t 1
' ' . -:—
Examination of Witnesses Ended at
3:40 This Afternoon*-Counse! Agree
on 3 1-2 Hours Argument for Each
LAWSOP ONLY ONE OF FLOGGERS
RECOGNIZED BY MRS. WATSON
Say* She Doe* Not Believe Her Brother John
Hedgpeth Raiaed Hi* Hand Again*t Her—
Believ^* Her Hu*hand Cauae of It All—Norine
Wataon and Ariato Purvi* Swear to Recogniz
ing Cither Two Defendant*—Alibi Bullded for
Lawaon by Many Witne**e* Con*iderahly
Weakened—Keith File* An*wer That He Ha*
Ne Record* of Klan and Ha* Not Seen Them.
Trial of Mike Lawson, John Hedgpeth and
Julc Brogdeh on charges growing out or the flog
ging of two women near Proctor ville on the night
of Apiil 14, which began Tuesday morning, is
nearing its close. At &*4P this afternoon examina
tion of witnesses was ended and counsel agreed to
limiting Argument to seven hours, three and a half
hours for each Side. Only a feW Witnesses Were put
on by the State this afternoon and counsel lor de
fense rented after putting on a few witnesses in re
buttal. . , ; ,
This prospect of rapid closing of the trial
eliminate# the probability of a night session, which
had been egbeeted. , <
Mrs. Mhry Watson, one of the victims of the
Hogging Oh the night of April [4 At PtOctOrviH.
on changes growing out of which ^ flogging Mike
Lawson, Jule Brogden and John Hedgpeth are be
ing tried in Superior court here, swore on the
sta'nl this morning that Lawson was the only one
of the men L.hc recognized, that he Was the one who
used the strap. She said she did notheliev. her
brother John had ever lifted h.s hand against her
and that she !oved him and would gladly change
pia^es with him if she could. Her husband Sam
Watson, she said, is meaner than °!daatan wants
him to be and was the cause of her and the chiidren
being at the home of Mrs. Hattie Purvis, the other
vtctum dtatjnght. ^ ^ her husband was the
cause of the whole thing and she gave even more
evidence than she gave at the fust hearing- Many
were looking for her to say that 'h.dH n.tr<*°Er
nirc any
ung ror ncr tv --- . -j
of the men. but,they were disappointed
as abe
told emphatically of recognizing Mike Law
on.
No' ne Wasson gave positive testi
mony as to rf^r.-*n'7in? .iule Brogden
on account of his eyes, and Ansto
Purvis was certain he recogntrcd
3ohn Hedgpeth.
Strong Alibi ^ eakcned.
The strong aiibi which the
defense had buiit up for Lawson
were in some instances tom com
^ieteiv down this morning and on!y
a few were left standing in a pro
minent light, after the State had put
cn a number of witnesses fcr that
purpose. The defense used many
things against the witnesses and
were in some cases impeaching,
where the witnesses admitted to
having ^d trouiie with Lawson
about liquor.
The strongest testimony offered
by the state was that of Mr. E. G.
MRfheH, who swore that he saw a car
parked near the station in Fairmont
about 9 o'clock on the night in ques
tion and saw the defendant Mike
Ltwson and P. P. Smith get into the
car and drive off in one direction of
Pmctorviiie. Counsel for the defense
did not try to impeach his testimony
with any of the other methods pre
viously used on the seif-admitted
partakers of iiquor.
Keith Says He Hasn't the Records.
Mr. V. W. Keith, an attorney of
Fairmont, fiied answers yesterday
with Clerk of the Court C. B. Skipper
to the duces tecum subpoenas served
on him Wednesday at the instance of
counsel for the prosecution to pro
duce in court records of the Fair
mont kiavern of the Ku Klux Kian
showing list of officers and members
und any communications from or to
H U Taliaferro, alleged Ku Klux
Khm detective, in regard to Logging
of women at Proctorville, or hearing
upon the aiieyed theft of robes or
helmets from the Fairmont hlavem
Mr. Keith makes answer that he is
not in possession of and has never
seen such records and places himself
at the further service of the court.
