The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-08-11
BENNETTsvILLE, S. O., FRIDAQ. AUGUST il, 1905.
TURNED LOOSE.


Aaron Williams, Colored, Who Was
Convicted Is Now Discharged.
Tho End OF an Important and signi.
floant Case in Whioh Lynohing
Was Onoe Threatened.
A special dispatch from Camden to
The State says last year the county,
especially the portion Kershaw coun.
ty bordering Sumter county, was
thrown into great excitement on ac.
count OF a reported case Of rape, which
was said to have been committed upon
a Mrs. Langley, white, by one Aaron
Williams, a negro, of the pure Afri.
can type. Very peculiar circum
stances surrounded the case. The
citizens became indignant and threat.
ed lynching, and Aaron Williams un.
der protection Of law was escorted to
the penitentiary for safe keeping.
The husband Of Mrs. Langley com.
mitted suicide.
Aaron Williams at the February
term Of court was brought back and
placed on trial for the offense. He
was without counsel, and by appoint.
ment of the court, Hon. w. B.
Trantham, Of the Camden bar con.
Quoted his defense. The jury con.
yicted him upon the testimony of M rs.
Langley, and he was sentenced to bo
hanged. From the testimony de.
veloped In the case and the circum.
stances connected with the affair.
many OF the very best white people of
the county believed in the Innocence
or Aaron Williams, and a petition
was COTTON up and submitted to G oy.
HeyWsrd asking for reprieve until
satisfactory proof could be procured,
which would establish the fact that
Aaron Williams was not guilty of the
charge.
Aaron Williams was without money,
but he was not without friends and
their efforts in his behalf succeeded In
having the execution Of the death
sentence stayed, and the case came
up before Judge Prince at the April
term OF court at this point for new
trial on after discovered evidence.
Judge Prince from the showing made
very promptly granted Aaron a new
trial, and his case was placed on the
docket for trial last week. When the
case was called for trial the witnesses
for the prosecution were not present,
Mrs. Langley, 1t is claimed, having
absolutely refused to appear any more
IN court to testify against him. She
now resides outside OF the State. 1t
was impossible to secure q conviction
In the case without the testimony Of
Mrs Langley, and as she is now be.
yond the Jurisdiction of the court,
and could not be brought here against
her will, and she having sent word
that she would not come, it has re.
suited practically in the acquittal OF
!, Aaron Williams, for he has been dis
loharged wi out bond fsorn the cus8
todY OF the sheriff. He is now q free
man to go wheresoever he may desire
After Aaron's conviction, the white
people In this community who be
l1eVed In his innocence had the law
hrm of Clark & Won Tresckow to look
after the accused negro's interests.
When the case was called for trial
on the sessions side Of court last week
Messrs. Clark & Won Tresckow de,
manded trial for their client, and
the State not being In q position to
try 1T because OF the absence and re
fusal of Mrs. Langley to come here,
the attorneys had spread upon the
minutes OF court their demand for i'm.
mediate trial, and this under the sta
tute entitled Williams either to trial
or his discharge, as he has been con
fined In jail over three terms of court.
Judge Ernest Gary Thursday after
noon siRned an order which llberates
Aaron Williams from jail on his own
recognizance under the section OF the
statutes above referred TO. This ends
the case which created SO much dis
cussion at the time IN the newspapers,
and the man who has been living IN
the shadow of the gallows for nearl,
year Is now free. This case Is one
OF the best exempliflcation and justi
| fication OF the moral plea Of lettina
the law take It's course that has eve,
come under the observation, know
ledge or information Of the writer
at the time OF the alleged commits
sion Of the assault Aaron William,
came very near being the victim OF s
mob, and few weeks later he stoot
up In court, pleaded for mercy ant
heard the death sentence pronou lcet
upon him. Today he is breathing tn,
life of a new man with no restrictions
on his movements, inclinatlons O.
peregrinations.