The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-08-04

nouso anu L guess n didn't want us
either"
ibid Mrs. Smith say anything
about not wanting the neighbors to
ACC the body?"
"She didn't want them to see it,
and kept saying, Cover 1t up.'n
When was that?r
After the coroner had gone to get
his jury"
What was the eason she gave for
beating the child?"
Because it was disobedient."
Did she say why the child was
nakedW
"She said it had been undressed for
bed and had been whipped"
You say she showed no sympa-
thy?"
sorry to me-"
Mrs. Turner, who readily admitte d
her friendship for Mrs. Smith and the
intimacy which existed between the
two families, gave very damaging
testimony.
did you ever see Mrs. Smith hit
little Ralph with a mallet?"
Yes, when she was teaching him
and he could not remember"
How hard did she hit him?"
With all her strength"
INTO A TUB OF FREEZING WATER.
Did you ever know her to tie the
child ?"
Yes, she tied him and throw him
on a sofa and went to Richmond 70,
two or three hours"
Did you eve see any burns ION
himp"
"Yes, on his hand"
Did you see Mrs. Smith treat him
badly during the winter?"
Yes, l say her throw him into a
tub OF water in February.
Il was on my back porch and 1 saw
her come out and push him head first
Into a tub Of water. Tt was very cold
and he was IN his little night shirt.
lie was all trembling. He rushed out
OF his back door Us though some one
was behind him. He was 'sninlng' as
though he wanted to cry and was
afraid"
What kind OF a tub was TIP"
"A large zinc t~uL-under a spout
to catch rain water"
Were you called on the night Of
Ralph'S deaLh?'
Yes; she called me twice. She
asked me to come. / asked her what
was the matter. She said Ralph was
dead. | said | was too nervous, but |
would get word to the neighbors and
send some n to her. My husband
was Ill and / could not leave him"
Have you seen her whip hin more
than once with a raz or strop in your
life?"
Yes; a lot Of times"
How many times have you seer
her whip him with a stick?"
Lots Of times"
Have you ever seen her use this
stick?"
"a long, round stick)
No, sir.n
Did you aver see her strike him
With the square stick?"
Yes; often"
Coroner BrOadnax testified that the
child. had died Of traumatic shoe,
the result OF the last severe beating it
bad received while weakened by illness
AS the witnesses gave their testimony
DR.. Broadnax's colored portraits OF
the child's naked body, showing every
u and bruise, wore before their eyes
and those Of the jury. What made
this exhibit all tho more CHASTITY was
that the doctor artist had given a life
IKE representation4of the dead face
ana the curls 9fsfilxen hair.
TfG JURY SAYS GUILTY.
4aO sit In the presence OF these exhi.
bits telling Of her Observation-Disclosures
cruelty was a fearful ordeal for Mrs.
Townsend, the prisoners aged moth.
er, who, with her son, DR.. Townsend.
sat 4 and gave what comfort thew
could to the unfortunate woman.
Once mother and daughter fell to
weeping In each others arms, but the
audiences gained the impression that
the daughters grief was more on her
mothers account than on that OF her
dead child.
When, finally, the case was given
to The jury, both the public prosecutor
and the chief attorney for the defence
we're hystertcal from nervous strain.
The prisoner looked as though In dan.
ger or going to pieces suddenly. She
had not been called upon to testify.
me defence relied upon the testimony
witness who declared that Mrs.
had been rendered frantic by
her failures to correct her child's dis.
D?dlence, and that she was, moreover
Eli ;ted with an allment which rem.
d3rS women irresponsible for their ao.
lions.
The jury was out only a short time.
rms Is the verdict they returned:
We, the jury, fad the prisoner
guilty or voluntary manslaughter and
TX her term of imprisonment at five
years IN the penitentiary."
AT these words the prisoner COLLAR.
'ed and fell to the floor. The public
prosecutor tainted at the same mo
neht. The court room was In great
disorder, but a strange and affecting
pcctacle restored silence. DR.. Town.
end. having applied r%estorativcs TO
us sister, Immediately gave his at.
ention to the stricken public prose
man who had done his ut.
most to send a member of his family
0 the gallows.
Or. Townsend's manly attitude
throughout the trial exalted him in
minds OF every one In attendance.
There Is yet to follow the trial OF
dead chlld's father, but in the
OF those familiar with the evi.
ence the sole responsibility for the
ruel slaughter OF this slckly boy Of
years rests upon the mother, who