No answer had been recceived up
to noon today from Mr. E. r. Ran
dolph of Warsaw, alleged grand kla
!iff of the realm of North Carolina,
to a similar supoena mailed, to him
Wednesday.
Health Officer Describes Wounds
The State opened this morning by
offering Dr. E. R. Hardin, county
health officer, who testified .that he
examined Mrs. Purvis and Mrs. Wgt
on on the 20th of April, 6 days af
ter the flogging.
He described the wounds, and by
following his notes gave an exact
lescr^tion. There was a lot of. discol
oration and large bruises.
Miss Elisabeth Frye, county wel
fare officer, was called but failed to
Ricks Purvis, 10-year-old son of
Mrs Hattie Purvis, corroborated the
testimony previously offered as to
the appearance of the Ku Kiux and
happenings at the Purvis home.
How He Recognised Men
He described intelligently the way
the Klansmen were dressed and how
he was able to recognise Jule Brog
den, by his eyes and hands and John
Hedgpeth by the way he stood, and
his pants and shoes.
As he started out the door nfter
his mother, P. P. Smith poshed him
back he declared. The young mao
was somewhat confosed by a stiff
cross-examination when he tried to
explain the kind of grease he saw!
on Brogden's eyes. Like his brother,
Aristo, he said he was not afraid.
Mrs. Wttaoa on Stand
Mw. Mary Watson, one of tb*3
women flogged treat on the stand W
spite of ramors that the State
woaidn't offer her as a witness.
Coanse! for the defense sabpoened
the
her yesterday to ns* her in case
state did not pnt her on. She
her reason for going to Mrs. Parvis'
that she didn't want to stay at home
aim*. Mar husband toid her when he
!eft th*t he wonid be back some time
that night.
Her first few minutes on the stand
corroborated Mrs. Parvis' testimony
with the exception of the Mentifica
recognized-xzMiMi XZ#HR!B X3#iMHi
tion of the three men Mrs. PofVis
recognized. Contradicted W. R. Snr
ies testimony, stating that when she
was thrown in the car she saw W. R.,
Series standing on his perch looking!
at them,
Recognized Lawson
When they reached the church the
Ku Klua started to carry them In
aide Of the church but earned to the
aide. A big tall man took ont leather
strap and gaye it to Mike Lawson,
she said* They put something like a
floor sack over her head which did
not completely blindfold her, and
she easily recognized Mike Lawson.
"Didn't Get Enough"
She said she codld not swear that
the "judge" was P. P. Smith bdt She
would always believe it was Mm
She said that her hUsband Sam Said
"we got just what We deserved, and
if anything didn't get enough.*'
She said she was afraid to rOtUm
to Proctarville after the warrant was
issued, that she khew she had no
protection there* That part of
Norine's testimony relative td the
Klan coming baCk a few nights af
terwards Wds corroborated by Mrs.
Wat^tn. _ ,
Nothing UUt or the way
On cross-exaniindtidn Mrs. Was
son stated thai; she deyer sad' cr
hoard anyfhidg ddt of the way at
Mrs. Purvis'. Shd contradicted Nor
rne's testimony abodt Sappers Say
ing Conrad had jerked them off in
stead of Norine pulling them off.
"Meaner Than Satan Wanted"
She had been at Mrs. Purvis' sev
era! times with children and played
grafanolAL Her husband admitted to
her that h€ had eavesdropped Mrs.
Purvis' hodse when shd and fhd glfls
were there. She said her bu#8and was
"meaner Otan old SaMpi could wdnt
a man to be", and conttnued that site
wanted to be allowed to tell who
were the members of Sam Watson's
klan. The defense didh't care fof It.
She said Raydes Rarned wda a
man shw doesn't speah td.
Didn't Want to Ten
Mrs. Watsoh hdniitted that ehe
told some people Id the court house
she didn't know who did it and that
she was not going to tell anybody's
name until she had to. She explained
the reason for saying she didn't
know any df then! because she didn't
want to tell abotit
Mrs. Watson was the victim of
scorching questions by Mr. W. S
Britt abodt telling witnesses in case
that John KedgpSth had dothing to
do with it. She answered these by
saying that she does not believe that
John ever raised his hand to harm
her.
