A dispatch from Newton, N.C., says: Tom Spencer and his wife, Myrtle, and their two children, Dallas and Lola, were found guilty of manslaughter by a Catawba county jury here last week. They were convicted of killing Ray Hendrick on the morning of June 7.
The case went to the jury at 11:30 o’clock in the morning and the verdict was returned an hour later.
The killing, which has attracted considerable interest in this section, occurred at the home of the Spencers, in what is known as the Catfish settlement, Catawba county. Evidenced introduced during the trial was to the effect that Hendrick went to the home of the Spencers with a club and was met by the entire family, who were armed with fire shovels and sticks. Dr J.H. Shuford of Hickory, who treated Hendrick, testified that the murdered man received three blows on the head, either of which might have caused death.
The principal witness for the State, Roy Minges, who was alleged to have gone with Hendrick to the Spencer home, was unable to testify which member struck the fatal blow. He did testify, however, that Hedrick was hit after he had been ?? to the floor.
Defense witnesses testified that Hedrick was not hit while on the floor, but they testified, almost to a witness, that he, Hedrick, knocked Tom Spencer to the floor and was ready to pounce on him again when Lola, daughter of Spencer, struck the fatal blow on the side of Hedrick’s head.
The case is considered unique, inasmuch as an entire family was tried and convicted. The Spencers contended that Hedrick was killed in self-defense. It was also brought out during the trial that bad feeling had existed between Hedrick and the Spencers for some time.
From page 6 of The Zebulon Record, Friday, July 24, 1925
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073191/1925-07-24/ed-1/seq-6/
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