Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

Wounded Laurens Man Held Vol. ,66 — No. 46 18 -Year-Old Youth Shot 4 To Death in Joanna Home Hairston Gets $10 Joanna Community Gets “Farmer Mail Delivery Service The Clinton Chronicle ■imm Clinton, S. C., Thursday, November 18, 1965 Wins Last $25 Prize A special program at the Jo* clubs and other organizations anna Post Office at 8:00 a. m., “who have worked untringly n Tuesday, marked the inaugura- our behalf." tion of postal city delivery for the She pointed to the progress of j first time in the community. the postal service in the com- More than 150 citizens were on munity. hand for the program at the rear “Today I am proud to serve Claude Farmer of 504 BaUey of the Post 0ffice on Highway in our new modem building,” St., was the winner of, $25 first 76 she said. place in the last of the football state Senator W. C. Dobbins, a She introduced the postal per- guessing contest conducted by j oanna native, called Tuesday sonnel that included the two The Chronicle. *. a re( j letter day” in the growth carriers, M a x i e L. Reeder, Farmer missed naming the an d progress of this town." The mounted carrier, and James R. winners in only two games of the senator said he favored chang- Turner, foot carrier, who Tues- 20 listed for the week of Nov. ing the name of the post office day for the first time provided 12-13. He picked Clenuon over and the town back to Goldville. postal delivery service to the Maryland and Catawaba over According to stories of the approximate 871 homes and Guilford. early beginning* of the commun- businesses in the area. A Laurens, Rt. 1, youth was saying the shooting took place a winner of second prize of $10 ity, Dobbins said the town was W. L. Hair, master of cere- fatally shot at Joanna Saturday about five minutes after Craig ar- was jj mm y Hairston, III, of 105 called Goldville. “becauae the monies, introduced special afternoon, blasted three times ff ved a l the hoU8e °^ y * short Locust St., Lydia. man who founded the first in- guests. ... . , mrit time, officers were told. He missed three games, as did dustrial plant . . . paid for the Others taking part in the pro- asnotgun. Deputy Holt said the girl told io others, but Jimmy hit the tremendous amount of land he gram were J. B. Hart; T. C. A 55-year-old Laurens man also him she did not hear any words ClintonHigh-Woodruff score right purchased in gold." Langston, representative of the wounded in the shooting affray exchanged between the men be- on the nose (13-7 in favor of The name was changed later post office regional office at At- at the home of the victim’s es- fore the sound of the gunfire. Woodruff) as the tie-breaker. by mill ownert for “industrial lanta, Ga.; Dr. Byron L. Her- traneed wife and mother-in-law she said Craig walked out after Others who missed three, but purposes,” Senator Dobbins said, bin, pastor of the First Baptist .'the shooting got in his truck missed the Clinton - Woodruff Now that the plant has been sold Church; the Rev. R. A. Pickett, The victim was waiter junior and drove awa y ( according to score, were Mike Stroud, Rt. 1, to Greenwood Mills, Dobbins said pastor of Epworth Methodist Beck^ 18. Laurens County txjro- ^ depu ty Laurens; M. F. Pace, Rt. 1, Clin- he would like to see the name Church. ner Marshall Pressley said Heck £ r|d g wag arrested about 5 p. on; Barry Hairston, Lydia; Barry changed back to Goldville. “It The Clinton High School band , 12 shotgun wounds m at the home of a relative Whitman, Albert Patterson, and sounds important, progressive, and the Joanna Junior High Scene of Shooting At Joanna Postal Ceremonies Tuesday Principals at ceremonies morning inaugurating postal delivery service are, from left, W. Lester Hair, master of ceremonies; T. C. Langston, representing the Post Office Depart- In Death of Lester C. Harris ment Regional Office in Atlanta; Mrs. Dollie Carr, postmaster at Joanna; and Laurens County State Sentor William C. Dobbins.