The herald and news. (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, October 06, 1908, Image 1
r
jjfje Jeroli) atiD Jews.
VOL XLT NO. 80 NEWBERRY, S. O.. TUESDAY. OCTOBER <!. 1908. TWICE A WEEK. $1.50 A YEAR
GARRISON CONVICTED
SENTENCE TWO YEARS
LAXJRENS MAN WHO SLEW HIS
DAUGHTER'S SWEETHEART.
Daughter of Defendant, Who Was
Sweetheart of Deceased, Gives
Details of the Tragedy.
(By Jno. K. Aull.)
Special to The Herald and News.
Laurens, Oct. 3.?Charged with
murder in the killing of J. Louis Williamson,
J. Henry Garrison was convicted
in the court of sessions here on
Friday of manslaughter, the x jury
which convicted him recommending
him to I he mercy of the court. Judge
Memmingcr overruled the motion for
a new trial, and sentenced Garrison
to serve two years in the State penitentiary
or on the public works of
Laurens county.
The trial of Garrison, resulting
fiom one of the saddest tragedies ever
enacted in Laurens county, creited
i great interest throughout South
Carolina. Young Williamson, the deceased,
was a guest at the Garrison
home at Gray Court, as a visitor to
Miss Mary Garrison, daughter of J.
Henry Garrison. Young Williamson
and Miss Garrison were engager, lo
be married. Williamson was a prom|
inent young farmer of Bethesda, near
Rook IIiH, in York county. He became
acquainted with Mis; Garrison
while she was teaching school near
his home, and their acquaintance ripened
into love and the engagement to
be married. On the nigh'. of the tragedy
which ended young Williamson's
life anil i laced Garrisor under indictment
for murder, Williamson an*\
Miss Garrison were in the fani'.iy
parlor. According to her testimony
he was trying to take li':erties with
her over her protest. Garrison, who
stated that his suspicions had been
aroused by what he ha.I heard from
t!ie parlor, went into the yard to
the window of the pari).', taking his
shot gun with him. lie said thai 1?e
looked through the window and his
conslusion was that Williamson was
trying to take improper advantage of
his daughter, as lie expressed it. lie
said that Williamson's back was towards
him and he hollered to him to
move, whereupon Williamson faced
him and he shot hini, the load taking
effect in Williamson's bowels, and resulting
in death three hours later.
Garrison's testimony was to the effect
that he did not know of Williamson's
engagement of his daughter.
Mrs. Garrison stated that she knew
the young people were engaged to be
married, but that, so far as she knew,
her husband did not know of it. Miss
Garrison's testimony was to the same
effect along this line.
Garrison's attorneys have given nolice
of intention to appeal to the supreme
court, and pending the appeal
the defendant was granted bond in
k the sum of $1,000, the same amount
under which he was held before the
| trnl.
FJ Solicitor Cooper was assisted in the
| prosecution by Air. 1'. 11. Nelson, of
Columbia. The defendant was rcpK
resented bv Messrs. Ferguson &
f Feathcrslone and Hichey & Kichev, of
the lncsil bar. There was ? harfl
fight by the attorneys on each side,
and the arguments to the jury were
able. Messrs. Nelson and Cooper addressed
the jury for the State, and
Messrs. Featherstone and Kichev for
the defendant. Mr. Nelson opened
for the State, and was followed by
Messrs. Hichey and Feat herst one, for
defendant, the arirutnenls of each of
I'.gen I h'Suen beinir unusually
>i!L'. Solicitor Cooper closed for
^ I 'e Slate in i powerful argument.
\ The case was called on Thursday
\ m and the following jury was
Y ' i .!: i IV IJ-.ilev. II. If. i'rvor. K.
Mil rn, J. \V. \h:\iuis. Sain L. Saxon,
M. I*. U'.'d.'iibauu'h, G. C. Young,
Jno. A. Aberci'onihie. G. II. Kinlev,
K. II. ^ ? h 11 > A. I. M a ha f fey, T. J.
Lav! on. Mr. T. J. Lay ton was appointed
foreman of the jury.
