The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-03-14

TIE case Of tie State VS. John Q. Corbi;t,
vsae6 It $50 10 Mocdar, and vas con-
c.26@d soon sitter s o'cioc:, The verdict
gas 10: guit7. Tae jury wes out no. more
a.a lie minutes il this cas- nna there was
20 5pparent difficulty II arriving ct ,he
verdict accsit!ng Co.b:;; Of tie grave charge
assi:.st bin,
TIE ease Coz ;hs de'suss nas well managed
o. Joh1 Clifton. ESQ assisted hy 3 F7aak
heiieg, E.q TIE witnesses we're examined
s4 & ;. Gli:c:1 eud he ,psje t1e most Of every
poiu; inst cauaa te Used IN behGif OF his
ciiea, ;ir. ke!e: opened the argument for
the ;.eifa1se in speech ofl twenty ni1uies,
aad was followed nv Sir Clifton, who naoe
stForg iogic.l aod effective argumen, 5ssed
oa The evidence ard Collateral circumstances,
aad lcsed with ga ap2esI 10 :he lnr? hat
carried considerable weight Hr. Clifton s
management Of Tie case, and his argument
ieeo!a the j2ry have been generally compii-
,aea;ed. sad II has been gscersily conceded
hist Gctbl;t vas well and eoly defended and
that be COINED rather ttsc lcst by relying
upon the court 10 appoint couosei TO cs!eoc
air.
Solicitor Z i;son cocducted tee prosecution
with hss usual force and earuestness and
nede ssroag aceunanl bsfore tEe jury.
Fer ;he prosecution Jace Kelly, the mottec
of tie child ssid to hsve been raped by Cor
oiit, Charlotte Kelly, the eight year.old VIC
I'm Of 'De assault, Apuie Pettlford, negro
woman " ho examined the child the morning
after the assault was committed, and Dr. u.
? Ostean who made an examination aud
prescribed for the child about three weei
4f;er the crime, testified.
Charlotte Kelly, the victim, appeared to De
cs average Intelligence for negro child CT
e:gnt years. and she told straight story
under the e1amiuauoo of the solicitor aud
the cross examination by Mr. Clifton. She
could not relate connected narrative OF the
! CIRCUMSTANCES, but gave direct and positive
answers to questions asked. She stated posi-
lively that sne knew Co7plt. and that he had
assaulted her aud gave sufficient details to
convince anyone tnat she knew what fhe was
talking about 1t was impossible to make
her contradict herself, for sbe did cot appear
10 be able TO state anything but actual facts
! of " h,ch she had vivid and personal Bno"l-
/. edge, ard her testimony sfsrded nc grounds
| for belief thet she had ceep tutored. II is
not TO be believed that ch.ld of her age and
lQteiuH6UCG COuIO uasc Oeeu lloloSo "
answer the questions Of the lawyers as she
did, without contradcting herself.
Jane Kelly testified as to where she found
the child the day shs was assaulted and her
couditon When che carried her home
and made an examination. She e1h'b'
itei Der blood-staiued garments Annie
PeGdiford testified as to the childs condition
when she examined her the next day. DR..
! Os,eeu stated the chid's cor dition when be
examined her between two and three weeks
sitter the assault, WAS said TO have been com
| mitted
For the defense Mrs Co:bitt, wife of the
defendant Goroitt himself, ME. jim DAVIS
Rev. S. D Yates and Mr.. Tom Grler testified
Mrs Corbi:t testified that Cerbltt was a.
home u, tia time tine crime was said to have
been committed on his piacel .aad ss tc bis
whereabouts subsequent 20 the crime uoti bis
ar.es, 10 December, and as to the character o.
Jane Kelly.
Corbit denied all knowledge of the alleged