Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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VOL XLIII. NO. 30. NEWBERRY. S. C. FRIDAY. APRIL 13. 190. TWICE A WEEK. $1.50 AY1AR QUICK ACQUITTAL FOR E. S. BLEASE THE SENATOR FROM SALUDA EXONERATED BY JURY. The Trial Tok But One Day-The Defendant Swooned as He Left the Stand After Telling His Dramatic Story. The State. Saluda, April 10.-When eourt was called this morning a rush was made to the court room, and soon every available seat was occupied, and the aisles were filled. It was known that the case against Eugene S. Blease, charged with the murder of Joe Ben Coleman on the streets of Saluda, in September last, would be called for trial. The defend ant, accompanied by his attorneys, by his aged mother, by his sister, Mrs. Eison and by his brothers, Cannon and Cole, and by his little seven-year 914 4aughter, an only child, Saluda e, reached the courtroom in a few nside the bar sat Mr. G. W. Cole man, Sr., the.aged father of Joe Ben Coleman, 'while nearby was .1Ws brother, William Coleman, and his kinsmen, M. A. Coleman, W. L. Cole R. W. Coleman and others. At the request of Solicitor Cooper Judge Prinee granted a half-hour in wich to allow Mr. T. S. Sease, coun sel for thep rosecution, to arrive. He -reached Saluda promptly at 10 o'clock, and after a few minutes of consultation with Solicitor Cooper, the State announced ready. Mr. Blease was immediatelyt arraigned, a deathly stillness pervAding the court room during the arraignment. With emphasis and with a steady voice-the pisoner answered, "I am not gal g.""How 3ill yoube tried?" ask ed the clerk.- "By,,ard-my-e0un -try," was the answer, in a firm and distinct voice. The,- following jury was then placed in charge of the ease: H. P. Shealy, A. H. Stephens,. George W. Long, R. B. Bouknight, B. D. Leopard, B. J. Waits, W. D. Holston, W. R.. Quarles, J. A. Bledsoe, J. L. Grigsby, A. B. Hallman, J. P. Bodie. * The State exhausted its challenges. Defendant made four objections. The selection of a jury consumedl just 20 minutes.* All of the jurors are maried men. *B. D. Leopard is the oldest member of the panel, and the only one above 50. Mr.. J. P~. Bodie was appointed foreman. The following are the counsel in the case: For the prosecii *tion, Solicitor Cooper and Mr. T. S. Sease, of Spartanburg; for the de fense: Messrs. J. William Thurmond, N. G. Evans, C. J. Ramage, E. W. Able, Daniel & Daniel and B. W. Crouch. Dr. J. J. Kirksey, who held the post mortem examination, was the frst witness sworn. He testified as to the entry and direction of the -wounds. One would in the right side, and another in the shoulder. Bullets penetrated the lungs. Wounds caus ed death. On eross-exantinationl that the wife of Joe Ben Coleman bad long illnes at Blease's home and died there. ..Bease.and.golemanl mar and Blease was 'the closest I .ever 2knew not to be brothers. Soon after shooting, witness reached the.- deceas-. ed, and deceased said, "Doctor, he has killed me-has shot me through the bowels." Deceased was con sious up to a short time before death. The State objected to the inquiry as to whether the deceased at any time made any- statement about the cause of the shooting. The objection was overruled, and witness said deceasedI never alluded to the cause of the' shooting. I(e only said, "Doc, go out and get him and let him come and fin ish me. I wish he had killed me on -the spot and kept me out of this suf fering." Coleman knew Mrs. Blease used morphine, and Coleman knew Mr. Blease objected, and treated Mrs. Blease for a number of years. I ob jeted to giving Mrs. Blease mor -phine. Witness stated that the use of morphine would cause one to lose their will power."~ DediretWitness testified that he infored Blease that his wife was contrating the morphine habit. Blease appeared not to like my mak ing such as tatement. Coleman knew of my making the statement, which was six months before the homicide. C. C. Mathis testified to hearing the shots, saw Coleman fall at the cor ner of Smith Brothers' store: did not see Blease at the time. Deceased fell on his back as he turned the corner went around Coleman and fired twice at deceased. At the same time Cole man- pulled something from his pants pocket and present hand-so (indica ting), and then threw it. Very small weapon Coleman had. Two reports at first, said witness, and I think four more. Pointed weapon at Blease. Remember nothing said. Too far to distinguish statements. Heard Blease tell sheriff few minutes afterwards, ''Come here, sheriff; I