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Thursday, February 27, 2020

Kent Greer to be Tried on White Slavery, Car Theft Charges, February, March 1920

From The Rockingham Post-Dispatch, Thursday afternoon, February 26, 1920

Hearing of Kent Greer on White Slavery Charge to be Held Before Commissioner Guthrie Friday Afternoon at 2 o’clock

As noted briefly in last week’s Post-Dispatch, J. Kent Greer was arrested by U.S. Marshal Tomlinson of Fayetteville on Thursday afternoon, February 19th, shortly after the Greer robbery trial had ended. He was carried into U.S. Commissioner H.L. Guthrie’s office and allowed to give a $1,000 bond for his appearance for a preliminary hearing February 27th.

This hearing will take place before Mr. Guthrie tomorrow (Friday) afternoon at 2 o’clock.

Kent Greer, who was last Thursday bound over to superior court, April 5th term, to answer to the charge of conspiracy to commit highway robbery, is now charged with white slavery. It is for this that he must appear before Mr. Guthrie. It is alleged that he and W.R. Clinard, who was killed the 14th by a Richmond county posse in self-defense, spent Thursday night, February 12th, at the Cheraw hotel with two women whom they had brought from Greensboro. That they got several of the colored bell boys drunk, and “cut up Jack” in general; and it is reported that then the Covington hotel clerk asked Kent was he married, that Kent is said to have replied, “Yes, and here is my license”—at the same time shoving a pistol against the clerk’s side.

The Post-Dispatch will in next week’s issue give in full the evidence that develops at the hearing tomorrow.

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From The Rockingham Post-Dispatch, Thursday afternoon, March 4, 1920

Kent Greer Bound to March 30th Term of Federal Court Under $1,000 Bond on White SlaveryCharge..  Details of Evidence Before Commissioner Guthrie at Hearing Last Friday

As a result of a hearing before U.S. Commissioner Henry L. Guthrie at Rockingham, in the Clerk’s office, last Friday afternoon, Feb. 27th, J. Kent Greer was bound over to Federal Court under $1,000 bond. The next term begins March 30th at Laurinburg.

The charge against Greer is white slavery, or, as the Federal warrant reads “that J. Kent Greer did unlawfully carry certain females from North Carolina into South Carolina for immoral purposes, in violation of an act of Congress known as the ‘Mann Act.’”

The above warrant was served on Kent Greer by Deputy Marshal J.W. Tomlinson of Fayetteville on Thursday afternoon, Feb. 19th, at 5:30, just after the magistrate’s trial had concluded, wherein Kent was bound over to April 5th term of Superior Court under $3,000 bond on the charge of conspiracy to commit highway robbery, this being a part of the sensational hold-up of Robert Steele Jr. on Feb. 13th, as a direct result of which one man, W.R. Clinard, was killed, and the other robber, Robert Greer, is on $10,000 bail for April 5th term. After serving the warrant, Kent was allowed to give $1,000 bond for appearance for trial Feb. 27th.

And so the hearing took place before Commissioner Guthrie Friday afternoon, last.

Representing the Government were Ex-Solicitor A.M. Stack of Monroe, James Lockhart of Wadesboro, and W.S. Thomas of the Thomas & Phillips law firm (Mr. Phillips at the time being sick at Laurinburg with flu). Appearing for the defendant were T.J. Gold and Leonidas Williams of High Point, and Walter R. Jones of Rockingham. Sitting at the defense table with the defendant and attorneys were his brother, U.S. Greer, and brother-in-law, W.F. Taylor, both of High Point.

Father of Greer’s Wife

The first witness called to the stand by the Government was the father of Kent Greer’s wife—J.R. Long of High Point. By Mr. Long the Government proved that Kent Greer is a married man, his wife the daughter of Mr. Long, and on or about Feb. 13th Mrs. Greer was sick and that Kent Greer was out of town for three days during that time.

The defense put no questions to him.

Cheraw Hotel Clerk

Next witness was James Simmons Felder of St. Matthews, S.C., and at present clerk at the Covington Hotel at Cheraw, S.C. Felder is a youth probably 18 years old. He testified that on Thursday night, Feb. 12th, two strangers and two women arrived at the hotel. That one of the two men (this man is supposed to have been W.R. Clinard, deceased), came to the desk and registered as “J.R. Borwn and wife,” and immediately under his name he registered for the other man as “C.F. Baileyi and wife,” and gave their address as “Charlotte.” While “Brown” was registering, “Bailey” was standing 20 feet distant talking with the two women. After registering, the clerk gave the room keys to a colored bell boy and assigned “Brown and wife” to room 57. He wore that the four left the hotel the next day (Friday, 13th) about 1:30 o’clock in a green Hudson Speedster.

