The age-herald., 1898-02-09
GAFFORD'S FATE
 STILL IN DOUBT Jury Eleven for Hanging, One for Im-
 priSonment. TENAClTY OF THE JURORS In Sticking Out for Penitentiary Sentence
 Exciting Comment. WITH THE INABILITY OF A LION The Slayer of Lloyd Faces His Cramped Cage A Ray of Hope That the Jury Will
 Reach Verdict Some Time
 During Today.
WITH THE AMIABILIY OF A LION
Special to The Age Herald.

Greenville, Feb. S.-Jno. Gaffords fate is still subjudicio. The supporters of the
 prosecution claim to know late tonight that the last poll of the jury showed eleven for hanging and one for a penitentiary sentence, but several officials who are generally recognized as Gafford sympa- thizers and should be in position to ob- | tain information, say this is not so, that ] the hanging majority is myth.
 The tenacity with which what has been 1 termed the penitentiary jurors stick to l their position is causing considerable com ment of an unfavorable nature, but Green vile people do not believe that outside in- l fuences are at work The deputy who Is | in constant charge of the imprisoned panel | is @ man of undoubted integrity and Sheriff Shanks, although politically affiliat- ed with the rural force supposed to be in sympathy with Lloyd's slayer, demon strated his capacity as an official during the trial without introducing any quality to which the representation of the state might have taken exception.
 Only Two Men
 These are the only two men allowed con- tact with the jury and they are discreetly silent on the subject of it's position. The man whose fate is in the scales Is a living interpretation of hope springing eternal in the human breast, but his stock of speransa has very nearly given out. He is as restless and nervous as it is possible to imagine being who has reckless regard for the lives of others but an overpowering regard for his own.
 The cage in which Gafford spends his nights is not calculated to soften his feel ings toward humanity, being much below the city average, and the whole jail, while answering its purpose for strength, is not according to modern requirements in ven- tilation or sanitation. The space for ex- ercise is all interior, and when the term "all'' is employed it means as much room for pedestrian exercise as can be found In
 the hail way of an ordinary residence. To one who has been used to open country life, the daily routine in such a place must be torture.
 For two days Gafford has necessarily tramped this narrow space, and has dis played all the suitability of a caged lion. His brother, Neil, who raised heaven and earth in his behalf before and during the trial, is frequently his companion, and many relatives are admitted to see him without sticking too closely to the rules of the establishment.
 Colored Men Found Guilty The extraordinary condition in whidSl court adjourned yesterday, with two mur-
 der juries hung, ceased today, when the second body to retire brought verdict or
 guilty against the colored youth, Walter
 Moorer, and fixed the penalty at imprison-
 ment for life. A legal hanging would be
 distinct novelty, and the Moorer jury re-
 fused to depart from custom.
 This fractricide was one of the worst murderers which has ever been dealt with by a Butler county jury. Towards mid night ray of hope came from the court house that the Gafford jury deadlock
 would not be extended over tomorrow, and
 those citizens who learned of it, are again all eagerness for the final scene after ex- hibitng apathy during the tedium of the long entracte. J. c. OC.