am ready to give up." Did not see deceased when the first shots were fired. The Principal Eye-Witness. H. G. Crouch, who is a brother-in law of both deponent and deceased, having matried a sister of Mrs. Blease and Mrs. Coleman, testified as to seeing Blease on afternoon of trag edy. Soon saw something was wrong' with defendant from expression on face. Witness inquired if defendant was drunk. Answered, in negative. Defendant then inquired if witness was a friend to him, and whether a better friend to him than to.Joe Ben toleman. Defendant then tdM me his ife haid made e6nfession of her in timacy with JoeBen Coleman. Told witness that defendant's suspicions were aroused months ago and he had brought the matter to Mrs. Blease's attention. She denied all. Deponent farther told me of finding a note in wife's bedroom reading,. "Dear Lu die: I cannot get you any more of that stuff. You know I would do any thing 'I could for you." Deceased's name was signed to note. Defendant stated, that he had gogne to. Coleman a&. told him f ti- note and that if he 'wanted Ludie to take her and,go. Defendant had whiskey and stated to witness that . it had no effect on him, that he had drunk a quart a Jay trying to drown, trouble. Witness insisted that defendant not do anything rash.' Blease was raging at times like a wild man. At other times was quiet. Defendant told witness that he would take his wife into his home but not as man and wife, provided she would never speak to Joe Ben. Defendant asked witness, 'If I kill Joe Ben will you help me out?'' Witness urged him not to do anything rash. When witness reached store of Joe Ben, he saw deceased and .defendant talking. Blease said, ''Joe Ben, I mean what I said. If you don'!t leave and never come back I'll kill you.'' Coleman then said, ''Rather than take life or lose life I'll leave, but I will not leave tonight.''. -Blease asked. de eeased if he was armed and pulled, out small Derringer and threw it down to Joe Ben, and put his himds in poket. Defendant became fereited, wild and was raging. Witness caught defendant and told Coleman to run. Thought Coleman gone 'and . turned Blese loose. Defendant reached door and shot once, then advanced and shot again. Coleman turned corner of Spith:Bros. Blease shot at Coleman on ground two or three times and threw pistol down, saying, ''I shot him about my wife.'' The Derringers were exhibited to witness, and identified and condi tion of them described, it appearing that Coleman had one of theni. This one showed loaded cartridge and that it had been snapped on but not ex ploded. The Colts magazine pistol used by Mr. Blease was exhibited and identi fied by -wiVess. Itk is an awkward shaped looking affair. Deceased had three children. He did not say he could not leave on ac count of his children. These children are from three to about seven years of Rev. J. A. Carson also noticed some thing unusual in defendant's appear ane when he saw him in store just before the shooting. Described man ner of shooting and said defendant ran after Coleman. He recalled nothing that defendant or deceased said at tim e f or ar the shooting Did not see Coleman draw pistol. Was about 50 yards away at time of shoot ing. Saw Coleman on ground. Wit ness noticed Blease more particularly than he did Coleman. Did not see be ginning of difficulty. -V D. N. Smith's testimony developed nothinc new. Saw Coleman pass my store door running or walking rapid- I ly. Blease followed and shot at de-, ceased twice after he fell. Coleman's right side was towards Blease while' on ground and head against the brick wall. Found Derringer on sidewalk near Coleman after shooting. Blease T looked wild. Paid no attention to me. Father of Mrs. Blease. C After examining Mr. Ralph Grant, p the State had Mr. J. W. Herbert, fa- tt ther of Mrs. Blease, put on the stand. b He is probably 65 years of age, and a o: man of commanding appearance tl though modest and very reticent. The tl casual observer could no,tice that he si labored under deep feeling but held himself under complete control. ; M Mr. Herbert, testified that 'his V daughter, Mrs. Blease, made in his T presence to her husband, a full con- m fession of her intimacy with Joe Ben o Coleman. Mr. Herbert said that this b confession was made at his home and v that it was not extorted by threats or A any other compulsion. E Mr. Humphreys testified merely to w the fact that he vas with the deceas- w ed nearly all of the time after he was o: shot until he died. Coleman stated f2 to him that hq didn't