The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1907-09-12
PINK FRANKLIN WILL HANG
SLAYER OF YOUNG VALENTINE
CONVICTED OF MURDER.
Large Crowd Present at Trial-Date
of Execution October 18TH.
His Wife Acquitted.

ORANGEBURG, September 9.-Pink
Franklin, the negro, who, on July
20, shot and killed Constable Henry
Valentine, who was seeking to arrest
him, was tried in the court of gener-
al sessions today and convicted of
murder. He was sentenced to be
hanged, the date of his execution
being fixed for the 25th of October.
Franklin's wife, Sad Franklin, who
was placed on trial with him as an
accessory to the killing, was acquit-
ted.
The trial of the negro and his wife
occupied the attention of the court
throughout the entire day, the case
being taken up Immediately upon the
reconvening of the court this morn
ing. Franklin has since his arrest
been confined in the penitentiary at
Columbia for safe keeping. His wife
has been in the county jail here.
There was a large crowd in Orange
burg for the trial today, and the
sheriff took extra precautions to pro-
tect his prisoners, the number OF
constables being increased, The dis
pensary was closed for the day. Good
order prevailed and there was no
disposition towards violence.
Pink Franklin was farm laborer
under contract to Mr.. Jake Thomas.
He became dissatisfied and left his
place, going to the farm of Mr.. Sol
Spires, where he was at>the time of
the shooting. Mr.. Thomas had a
warrant issued for his arrest by
Magistrate Joseph Valentine, who
sent his brother, Constable Henry
Valentine, to arrest him. The latter
went to the home of Mr.. Carter and
spent the night and at about day.
break the next morning he went
with Mr.. Carter to the home of the
negro to make the arrest. The negro
was apparently asleep when they
cached the house and Mr.. Valentine
entered the front door while Mr..
Carter went to the rear to prevent
his escape. When Mr.. Valentine en-
tered the front door and reached the
bed room door the negro suddenly
opened the door and fired, striking
the constable just below the heart
and telling him to the floor. The ne.
gro, then hearing the approach OF
Mr.. Carter at his back door, turned
and fired in that direction, inficting
a painful wound, which caused Mr..
Carter to retreat. Witnesses state
that four or five shots were fired and
the first three were in quick success
sion. The result was that both Mr..
Valentine and Mr.. Carter were
wounded, as were also the negro and
his wife. Franklin fled following the
killing, and managed for three days
to elude his pursuers. He made his
way to Denmark and there gave HIM
self up.
Franklin and his wife were repre-
sented by two negro lawyers, Jacob
Moorer of this place and John Adams,
of Columbia, who is a lawyer and a
teacher, connected with Allen Uni
versity in that city. Adams has con-
tested every inch of ground as the
trial proceeded. One day last week
he raised three constitution objec-
tions to the juries, two based on the
federal constitution and one on the
constitution of South Carolina. Sat-
urday he argued for continuance
of the case, pleading some irregu-
larity connected with the proper
keeping of the coroner's records. In
all of his motions to quash the in
dictment and for postponement he
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