Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1897-10-28

He Ia Found Guilty of Murder IN she f1ret
Degree: The jury out just Long
Enough to Take Votes A Speedy
AvenKing.
Sam Wright, the burly negro
who is charged with the atrocious
murder of W. A. Carr, of which
the ARGUS readers are familiar,
| was placed on trial for his life IN
the Superior Court last Friday
morning.
The State was represented by
Solicitor Pou, assisted by Hon, Z.
B. Aycock, and the prisoner was
represented by Mr.. W. I. Dortch,
who was assigned that burdensome
duty by the court. The law re
iqaires that no man charged with
a capital offence shall be placed on
trial without counsel, and if he De
too poor to employ counsel, the
Judge presiding assigns him conn
sci, and hence it was that Mr..
Dortch appeared in the case; and,
as was his conscientious duty, he
gave the unfortunate man the
best possible defense
Besides the regular jurors, 125
special venire had been summoned
and at $50 in morning, when
court opened, the court house and
Igrounds were crowded, and the
streets round about.
! Mr.. Dortch exercised great
caution and patience in selecting a
jury, and the following constitute
the body Of men who passed
upon the life and death OF Sam
Wright:
! Messrs. Lewis Wiggina, B. ].
| Midyett, ". B. L5aIiy. ". r.
\ Carter. B. V. Hooks, : A, Coz,
; Theopholis Tripp. T.. 2 Flow
, ers. c. B. Hatch, J. Munroe Rich.
, W G. Moye, J. M. Cox.
ri After the jury were empanelco
!, Sam Wright was again arraigned
, in most solemn manner by the
solicitor and the examination o1
witnesses was begun on the part
+ of the State.
u MIR. Jesse Worley was tbs
; first witness for the State. He
a said: knew ". A. Carr. I came
, by Mr.. Carr's store coming froTC
+ town. His store was at the Stocb
gate. It was Saturday night
I brought scme people from town
q with me who were going to stay
+ all night with Bryant Capps, q
colored man. who lives near the
/ store. They wanted to buy some
r thing from the store. | noticed
! that the lights we're out in The
8 store and supposed that Mr.. Car
7 had gone to bed; bat on looking
= closer I saw the front door open
4 I stepped up on the step to Cal
n Mr.. Carr aud took hold of til.
/ door latch; it came too with j;
a slam and locked with a sprins
= lock. / went to the back door apt
o found it closed; ;also the windows
q / called but no answer. went OF
6 to Mr.. Coor's, told him, and @,
o to Mr.. Snipes, told him, and thel
. to MIR. Needham Fails; Mr.. Carr
f father-in~law and told him. e
% asked me to come back with hi
4 son Needham and find M. Car
). Or look for him. as we came bacl
the others joined US. We prize'
Mr.. Carr's bedroom windo,
open. We had borrowed Lantern
from Bryant Capps. Mr.. Snipe
and Needham Fail, Jr., crawlet
through the window into the bed
room. They found Mr.. Carr lyin.
dead on the floor, I saw him b
the lantern light as I stood 8
the window.
j. D. Snipes: I was at MI
tCarr's store Saturday night c
the murder about o'clock. I lei
there pretty soon afterward.
left in the store Mr.. Carr. Gale
Everett, Sam Wright and Lu
Herring. / went next TO the stor
with Mr.. Worley, Mr.. Fail an
others, as testified to by MI
Worley. Needham Fail land