think'Eugene would have sh6t him. Coleman real- 1M ized that he was going to die., I The only witnesses for the defense ft were: H. C. White au'd the defend- t< ant,'E. S. Blease. White testified to. a wildness of manner and appearance tl of Blease at time of the shooting. n No more dramatic scene has ever d been witnesses in a court house than c when Eugene S. Blease told in tears d and sobs of his friendship and love for Joe Ben Coieman, their associa- ci tions for many years, his exertious ti h secure Coleman a position and then h of the ruin of his home and the ap- b palling weight of shame and dishon- ei or the information of his wife's in- w fidelity brought him. At the conclu- p sion of this dramatic scene the.situa- t< tion was rendered even more dra- w matic when the defendant swooined as a he was leaving the stand and became limp as death. He had to be carriedq to the jury room, where he reitnamed during the entire time of the argn- c' ments, attended by his physician- a The argument was opened by So- o liitor Sease for the State. He was b followed for the defense by Messrs. ti B. B. Evans, B. W. Crouch, N. G. $ E7vans and J. W. Thurmond. Solic- 1i itor Cooper closed for the State. The argument. consamed five hours at the conclusion of which Judge Prince de- tj livered the chai*e to the jury. It waiS*ter eight o'clock when the jury E retired and after supper was served ~ to them, they returned to the court room at 9:30 o'clock with a verdict of not guilty.t Dots From St. Philip's. li St. Philip's, April 13, 1906. C Several .of our farmers are through c, planting corn. h St. Philip's school, which is taught by Miss Essie Pearson, closes today. ec Miss Essie is one-~f'.the best teach- a ers that wve ever had and w's hope. . that the trustees will eleet' her again. 7 She will present those on the honor n roll with .a nice book-.t I am glad to know that the people are taking more interest in fruit trees n as there are several of our neighbors a who have purchased a lot of trees r for their orchard. c: Mr. G.'P. Hill is going *to bore a well for Mr. W. L. Kibler, which will tl add much to the comfort of his home. Mrs. Lizzie ~DeWalt has' returned hone, after a visit to Mr. and Mrs. t James Kibler. Miss Ethel Clinton from Newberry college spent Saturday and Sunday with her aunt, Mrs. W. B. Kinard. Mrs. Josephine. Sligh is visiting at tehome of Mr. W. B. Lominick. Miss Ethel Halfacre is visiting herd sister, Mrs. G. W. Setzler, of Pomaria. Wade. Some men are so shortsighted they wouldn't be willing to pay the inheri tnce tax if they ot the chance. 'LESO WANTS . EIGHT HUNDRED TILL SPEND $25,000 ON EREC rION ANOTHER DORMITORY. nprove'ments to be Made-Central Heating and Power Plant to Be Erected at Cost of About ' $30,000-Increased Revenue. he State. It is the purpose of the trustees of lemson college to increase the ca Rcity of that institution so that at te opening of the term next Septem r the school will accommodate 800 7 850 boys. The board of trustees at ie meeting yesterday decided upon t4 expenditure of about $70,000 to ,cure this additional equipment. The following were present at the eeting: R. W. Simpson, chairman; . D. Evans, of Cheraw, Dr. J. E. indal of Summerton, J. E. Wanna aker of St. Matthews, B. R. Tillman E Trenton, G. D. Bellinger of Co unbia, M. L. Donaldson of Green ille; Ivy M. Mauldin of -Pickens, lan Johnstone of Newberry and R. . Bowen of Pickens. The absentees ere: Mr. J. E. Bradley of Abbeville, ho is very siek, and Mr. W. K. Sease I Newhei-ry, who has sickness in his mily. Col. W. D. Evans, Dr. Tindal and [r. Wannamaker, who were in Co mbia last night' gave the State some iteresting information. The dormi >ry equipment will be enlarged to -ommodate 200 boys additional to ke 660 now 'in attendance. This 'is )t te exceed $30,000 in cost and the Dtails are left with thd executive )mmittee, Messrs. Donaldson. Tin l, Bradley, Johnstone and Bowen. -Another important step was the de sion-f:the board to concentrate, the stir&ind powe plts: These ve' been scattered, - and . are now %rely adequate. Some of the boil -s have been in use for 15 years. It as decided to build a central power tant at a cost of $25,000 in addition using the available'material. This ork also will be under the manage ent" of the executive committee. An act of the last legislature re fires the inspection of cotton seed eal used for foodstuff. This in eases the amount of privilege tax ad also increases the -work exacted the department. Therefore the aard has decided to erect an addi onal building at a cost of between 5,000 and $6,000. The entire ferti zer inspection plant will be remoyed rom the chemical laboratory. The. >mmittee in charge of this work .is ie regular fertilizer committlee, J. E. 