The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-06-02
WILL Be HUNG
Young White Man Who Killed
Officer Doomed to
ON THE GALLOWS

Judge Dantzler Overrules Motion
for q New Trial and Passes Sem
tence of Death on Webb Simmons
for Numbering Marshal J. B. Nc
Adams.
Unless a stay of sentence is grant
ed pending an appeal to the supreme
court Of the State, Webb Simmons,
the young white man who killed
United States Deputy Marshal ]. B.
McAdams at Anderson on February
20 last, will be hanged in the coun-
ty Jail yard in Anderson on Friday,
July %. Sentence was passed on
the prisoner Monday morning by
Judge Dantzler after Attorney Dag
nall had completed a strong argu-
ment for new trial. The motion
was overruled, and in the presence
Of several hundred spectators Webb
Simmons was condemned to death.
The Simmons case went to the
jury at 5 o'clock Saturday afternoon
and near Saturday midnight YER
dict Of guilty without any recon-
mandation was made. At once Mr..
Dagnall gave notice Of a motion for
a new trial, and Judge Dantzler an
nounced that he would remain in
Anderson until Monday morning, at
which time he would hear the mo-
tion argued.
Mr.. Dagnall presented strong
plea to the court. He said, among
other things, that, on account Of his
own illness, he had not been able
to conduct the defense as it should
have been, but the court interrupt
ed him by saying that, in his opinion
the case had been zealously and ad-
mirably conducted and that the at
torney had looked woll after the de.
fendant's interest at all tt IS dur
ing the trial. Other reasons fol
asking a new trial were stated as
follows:
That some Of the jurors had e1-
pressed opinions as to Simmons guilt
before the trial; that Juror Davis
was over the constitutional age; thai
the court failed to charge the jury
on the Jaw as to self-defense; thai
the jury had resented certain ques
tions asked the sheriff by Mr.. Dag
nall, while the sheriff was on the
stand; that the case should not have
been tried at this term of court be
cause Of personal feeling against thu
prisoner, and because Of the Hines.
OF defendants mother, materia
witness.
Judge Dantzler considered sepa
rately each reason assigned, afte
which he formally denied the mo
ton and proceeded to pass the for
NAL sentence Of death.
Simmons accepted the verdict o
the jury and the sentence Of dealt
very unconcerDed!y and coolly
When called UPON by the clerk o
, court to stand up to receive seatenc
the prisoner stood motionless AM
without tremor. From appear
anco it did not seem that he was th
least bit annoyed or worried, bu
on the contrary seemed to accep
the sentence as relief from cour
proceedings. When asked If he ha'
anything to say why sentence shou't
: not be passed on him, he clearly an,
5 loudly stated that he knew of none
that he had nothing to say, and afte
: the court had announced the sen
tence the prisoner made bow o
acknowledge cement and then quietl
sat down in the prisoner dock. II
was at once handcuFed and carri-t
o the cau1ty Jail by Constable Mar
. tin and Police Sergeant Sanders
He had !n:hing to Say while walk
ing to the jail, except to stop at
, fruit shop TO purchase dozen ba
: nanas. This he did also late Sat
urday night, while returning to tn
jail after being carried to the cour
house to receive the verdict Of th'
jury. Upon arrival at the jai
after sentence had been passed Mon
day morning Simmons cheerfully sa
luted one Of the negro prisoners
calling him by name and saying tina
he had learned to say Il. Eyidentl.
the negro had been teasing Sim
mons about what the court woult
have to say in passing sentence.
Attorney Dagnall will take the
case to the supreme court, SO it i:
understood, and if this be the case
it is highly probable that the execu
ton will not take place in July
The supreme court does not take ur
the cases from this circuit until
late in the fall or early in the win.
ter, and unless special dispensatior
is secured this appeal will have to
come up in regular order.
This will be Anderson's frst le-
gal hanging ia about nine years, the
victim then being negro convict
ed of assault On a white wonan OF
that county.