Dr. C. K. liodgers was the first witness
called for the Slate. He testified
that about 12 o'clock Mr. Garrison
came to his home and asked him
if he had any surgical instruments,
telling him he wanted' him to go
his (Garrison's) house at once; th
lie had shot a man. lie said that
went to Garrison's home, and foui
Williamson in a room in rear of t
parlor, on a bed, and that Miss Ma
Garrison was fanning him. Dr. Ho
Vers pointed out on the solieitoi
person the location of the wound, t
load taking effect in the left side
the bowels, ranging slightly upwai
The next witness called for t'
State was Miss Marv Garrison, daug
tor of the defendant, and the on
person present, othf,r than the <1
fcndaut and Williamson, when I'
fatal shot was fired. She for t
first time related the harrowing
tails of the tragedy in which her i
fin need lover met his death at t
hands of her father. Miss Garris
is a young lady of evident refinemc
and culture and education. She w
simply dressed, wearing a White shi
waist, a black skirt, and tan cloji
and a black turban hat. During li
testimony it was evident that she w
laboring under an intense strain, h
she held herself under remarkal
control. Only once or' twice duri;
an hour which must have tried li
severely did she lose her sclf-eontr
and then only for an instant. Duri
one of these moments Hie situati
was tense and dramatic. Attorn
Nelson had handed her for identi
cation a letter which she had sent
young Williamson's mother, after t
shooting, expressing her sympat
with Mrs. Williamson in her gre
bereavement. Miss Garrison took t
letter, glanced over it and tore it
half and threw it on the floor. .
Judge Mcmmingcr's request she pic
ed up the letter and handed it
him, Judge Memminger stating th
he would read it and if he thought
admissible he would let it go in c
deuce, lie decided later during t
case that it was not competent.
Miss Garrison testified that s
first went to York to teach in Fc
ruary, 1005, and it was then that s
met young Williamson. She tang
there four months, and then went
ITam))ton to teach, returning to Yo
in September, 100(5, taking charge
the Dethesda high school, which w
about two miles from the Williamsi
residence. She returned t<> her hoi
at Gray Court about the first of Mil
having become engaged to Mr. W
liamson some time in the spring. Mi
Garrison said she hud not told h
mother or father of the engageinei
but she thought her mother knew
it. She did not think her fath
knew of it. Mr. Williamson h;
come to see her in June, and car
again on the afternoon of July .']
TTer father, the defendant, met hi
the train, and brought him to t
house, and she and Williamson we
walking together and returned hoi
for supper. She said she and W
liamson s;it on the porch for a wlii
after supper, and then went into (1
parlor. She said Williamson was sh
through the window which looked o
in the yard, the shooting occurrii
about 11 o'clock. She said that W
liamson had asked her to sit on tl
sofa with him, and she did, Williai
son promising that he would act ;
right. While she was sitting Ihei
she said, Williamson put his head
her lap and then put his head on t!
head ot the sofa across her lap at
begged her to put her head on tl
sofa with him. She said she bcgg<
him to get up and asked him to g
up, and as soon as he would get i
she was about to get awav from hii
when he grabbed her and pulled h
down across his lap, and she was tr
ing to get awav from him when li<
lather shot. She said she saw tl
gun poked through the window, ai
heard her father's voice, and tlx
I she ran. She said, in response
finest ions, that she had sent a wreal
of flowers, with her card, for tl
young man's funeral. :iml the cai
was |?ii| in evidence, li was at fli
point lli.'i) t!ie incident in connect i<
with the letter occurred. On cros
examination she testified that, whi
she did not smell any whiskey on Wi
| liamson s hreath on the night of tl
killing, his actions were not as tin
ordinarily were, and Ilia! she thongl
| he was a good deal under the infli
| ence of whiskey. She said that aft<
[the fatal shot was fired Williams*
to had walked to the back room, and 1
at "had then asked for a drink of whis- (
1)0 key from a quart hottle which was <
tul found in his valise not quite full. 1
he She also testified to a dying dcclara- |
ry lion from Williamson to the effect s
d- thai lie was to blame for the shoot- j
'a ing and that he did not want Mr. 1
he Garrison punished for it. She said t
of that when her father poked the gun 1
d. through the window and hollered, she i
|10 did not understand what he said, but j
])_ that she ran out of the room and that i
ly Williamson jumped up ami turned to- t
[e- wards her tat her, when the shot was 1
he 1
he "iho effort of the State on re-direct ;
le- examination was to prove that even )
if Williamson was under the in flu- ;
),0 cure of whiskey when he got off the I
on the train he had had time to become I
nt perfectly sober before 11 o'clock at i
as "ighl. v
irt W. V. Hlythe, the undortaker, les- 1
ik, tified as to the clothes the deceased
er had on, and that the wound had an '
as uj)ward range of about two inches. '
ut He staled that he had got the gun ?
