The Bamberg herald. (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, September 13, 1917, Image 1
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One Dollar and a Half a Year. BAMBERG, S. C., THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1917. Established 1891
COUNTRY NEWS LETTERS
SOME INTERESTING HAPPENINGS
IN VARIOUS SECTIONS.
News Items Gathered All Around the
County and Elsewhere.
Colston Clippings.
Colston. September 12.?These
fall days are letting us know that
"Jack Frost" is on his way again.
Miss Minnie Kirkland is spending
some time with Miss Mary Clayton.
Miss Alberta Kearse was the pleasant
guest of Miss Mamie McMillan
Friday night and Saturday.
Messrs. J. C. Beard. Thomas Clayton
ana B. D. Bishop and Miss Cleo
Bishop motored to Columbia Tuesday.
Misses Jennie and Hattie Fender
visited relatives in this section Saturday
night and Sunday.
Little Valentine McMillan left recently
for North Carolina to stay with
his aunt, Mrs. Xelle Pate. He will
attend school there.
Miss Mamie McMillan left Sunday
for Bamberg, where she will attend
the graded school.
\ Mesdames Nora Lard and Estelle
All and Messrs. Lennie Birt and Hollis
Powell spent several days last
week with relatives here.
Miss Nettie Clayton was the welcome
guest of Miss Mary Clayton Saturday
and Sunday.
Mr. Harold Reid, of Barnwell, spent
last week with relatives in this section.
Pinder boilings are all the go in
this section at present.
Mr. George F. McMillan, Jr., spent
Saturday night with Mr. Saramie
Clayton.
New Advertisements.
Otis Brabham?Wanted.
Klauber's?New Fall Goods.
Bamberg Auto Co.?Banker!
G. E. Kearse?Lost or Strayed.
Peoples Bank?Here is a Picture.
Thielen Theatre?"The Common
S. G. Ray, Sheriff?Notice of Tax
Sale.
Law."
Bamberg Bargain House?Bargains.
r
LaVerne Thomas & Co.?Fall Opening.
Chero-Cola Bottling Co.?Each
Bottle.
Enterprise Bank?The Science of
Saving.
Thielen Theatre?Retreat of the
Germans.
J. J. Brabham, Jr.,< Master?Master's
Sales.
Bamberg Banking Co.?Protect
Your Family.
Farmers & Merchants Bank?
School Time Again.
Wm. Wrielev Co.?S. O. S. Send
Over Some Wrfgley's.
Bamberg Banking Co.?Estate of
Peter Helmet, Deceased.
Peoples Bank?Don't Sell Your
. Cotton Until You Have To.
Hooton's Ladies Store and Millinery
Store.?Our Fall Opening.
Coftrt Adjourns.
I
The court of general sessions was
adjourned Saturday morning, the last
ease tried being that of the State
against W. L. McPhail, charged with
the killing of H. W. Walker. The
jury failed to reach a verdict and a
mistrial was ordered Saturday morning.
A full account of this trial will
be found on another page.
Marion Brown, who was found
guilty of simple assault and battery,
was sentenced by Judge Sease to
serve thirty days on the chain gang
or in the penitentiary. Mr. Brown !
was charged with assaulting with intent
to kill his father-in-law, Mr. J. ''
C. Bishop. In passing sentence upon 1
him, Judge Sease stated that he *
thought the jury was very lenient '
"A 1- 1? i ? ? J lU .1 . V. ? V, a T"* ]
wiiii iiiin, <iiiu iiia.i me ucavicoL sentence
allowed by the law* would be ]
given, which is thirty days, and that
the alternative of a fine would not 1
be allowed. Notice of appeal to the *
supreme court was given, and Brown J
was allowed bail in the sum of $200.
James Hampton pleaded guilty to
violation of the prohibition law and
was sentenced to pay a fine of $100
or serve three months on the public i
works. i
Simon Paul was found guilty of
violation of the dispensary law and ]
sentenced to serve three months. The ;
case against Henry Mingo, who was j
indicted with Paul, was nol prossed <
by the solicitor. ,
,
Read The Herald the year. ^
Waterman's Ideal Fountain Pens <
at The Herald Book Store. ]
*
WILL PLANT TOBACCO.
