Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-04-20
GENERAL SESSIONS.


went to press, the court was engaged
on the case Of the State VS.. Marshall
Steele. charged with assault with in
tent to ravish, and because of its unu-
sual and remarkable character, the
case attracted a great deal Of interest.
The defendant Is a we'll known young
man Of Rock Hill, and the prosecuting
witness Is handsome young woman
from Lancaster. The prosecution grew
out Of an incident that occurred In
Rock Hill on the evening Of February
6, last All the details Of which were
fully brought out In the testimony.
According to the statement Of the
prosecuting witness, she had come to
Rock Hill to meet her husband, who
she had not seen for eight years, and
who was to come down on the next
train from Charlotte. She remained
in the waiting room until the arrival
Of the train, and her husband failing
to come, she went to the home of a
relative. Shortly afterward, hack
called for her and the negro driver
brought a message that led her to be-
lieve that her husband was up town
waiting for her. At the pool room,
she was joined by the defendant who
she could not see very well In the dark
ness; but who represented that he was
her husband. Being more or less in
doubt, she demanded to be taken
to light where she could see, and was
driven toward the blackjacks. Within
a short time, 1t became clear that her
companion was not her husband, and
he becoming convinced Of his mistake,
admitted the fact, said his name was
Sam Jones, told her that she was a
lady and instructed the negro to take
her back to town.
The defense did not offer any tes-
timony, contenting itself with ask
ing questions that seemed to imply
mitigation of the alleged offense.
The jury took the case shortly after
3 o'clock Friday afternoon, and wres-
tied with 1t all night until about z
o'clock Saturday morning. when 1t re-
ported verdict Of simple assault. 1t
Is understood that when the jury first
went in, three were for acquittal, and
the balance were for verdicts Of vary
ing degrees of severity, some for sim
pie assault some for assault and bat
terry Of high and aggravated nature,
and some for guilty as charged. At one
time there was tentative agreement
on assault and battery Of high and
aggravated nature; but after getting
instruction from the court that the
maximum penalty would be ten years
Imprisonment, those who were for ac-
quittal went back to their original po-
sition. Several held out for the ex-
treme limit almost to the last, but fl
nally there was a compromise on the
verdict as rendered, and the court i'm
posed the maximum penalty prescrib-
ed under the circumstances, 500 or
thirty days.
N~e~A -
interest, not only in Rock Hill, where
the facts have been known all the
while; but also in Yorkville and other
parts Of the county to which rumors
of the occurrence have penetrated.
Opinion Is divided. Very few Of the
defendants friends attempt to justify
him; but a great many people hold
that the penalty is out of proportion
to the offense. The majority senti-
ment, however, seems to uphold the
majority of the jury in the view that
the extreme limit Of the law Is the
right thing in all Of such cases. The
verdict as rendered does not seem to
have received very general endorse
ment.
This was the last case Of the ses-
sions. Solicitor Henry went home Fri
day evening.