University of South Carolina Libraries
THE CUNTON CHRONICLE Clinton, 8. C„ Thursday, April 22, 1965 The Bluebird groups of the West Clinton area com- winners are Janice Metts, Lynn Wilbanks, and Debbie bined for an egg hunt last Tuesday at Pine Haven Nelson. Refreshments were served. Above is shown Park on the Whitmire Highway, directed by their lead- the group that attended the affair.—Photo by Dan Yar- ers, Mrs. J. D. Hanley and Mrs. Murray Adams. Prize borough. WiBe Bell Chren Death Sentence (Continued from page 1) and met officdB at the bead of the steps. Bridges and one other witness said the office quarters in Clin ton had been sound-proofed for onetime use as a radio station. Charles Tucker of Rt. 1, Lau rens, testified he was in the Laurens office of Bridges and heard the telephone conversa tion with Mrs. Bridges from Clinton and heard Bridges tell her to send the client to Laur ens. C. E. Wiles of Clinton, a con struction engineer, presented a detailed map of the Utopia Building’s second floor and the law offices. He bore out the evi dence of sound-proofing. Marvin N. DeYoung, desk sergeant and radio operator with the Clinton police departmnet, told of receiving the call from Bridges and of later visiting the scene of the murder. Lt. Rufus W. King, Clinton police officer, said he arrived on the scene within a minute after receiving DeYoung’s radio mes sage, met Bridges at the top of the stairway, and told of finding an open pocket book, a billfold some distance away, and “blanched, large type salted peanuts scattered over the floor.”' He told of calling for other officers. Lt. J. L .Casque of the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) said he went to the scene in Clinton with SLED Chief J. P. Strom and LL J. K. Wil son. He told of viewing the body and obtaining evidence scrap ings from beneath Mrs. Bridges’ fingernails and loose hairs, which were sent to the FBI laboratory for evidence. G. B. Padget, Jr., Laurens mortician, told of helping to ob tain the evidence mentioned by LL Casque, and of removing clothing from the victim for evi dence. LL Wilson, a laboraotory tech nician, told of evidence turned over to the FBI for analysis, in cluding debris from the victim’s clothing and the scrapings from beneath her fingernails. Dr. Jtdian Atkinson of Laurens and Dr. W. M. Waters IH of Greenville told of the cause of death of the victim. Clinton Asst Chief of Police William B. Blakely told of the murder scene and of articles found in the room, and later re lating a disturbance caused by Bell in the Clinton jail when he ripped out plumbing pipes and threatened anyone who came near by striking the door with a long joint of pipe. Chief Strom and Sheriff R. Eu gene Johnson told of the state ment made by Bell to them, “I've got to kffl another white woman and bathe my feet and head in her blood.” Also of con. fronting Ben by his uncle, Sher man Bel, who told Bell he had reported Bells’ admission to him that he killed Mrs. Bridges. SLED LL Harold Fortson said that Bell once asked him, “If I tell you about killing Mrs. Brid ges, will you protect me?” Asst. Chief Blakely also testified that Bell called to him in the Clinton jail and said, “I will teU you all about killing Mrs. Bridges if you will promise me life in the pen itentiary.” Chief Strom said that on an other occasion when he talked with Bell, the defendant volun tarily told how he went up the stairs of Utopia Building, ask ed Mrs. Bridges for money, was told she had none, he “got mad and struck her’’ with his fist. He denied use of any other weapon. LL S. F. Wyndham of SLED also said Bell made the same statement to him. SLED Lt. M. N. Cate produced head and body hair he said Bell provided voluntarily and which was sent to the FBI laboratory for comparison with hair found in examination of Mrs. Bridges’ clothing. The officers also said that Bell could talk intelligibly and that he rambled off on religious and supernatural utterances. Chief Strom said, “He can talk with good sense. He can turn it on and off. He’s a good actor.” v Much testimony in the case was first heard by Judge Single tary without the jury being pre- Johnson and State Law Enforce- ject, said Bell worked his last ment Division Lt. Harold Fort- day on the Tuesday before the son. He said he premised to keep death Friday and that he re in touch with them and keep ceived a check Friday at 8 a. m. them informed. “He was a good