—Photo by Dan Yarborough. of the lower abdomen, back and in the Laurens area. He was Ray Priestino, Clinton; Jim and it glitters,” he concluded. School chorus participated in the shoulder. jailed for investigation, Hairstpn, Lydia; Martha Murphy, Mrs. Dollie M. Carr, postmas- program. Wounded in the shooting was f oun( j to be wounded, and taken Jerry’ Gaines, and Geraldine ter at Joanna since 1939, paid Wesley Craig, 55, of Setzler Road, t o the Laurens County hospital. Johnson, all of Laurens. tribute to the individuals, civic Vl/| Tn Rmsi/Jmcf Wattsville. He reportedly underwent sur- Laurens County Sheriff R. Eu- gery for a pistol bullet wound, gene Johnson said the shooting a jj d was in fair condition late happened shortly before 3:45 Saturday night. f' m ’ , at th £,. ho r le of 1 Sf 9 .rS er ' The wife of the dead youth tha Rice, 201 Banna St. There said she ran t0 the home of a Gregory Is Sentenced To 15-Year Prison Term Laurens — James Capers happened. I had Gregory, 50-year-pld Clinton against the boy. & - V TKw» i.irv nh apparently w Deputy A. were no witnesses. Dobbins Says Courthouse Resolution Passed Senate nothing last Dec. 28 just outside the Clinton city limits. storekeeoer was convicted of The jury wh ch heard threc “ Is this the gun you shot p ’ . days of testimony began de- Harris with?” Ward testified manslaughter in General Ses- liberation shortly before 6 p. he asked Gregory in the pres- sions Court here Friday in the m . Friday and returned the ence of Sheriff R. Eugene Radio station WLBG-FM will 28, 1964. slaying of verdict an hour and a half lat- Johnson and Deputy Ralph Woodruff-Pa I metto Game Friday Night sputy A. S. Holt of Joanna said he received word of the nearby neighbor to call police. Sheriff Johnson and his force Senator William C. Dobbins of Courthouse. shoting at 3:46 p.m., and he waa a j* investigation Lam-eng County, in a letter to Senate Journal No. 38 of Wed- and Deputy H. G. Murrah Jr. int0 < he sh00ting this week arrived at the scene about five minutes later. He said Beck was found in the front bedroom of the frame house, lying on his side. The victim was still breath ing when they found him, Holt said, but died before being placed in an ambulance. Officers said the body was at the foot of a bed, about six feet broadcast the Woodruff-Palmetto High football game Friday night, with air time being 7:45. Game time will be at 8. Lester Coleman Harris, 42, a er. Riddle in the Clinton police sta- Clinton textile worker. Two sons and other members tion two days after the killing. Gregory was sentenced to 15 of his family were by Gregory's Ward testified that Gregory Christmas Parade Entrants Requested To Notify Buice _ The game, played at Woodruff, V®® 1,8 imprisonment by Presid- side throughout the trial. “said it was.” Gregory in- The Chronicle this week, refuted nesday, March 17, 1965, records will decide the championship for in 8 Judge C. Bruce Littlejohn Defense attorney Marshall spected the weapon and told a statement purported to have that the resolution reached the the Upstate Class AA Conference , Spartanburg. Abercrombie served notice of the officers it was his, Ward been made before the- County Senate and Senator Dobbins Play by play will be by Bill The slender, crew-cut de- appeal and requested that the said. Grand Jury last week by Repre- amended and passed it through Hogan and color will be by Lewis fendant told the court before he court set bond whSe appeal Ward’s testimony was admit- sentatives Marshall Abercrom- the Senate and ordered it return- Bagwell, Jr. was sentenced, “I’m sorry it was pending. ted in evidence over objections hie and J. C. League. ed to the House for Mr. Aber- The statement was that (as re- crombie’s and Mr. League’s ap- ported) “a new courthouse bill proval. House Journal No. 39 of had been passed by the House Thursday, March 18, 1965, re- (during the 1965 session) and sent cords that Mr - Abercrombie and Whitsel Chosen To Play in Shrine Bowl Joel Whitsel star Clinton High Charles Buice, parade chair- tQ the Senate and no more has Mr. League approved the Senate halfback, has been chosen to play from a door leading into the man lor the Merchants Dlvis- becn from the biu room.’ A .82 calibre pistol also lon of Chamber ol Com- nohhins in his letter 11011 P assed ' * i aw. n mprn» h«« n sir pH that anv- oenator uoooins, in nis letter, A „ n r *»,, amendments and thus the resolu- on the Carolina team in the Shrine Bowl football game to was found on the floor of the merce, has asked that any- As of the date of this letter . room, he said. Its ownership was one wishing to enter a float or j di „ and produces rec^ 1116 members of the committee be P layed ,n Charlottt, N. C., on not determined. unit in the Christmas Parade •“ f have not been appointed. Under Saturday, December 4. Although no witnesses to the notify him at Maxwell Brothers Thp records show Dobbins the P rovisions of the resolution, Whitsel is the latest in a long shooting were found, officers Furniture Store as preparations sai(] that the biU (or r esolutio n) t* 16 members must be appointed line of Clinton players named quoted Beck’s estranged wife, are being made for the parade came t0 ^ 5*^ from ^ and Uie committee organized by over years as members of the 16-year-old Patsy Ann Beck, as Thursday. December 2. Housef wag amended and pawed H i^A^rerortS^Sd team to represent the state in the Senate, was returned to the League as anxious to get the game sponsored by Shrine or- House where Representative, Ah- m ganlzaUon, in the states of South ercrombie and League concurred as their statements before Carolina and North Carolina for in the amendments and the reso- ^ grand th jury indicate, men I the benefit of the Greenville Crip- lution passed. suggest that we get together and P^d Children’s Hospital. Senator DohMn. further stotes, ^ J com . A simllar te , ra has been chosen it appears that Mr. Abercrom- mittee from Senior high school players fng m eye'o^lSislaton^S The P e °P le who have heard me t0 re P re8ent No ? h Carolina. The speak at various civic clubs teams will spend a week in prac- r^n^«i y A^mhW“ throughout the county this year tice sessions prior to the game. hvSL- know that I want Laurens Coun- Whitsel, with his familiar No. ^ y ty to have a new courthouse and 40, has become an outstanding jail combined, with adequate off- figure in high school football, ice space for county, state and scoring a total of 18 touchdowns PC to Award Honorary Degree to Dr. B. O. Whitten Dr. Benjamin Otis Whitten, re tired superintendent of Whitten Village, will be honored by Pres- byteran College with an honorary doctor of humanities degree on December 5, it was announced today. PC President Marc C. Weer- sing said the presentation will be made as part of a program which will also include the dedi cation of Clnton Hall women’* dormitory. He said the board of trustees had recently voted to honor Dr. Whitten in recogni tion of his years of service ^t Whitten Village. Dr. Whitten, who has resided ill Clinton since-he first arrived to establish the institution in 1918. announced his retirement several weeks ago from his positon as tor Dobbins; int-if federal dffices, located on a site during the current season. His The article on the Grand Jury ^ an area ^ the coach, Claude Howe, regards him Report on the Laurens County dty or on ^ outskirtg o£ ^ as one 0 f the two or three best Courthouse which appeared in Qf the building planned backs in the state. Ctaonide'rtrted “t™' SuS al,d 10 He Is the son of Mr. Mid Mrs. Sslative Delegation members Itelv^'u,? ^t'h™ Edgar Wh “ ! ‘ !l J °‘ ,ma Reps. MarshaU Abercrombie and dre^ vears ^ f ^ 1 h Jake League, appeared before t would aDoreciate if vou would the grand jury and It was brought J * pp , at f “ w a u , . aCa wi,, print this letter in its entirety in out that a new courthouse bill y l t , . ~T __ your next edition so that the er- had been passed by the House “ . “ * r j roneous remarks concerning my and sent to the Senate and no “ J “ . , .. actions on the courthouse legis- more has been heard from the , “ . * ‘.v,,, la tion be publicly corrected. D1 „ ^ a a . . —WILLIAM C. DOBBINS If such a statement was made sute M snail Laurens County Gregory was the 11th and by defense attorney Marshall final witness for the defense Abercrombie. Presiding Judge during the final day of trial. Bruce Littlejohn of Spartan- He said the shooting occurred burg ruled the testimony ad- during a scuffle in a parked missable after hearing it in the truck over possession of a absence of the jury. It was lat- mbney box that held receipts er repeated for the jury, of a grocery store he'operated ward was one of seven wit- for his son in the Lydia Mill ness e 8 called Wednesday by community. Solicitor William T. Jones. Gregory testified that Har Harris , was found lying ris, who had been drinking. fflce Qn street near came to the grocery store at his home in ^ Lydia MU1 about 8:30 p. m„ December 27, community about 1:4 5 a. m., Vtrd Invited him to have a Dec ^ He had heen ^ in .j . , , . ,. the chest near the