The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-02-01
THORPE TO GET THE ROPE
"sAMMY DE KID" CONVICTED OF
CHARLES BRINsONs MURDER.


to Realization of Ills Position by
the Death SentenceHe Sheds Tears
"The Kid to Hang Friday, March 10
Samuel Thorpe, alias Sammy de Kid,
the 19-year old colored gambler and des'
perado, who gave Charles Brinson his death
wound in Fields negro gambling house OF
Lumber street, just as the bells were ring
ing in tbs new year, and who had shot Dolly
Styles slightly few moments before, was
convicted of murder in the superior court
yesterday afternoon, and sentenced to die
on the gallows Friday, March 10,
There was absolutely no defense TO be put
up in Thorpe's behalf. A more deliberate
or cold-blooded murder was never proven in
the courts.
The condemned murderer, who is rather
a pleasant-faced, boyish-looking mUlatto,
came into the court room when his case
was called with seemingly perfect in
difference as Co what the outcome OF his
case would be. As he dropped into the pris-
oner's chair, alongside his attorneys, T. K.
Cain, Esq, aud John Nicolson, Jr., Esq,
Thorpe turned around and calmly surveyed
the sea of black faces in the gallery as II
looking for acquaintance in that morbidly
curious crowd, but if he recognized any
body be made no outward sign. As the
damaging evidence. tightening the moose
around his neck, was brought out by the
state Thorpe became reflective, aud gradu-
ally nervousness took the place Of indiffsr-
ence, At times he covered his face in his
handkerchief and buried it in his hands.
THORPE PLEADS GUILTY.
After going through the usual erraign-
ment OF the prisoner at the bar Solicitor
General Fraser asked Thorpe: Are you
guilty or not guiltyP
The boy murderer hesitated q moment as
If dazed, and answered, Guilty"
What is that" sharply asked the solici-
tor, and Thorpe, who by this time had real
lied that he had Numbered, corrected HIM
self quickly and said, mot guilty"
The mistaken plea of guilty was probably
q thoughtless expression of the murderer 3
tnnermost feelings about the crime for
which he was being tried and escaped his
lips unconsciously. 1t had marked effect
on everybody IN the court room, particu-
larry the negro spectators, and whatever
sympathy they had for Thorpe vanished at
the fact that he had really admitted his
guilt at the most critical time for himself
The selection of a jury consumed an hour.
The state struck only one, one went OFF for
cause, and the defense exhausted its strikes
after eleven jurors had been secured. The
following was the jury:
George E. Mallory, Richard Fogarty,
Urville S. Abrams, Richard D. baltimore,
james R. Kreuson, Fred A. Lenhard,
Matthew M. Hopkins, Andrew Brennan,
Edward It. Hartfelder, james NJ. Daniels,
Os6 God n. Berry, Orlando E. Cohen.
THE KID WAS IN TOWN.
Daniel Brown was the first witness for
the state. He testified that crowd OF
negroes, among which were Charles Brin-
son, the dead man, and Thorpe, the prisoner,
were playing skin in Fields house, ani
Thorpe lost so cents to Brinson. He got
mad, quit the game, stepped out into the
yard and fired into the room, hitting Brin-
son in the stomach. Then ne pulled his hat
over his eyes, and ran into the street
through the house, fourishing his pistol and
yelling 1.-THE kid is in town, by -.n Brown
said Thorpe was known among the colored
people as sport"
Attorney Nicolson put the witness through
a long cross-examination, but Brown stood
60 his original story.
Judge Falligant asked Brown to explain
how skim was played, aud the witness
replied that if be was furnished with deck
OF cards he would illustrate the game upon
the solicitor generals table This statement
caused considerable amusement, but the
Judge did not furnish the cards, and Brown
gave him the best idea he could in panto-
mime without the necessary appurtenances.
He WOULD CHEAT WHEN HE COULD.
Noah Mcclellan was the next witness.
and psoved by his statements that he was
telling the truth. Mcclellan said he went
into Fields place shortly before II o'clock
and went into a stall to play skin with
Brinson. He did not know that Thorpe
and Briuson had had a difficulty, but
shortly afterward his attention was at
tracted by hearing Thorpe say: There's
going to be - to pay here tonight fol-
lowed almost Immediately by the shot
which killed Brinson.
Attorney Nicolson questioned Mcclellan
to know il he would cheat a man at play, evi-
IDENTIFY trying to show that such was what
caused the fatal difficulty between Thorpe
and Brinson.
IF you want me to tell you the truth :"
answered Mcclellan, 81 say yes. I'll cheat
whenever get the chance. All skin play
ers do it.n
''But If you are physically superior TO an-
other have you not got the advantage at
cheating, that is if you are larger, would
you not cheat him quicker, and il you
caught man cheating you would you not
fight him" asked the attorney for the de-
Tense. This was TO bring out the fact that
Brinson was greatly the superior of Thorpe
physically, had cheated him and that when
he protested was threatened
20, / wouldn't fight q man about bein'
slicker'n me,n replied Mcclellan, ''an' |
sSNN SNOAS o 0uJ 0AASAoA II LAG az C4E Us
in town."
''What would you do If you found a man
had cheated YOU" asked Judge Falligant.
'Nothin', sir, said Mcclellan, "cept lay
for him on de next deal"
This testimony Of McClellau's came out
30 straightforward that it amused every
body in the court room, causing laughter
despite the solemn affair in progress.
HE SAW THE SHOOTING.
Joe Golden, a very black but intelligent
negro, was the only man who actually saw
Thorpe when he fired the fatal bullet into
Brinson. He caused lots of laughter when
called into court by jumping upon the chair
on the witness stand, installing 1t for
an elevation from which be would
have to look down upon the
jury and tell his story. Golden
swore that he was standing within foot of
Thorpe when he came into the yard curslng
Brinson because he had won his money.
He tried TO quiet "de kid" but he would
not listen to anything, and with the re-
mark There's going to be - to pay, -"
pulled his revolver from his pocket and de-
liberately shot Brinson.
In the cross-examination by counsel for
the defense the fact was brought out to the
entire satisfaction Of the state that Thorpe
had tried to kill Dolly Styles short while
before he shot Brinson, but had only in
hicted a slight wound.
Policeman Bossel was the states last wit
ness He testified to Brinson's dying state