The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1890-05-21
BABY WAS HIS VICTIM.
Horrible Crime Of Negro Gordon
ConleY at Fort Gaines.


inal assault on the 17,mouths.old
daughter OF Slr. E. d. Adams.
Conley was found guilty and viii
pay the death penalty on the 18th
Of june.
Tie crime for which the convict
& boy vas condemned was one of
the most beiuous on reeord,and the
wonder Is that an outraged public
dld uota the time u,ete cut justice
without awaiting the formalilies of
a trial: bnt wise counsel prevailed
and the community escaped be un-
pleasant notoriety Of lyuching.
On the seeoEd day Of tie present
month, Gordon Conley was in the
employ Of Mr.. Z. d. adams as
house servant. Gordon is about Z
years old, dark ginger cake in COLI
or and bears an ancestral record of
'illiany and crime. Sill, his own
past shows up quite clearly, with
only few smirches to mar it.
On the day in question Mrs.
Adams, being engaged in duties re-
quiring her attention in the kitch-
en-, told Gordon to play with and
amuse the little baby girl, months
Of age, for few moments.
He picked up the baby and be-
gan to walk up and dowa the We.
rauda with it at first, but soon turn.
ed into Mrs. Adams room, only
three doors from the kitchen, where
the mother was, and in a very few
moments Mrs. Adams heard the lit
tie one cry out as though badly
hurt.
She Immediately ran cut, calling
to Gordon to bring her baby, which
he did in a nonchalent s1rt Of way
as if nothing was amiss.
Mrs. Adams took the child, but it
continued to cry to such an extent
that the mother began an invests
CATION to ascertain the cause.
In a moment she became satisf-
ed that Gordon had made an assault
upon the helpless babe.
Her husband arriving about this
time, she impaired her suspicious
20 him, telling him the circumstan-
ccs as above related, and he at
once captured Gordon. He then
called IN a physician, who made an
examination Of the child and cor~
roborated the mothers fears. An
other physician was called in, who
also testified to the same belief.
Fora few moments a lynching
seemed inevitable, but owing to the
coo.er counsel Of citizens the young
liend was allowed to hide behind
the bars of the Jail and escape.
Immediately a petition was START
ed asking Judge Guerryto convene
a special term of court at his ear
lest convenience for the purpose Of
trying the case, which was unani-
mously signed. The judge,upon rec
ceipt Of the request, appointed last
Friday for that purpose.
The jurors we're sum nonsed and
all other necessary preleminaries
arranged, and when his honor
called court to nder he never look
ed over the faces of an audience
more ready to aid him in the dis
charge Of bis duties.
In the absence of employed
counsel for the prisoner the court
appointed Coils. Irwin and Rams
DO to that unpleasant duty,a trust
which they both fulfilled well.
Col. Clarence " ilson, acting as
solicitor, represented the state.
The forenoon was consumed in
in striking jury, but soon after
dinner the trial proper began. Mr..
and Mrs. Adams and both examin-
ing physicians were put on the witt
ness stand and subjected to rigid |
cross examination, but the damn
ing truth was too glazing for the
prisoner to escape, and at 5 p. m,
when lhe case went to the jury, |
they only retired hs mere form,
returnining at once and handing in
a verdict of guilty.
Judge CHERRY turned immediate
ly and told the prisoner to stand
up. lie did SO without a culver or
sign of emotion, and, in fact,
seemed to be the most unconcerned
person in the room, Then the
words of the awful death sentence
were impressively spoken by the
court, sealing the doom of the most
brutal william in the annals of south>
ern crime.
Tourists.