Tobacco Expert Employed.?Ninety
Acres or More Will Be Planted.
.Monday afternoon a meeting was
held in the office of the Chamber
of Commerce, at which a tobacco organization
was perfected, with a
number of prominent farmers as
members. Arrangements were perfected
for the planting of a good
acreage of tobacco in this vicinity
next year, and a tobacco expert. Mr.
E. Daniel, was employed to oversee
the cultivation of the crop.
The matter of planting tobacco in
this section has been agitated for
some time past. It has been believed
for some time that tobacco
can be profitably grown in this section.
Mr. C. R. Brabham, Sr., stated the
object of the meeting Monday afternoon.
Mr. Daniel gave the farmers
present full information relative to
the forming of a tobacco club.
Mr. C. R. Brabham, Sr., was elected
president of the club, and Mr. J.
A. Wyman was elected secretary.
It was decided to employ Mr. Daniel
for the next tobacco season at a
salary of $1,500. Mr. Daniel will
have general supervision of the planting
of the crop, the erection of suitable
barns, the cultivation of the
crop, marketing, etc.
The following farmers obligated
+ /-? nlont tlio anrpafp nnmpd in to
IV/ piuxi V tuv M V* V
bacco: C. R. Brabham, Sr., 12 acres;
John H. Cope, IS acres; J. W. Stokes,
6 acres; J. W. Hill, 6 acres; J. A.
Spann, 12 acres; A. M. Brabham, 12
acres; G. Frank Bamberg, 12 acres;
J. A. Wyman, 12 acres.
Any others who may desire to
plant tobacco next year may enter the
club by informing the committee,
composed of Messrs. J. H. Cope, A.
M. Brabham, and J. A. Wyman, and
agreeing to pay their pro rata share '
of the expenses. Fifteen barns will
be required for the 90 acres already
arranged for, each barn being 16
feet square and 16 feet high, the
capacity of a barn being six acres of
tobacco.
It is not likely that a warehouse
will be built this year, as the acreage
would not warrant it, but the tobacco
will be shipped to some nearby
tobacco market. Mr. Daniel will enter
upon his duties January 1, and remain
throughout the tobacco season.
Graded School Begins Session.
Monday morning the graded school
began its session under most favorable
circumstances. Quite a number
of the friends and patrons of
the school were present at the opening
exercises. Dr. E. O. Watson
made an excellent talk to the pupils
and teachers.
The enrollment in the lower grades
is most gratifying, but the enrollment
in the higher grades is somewhat
disappointing, especially as to
boys. On the first day only five boys
enrolled in the high school.
The graded school is fortunate this
year in having an exceptionally
strong faculty. Superintendent Allen
and his corps of teachers are now
hard ^t work and expect this session
to be one of the best in the history
of the school.
From Camp Jackson.
Editors Bamberg Herald:?We do
wish so much we were with you all,
but such is impossible, so let us hear
" i? J: nnu^
irom you weeKiy oy seuumg i.uc
Herald.
We, the Bamberg boys, wish so
much to thank each and everyone
who took part in our little banquet at
Mrs. Johns's, as we were about to depart
from Bamberg, but to return
some day again.
We arrived here safely at 2 o'clock
ind were examined and passed all o.
k., of course. Camp life is fine?
axcept the punctures for typhoid fevar.
Meals are good also. Everybody
holds one arm, being sore from the
puncture.
Write us. We were not all separated.
Mr. Henderson, myself, Ray,
md two others are all in company
D, engineers. R. A. BEXXETT.
Camp Jackson, Columbia, S. C.
From Camp Sevier.
Private W. E. Hutto. of Co. .M.
lational guard, in training at Camp <
Sevier, Greenville, writes:
"We have been having it pretty :
lard since we arrived at out camp.
Have been vaccinated for typhoid
fever and it has had all of us with
?ore arms. We drill "about six hours
yvery day. We don't have much
;ime for writing and washing clothes. :
Hive all the boys my best regards.