'indal, J. E. Wannamaker, W. DT. vans, G. Duncan Bellinger and B. R. illman. The trustees were much pleased ith the general work of the inXstitu on. The class room work is,excel nt and the deportment and* discip ne exemplary. The work of Capt. lay of the, United States army, the >mmandant of the institution, was ighly commended. A beautiful state flag was pur 1ased by the trustees recently and s presented to the regiment on the aradegrounds yesterday afternoon. his is' a -blue flag with the white pal etto tree and crescent emblazoned iereon. It is also stated that the college >w has a teaching force adequate for school of 1,000 young men. There is >om in every* department for in eased attendance and the new dor itory is all that will be needed in e way of space. There are 250 :boys in the agricul iral department. ..The building of ie agricultural hall and the require ent that the study of agriculture be part of the regular curriculum has en new interest to this department. he Southern Cotton association's ork and the revival of interest in irm work has also helped a great sal. In the mechanical departmentI rery member of the graduating class ready has profitable employment romised and there are not enough en to fill the vacancies offered. Under the recent act of congress ie AdAams fund, suentanry to the Hatch fund, will give the experi ment station $7,000 for experimental research. Next year this will be in creased to $9,000 and each year there after it will be increased by $2,000 until 1910, when the appropriation will be $15,000. From that time it will remain a fixed amount. Clemson now gets $15,000 from the Hatch fund for the experiment station and $12,000 from the Morrill fund. The additional $7,000 this year will be ap preciated on account of the improve ments to be made. The principal source of revenue for the college is the privilege tax on fertilizers which this year will show an increase of $25,000 over last year. The figures for the last few years from this tax are: 1903-$98,909.40. 1904-$118,974.15. 1905-$130,439.53. 1906-$140,797.29. The current year shows an increase of $10,000 to date over the entire re ceipts of the whole of 1905. The ap propriation for the University of South Carolina, the Citadel and Win throp would not equal- the amount which Clemson receives in a year from the "tag tax." The board has not yet settled the claim for damages from farmers on adjoining estates who claim that the dam that the college authorities built on the Seneca river damaged other farms with baek water. CRSSING THE DESERT. Six Newberry Tyros Initiated. The nobles of the Oasis Shrine of the Carolinas held their spring con clave in Columbia Tuesday nigt. One hundred and ten candifates were initiated. Among the tyros initiated were: Governor D. C. Heyward, of South Carolina and Lieutenant Gov ern'or Winston of North Carolina, and thd following Newberrians, Messrs. J. Y. McFall, H. H. Rikard, Jas. P. Wilson, E. E. Williamson, H. T. Can non, and J. C. Duncan. Among the nobles: Hon. G. S. Mower, Messrs. A. C. Jones, F. H. Dominick, Harry Dominick, J. G. Daniels and A. J. S. Langford, of Ne,wberry, and J. L. Wise and Dr. G. Y. Hunter of Pros perity. The following from the Augusta Chronicle with relation to last night's conlave is interesting by reason of the fact that a Newberry boy on the staff of that paper is credited here as its author: On Wednesday next, 11th inst., the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, Oasis temple, Charlotte, N. C., will hold a convocation at Columbia, S. C., which about fifteen Augusta Shiners will attend. In more than one respect this con vocation gives promise of being re corded as a red-letter day in the his tory of the order. Word has gone out that 125 weary pilgrims will eross the hot sands of the desert on this mem orable occasion, and hosts of nobles from all over the two Carolinias, as well as the brother Shriners from Georgia, will:be on hand to see them safe across the dreary waste. Governors Glenn and Heyward, chief executi.ves of the two sister states respectively, bQth enthusiastice candidates, will, travg hand-in-hand with the caravan. - Years ago there occurred a moment ous event in the"history of the Caro linas-a circuxmsEance perhaps better known to the great American masses than even the story of George Wash ington 's disastrous venture in the lumber business, an episode emblazon ed in words of fire upon the brighest pages of our country's annals, and destined to go. sounding down the countless ages until the glorious light of Anglo.