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Thursday, July 29, 2021

How Sidney Kincaid Killed His Wife, July 28, 1921

Prominent Citizen of Burke Murders Wife. . . Sidney Kincaid, County Commissioner, Horrifies County—His Wife’s Throat Cut

Morganton, July 19—A member of the board of county commissioners, in jail charged with wife murder, is the new blot on Burke county’s record, the crime being directly traceable to blockade liquor. Sidney A. Kincaid, well-to-do farmer and merchant, is held for the murder of his wife last night at their home at Chesterfield, six miles from Morganton. The death instrument was a short-handled knife which Mrs. Kincaid was accustomed to using to peel fruit and vegetables.

The story of the tragedy is one of the most horrifying that has ever come from this section of the state. In former years Mr. Kincaid had been a drinking, reckless man but, due largely, it is said, to his wife’s influence, he had apparently reformed and his reformation was considered so complete that he had won the respect of his community and was elected last fall to membership on the cunty board. He was a good business man and had accumulated property to the value of probably $30,000.

Recently he had gone to drinking again, this grieving and worrying his wife who was devoted to him, and who thought of only how she might break him of the habit. She worked within the store they conducted at Chesterfield, which is not more than 50 yards from their beautiful country home. They had no children, but shared the home with Mrs. Kincaid’s mother, Mrs. Bettie Davis, and an invalid brother of Mr. Kincaid. According to the neighbors and Mrs. Davis, supper was prepared as usual last night and Mrs. Kincaid went repeatedly to the store to get Mr. Kincaid to come to the evening meal. She knew he was drinking, it is said, and probably wanted to get him home on that account. She and Mrs. Davis sat on the porch at the front of the house waiting for him. A salesman who wanted to demonstrate a lightning arrangement for the house waited for a while but finally left.

Shortly after 10 o’clock Mr. Kincaid came from the store, Mrs. Davis says, and went around the house and as he did so her daughter went through the hall to meet him and give him his supper, saying as she went, “Oh, will I have to put up with drunkness in the home again?” Mrs. Davis heard them talking on the back porch, she stated, and, though she could not distinguish what was said, the tones of their voices indicated that Mrs. Kincaid was remonstrating with her husband for drinking again. Mrs. Davis was attracted by what she described as a gurgling sort of noise and hurried to the porch to see what was happening. As she reached the hall door, she said, Mr. Kincaid had his hands around Mrs. Kincaid’s neck as if choking her and she rushed to them, asking, “Sidney, why are you choking Lillie?” As she pulled his hand away the warm blood gushed on her hand and Mrs. Kincaid fell, Mrs. Davis crying out, “You have killed Lillie, Sidney!” Summoning just strength to say “No, he hasn’t,” Mrs. Kincaid gasped her last.

Evidently realizing what had happened and sobered by the realization, the unhappy man threw himself down beside his wife and covered her hands and face with kisses, his moans and screams arousing the whole community, according to Mrs. Davis’ story. Neighbors were on the scene almost immediately, and they said that he acted like a wild man. They held him to keep him from carrying out his threats of self-destruction. He himself suggested that the sheriff be sent for and when officers arrived went with them willingly. Today he has begged piteously for the privilege of seeing his wife’s face just once more before she is buried.

Solicitor Huffman is in court in Lincolnton but is expected home tonight to arrange for the preliminary hearing.

Mrs. Kincaid’s funeral will be held tomorrow morning at Mount Pleasant church, Chesterfield. Though no violence to Mr. Kincaid is expected, it is doubtful that the solicitor will allow the request that has been made that he attend the funeral.

This morning the knife with which Mrs. Kincaid was stabbed was found in the yard near the back porch. The doctor’s examination showed that the jugular vein had been cut and though the wound on the neck on the left side was not long, it was deep. It is reported that it is not thought that Mr. Kincaid was choking his wife after he had cut her with the knife, which in his drunken anger he had seized from the porch shelf where it was kept, but that as he drew the knife out he came in a way to his senses and was attempting to stanch the flow of blood. HI is clothing was literally soaked with his wife’s blood.

From The Mount Airy News, July 28, 1921

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