The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-11-12
COURT COMES TO CLOSE.
The Goodwin Case. Continred-Eight
Jurors Try Murder 'Case-Barn
Burners Convicted.

!
bar. acted Is solicitor. He took held
OF The wcrk like al old naai al
the business and the machinery Ct
the court moved on smoothly.
Will Sanders, who pleaded guilty to
killing two negro women last March
and who was put on trial or Wednes-
day and vino entered a plea for mer-
cy. ii will be remembered the Jury
failed to agree on This point and a
mistrial was ordered. This case was
put Gil trial again Oh Friday and Sam
ders' attorney by appointment Of the
court, Col. W. H. Hunt. agreed to 90
to trial with eight jurors. The same
evidence was submitted and the same
plea made as in the former trial and
the eight jurors agreed to recommend
him to mercy and thus his neck was
saved and ne goes to the penitentiary
for life.
At the same time this case was be-
ing tried another jury was in the
room with a case against three ne
eroes. Lewis Burton, Lawson John
SOL and Elmore Mays, charged with
the Burning Of the barn and stock Of
Mr.. P. \. Bnozer. In this case Bur
ion confessed and implicated the oth-
ar Two. The jury found Burton gull
ty which hangs him AID convicted
the ether two with a recon1me lda-
tion to mercy and Judge Gary gave
each ten years in the penitentiary.
It does seem little queer freak that
justice is playing to show mercy to
man who confessed to the brutal
murder Of two women and at the
same time to put the severest penal
ty Of the law to a man who confess
ed to burning a barn and to convict
two others substantially on this con-
fession. Burton is sentenced to hang
in December. His attorneys, E. S.
Blease and Geo. B. Cromer, will ap-
peal the case to the supreme court.
The other negro, Elmore Mays was
defended by Cole. L. Blease.
Jno. Shell was convicted Of assault
on the guard Of the chain gang and
was sentenced to four months or a
fine Of $l00.
Geo. Walker and Jno. Walker,
charged with the murder Of Nelson
Payne at Cahppells some months ago
in a game Of craps, were tried and
Georges convicted of manslaughter
and sentenced to five years on the
chain gang while John was convicted
of carrying concealed weapons a1d
given thirty days on the gang or a
fine Of $40.
Robt. Ruff was convicted of as
sault and battery Of hign and az
eravated nature and was given four
months on the chain gang or fine Of
S1OO.
Mid Bridges, Sol Lewis, Lee Gary
and Drayton Bailey pleaded guilty
10 violation of the dispensary law
an;l we're given 500 or three months
each.
VIII johnson who was convicted
of r:anslauehter wassgiven five years
on the chain gang.
T Cole. L. Blease, Esq, in one Of the
cases raised the point Of the legality
of the grand jury in that one Of the
original panel, Mr.. W. A. Counts, was
magistrate. This same point was
raised before Special Judge F. s..
Grier at the summer term but was
overrul7d by aim. Mr.. Counts is not
now on the grand jury an extra
panel having been drawn. Judge
Gary intimated that he would have
sustained the point but it was not a
live issue now as Mr.. Counts was MOT
on the panel.
The Goodwin case which was set
for trial on Saturday was continued
and Mr.. Goodwin on Friday was
granted bail in the sum OF $4,000. 1t
was feared if the case were started
it could not be finished by Saturday
nioht at - o'clock and as the court
closed at that time it would be vlrtu-
ally an acquittal because mistrial
could not be ordered and to call 1t
again would be twice in jeopardy.
The case will not now likely be
tried before next summer as during
the spring term, Goodwin's attorney,
Mr.. Cole. L. Blease will be in the SEN
ate.
There are still quite number of