The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1905-08-03
A VERDICT OF GUILTY
Rendered in Case OF Old Man RawI.
ings Without Recommendation.
Negro Preacher Faces Jury.

The jury in the trial Of J. G. Raw[
ings at Valdosta, Ca, brought in 4
verdict without recommendation at
1885 Saturday night. The prisoner,
his wife and daughters, who had re-
NAMED by his side, received the YER
dict without emotion.
The conviction of ]. G. Rawlings, the
father Of Jesse, Milton and Leonard
Rawlings, whose convictions had pre-
ceded MS, removes the entire male
membership Of the family, should the
verdict Of the juries stand.
The three sons and the negro, Alf
Moore, were accused of killing the
young Carter children, and the father,
J. G. Rawlings, was accused and
found guilty of instigating one Of the
blackest crimes that has been record
ed in the history Of Georgia.
Four Of the convicted men received
no recommendation to mercy, and un-
der the laws of the state, their SEN
tences necessarily must be death on
the gallows.
One of the sons, Leonard, will re-
ceive a life sentence in the peniten.
tiary-provided, Of course, that SEN
tences are passed upon the men.
Seldom have so many faced the ex-
treme penalty for the same crime, and
interest in the case has been deep.
The feature of the Rawlings trial
Saturday was the statement of the
defendant, which occupied about al
hour and a half. The Introduction
of testimony by the state was con-
cluded at half past 10 o'clock a. M,
when Rawlings was put up to tell his
story.
The accused had made copious
notes, to which he frequently re-
ferred. He entered a general denial
of any knowledge or completely in the
assassination of the Carter children
and took up the testimony Of nearly
every witness introduced by the state
in an endeavor to explain away their
utterances. The statement was deliv-
cred in an easy manner.
He said that Rev. S. S. Kemp, G. A.
Fiveash and other witnesses had
sworn to a positive falsehood against
him. He asked that the guns and
knife which the state had introduced
as his, which It was alleged All
Moore, the alleged negro accompl1ce,
had received from him, be brought IN
for his examination. He claimed that
one OF the guns belonged to him, but
denied that the other gun and the
knife had ever belonged to him.
The defense did not introduce any
testimony, and announced closed at
the conclusion OF Rawlings statement.
The verdict Of the jury was not
surprise, and all the verdiets are gen.
orally approved by the people OF the
locality.
It was thought by many after the
Jury had been out until midnight that
a mistrial would be tho result, but 1t
Is understood now that there was
small likelihood Of such a turn to
the case from the first. It is said
that the jury was unanimous for con-
victton Of the old man. but the ques'
ton Of mercy toward him entertained
bv some Of the members, prevented
an agreement for t3a.
After receiving the verdict, Judge
Mitchell adjourned the court until 3
o'clock Monday morning, at which
time Frank Turner, the negro preacher
Jointly indicted with ]. G. Rawlings
as accessory before the fact, was put
on trial.
It is understood that Attorney John
Cooper will ask for a new trial OF
the cases against Rawlings and MS
sons. and in the event it is not grant
ed by Judge Mitchell, will appeal to
the supreme court.
Deep sympathy is felt for Mrs.
Rawlings and her daughters. The
girls are intelligent and comely look
ing, and the tragedy that has come
into their lives is felt by all classes.