The Savannah morning news., 1902-04-29
FOR FIFTEEN YEARS
WILLIAM BUTLER WILL LABOR IN
THE STATE PENITENTIARY.
GUILTY OF MANSLAUGHTER
VERDICT OF JURY THAT TRIED
HIM FOR MURDER Or BAKER.

Negro Entertainment at sunny
side. Last January-Stabbed to
Death in a Darkened ROOm-Wit-
neSses for the state Said killing
Was without ProvOcation, While
Butler Claimed 1t Was in Defense
of His BrOther-fn-Ihw, william IL
yard-Jury Accompanied Its YER
dict with Recommendation to
the Mercy of the Court
The next fifteen years of the life of
William Butler will be spent at hard
labor in the penitentiary of the state.
Tried in the Superior Court yesterday
for the murder of William Baker, he
was saved from more severe punish
ment by the tury's verdict of guilty of
manslaughter. and its further recon-
mendation of the defendant to the
mercy of the court.
The homicide for which Butler was
tried was committed at hot supper,
a form of entertainment peculiar it is
believed, to the negro race in this sec
ton of the South. 1t was given at
negro settlement known as Sunnyside,
just south of the city, on the night of
Jan. u, last.
Frank Ellis gave the hot supper for
the benefit of a blind brother, but there
was nothing peaceful or stupid about
the events of the evening. It's chart
table object was quite lost sight of in
the general desire to crafty the lust
for fighting that seemed to prevail.
Besides the death of Baker there were
other incidents of very similar charac-
ter William lizard was seriously cut
in half a dozen different places, and
others of the merry party carried away
painful and in some cases dangerous
wounds as souvenirs of the happy oc-
casion.
Parker's story of the Crime.
The principal witness for the state
was Robert Parker. who told what
seemed to be a clear and concise story
of the events that preceded the" homi-
eide and of the fatal stabbing itself.
Parker said that Baker and William
lizard, the latter friend and connec-
ton of Buffers, were Quarreling with
each other inside the house. lizard
seemed to be the aggressor and Baker
to be endeavoring to avoid conflict.
I
up a chair and hit Baker over
the head with it. Baker fell on his
knees at the blow. and at the same
time William Butler and his brother
Gabriel Butler, rushed in from out
side the house. William Butler had
a knife in his hand when he entered
the door, and with this weapon made
two stabs at Baker. The lights went
out and l could not see whether the
man was cut.
Il got up and started towards the
men who were struggling, when Cab
riel Butler stuck a pistol in my face
and snapped it twice"
In the midst of the general confusion
that ensued Parker managed to get
on the outside of the building and ev-
orybody else seems to have done the
same thing. Even Baker, wounded to
death, staggered out in pursuit of his
assailants, but fell dead within "a few
feet of the door
There was much other evidence for
the state, all to the same general eff
feet. The other witnesses, however, |
had not seen as much of the difficulty
as had Parker and could only testify
to parts of it.
The Role of Peacemnker.
The evidence for the defense followed
the statement of the accused. In es-
sentials this was that he had gone out
of the house and started home, when |
he heard the row in the house and |
went back. There he had seen his |
brother-in-law, William lizard. strug-
Cling with Baker. the latter having |
knife in mis- hand. Butler said he |
rushed between the combatants and |
tried to separate them, at the same
time wrenching the knife from Bakers |
hand. AS Baker continued to try and |
get at lizard, Butler said he cut at him
once. Butler gave back and he went
cut of the house, without knowing
whether his thrust had taken effect.
He was arrested on the following |
morning, but did not know then nor |
until the next day that Baker was
dead.
Detective ]. ]. Murphy testified in |
rebuttal to statement made him by |
Butler after his arrest The detective |
said Butler had told him that lizard |
struck Baker two blows with the chair. |
the second blow knocking the knife |
from Bakers hand. 1t was then. he
had told the detective that he picked |
up the knife and stabbed Baker.
Arguments were made by Solicitor
General Osborne for the state and Mr.. |
Raiford Falligant for the defense. and |
the case went to the jury at about ) |
O'Clock. In an hour and a half a YER |
dict had been reached by the jury. but |
II required some time to bring Judge |
Barrow back to the Court House and |
1t was nearly before the verdict was
read.
QuaiIed as Verdict Was Read.
I'VE, the jury" read Clerk Carr
find the defendant guilty"-here for
some reason the clerk hesitated and |
Butler visibly f1inched-"of man. |
slaughter, and recommend him to the |
mercy of the court" Butler. with
an audible sigh of relief, regained his |
composure.
In passing sentence Judge Barrow
told the defendant that the Jury had
treated him with every possible con-
sideration and shown him every pos
sible leniency.
According to your own statement"
said the court, you stabbed Baker
to death after he was unarmed, and
when he could not protect himself. A
verdict of manslaughter is the best
you could possibly expect The sem
tence of the court, taking into consid-
Grafton the recommendation of the
jury, is that you be confined at hard
labor in the penitentiary for the full
space and term of fifteen years"
When the jury retired from the court
room, 1t stood ten for manslaughter and
two for acquittal These latter were
brought over and the verdict as it was
finally returned, was reached.