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

@AScA " s.
over twelve hours the jury charged
with the trial of George Hasty, at
Gaftney, for the murder of Milan Ben.
nett, brought in q 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 ver-
dict was announced. The news OF
the agreement Of the jury spread the
city like wildfire. Since the men re-
mained out so lolg, the prediction
was expressed that q 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 mems they can
ride slip shod over what Is decent and
,rderly, and In doing 80 spill human
blood and Lightly escape. The senti.
ment In Gaffney was strongly against
the con sicted The good people
Of Cherokee county do not want to 90
on record as %upholding or o~ountenauc-
ing him and their verdict Is the best
evidence Ct their opinion.
At 8 80 O'clock court con ned. At
t%orneys for defendant gave motion Of
a new trial, which was overrulcd.
After a short time George Hasty,
nandcuffed, and accompanied by an
%Otice:, walked down the aisle from
the main entrance If tho 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
was comfortably seated near a stove.
He found his accustomed place inside
the railing, and became an apparently
uninterested and Indifferent specta-
tor.
Judge Memminger asked IL the de-
fendant was ready Tor sentence OF
court to be imposed. Mr.. H. X. Os.
borne, Of couasel for the defense,
stated that the motion for o new trial
would not be argued-it would be left
with the court. But an effort would
be made for the arrest Of judg ment
under the act of 1906, under which
this court Is hold, which limits the
session for one 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 wOulo 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 al biter.
When the Judge again asked If the
prisoner was ready for sentence, the
reply was, subject to our notion"
lne court said, II am going to over
rule tuat motion; are you ready for
Sentenct?"
Mr.. Osborne replied. "We have no
further motion, your honor"
Tnc prisoner was then directed to
tand up. George Hasty arose and
facing the judge. There was not the
slightest bat Of an eyelid, the faintest
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 10 his ermine-there were the
Ctllcers Of the court about the ,,ris-
oner were his LAWYERS and In the rear
in the room some three hundred PEG
Pc.
The Gene was dramatic and Judge
NJ. mminger, 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 been hanging In the balance. /
have endeavorcd to give you an abs },
have boen represented by able and
earnest counsel. You have had the
benefit Of u most complete and able
defense. / may have erred In the
conduct OF your lease. 1t Is possible,
but l 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-
it OF the law, Which reduces the pun
lshment for murder from hanging to
i'm prisoDment 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 defer
dant, George Haety, whether he bath
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, IL IS
hereby ordained and 1T is the sentence
OF the law that ne, George Hasty,
from %henceforth and hereafter, be
confined at hard labor In the State
penitentlary for the remainder Of his
natural life."
After concluding the sentence Hasty
resumed his seat.
After receiving the sentence OF
DOOM, so solemniy and impressivciy
uttered by the judge, as he stood
strong, youthful and full Of life In the
sunlight that bedm6d through the
windows Of tho court ROOM, and re.
seating himself, 1t appeared that Has.
ty was g. man Of iron. For five days
he had passed the ordeal and 1t seem.
ed that the crucial test surely had
been experienced. Was the mar
J really made Of iron? Was there any