Huess I will see you some time next i
nonth."
MISTRIAL IN M'PHAIL CASE
JURY FAILED TO REACH AGREEMENT
IX MURDER TRIAL.
McPhail Denied Firing Shot that Kille<l
Walker.?Trial Consumed
Thursday and Friday.
The jury in the case of the State
versus \V. L. McPhail, charged with
the murder of H. W. Walker last December,
failed to reach an agreement
and Saturday morning, after being
in the jury room all night, a mistrial
was ordered by Judge Sease. The
case was closely contested throughout,
and a great deal of interest was
taken in the proceedings. The court
house was packed both days, and the
proceedings were marked by the presence
of a large number of ladies.
The State charged that McPhail
fired the shot that killed Walker in
the town of Midway, and sought to
show that no one else could have
fired the shot. The principal witness
for the State was Mrs. Jessie Kalker,
wife of the deceased. She was the
only witness who testified directly
that McPhail killed her husband. The
larger portion of the testimony of
the defense was directed to breaking
down her testimony.
The theory of the defense was that
McPhail did not and could not have
fired the shot that killed Walker;
and while the defense contended
that it could not saddle
the crime on anyone, its efforts
tended toward placing the firing
of the shot upon Mrs. Walker.
About two hours was consumed
in securing a jury for the case; all
jurors being placed upon their voire
dire, and questioned closely by the
court as to kinship, bias or prejudice.
The panel was exhausted after the
eleventh man had been selected, and
six extra jurors were drawn, from
whom the twelth juror was secured.
Testimony for the State.
The first witness for the State was
Dr. Robert Black, who performed the
post mortem upon the dead body of
Walker. He described the wound.
He said that he found one pistol ball
wound in the head, entering behind
the right ear, ranging downward and
backward. He cut the ball out on
the opposite side of the skull, after
it had penetrated the skull on both
sides and was just beneath the skin.
nnv>rt Kiillot ViqH a hottoroH onnoaranoo
1 11^7 U XAUU U mmn/W)
and the witness said it was possible
for a portion of the ball to have slivered
off.
On cross examination the witness
said that at the instigation of the
grand jury he had weighed the bullet
and also others purchased from a
hardware store. He found the weight
of the bullet that killed Walker was
94 grains; that a .38 special bullet
weighed 165 grains and a .38 short
weighed 150 grains.
Dr. H. J. Stuckey next testified.
Hei in company with others, visited
the scene Saturday night. Saw the
body. Pistol was in right hand and
kmife in left. Pistol contained one
discharged cartridge and one loaded
shedl. Saw powder burns around
wound. Death was instantaneous.
Left hand was open, knife lying in it,
right hand clinched pistol. Saw McPhail
that night; said positively he
did not kill Walker. Witness came
to Bamberg with McPhail. Defendant
was drinking but not drunk.
On cross examination, witness said
he could detect no tampering with
body. Saw no indications of a struggle
near body, which was lying face
downward. His opinion was that
Walker had pistol in hand when killed
Witness said he was the family
physician of McPhail, and had never
seen a .38 short pistol in his possession.
He identified a .38 special
pistol as McPhail's.
Mrs. Walker Testifies.
Mrs. H. W. Walker, wife of the deceased,
was next called. Said Walker
came home about 5 p. m., and went
out in town of Midway, but did not !
leave the town. Was at home about
dark. Started to Bamberg, but did
not go. Was at home tvhen Charleston
trained passed going to Augusta.
Witness told of going to Ben Lawson's
store before killing, and going
back home. She heard McPhail's car
coming: detected it by the loud blowing
of horn, which she said was his
custom. Heard McPhail curse; said
"I'll kill you." Walker called to his
son Willie to bring him his gun, that i
McPhail was about to kill him. Willie j
was asleep, and she pot pistol and
took it to her husband. Put it in
blouse when she left house. Saw
that McPhail had a "long pistol"!
stuck under Walker's chin. Saw defendant's
car near. Witness said she
caught Walker by the coat and told
him to come home. McPhail cursed
[
violently. She put her hand on Mc|
Phail's shoulder and asked him not
to shoot her husband. Walker put
his head on McPhail's shoulder. Negro,
Elliott Glover, struck Walker.
