The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-07-27
G % URT

Friday at noon. The cause OF the
term attracting the largest interest,
in fact moro than any case heard In
tho county for years, was that of the
State against William Franks and
Barksdalc Franks, father of the former
for the murder of Mason Clark on the
night of the 10th Of June last at nine
o'clock. William Franks as Il laborer
and his wife lived in the house Of Mr..
Clark, the employer, d farmer. Both
the deceased and the accused were
well connected belonging to highly
respectable and influential families in
this county, Thursday morning was
fixed for the trial The Court room was
packed like a sardinc box from the
opening to the close of the case. Upon
their arrangement they pleaded mot
guilty" and the following Jurors
were empaneled and charged with the
case:
r. A. Nash, Foreman; James b.
B. Davidson, J. II. Drummond, J. G.
Burgess, Joseph a. Hill, w. Nj. Mahon,
Abe Cook, John d. Powers.
Messrs. Ferguson and ~Featherstone
represented the Defendants and Solici.
tor Sease had associated with him cX-
Solicitor o. l.. Schumpcrt and Messrs.
Ball u Simkins. The testimony was
concluded at i Z. NJ. and after the ar
gument and q very full charge by
Judge Buchanan, the Jury retired at
$50 returning a verdict at IL. 30. The
elder Franks was acquitted and Will
liam Franks found guilty of murder
with a recommendation to mercy.
which saves his life, but involves i'm
prisonment for his whole life. The
evidence disclosed that William Franks
left his home, Mr.. Clarke's, after the
work of the day, buckling on his pis-
tol and going Il mile to the residence
OF his father to spend the night
Young Franks had been married only
a month to his wife. After eating
supper the Franks, father and son re-
turned to the house of Clarke and
called him out. Clark having retired,
drew on his pants and went into the
yard to meet them, when an alterca-
ton ensued, and Clark receiving five
bullets in his person.
The defence was two-fold: That
during the early afternoon OF that
DAY Mrs. Franks going to n field where
her husband was at work to carry him
water was accosted by Clark with an
indecent proposition; and second that
he went to Clarke's house at night to
make a settlement with him when
Clark being armed an alteration en-
sued and that he killed Clark in self
defence. Thh testimony was ad-
dressed - these issues with the find
lngs as stated. A motion was made
for a new trial and ovcrrnled Nv His
1t is probable hat the motion
Will be renewed before the Supreme
Court of the State. The charactsr of
the case and the strong family con-
nectlons of the prosecuting parties !
n the Defendants gave the great in
terest to the cause.
William Franks is an albino, about
twenty eight years OF ago, but not a
strongly marked albino, Il man of fine ,
physique, clear cut features, and DOW
erful frame.
eight miles from the Court House,
o forty years Of age, of good ad- |
dress, fine ~appearance, and Of under
stood courage. His widow is a prcpos-
sessing lady, with six little children
clustering about her. Mrs. Franks is |
q young woman, a bride of Il month, of
small stature, 1.-the and quick. and in
telligent.
At noon on Friday the Sessions were
concluded and the Jurors discharged.
following sentences were passed:
Osse Simpson, ~manslaughtcr, three
years at hard labor on the county
S"nS' "oAi "a IluHIef, "nltG, !
who had hired u horse Of the Messrs.
for u few hours and subsc-
quently appropriated the horse and
was arrested in ColumbiaJ $75 or one
year on the county chain gang. This |
fellow was Il most desolate, dilapitatcd
white man, as poor a specimen as YOU
will observe in forty-days travel.
Tom Beasley, colored, m~anslaughter, |
two years on chain gang or Penitent.
iary. In this case the twelve trial
Jurors united in q recommendation to
the mercy Of the Court. Willie Franks
to be confined in the ~Penetcntiary vt
hard labor for the term of his natural
life. AS a matter of law only those
sentenced for three years and less a
be placed upon the chain gang-for
longer sentences they go to the State
institution on the Congaree.
Osse Simpson, a colOrcd boy visiting
q colored %neighDor took occasion to
flourish a pistol among the inmates OF
the cabin with the result that the
weapon was accidentally discharged
and a colored infant six months Old
shot in h head in q colored woman's
arms, from which wound it almost in
stantly died. The Jury concluded
that there was criminal recklessness in
handling the weapon. The Court was
ShS"SSu IL IL nearing Vi equity mat
tiers until noon Of Saturday and ad-
.journed SINE DIE.
Judge Buchanan went upon the mid
day train TO S~partanburg where on
yesterday he opened a Common Pleas
term. This was Judge Buchanan's
first term in this county. 1t is but Just
to express here that His Honor made
a most favorable impression upon our
bar and entire people. He is prompt,
clear.decided, learned, and withal cour-
teous and patient. With these char
acteristics, no other but a favorable
impression could result.
Court for this county will sit again
on the third Monday OF October.