The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-07-26
At Hard Labor in the Peniten.
tiary for Attempted Assault
ON A LITTLE GIRL
AT New Sumter About Ten Days Ago. 1t
Took the Jury Nine Minutes to De.
eide the Fate of the Fiend
Who Deserves to be Hung
for the Crime.

- speclol 01SQaGcn I[Om sumter to
The State says the jury declared Jesse,
Nelson guilty Of assault with intent
to ravish after nine minutes deliter-
alton, on Thursday afternoon.
Judge B O. Purdy sentenced Nelson
to 30 years at hard labor in the South
Carolina penitentiary. The sentence
to begin at the expiration OF his SEN
tence to the Clarendon county chain
gang, which will be July 6, 1910.
The case was called Thursday morn
Ing. The court appointed Mr.. L. D.
Jennings to defend the prisoner. Mai.
Marion Noise assisted Solicitor vii.
son. The State had only a few Wit
nesses. Very little time was consum-
ed In examining them. The young
Lady and her little sister were very
positive In their Identification of the
prisoner. They told the story OF the
crime In clear, convincing manner.
There was no hesitation. These were
the only eye witnesses. The young
lady is not yet l6 years Of age and her
sister but 10. 80:
The ground rail OF the testimony,
was the search for negro of Nelson's
general appearance-the clothing
worn, cap, etc., when captured, the
exact description given by the young
lady Immediately after the assault.
Supervisor O Rens told OF his escape
from the Clarendon county chaingang'
last Thursday.
Nelson was the frst witness for the
defense. He retold the story that he
never left the railroad between there
and Mayesville, except to get water at
the Belts mill. He denied the attack
on the young lady and said he had
never seen her until Carried before her
on Monday.
Jun Taylor was sent for 50 that the
jury might see the difference between
the two.
Mr.. Jennings certainly did his duty.
He reviewed. the testimony carefully.
he wanted the right man punished to
the limit Of the Law, but ask the jury
to be sure and convict the right one.
he spoke earnestly and forcefully. The
negro received high class service
gratis.
Solicitor Wilson laid bare the facts.
he spoke Of the proud record OF old
Sumter county. The citizens are law
abiding. He mentioned two OF three
horrible crimes, aggravating In the
extreme, but the majesty OF the Law
was upheld and the outlaws punished.
Maj. Marion Noises speech was very
eloquent. The court house was pack
ed when he began to speak and close
attention was paid to his argument.
Judge Purdy's charge to the jury
was Short aud explicit.
The jury retired at 6 10 and at 6.22
reached a verdict OF guilty.
Before passing sentence the judge
said he knew the b)y's father and
mother, and they were good old dark
les. The beginning OF Nelson's trouble,
like all other boys, was when he won.
dsred away from home, getting from
under parental influence. BE had no
doubt OF the prisoners guilt. II he had
be would set aside the verdict as would
be his duty, though many people at
New Sumter were his warm personal
friends. AS a judge he must rise above
the opinions and feelings OF his fellow
man. he held up the terrible punish
ment the boy must receive and said
This should serve as warning to white
and black that to do Tight was the
only safe course in life. He had SEN
tenced to life imprisonment the other
day black man for the same crime
against one Of his own race in the up
country. BE then sentenced the boy
to 80 years in the peniteptlary.
Nelson is about 10. he was sentenc-
ed at on July s, 1904, by Judge Aid
rich to six years on the chaingang Tor
assault and battery on an old colored
woman.