The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1906-01-31
On the Gallows For q Most Helm.
GUS Crime.
BRUTE TO BE HANGED
The Law Yindicated in the Case of An
drew ThompsoB, Who, Within Five
Weeks From the Commission
of the Crime, is Tried and
Condemned to be Hung.

There has scarcely ever been 8
much interest st own in any c1imina
trial in Greeav!lle as is shown in th'
trial Of the rspiSt, Andrew Tlo'1p
SOD, who is charged with sssaultine
Mrs. Frank James, the wife OF ;
farmer, near Taylor's, December IS
1905, which was begun In the court
Of sessions Wednesday morning at lC
O'clock, says special dispatch to The
State. a verdict OF guilty was re.
TUNED Wednesday afternoon.
According to the testimony Of Ben
Smith and Charlie Mcss!ey, both col.
ored, they were with the defendant at
sundown CD the DAY the alleged crime
was committed, about gu u-rter OF q
mile distant from the James home
They parted at that point, after
having partskeD Of whiskey from a
pint bottle which the defendant had.
Before they parted this bottle was
enptied. Thompson went In the oi-
recSion Of the james ht me, they 30
their homes In an opposite direction.
This bottle figured prominently IN
the trial. An empty bottle Was fe1n6
at the place where MIS-. James was
assaulted, which, when presented 80
these witnesses, brought forth the
statements that II it wasn't the
same bottle Thompson carried and
from which they drank, it looked very
much like it,"
MIS-. James testimony was pathetic
ard caused no little interest. There
vas nc disorder among the crowd,
which was silent to catch the words
Of the witness. She was visibly 81
fected as she took the stand. It wss
a trying ordeal, and il the courts hsd
any way to shield woman from such
publicity it would undoubtedly he
done. Her voice was faint when she
answered the first few questions Of
Solicitor Boggs, but she bscane more
confident as the examination prtesed-
ed and it was not necessary fer the
solicitor to propcune questions to Sc
cure her evidence. Sne testified that
s negro giving his name as Andrew
Thompson came to g. house about az
hour by sun and went away. About
DARK the same man returned and asked
where her husband was. She told
him thst he wss in GreenTille. She
suspected the negro was up to no
good ind picking up q lamp, started
out at her front door for the home OF
Mrs. Phillips, a few hundred yards
away. The negro turned and went
toward the back Of the yard. After
she had gone only few yards the
cegro ran up behind her and taking
hold Ct her jerked the lamp from her
band. 4 terrible SC, fl ; ensued. Sae
made superhunan eforts to repul e
the attack, but was ovsrpowered AND
the cri-a wss committed, from which
she slfsred greatly.
At this point in the testimony So
licito, Boggs asked: Is the defen-
dant who sits there the nan who as
salted you, OF is he not, Mrs. James?
The silence which prevailed over the
srovdso court loom wss deathnke.
The spectators had listened foc this
question, which was the most I'M
portant to convict the defendant
Ms. James looked straight at she
prisoner, who sat by the side OF his
attorney. 'sThst is the man. ssio
she In strong voice, THAT did it,
and sitter Slight pause, that's the
dos:" This testimony caused COZ.
siderable s51r and the deputies moved
shout among the crowd.
Constable Rainey testified to the
capture OF Thompson In his home and
his Identification by Mrs. James the
next 6sy. Es was in a drunken
stapor when arrested and made differ
ent and conflicting statements to the
magistrate.
TO show thai the defendant was
not at the James hcme when the crime
was committed and thai q strange
negro was in the neighborhood is the
sole defence OF the negro Thompson
ard upon this the defendants case
rested. Attorney McS~atn for the
defense In the cross examination Of
81: witnesses for the State, sought tt
brig cut testimony showing there
was 3 strange negro in the vicinity
where tbs crime was committed
SUCH q strange person was there
abouts the afternoon Of the crime
The positive Identification Of the do
rendant by Mrs. James and the chair
al eyideoce which clings about th'
bottle are strongly contradictory t.
the theory OF the defense and ar
onestions which will be decided b.
the jury.
The State closed its case at the nool
hour all the testimony being heard
The defense put up 10 witnesses an
s-gnments were at oLcs begun. Th
defence by not introducing any eV
: 6ence secured the last argument
the Jury. Mr.. ALVIN B. Dean asis
cd the prosecution and MADE u
opening argument for the STAT:
Always logical and eloquent, ne mao
one Of the strongest speeches evs
hoard in 8 Greenvilie court room. 3
Gas followed By Solicitor Bnggs, vi
:. nade 8 short argument and analyze
as:as testimony. ElcQ1ently the s
ritor appealed for the protection
,a1niess women and the suppressit
,or roob law By the petit jury doing
Suoy. Ills speec1 vas foEeioie al
: dsIiyered with characteristic esrne:
ness. :,
John r McsRain made, the Gosh
argument. BE was appoanteo ny o
court to- defend Thompson ana