A verdict of guilty and one of not guilty were returned by two coroner’s juries impaneled yesterday by Coroner Frank Hovis, to probe two recent deaths in Charlotte in which negroes were accused. After hearing the evidence of two eye-witnesses to the shooting of J.W. Daniel, First Street grocer, Charlie Johnson, alleged slayer, was held responsible for the shooting and subsequent death yesterday by Coroner Hovis’ jury.
Eyewitnesses
George Withers’ and Lynot Davis, negro youths, were the eyewitnesses to the Daneil shooting on the night of June 5. Withers saw the shooting form a short distance, he said, while Davis said he was approaching the scene of the tragedy when the shot was fired.
Both said they knew Charlie Johnson and swore that Johnson was the negro they saw fire one pistol shot into the face of Daniel and run to disappear in the darkness of the street.
Daniel fell face-forward, Withers said, throwing his hand in front of his face as if to break the fall. Daniel’s son, J.W. Daniel Jr., who was with his father when he was attacked, cried, “Somebody’s shot papa,” he added.
Slayer Fled
With the son’s cry, Johnson fled, Withers told the jury. No One pursued him, all attention was paid to the suffering man, it being evident that he was mortally wounded, the negro said.
Not a word was spoken by Johnson or Daniel prior to or after the shooting, Withers said.
Davis went before the jury’s probe and literally corroborated with Withers said. Davis said he saw the negro approach Daniel from an alley beside Kelly’s meat market, which Daniel was leaving when he was shot. Davis is the employe of Kelly’s market.
The Davis case, attracting attention because of its mystery, came to an abrupt end when the coroner’s jury held the shooting accidental.
Doctor a Witness
The testimony of Dr. Edson E. Blackmon, physician to Davis until his death from the bullet which entered the right thigh and came out at the chest, boring through the negro’s body , proved to the jury’s satisfaction the action it took
Dr. Blackmon said Davis confessed before he died that the Peay negress shot him accidentally as he was leaning over a table. The physician was the only witness to go before the jury.
Davis’ story, as told by Dr. Blackman, corroborated the story told police by the accused negress.
Davis’ death several days after the shooting was the first report of the affair to police. The Peay negress was arrested and held, pending the coroner’s inquest. She had admitted to firing the shot, but contended that the pistol went off accidentally.
From page 6 of The Concord Times, June 28, 1926
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn91068271/1926-06-28/ed-1/seq-6/
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