The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-13
IVERSON GOES UP FOR LIFE.
PLEA OF ACCIDENTAL SHOOTING
DID NOT SAVE HIM.

TO XIII Himself, But FaiIed-Now
He VIII Serve the state for the
balance of His Life-JeaIOusy the
Cause of the Shooting, But Iverson
Claimed That He Was Shooting al
the Man Who Had Succeeded Him
In His Mistress AGectIons-Isaiah
scott to Be Tried To-day and Will
liam FRlIon Tomorrow.
Frank Iverson was convicted in the su-
perior Court yesterday of the murder of
his paramour Re5ecca Rynals on Feb %
and was sentenced TO Imprisonment in the
penitentiary for life on the recommended
ton OF the jury. The trial occupied the
entire day in The superior court, verdict
being returned by the jury at $3.50 O'Clock
at night after having been out about an
hour.
Iverson was ably defended by Messrs
Shelby Myrick and c; D. Kline, who made
a good fight IN his behalf. They expressed
themselves as well satisfied with
the virdet. There was really moth
ing to be said in VERSIONS favor. His at
torneys endeavored, with the aid of their
but this was knocked out in short order
by the solicitor general.
The accident theory was a shrewd move
on the part of the attorneys for the de-
Tense. Believing that the insanity theory
was Iverson's only hope and knowing
that VERSIONS attempt to take his own
life after the killing, would give strong
ground for such defense, Solicitor Cen
eral Osborn had prepared himself to meet
this line of argument, but found his pre-
paration unnecessary. The attorneys for
the defense took another tack and put up
a pea of accident. This was based chiefly
upon the defendants own statement that
he had gone 10 the house on a peaceful
mission, meeting at the house George
Goding, the negro who had succeeded
him in the womans affections. He claim
ed that Golding presented a pistol at
his breast and fired. He then fired two
shots and ran out into the yard. followed
by the woman and her mo her, Iverson
failing to the ground first and the woman
on top Of him. After discovering that the
woman was shot he then decided to shoot
himself. His attorneys endeavored to
confirm the accident theory by the cor
roborauve testimony of other Witnesses,
including Charles Coles, who played a
prominent part throughout the tragedy
as VERSIONS friend, having lived IN the
same house with the woman, written
letters for her to Iverson when he was
In Macon and accompanied ham on the
occasion which resulted so disastrously
for Iverson and the woman
The accident theory could have been
easily disoroved by a letter which was
found on VERSIONS person after the shoot
ing, which was intended as his farewell
message to a friend. The letter was very
plainly that of an intending suicide, and
stated that love was the cause of il all"
and that he intended to kill the woman
and then himself This letter could not
be used as evidence, however as there
was no way of establishing that Iverson's
was its author, though it was found upon
his person after the shooting
TWO other letters were found upon Iver-
sen after the shooting. one from Coles
telling Iverson, who was then in Macon,
what a fine time Rebecca was having.
that she had nearly paid for her furniture
within few weeks, and was Giving at
the rate of fourteen days a week" The
other letter was from the woman. In
this she plainly told Iverson that their
friendship was at an end. She was not
sufficiently strong to so out to work, she
said, and as he was furnishing her moth
Ing for her support, had sent her nothing
at Christmas, and brought her nothing on
the occasion of a recent visit, she would
have 10 look for some one else.
The story of the shooting and the dir
cumstances leading up to it were pretty
thoroughly brought OUT by the testimony
lverson and the Ryals woman had been
living together for several years The
man fell i'll, and the woman, according
20 the testimony, had nursed him very
Kindly. After recovering he was unable
to get work in Savannah ANA went to
Macon Being an expert hand at tying
cotton bands he secured a good position
ct the compress at Macon. but stated, as
was shown by the woman's letters reply
ing to his. that on account of his i'll
health he was unable TO make full time,
and having to spend a great deal of his
money for medicine he was unable to
send anything.
On returning to Savannah in February
1verson endeavored to renew his relations
with the woman. She received him pleas
antly but told him she was now living
with another man, George Golding, and
there was testimony to show that Iverson
had consented TO this arrangement and
agreed not to modest Golding. His love
for the woman was still strong, however,
and he evidently decided to adopt the
course some times followed in higher cir
cles and to terminate all his troubles by
killing both the woman and himself.
Accompanied by his friend, Chas. Coles,
he went to the house about o'clock on
the night Of Feb o. ana entering. found
Golding with the woman. 1t was evident
that Iverson and Coles were looking for
trouble. Someone slammed the door of
the room TO. Coles kicked the door open
and Goldng escaped by jumping out of
a window. There was nothing to support
VERSIONS claim that Golding had fired
at him. All the evidence showed that
after getting the woman into the hall
way he fired two shots at her and later
put two more bullets into his own body
Both then ran out into the back yard
followed by the woman's mother and all
three tumbled down in heap. VERSIONS
intentions We're good, but 1.-THE best laid
schemes of mice and men gang aft aglee,"
as Iverson now realizes. Both were sent
TO the Georgia lnhrmary. The woman
died, but Iverson recovered, and yesterday
he stood very good chance Of having
his neck cracked