The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-02-17
The Criminal Court.

The case of the State against Willie
Mcleod and Redus Hilton, charged
with, murder, the trial OF which was IN
progress at the time our report closed
last week, resulted in verdict OF not
guilty, and the defendants were dis
charged.
Elwin Stuckey was found guilty of
house breaking and larceny. and the de-
fendent was sentenced to serve one year
on the chain gang or in the peniten-
tiary.
The case against J Frank Driggers,
charged with the murder of his sister,
Mrs. Mamie Boseman, was taken up
Wednesday afternoon and occupied the
court throughout Thursday. This case
attracted great deal OF interest. and
during the entire trial the court house
was taxed to It's full capacity. Origgers
was represented by Messrs. Davis and
Weinberg, and Mr.. S. Oliver O'Bryan
assisted Solicitor Stoll in the prosecu-
ton. The case was called on Wednes-
day at noon, and Immediately pro- 9eded
to trial.
The testimony brought out showed
that Mr.. Driggers had been on spree
| for about three weeks preceding the
homicide, and was habitual drlnker,
/ an1 that Mrs. Boseman herself vas
quite faster of the bottle, and was
drunk on the day of the homicide, that
she went to the home'of the defendant
on the day of the homicide in an lntoN-
icated condition, and became involved
in a quarrel with her brother, the de-
fendanr, about mortgage over horse;
that the quarrel eliminated in slap
ping between the parties, and that tnen
Mrs. Bosemau got in her wagon with
her husband and left the house. but told
her brother that if he did not have sat-
isfaction, that ne could get it by coming
on down the road. She proceeded down
the road few hundred yards and stop
ped, and the defendant followed her, and
when he got within few yards OF the
deceased and her husband he shot Mrs.
Boseman as she was turning towards
him. the shot taking effect ia her face
and shoulder.
The defendant set up q Lwo-told de-
fence, viz. self-deience and temporary
insanity Evidence was adduced to prove
that his acts for some time previous to
the tragedy and some time afterwards
induced insanity, caused by the habltu-
al use of inuoNicants. DR.. G. b. Gelger
/ and DR.. L. C. Stukes were both exam
ined-hypotheti this point, and
the State introduced evidence TO show
that the acts were those Of "a rational
man. Some witnesses swcre that within
few hours after the murder the defen-
dant was in Manning hunting for the
residence of his attorney, Capt. w. =.
Davis, and that he told them OF the
tragedy and stated to them that 1t was
an accident, and then he proceeded tc
the Jail and surrendered TO Sheriff Gam
Ele.
The case was suoutly fought from both
sides at every step, during when the
testimony of some twenty-five witnesses
was taken. At the conclusion OF the
testimony. on Thursday at noon. MT
,tO'Brvan made the opening argument
for the State. aud was followed bY Capt
Davis for the defence, Solicitor stol
2 making the closing arguments. The ar
> guments 10 the case were all very tor
chile and well presented. 1t was sale
5 several times by outsiders that Capt
Davis made one OF the best and mos
lucid arguments that he has ever made
in the court room. Mr.. O:Bryan ant
y Solicitor Stoll both handled their side
of the case in most creditable manner
q The main feature of the case was thu
clear and comprehensive charge. gives
the Jury by the presiding Judge, Ernes
It Gary.
j. The jury retired about nightfall, an'
o after few hours deliberation. return
= ed verdict of guilty with recommen
C dation to mercy.
Friday morning Capt. Davis argued