The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-02-19
JUDGE O'NEALL'S ELOQUENCE.
Strikingly Displayed in Talk to Un-
ion Man is Sentencing Him to
be Hanged.

publishes an account, written tor Its
columns by James l.. Strain, of the
trial and execution in Union county
OF PhineaS H. johnson, who was con-
vieted Of the murder Of a young wo-
man, and in connection with the ac-
count of the trial is given Judge John
Bolton O'Neall's eloquent talk to the
prisoner in sentencing him to be
hanged.
The account Of the trial, with the
remarks of Judge O'Neall. is as fol-
lows:
Story Of Phineas Johnson's Crime.
''PhineaS H. Johnson, who for the
murder Of Mary Ann Hyatt. paid
the death penalty on Friday, Feb
ruary 18th, 1852, was the son of
Wyatt Johnson, a well to do citizen
Of Union county. Phineas seems to
have been a man of some education,
and to have had an opportunity to
work out for himself a better fate
He and his victim We're members Of
the same community, and if memory
serves Alright, were members Of the
same Sabbath school, in which he was
teacher.
He became enamored of this beau-
tiful young woman and on the prom
ise Of marriage her ruin was accom-
pished. AS a result of their Grim
inal intimacy two children were born
to them, and as would be expected,
the result of her conduct was that she
was forsaken by her former friends
and associates and left in the most
deplorable condition. That Johnson
had promised to marry THE young wo-
man, there seems to be no doubt. This
he failed to do. Instead he cow:ted
and married another young woman.
This naturally caused his victim to
resort to legal proceedings in order
to get some necessary support for
herself and children. These proceed
ings We're never instituted by her so
far as can be learned. for it seems
that the night before she was to get
cut the papers, she was killed; shot
in the head with a rifle while sitting
stringing beans. Death seems to have
been instantaneous, for she simply
sank down in the chair without fall
ing from it, her little sleeping infant
remaining in her lap. The report of
the gun was heard in the neighbor-
hood, but no one thought anything
unusual about it, except that a story
is told of how jackass, which al
ways allowed himself to be heard
when anything unusual occurred,
brayed most vigorously.
How Murder Became Known.
It was not until the next day that
the murder became known. The way
it came to be discovered was that a
negro, Sam Smith, who belonged to
Mr.. Robin Smith, who was on Wis
it to one Of Sam s sons went to the
stable to feed the horses. The sta
bles were near the Hyatt home. Hear
ing the children crying, he went to
see what was the matter. He found
the children on the fa5or ard tie
mother cold in death still sitting in
her chair with pool of blood on the
floor. The negro gave the alarm.
"Suspicion seems to have at once
fallen on Phineas Johnson, and he
was accordingly arrested, Coroner Ed
Gregory holding the inquest and COM
uniting johnson to jail.
No record is obtainable Of the fea-
lures brought out at the inquest.
though it is believed to have been en-
tirely circumstantial. AS Johnson was
on his way ito Jail in charge Of tie
sheriff, they had to pass Bethlehem
church, where some Of the neiehbors
were digging grave in which to
bury tie murdered woman. AS john
son passed he was very defiant and
indifferent in his manner, whistling
and making remarks that would be
unprintable here.
Sometime after this court convened
for the trial in the year 1851 Thos.
N. Dawkins was solicitor. The jury
was empanelled with J. Starks Sims
as foreman, and it is Thought that the
late Adam Goudelock of Gowdeys-
vile was one of them. On the train Of
circumstantial evidence johnson was
convicted. The case was appealed to
supreme court, which, however, con-
firmed the findings Of the lower
court. When court again con-
vened and Johnson was again
brought Up to receive the
death sentence, it was before Judge
n rL.- n AVA 90 tho