hand" and had The convict said he never got “**> mental inability.” any reward except he was given T. J. Young said he saw Bell some cigarettes and that he will on the fatal Friday morning and not even be eligible for parole drank gin offered him by Bell, until October, 1967. He said he went with Bell to a On June 29, 1964, Bell and store where Bell bought salted Shelton became ceUmates, Shel- peanuts. (Several witnesses earl- ton said he was asked if he was ier testified that peanuts were afraid of Bell but replied he was scattered about the body of Mrs not, although he “had to watch Bridges when she Was found.) him all the time ... I figured Johnny Metts Jr., said he saw that he was a mean man ... He Bell on the fatal Friday and Bell threatened me.” left a suitcase with him at a Yet he said Bell wanted them c *^ e until he returned. He did not to be “blood brothers ’ and Bell return so Metts took the suitcase gave him a Bible clipping with to the store where a cousin of the corners burned off. saying Bell, John D. Bell worked and he should keep it always and left >t with him. never let any Jew get it. He Mrs. Mary Martin, manager said Bell talked often of Jews of a Clinton clothing store, testi- even said he was half Jew, once fled she sold Mrs. Bridges some that he was half Turk, another shorts about 1:45 p. m. on the time that he was God’s brother, fatal Friday and that Mrs. Brid- Except on reUgion, Shelton wa * shopping for play cloth- said. Bell talked intelligently. (She 811(1 her husband had Concerning Mrs. Bridges Shel- P lanned a trip the next morning ton said Bell over a period of 40 Fontana, N. C., according to more than a month told how he ear l* er testimony.) had gone to the office in Clin- Miss Mary Robinson, now a ton’s Utopia Building on Mus- Win thro p College student and grove Street about some law then a Belk’s Department Store matter, was asked to see at- clerk at Clinton, testified that torney Bridges in Laurens and Mrs. Bridges bought two “knit left. Shelton said Bell told him shirts and a shorts and blouse he saw Mrs. Bridges leave the set there between noon and 2 Bell already is serving a four-year prison sentence on a firearms pointing offense from Laurens County, which occurr ed the day after Mrs. Bridges was killed. Bell spent 30 days at the State Hospital for mental obser vation and was returned with a finding that he was legally sane. Jurors in the case were John W. Whaley (foreman), A. P. Nesbitt, Robert D. Nabors. R. E. Rushton. Warren G. Cox, James K. Thompson, John W. Cook, John M. McDowell, W.. R. Swearihger, Lonnie L. Willis. James A. Pams and Ralph G. Charles. Alternates seated w.th them, to serve should any of the reg ular jurors become incapaci tated, were Ralph W. Ousts and David Stuart. They were excused before the jury began deliberations. Tor ring ton Employee Dies ln ( Cor Accident Spartanburg — A Laurens woman with an uncommon blood type died in the Spartanburg General hospital emergency room at 12:10 a.m. Friday of in juries she received in a wreck on Interstate Highway 96 about 9:15 p.m. Thursday. Mrs. Mildred Babb Nalley, 34^ wife of James H. Nalley of 209 Owings St., Laurens suffered chest injuries and leg fractures when her 1964 Buick bit a bridge abutment near Enoree. Two pints of B-negative blood were given her at Spartanburg General Hospital and n call went out to Anderson, Wood ruff and Greenville hospitals for more. She died 10 minutes before a pint was brought in by R. L. Koester, the State High way Patrol officer who investi gated the crash. Mrs. Nailer was employed by the Torrington Bearing Plant at Clinton. office, then saw her return later with a package. He said he fol- p. m. on the fatal Friday. It was Mrs. Jack Holland, an- after the judge ruled it was ad missible. Ironically, it was testimony by a Clinton Negro that was con sidered extremely damaging to Bell’s case. Jobie Shelton, Jr, SLyear-old man serving a life term in the state penitentiary imposed in 1987 for attempted kidnapping at Clinton, was one of the state’s principal witnesses on Friday. He spent several weeks as a cell mate of Bell at the penitentiary, making regular reports to in vestigating officers. “I know all the names I will be called, maybe from now on,” Shelton testified. “Rat, Snitch, Uncle Tom, hut I just did what I thought I had to do.” His testimony was extremely gory and delivered in filthy lan guage. Shelton said he