)lc wadding out of the wound. lie said <
ng when he arrived i.t the house next af- 1
er tcrnoon he found a partly smoked 1
ol, cigarette lying on the floor in the 1
ng parlor. ]
on K. T. Shell testified that lie had '
leached the (larrison home about :
midnight on the night of the shoot- !
ing, and had found Williamson on 1
*le 11 he bed, Dr. Iiodgers sitting by tins !
bed and Miss Garrison sitting at the :
at head of tlte bed with her handkor- '
,c chief in her hand and something on '
J" if which he took to be chloroform. 1
' t He said Williamson had asked him 1
if he thought he could live, and Miss '
t? Garrison had told him to say exactlv '
?t what he thought, lie then told Wii- '
|t liamson that he did not see any hope '
^ him. Previous to that, he said,
',0 Williamson had made a statement to 1
him, which the State attempted to
he bring out as a dying declaration, but j
>b- which tlie Court ruled out on the '
he ground that it had not been shown
hi that at that lime Williamson had
to abandoned all hope of recovery. The ^
rk jury was asked to retire and the wit- '
of ness allowed to give the statement '
as and the circumstances under which :
on it was made in order that the jnduo '<
no might decide as to its competency. '
ly, Mr. Shell said I hat Williamson just <
il- remarked in a rambling way that he
iss didn't see why that man shot him. I
er On the ground stated, however, this |
it, statement was held not competent to '
of ?o before the jury. I
er Mrs. N. T. Garrison, wife of the
ml defendant and mother of the voting
lie ladv, was the first witness for the
II. defence. She testified as to having
in heard the dying declaration which
lie Miss Mary Garrison had testified to.
nt She said her daughter had told her
ue of her engagement to young Willianiil
son. She said that on the occasion
ile of his last visit Williamson had imlio
pressed her as not being at himself,
ot She gave Miss Marv Garrison's a,re
ut at 22.
L. ('. Dorroh, testified that in his
opinion when young Williamson got
'IL oil ihe train at Gray Court on the af"
tcrnoon of July .'51 lie was drunk.
1,1 Mr. .1. X. fjpak testified that lie saw
i', him that afternoon and in his opinion '
in lie was under the influence of whis- '
lie key. The testimony of J, If. Dorroh '
id was along the same line, as was that '
lie of I'\ D. Bolt.
' ?J. H. Garrison, the defendant, took ^
the stand shortly after the dinner re- '
'P cess. He gave his age as ."?7 years 1
and six months. He said he had gone (
the station in his bugjjv that af- '
icrnoon to have his mule shod and get 1
,,r his mail, and his daughter had told '
1)5in \\ illiamson was coining on the 1
id j afternoon passenger and lie went to!*
the station to meet him. Ile said he 1
1? didn I notice Williamson particularlv '
Hi when he got off the train, but some ll>
people at Gray Court called his ;l(- 'I
(cut ion to \\ illiamson s condiI ion, I '
i^ j and he then perceived he was drink-!''