heart. The .He said they dran* a haa- body had minor abrasions on the left ear, shoulder and el bow. Two men returning from a coon hunt spotted the body and piqt of whiskey in the truck outside the store and that Har ris then asked him to take him to pulffhase more whiskey. According ‘to Gregory’s testi- "Sier^oUce. mom they drank some more u M N Ca , fn ter ,h .7 Cl ' S :', d Enforcement the establishment for the n ght. State Law Division ballis- t .... . .. . . tics expert, testified Thursday Gregory testified they bought ^ a slub ldenU(ied as me JOEL WHITSEL superintendent. He had held this post for 47 years and built the DR. WHITTEN by Representatives institution into one of the finest Abercrombie and Jake League, of its kind In the country. In appreciation for his work that statement is false and mis- . From the early beginning as a the parents of the institution in leading, and it appears Mr. Aber- VA/r JL'pDer At national pioneer in the field of 1954 Presbyterian College To Dedicate Buildings additional whiskey about mid night, then drove to Harris* home; but that Harris asked him not to stop. He - said they drove to the rear of the Harris home and that they stopped on Cedar St. Gregory said that after two ol three drinks here, Harris began accusing him of “buy ing the grocery store” when he (Harris) wanted it. fatal bullet was fired from a pistol identified in earlier tes timony as that of Gregory. Jerry Satterfield, a nephew of the victim, who lives near where the body was found, testified he had seen the de fendant and Harris together in a truck earlier on the night of Harris’ death. He said that from his home about 1:30 a. m. he heard three shots but when Gregory testified that Harris . ,. ... „ . grabbed the money box, ••slap- coul ? se0 noth “ g , ,rom ? e ped me a dozen times, knocked my glasses off then hit me with a bottle." Gregory testified he , . . “once or twice" and that Har- Presbyterian College is plan- past year. They were completed rjs turned lhe box loose, open- , „ .. ning a big dedication ^weekend, £ ^ ^ ed th e truck door and go. out. ^.r^rive'down house he did not leave the house. He said he heard a “blump, blump” sound a min- fired ute * ater » tben stiU a few ntdn * utes later heard a vehicle crank up. He said that from prevailed upon the state crombie and Mr. League are not Mniintvill* ^nf-urrlnv ature to change the name keeping an eye on legislation per- "lOUHTYIlie ^aruraay mental health Dr. Whitten over- legislature to change _ ^ ■ „ ^ came odds in gradually win- from the State Trailing School to taining to Laurens County as tt ning pubic acceptance and port of the work, and In bund ing the operation to it* present caoacity of more than 2.500 chil- bile. W* “* Ule repwrv M uwi a um. n iu aivcuututw «* —- - , ot _ pn _ ^ntp dren. Along the way, he became B. O. Whitten )2j t a native of ia a Concurrent Resolution. It will be U. S. Rep. Albert Jfat- ^ id g ‘^rams in behaR of Clim ; . .. „ . , _ ttii. -i——_a — a twt erx»x c. Happv np»it. HpaH arate programs in oenau w featuring two outstanding state 66 session in September The The defendant said he then leaders as keynote speakers in third structure the new science to ^ man , s ^ dedicating two new buildings the building, ^as delayed at^the out- 0n Wednesday the opennig vehicle easy. Ralph Duncan and -Jimmy The MouatvUle Republican pre- w« k end of December «a, oil the trial. Devuly SUS ™«^**ZL** place and to his constant efforts in Columbia for training in ply- or replacing the Laurens County ficials to rehabilitate as many chldren chiatry ad came from there to as possible for return to their establish the Clinton instituton for own homes. the state in 1918. CHS Junior Class Play Slated for Friday Night in an advisory capacity. He turn- lege. After the first three years in solution provides tor me appoint- party, mie* ^.monious weekend is ed down attractive offers else- private medical practice, he join- ment of a committee of five to the Laurens County RepubUcan ™ FrWay?Dec! where to dedicate his life to this ed the staff of the State Hospital study the feasibility of renovating party, and other state GOP of- JJe ^reguUr morning chapel program centered around Greenville Hall. Speaker Mickel will be part of a Greenville con tingent on hand to help dedicate the bifilding, named for Green ville County supporters