The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1877-04-19

COURT They lived pleasantly enohgh
on the plantation owned by Mrs.
Crawford until the egirl became about
fourteen, when Legge effected her
ruin. 49, ....' .,'''...
After the intimacy had continued
some time Mrs, Legge discovered that
her husband had seduced her daugh.
| ter, but to prevent q scandal, the af-
fair was hushed mp on condition that
Legge should leave: the, State aud
never return. BE left and af:er he
had been, gone some time, Judge
Mackey granted a divorce upon PEI
tition of the lady, who resumed her
widowed name of Crawford. About
a year and a half after these events
Legge returned suddenly and pre-,
sented himself at Mrs. Crawford's re.
sidence just after dark. The house
stood some distance from any other
dwelling, and on the occasion of Leg
ge's return Mrs. Crawford had no one
with her except this boy, the unfor>
tunate girl and an old negress. Leg
&c entered the house, and said he had
come to get the girl and take her
away with him. He displayed re>
volver, and commanded the negro
servant to pack the girls trunk im-
mediately, as he intended to take her
awaJ with him that night, he having
brought carriage for that purpose.
Legge paid no attention to the boy
who while hia mother was expostu-
lating with the wretch, quietly went
into his mothers room. On shelf
is an old secretary in that room were
several mementoes Of Major Craw-
tord among them was an old revolver
which had been preserved just as it
was unbuckled from the body of the
dead officer upon the field where he
fell. Three barrels had been dis
charged at Gettysburg, and the other
three remained loaded with the same
charges and capped with the same
caps that had been put there by
Crawford before he went into battle.
In this condition the revolver a had
lain thirteen years, and now it was
in the hands of the dead soldiers
son--who, I believe, Judge Mackey
said, had been born after Crawford
left bis home for the last time-to
avenge the wrong that had been done
to his little girl. The boy crept out
of his mothers room, and, as soon as
he saw Legge, shot him through the
head, killing him Instantly. Judge
Mackey heard the boys statement
and then said: "My child, the Jail
at Chester is very strong. The wafEs
are thick, the doors are of solid iron
and the windows are strongly graded
1t has securely held many bad and
dangerous men. 1t has defied many
attempts at escape from within and
some efforts at rescue from without.
It is said to be the strongest county
Jail in South Carolina. But it is not
strong enough to hold you. would
not dare risk fts walls to restrain you
from your liberty. You may go
back to your mother, ho needs your
protection. You will be indicted by
the grand jury, and when your trial
occurs I will let you know, because
it is necessary that a prisoner on trial
for homicide should bs present du-
ring his trial"
The Judge then directed the Dis>
trict Attorney to present the lndict-
ment in the usual form upon infor-
nation, and the day was set for trial
The boy appeared, accompanied by
Colonel Ingram and his mother. AT.
ter the usual formalitfes OF arrange
ment the Judge said to the boy:-
"Please write upon a piece of paper
the words mot guilty." The boy did
as directed, and the piece of paper
was handed to the Judge. The Dis
t,.iot Attornev then asked tha, y,ontLar