Mickey Starling
reporter3@greenepublishing.com
On Nov. 11, 1901, two prominent citizens of Madison County, known for a lengthy feud with each other, incidentally boarded a South Georgia train bound for Greenville.
Joel H. Redding and Archie Harby were embittered brothers-in-law who found themselves in the same coach of the train that would soon be known as the scene of a murder. Redding seized an opportunity to slip up behind Harby and promptly fired four rounds from his pistol into the back of the unsuspecting Harby. The victim soon died in a pool of his own blood.
Two days later, Redding turned himself in to the authorities, and he remained in the county jail until his trial on March 12, 1902. The trial was prosecuted and defended by some of the finest attorneys in the area. Prosecutors for the State included C.B. Ashley and Major Alex St. Claire-Abrams. The defence boasted of Frank Pope, Charles Davis and C.J. Hardee.
The prosecution focused on the manner in which the murder took place, suggesting that shooting Harby from the back was proof enough of a calculated murder. The defence provided numerous testimonies from individuals who had heard Harby threaten Redding’s life on several occasions.
Harby was said to have “waylaid “ Redding at one point, and he admitted to shooting at him, causing serious injuries to Redding’s arm. Witnesses stated that Harby went on to say, “I cannot account for my failure to kill Redding.”
The jury deliberated for quite some time following almost a full day of closing arguments from lawyers for the State and for Redding. Abrams’ speech for the prosecution was so anticipated by local residents that the court house was filled to near capacity to hear his arguments.
Though the town folks were widely split in their opinions about guilt or innocence, the eventual verdict was handed down in favor of Redding’s innocence. The jury felt that he had acted out of fear for his own life in the killing of Harby.
Redding was overjoyed at his good fortune, and thanked each juror for the considerations shown to him.