The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-09-02
THE GALLONS CAROLINA.
HaHgingS in SpaTtanbuTg, LauTcRS
and Mount Pleasant.

entail, Powerful and Fine Looking,
but Passionate-The Whole State
Was Interested in His Case, Which
Was Carried From Court to Court in
the Fruitless EHo 1T to Save Him
From Death-Details of the Several
Executions and Their Antecedents.
Spartanburg, S. c., Sept. 1.-The neck
of a rich and influential white man was
broken by legal process here to-day.
George S. Turner's wealth and promi-
nence have awaited him nothing. Though
for two years Turner was shackled to the
floor in a dark cell, not for one instant did
he manifest the least fear or show the
slightest penitence for his crime. A
s., 1000 policy on his life will so to his law
yers.
sTRAIGHTWAY FOR HEAVEN.
When he babe them good-by he told
them that he believed he would go to
heaven. He marched from his cell with
a firm step, passing through the yard in
the midst of q hard rain, AS the sheriff
read the death warrant his face paled and
his hands twitched. When asked il he
had anything to say he shook his head.
his neck was broken Death in l3 min
utes. BY the governors orders tho
Jail was guarded by militia, and
though hundreds of countrymen lined the
streets no demonstrations were made.
THE CRIME FOR WHICH he DIED.
He had scarcely escaped from the gal
lows before he committed crimes diabol-
ical, in comparison with which the killing
of the poor German was but a circum-
stance. He was married to an estimable
young lady, who had beautiful sister
manner Clara. Turner lured the latter to
Spartanburg one day under pretense of
sending her to school in North Carolina.
WhenRher condition became such that
concealment was impossible her brothers
vowed vengeance on Turner. They had
several bouts, and the matter finally got
in the courts on a suit against Turner for
$25, 600 for seduction. The case was
marked satisfied" before it came to trial.
The whole state was interested in the
case of George w. Turner, in his crime
and his fate, and had watched his case in
its weary meanderlngs through the courts
with great deal of interest.
He was one of the wealthiest men in
Spartanburg He was powerful, both in
influence and in physique. His nature was
most passionate His early life was I'M
known, but report charged him with sew
raj homicides. He was Of heavy build,
weighing 2l0 pounds, and was above the
ordinary height. He was fine looking
man. He married Miss Susie Finger, Sis
ter of the man for whose death Turner
has just paid the legal penalty Miss
Finger belonged to a prominent family.
In 1889 a friendless German named
Metzkia was brutally and without provo
cation killed by Turner, He was convic-
ted of manslaughter and sentenced to
seven years imprisonment in the peniten-
tiary, but the supreme court granted him
new trial and he was acquitted.
CRIME WHICH BEGAT CRIME.
On March Z, 1890, Ed Finger and Turn
er had some words at Turner's store near
Spartanburg. They became abusive and
negro caught hold of Finger and pulled
him away to prevent O fuss. Turner
made the negro let Finger loose, saying
he would fix him. In the interim Fingers
pistol went off in his pocket In his effort
to get it out. Ni ''"N'"Te
KILLING HIS wIFB's BROTHER.
Turner then fired, killing Finger, who
fell very near the spot on which poor
Metzkia did. Turner was placed In Jail
at Spartanburg The feeling against
him was very bitter, and the next morn
ing four hundred men, from his own
neighborhood, came into Spartanburg
1NHCAlHE
Turner. Two hundred men from another
section of the county We're expected to
join the would-be lynchers, but for some
reason, they failed to turn up.
The excitement in the city was intense,
and the sheriff, the mayor and the police
officers did all they could to quiet the
crowd. They were outnumbered by
large majority, and the only thing they
could do was to plead with the crowd
Cd
deal of parleying the would-be lynchers
took pair of mules and hauled twelve
pound field piece to the Jail, which they
leveled upon it.
sPIKING THE GUN.
The cannon had just been placed in DO
sition, when Mr.. w NJ. Jones, editor of
the Spartanburg Herald, rushed forward
and spiked the cannon and rendered it
useless. The sheriff had brought in
number of deputies, all armed with Win
chester rifles, having one thousand
rounds. He told the crowd that he
meant business, and, having no recog-
nized leaders, the mob scattered
The mob sent out for aid from the
country and from across the border in
North Carolina. News came of a start
ling scene. The lynchers proposed plac-
ing Mrs. Finger and her daughter at the
head of the column, presuming that
NlCnOl5. 1lhG AOIlOlduuS Oh Oh,
would refuse to fire on women. while the
mob could do their work. With consider
able cunning, the sheriff succeeded in
spiriting Turner out of town, where a
train was caught and the prisoner was
brought to Columbia.
THE MURDERER had COURAGE.
Turner was pretty gritty, and he would
not consent to leave the jail with the
sheriff until told of the mob's purpose
81 consented, =" he said, "because l was
fearful if they brought Clara there in
the night she would accidentiy get killed,
and l did not want her to be the breast
works for a cowardly set of men,
Turner was tried on August II. He
pleaded self-defense. In the course of his
argument the solicitor said to the Jury:
"Cut him off as a rotten branch, for the
good of his wife and children and the
community In which he lives.n He also
said that Turner was a man of no relig-
ion and did not believe in God, heaven or
hell, and that he said that the Bible was
made up of funny stories concocted by
men.
TWICE sEETEN CED TO DIE.
Turner was found guilty and sentenced
to be hanged in November, 1890. An APP
peal was made to the supreme court, but
the verdict OF the lower court was sus-
tanned. Turner's counsel moved for
re-hearing and the mandate of the SUI
MEDICAL.