?) ing. lie said he had first met Wils
liamson in June, and lie did not I a
Io know he was engaged* to Miss Oar- 1 .
il- rison. He said he had asked Miss I.
ie Garrison it Williamson was to be- 11:
>' member of the family, but in j
it consequence of her answer' he did j
ii- not know |hat he would. He said V
fi after he found Williamson was drink- \
in ing he look him to his home because i
i
ie wanted to keep the people at Gray 1
-/Ourt from knowing the young man's i
ondition. He said after he look !
Williamson to his home lie went to 1
>loughing, and did not see William- <
ion and his daughter any more until ;
nipper time, when he noticed that <
Williamson was still under the influMice
of whiskey or something else, j
:le said that he then began to doubt
1. the young man's intentions wore
)uie, and he went lip-stairs and sat |
lown on the edge of the bed near <
.he window in the room over the par- '
or. lie said he stayed there until '
10 o clock when he became thirsty <
md went, down stairs to get some i
vator. He said he went to (he well, I
md as he came back lie stepped to
lie window where he could see i
hrough the little back room into the i
>arlor. His daughter, he said, was i
jitting in a rocking chair, and he s
liould hear Williamson's voice, but 1
Williamson was out of his sight. He
Hum went back upstairs. Just after <
he dock struck II, he said, he heard
i scraping noice on the floor, and he '
'ould tell the noise was going from <
'vhere he had seen his daughter in the
rocking chair over towards the sofa. <
Lie said he got off the bed immediate- :
lv and thought he would see what
was being done, lie went down the
stairs , and he heard his daughter
say please don't." At the foot of
I he stairs, he said, he heard her the
second time say. "please don't." He
<aid lie then thought of the gun, and
it was just in reach of him in the
l)?ick hall. He secured the gun and
passed out of the back door and went <
irouifd the corner of the house to the <
window. He said when he glanced 1
m the window Williamson had his <
laughter's left hand in his left hand,
imlling her arms around his neck and
hugging and kissing her with his
right arm around her. His daughter
rtas pulling loose from him, lie said,
uid she raised, and he jerked her on i
lii* lap and across his lap. He said
Williamson's back was towards him.
and lie couldu I shoot liirn in the
nick, and cried to him to move. As
lie said move lie placed the gnu in the
window, and his daughter broke loose
utd ran. lie said Williamson turned
iround an<l made about two steps towards
him, saving "Mr. Harrison."
iiml he shot him. He said he shot <
Williamson because he believed Williamson
was trying to "take improper
advantage ol his daughter. The ]
nuzzle of the gun was about four feet '
I rom Williamson, he said, wl en he 1
'hot. At the crack of the gun Wil- <
liamson said, "1 intended to marry '
i*our daughter and you have killed <
?e." Harrison said his reply was,
'Mjiybe you did an maybe you
lidn't." Williamson then asked iiim I
O go for a doctor and he went. He <
'aid he did not see Williamson any <
no re. On cross-examinul ion he was <
isked \\ h\ it lie suspected something 1
ivrong, lie did not go in the door. The 1
?arlor door, it had been testified '
vas open. Williamson said if he had
rone into the door it would have noli- '
"led the young people, and then he 1
>\ould not have known if anvthing
vas wrong." lie was put through a 1
igid cross-exaininat ion, sticking to I
is statment that he shot Williamson ' I
lecause lie believed he was "trving to ake
improper advantage" of his i
laughter. i
The State in reply placed T. W. 1
Wynne on the stand who stated that s
n his opinion young Williamson was J
nidc r the influence of whiskey to a
'ertain extent when he got off the i
rain, lie said, however, that later in I
lie afternoon lie saw him out walk-l
ng with Miss Harrison and the young ,
nan appeared all right. He said he v
aw him and Miss Harrison stop and ,
alk to some ladies. The Slafe offi.p> .
d wilnesses to prove young William- (
"ii's reputation for sobriety and for
'enteel conduct among ladies. but
Ins testimony was ruled out bv the !
ourt.