who un derwrote much of the $500,000 cost. By Missy Waasang patient father. Hildegarde’s little A convocation on Sunday after- For the past few weeks the sister and constant shadow ia noon, December 5,. will feature run^n High School junior play played by Lhcille McSween. Hfl- Governor McNair and the pres- cast has been busily rehearsing degarde’s also has two mischlev- entation of an honorary degree to for their production of “We Shook ous, younger brothers. Bob, the Dr. B. O. Whitten of Clinton as the Family Tree," which is di- older one, 1$ played by Pepper part of the program dedicaung reeled by Miss Eloise Miller and Bond, and Jimmy, the younger Clinton Hall. , , . Mrs. N. P. Robinson. The play one/ Is played by Johnny Ful- It’s an occasion of special sig- will be given on Friday night at mer. nificance. Local residents sub- 8 o’clock in the High School au- Phyllis Martin portrays six - scribed the entire $500,000 cost of ditorium. year - old Paige, who loves to PC’s first women’s dormitory, The three-act comedy revolves play postman. Ellie-May, Bob's which this fall ushered in a new around 16-year-old HUdegarde, heartthrob, is played by Kathie era of full, coeducation. And col- who i« desperately trying to get Rimer. Donna Brannon plays lege offleals felt it fitting at a date for the Mg dance. Her Jill, her faithful friend. this time to pay honor to one of mother, la trying to help, lines up Freddie Shermer, whose plight Clinton’s foremost citizens, Dr. n date with a nice boy she knows, has given him an inferiority comp Whitten. , . Poor HOdegarde! Her mother plex, ia portrayed by Ronnie Both proprams will be held in has picked Freddie Shermer, the Johnson. Susan Davenport plays Belk Auditorium and win in- only Bby in the school who wears Mrs. Shermer, who babies her- elude litanies of dedication prior knickers. self as well as Freddie. Mr. Sher- to movng to the new buildings Playing the part of dramatic mer, a stiff, pompous man. Is for final eitertainment. Hildegarde, whose Imagination portrayed by diaries Fuller. Clinton Hall and GreenvUle often gets her Into trouble, Is The prompter for "We Shook Hall are two of three air-coodl- Kayran Opt, Jacobs play* the Family Tree" is If ora Oe- tioned buildings which have been har tt**— and and Bart Turner is in under construction on the Presby- Henry Adair plays her not so charge of sound effects. terian College campus for the Coilukm on S. Broad St This IMS Ferd, Si., waa la eoDialsn Isa of Greenweed W< at 8. by Eddie Ray Barkar of Ml a ear driven by Babart 18, at Al- ttm wagea ahead *f Mas drivea by a bey at* a right tnra. Barkar pni m Ms brakes aad | b*e the “ At College Program Presbyterian College held a successful Textile Ex ecutives Day program on campus last Friday, with 70 textile officials from South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia joining PC students in participation. Four of the leaders are pictured-here left to right: President Marc C. Weersing; James A. Chapman, Jr., of Spartan burg, president of Inman Mills and a PC trustee, who presided; Henry Lovett of Kingstree, president of the Presbyterian student body; and Wayne J. Holman, treasurer of Johnson & Johnson, who delivered the key note address.—Yarborough Photo. tion of Larens County. They reported it to Clinton police and returned to the scene. According to their testimony, a son of the defendant, Jimmy Earl Gregory, 27, was near the bodyi when they returned with Officers Ed Marse and LL Marvin Stewart. Duncan told how the three hunters went with the younger Gregory to the defendant’s home. Bagwell testified that he went into the house with the younger Gregory and found he • defendant in a chair, and that the elder Gregory "looked as if he were asleep." Bagwell also said he accompanied the de fendant and two of his sons to the Clinton jail. Mrs. Juanita Harris, widow of the slain man, said she last saw her husband alive at 8:45 p. m., Dec. 27, 1964. She said he was (hrinking earlier in the afternoon but did not appear intoxicated when be left their home, where he left his wal let, but took about $100 In cash with him leaving $118 in tha wallet. Only 37 cents was found m the body and returned to bar by a mortician she said. ’ Sheriff R. Eugene Johnson substantiated testimony of ear lier investigating officers and related his part in the invaMft- gallon.