The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-02-27
SWIFT TRIAL, IN FLORENCE.
Twenty Minutes Only to Dispose
OF q Famous Lynchinp Case,

The Florence correspondent of The
News and Courier, wlitirg under
date of Feb. Is, says that Judge
Watts made Il rccosd-brcakiug trial
in the case of the State VS.. John
Livingston, charged with assault with
intent to ravish, and Of assault and
battery with intent to kill, and has set
the pace for all Other Judges in South
Carolina to follow in the trial of
E" brutcs " charged with such crimes.
Livingston was brought to Florence at
$50 O'Clock, arraigncd in open court
pleaded guilty sentenced TO ten wears
at hard Labor III the penitcntlary, and
was put aboard Of the train, and was
on the way for the pCnl,cntiary to en-
ter upon serving his sentence at $50
clock. Just twenty inmates. Even
the citizens OF Florence are wondering
how quickly ald quietly it was done,
but 1t was done nevertheless and Liv-
inSston is now doing time in The pcnl-
tertiary.
Judge Watts decided TO have Living
ston brought here for trial, and rave an
order to sheriff Burch to 90 to Column
bia and bring Livingston here. lie
also empowered the sheriff to appoint
Il sufficient number of deputies to as
sure The safe arrival of the prisoner, to
see that he was not harmed while here
and to see that he was safely returned
to the penitcntiary. Sheriff Burch i'm
incdiatcly appointed about twenty-five
deputies, among whom we've LAWYERS,
doctors, merchants and other business
men, and notified them to meet Train
Oh o Columbia, at the Irby street
crossing, Lear the court house, properly
armed TO care for the prisoner durin1
his stay in Florence. .u9.lj the party
OF deputies were ON hand. LIVINGSTON
was taken directly from The train tc
the court house, the Judge having had
the count opened early, SO there would
be no delay, and the prisoner was i'm.
mcdiatcly arraigucd. Livingston when
~askcdby the clerk: Guilty or not uul,y?
Answered IN a stern voice 6" am
guilty y The Judge then told Living.
ston that undcr ordinary circumstance
he you'd accept the plea of guilty mad,
ana would make the sentence liuht.
but owing to the fact that he had IN,
the county and State to an enormous
expense In capturing and caring fol
him to save Il lynChing, which woulC
have happened had the law not hav,
. secured control of him, and the fac,
that he would have accomplished hi.
purpose but for certain circumstances
and as Il lesson 10 others who may at
tempt such a wicked deed, he woult
, give him The highest sentence the law
would allow, and he thcrcupon sen
fenced HIM to the ) ate pcnituntiar,
, Tor a term OF ten years at hard labor
me necessary papers were made out
and the sheriff and deputies procccdc,
} TO the lrby street statl)n, where In,
I IRAN Tor Columbia was IN waiting.
. Livingston is the negro who assault
! cd the daughter OF the keeper of tn,
national cemetery near Florence las
1ail, *lth intent ID commit a more hci
nous crime, but was bravcly r~cSiste,
| aud finally fled, but was pursued an,
captured. Preparations had been mad,
to lynch HIM, when the authorize
} spirited hin away to the pcnitentiar,
at Columbia, where he has been con
: llned Tor satckceping cvcr since unit
today.
1t would have been easy enough 70
the sheriff to have brought Livingston
!, here and kept him in jall, for lhcl,
would have been no demonstration o
trouble, but the action of Judge Watt
Is heartily commended even by som
OF those who were most caycrIn hound
ing down the two negroes.