) 1946-1991, 1952-05-14
State Passes Sentence On II
Night Riders In johnson Case


u.;-h ths flogging of Woodrow
Johnson in the first of many ku
yrr,x Khan cases were found guilty
ov5 received road sentences or
,aavv fines at the conclusion OF
,ba rial in Whiteyille Saturday
evening.
An defendants in the johnson
sloyging we're charged with con-
s,;racv kidnapping and assault
Judge Clauson L. Williams OF
Sanford ordered maximum two
vasr road term in an assault con-
viction for Henry Edwards OF
Vhjteville, Harvey Barfield of
near Mullins, S. c. and Ernest
Ward.
They we're not found guilty Of
Kidnapping charges, but Judge
Williams told the defendants" you
are very fortunate the jury didn't
lind you guilty of kidnapping. l
don't see how you escaped that"
Two other defendants, Lawrence
y;vens, %, Of Hallsboro, and
Brook Norris of Whiteville were
acquitted of all charges.
After disposition was made In
the cases of these five, Judge
Williams proceeded to pass SEN
tence on the eight who pleaded no
contest: Early Brooks Of Fair
Bluff. John Honeycutt, Jr., and
Leroy Honeycutt. both of Chad
bourn: Ray Kelly of Whiteville;
Frank Lewis Of Fair Bluff; George
White and Steve Edmund, both OF
Columbus County, and Red Con-
nor Of near Cerro Gordo.
Lewis, Edmunds and Conner re-
ce;ved two-year road terms, sus-
pended upon payment Of 500 fine
each, placed on probation three
years. They had testified for the
State.
Brooks, leader of the Fair Bluff
klavern, received a two-year road
term.
Leroy Honeycutt and John Hon
evcutt, Jr., brothers, drew two
year terms, suspended upon pay
ment Of $1,000 each and one
fourth the court costs.
Kelly received a two-year road
term, suspended upon payment OF
$1,000 fine and one-fourth Of court
costs.
White got a two-year sentence,
suspended upon payment OF 81 1000
fine and one-fourth Of costs.
An outbreak by Ray Kelly's FAM
ily began as soon as Judge Will
Iams first pronounced his sentence
without suspending it, as the
pudgy, timid pulp wood worker
stood in the courtroom. A grey
haired man several rows back In
the courtroom started convulslve
movements of his arms and jerk
ing movements Of his head. AT the
same time, he chanted a weird
and unintelligible language.
Two highway patrolmen moved
10 his side and tried to calm him
by gently holding his arms. He
struggled briefly, then suddenly
stopped with an audible, "halle-
lulah."
Meantime, Mrs. Ray Kelly broke
out in sobs, as did other members
Of the family. Then she arose from
her seat, sobbing, and with a dane
ing step she made her way inside
the bar waving handkerchief
over her head. AS she reached her
husband, wringing her hands over
his head, he, too, began sobbing.
After the sobbing subsidized some
what, Judge Williams ordered ev-
eryone to resume their seats.
The jury, composed OF New
Hanover County citizens who
were finally selected after special
venires of 15O-50 and so had been
summoned from that county, got
the case at 4:45 p. m, and return
ed their verdict at 8:15 p. m.
Even as this case neared a con-
clusion, Solicitor Clifton Moore
said he expected to issue warrants
within the next few days" gainst
several persons Of Columbus Co
unity. These persons have not been
named in any Of the flogglns
charges now in the courts. He de-
Scribes them as fairly promln-
ent."
Judge Williams recessed court
for the noon hour Immediately at
ter Solicitor Moore concluded his
argument to the jury at 100 r. m.
The arguments began Friday att
ernoon and continued into the
night.