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Saturday, January 27, 2024

Eason Swain Convicted of Manslaughter in Killing of Rudolph Koonce, Jan. 27, 1924

Swain Guilty of Manslaughter. . . Kinston Café Man Killed Taxi Driver

By the Associated Press

Kinston, N.C., Jan. 26—Guilty of manslaughter was the verdict returned here early tonight by the jury sitting on the case of Eason M. Swain, local restaurant proprietor on trial in Lenoir court superior court charged with the slaying early last December of Rudolph Koonce, taxi driver.

Not less than 12 nor more than 17 years at hard labor in state’s prison was the sentence imposed by Judge Horton, presiding over this term of Lenor county court.

No appeal was noted by the counsel for the defendant.

The jury reported its verdict after six hours deliberation.

Swain was alleged to have gone to Koonce’s home early in the morning of December 7, called the taxi driver out of bed and shot him to death. The defendant contended self-defense, declaring that when he fired, he believed Koonce was about to draw a weapon on him.

Swain charged Koonce with having intimate relations with Mrs. Swain.

From the front page of the Durham Morning Herald, Sunday, Jan. 27, 1924

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