The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-10-14
an UGLY CASE.
WHITE MAN ACCUSED OF AS.
SAUITING IDIOTIC GIRL.

NEesVN at depot This Morning
and Committed to Jail-A HOrrid
and Repulsive Crime Charged
Against Him.
From the Daily Item, Oct. 13.
When the train from Orangeburg
arrived at the passenger station this
morning among the passengers were
J. H. Wooten and wife and Fora
Moseley, his wife's deformed idiot
child. girl about fourteen years old,
and M. d. Moseley. brother of Mrs
Wooten. AS Wooten stepped from
the coach with the deformed child in
his arms he was met by Deputy Sher-
in Rafffeld, who presented a warrant
and arrested him on the charge Of
rape.
The Warrant which Deputy Raffield
read to Wooten alleges that Wooten
on or about the first day of Septem-
Der, In the county Of Lexington, GRIM
inally assaulted Fora Moseley, his
step-daughter, child fourteen years
old, so horribly deformed as to be as
helpless as an infant and in mind
practically imbecile. The warrant fur
ther alleges that Della Wooten. the
wife Of j. z. Wooten and the mother
OF the imbecile child was a witness
to the crime. having caught Wooten
In the act; that Wooten, when discov-
cred threatened to kill his wife and
the child II his crime was ever dis
closed to any one, especially either
of Mrs. Wooten's brothers.
Wooten submitted to arrest with
out denial. leaving his wife and child
IN the waiting room in. charge Of M.
ID. Moseley. On the way to the jail
Wooten protested that he was guilt
less of the alleged crime, that it was a
piece Of spite work. hatched up Ivy
his wife's family, who are anxious to
put him out of the way and get DOS
session OF the girl in order that they
may exhibit her as a curiosity at fairs
and carnival shows. as he had done,
and thereby gain the profit that he
has derived heretofore. Wooten also
stated that he had raised the girl
from infancy. having married her
mother when the child was little more
than baby. He put on a bold front
for g. guilty man, IL he Is guilty, de-
manded an immediate preliminary
and asked that two physicians be call
ed In to examine the child. a
The warrant on which Wooten was
arrested was issued by Magistrate A.
b. Barhman, Of New Brookland, Lex.
ington county. on October 18th. and
was brought to this city yesterday
afternoon by M. d. -Moseley. the
brother Of Mrs. Wooten and uncle Of
the child. Fora Moseley. Immediate
ly upon his arrival Moseley sought
Sheriff Epperson and delivered to him
the warrant and a letter from Masis-
trate Barhman. The warrant show
ed that 1t had been issued on the affi-
davit Of Moseley, on information and
belief. Moseley stated that his sister.
Mrs. Wooten. had stated the facts to
him. although In fear of death at the
hands Of her husband should the fact
that she had informed on him come
to his ears. Moseley informed Sheriff
Epperson that Wooten had been liv-
Ing at Privateer for, several weeks
and that he would go Immediately to
Wooten's home and induce him to
come to Sumter this morning on the
o'clock train. 1t was arranged 20
nave an officer at the depot to arrest
Wooten upon arrival. Moseley's plans
worked out to the letter and Wooten
Is IN jail where he will remain until
the sheriff OF Lexington county sends
an officer for him. A telegram was
sent to the sheriff Of Lexington noti-
Tying him OF the arrest Of Wooten this
morning and 1t Is possible that his
deputy will arrive tonight or on the
early train tomorrow.
The case Is In all respects a very
ugly one and II Wooten is guilty, as
charged, no punishment that the law
permits could be too severe. Moth
ng save a brute Of the most abject
vicious and degraded type could be
guilty Of the alleged crime against a
neIpIeSS, defOrmed imhecile srch as