The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-11-03
HAD BECOME A>coNvICT
Having Murdered His Neigh
bor-Idea of Life Term in
a Cell Was Too Much
for Him.

4 One night in fe:on's cell in the
State penitentiary With the prospect
OF spending the remainder of his
life within those massive stone walls
aud grated doors and windows
proved too much of strain for
Stephen Bryant. white convict who
had jus. been received at the prison,
to stand, and he has ended his life
He secreted a pair of scissors about
his person while working in the no
siery mill on Thursday and during
Thursday night he plunged them
| into his neck twice. fell over on the
floor and died His life blood quick
ly flowed. out through the gaping
wounds he had made The guards
discovered him jnst as he was breath
Ing his last The body lay as it was
found ON the cell floor, making a
ghastly picture, until yesterday
morning when the coroner went
down to the prison and gave per-
nit for the removal of the body The
story of the unfortunate man who has
thus died by his own hand rather
than face life term in, prison is q
readable one.
Only short time ago Bryant was
living quietly upon his farm in Ma
rion county close by lived another
white farmer named Prevatt. 1t
seems that one day Bryant's l2 year
old brother in law went over to visit
Prevatt Unen going home be told
Bryant stories about the domestic
affairs of Prevatt When Prevatt
heard of it he warned the boy, who
later came to see him again and once
more told tales Then Prevatt gave
the boy moderate whipping. This
made Bryant, very angry and getting
his gun he rode over to where Pre-
vatt was working in his field. He
called him up and asked him Why he
had whipped the boy. Prevatt fully
explained the matter.
.sWill you do SO again ?' demand
ed Bryant
eff be gives me the same provoca
tion." was the cool reply.
tThen take that, and that" shout
ed Bryant as be discharge drst one
and then the other barrel his gun
at the head of Prevatt. almost tear
ing it off and killing him instantly.
At the trial. which took place i'll
Marion and was ended last week, the
evidence against Bryant was over
wheiming, but on account of the
plea of uusound mind, which was
worked for all it was worth by the
counsel for Bryant, the jury, while
while finding Bryant guilty, saw fit
to recommend him to the mercy OF
the court. thereby securing a life
sentence for him instead of giving
him death upon the scaffold.
Bryant was brought here to begin
his life term in prison on Wednes
day He was put to work in the
hoisery mill and given comfortable
cell in the main building He man
aged to get through Wednesday
night in his cell, and on Thursday
appeared to be passive and resigned
to his fate. He had then determined,
however, to kill himself, for he
watched his chance during the day
and slipped pair Of scissors into his
jacket while working in the mill.
At $3.50 o'clock be was cent to his
cell for the night Nothing more
was heard or thought of him until
1890 O'Clock at night At night a
"key man," a trusty convict. is kept
in the corridor inside the main cage.
TO attend to the wants of the prison
ers during the night in case they are
sick or anything of that kind. On
Thursday night Convict Hunter was
on this duty. In answering call
from one of the cells he had to pass
By the cell occupied by Bryant. He
heard a strange gurgiing sound in
the cell and notified the guard.
Corporal Smith came quickly and
the cell was opened A revolving
scene was presented Ga the floor
lay Bryant breathing his last; the
body lay in pool of the mans life
blood. which was still flowing from a
CARING wound on the left side of his
neck. He died in a very few mo.
ments Still tightly clinched in his
hand we1e the scissors with which
he had ended his earthly career.
Strengthening the body out the cor
poral and the guards once more locked
the door aud left the building to
await the coming of day. Then
Coroner Green was notified aud in
short time he was at the prison. He
entered the cell and saw enough to
convince him that il was Case OF
self destruction and that it was not
necessary to hold all inquest AC-