The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-04-08
A NOTABLE MURDER TRIAL.
Waities Martin Convicted of killing
Alice Mcleod.

Waities Martin Convicted of killing
Alice Mcleod.
COLUMBIA, March 31-The attention
of a great many people in Columbia to
day was centered in the Court of Gen
eral Sessions, in which was tried the
case of the State against Waities Mar
tin for the murder of Alice Mcleod.
The court room was packed from the
opening to the close of the days ses.
sion. Before he was arraigned the jury
brought in 4 sealed verdict of not gull
ty in the case of the State VS. Smith,
Williams and Jackson, accused of lar
ceny from the person, the crime alleg-
ed to have been committed in Colum-
bia. Two of the defendants were rep
resented by Melton and Mclaughlin,
Waities Martin was. then brought
into court and pleaded not guilty. He
was represented by Messrs. Weston 4
McMasLer.
The first witness was DR.. Lester, who
testified that be had made pOst-mor-
tenn examination OF Alice Mcleod. and
found marks on her throat as if sae
had been strangled. Her eyes and ton
que protruded and there were several
bruises on her limbs.
Cross examined. he said Mcleod
was dead before she was thrown into
the river.
The next witness was Mary Alice
Mcleod, daughter of the murdered wo-
man. The substance of her testimony
has been published in the News and
Courier as taken before Coroner Roach.
She said that her mother and little
brother Julius went out between B and
I o'clock On the night of the murder;
that Julius came back and reported
that some one had beaten his mother,
and that Waities on the same night
came back alone about 10 o'clock. The
next morning she saw him at the fire
place cleaning his clothes, Scraping
them with a case knife; that Waities
then had her mothers locket, that there
were frequent Quarrels between Alice
and WaitieS, and that he had often
beaten her.
The next witness was julius Smith.
He told the story OF about going oat
with his mother and seeing her beaten
by someone whom he couldn't recog-
nlze in the dark. Hesaw Waities come
home at 10 o'clock and get into the
house through the window; saw him
scraping his pants next morning, etc.
Hannah Holmes, a colored woman
living next door to Alice McLeodS
house, testified that she saw Martin
come home that night. She asked him
next morning what he had done with
Alice. Not being satisfied with his an
sWer, she advised the children toinTorm
the police.
Louis Hannibal testified that he saw
Martin at 7 o'clock on the morning
after the murder and that Martin said
that Alice had gone to Sumter. He also
testified to the frequent Quarre!s OF
Martin with the deceased.
James Robinson said that after the
disappearance OF Alice Martin Waities
came to his house to get some clean
clothes and that tnen Martin reported
the story that Alice had gone to Sum-
ter.
Hannibal Carter testified as to threats
made by Martin against Alice.
The next witness was Sheriff Rowan,
to whom Martin made avoiuntary con-
!essioa in jall. This confession, as re-
LACED by Sheriff Rowan, has already
been published in the News and Couri-
er. 1t was substantially that in trying
TO induce Alice to go home Martin had
choked her, and was surprised when he
found he had killed her. When he
found that she was dead he stripped
her and took her to the bank OF the rlv-
er, where he tied her feet and hands
and attached pieces of rock to her body.
Martin in his confession drew dia-
gram of the place where he left Alice's
clothes, which diagram was exhibited
to the jury. The clothes were never
found.
Mr.. Holloway, deputy for Justice
Youmans, and an ex-pOlice officer, tes-
titled as to the finding of the body in
the river.
DR.. Lester was recalled and asked if
the marks on Alice's throat could have
been made by the rope which was tied
around her lie said that the marks of
the rope could be plainly traced, but
were not the marks that produced
death.
The State rested its case on the fore
going and the defence announced that
they would put in no testimony.
The solicitor, in his able argument,
showed that the States case was fully
made out and that there had been no
contradiction of that testimony.
Mr.. F. II. McMaster made an excel
lent argument, holding that malicious
intent was not proved. He asked the
Judge to charge the jury that malice
must be shown.
Judge Hudson in his charge held that
the legal propositions of the defence
were correct. He also, as usual, ex-
planned the various degrees OF homl-
eide and left the case with the jury.
The jury stayed out but short While
and returned with verdict of guilty.
Martin was immediately sentenced to
be hanged on the oath day of April be-
tween II a. m. and p. m.
Martin had nothing to say when he
was invited by the court. He appear
ed to be absolutely Indifferent all
the trial. He was half asleep
all the time and wholly asleep part Of
tie time.
Judge Hudson said that he had never
passed sentence of death on Il case OF
more cruelty or enormity. There was
a big crowd on the street to see Martin
On his way TACK to the jail.
Federal Finances.
WASHINGTON, April 1.-The Treas
Try Departments monthly debt state
nent, issued to-day, showa slight in
i'll the public debt during March,