Thomas Clayton Guilty of Killing Deputy Sheriff W.C. Patrick, April 1921

Crowds Attend Trial of Clayton. . . New York Man on Trial for Slaying Deputy Sheriff Blue at Fayetteville

Fayetteville, April 15—The second day of the trial of Thomas R. Clayton of New York for the murder of Deputy Sheriff M.N. Blue here on January 28 began this morning with the cross-examination of Deputy Sheriff W.C. Patrick, who was the first witness placed on the stand by the State yesterday afternoon. The court room, this morning, as on the opening day, was packed with spectators, perhaps the largest crowd that has ever been drawn by a trial here. A large percentage of women were among the spectators.

Patrick has previously told the detailed story of the shooting. While Blue was reading the warrant for Clayton’s arrest, sworn out by A.A. Lindsey, charging assault with a deadly weapon, the witness testified, Clayton kept both hands in his overcoat pockets and several times moved is left hand. Patrick then touched Clayton on the shoulder and told him they were going to search him, when according to the witness, he jerked his left hand from the pocket with a pistol in its grasp, whereupon Blue drew his own pistol and ordered the former soldier to drop the gun, which Clayton refused to do and, when Blue attempted to strike the pistol from his hand, shifted it to his right hand and started shooting.

First Shot Hit Blue

The first shot struck Blue in the chest and the second in the small of the back, said Patrick, who declared that he then seized Clayton’s right arm with his left hand and that the latter fired two more shots while they struggled for possession of the gun, one of the shots striking him in the groin. Feeling himself growing weak, he called to Blue to shoot if he could. Blue then raised himself on his right elbow, said Patrick and fired over his left shoulder, when Clayton staggered away from the witness and fell to the ground.

An indication of one line to be followed by the defense asked many of the veniremen by John G. Shaw and H.L. Cook, who assisted the defendant counsel in selecting the jury. This question was whether or not the fact that the prisoner had volunteered during the world war, had served overseas and had been discharged from the army while stationed at Camp Bragg would prevent the potential juror from giving him a fair and impartial trial. Clayton’s war record was thus reviewed dozens of times during the afternoon.

Miss Lena Lindsey, whom Clayton had returned to this city to see, sat with the prisoner and his counsel, while her fther, who swore out the arrant that was being served on him when the homicide occurred, occupied a seat with the attorneys for the prosecution, as did the widow of Deputy Blue, who since his death in January has been remarried.

From the front page of The Dunn Dispatch, April 19, 1921. Clayton was found guilty and sentenced to 20 years in State Prison. You can read about the conviction at https://newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92074094/1921-04-22/ed-1/seq-1/.