The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-04-18
sTUKES RE-SENTENCED-TO BE
HANGED THE THIRD FRIDAY
IN MAY.

HANGED THE THIRD FRIDAY
IN MAY.
The Prisoners State,nent-Deserted
By Counsel-What the Court and
Solicitor Said.
Colclough Stukes, bleached by
reason Of his long confinement in
iail. nervous and trembling from
great excitement, was placed in
the dock at 1:30 o'clock last Satur-
day. and was resentenced by Judge
Gary to hang by the neck until his
body be dead It is a horrible sight
to witness such an awful ceremony,
the stiffness Of death pervaded the en-
tire court room, and everyone seemed
to realize that g1uesome task was to
be performed. After the lndlct-
ment and sentence had been read by
Clerk l. I. PARROT, the usual Ques-
tions were propounded to the prisoner,
and were answered as below indicated.
The Court: Have you anything to
say why the sentence of court should
not be passed upon you?''
The Prisoner: y would like to ex-
plain a few things
The Court: .'All right, sir"
The Prisoner: "In making my ap-
peal to the Supreme Court, as Mr..
Cantey deserted the case, would like
to state to the solicitor that I would
Ike to have an investigation Of GER
tain evidence that was brought up in
court when I was tried, and the sher-
=: was notified and he says that he no
tiled them, but failed by some means
to get them, and would like to have
an investigation Of those witnesses if
it is proper And would thank you
very much to let the sentence be as
far off as possible, so that that inves-
tigation can be made. If you desire
to explain any of those witnesses, +
can explain some portion Of the testi-
mony''
The Court: THAT would avail you
nothing. I am ordered by the Su-
preme Court to fix another day for
the execution. My duties are simply
ministerial, and have nothing to do
but pronounce the sentence and I
could not give you an investigation.
The Prisoner: Il would like you to
look at this before you pass sentence,
If you don't object
The Court: Certainly. hand it up
The prisoner produced a letter,
which was read by His Honor, and is
signed by ]. J. Cantey, attorney for
the prisoner.
The Prisoner: THAT amount was
paid, and he hasn't did anything, sir
The Court: 1t seems that the
amount of money was not forthcom-
ing.
solicitor: Your Honor, I would
like to make a statement. There have
been so many letters written that
don't know how matters stand. When
the case came up in the Supreme
Court. I don't know when I have been
in such an embarrassing position.
was there and Mr.. Cantey didn't ap-
pear, and there a party had been con-
victed of murder and his counsel
didn't appear. Well, I didn't know
what to do-didn't know what the
excuse was, and I got up in the Su-
preme Court and made a statement
and we telegraphed to Mr. Cantey and
received reply that he couldn't
come-that the case had been contin-
ued, and l got up and stated TO the
Supreme Court that there 1 was, had
been solicitor for SO many years. and
I didn't know When I had been in so
embarrassing a position, and Col. Lee
made an argument. and the Supreme
Court passed an order allowing so
many days--I forget the number
for Mr.. Cantey to file his brief or
whatever he was going 10 do.
The Court: There is nothing
could do. l am simply commanded
by the Supreme Court to fix another
date for the execution. And let me
admonish you before that time is
fixed, l see no hope for You on the
question of appealing to the Supreme
Court Don't indulge too much from
the fact that there is anything in the
law that is going TO avail YOU. l am
candid in saving TO you that there is
no hope I can extend you. and let me
admonish you to ready to meet that
awful day. because as. I saw the
charge of an eminent Federal Judge
ne said the most unpleasant duty of
judicial officer to perform was to pass