The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-07-06

subject to the call OF the sheriff. The
little town was as excited over the IN
foreseen division as if cyclone had
called, but in the jury room determine
ton sat upon every face.
William Worthely, who was used to
plenty of air as well as Of mighty exer-
else, opened the window in front OF
him. The room was hot and sitting
with the odor Of angry men and of to-
bacco. At wink from the foreman a.
member jumped forward and shut the
window. With flash of anger the
blacksmith started tc demonstrate, buta
quick look around showed him the fu-
tility of wasting his strength. he smiled
little in contempt and let it go. He
reflled his pirs philosophically and
searched for match. He had used up
his last one. Then it was discovered
that there was not match in the room
that is, no one had any to give him .
light.
At O'Clock an officer, petulant as the
rest, came to take the jury to the hotel
for supper. In trice he knew the rea-
son Of their detention. The blacksmith
was naturally a hearty eater, but the
hotel meal was not only unpalatable to
him in his strained state; it was 100
scanty to afford him nourishment. He
could but notice that the rest OF his
fellows had plenty and good enough
food to eat On the way out he tried to
stop at the desk for matches, but the
officer hurried them back to their room
two by two, and this opportunity was
lost.
There were exactly eight chairs in
the room and a sofa that seated four.
Worthely was one of the last couple
nearest the officer, and when he got IN
the sofa was occupied. He sat down on
his chair, and it gave way with him.
He looked about for another chair and
then sat down upon the floor. He did
this with a sigh Of satisfaction, for nc
one could take that away from him.
Immediately two men took their places
beside him and began asking him ques-
tions about the trial. With an empty
stomach and nothing more than a dry
smoke it was comfort for him to argue.
Then the rest followed and clustered
like wasps about him.
care you better than the judge?'
eff George Williams didn't do it,
who did?''
..we'n make you pay for it, by
.sI'll bet he won't hold out long. 5"
'.Hold out?" cried Worthely? cpl
hold out until the last mothers son Of
you gives in. - Then he shut his mouth
and turned his head to the wall.
"You shan't sleep until you come
around Well see how you like that. "
The foreman shook his fists in the dis
senter's face. Then the blacksmith reg
istered mortal VOW that if ever he got
out he would leave mark upon the
foreman's red nose. But he answered
nothing. He closed his eyes.
The state does not furnish beds for di-
vided juries. They sleep on their chairs
or on the floor, if at all. William
Worthely had no sleep that night. He
was consumed with thirst, but there was
no water to be had-for him. All night
long two men relieved each other, squad
after squad, keeping the blacksmith
awake. They talked to him, they nudg-
ed him when his eyes were closed dur
ing too long an interval, they devised
a hundred petty and malicious schemes
of cruelty. Just such methods have
been in vogue in jury rooms for hun
dreds of years. 1t is only one of our
many relics of barbarism.
And now the blacksmith was at his
forge, hammering his prosecutors into
horseshoes. And then the desperate
longing that it seemed impossible to
control for freedom and food and q
smoke-for all the things that he had
never rated before at their true worth
took possession of him. With one sweep
of his brawny arm he would smash the
whole jury and escape to his own home.
Then he frightened his fingers into his
coat and inwardly cursed his torment
ors.
It was morning and then night of the
third day. 1t had never occurred to the
foreman Of the jury to send word to the
sheriff that the jury could not agree.
He felt that this was the battle of his
life, and all the tenacity that the ter
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