John Henfer Sentenced to 18 Months on Liquor Charge, His Sons Dock and Cecil on Trial For Murder, Jan. 1, 1921

Caught transporting liquor in less than three weeks after his two sons, Dock and Cecil Hefner, had been sentenced to the penitentiary for participation in the Glenn Lippard murder, John Hefner faced Recorder Pruitt yesterday afternoon, entered a plea of guilty merely to protect his legal rights, drew a sentence of 18 months in jail with the privilege of being hired out to Mecklenburg county and gave notice of appeal. He was represented by Attorney R.H. Shuford and only one witness, Chief of Police Lentz, was put on the stand by Prosecuting Attorney Joe Murphy to prove the state’s case. In sentencing Hefner, Recorder Pruitt said he realized that the defendant was not the worst liquor dealer in Hickory, though just now he had gained the most prominence, and declared it was his personal opinion that three or four other Hickory people higher up in the social scale were as bad if not worse than he. The recorder said that Hefner had told him a lie in court, that he had a good wife and had gone through much trouble, all of which facts he was taking into account. He believed, however, that if the Burke county affair wold not stop him, nothing else would, and the same sentence was given him that was imposed some time ago when Boib Cannon testified to getting liquor from him. Cannon left the state between the recorder’s sentence and the convening of the superior court. Recorder Pruitt said he recognized that Hefner was broken financially as a result of the expenses incidental to the Lippard trial but this liquor business, he said, has got to stop. The maximum sentence of two years could have been imposed, but the recorder only gave him 18 months. Mr. Shuford, who did not question the sentence in court, asked that Hefner be allowed to give bond until after the March term of Burke superior court so that the father could be present with his boys. Mr. Shuford said John would not leave the state but would attend to his personal business and be ready to start on his sentence after the Lippard affair is wound up. (From The Hickory Daily Record, Saturday evening, Jan. 1, 1921)