The ^arguments were concluded at j I
iboul 7 o'clock on Thursday evening. 11
VI lei a recess of an hour for supper i
fudge Menuninger delivered an un-!c
isually strong and clear charge to the '<
ivy. and at 8.l."> the jury retired. The !
nry remained out all night, and were '
"ought into court on Kridav morning \
villi,nit having agreed. .Judge Mem- si
ninger strongly impressed upon them a
Hie mam building has been renovated,
every room and hall calsomini'd,
wainscot, ceiling, windows, and
iloors have been painted, every desk
overhauled, Venetian shades and two
mi Ionia tic self running water founjams
have been purchased and will
be erected for the benefit and accomodation
of the scholars.
Not only this but some of the soil
from under the sewer was forwarded
lo be analyzed and the specialist hag
pronounced the same free from germ.
We would cite other improvements
is well as some now under cousidoraI'on,
but i| i.s not our desire to make
this article lengthy.
One thing however hear in mind.
W e have Jor the second time asked
.von for another sehool building and
none bul selfish, narrow-minded men
would refuse lo see Hie absolute, immediate
necessity for such a building.
We extend a cordial invitation to
nil those who are opposed to this our
request, to visit ||,e school building,
I lie former Wiser place.
licl us enter the building for ;i
moment, what do we behold? Si.vtvthrce
scholars in one room, all hud!
1(1 in i|iiarlers (? school
house) wlmrh is a shame to eivilizaand
m>| at all in keeping with
usual pride and progressiveness
ol our city.
If anybody has a ritrhl to kick it
is your board of school trustees, vour
superintendent, your teachers and
your scholars.
However, (he mailer of our new
school facilities haVc already been
paied in the hands of a committee
appointed by ||,e chairman of ||,o
citizens meeting, which was held in
J1"' <*""H bouse at II,e time tho
board of school Inistees remlered
J1"'"- last annual report, and we do
,ln|"' I bat some definite sleps will bo
taken al once or as soon as possible.
' I ,ls ask you, did you attend our
annual meeting, if not, why notf
Don'| you think i| is your duty ?
We realize that il is an niter impossibility
lo please all and I herolore
shall be very -lad if ||,ose that;
ll,m' I'link ' bat I bey have any
>*< >ui pi ;i 1111 a trains! sci.ool, scholars,
teachers, principal, or snperinlen.lenl,
will eome forward, enter his
l""1' complaint wilh (he board or a
member of the board of school trustees
ami we assure you thai everv
I'omplanil will receive our immediate
and careful at lent ion.
'I i* our earnest desire |o make our
school a success, lmi we can only succeed
when We receive (he hearty eonpcrali<m
of our citizens.
S,"l? kicking, go i.. work, pul vour
dioublcr lo the wheel, |ake an inlerM
in school affairs, help your servants,
Ihe board of school trustees,
''""'I "se I hem for a door mat.
Ivespecl | ully submit led,
I''. N. Marl in,
< Kieltuer,
H. Wicker.
w. A. McSwain,
'I- M. Davis,
Hoard of Trustees.
Wilson-Cely.
The many friends of Miss Vi,,nie
Mac Wilson will he interested lo
<?"w ,?f |,(.r approaching marriage lo
' . Lake ( civ, o| (irccn ville, on
''veiling of October l.uh, a| six
l.v o clock, al her home, l.TJti (\dcgc
si reel. No curds are issued, on
" onnt of recenl death in the family.
Bail Granted.
Application was made before Chief
I isIicc I'upc on last I'Yidav for bail
liver, ol Hcrkelev count v.
)M. 1.-.SL August 11 vcr
' , '''"-rence with |,is neighbors
!'" i,s ;l I", kill..,I two men,
i""1 *'?' He has been in jail
Iyer was represented bv Mr.
.Kiv,,rs- ?'1' n.aricsi??,
l,M'1 I 'ope ..ranted bail
" I he sum of $ 1000.
? ? ' ^
ST. LUKE'S CHURCH.
Rftv. Edward Callcnder. Rector.
