The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-03-14
Hasty Found Guilty of Murder
With Plea of Mercy.
A PATHETIC SCENF,
After Receiving Sentence Of Life lm'
prisonment In the Penltentia,y the
Prisoner B,eaks Down and
Weeps With His Friends
In the Court House

ditcI ~O0iloCioOlbS AoA eOhASohAhk
over twelve hours the jury charged
with tho trial of George 'Hasty, at
Gaffney, for the murder of Milan Ben
nett, brought in q verdict on Tuesday
morning Of last week Of guilty with q
accommodation to mercy. While
no accurate poll could be ascertained
1t is understood that the mai )rity q
sheE jurors stood for capital punish
mem and acquittal was not an issue
Shortly after 8 O'clock tie judge re-
paired 10 the court room and the yer.
dict was announced. Tee news Il
the agreement Of the jury spread the
city like wildfre. Since the men re.
NAMED out 80 log, the prediction
was expressed that q mistrial would
result.
But the verdict was a triumph OF
law and order and decenoy. 1t vim
dicated the maj esty Of the law, and
will stand as . warning to those who
think that BY any meens they can
ride clip shod over what Is decent and
orderly, and In doing 80 spill human
blood and lightly escape. The senti.
mept In G .ffaey was Strongly against
che cCn sicted man. The good people
of Cherokee county do not want to gn
on record as upholding or c%ountenanc-
ing him and their verdict is the best
evidence Ct their opinion.
At 8 30 o'cloOk court cow. ned. At
torneys for defendant gave motion OF
q new trial, which was overruled.
After q short time George Hasty,
handcuffed, and accompanied by 40
officer, walked down the aisle from
the main entrance # the court roum
in an erect and Indifferent manner
On reaching the chancel Of the bar,
inside of which he was soon to sit, lie
pleasantly exchanged the greetings OF
the day with Dol. George tombstone,
leading ,unsel of the defense, who
was comfortably seated near q stove.
he found his accustomed place inside
the railing, and became an apparently
uninterested and Indifferent specta.
Tor.
Judge Memmipger asked Ii the de-
PENDANT was ready for sertencs Of
court to be imposed. Mr.. q. z. Os.
borne, OF counsel for the defense.
stated that the motion for q new trial
would not be argued-it would be Left
With the court. But an effort would
be made for the arrest OF judgment
under the act of 1905, under which
this court is held, which limits the
session for one week, and that under
this rule the verdict rendered after
midnight last Saturday was null and
void, and world eliminate the passing
Of sentence. The court replied that
ne woulo be governed by section q,
which he had in view when he carried
tho case over, ard further stated that
it would be left to the supreme court
to be the alblter.
When the Judge again asked If the
prisoner was ready for sentence, the
reply was, Subject to our motion"
The court said, II am going to over.
rule that motion; are you ready for
sentence?"
Mr.. Osborne replied, I'VE have no
further motion, your honor"
The prisoner was then directed to
stand up. George Hasty arose and
stood erect with bis face squarely
facing the Judge. There was not the
slightest bat of an eyslid, the faintest
culver or twitch Of the muscles OF
features to indicate that he was In
any way impressed by the solemnitY
of the occasion. But there sat the
Judge In bis ermine-there were the
oflcsrs Of the COURT -abont the rriS-
oner were his LAWYERS and in the rear
in the room some three hundred PEG
pie.
The scene was dramatic and Judge
Memminger, in addressing the pris,
oner, said:
You have been tried here OF
charge of murder and you have suf n
ed the fearful and horrible ordeal Of
the last five days in which your life
has been hanging In the balance. ]
have underworld to give you an abs ,
lutely fair and impartial trial. You
have been represented by able anc
earnest counsel. You have had tht
benefit Of q most complete and abb
defense. I may have erred in tn,
Conduct of your !caSe. 1t Is possible
but I do not think so. I have. giveI
you my best judgment and bes
thought In this case, The jury haI
convicted you and given you the bene
lit of the law, which reduces the pun
ishment for murder from hanging tt
Imprisonment for life. The court haI
no discretion In the matter.
Have you anything to say VIII.
sentence should not be pronounced Oh
you?"