Sam Told Her to <lo
She testified to a rebuttal from
State counsel that Sam had told her
to go to Mra. Purvis'.
Saw Mike Lawson's car.
Wade Nye testified he was in Proc
torville on the night of Aprii 14th
and stayed paid of tim# at John K
Atkinson's. He said his car stopped
on road from Proctorviile to Fairmont
and a car with five men in it that he
had previously seen in Proctorviile
passed him. He remarked to his com
panions then that he would see that
car again, that it was Mike Law
son's. He swore he saw the same car
the next morning.
Raymond Inman, driver of the ear
which stopped on the road on account
of a puncture, corrobated Nye's
testimony.
On cross-examination he said he !ef t
Proctorviile just before 11 o'clock
and it was a few minutes after when
car passed them on road^ Mr. T. L.
Johnson used terrific energy in try
ing to tear down the witness' testi
mony relative to the time he left
Proctorviile. He was successful in
compelling the witness to admit he
had driven a car in town of Fairmont
and that he had trouble in Fayette
ville in the "red-light" district. The
witness denied telling Lawson that
he now had a chance to even up with
him for his past abuse.
H. H Atkinson was on !us way
from Geo Branch's store when he
saw the Ku KIux car going towards
Mrs. Purvis', only two men in it and
no number on car. Heard Ford start
up in front of Series' store, after
hearing a whistie; heard the noise
at Mrs. Purvis'; went to Mrs. Purvis'
after the Ku Kiux left.
Gay BuMock and Fairmont record
er's court Judge A. E. Fioyd testified
they were with Inman and Nye and
partly corroborated the testimony.
Didn't See Lawson in Z Hours
R. R. Turbevilie, policeman in
Fairmont on the night of Aprii 14th,
testified he saw La^rsod between 8:30
and , 9 and no nidM till ll!15. Lawson
toid hip he was #oing hdHbo about 9
o'clock, that he was sick, he said.
On cross-examination he denied
Lawson to!d him to look out for some
drunks, bat admitted he had been
drank himseif in Fairmont. Denied
having applied for Lawson's job since
this affair.
Saw Lawson After ii
Jno. D. Parvis said he drove np to
barber shop after 11 p. m., at same
time Mike drove up. Heard Torbe
ville ask him about going home
early. Said Mike asked Tarbeville if
there was any drunks in town that
night
Mn cross-exanunatton ne aannueo
to being drunk add paying fines.
Lawson didn't arrest MiB that night.
R. G. Mitcheii saw a Ford car park
ed near station, saw Mike and P. P.
Smith get in car and drive toward
depot, crossing raiiroad about 9:15,
one of the ways to Proctrviiie. Oth
ers were in car, in the back seat.
un cross-exammatton aeienses
counsc] tried to. show that they got
into the cat and went in the direction
of P. P. Smith's home.
Mr. E. B. Hayes stated he went
home at about nine o'clock, Mr. M.
G. Mitcheil accompanying him.
Got time Mixed tip
Thursday afternoon's grind con
sisted of a renewed effort to estab
lish an alibi for each of the defend
ants. prove good characters for them
and further impeach the character
of Mrs. Hattie Purvis. Partial ali
bis were shown by character wit
nesses W. F. Mitchell, Glenn Ashiey
and Roy Johnson in the early after
Getaoin xzfiff xzMMMi xzMfrfR fH
noon. 8. G. Floyd was considerably
confused by the cross examination
when his testimony as he had just
given !t contradicted the signed let
ter jof her husband was being sharply
heating, in which he testified that
I^aweon was in hi# place of busi
ness between the HMh'S of 9 and 10.
His testimony at this trial differed
considerably as to the time.
