The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-04-06

Norning.
Thomas A McCraw. the man who
murdered his mother-in-law one morn
ing early last October, will not hang
but will get a term in the penitentiary,
just how long is not yet known but
the general opinion is that he will get
a rather long term. In his condition
it will probably make but very little
difference whether the term is long Or
short for from his appearance he a
not much longer for his world.
McCraw came into court yesterday
morning and through his attorney,
Mr.. William J. Bellamy, submitted to
a plea of murder in the second degree.
In entering this plea his attorney stat
ed that he believed McCraw insane
When the act was committed but owing
to the technicalities of the law he
might not be able to get evidence that
was of material Importance before the
jury. For this reason he said he had
decided to agree to a plea of murder
in the second degree.
At first the judge and Solicitor Duffy
hesitated somewhat about allowing
such a plea to be entered but eventu-
ally Judge Webb said he was willing
to shoulder the responsibility so Mr..
Bellamy was allowed to enter the plea,
Mr.. A. j. Marshall assisted the solicit
tor in the prosecution.
! Judge Webb set Thursday afternoon
at 4 o'clock as the time for the exam
inatiOn of witnesses at which time as
many witnesses as the court desires to
hear will be examined so as the Judge
can get an idea of the crime committed
n pass his sentence accordingly.
The law requires that in such cases
certain formalities nave to be gone
through with so a jury was impanellef
and hey were instructed by the judge
to return a verdict Of murder in the
second degree which instruction was
complied with.
The maximum penalty that can be:
inflicted upon McCraw is 80 years and
the minimum for second degree is two
years. That McCraw killed Mrs.
Wright in cold blood is not denied but
it is not believed that he was himself
when the crime was committed and
for this reason the prevailing opinion
! was. that if the case had gone to, trial
it would have resulted Just as it has.
The public is familiar with the hor-
rible crime committed by McCraw. The
horrible deed was perpetrated early
last October and happened about II
o'clock in the morning. McCraw had
been on a spree for some days and on
the morning in question he went to,
III i1oAIG vi IAlS liotIltI -lll-ldW, Cul0I0u
the kitchen where she was preparing
the midday meal and without a word
of warning shot her lead. The daugh-
ter of Mrs. Wright and the wife of
McCraw was on the back porch of the,
house and when she heard the shot,
to catch her dying mother in her arms:
The last words Mrs. Wright ever spoke
were. Don't hang him.
Some time after the crime was COM
mitted McCraw pretended to know
nothing whatever of what he had done.
When placed in Jail he was a large
n robust ma and now he is a per-
feet skeleton and is ben over like an
old man. He must have suffered tor
Ntures since he has been in jail and if
he is able to work It would be a good
thing for him to be where he could do
work. Anything to divert his mind
from brooding over the crime COM
mitted and his horrible fate. McCraw's
mother is still living.
The Shockley Case.
The case in which 81. w. Shockley,
formerly a saloon man but who now
a barber shop at The Orion.
will be taken up this morning. He is
charged with killing Frank Talbert, a
stone cutter, during the latter part Of
last July. The affair happened on
Front street in front of Shockley's sa-
loon. The circumstances in the case
have been recited in this paper on
former occasions. There will no doubt
be quite a large number of people in
the court house to e the case as
| Shockley is we'll known in Whining
ton.
General Court Business.
Judge Webb is. we'll sustaining his
past record and there is going to be no
difficulty whatever in clearing the
criminal docket this week. A gentle
| man stated yesterday that Judge Webb
was the finest trial Judge he had ever
seen and he was a gentleman who was
| certainly competent to speak upon the
subject.
The following cases were disposed
OF yesterday:
Ed. McDufy, larceny; verdict, not
guilty.
John Evans, larceny; plead guilty;
costs to be paid and prayer for judg-
ment continued until next term.
Chancey Hall, carrying a concealed
weapon; plead guilty; fined So and
| costs.
Jordon McIver, costs; mol pros with
leave.
J. E. Lewis, assault with a deadly
weapon; mol pros with leave.
Joseph Thomas, carrying a conceal
ed weapon; mol pros with leave
O. d. Harris, nuisance; mol pros
with leave.
James Carver, costs; mol pros with
leave.
Eddie Flowers, perjury; mol pros
with leave.
Henry Moore. larceny; mol pros
with leave.