The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1895-11-01
ONE WAS LYNCHED
ALTHOUGH RECOMMENDED TO
THE MERCY OF THE COURT.
Jury's Verdict Unsatisfactory aud .
aIob Does the Work.

THE Hampton, S. O., Guardian, in
an extra edition issued at 10 O'Clock
Thursday night, gives the following
account Of the trial, conviction aud
iynching Of one Of the four negroes
who 80 brutally murdered Mr.. j.. r.
Moars on August 9th for the purpose
Of robbery:
Court convened this morning at
$3.50 o'clock. Judge Buchanan presid-
ed. The case against William Blake,
ST., Jason Blake, Prince Graves aud
William Frazer for the murder Of Mr..
Raymond Mears was taken up. About
fifteen witnesses we're examined and
strong case was made out against the
defendants.
''Ihe testimony Of Frazer, Jason,
Blake and Graves was sufficient 10 sat
isiy all who heard them that they were
q cold-blooded set Of murderers, and
chat they went to Mr. Raymond Mear's
house on the night of August 9th for
the purpose Of murder and robbery.
William Blake, ST., denied any part
in the crime, but it was very plain that
he was lying. The gold watch and
pocketbook of the murdered man
which we're found in his possession
we're against him.
"Mr. w. H. Townsend, the acting
solicitor, was assisted by Major w. s.
Tillinghast The prisoners had no
counsel and the Judge appointed
Messrs. Youmans and Hamilton. After
argument by counsel and the charge Of
Judge Buchanan, the jury retired.
They we're in the room twenty-five
minutes, and on their return Clerk
Causey read the verdict Of guilty and
recommending William Blake to the
mercy of the court.
'"The Judge ordered Prince Graves,
Jason Blake and William Frazer to
stand up. and they we're sentenced to
be hanged within the walls of the
county Jail on Friday, December 9th.
William Blake, ST., was then directed
to stand up, aud he was sentenced to
the penitentiary for the rest of his nat
ural days All was quiet in the court
room, but several murmurs of disap-
proyal were heard and itwas evident that
the recommendation of mercy of VIM.
Blake, ST., was not approved. The
convicted murderers we're then hand
cuffed and the sheriff and his consta-
bles proceeded to the Jail. Court then
adjourned, the hour being 1880 o'clock.
Judge Buchanan, the solicitor, and
several of the attorneys had reached
the street, when Sheriff McTeer was
seen to hurriedly push through the
crowd and ask for the solicitor. In a
few words the sheriff said that himself
and his constables had been overpow-
cred and he, himself, had been picked
up bodily by several men and carried
several hundred yards. VIM. Blake,
ST., and William Frazer, who were
handcuffed together, were forced from
the custody of the constables and
taken off in the woods. The sheriff,
after giving this information, return
ed to the Jail, and it was then ascer-
bhlu6u buhb tuo uhAuOuub Ahu bOch
loosened in some way and Frazer, who
was linked to old man Blake, had
been returned to the custody of the
iailer.
1.-THE crowd, numbering about fifty
men, proceeded to q dense piece of
woods about half a mile from the
courthouse and swung VIM. Blake, ST.,
to pine tree.
Trial Justice Murdaugh, acting cor
oner, had the body cut down and
brought to the courthouse square,
where jury was impaneled and an in
quest held. The verdict of the jury
was that Blake came to his death from
the effects of gun-shot wound, the
ball passing through the heart, the
party or parties being unknown to the
jury.