The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-05-04
A SAD CASE.
Two White Women shoplifters Con
vi ted in an Atlanta Court.
MAKE & PATHETIC APPEAL

MAKE 4 PATHETIC APPEAL.
Mrs. Ella Rivers and Mrs. Edith
Riggs Are the Names Of the
Two Unfortunates, who
Hail from Charleston.
The Atlanta Journal says Mrs.
Edith Riggs and Mrs. Ella Rivers,
Of Charleston, S. c., recently arrested
for shoplifting, after having robbed
many department stores in Atlanta,
! under five indictments charging
larceny from the house, we're convict
ed in the Fulton criminal superior
court Wednesday morning. Judge L..
rs. Roam imposed fine Of $500, cash
on each Of the women, in lieu Of the
/ payment Of which they will serve a
sSentence twelve months on the county
public works. The $500 aggregates a
fine Of s1O0in each Of the cases against
the women, their counsel having
ag -eed to abide by the finding and
ESer tence in one case. The charges
Eaglinst the women were fslonies, but
on the Recommendation Of the jury ia
! the one case all were treated as misde &
meanors by Judge Roam, whose hear:
was touched by the pathetic seen:
which was enacted in the court room.
The fires have rot been paid, but
it is understood that a movement IS
on foot in Atlanta among certain
charitable people to raise the 1000
by public subscription, several good
ladies having interested themselves IN
the case.
Attorneys Harvey Hill and Van
Astor Bachelor, representing the
women, elected to have the prisoners
tried together. To save time they
entered into an agreement with the
solicitor that the result in one case
should hold good in the FIVE.
After the jury hal been drawn and
the evidence for the state introduced,
the attorneys representing the women,
to the surprise Of the court, the solici-
tor and everyone else in the room,
stated they had alccuple Of witnesses
to introduce. It had been thought
that no testimony for the defense
would be offered, the counsel depend
ing entirely upon the statements OF
their clients
UNFoRTUNATE CHILDREN.
The niaeteen-year-old daughter of
Mrs. Riggs, who arrived, with her
brother, from Charleston Tuesday
night, was called. The girl is an idiot
and a paralytic. She was asSited to
the stand, but her feeble mind was
incapable Of grasping. The sight was
| one of the most pitiable ever seen in
the court room. The girl paid no
attention whatever to the queries OF
the attorneys, she disregarded tae re-
markes of the judge and made no sign
Of recognizing her mother, who sat
| weeping. She could give no infornoa-
tion OF testimony regarding her
mother.
The brother was next called. He
! is sixteen years Of age, and, like his
sister, is also an idiot. But the boy
could talk. Occasionally ray OF
intelligence would break the mono
; tony Of his gaSping. When Harvey
| Hill asked the lad why ne had came
] TO Atlanta, the boy mumbled feebly,
to see mama Not once, however
did the witness display anyssign of re-
cognizing his mother, who was still
weeping.
Mrs. Riggs was placed on the stand
to make her statement. She said:
! A MoIHER:s APPEAL.
Gentlemen of the jury: l am
! here to anwer the charge of a dis
graceful act. I feel mortally ashamed.
!! I hope to be able under this terrible
ordeal to give you true sketch OF my
sad life. / want to appeal to your
| tender hearts for whatever consldera-
tion you think I deserve. When l6
] years Of age, l married the father OF
1 the two unfortunate children you
have seen. He drank very hard, neg
! slected his home and family. After
a few years be was taken to the insane
asylum. I was penniless and almost
friendless. To tell all of my suffer
ings would take all day. The sad
sight you have seen best tells the
! story. Whatever mistakes l have
/ made in the past was done for the sal
vation of my poor, crippled children.
For 19 long years / have struggled
for them. There is no home in South
/ Carolina for unfortunates so afflicted.
l St ut them north, but they were re-
fused because 1 had no funds With
vita which to keep them. They can
neither walk nor talk. No one cal
understand their wants but me-
They need my care. have never
been away from them before. In con-
side1ation Of these helpless children
and what my freedom is worth to
them, I hpmbly beg for mercy. am
their only support and GOtnlng out
an overpowering desire to relieve their
wants would have persuaded me to do
what I have done. l read OF the
package with which I did my work in
New York paper. 1t was my hrst
attempt. 1t will be my last. Remem-
Der that mercy is all l ask. My life
has heen a, living death. Brave men
. have fallen. I am only weak and
overburdened woman. Ii you feel
that I deserve no pity, then, for
heavens sake, look at the helpless
children. They cannot speak, but
their humble presence is a crying plea
I for their mothers freedom.
The jury was out only few min
, uues before returning verdict, ind
ing the women guilty and recon-
mending them to the mercy Of the
court.