Mrs. Mike Lawson on Stand
Mrs. Mike Lawson, wife of one of
the , defendants and Who hotly pro
tested out in court when the charac
ter of her husband was being Shdryiy
handled Wednesday, took the stand
and offered an alibi for her accused
husband, corroborating his testimony
as to the time he returned home on
the night of the alleged flogging and
the time he atC bis 3Upper. Accord
ing to her testimony, Lawson came
home'at H o'clock, the clock striking
just as he entered the house. She was
not confhsed by the cross examina
tion; which wds Mach milder than
was expected by the large crowd of
people With hdngfy auditory nerves
About the Lights
The, question df the lights going
out in Proctorville at a certain time
was practically settled when Mr
Walter Nance, who testified that he
was in charge of the plant, told that
the switch controlling the lights was
of the automatic kind and that he
had it sSt that bight to go off
at 10 o'clock^ On account Of U severe
storm the day before, he explained
that the switch or clock had been
thrown out of adjustment and it was
necessary for him to cal! Mr. 0. M.
Reaves to help adjust the automatic
part. He swore that he had asked
Mrs. Purvis about the whipping and
she told him a few days later that
she did not receive one.
A Little More Flogging
Despite the warnings of Judge N.
A. Sinclair regarding laughter, the
packed court room rocked when Mr.
Nance on cross examination was ask
ed if he did not say that It would
be the thing to do if the klan would
come to Lumberton and flog Mr.
Sharpe, editor of The Robesonian,
and give a little to Mr. McIntyre, the
prosecuting attorney. Mr. Nance
stated that It was generally rumored
over that part of the county that Mr.
Sharpe was trying to prejudice the
puMic against the defendants, but
flatly denied making any such state
ments.
Messrs. A. a. mompson, A. <*.
Floyd, D. R. Mitchell, P. B. Thomp
son, R. L. Owens, S. W. Floyd, Oscar
Abbott, W. J. Walters, Will Barnes
and Frank McLeod testified in suc
cession as to the good character of
the defendants and the other wit
nesses who had been used in an ef
fort to estabhsh anms.
Fonr Women Testify
Four women from ProctorvtHe fol
lowed these men for the same par
pose. Mrs. I. P. Graham wss the first
on the stand and fnMiHed the desire
of the defence as to the character of
Mrs. Parvis. She stated that she did
not approve of the whipping bnt that
the matter shooid have been handled
by law. There was nothing unasua!
in the testimony of Mrs. W G.
Nanee, a character witness. Mrs. H
Bames was the subject of a short
cross - examination after she had
testified as to the character of Mrs.
Purvis. She didn't approve of the
whipping, but didn't go to see how
badly the women were hurt. She
said that the women should have
been indicted, but explained her rea
son for not doing so by the fact that
she did not know how to go ^about
it. She admitted that Mrs. Purvis
MM her eMldrda *3 Sunday School,
hat stated that she had invitad Mrs
Purvis to church, bat aba Wouldn't
come.
Mrs. K. Barnes said that she had
talked earnestly with Mrs. Watson
and pleaded with her to atop the row
and commotion at her home, and
that she would not, and she did not
go about her any more. At thla point
the defense rested.
Had Tia*e Wrong.
The prosecution came bach with
renewed vigor and had a large num
ber of additional witnesses sworn.
The offensive was launched by recal
ling to the stand Conrad Purvis; son
of Mrs. Hattie Purvis, who contra
dicted Ernest Branch's testimony re
lative to the time Mike Lawson eras
in Proctorville. Conrad testified that
Mike and P. P. Smith went Into Geo
Branch's store at first dark. He also
stated that Mrs. Stone had testified
wrong about Ms telling her that they
did not know who did the whipping.
Nortne Watson's 8tery.
Miss Norlne Watson told a straight
story of the happening on the night
of April 14th and corroborated the
testimony of Mrs. Purvis relative to
the happenings at the house before
her mother, Mrs. Mary Watson, and
Mrs. Purvis were taken out by the
masked men. She was positive about
recogmzing Jute Broaden on account
of his eyes, which were showing
piainiy through eyeholes n his hood,
which had been cut too large. When
the masked men took the women out
of the house two of them shoved her
and her sister Netheiie down the
street and to!d them to go home. She
went to the home of Mr. John Atkin
son, where she stayed unti! her moth
er and father came for them.