-Saxon supremacy shall be but as the dim flicker of a lightning bug's tail on a foggy even ing in a wet June. On this well- re menbered occasion immortal words were uttered, before which the elo quence of Patrick Henry is stricken with the death for which he asked in preference to bondage, and in com parison with which the flowing elo quence of Demonthenes seems due to the attempted mastication of a Balti more cobble-stone rather than a peb ble Th word then spontaneously uttered are echoed, in a certain sense, even by the hungry babe at its moth er's breast, and are quoted more or. less correctly on all possible or im possible occasions by a majority of the male population of "the land of the free and the home of the brave." Said the governor of North Carolina to the governor of South Carolina: "It's a d-d long time between drinks.'" Breathes there, a man with soul so dead that he has never in all his life thrilled with sympathy for those two thirsty executives? If such a one lives let him pray the prayer of Kip ling's British Soldier: "Ship me somewhere east of Suez Where a man can raise a thirst, Where there ain't no ten- command ments And the best is like the worst." But the same old thirst seems to be pretty, widely -acquired, without the need of a trip to the Orient. It is a good deal like the poor who are "al ways with us."- It is fortunately no respector of persons 'or classes, and makes its abiding place with rich and podr alike. Mount on the golden wings of graft- to the palaces of multimil lionaires where champagne flows like Niagara: it is there. Deseend to the lowly hut of the South Carolina son of Ham who sells another man's mule and spends the money for "Fust X" at the state Grog-shop: it is there. You can't get away from it. Usually you don't want to. This is!snot the least off the subject f the convocation of the Shriners at Columbia next week. For at this meeting will be wrapped in oblivion forever the portentious remark re-' Ferred to above. If the merry tradi tiris of the Mystic Shriners are founded on. verity, the present gov arnor of North Carolina will have to amend the saying attributed to the old governor, and if on this occasion there is any time at all between drinks it will be a pow'ful small.fra tion of'-ai- undergrown minute. The Telephone Girl. The Birmingham Age-Herald. "While it is.possible the telephone girl'has her faults, she does not de serve all the adverse criticism to which she is some times subjected,'' said an old telephone man yesterday. "It is of course trying to be inter rupted in the midst of a conversation by having the line 'cut in on,' getting the wrong connection, bad connections and all those little things that try one's patience, but we should remem ber that the telephone girl, like every one else, .is liable to make mistakes and that all the troubles are not chargeable to her. For instance, it is often charged that the telephone girl claims that a certain line you want is busy when it is not. Now, as a matter of fact, the telephone girl can more easily give the desired connection than report it busy. Making the connection is an easy matter and if you notice, when ealling for a number you can tell whether she has made an effort to ive you the number you want. If he niumber you call is busy you will hear a distinct rattle as she attempts to join the lines. "The t'elephone operator has many things to 'tyr her. nerves and it is a woner she is -really as good natured as she is. The position being so try ing it is absolutely impossible to avoid all the annoying little things that bring abuse on the head of the tele phone girl.'' Colonel Holden, of the Fort Gibson Post, who sympathizes with every body in hard luck, printed this letter from Richard Benge, a Cherokee, whose pack of trail hounds has often made music among the Fprt 'Gibson * ills: "Will you please let 2ne have a small space in your paper? I won't write much. I just want to tell you old 'Drum,' my good old dog, is dead. He died of I don't know what-only he just sick and died. Poor old Drum is dead and gone where all good dogs go. I feel sorter lonseome since old Drum died, for I've only old Spot and Mues left. Old Drum was the best. When he barked, you knowed it was a 'possum or a coon. Old Spot is all right, but he won't bark, jus was his tail.''