happened to meet Bell when Bell was trans ferred to the penitentiary to be gin serving the four year sen. tence he now is under for a fire arms pointing offense. He said Bell told him about being in volved in the death of Mrs. Bridges and that he felt com pelled to report it.” “I have a wife and a daughter and I wouldn’t want nobody do ing to them,” be said Shelton said he wrote letters to several lawyers and officers and finally he by the victim’s ens County Sheriff R. lowed her up the stairs to the other Belk’s employe at Clinton, second floor office. whose testimony apparently was „ Shelton quoted Bell he beat and choked her. He time of the slaying. She said she showed Shelton, the witness said, was returning from work after scratches she made on his arm lunch, supposed to be back at and side. Still later, the witness 2:10 p. m. but was late by about said, Bell told of bow he slashed five or 10 minutes. She said she and “jugged” a knife into her, passed the Utopia Building and performed otljer mutulations “heard thumping, bumping nois- beat her brains out, tore her es at the top of the stairs and clothes off, “did all God told him echoes, like possibly children to do,” and left her lying on her playing.” She said, however, back. that she did not look. The cellmate testified that Bell Paul M. Stombaugh, special told him how he washed up at a agent of the FBI, an expert in sink down the hall from the hair and fiber examination, tes- office. tilled that he found hair remov- He said Bell related he killed ed from the clothing and body Mrs. Bridges “because she of Mrs. Bridges to be identical wouldn’t come under his con trol.” And Shelton said that at no time did any officers teU him i n microscopic examination with head and body hair pro vided by Bell. Dr. E. M. Burn, S. C. State any details of the Bridges death Hospital psychiatrist for 18 or direct what questions he years, declared that he had should ask Bell. spent “several hundred hours” The defendant’s unde, Sher- with Bell, that he found him of man Bell, took the stand to tell .. very go ^ „*** « bm ty,” of how he had gone to Columbia “been mind” and “he does to see Bell because he was told right from wrong.” Bell wanted to see him. He said i n south Carolina, the legal al° ne for three hours te*t of sanity is simply ability and that M “told me he killed to know right from wrong. that angel Bridges. Dr. Burns said Bell had no The ancle said Bell “talked evidence at all of mental ill- sort of crazy” and said he was G nL*«n t tv T>nf He said obsession with re uimon pawnbroker J. D. Put- ngion was a “defense mechan- man Sr., took the stand to tosti- fy that on Tuesday prior to Mrs. Bridges’ slaying on Friday Bril bought what he called a “fruit Asked on cross examination he could explain the ca- » ___ ZrMZff ~ mmtA parity of a human to do such La*, knife tram hi, plnce- » „ a* during of Mn. about six i«iwg Sjjfj.; Kh, X ^ • are haring oar houns warning tonight. We than we thought... Thanks to the en the financing w« gut at Citizens -n—^ Bridges and be sane, he replied -STtoaTtSTtlS^todJ ** * "Primitive urge” was opened. He said that late on neewsarily mental Ulness because “a person can be well the afternoon of the Friday Mrs. . . .... Bridges was killed, Bril come h * 18 doln « 88(1 la to buy e cheap JB caliber pis tol and a second-hand suitcase The psychiatrist said mental Negro cab driver U 18 *** was a condition in which Roosevelt James told of driving 8 P*" 08 was “not in contact Bell to the of his unde with reality over long periods late on the afternoon of the slay- °* time” and that an attempt tog. He srid Bril appeared to to cover up a wrong deed was have been drinking and was evidence of knowledge that the ♦miirtig **1001 talk” to which ho 6eod was wrong. The mentally did not listen. m, he sadi, would not try to James T. Hamilton, foreman hide his deed, of Harper Brothers Construction As to BeU, he said, there was Co., under whom Ben had been “not one bona fide indication workteg on n Clinton school pro- of mental illness.” WINCHESTER GRAHAM HOMES OF LAURENS, Inc. NO MONEY DOWN! Located en BY-PASS 76 — Phono 984-3445 Collect COUPON — Mail To P. 0. Box 722, Laurens, S. C. joehs a. >SALE J^aslInM I# / hmm Om i ■»>»■»»— i Sk« M««r fa ««r Mtfwyl Aluminum FURNITURE $5.77 $277 $4.77 FOUR-WAY LOUNGER CHAIR ROCKER THEY FOLD (EVEN THE ROCKER) . . . AND FEATHERWEIGHT! Bouncy all-weather plastic webbing, durable 1” aluminum frame. Comfortable wide arms; SiLor-snoose lounger adjusts to four level comfort with just a touch. Wide base non-tilt frames provide safety, even oa grass or sand. Now—at the start of the outdoor season, give your patio a face lifting. 