Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1881-08-11
SENTENCED TO BE- BANGED.
-Four Meu Condemned for Burning the
GreenvIlIe Academy of Music.
TGi'ccnrille IS. C.) Ne,cs. !

/ lp'fI"ItttN ''S' S'j N'N''''I
VIM. Dodaon, Pleasant Adams,
Richard Bates and Joseph Burton
were next called. They arose to THAR
feet as they were called, all of them
except Dobson riveting their atten-
ton upon the presiding Judge. Dod'
son glanced about the room, looked
up and down, and finally became
till, with his eyes looking blandly
downward aud his head dropping
slightly forward. Burton, Adams
and Bates had each a palmetto fan'
which they nsed almost all the time
d ring the Judges remarks, but each
Of them seemed to pay earnest atten-
ton to what he was saying. They
were calm while Dodson was restless
with his eyes occasionally wandering.
Adams and Barton held their heads
erect, the former leaning forward, as
if to catch every syllable Of the SEN
tence. Bates hung his head to one
side, while bland expression per-
vaded his faoe.a
Judge Hudson's remarks to the
prisoners before pronouncing the sen
tence we're extended. He spoke OF
The law making arson capital o.
fense, the cause OF its enactment hav-
ing been the frequency Of incandiary
burning in the State. a jury had
twice convicted the,n OF the crime
with which they were charged, and
(! in this instance certainly the jury
was one against which DO charge
could he made Oh account o! race
prejudice. The prisoners had been
defended with commendable zeal,
and nothing had been lett undone, no
stone left unturned to satisfy the jury
that they were innocent. The YER
dict o! the jury could not have been
otherwise than it was. Their coun'
sci might make an effort for third
trial, but in his humble opinion In.
vestigation in their case was at an
end. Referring to the crime OF which
they were convicted, he said the cir
cumstances were utterly destitute Of
mitigating circumstances. Judge
Hudson cxhorted the ielons to pre-
pare to meet death-to meet their
God. While there WAS lie there was
room for repentance, and what time
they had on earth they should spend
in renenting of the dark deed they
had i56e Concluding, Jadge Had-
con sdid: 1.-The sentence OF the Court
is that you, William Dodson, Pleas
ant Adams, Richaral Bates and jos
eph Burton. be taken from the place
where you now are to the place
whence you last came, there to te
kept in close custody until Frilay,
the 9th day OF September, a. D. 1881,
and on that day yon be takan rom
the prison to convenient place OF
execution, where yon be hanged ty
tie necks until your bodies be dead'
and may God have mercy OH yonr
souls.
When the sentence was being pro-
nouneed a breathless stiffness pre-
vailed in the densely jammed Court
room. Al ita conclusion, l:43 =. H.,
Dodson tainted lown, and lay ior
some time in an unconscious tremb.
ling condition. He subsequently re-
covered consciousness and had 10 be
carried 70 the Jail, being unable TO
walk. \ reporter ior the DnlIy
! IMtrs visited him late in the alter
noon. lie was lonud sitting on
siool in the passage by the front WIN
dow, languidly tanning himself. He
is rather fancy looking BOY, hla
hair being elaborately creased and
combed, but his head hung on his
breast, and when spoken to his eyes
moved about vacautly, while be seem
ed unable to force words through his
lips, and his hands trembled contln'
ually. He said in answer to all
questions, ~ don't know, sir, y or ii
don't know, l cant tell nothlngabout
it, air, without regard to the rele-
vancy Of the answers. He spoke in
q huaky whisper, alnost inaudible.
The other three were sitting around
the door l,l their cell, at the southwest
corner OF the Jail. Bates was dill
gently reading psalms from Bible
on his knees, Burton was leaning
back in his chair tanning himself, and
Adams sal opposite Bates with his
bare feet resting on bar OF the cell
door. Burton spoke first, protesting
innocence, and declaring his belief
that they were in the hands OF God,
Id that il it was His will they
should die for the lies told on them,
he, Burton, was ready to SO right
now. He vas quite volabls and dis
posed to 90 over the story OF i''s move
ments and whereabouts at the time Of
the fire, and interpretations ot Curtin,
the detective. Fletcher Maddox, he
said, had told him that he, Maddox,
mad lied. Bates looked up from his
Bible reading to give his experience
| with Curtin, and Adams followed,