.:?0 -Morning pravcr, cele"r
"'<* Holy Kucharist and
icrmon.
p. m. Mvening prayer.
All seats free.
?'<'ctor and vevlry extend a cor !"
I'. to bo present
ind Worship with us.
[ho importance of reaching a verdict
md ri'-slali'd the law. Some time
later the jury brought in its verdict.
Harrison was sentenced before the i
1 iiiner recess 011 Friday, immediately 1
ifter the motion for new trial was ;
ivcrruled. 1
A.n Open Letter From the Board of <
School Trustees to the Public.
While the board of school trustees
l>ositively refuse to recognize the I
ritieism ol 1<A Patron," the same ]
icing made under an assumed name,
kve feel, as public servants we are j
luc the public at all times an oxplan- 1
it ion, especially where misconst ruelions
are placed on our actions.
We have been criticised for changing
our text books of the different
grades at the same time a general
['omplaiul was in circulation that our
school was below (lie average and not
up to the standard.
We respect fully inform you that
ur school system has been changed,
a High School having been added.
I he 8-9-10 grades are instructed unler
the departmental plan, each grade
is under the supervision of three special
teachers, as well as (he general
supervision of our superintendent.
The selection .if books for all
grades was made from the list of the
very best schools in the State. Not a
book (our former books) was discarded,
or a new hook added unless absolutely
necessary, and every hook
011 our list will be needed and must
be used by the different grades.
Our selection of books lias received
the approval of our superintendent,
as well as (he endorsement of the '
host educators of the State. Oiy; iuileavor
is to bring our school, not only
to your desire, (a standard school)
but fo make it the Model School of
South ( arolina, so that our graduates
"ia\ bo ({iialit ied to enter college or
upon any business vocation, become
useful and intelligent citizens, become
II propelling rather* than a static force'
in the general progress and up
building of the community in which
they may reside. Surely I his is a
laudable undertaking and should receive
your hearty cooperation.
The selection of our text bonks was
not the only consideration of your
board but also the selection of sup- 1
I'rintendeul and corps of teachers, (he
sanitary condition of our school building
as well as (lie gnimral welfare of
pat rons, scholars and instructors, received
our most earnest and serious
consideration. Not a word of ni- :
I'ouragement or conimenda I ion has 1
(icon said in public print for all our 1
Moris Inwards the upbuilding of our
school, only criticism and abuse. :
\\ e are working without compcnsa- (
lion, are always ready and willing lo
lo the very best wj? can for all parties '<
concerned hut we feci that we arc
milled lo the support of our citizens
and should rccoive manifcslaions
that our labors a.re appreciated,
iio| abuse and insinuations as to
X'*a 11 I roin the sale ol books, hccausc
ive have nothing whatever to do with
I he sale or exchange of books.
Our local hook dealer will suhslaniate
our assert ion.
^ our pres'Mit board ol school trusees
have been in charire of voiir ;
school a 11 airs only about I wo vears, '
1 good deal has been accomplished. 1
e cile only a lew ol the improve- '
uonts made lo show that the cril**<sm '
igaiust the hoard is unwarranted, tin- '
iusl and unfair.
When taking charge there was an
ndebteduess of about +800. This iia-^
>een li<|iiidateil bv I lie present board. '
Au\body 1 liaI is acquainted with
>ur school at fairs and vicu-, thciri '
villi prejudice or parliialily, will ad I1
nil that our school is on the upward '
irade, has advanced and has made !
'<*ns|.'inI progress. 1 "
I 1
An al'i'o-t new corps of instructors *
ire in charge and we say to von and | !
ill. go w here you may \ i-il anv | '
elioo! in thi- or any other Stale in'
he I nio.1 and you will not find a
nore refined, intelligent, or more
'ompetaut corps of instructors in
barge of any school, than has charge I
I I lie Newberry (iraded and High >
M'hord.
We should learn to speak a good
vord of our superintendent, teachers
'"d school at home and they will be <
poken well of abroad.