1NNERSPRING CHAISE LOUNGE .19.77 WEATHER-RESISTANT REDWOOD « FT. PICNIC TABU, BENCHES PERSONAL MENTION Miss Patsy Henderson, stu dent at Georgia Southern Col lege, Statesboro, spent the Easter holidays with her pa-, rents, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Fewer. Visiting Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Arnold during the holidays were their daughters, Jean, student at Winthrop College and, Mar jorie, student at the College of William and Mary in Williams- wit Marjorie wag her classmate. Miss Joan Speer of West Palm Beach, Fla. MOVE INTO NEW HOME Mr. and Mrs. Eugene John son have moved into their, new ly constructed home in Merrie Oaks. They were former resi dents of North Broad Street. VISITORS FROM FLORIDA Mr. and Mrs. Norwood Mc- Lamb and children, Jan and Lee, of Casselberry, Fla., vis ited Mrs. P. M. Pitts and other relatives on Sunday. VISITORS FROM DELAWARE Guests during the week-end of Mr. and Mrs. Hubert Todd and other relatives were Miss Grace Bossard, Ernest Bossard, Sr., and Ernest Bossard, Jr., of Seaford, Delaware. Mr. and Mrs. Bailey Dixon and children spent last week end in' Talladega, Ala., with Mrs. Dixon’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Norman Wood. Mr. and Mrs. John McBride and daughter spent the geek- end in North Carolina with their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Claude Money in Thomasville and Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Mc Bride in Lexington. Whittel High Mon In Ment ot ‘Laurent Laurens — Clinton defeated Laurens Wednesday in a track meet, 62-61. Clinton’s Joel Whit- sel was high scorer with 24% points. Broad Jump—WhRsel (C) 20’- 2%”. High Hurdles — Hampton (C) 0:16.3. 100—Whitsel (C) 0:10.6. Mile—Moore (L) 5:00. Shot Put-Robinaon (L) ST- 8%”. (80 Relay—Clinton (Hampton, Sanders, Lydia, Whitsel) 1:36.7. 440-Cooper (C) 0:86.3. Discus—Rice (C) 1101”. Low Hurdles—McDowell, (L) 0:33.0. 8ML—Baker (L) 2:14.3. Pole VauM-Brown (L) 11’. High Jump—Whitsel (C) SI”. Medley Relay—Cttnton (Lydia, Sanders, Hampton, Cooper) 1:48. t. 220—Whitsel (C) 0:34.3. Mile Belay—Laurens (Estes, Baker, Bogle, Moore) 8:57.2. CARD OF THANKS ' We wish to thank our many friends and neighbors for their kindness and sympathy shown us during the illness and at the death of our dear husband and father. All the prayers,, kind deeds, food served and the beautiful flowers were great* ly appreciated. Also we thank Dr. Rhame and Dr. Sullivan for their faithfulness. May God Mess each of you. —MRS. IKE JONES AND CHILDRBN Durably built to last many an outdoor season! Reinforced and braced legs. 72” long- seats 6 hungry people with comfort. Sturdy braced red wood benches to match. $19.77 ll-POSITION ADJUSTABLE SALE 3.77 Adjosli from 21 lo 35 inchos with Fj WH6EL-AWAY 24-INCH BRAZIER HAS FOLDING TRIPOD LEGS, KING-SIZE GRID SALE 5.77 Play chef for a big crowd I Deop red enamel bowl has reinforced rim, stabilizer cup. Twin handle grid, positive-lock adjustable handle. Stores flat. % SAVE ON LIGHT BULBS 60-75 OR 100 WATTS SALEIOc Positively rock-bottom price! You’ll be wise to get a reserve stock—in every size! Soft, frosted glow. Hove good light for your family. PAINT UP, SPRUCE UP YOUR HOME FOR SPRING WITH READY-MIXED COLUMBIA SALE! Hfll ‘1.77 - Durable, washable! Titanium base assures good coverage. Choice: porch enamel, inside glees or flat. Outside trim and house paint. Colors galore! LATEX BASE, gaL 2.77 FOUNDER'S DAY SUPER VALUES 30 FT. GARDEN HOSE $1.00 Guaranteed 2 Yean . KLEENEX TISSUES 16c 300’s Super Belt REG. 45c KOTEX 33c Regular Super Size BIG VALUE! CORN BROOM 77c Five String 9x12 ROOM SIZE RUG 137.00 Reg. 59-95 Value — Aarerted Colors KENDALL’S CURITY DIAPERS 2 FANCY DIAPERS FREE TO PEG. oueooo.ooo 2doz.|5.50 : , BIRTHDAY $A|& FIRST PRIZE 550.99—Bytria KenaeOs, Route 2, CUntoa, & C. SECOND PRIZE $25JG-Bvetyn Edwards, 217 Shands St, CUntoa, S. C. THIRD PRIZE $15.00—Mrs. J. C. Bradford, 102 CatdweU St, CUntoa, 8. C. FOURTH PRIZE 61040—Lydia Holmes, Route 1, Clinton, & C. PUP TENT—Mike Lydia, 510 Academy St, Ointoa, & C. OPEN FRIDAY NTTE HLL 740 O’CLOCK - OPEN YOUR CHARGE ACCOUNT-ASK ABOUT OUR 10-DAY ’N’ REVOLVING CHARGE PLAN