The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-04-17

VIM. Berry at Dean Bros. saw mill
on Sept. Il of last year. The verdict
of the jury was, guilty with recon-
mendation to mercy. Coleman was
sentenced to I:ee imprisonment in the
State peniteo :ary at hard labor.
The court was reconvened at $50
Fridav when the case Of Tom
Murphy, charged with the murder Of
William Dickson, on the night of Dec.
%, 1905, was begun.
The trial of Tom Murphy, charged
with the murder Of William Dickson,
on the night of December 27, 1905,
consumed the entire session of court
on Friday.
Around this~trial clung more IN
terest than to the other criminal
cases upon the docket for the spring
term; not because the alleged mur-
der was out Of the ordinary types OF
honaicides common to this class Of
people. nor because it was more
atrocious than those being recorded
almost daily; but in the fact, that,
from the beginning Of the trial, II
was evident the attorneys for the de-
fense were going to exercise every Ell
fort. with all their ability, without
price, in behalf of the defendant
while on the other hand it was ap-
parent that the acting solicitor, Hon.
J. H. Clifton, would be equally zeal-
Gus in the prosecution.
The story of the crime for which
Murphy was placed upon trial is as
follows:
Murphy had for Is years previous
been a trusted employe of Mr.. E. E.
Rembert, of Rembert and up to the
tine of killing Wm. Dickson acted in
the capacity of night watchn1an on
the plantation, in the discharge OF
which duties he was required to car
| rv gun. On the night of the homi-
| eide he met Dickson, also laborer
on the plantation. who requested that
Murphy loan him so cents. Upon re-
fusal of Murphy to grant the loan,
according to very doubtful evidence,
a difficulty between the two negroes
ensaed. After indulging in duel OF
oaths and vile epithets It was claim
ed that Dickson edvanced upon Muir
pav with drawn knife, whereupon
Murphy drew his gun and shot his
assailant. who fell to the ground.
Thus far the shooting Of Dickson by
Murphy seemed to be jl;stifiable.
But, not content with disabling his
foe, While Dickson was prostrated,
after a most brutal fashion Murphy
placed the muzzel Of his gun within
| close proximity Of the trunk Of the
wounded man and discharged it. The
entire load entered the body, sever
| ing the main artery leading from the
hart, which caused death instanta-
neously.
Soon after the shooting Murphy
left for parts unknown and since was
a fugitive from justice up to about a
month ago. He had travelled consid-
erablv. working in different States,
and while in drunken condition
some time ago he boarded wrong
train which landed him in Camden,
where be was subsequently arrested
and turned over to the authorities
here.
Upon arraignment it was learned
that Murphy was without counsel
whareupon the court appointed At
torneys Geo. D. Levy and r. D. Epps
to conduct his trial, which they did
in a very creditable and thoroughly
competent manner In the defense
of the negro it was Mr.. Epps' maiden
address to a jury. still he made his
recapitulations of the evidence with
the forcefulness of an experienced
iurist while Mr.. Levy impressed his
auditors with his sincerity of pur-
pose in battling for the defendant.
The argument of the acting solicitor
was also delivered with great tact
and telling impressiveness.
The jury remained in the jury