Pitiful T*!e of Pain and Wee.
The most pitifu! part of the evi
dence Offered daring the day waa
when she next to!d of how badly her
mother was' beaten and how she sat
on the bed with her a!! night, expat#"
ing her to die every minute, and see
ing her suffer such awfu! pain. A hit
of new evidence was brought to the
surftce when she to!d of some men
coming to her house a few nights in
ter and talking to her from the outside
where she couid not see them. They
to!d her that they were members of
the, Ku Kiux Kian and that they had
come back to te!i her that they had
ieamed they were mistaken about her
character^and wanted to beg her par
don. They aiso stated that they came
from a distance, and that aha would
continue to have the good will of the
kian if she would not go to Mrs. Pur
vis' any more.
On cross examination she could not
explain the coior of Brogden's eyes
but toid counsel for the defense that
they were different and easy to rec
ognize.
Recognized John Hedgpeth.
Aristo Parvis, the second son of
Mrs. Purvis to testify, toid a firm
story of the happenings of the night;
and his voice was strong despite the
few breaks caused by using all .sur
plus breath in making his story heard.
He is oniy 13 years old but the de
fense did not win a victory on cross
examination of him. He made the
best description of coming of the rob
ed men and said his reason for re
cognizing John Hedgpeth waa that
his cioak "Mowed apart" up to and
above his kneees so that he could get
a good view of the trousers and shoes
that he wore. He introduced new evi
dence when he stated that he aaw P.
P. Smith in the afternoon and asked a
boy who was selling saive to try to
sei! some to Mr. Smith. "But he
didn't buy one", he added in a low
tone. His testimony was concluded by
telHng how he waited on old Mrs.
Ratley when she complained of her
heart and caiied for water and pills.
He said he was not afraid of tha to
Kiux.
Same Size as Lawson.
Netbelie Watson, 13-year-oM
daughter of Mrs. Mary Watson and
considered by some the best wit
nesses offered since the beginning of
the triai, said that there was not any
difference in the size of Mike Lawson
and the man that hit her on the head
with a policeman's biiiy in Mrs. Pnr
vis* hoose when she screamed. Her
testimony was a complete corrobora
tion of her sister's testimony. She
contradicted the testimony of Mrs.
Nobles, who had testified for the de
fense that Sam Watson and Nethelie
came to her house about midnight and
asked her to come and help his wife,
saying that Sam Watson did the talk
ing. According to Netheiie, she was
the one that did the taiking and her
father did not say anything. A part
of her testimony different from any
other was that she did not recognise
any of the mashed men.
Lawson Ready With Answers
In cross examination yesterday
Mr. Stephen McIntyre asked Mike
Lawson numerous and searching
questions, but the witness was ready
with answers. He said when he call
ed Mr. Rouse the ugly names for
accusing him of being a newstoter
for the Ku Kiux Klan that he took
off his pistoi and handed it to some
one near by, but that some men step
ped between them. He said what Mr.
t Rouse accused him of he considered
as bad as what he caiied Rouse. He
was indicted for using ioud and pro
fane language and paid $1 fine.
When Raymon Inman made remarks
]t# him about the Ku KInx he ad
t
*"Ht*d aaying that any man who
said ha waa a Ku Max waa a (using
an opprobioaa epithet), hot did not
understand, and didn't think Inman
understood. that ha waa caiiing Mm
that. Ha hmoaantiy protested that ha
had heard and waa under tha im
praaaion that it waa not against tha
jaw to bat oy bail gamaa, but knaw
it wan unlawful to ahoot craps or an
gaga in some other forma of gaadd
ing, anawaring questions about hold
ing atakaa and paying over monay
to Fairmont men who covered a
Lumbarton man'a bet on a gama
that waa forfeitsd. Ha deniad empha
ticaiiy that Ma father-in-law, Mr.
Jacob fray, had aw aaid any harah
words to Mm orhadtoMMm that
if ha did not quit following tha Mu
Kiax and quit Ma maannaaa ha wouM
taka Ma daughter to Ma home.
