The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-07-04
BELL GOT z YEARS
Jury Returned a Verdict Of
MansIaughtH.
REMAINED OUT 5 HOURS.
Jesse Mason Got 6 Years and Joe
Mason and Guthrie II Months.
Young Mason and Guthrie Regarded
as Getting OFF Extremely Light.
Masons and Guthrie Plead Guilty i'm
Two Other Highway Robbery Cases
Against Them-NO Appeal Taken to
Supreme Court.

" - W
Supreme Court.
Ihe Bell murder case went to the
jury yesterday morning at IL O'Clock
and after being put nearly six hours
the jury returned a verdict of man
slaughter, and Bell was sentenced to
three years on the county roads, but the
sentence was later changed to two
years on the roads.
The jury had considerable trouble in
reaching a verdict, and were badly Ii
vided when they first went put After
being out several hours they came into
court n asked to be allowed to go
and view the premises where the shoot
ing occurred, but this the judge would
not allow, saying that the condition of
the surroundings might have been
changed since the shooting occurred.
Inc charge in the bill of indictment
IN the Bell case was murder in the
second degree, There were many VINO
thought Bell would be released. They
thought Bell should not have been
where he was, but that when the men
came to the house, broke in a windcw
and attempted to get in the door. that
1t changed matters and that Bell mad
a perfect right to fire upon the men.
Inc Jury was not of this opinion.
nough as shown by their verdict.
Inc attorneys on both sides did
some hard work on the case, but those
defending Bell could not shake The
Jurys belief that from the evidences he
was guilty. The attorneys for the
prosecution deserve credit for the
manner in which they prosecuted the
case. The jury on the part of the state
chosen by Mr.. w. P. Gafford, who
assisted the solicitor, having been en-
ployed by Mr.. 10 Roderick, brother OF
d murdered man. The solicitor and
Mr. Gafford both gave the opposing
lawyers a hard fight and won out.
MI. Gafford knew the murdered man
u this caused him to take more than
ordinary interest in the prosecution.
ALI the attorneys made able speeches.
As a general thing, a man who bears
che reputation of having been a hard
nghter in the Confederate army has ali
time getting out of trouble IN
the u han Ii he bore no such rep
utatlon, but this was not true in Bells
The judge happened to know
of him and this was one time when
1t was not especially to his advantage to
known as II fighter, for knowing
this would but make one think .har|
a man of this kind would be moro
prone to engage in a fight than il ne
were of a quiet and peaceful nature.
Bell is 81 years of age and served
through the last two years of the war.
He is a small, dark complexioned man,
who has the appearance of being a
foreigner. His being in Jail for the
past month has made him much thin
ner and from his appearance from this
short confinement We years will prove
more Of a punishment than in the
ordinary case.
IiighWaymcn Sentenced.
The public generally was surprised
at the light sentence inflicted upon Joe
Mason and William Guthrie. Jesse
Mason, who is about 27 years of age,
was given six years in the p~enitentiary
and Joe Mason and William Guthrie,
who are about eighteen years Of age,
were sentenced 10 twelve months eacl.
the county roads. There were two
other cases against the men in which
the same offe0se was charged, and in
these they plead guilty and act CT
judgment was continued until the ex-
piration of their terms, and it was
agreed by the prosecution that juds-
ment would not be pronounced during
good behavior OF defendants.
When the jury returned a verdict Of
guilty in the highway robbery case,
the attorneys for the defendants gave
notice that they would take an appeal
to the Supreme Court, and this notice
was again given yesterday morning
when the men we're sentenced. Jesse
Mason's appearance bond vas placed
at S., 200 and Joe Mason and William
Guthrie at $500 each. In the after
noon when the disposition of the two
other cases against the men came ur
the attorneys for the prosecution AMI
defence agreed to allow the defend.
ants to submit and waive judgnen1
during good behavior. When this was
done the notice of appeal was waived
Attorneys for the Masons and Guthrie
are highly ~gratified at o Mason ant
William Guthrie getting no longer sen
tence than twelve months. They work
ed hard to get the men clear, but afte
they were found guilty they did NJ
expect for the younger two 10 get CT
SO light.
The crime with which the Mason
and Guthrie were charged and whic'
they were found guilty of in n cas-
and plead guilty in two Others wa
a most serious one, and they wer
indeed fortunate to have escaped wit
such short terms. They not only he'll
up Mr.. George r. Smith and his small
sson, but also fired at them a numbe