Walker asked .McPhail for pistol.
Witness then put pistol in her husband's
pocket: Walker told her to
go home. Negro told Walker to take
that or die. Walker fired at him.
Had her right hand around Walker,
and left hand on McPhail's shoulder.
Some one jumped out of car at that
time; they turned to look at him,
then McPhail shot Walker. Witness
thought .McPhail was about to kill
ner too, and that he did shoot at her;
_ r a * - ^ - ? *
ueienuani nyeci rowarci ner nouse.
Defendant then took shells out of
pistol and called for more. She carried
her children to Ben Lawson's
house. McPhail had hold of her husband's
body; appeared like he had
hold under arms. She called to him
but he did not answer. Shooting occurred
about ten o'clock. She came
to Bamberg with Ben Lawson to get
the sheriff; went back with H. D.
Free and others, who moved body to
house. Pistol she carried husband
had two shells in it. Witness said
she heard five shots; McPhail shot
four times and her husband once.
Her hair was scorched by shots. McPhail
was about three feet away when
he fired. She, Walker. McPhail and
two negroes were present at the time.
Steedley's and Lawson's stores were
closed
Cross examination: Denied going
with pistol in her hand hunting her
husband; denied possession of a .32
pistol; denied telling anybody she
would kill anyone who testified
against her; denied making any
threat that she would kill her husband
that night, and denied that
Walker was trying to take her home
because she had thrown a brick at
Steedly; denied cursing her husband.
Walker was not drunk. Did not go
to scene until Walker called for gun.
Found Walker begging McPhail not
to shoot, McPhail cursing him. Denied
carrying two pistols. Witness
said she was sorry that she did not
have another pistol; she would have
killed McPhail rather than see him
kill her husband. Denied that she
had for several years been having
rows with her husband. Admitted
that she had on one occasion drawn
a pistol on him?about seven years
ago. Said the pistol shown ner as
McPhail's did not look like one he
had that night. Pistol glittered in
moonlight; one showed her would
not. After shooting, McPhail ran back
to car and reloaded. Shots were in
quick succession. Denied calling to
McPhail to come to her after shooting.
Counsel for the defense put her
on notice she would be contradicted.
Witness said she was behind Walker
at time; no one was behind her.
On redirect examination, Mrs.
Walker said her husband had acted,
as deputy. That there was hard feeling
between her husband and McPhail
because of McPhail's alleged
violation of the liquor laws. That
McPhail had about three weeks before
the killing received nine gallons
of whiskey at Midway in the names
of different parties and that Walker
had taken down the names on the
packages in the presence of McPhail.
and that the latter had warned Walker
he had better attend to his own
business. Witness admitted she had
once owned a .22 pistol, but that it
had been torn up two years before.
She said she was not in a condition at
the time to notice every one who
might have been present.
Ten Year Old Daughter.
Sallie Walker, ten-year-old daughter
of H. W. Walker, confirmed her
mother's testimony in practically all
respects, except she heard only three
shots. She went to the scene and
saw her father's body on the ground
and saw McPhail standing behind a
tree. Her mother had gone to Lawson's
house. Went to the body,
which was lying on right side. Saw
nothing in hand. Did not see negroes
Saw Ben Lawson go to body. Cross examination
failed to bring out anything
different from her main testimony.
B. D. Bolen said he helped to
dress body after death. Saw pow-,
der burns: said that Mrs. Walker's!
hair was singed.
A. R. Dempsey also helped dress j
the body. Saw powder burns and in-j
dications of a blow in the face. Also j
saw powder burns on Mrs. Walker'sj
face. On cross examination, wit-)
ness admitted blow could have been <
made by falling. Sand was about j
two inches deep were body was.
Sheriff S. G. Ray testified he knew!
