The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-06-26
TRIED FOR HIS LIFE.

llr. Mellow on Trial in Charleston for
the Murder Of Capt. DaWSOn-The Com.
plexion of the Jury InsureS an Ac.
quittal.
CHARLESTON, June 24--Dr. Thomas Bal
lard Mellow who killed Captain Francis
Warrington Dawson on account of woman
in this city last March. was put upon his
trial here to-day. The court convened at
precisely 10 O'Clock with Judge ]. 3. ker-
shaw on the bench The judge was with
out his gown, which dctracted considerably
from the dignity of the court. Solicitor Jer-
vey, with Messrs. Mitchell Il Smith, repre-
sented the State, while 4. G. MaGrath x
Son and Asher D. Cohen, Esq, the defence.
All the counsel are residents of Charleston.
The prisoner entered the dock seemingly
unconcerned, but on occasional glare Of his
eyes, and tremor about his tonsils bespoke
nervousness. He possesses wonderful de-
gree of compoSure; but to the obseivant it
is evident he is striving to suppress deep
feelings of uneasiness. His weight is about
l25 pounds; height, near feet. He has
black hair, slight moustache large brown
eyes, high forehead and crow-footed tenn
pies, indicating brains, with compressed
lips and stern countenance, bespeaking
irmness He appears not to be over thirty
years old, and is dignifed and graceful in
his bearing. One hour and six minutes
were consumed in drawing the jury, which,
when empanelled, consisted of five white,
four colorcd, and three black citizens, prin-
cipally residents of the city; one or two be-
ing from the country. Each juror, without
an exception, is a fair representative of the
average intelligence of the respective class
to which he belongs.
4 half dozen witnesses were examined by
the State, and the court adjourned until 10
o'clock tomorrow. The evidence adduced
thus far developed the following facts:
That at 8! o'clock on the afternoon Of his
death Capt Dawson boarded street car at
from in a pleasant humor few moments
later near DR.. MeDow's Office, which is on
the first floor of his residence on RItledge
St The deceased usually went that route
to his home, which was beyond McDow's.
Shortly afterwards the report Of pistol vas
heard in the vicinity of McDow's Office.
Something being dragged across the Office
floor caused policeman to rap. The door
cracked slightly open, man peeped with
one eye through the crack, and, without
speaking, closed the door. After "some
considerable time" Mellow crossed the street
from his Office to grocery, with marks of
white wash on his right coat skirt and also
on the top of his hat, which was stiff der
by. There is no white wash in the Office.
The hat was dented in two places on the
top. He very soon returned, eating an ap-
pie, and went "very quietly" alone into his
Office. Several hours afterwards Mellow
drove out of his gate and surrendered him
self to q policeman saying, 81 have killed
Capt. Dawson and am sorry for it. He
was taken into custody and imprisoned very
soon afterwards.
Capt. Dawson's body was found in DR..
McDow's Office lying across the floor on its
back, kid glove was on his right hand,
while the other glove lay on the floor be-
meath his left hand. Slight traces of white
wash were on his pants, overcoat and gloves.
His brow bore several abrasures, and there
was blood in his beard and on his shirt
front There was bullet hole in his right
side The ball was traced horizontally
across the body into the large artery which
conducts the blood to the heart, and there
los Us never been further searched