The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1905-04-15
|CHAS. DENTON CONVICTED
OF accessory Before the Fact OF the MUIR
der of r. II. williamson.


After a long and tedious trial OF a
week, the case of Charles Denton,
charged with being an accessory be-
fore the fact of the murder of his M
Gle. r. H. Williamson, was brought
to a close on Tuesday afternoon OF
this week by the jury bringing in
verdict of guilty as charged without
capital punishment. Thus ends the
most interesting case tried in the
Grant prant parish courtsfor several
years.
The evidence adduced on the trial
of the case in condensed form Is
about this: Williamson was poison
ed on the Sd day of November, 1908,
at his farm on Iatt lake, five miles
north of Colfax, by strychnine admin
istered in a cup Of coffee. On his death
he'd he accused Mrs. Savilla Roberts
of the deed. She was arrested and
lodged in the jail at Colfax, and on
trial of the case was convicted and
sentenced to the penitentiary for the
term of her natural life. On the trial
of the case she denied ever hav-
inc committed the deed, but at
ter her conviction she confessed to
the crime and implicated Chas. Den
ton, who she claimed purchased the
poison and promised to marry her II
she would Kill Williamson. Accord
jnply she administered the poison
after being repeatedly urged to do 80
by Denton.
Denton was arrested on the strength
of her confession, and on aprelimlna-
lry examination WAS remanded TO jail
without the benefit of bail. His trial
was postponed from time to time I'M.
til this term of court, ut which ne
was convicted. The principal witness
for the State was Mrs. Roberts, who
: went over every detail OF the crime III
though it WIS an every day occur
renee with her. She told the same
story ON the witness stand that sh'
had told a half dozen times before
K never crossing herself on anything
ID she had said before, except on YER,
a immaterial points. The defense mad
D. desperate attempts to make her con
ID tradict her statements but never sue
N ceeded i'm shaking her in a single IN
stance. This evidence, together wit
other evidence almost equally a
strong, was submitted to the jury
4 which after being locked up for 2
hours, brought in the verdict as aboS
stated. :,
= Denton, who is a nephew OF tt
l. murdered man, was Jealous OF his nj
Gle to a certain degree about the W.
man. Savilla Roberts, who was sta.
ing with her father in Williamson
IA house, and where he roomed when
tn. went from Colfax to his farm. III
Ave woman stated ON the trial that 81
40 and Denton were sweethearts, ar
s:ss that Williamson had repeatedly. J
1 1S suited her because she persisted
$50 having anything to do with Dento
s sS 1t was after he had again abused II
=, that she made up her mind to car
20 ont the diabolical murder that q
''"' says Denton had repeatedly insist
N. on her committing, and for WIN
IN. she saws Denton bought the pois'
!. IN. and gave to hersix months before {
. m. commission of the deed.
m m The trial of this case was gone in
: m. on Tuesday of last week, and fonr
|. M. rors secured that day after the reg
m. lar venire had been exhausted. Fl
. ~ ty tales jurors were summoned tos
ana pear on Thursday and from these
ave. iury was secured that afternot
o all Mrs. Roberts was then placed ON
asst stand until the adjournment OF co,
that day. Then next morning, +
mt. day, she WAS on the stand all
NJ. morning. Other witnesses were
- troduced and the evidence conclut
mt. by 5 o'clock saturday, when col
. adjourned until Monday OF this w
to hear the arguments in the ca
Monday morning the arguments "
gone into and lasted all day, the j.
retiring about $50 o'clock to C
suit upon a verdict. The jury
dered their verdict Tuesday afternt
about 2o'clock, after being out abb
20 hours.
A motion for a new trial was M
NV Judge Z. q. Hunter, Dente
lawyer, but it was overruled. 1
failing. a motion was made to n
the sentence arrested. which mot
will be decided when court conve
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