Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-06-26
LEE FOUND GUILTY;
MUST HANG JULY q
Jury Declares Slayer of
Lila May SuttIes To
Be a Muir
derer.

Willard Lee was yesterday found gull
~ of the murder Of Miss Lila May
Suttles and sentenced to hang on Monday.
July INST, between the hours of 10 a. m
and u m. W. r. Wells, the condemned
murderer Of Frederick Pierce. a blind
man. Is under sentence to hang on the
same day.
terday at 9 O'Clock and after a deliber-
alton lasting for three hours returned q
verdict of guilty that afternoon at LIS
Lee heard the verdict unmoved. Only once
did he give any sign that he understood
the awful fate awaiting him. AS Judge
Gambler pronounced the solemn sentences
Of death, the heavy wrinkles which have
overshadowed the mans forehead disap-
peared the CLASSY look which has filmed
his eyes until they looked as though they
had been touched with the hand Of death.
gave way to a look of interest and OF dis
may. Only for an instant did this last.
and then that same old sleepy expression
came over his face. the light in his eyes
dulled and his forehead again became
mass Of wrinkles. Then. with slow ana
calm step he walked back into the prison
ers' room and was hastily conveyed to
the Tower.
In his charge Judge Gambler frHt said
that the burden OF the proof OF the muir
der rested with the state. He then de-
SCFlDeQ the leBdl ueQulIlOn OF the WORD
murder, and the various kinds and classes
of murder. He stated that II murder was
committed without any excuse, and with
malice aforethought. II was murder IN the
first degree and punishable by death.
In regard to the sanity or insanity OF
the defendant at the time OF the killing.
Judge Gambler charged that the burden
of the proof rested with the defendant to
show that he was not oS sane mind at the
time OF the killing. as this state presurnes
that every person is sane until proof to
the contrary Is introduced.
He further charged that II a person
was, at the time of the killing, sane
about everything save the cause for the
crime, then he is not guilty; but If he Is
insane about everything in the world. and
sane about the thing which caused the
crime, then he was guilty. He charged
the jury to take the matter iupartially
and try the case on its merits.
Lowry Arnold. OF the defense, had
waived the presence OF Lee, but he was
brought in and was present when the YER
dict was read.
I'VE, the jury, find the defendant gull
ty' read Mr.. Miller in a slow tone Lee.
seated between two deputies, his head
rested In his hand. aid not move, but his
eyes looked mp. and he followed every
word Of the clerk as he read the verdict.
stand up Mr.. Lee" ordered Judge
Gambler. Have you anything to say
why the sentence Of death should not be
passed upon your"
Lee made no answer and Judge Gambler
continued:
''Mr. Lee, you have been tried by jury
Of your countrymen and found guilty Of
murder therefore order that you be
taken from the bar OF this court to the
Jail OF Fulton county and there be safely
kept until Monday, 21st day OF July, when.
between the hours OF 10fa- m and II p.
M, you are to be hanged by the neck
until dead.
'And may God have mercy on your
soul!"
Willard Lee, charged with the murder
OF Lillia May suttles. after having been
found sane. was Monday morning placed
on trial for murder in the criminal branch
Of the superior court.
Both the defense and the prosecution
announced ready for trial and the select
ing of jury was at once begun Several
Of the jurymen who declared Lee sane
were called Monday morning. but Judge
Gambler announced that all such jurymen
were to be excused for cause
Lee was brought into court at $3.50. He
had been shaved since his last trial and
presented a greatly different appearance.
He sat at the table with his counsel. but
did not take any part IN their delibera-
lions. He sat with his head in his hands
and constantly wiped his face with his
handkerchief
Lee looked the picture Of detection as
he leaned against hts counsers table. He
neither looked TO the right nor left, nor
did he change his position. His aged
father, whose white hair and venerable
appearance has created much sympathy.
sat near the prisoner.
The following jury was selected to try
the case: r. s. Crutcher. +. A. Davis
A. Fugazzi, T. c. Bray, W. NJ. Hutchin-
son, W. s. Adams, ]. B. Zachry, J. d.
Favers, N. II. Matthews, w II. Vickerys
James p. Reynolds and o. III. Starnes.
The court room Of the criminal branch
of the superior court. that old room that
has Witnessed so many great trials and
within whose walls 50 many tales Of trag-
edy have been recited, was crowded tc the
utmost when the Lee case was called Tor
trial Tuesday at $50 o'clock. The Sc
lection Of the jury was commenced late
Monday afternoon, and the evidence Of
the state had been introduced. The TAX
ing Of evidence by the defense began inn
mediately after court was convened this
morning.
The drst witness called to the stand
was J. A. Lee. the aged father OF
the prisoner. He was carried to the stand
by two of his sons, as he Is unable to
carried to the stand, where he was sworn
by Mr.. Reuben Arnold.
He testified that Willard. now Is. was
greatly troubled with "spasms'' as an in
FAINT. These continued. the father testifl-
ed. until he was four or five years, when
he used to nope around. and hang
his head.
He stated that this continued until this
year, when Lee grew worse.
These spells always caused him to grow
pale and become cold He would lay
down and not speak a word. He would
weep violently during these spells, and
would go of to himself and have moth
ing to do with any one
His father had given him some property,
but he took no care Of 1t, letting the
buildings fall to pieces. He planted some
times but the weeds his father testified.
grew higher than the cotton. He took no
pains to cultivate IL. He had left ><ne
twice without giving a word Of wa ling.
His first trip was to Florida, where he
remained some time. and then wrote his
father asking for money to come home.
His second trip away from home was TO
Spokane, Washington Territory
On the Saturday before the killing Of
Miss Suttles, young Lee sat on the piazza,
shaking his arms
on cross-examination by Solicitor Hill,
the father testified that he had given
each Of his sons fifty acres Of land. and
c.,4In,,.l- a. p.ra sevan