The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-03-24
PAYS FOR crime
Benjamin Gilbert is EIsctrocuted
at Richmond, Va.
KILLED YOUNG LADY
Because She Rejected Him as a
Lover-The Murder Committed
on Bridge at Norfolk, While the
Young Girl was With Friends for
a Little Outing.

1
Richmond, March 1s.-For killing
his former sweetheart in a moment
Of jealous rage, BENJAMIN Gilbert
today was electrocuted in the State
penitentiary here, where all crimi-
nails in this State are now put to
| death.
Because she had spurned him for
the attentions Of other young men,
Gilbert shot down pretty Amanda B.
Morse on Canpostella bridge in Nor
folk on July % last The girl ling
cred for twenty-four hours, her death
occurring at St. Vincent's hospital
to which institution she had beea
removed Immediately following the
shooting.
Hearing that Gilbert had threat
ened to kill his daughter, T. O. Morse,
father of the girl, went to look for
Gilbert, and reason with him. Go
ing the wrong way, Morse missed
Gilbert, and twenty minutes later,
while still in search of the youth.
was told that be had shot his daugh
ter. The father rushed to the scene
and the fact thar he could ind no
one to furnish him with a pistol was
all that prevented double tragedy.
On the hot summer night Miss
Morse and several young friends
went to Compostella bridge for a
breath of air from across the water.
They were conversing or the bridge
when young Gilbert approached.
Miss Morse's escort, W. G. Mitchell,
noticed Gilbert acting peculiarly.
Gilbert asked the girl to see him pri-
vately. She replied that if he had
anything to say to her he could
say it then and there.
Gilbert making no reply, Miss
Morse turned from him and took the
arm Of Mitchell to walk further on
the bridge. Just as she did SO Gil
bert drew his pistol and fired three
times at her. Two Of the bullets
entered the girls back. The third
grazed the coast of Mitchell.
Gilbert would have been mobbed
but for the early arrival of the po
lice. He claimed to have been en-
gagged to the girl and declared that
their wedding was scheduled for an
early date when she spurned him.
Cilbert's defense was general de-
pravity and mental responsibility,
it being sought at his trial to prove
hereditary insanity. After the trial
eight members Of the jury petition
ed Governor Swanson to commute
Gilbert's death sentence to life i'm
prisonment in the State penitentiary.
The jury in rendering it's verdict
recommended the prisoner to the
mercy of the court. Judge Hanckel
submitted this recommendation to
the Governor, who declared that if
he should commute Gilbert, he could
not permit another man to be exc
cuted for murder, SO long as he
occupied the gubeTnatorial chair.
The Supreme Court was then ap-
appealed to, among the grounds be-
Ing that Gilbert had become insane
since his conviction and that the
act Of the Legislature changing the
mode of inficting the deat- penalty
in Virginia from hanging to electro
cution was strange and unusual.
and, therefore. In conflict with the
Constitution of the State. The Su-
preme Court denied writ Of error
on Gilbert's appeal, and Governor
Swanson. who had granted numerous
respites to permit court action, re-
fused to interfere further.
Gilbert's parents spent their all
in an effort to save his life. even
mortgaging their beds to raise mon
ey with which to carry the fight to
| the higher courts Daniel Coleman
Jr.. the lawyer who defended Gilbert.
not only received no compensation,
| but had to supplement from his own
pocket the money raised by GHbert,s
parents to carry on the fight for the
condemned boy.
Gilbert after being carried to the
penitentiary repented and had his
spiritual adviser write to the parents
of his victim asking forgiveness. the
Youth saying that he could die easier
| if he had his forgiveness.