Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-07-10
GENERAL SESSIONS.


engaged in the trial of Wise Mont
gomery and Ike Blair, colored, charg-
ed with the murder of Robert Feem-
ster, also colored. Major J. F. Hart
represented Montgomery, Mr.. T. F.
Mellow represented Ike Blair, and
the State was represented by Solicitor
Henry, assisted by J. S. Brice, Esq.
The facts in this case are still fresh
in the mind of the public. On Sunday
morning, the 10th day of May, the
body of Robert Feemster was found
lying in the northeastern outskirts OF
Yorkville. His head had been beaten
into a pulp and almost severed
from the trunk. Lying near by was
found a bloody knife and also bloody
hammer. 1t was evident that it was
with these that the murder was COM
mitted. 1t shortly afterward develop
ed that the knife was the property OF
Wilse Montgomery, and the hammer
belonged to his father. 1t further de-
veloped that Wilse Montgomery had
been seen in Yorkville on the night
preceding the murder, in company
with the murdered man. Ike Blair
had also been with Montgomery, and
the fact that they were unable to sat-
isfactorily account for themselves be-
tween the time they were last seen in
Yorkville and the time they claimed
to have returned to their homes, taken
in connection with numerous other
suspicious incidents, seemed to make
against them a strong case of circum-
stautial evidence.
The case was very complicated
one, and occupied the attention of the
court until late hour Saturday after
noon. The jury remained out on
it about two hours, and returned with
a verdict of not guilty. The verdict
was in no sense surprising; but at the
same time, it was far from satisfactory.
Several of the jurors expressed them
selves as considering the case one OF
"not proven" only.
Before the conclusion of the case,
the charge against Ike Blair was mol
pressed by the solicitor, with view to
making Of him witness for the State.
His evidence, however, was of but lit
tie practical value.
The next case taken up was that
against L. Frank Shuford, charged
with an attempt to commit criminal
assault. Messrs. T. F. Mellow and
w. B. de Loach appeared for the de-
fense, and Solicitor Henry and Mr..
w. B. McCaw for the State. The jury
was composed as follows: William
Dickson, foreman; B. F. Scoggins, J..
H. Campbell, J. J. Dunlap, R. A. Err
win, w. R. Henry, c. L. Cherry, R.
D. Hope, C. Q. Webber, A. L. Robin
son, r. T. Davidson, E. NJ. Walker.
The case was commenced late Sat-
urday afternoon, and was not conclud-
ed until about o'clock p. m. on
Monday. The principal witness for
the State was Miss NJ. S. Auten, the
young lady upon whom the assault
was attempted. The young lady is
about Is years of age, very pretty in
appearance, and evidently modest and
retiring in disposition. She gave in
her testimony with quiet, unfiinch-
ing firmness that was remarkable
under the circumstances, and that
carried conviction in every syllable.
She had been taking drawing lessons
from Shuford two days. He took her
in an upstairs room of his house, sent
the other inmates of the house away,
and then, by m means of persuasion and
force, attempted the fearful crime of
which he was charged, failing only on
account of certain reasons that were
made perfectly clear to the jury.
Mr.. w. w. Auten, father Of the
young lady, told how shuford had
persuaded him to allow his daughter
to take drawing lessons, and also
told a number of circumstances relat-
ing to the case, occurring on the morn
ing of the attempted crime. His tes-
timony was also straightforward, cool
and deliberate, without hint of vim
dicativeness toward the prisoner.
In defense, Shuford admitted part
of Miss Auten's testimony; but, at
the same time, tried to make it appear
that she was responsible for the whole
trouble. He claimed that she had
made advances to him, and in support
of this claim, introduced in evidence
an amorous note signed with Miss
Auten's name. The State quickly
made it appear that the note was writ
ten by Shuford himself, and the sigma
ture was forgery. The defense found