The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-07-12

| clough Stukes published in The Daily
Item on May 18th.
Court then adjourned until $3.50
o'clock Monday morning.
When the court convened Monday
morning the arguments were COM
menced. Mr.. H. D. Noise spoke first
for the prosecution. He spoke for
one hour and ten minutes, reviewing
the evidence in a clear, forcible and
comprehensive manner.
Mr.. J. j. Cantey, for the defense,
followed, speaking for little more
than an hour. He based his defense
on the ground Of the higher law and
that Stukes was justified in killing Da-
yid E. Wells for his assault on his
wife. In his speech he arraigned the
dead man in the most severe manner
laying bare the secret sins Of his life
and characterizing him as a low down
scoundrel, vile, vulgar, degraded vii
liam and immoral lewd reprobate and
associate Of degraded negro women.
He was also extremely severe and
caustic in his allusion to Magistrate
Ingram and W. G. Wells 1t was alto
gether the most plain spoken and bit
terest speech that the writer has
heard in the court house during fifteen
years experience as a newspaper re-
porter.
Col. r. D. Lee closed for the state
in q speech an hour and forty min
utes duration. He was at his best and
made an argument that covered the
whole case. His reply to Nj. Cantey
and his arraignment of the dead
mans character was particularly
strong and effective At times he was
intensely and forcibly dramatic. par
ticularly in his description of the
Slaughter of Captain Wells and the
grewsome appearance i. body pre-
sented as it lay upon the floor welter-
ing in his blood after Stukes had
worked his will upon it.
When Col. Lee concluded Judge
Purdy adjourned court until $3.50
o'clock, reserving his charge to that
hour
When the crowd was coming out of
the court room and down the steps
Mr.. John B. Rafheld, a 1orother-in-
law of the late Captain Wells, made
a violent assault upon Mr.. J. J.
Cantey, the attorney for the defense,
kicking him several times in the rear
as Mr.. Cantey preceded him down
the steps. Mr.. Cantey did not retail
late and there was no fight.
| When the court reconvened at $3.50
o'clock Judge Purdy charged the
jury briefly, confining himself to an
exposition of the law relating to mur-
der, manslaughter and self defense.
The jury retired and in a few minutes
1
returned a verdict of guilty.
Judge Purdy then sentenced Stukes
to be hanged on Friday, August 1S.
| After the conclusion Of the trial of
Colclough Stukes all cases remaining
on the criminal docket were contin-
ued until the next term.
The following prisoners who were
convicted last week were sentenced:
/ Jane Williams, alias Tufie Williams,
murder with recommendation to mercy.
A motion for a new trial was made
and refused. Sentenced to the re-
mainder of her natural life in the pen
itentiary.
William Fraser and William Law
renee, housebreaking and larceny. One
year in the state reformatory.
William Fraser, William Lawrence
and Jefferson Nelson, housebreaking
and larceny. One year each in the
state reforpatory for Fraser and Law
renee and two years for Nelson.
This concluded the business of the
Court of General Sessions.
On yesterday the Court of Common
Pleas was opened and the civil cases
requiring a jury were taken up.
JUDGE PURDY