The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-02-07

Jenkins, freedman, who several months ago
was convicted for the murder Of Mr.. Brant-
ford, will be executed in the city Jail yard on
Friday, the 14tl INST.
The circumstances connected with the muir
der of Mr.. Brantford have been q subject of
much doubt and speculation. Although Jenkins
was identified by number Of persons as being
among the body of rioters from whom the fatal
brick was thrown, but one individual testified
that he personally saw Jenkins throw this mis-
sile. The latter, however, was found guilty,
and sentenced to be executed several months
ago. The military authorities, not satisfied
with the verdict, and perhaps believing The
man to be innocent, interposed; Jenkins was
respited; the case was carried to the Appeal
Court, the judgment of the lower court affirm.
ed, aud recently the prisoner was re-sentenced.
From testimony that has come to hight
within the past few days, there is probability
that the auppositions Of the military auth orr
ties may yet be verified, and that if there has
not been intentional perjury on the part Of one
Of the witnesses, who claims to have identified
Jenkins as the murderer, he certainly appears
to have committed very grievous error of
recognition.
A plan of the locality in which the murder
was committed has been made, and officers
have gone carefully over the ground to ascer-
tain whether or not it would be possible for the
witness to identify the act Of the prisoner at
the distance, and from the position which Lee,
the witness, claims to have occupied. The e1-
animation shows that such an Identification is
a physical impossibiity.
Jenkins, himself, persistently denies that he
was in the riot at all. He kept small cake
shop, ut that time, in the vicinity of Tratld-
street. The first party arrested was one Scipio
Fraser, freedman, and it was not until two
or three days after that Jenkins was lodged in
jail, and brought face to face with Fraser. Ihe
latter emphatically declared that jenkins was
not guilty Of the offence charged against HIM.
Fraser was found guilty, and sentenced to
death, but died in jail. On his deatb-bed lie
made confession, in which he declared that
the brick was thrown by q man named VII
liams, whose whereabouts have not yet teen
discovered, and that Jenkins had nothing
whatever to dc with the matter.
We saw Jenkins in jail few days ago. He
professed to be perfectly resigned to his fate,
and states that when he goes to the scahold
his last remark in this world will be that he
dies innocent of the crime charged against
him. He is an exceedingly ignorant negro,
was born in the vicinity of Charleston, and, so
far as religious instruction is concerned, has,
until recently, deserved to bo classed as o
heather. He is now daily visited by one CT the
priests of the Catholic Church, and occasion
ally by Sisters of Mercy, under whose instruc-
tior change of mind has been cccasionod, &c
that Jenkins will encounter his fate with some
thing like Christian resignation. He is appa
rcntly twenty-five or twenty-th, co years of age
rather below the medium height, thorough!
black, and wears continually upon his face
that peculiar smile which we described al
having greeted the Judge when his Honor pro
nounced the solemn death senteucs.