The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-05-02

mostly negroes, gathered outside the en-
closure, but there was no excitement or
disturbance.
HISTORY OF TIE CRIME.
Jasper n. Davis, or Japp Davis, as he
was commonly called, was 3S years old
and his wife was about eight years young
er. In the spring of 1885 Davis had an at
tsck Of sickness which effected his mind
and he was sent to the State Lunatic Asy-
lum where he was treated for six months
and then TUNED out He was not consid.
cred insane, but his mind was uneven and
it was believed that the regular diet of the
Asylum would cure him, and to all ap-
pearsnces It did Previous to his going to
the Asylum Davis had treated his wife IN
very brutal manner, had often beaten her
and turned her out of the house. During his
stay in einsane institution Mrs. Davis had
TO provide for their FIVE little children. She
worked hard and managed to provide food
and clothing for her helpless family. Up
ON the return Of Davis he refused to DO
any work and continued to maltreat his
wife.
y The little woman resolved to stand it no
longer and proposed to Davis to take Care
f asyself and children if he would leave
he's This Davis agreed to do, aud he
moved & few miles away and lived with 8
reisSive named Owens. Mrs. Davis, BY
the sweat OF her brow, supported her chill
6ren and was getting along very well when
her husband, in the summer of 1886, pro-
posed TO her that they make friends end
live together again. This the plucky and
! spirited woman refused to do. che re
membered her husbands brutality and
knew that is would be repeated if an op-
s portunity wss offered. Finding his efforts
81 this direction futile, Davis threatened
to Kill his wife.
Z knowing the nature of the man, and
( fearing that he might execute his threat
under cover Of darkness. the determined
woman wuuld lock her house III the even
ings, take her i've children and go TO her
& brothers house, which was quarter OF 9
mile distant, spend the night there and re-
turn TO her little farm every morning. On
EEday, September "a, 1856, Davis stole q
gun from Mr.. Owens. concealed 1t in the
woods and that evening called at Mr.;
Aeores, the brother o. bus wife, and asked
him if ne could not induce Mrs. Davis to
return to him. Moore told him that It was
no use trying, that he lad trea.ed his wife
too badly, but that he could speak to her
himself Davis then asked Mrs. Davis TO
let him live with her, but she refused. He
renamed at the house all night and left IN
the morning at daylight.
Haf an hour afterwards the young
mother with her five httle children around
her s,artsd for her home, little draining OF
the terrible fate that awaited her, or the
fendish purpose of the villain who had 50
suisuly lett her.
!Iswas bright September morning. the
sun had Just risen AID peace end happiness
!, seemed 10 reign thoughout the quiet coun.
Try.
Just as the mother and children reached
"a portion OF the road where the woods we.e
thick on both sides the clear report Of 8
well loaded gun rang out upon the frosty
air, and the next moment five little mother
less children were standing in the lonely
road crying over the body Of the woman
who had been taken from them by the
hand Of an assassin.
The people in the county ct once arose
and gave chase to the murderer. II he had
not escaped to the swamps and concealed
himself for two days he would have been
= AS leioS AoN&o W % NoSSA4Se e>3S.
confessed his crime
On the 9Th of October he was tried. con-
victed and sentenced to be hanged on No
yember 5. He plead insanity and all the
argument was made upon that ground, but
it did not work. His attorneys appealed
to the Supreme Court and that stayed the
execution. The case was before the Su
prene Court for fourteen months before its
decision was rendered, and this decision
sustained the lower court in every particu-
lar.
Davis was on March 1st sentenced to be
banged on the 2Sd. he asked for further
tine, but It was not granted. The Gov
eInor was petitioned for pardon or conmu
tasion of sentence without avail. The ju-
ries in South Carolina are too free to allow
the ordinary murderer to 60 unpunished.
The man who shoots down another in a
street Tow IS seldom convicted, but the ju-
ries draw the line at the murderers Of
women.
The only two white men who have been
hanged in this State for number Of years
have been executed for the murder OF
women-Jasper Davis for shooting his
wife and six months sgo young man for
shooting his stepmother.
Hanging Of Jack Prater.
-ORANGEBURG, S. c., April 27.-Special:
Jack Prater was hung here today for the
assassination Of Andrew Jackson. The
execution took place privately in the Jail,
only the witnesses allowed by law being
present The drop fell at 1926 P. NJ. and
sitter hanging for eighteen minutes the
body was cut down. He died without
struggle, his neck having been broken by
the fall. The doomed man protested his
innocence to the last moment and asked