AuAe^ Hmhh WMpptng
Tha Andrew Smith incident, where
in hooded man took charge of Smith
one night just after be had been
fined (Pd.75 & Recorder Floyd's
court in Fairmont and took Mm out
side of town and whipped Mm, was
home down upon heavily, but Law
son protaatad that ha did not sea tha
man untii they had gotten into their
cars and ware moving off. Ha taiked
about it to people on the street a
while, hq said, bat did not try to in
vastigata and did not know how ha
couid have found out about it. Ha aaid
the men caught Smith after ha left
the court Mem, where he had re^
mained became tha bondsman want
ed to giva him a check. The tria! had
been set for 7:30 and was held at
that time, after dark. <
KtanamaaViaited Negro *
When hooded Mansmen visited
Mach Tayior, nagro, at a time whan
Lawson had a topped there, innocent
ly, he aaid, merely to get water for
the parched inaidea of Ms new ear,
they acenaed Mm of being there to
get somgthing to drink. He aaid
Mach ran, and the hianamen acatter
ed and he vamosed himself, not
standing on the order hia going.
He aa{d he knew nothing about a
Ku King raid on Pittman Bamea
down in Coingthba connty.
fkMdhr TnfMoa#
When question ed about Sandy Me
Cwmdcit, LaWaon aaid that Sandy
?ot craay drunk one night and waa
threatening to hi!! everybody at Mb
(Sandy'a) home, and he took Ma gun
awhy from Mm end pat Mm M Mm
guard houaa. It took three men to
hoM Sandy, he aaid. Did not Mu*
Sandy'a gun or go to hia house with
klapsmen. Had not been anmaad a#
helping to ran a negro away who
hag net bopn seen since or of taking
Brooks tdvbsg^Meajt
taMng two young man out of Mr.
Rowland Bulloch's car at Jones'
swamp.
Dawson aaid he had not MM a
fight with Jack Edmund in Lumber
ton since court started last wash
Edmund aaid something to Mm about
trying to arrest him because he went
up and down the streets of Fairmont
yailing "Ashpole, Ashpole", and he
called Edmund a lie, but no blows
ware passed.
Just before having the etagd turn
son denied having been in Lumberton
on the Fourth of July and denied
having been in the office of hia at
torneys when P. P. Smith, H. L,
Taliaferro and V. W. Keith were pre
sent. He was on the stand exactly
one and three-quarters hours.
ToM Lawson to CoHeet.
Mr. H. G. Mitchell, an alderman of o
the town of Fairmont at the time of
the alleged flogging, testified that ho
directed Lawson to collect some tan
money on the night of April 14 aa
the town was in need of funds. He
was preparing to close the store
when Lawson came back from col
lecting, which was about 10 o'clock,
Lawson staying there just a few mi
nutes. He said that it was about 6
miles from Fairmont to ProctorviUe.
He gave Lawson a good character
and said that he was still employed
by the town aa chief-of-police. On
cross exanlTnation he said that he had
allowed Lawson to remain on duty,
carrying a pistol, after being held
under bond, for appearance to an
swer charges of the flogging. He ad
mitted hearing of the time when An
drew Smith was taken from the court
room by masked men, but didn't in
vestigate it. Denied membership in
, Man and stated he was not in sym
pathy with it.
Mr. C. E. Graham corroborated the
testimony of Lawson regarding the
purchasing of underwear a boat 10
o'clock, and gave Lawson a good
character. Admitted on cross exami
nation that be had been accused of
being a member of the Han bat said
he was not, and that he wouid tail it
if he was.
Lawson's testimony aiso was cor
roborated by M. B. McDanie! as to
the officer baying a shirt from hint
about 10 o'ciock. He admitted that he
saw Smith taken oat at Fairmont by
masked men and that he was in
sympathy with some things that thd
Ku El ax did, but denied membership.
Mr. J R Jacobs corroborated Law
son's testimony relative to seeing
Lawson in Grantham drag store be
tween 9:80 and 10 and ga*s Lawson
(Crnttamed on No*t PagO)