The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-07-03
THE SLAYER OF CAPTAIN DAWSON
BROUGHT BEFORE THE COURT.
A Jury Quickly Empaneled-Strong Coun.
sci on Each Side-The Testimony for
the State and for the Defence.

organized, with Mr. Arthur Middleton
as foreman. 1t was composed of five
white men and seven colored.
The testimony for the State the firs1
day brought out little but what is
already familiar to the public. DR.. N.
Michel, who examined the dead body
expressed the decided opinion that the
shct must have been fired from the rear
the ball entering behind the middle
line of the body on the left side. The
other testimony covered only the dis
covery of the body, McDow's surrender
and some parts of the evidence at the
coroner's inquest. The subsequent pro-
ceedingS are given below.
CHARLESTON, June 25.-[Special tc
The Register. The sensational denoue.
ment in the Mellow murder to-day was
the appearance of the Swiss maid, the
moving cause of the tragedy. She was
on the stand for two hours and was sub
iected to the most searching cross-ex-
animation. and, although forced to tell
of McDow's villainy and her own shame,
convinced many of the spectators of her
innocence. How the colored JIrors vii!
view it is another matter.
1t was noon when she took the stand.
Immediately there was crush forward
of the dense crowd in the court room,
so that the Judge, lawyers, witnesses
and reporters had scarcely room to
move. Several attempts were made to
move the solid wall Of humanity back,
but without avail Her name is Marion
Durbeyon. She is
PRETTY GIRL,
of exquisite form and strlkingly beautl'
full features: dark eyes and hair; an olive
complexion, with the faintest blush of
roses on the cheeks; large, lustrous eyes,
which boldly looked in the face of the
examining counsel. She has most
captivating manner of making little
moves and of struggling her plump
shoulders when answering questions.
Attired in close-itting, clinging cos
tune of black cloth, with a tight-ftting
black Jersey, which outlined bust fit
for Venus, with black chip bonnet,
trimmed with Jet and black ribben-thiS
maid sat on the witness box for two
;s5s: losss si55T: repeated
efforts to have an but the
dcferse objected anS-ehe Court sustained
the objection
THE SWISS MAIDS STORY.
Her story was drawn cut by repeated
questions, the answers being always
frank and delivered in the most piquant
and delightful of pigeon English. This
is her statement, condensed: Il live
in Charleston wiz Dawson family for
three years. Born in Geneva and come to
wiz Mees Dawson. | haf fa-
thcr: ees in Geneva, wiz my two bro
Tiers; one brother ees IN London. "
She met Mellow on the first of February
last, in the street. Knew him but not
to speak to. He asked her
TO RUN AWAY WITH HIM
to France the first time.
what did you tell him."
II say no, I would not lef Mees
Dawson for angling in re world"
It seems that the acquaintance or
Irritation continued from February 1st,
1889, to the day of the murder. During
this time the girl admitted that she had
frequently met Mellow on the street and
at Captain Dawson's house. He gave
her flowers and a gold watch and chain,
ard
WROTE POETRY TO HER.
The burden of his talk with her was
TO run away with him. She knew he
was married and a father, but he always
said that be would get divorce from
his wife; that he had only married her
for her money. His wife was German
woman, and he found it impossible to
live with her any longer.
She saw him at Captain Dawson's
house, where the two remained in the
library for two hours, and at another
time when they met in the cooks house
on Captain Dawson's premises. This
was while Mrs. Dawson was away.
ON THE MORNING OF THE MURDER
she met Mellow in a street car by APP
pointment. They rode up to the out
Skirts of the city and walked around for
some time. Finally they got in Nunan
street, where there was small house
occupied by colored woman. Mellow
led her into the yard and asked the old
woman to let them have the use of a
room. which was refused, whereupon
they walked out. When asked on the
cross-examination why she entered the
yard, she tried to explain that Mellow
told her there was a detective after
them, and he desired to avoid him.
On returning Mellow asked her
to see him that night, but she re-
fused. She finally consented to see him
in Captain Dawson's garden. She told
him then that he had ruined her reputa-
ton, as her duty was to Captain Daw-
sons family. and not TO be running
around in the streets with him, mar
ried man and a father.
M'DOW FOLLOWED HER
almost every day when she was coming
from school with the children. 1t was
always the same thing-''He wanted me
to leave Charleston with him and 60
away" She gave him some good ad-
vice. She told him he must have
patience. He was not the Only man who
was not happy with his wife.
SENSATIONAL CROSS EXAMINATION:
The witness was cross examined by
Judge Magrath, one of the oldest law
YES in the State, and it was during this
cross s-examination that the story became
exciting. She remembered the first day
of February, when she met Mellow first,
because she had written it down in her
diary.
"Wha; did you writel"
81 wrote, 4 will remember dis day.
'sWhat caused you to remember ltf'
A MEMORABLE DAY.
Il remember it because | think 1t was
a memorable day when a married man
asked poor girl to run with him and
1of bo. bop,a :, TSenSoti0n