The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1906-03-16
LIFE TERM.
Hasty Found Guilty of Murder
With Plea of Mercy.
A PATHETIC SCENE,
After Receiving Sentence of Life I'm.
%prlsonment In the Penltentiary the
Prisoner B,eaks Down and
Weeps With His Friends
In the Court House
A PATHETIC SCENE,
In the Court House

over twelve hours the jury charged
with the trial Of George Hasty, at
Gaffney, for the murder of Milan Ben.
nett, brought in o verdict on Tuesday
morning OF last week Of guilty with q
recommendation to mercy. While
no accurate poll could be ascertained,
1T IL understood that the majority Of
thes jurors stood for capital punish
menu and acquibtal was not an issue.
Shortly after 8 o'clock tie judge re.
paired to the court room and the YER
dict was announced. The news Of
the agreement Of the jury spread the
city like wildfre. Since the men re-
NAMED out 80 log, the prediction
was expressed that a mistrial would
result.
But the verdict was q triumph Of
law and order and decency. IL vim
dicated the majesty Of the law, and
will stand as q warning to those who
think that by any meens they can
ride Slip shod over what is decent and
,rderly, and In doing sc spill human
blood and lightly escape. The senti.
ment In Gdffney was strongly against
the con Gicted man.. The good people
Of Cherokee county do not want to 90
on record as upholding or oountenauc-
ing him and their verdict Is the best
evidence e their opinion.
AT 8 80 O'Clock court cow, ned. At
torneys for defendant gave motion Of
a new trial, which was overrulcd.
After g. short time George Hasty,
nandcuffed, and accompanied by az
officer, walked down the aisle from
the main entrance # the court room
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 Col. George tombstone,
leading counsel Of the defense, who
"a comfortably seated near q stove.
He found his accustomed place inside
the railing, and became an apparently
uninterested and indifferent specta-
tor.
IudReaM emminger asked II. the de-.
|fendant was ready Tor sentence OF
court to be imposed. Mr.. H. K. Os.
borne, Of couosel for the defense,
stated that the motion for a new trial
would not bs argued-it would be Left
with the court But an effort wonld
be made for the arrest Of judgment
under the act of 1905, under which
this court Is hold, which limits the
session for n week, and that under
this rule the verdict rendered after
midnight last Saturday was null and
void, and would eliminate the passing
CT sentence. The court replied that
ne wOulu be governed by section 81
which he had in view when he carried
the case over, and further stated that
it would be left to the supreme court
TO be the albiter.
When the iufge again asked If the
prisoner a. ready for sentence, the
reply was, Subject to our notion"
HEe court said, II am going to over
rule tGat notion; are you ready for
Sentencc?"
Mr.. Osborne replied. "We have no
further motion, your honor
TIE prisoner was then directed to
tand up. George Hasty arose and
stood erect with his face tquarely
facing tho judge. There was not the
slightest bat OF an eyelid, the fatntest
CULVER or witch 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 Ia his ermine--thcre were the
Cillcers Of the court about the iris
oner were his LAWYERS and In the teal
In the room some three hundred PEG
pie.
The scene was dramatic and Judge
Mcmminger, in addressing the pris-
Oner, said:
You have been tried here on
charge Of murder and you have suff n.
ed the fearful and horrible ordeal OF
the last five days In which your life
has beer hanging In the balance. |
have endeayored to give you an abs.
lutely fair and impartial trial. You
have buen represented by able and
benefit Of Il most complete and able
defense. | may have erred in the
conduct Of your lease. 1t is possible,
but | do not think so. l have given
you my best Judgment and best
thought in this case, The jury has
convicted you and given you the bene-
lit OF the law, which reduces the pun.
lshment for murder from hanging to
In prisODinent for life. The court has
no discretion In the matter.
Have you anything to say why
sentence should not be pronounced on
you?"
The prisoner replied through coun
sci. Nothing, but what has been
stated"
The court said:
Listen now to the sentence CT the
law. 1T being inquired Of the dtfoE-
dant, George HasGy, whether he hath
anything to say why sentence should
not be pronounced against him, and
he say ing nothing to the contrary ex
cept what has already been said, IT Is
hereby ordained and 1T Is the sentence
Of the law that he, George Hasty,
from henceforth and hereafter, be
confined at hard labor In the State
~penitentiary for the remainder Of his
natural life"
After concluding the sentence Hasty
resumed his seat.
After receiving the sentence of
doom, so solemnly and impressi vely
uttered by the judge, as he stood
strong, youthful and full OF life In the
sunlight that beamed through the
windows Of the court room, and re.
Scaling himself, II appeared shat Has.
ty was a man OF iron. For five days
he had passed the ordeal and it seem.
ed that the crucial test surely had
been experienced. Was the man
really made OF iron? Was there any