The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1885-04-01
MY HUSBAND WAS NO COWARD
"A Striking Isebukc to the "I'istoI-
Bearing Tribe"

| bSoiI"A
BAnswELI, March PA happy re-
tort, and one which conveyed sweep
ing rcbukc to the pistol bearing tribe of
this county and many others, was made
by Mrs. John Clayton in her evidence
in the Freeman murder trial in answer
to question asked her by Acting Solic-
ltor Iziar. She was tcstifying in reply
to tho evidence of Freeman, who would
not swear, but believed, that John CLAY.
ton, who was killed by Freeman, had a
pistol in his hand on the night Of the
fatal encounter. The solicitor asked
Mrs. Clayton, was your husband in the
habit Of carrying pistol ~ to which
she promptly and scornfully replied
''No, sir, my husband was not a coward =
and burst into tears. A scarcely fs-
pressed mur,ncr Of applause moved the
audience, who were at once touched and
Tfnss.ructcd by the keen and unaffected
Sarcasm Oh nc Szsioinder.
Yesterday evening the prisoners con-
victed at the present term weiTes brought
into Court to receive their various se6::
tcnces, the crimes varying in degree
from murder down in = diminuendo
scale.
Conspicuous among the condemned
were William Freeman. convicted of
manslaughtcr, and John Terry, con.
victed OF murder. Freeman was ushercd
in by constable, and was attended by
his wife and three children, a boy and
two lovely little girls. lie walked into
Court with a stern and almost impassive
face. 1t was reported this morning that
the keys of the Jail in which he was
confined had been left III his possession
on Saturday night, but the truth is that
the keys of the inner door of the jail
were accidentally left with him on that
night and that escape under the cir
cumstances was impossible. lie stood
up to receive his sentence, and nftcr
few remarks by Judge Fraser the sem
tencc was imposed Of ten years at hard
labor in the Penitcntinry, the maximum
penalty, without Recommendation to
mercy, being thirty years. AS soon as
the judgment had been pronounced the
oldest Of his daughters broke out into
hysterical sobs and weeping, which
could only be silenced by remoyin. her
from the Courtroom. Freeman himself
was entirely overcome and covering his
face with his hands wept bitterly. All
who witnessed this unhappy result of
the tragedy are agreed that it was the |
most affecting and touching scene ever
Witnessed in the Courthouse.
The reception Of his sentence by |
y Ohm Terry was, as was expected, in |
striking contrast with the preceding. He
strobe into the Courtroom with the air
OF inSolence and natural or we'll -dcsem-
blcd stolidity which characterized his
&dAepealAx= throughout his trial for tho
murder Of tEe Rey. j ohm G. Sessions.
All through the proceeding sRKhile
confronted with witnesses from the crave
that would have blanched the cheek Of
the most vindictive homicide, he smiled
grim and rcpulSive smile, which ne re-
peatcd with somewhat diminished effect
IN the fourth act Of the tragedy ycster-
day. His absolute silence .hcn asked
II ne had anything to say why sentence
OF death should not ot pronounced
against him was painful in the extreme.
when everybody knew that he was
Keeping hid the secret Of the whole mys-
terious and unaccountable crime. 1t is
the general opinion, however, that when
he begins to realize his fearful situation
he will tell what he knows, and it is cvi-
dent that he knows it all. He was sen.
fenced to be hanged on the Goth day Of
next May.