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This case will be tried in the next term of criminal court in October.The killing’, it was reported, resulted from a card game in Barton's store. It was brought out in the testimony that both Walker and Barton were drinking and a fist fight ensued. Knife wound were inflicted on Barton’s head and Mrs. Barton’s arm. It was reported that Barton asked Walker to leave and he refused with an oath.John Stans field, attorney for the defense, claimed that the stabbing was in defense of Mrs. Barton, that after she had been pushed against a wall and cut by Walker her son-in-law, Ealey, came in the picture and picked up the butcher knife with which she (Mrs. Barton) had been cutting meat and stabbed Walker through his body from the back.William Smoak, prosecuting attorney, said the killing was malicious and with intent to kill. He claimed that Barton invited the men with Mr. and Mrs. Paul Johnson, who were used as witnesses for the state, into the room adjoining the store for the game of cards and then accused Walker of cheating. He brought out the fact that after the stabbing Ballon got a two by four to “finish the job”.After the cutting, it was brought out, the stabbed men staggered to the road where thevsomier anu inui ne i tne i-apiaut;thought that Ealey was doing a good deed in killing “two such notorious men”.This statement brought the rebuttal from Solicitor Bert Carter that “if that was the view of the army officer he should be removed and that he hoped that was not the principle being taught in the army.” Solicitor Carter admitted that the dead man’s character was not above reproach but that Barton’s character, likewise was not blameless.Attorney Stansfield displayed the blood-stained knife with which it was claimed Oscar Walker, whom he dubbed as “Aiken's big bully” had cut Mr. and Mrs. Barton.Stansfield said that the Walkers were simply staging one of their Saturday night brawls and that “Walker having already killed one man and tasted blood was ready to kill again”. He refuted the testimony of Paul Johnson saying that he was “under the dominion of his wife who had acknowledged that she was in love with Oscar Walker.Ealev is a native of Kentucky.* *Present during the trial were Mrs. Barton and Mrs. Ealey and her baby of several months of age and Mrs. John Walker.The trial created a great deal of interest and the courtroom was filled throughout the hearing.
Newspaper Details
Aiken Standard and Review
Aiken, South Carolina, US
Fri, May 12, 1944
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Library O.
USA 23 Sep 2021
Other Publications Near Aiken, South Carolina
Aiken Daily Mail
Aiken County Rambler
Aiken County Register
Aiken County Journal
Aiken Standard
