The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-09-27
GETS THIRTY YEARS
Lorenzo Morris Did Not Know
Right From Wrong.
Plea Of Murder in Second Degree Accepted.
Officer Sanders and Young Garter
Both Exonerated.
Both Exonerated.

Lorenzo Morris, the young white man
who killed old Mrs. Catherine Bailey
near perneu. in New Light township, was
sentenced yesterday to thirty years in
the penitentiary by Judge Timberlake in
the Superior court here.
1t was evident to everyone, and was
shown clearly by the witnesses both for
the defense ard for the State, that
Morris was an irresponsible person, in
capable of distinguishing right from
wrong or in other words, possessing no
moral perception whatever.
Accordingly, after the testimony of Dr.
T. M. Jordan, county coroner, who told
how Mrs. Bailey had been found in her
ward with her head hacked to pieces with
an axe, and how circumstances showed
Morris to be the guilty man, Solicitor
Jones told the court that the counsel for
defendant, Col. j. c. L. Harris and Mr..
S. G. Ryan, had proposed in view of the
circumst ances, to enter plea of guilty
of murder in the second degree. He said
he felt it to be the duty of the State to
accept this proposition, that he was salts
fed from his examination of the States
witnesses and also those on the other
side, that the prisoner was irresponsible.
Mr.. Ryan said he was very glad the
State had determined to accept their
proposition, as he considered the condi-
tion of Morris a most unfortunate one,
that he could be persuaded to do any
thing, and had no perception of right and
wrong.
Yesterday morning the grand jury re-
turned not a true bill for assault in the
case against officer Thomas B. Sanders,
who handcuffed Ebert Carter. the sew
enteen-year old boy who threw pebbles
at the wild cat in Pullen Park.
Carter was indicted for disorderly con-
duct, and that case was tried yesterday
morning Mr. r. N. Simms defended
him and Solicitor Jones prosecuted.
Carriers testimony agreed with that
given by Keeper w. A. Howell, of the
Park. He said that he threw pebble
in the wild cats cage, and when Mr..
Howell came up and demonstrated he
did not know that he was an officer and
after some words spit at him twice,
whereupon Mr.. Howell arrested him.
Carter was proven a good character by
Rev. NJ. M. Mcfarland and Mr.. Hugh
Morson. Judge Timberlake ruled in this
case the evidence about Handwriting.
Several other witnesses corroborated
this evidence. The case was given to the
jury, who returned verdict of not
guilty.
Some other cases yesterday were:
Minnie Lassiter, four months on the
roads for larceny.
Hood Griffin, twelve months for lar
ceny.
Edward Young, retailing liquor with
out license, not guilty.
j. T. Hunter, carrying concealed wea-
pom, paid costs.
Louis Cogburn, cutting his wife with
knife. Allowed to work out costs for
county commissioners. Cogburn did not
seem a bad darkey He conducted his
own case, cross examined his wife on the
stand. He claimed that he was only
playing, but the evidence was against
him.
Monroe Harris, two cases of larceny
and one of housebreaking, five years in
the penitentiary for HOUSEKEEPING;
judgment suspended in the larceny cases.
Alfred Jones, for resisting Deputy
on payment of costs.
Mr.. E. f. Upchurch who secured his
license to practice law this month, took
the oath as a practicing attorney.
Today comes up the case of Mansel
Robertson, the negro who stabb-
ed TO death Looms Debnam on the night
of Saturday, September 9Th, near
Eagle Rock. There was party at Rob-
ertson's house, and a good
deal of liquor was consumed. A fight
followed and Robertson was seen
to stick his pocket knife into Debnam's
neck. The jugular vein was severed.
Robertson claims he knows nothing of
the stabbing whatever. When arrested
he showed a small cut on his head.