The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-04-15
TO THE MINES For LIFE.
HENRY FUTCH ESCAPES THE GAL
LOWS ON HIS SECOND TRIAL.

The Greatest Criminal Case in the
History of Tattnell County at an
End-The Feud Bstwesn the Dur
reuces end Kennedys Which Dates
Pack to the '6Os-How Kennedy Was
AssassInated.
The sensational murder case 10 Tattnall
county, which wes supposed TO have been
the result Of tho feud between the Kennedy
and Durrence families, came to a conclusion
day before yesterday with the second con-
viction OF Henry Futch for the murder of
Alfred Kennedy on the night Of Aug. 81,
1891, but this time the jury recommended
imprisonment for life, and Futch escapes the
gallows, TO which be was condemned a year
ago this month.
That trial resulted in the ac-
quittal OF Mary Jane DeLoach
and the conviction of her mother, Mrs
Sarah deLoach, as an accessory to the fact.
The offense of which Mrs. DeLoaoh was
was convicted was a misdemeauor, aud she
was fined $3.50 by Judge Gamble. John
Durrence, her father, paid the fine.
Both women were charged as being prin-
cipals in the seoond degree, being present,
aiding and abetting Henry Futch in the
murder of Alfred Kennedy; as accessories
before the fact. procuring the murder to
have been committed, and accessories after
the fact in concealing the crime from the
magistrates.
A SENSATIONAL CASE
This closes what has been very sensa-
tional case In Tattnall county. The Dur
renee family is one of the most prominent
and weslthy families in the county, and
that Of the murdered man, Kennedy, is also
prominent and largely connected family
OF the county. Between these families there
has been long existing a feud running back
as far as 1868 or 1869. There has been a
number Of prosecutions aud cross. proSscu-
tions between members OF the two families.
Mrs. Sarah DeLoach ia the daughter of
John Durrence, who Is regarded as the head
OF the Durrence faction, be being a man OF
considerable wealth and prominence.
The theory Of the state was that Futch
was simply tool in the hands of the Dur
rences, who hired him to assAssinate Ken
needy that Mrs. DeLoaoh had decoyed Ken
nedy TO the house on the night of the homi-
eide by masking an appointment for her
daughter, Mary Jane, and that Futoh, hav-
ing been hired by the Durrences through
Mrs. DeLoach, was provided with breach
loading gun belonging to James Durrence,
was In hiding waiting for Kennedy, and
shot him down as he came through the
gate. This theory was what made 1t 80
sensational.
PLEADED FOR MERCY.
Il was expected by the large crowd 10 nt-
tendance at Futch's latest trial that the de-
tense would put up the DeLoach woman to
aid Futoh, but the prisoners attorneys Of
fered no evidence except the prisoners
tnV, n1k nd n Al 4
Judge Hines, who defended Futch, secured
thereby the opening and conclusion before
| the jury. Their arguments were a plea for
mercy entirely, as the prisoner had already
confessed his guilt, Maj. P. W. Meldrim
and j. II, McGee conducted the prosecu-
| ton.
The murder of Kennedy was a cruel as
sassination. Futch shot him from ambush
on the DeLoach place. and afterward car
ried his body to Bull creak and buried 1t in
the mud, where searching parties discovered
| it three days afterward. Willie Spencer, q
colored boy employed by the DeLoaches
| testified against both Futch and the women
alleging that be overheard Mrs DeLoach
and her daughter planning the assassin alton.
the evidence was the main point on
which Futch secured new trial. the
supreme court holding that what the boy
heard the women talking about was not ad-
missible testimony against Futch. No
! further motion will be made, and the con-
victed murderer will 60 TO the mines for
| life.
Futch was farm hand on Mr.. DeLoach's
| plantation and had neither friends nor
means, being, ns far as the evidence dis
| closed, without relatives in the county. He
| formerly lived in Bulloch county before
| getting work on the DeLoaoh's place, but
exactly who he is and where he came from
| no one knew.