Negro Bell Boys Drunk

The next witnesses were three colored bell boys of the hotel, and each of these three were made drunk by liberal partaking of a bottomless jug from the rooms of “Brown and Bailey.” That gallon jug has played a prominent part—the leading role, as the theatrical people might say—in all the subsequent unfortunate happenings. And from the many gallons that jug evidently must have contained, it would seem that it had a wonderful faculty for expansion.

The first of the three bell boys examined was Paul Poe, a rather thick-headed coal-black boy of 20 or thereabouts. He testified that he was given the keys to rooms 50 and 57 on the night of Feb. 12th by the hotel clerk and escorted to these rooms two couples who had registered as man and wife. That he left the “Brown and wife” at room 50 and “Bailey and wife” at room 57. That later the four were in room 50 and had some sandwiches, and when he returned one of the men told him to get a drink. He said he poured from a jug on the bureau a swallow. There is an old saying that one swallow does not make a summer—but evidently one swallow from that jug made Paul a very drunk boy. His “swallow” must have been of camel-like proportions. At any rate, he testified that the next time he saw any of the four was when he passed the room later and saw “Bailey” and a woman in bed.

The defense then gave Paul a severe cross examination, conducted by Attorney Jones. Mr. Jones asked him could he recognize the two men if he saw them again. Paul answered yes. “Are the two in this room?” asked Mr. Jones. “Yes, sir.” “Point them out, then.” And Paul proceeded to point out Kent Greer as “Mr. Bailey,” and then pointed out U.S. Greer, a brother of Kent, who has no connection with the case, as “Mr. Brown.” The defense made much of this, endeavoring to show that it the witness could make such a mistake as identifying U.S. Greer for “Mr. Brown,” then he must and could be mistaken in the rest of his evidence.

Jerome Poe, the second bell boy, testified that he saw the man “Bailey” and “Brown” in room 50, with two women, about noon on Friday, 13th. That they appeared to be feeling especially “good.” And that one of the men offered him a drink from the same old jug. He drank—and got drunk.

Marion Wilson, the third bell boy, carried ice water to room 50 Friday afternoon about 1 o’clock. “Brown and Bailey” and two women were in there. Marion likewise was offered a drink, and too polite to decline, he took a wee slug from the l. o. j.—and forthwith walked among the stars. Verily, that little old jug contained “some” kick.

Hotel Manager Testifies

B.P. Wallace, the manager of the hotel, testified that the two men and two women left the hotel about 2 o’clock Friday afternoon, Feb. 13th, in a green Hudson Speedster, the man “Bailey” driving. He identified positively J. Kent Greer as the man who was registered as “Bailey,” and whom he saw leave the hotel in the Hudson Speedster.

Connecting Up

The Government then introduced several witnesses to show that Kent Greer has passed through North Carolina with two women.

G.W.C. Rush of Biscoe, testified that a green Hudson Speedster passed Biscoe Thursday afternoon, Feb. 12th, and stopped in front of his store. That he recognized Kent Greer as the driver; that two women were also in the car. They came from towards the north and were headed south.

Sam E. Covington, chief of police in Rockingham, testified to seeing a green Hudson Speedster drive slowly up the street of Rockingham shortly after 7 o’clock on Friday night, 13th. On the front seat were a a man and two women.

E.E. Hamer, night policeman of Rockingham, testified to seeing a green Hudson Speedster, with ma man whom he thought looked like Kent Greer on front seat, with two women beside him, drive down the Main street about 8 o’clock, and that when the man observed a big crowd gathered with guns around a Ford Coupe, he instantly quickened his speed and turning the courthouse corner literally shot down the hill and away.

Government Rests

At this point, after evidence lasting an hour and a half, the Government rested its case.

The attorneys for the defendant asked permission of the Commissioner to retire with the defendant for a conference. They went into the vault of the Clerk’s office, and in five minutes returned and stated that the defense would put on no evidence at this time.

Probable Cause Found

Commissioner Guthrie thereupon announced that probably cause existed and bound Greer over to the Federal Court that meets at Laurinburg March 30, placing his bond at $1,000. This bond was signed by U.S. Greer and W.F. Taylor, brother and brother-in-law of Kent. Commissioner Guthrie made each of the bondsmen swear that he was worth more than $1,000 personal property, over and above all encumbrances.

And so ends for the present the charges against Kent Greer of white slavery. The next chapter will be unfolded in the Federal Court.

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From The Rockingham Post-Dispatch, Thursday afternoon, March 4, 1920

Kent Greer to be Tried at June Term of Court at Danville, Va., for Car Stealing

J. Kent Greer was to have been tried in Court at Danville, Va., last Tuesday. He is charged with stealing an automobile from a man named Seth Taylor of that city. He was under $1,000 bond to appear for trial. At the appointed time Tuesday he appeared in court at Danville, but when it was explained to the Judge that he was to face trial in Rockingham in April for highway robbery and White Slavery, the Judge continued the case against him until the June term of Danville Court. His bond was thereupon renewed at $1,000.

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