Walker; that Walker had acted asj
deputy. Had employed him before j
killing in capacity of detective. Told
him to have McPhail up for selling
whiskey. Did not know whether;
i
IN THE PALMETTO STATE
SOME OCCURRENCES OF VARIOUS
KINDS IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
State News Boiled Down for Quick
Heading.?Paragraphs About
Men and Happenings.
A large number of North Carolina
and Tennessee troops have arrived at
Camp Sevier, Greenville.
The Atlantic Coast Line railroad in
twenty-four hours handled seventeen
troop trains through Florence*
Two carloads of Percheron brood
mares have been purchased in Illinois
for Hampton county farmers.
Two soldiers stationed at a camp
near Lexington, were waylaid and
shot in the legs Sunday night by unknown
parties.
William S. Cogburn, a well known
citizen of Edgefield, accidently shot
himself in the left hand Monday afternoon
while dove shooting. The hand
had to be amputated at the wrist.
A thousand new recruits undergoing
intensive training at the U. S.
Marine Corps recruit depot at Port
Royal, S. C., went through the month
of August with a perfect conduct
record. There was not one single
offender against the regulations, a
report to headquarters states.
McPhaii knew Walker was a deputy
or not.
Junior Bessinger testified he heard
McPhaii say if he was ever tried
again it would not be for selling
whiskey, but for killing the man
who reported him. *
L. C. Price testified he went to
Midway night of killing. Saw body
on street. McPhaii came up while!
witness was there, stayed some time.
McPhaii said Walker was fussing
with some negroes and asked him fori
pistol, and before he (defendant)
could give it to him "they killed
him." On cross examination witness
said he advised McPhaii to give
up. Saw knife in left hand. Said
McPhaii said he loved Walker like a
brother; thought Walker was the
best friend he had. On redirect
examination witness said he saw
McPhaii in Bamberg before the killing;
that he was staggering; had
never saw him stagger before.
DaH/>oiti o ? T W T An n in tersti
X VllVOiiiUU V? ? * w ?
fled he saw McPhail in Bamberg before
the killing; was under the influence
of whiskey.
Ben Lawson, a negro storekeeper
of Midway, was next called. Was
in his store before killing; Walker
was in his store about half hour before
shooting. Went out of store
when automobile came from Bamberg.
Heard McPhail. No loud
talking or cursing then. Closed store
and went home. Crowd and auto
left from in front of his store and
went over near Steedly's store. When
he was ii^ his house he heard one
shot and then two more, then voice
of a lady; last two shots maybe
minute after first shot. Last shots
were loudest. Heard Mrs. Walker
say McPhail had killed Whilden. She
wanted to go to Bamberg to get the
sheriff. Walker's body was face
down in the sand; head was toward
south; automobile about ten feet
away. McPhail got in car ana was
sitting there when witness left for
Bamberg with .Mrs. Walker. Witness
said short time before shooting,
Mrs. Walker came in his store. Walk- ,
er was there. She asked her husband
for some matches; Walker told
witness to give his wife matches.
Walker asked his wife if there was
anything else she wanted, and she
said nothing except for him to come
on home. Nobody was drunk, said
the witness. Left hand was under
body when he saw it. Never heard
Mrs. Walker curse her husband.
Witness said he closed his store at
the usual time.
The testimony of Lawson ended
the State's case in main.
Testimony of the Defense.
C. P. Steedly was the first witness
for the defense. Mr. Steedly heard
difficulty between Walker and his
wife and saw row day of killing. She
cursed him. Mrs. Walker had had
fuss with witness's brother. Mrs.
Walker went home and was trying
to get back when Walker interfered.
Witness admitted that he did not
feel kindly toward Mrs. Walker. It
was dusk when he saw fuss. Said
.Mrs. Walker had pistol in hand; on
cross examination said it was something
and it looked like a pistol. She
had gone home, said the witness, to
get a pistol after the row with his
brother.
William Stokes, a negro preacher,
testified he was one of the men to
watch the body before the officers ar
COUNTY'S SECOND CONTINGENT
For the National Army Leaves Next
Wednesday Morning.
