The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-01-07
SENTENCED TO rHB aALLows.
Charles Cummings Convicted of the
Murder OF David Williams.

Charles Cummings Convicted of the
Murder OF David Williams.
The trial Of Charles Cummings (colored)
for the murder of David Williams two
years ago took place IN the superior court
yesterday, aud was one Of the shortest muir
| der trials on record It began at 10 O'Clock
! and lasted three hours, at the end Of which
Cummings was sentenced TO hang Feb. 10
There was no question Of Cummings
guilt, and although his counsel, Mr.. Pease,
made strong effort ia his behalf, it was up
hill work, and there was little doubt at the
start OF the trial that Cummings would be
convicted. There were not more than half
dozen witnesses in the case and they were
chiefly for the state.
The case has been assigned for trial several
times and each time had been postponed for
some reason, until yesterday Cummings
counsel announced that be was ready and
the trial began. There was some difficulty
IN securing q jury. The state struck ten
and the defense twenty, one going off for
cause, so that both sides exhausted their
strikes. The jury, which was finally secured
was as follows:
Charles Nj. Sanders, Thomas z. Harvey,
Thos- ID. Fitzgerald, Elliott W. Mather,
J. Mclaughlin, Jr., James II. Butler,
w. ii. Grady, II. A. Dumas,
Thos. II. McGillis, s. C. Stewart,
T. c. Gleason, J. j. A!len.
The killing took place at q party, and
was a seemingly nnprovoked crime.
Ephriam Baker was the most important
witness. He testified that he saw Cum
mings fire the fatal shot, and it was
largely upon his testimony that ths
prisoner was convicted. His testimony was
clear and Strsightfor ward and was I'M
broken. The defense did not deny the kill
ing, but set UP that the crime was not more
than mansaughter The arguments and
summing up on both sides were brief. The
jury was out less than ten minutes. and
brought 10 a verdict of murder without the
accommodation which the prisoner and his
counsel were looking for.
Judge FalliRant pronounced the death
sentence immediately after the trial, con-
signing Cummings to his fate The execu-
ton will be private, and will take place
between 10 and 4 o'clock on the day fixed.
In pronouncing sentence Judge Falligaat
addressed the prisoner at some length upon
the enormity of his crime When
Cummings was asked If he had any
thing to say Why the sentence of dea.h
should not be passed upon him, he reulied
that he had not. He received the sentence
without any manifestation Of emotion and
very little concern, being seemingly indif-
ferent TO his fate. He was returned to the
Jail last night where he will remain until
his execution. There is very little likeli-
hood that al effort will be made to secure
new trial, as there is little upon which to
base the application.
The murder case of Pittmau, charged
with killing Jones, an account Of which ap-
peared in the MORNING NEWS at the time,
will bs heard in the superior court to-mor-
row morning. Pittman will be defended by
T. 8. Morgan, Jr. A large number of wit
nesses have been summoned on both sides
and the trial promises to be hotly cR-
tested.
John Pascal was tried in the superior
court yesterday for assault with iutent to
murder. William Brown, in Yamacraw
Christmas day. and was acquitted. 1t TOOK
a.good deal longer to acquit Pascal than it
did TO convict Cummings for the murder of
David Williams.
Charles Ward pleaded guilty in the supe-
rior court yesterday to carrying concealed
weapons and was given the alternative bs-
tween a fine of 800 or twelve months on
the chain-gang.