The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1891-04-09
A NOTABLE MURDER TRIAL.
Waities Martin Convicted Of KILLING
Alice Mcleod.

Alice Mcleod.
COLUMBIA, March 31.-The attention
of great many people in Columbia to
Gay 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
Ihe court room was packed from the
opening to the close of the days ses.
SION. Before he was arraigned the jury
brought in a sealed verdict of not gull
" IN the case :or the State vs. Smith,
WllllamS and Jackson, accused of lar
ccny from the person, the crime alleg-
ea TO have been committed in Colum-
bla. Two of the defendants were rep
resented by Melton and Mclaughlin,
WaitieS Martin was then brought
into court and pleaded not guilty. lie
was represented by MesSrs. Weston II
| MGNlaster.
The first witness was DR.. Lest, who
| testified that he had made a post-m0r-
TEN examination OF Alice Mcleod, and
| found marks on her throat as if she
| que prOtrudeu 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 rs taken before Coroner Roach
She said that her mother and little
brother Julius went out between and
7 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 nivht
came back alone about 10 O'Clock. The
next morning she saw him at the fire
| place cleaning his clothes, Scrapng
them with Il case knife: that WaitirS
| then had her mothers lockct. that there
were frequent quarrelS between Alice
and Waitles, and that he had often
beaten her.
The next witness was Julius Smith.
| lie told the story Of about going O 1t
with his mother and seeing her beaten
by someone whom he couldn't rcc0g-
nlZe in the dark. llrSaw WaiticS come
home at 10 o'clock and get into the
house through the window: SAW him
scraplng his pants next morning, etc.
Hannah Holmes. 4 colorrd woman
living next door to Alice McLCod'S
house, testified tina: she saw Martin
como home that night. She asked him
next morning what he had done with
Alice. Not being satisfied with his all-
| SWer, she advised the children to inform
the police.
Louis Hannibal testified that he saw
Martin at ! o'clock on the morning
after the murder and that Martin said
that Alice had gone to Sumter. lie also
testified to the frequent Quarreis of
Martin with the deceased.
James RObinSon said that after the
disappearance of Alice Martin Waffle,
came to his house to get some clean
clothes and that then Martin rcportc cd
the story that Alice had gone to sum
ter.
hannibal Carter testified rs to threats
made by Martin against Alice.
The next witness was Sheriff Rowan,
to whom Martin made voluntary con-
fcSSiOn in Jail. This confession, rs re-
LACED by Sheriff Rowan, has already
| been published in the News and COur;-
cr. 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 riV-
cr, where he tied her feet and hands
and attached pieces of rock to her body.
Martin in his confession drew Il dia-
gram OF the place where he left Alices
clothes, which diagram was exhibited
to the jury. The clothes were never
found.
Mr.. Holloway, deputy for Justice
OumanS, and an cX-pOllCe officer, tcS-
tilted as to the finding Of the body in
the river.
DR.. Lester was recalled and asked if
the marks on hlice'S throat could have
been made by the rope which was tied
around her. He said that the marks Of
the rope could be plainly traced, but
were not the marks that produced
DEATH
The State rested It's case on the fore
going and the defence announced that
they would put in no testimony.
The solicitor, in his able argument,
showed that tho States case was fully
made out and that there had been no
contradiction Of that testimony.
Mr.. +. III. 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, cx
planned the various degrees of hOmi
eide and left the case with the jury.
The jury stayed out but Il short While
and returned with Il verdict OF guilty.
Martin was Immediately sentenced 10
be hanged on the 2lth day Of April be.
tween II Il. IN. and : p. m.
Martin had nothing to say when ne
was invited by the court. He appear
Ell to be absolutely Indifferent al
through the trial. llc was half asleep
all the time and wholly asleep part Of
the time.
Judge Hudson said that he hah never
passed sentence of death on case OF