Bamberg's Second contingent in
the national selective draft army will
leave this city next Wednesday morn- ,
ing for Camp Jackson, Colombia,
where it will join the first nine men,
whq left last week. The- second contingent
calls lor 40 per cent, of th
county's qjuota, but on account of the
fact that only white men are desired
at the camp at this time. Bamberg
will not send 40 per cent. Arrangements
have not been completed for
the accommodation. of the colored
soldiers at Camp Jackson.
-Mr. A. L. Kirkland, clerk of the
Local Board, stated Tuesday morning
that there were but 22 more
white men certified from this county,
and that twoof these had been granted
exemption by the district board,
leaving only 20 qualified white men.
Forty per cent, of the county's quota
is 73 men, and there will be, therefore,
a, deficiency of 53 men in the
contingent. This deficiency will be
made up, it is stated, by other counties
where there is a large majority
of whites sending sufficient drafted
men above 40 per cent. ^ to make up
the deficiency in counties where
there is a majority of colored population.
In this way, the State's full
proportion will be furnished. s ' .
The men will gather in Bamberg
next Tuesday and remain here over
night. An. entertainment has been
? i t . A . 1 _ 1 _ 1 *
piannea ror tne men to raae piace
Tuesday night.
I A "1
The district board has granted exemption
to about 10 of the men certified
by the county board. $!ost of
these men are married, but have no
children. All married men who asked
for exemption were exempted by
the district board.
The following order has been sent 'N
to the district board:
"Send 40 per cent, of your quota
to Camp Jackson, South Carolina,
September 19 as planned. This increment
should be made up entirely
of white mefi. To compensate. for
counties that have such a preponder-;
ance of negroes as to be unable to #
furnish 40 per cent, white, send lar^
ger increments from counties with ,
higher pecentages of whites to the
end that 40 per cent, of the quota
for the entire State may go to camp
as scheduled. Inform passenger repnn'tVl
laoct nraMipahlo Hp
I C9UU T TT ibU 1VUVV> VA MV ,
lay in order that such local traffic
adjustments as pay be necessary can
be consummated at once."
rived. He saw the body; pistol was
in one hand, knife in the other. No
one disturbed the body while he was
watching.
Adam Johnson was also one of
those in charge of the body. Said
body was not disturbed while he was
present until Mr. Free and others
came. \ ,
William Stokes, recalled, said he
said Elliott Glover soon after the
shooting. Noticed his coat was cut.
On cross examination said Glover
showed it to him. McPhail went in
auto toward his home.
Drew Steedly.
Drew Steedly said he was a storekeeper
and station agent at Midway.
Mrs. Walker was at his store
in the afternoon. He was not allowed
to go into details of what occurred,
but in consequence of the
incidents at his store, Mrs. Walker
was very much enraged, and she
went home. Walker was trying to
quiet her at her house. Witness
said she cursed her husband and told
him she would kill him before twelve
hours passed. Said she had pistol
in hand. Witness was not allowed
to testify as to alleged violence of
Mrs. Walker. After the arrival of
McPhail's car, witness heard loud
talking, then shooting. Heard three '
shots; saw flash of shots. Said pistols
are often called guns. Said all
shots came from same direction.
Heard woman say "Do, Cousin Willie,
come to me," or words to that
effect. Said it was Mrs. Walker's
voice. Witness saw Ben Donald.
Called to McPhail, who came over to
him. McPhail told him he did not
know who did the killing. Witness
saw body on ground, face doward.
Pistol in one hand, knife in other.
Saw auto move off. McPhail, witness,
* -*- ! j
witness s wit? and ciinureu, vjiu?ci
and Ben Donald were in car. Said
Glover's coat was cut. They went to
McPhail's house. Witness came back
to .Midway with McPhail and several
others. Witness denied the liquor
transaction told by .Mrs. Walker. .
Denied ever selling liquor. Walker
was drinking that afternoon. Said
.McPhail had received a half gallon
of liquor in own name; knew nothing
(Continued on page 4, column 1.)
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