The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-12-01
GETS OFF LIGHT
Messs7ey Who Killed Two Hen, Convict
ed Of hanslanshlel
PLEADED TO Be HANGED

The Double. Mrrdere-.s Nerves Fatl-
cd Elm and He Sobbed Like n
Child, While he Begged Judge
Dantzier to C'sange HIS Senter,
TO Hanging From Imprisonment.
Sobbing like child and begging
Judge Dantzler 20 change his sen
tence from 90 years IN the State
pen!ientiary to hanging. J. ~. Mes
| servey. the slayer OF Corstables
F.shou-ne and Altman. az Ravenel.
July s. was led from the court room
at WalterboTo Thursday morning. the
jury bav!ng announced their verdict
Of guilty OF granddaughter and Judge
Dantzier having pronounced the sen
tence OF the court few minutes
later
The sentence was That you. J.
". Aesservey. be confined in the
STATE penitepuary at such labor SIS
you are able to perform for the Pc
Rod OF 20 years.
Tie tu:y had deiibera;ed Is hours
and when court convened Thursday
morning so. the purpose Of hearing
their verdict the foreman aonoune-
ed tha. they had just agreed but
desieed GONE instruction es TO the
form CT their verdict l: was learn
ed tha. two OF the Jurors were for
acQuittal and the lc st drst were
70. nr.de. but agreed to coupro-
mise Oh a verdict Of nansiaughser.
Judge Daatzler again Instructed
them and in about 10 minutes they
returned TO their seats and announc-
ed tia, they had agreed upoa .
verdict
a large crowd was eagerly watch
Ing the announcement OF the verdict
Judge DantzleE took the precauuon
to warn those present that 40 de-
1nonst7ation would be allowed. Aes-
servey betrayed no sign Of emotion
as the clerk read the verdict
When asked BY the Judge Il iS
had anything 70 say Why the sen
tence OF the court should net now
be pronounced upon him be replied.
NO. except am not guilty.
The judge began TO write the sen
.ence but paused long enough to
ask the prisoner. How hong have
you been afflicted with Jour ies?"
Sixteen or II years.. be answer
ed.
After anishins the sentence Judge
Daatzle. said 70 the prisoner.
III you had been convicted OF
nu!de, / would not have disturbed
the verdict You hsTe been repre-
sen,ed By able counsel who did all
they could FOR you: you have had
ca!. trial: you had no right to XII!
Nr. F.shbourae do not believe
be intended 70 confscate Jour horse
and wagon. In consideration Of the
condition OF your leg will not
sentence you to hard labor In the
pen!tent!ary but will sentence you
to perform such labor Is you are
able to perform The sentence Of the
court Is tha: you be confined IN the
State peni;ea,iaTy at such labor as
you are able to perform fox the pc
r!od OF 20 years
Unnoved through all the trial and
seemingly not Affected by any OF ;he
testimony. when the words. For the
period OF 20 years" were uttered.
the prisoner broke down and wepi
like a child. begging tie Judge 70
change the verdict to banging. say
ing. '.i would rs,her die than have
my life wasted IN this way. Judge.
chang. It TO hanging. Let me die.
Judge: change It to banging. It's
no, right. I'm not guilty.
The judge ordered tae sheria to
remand the prisoner 10 jail. sheE-
IL Fox told him to come With him
but Messervey. not needing him. con-
:inued to c.y 10 the Judge 10 hang
him instead.
The Judge again ordered him re-
nanded to jail. I. was 8 p'tisui
spectacle. this unfortunate man'
blind In oae eye and cripple. with
bis father on one side and brother
on the other. sobb!ugly pleading VIII
the Judge to have himself hanged
4 sign OF relief broke from the
crowd as the sheriff led him from the
room still sobbinS.
Col. Padge,t moved for a ne"
trial on the ground that the judge
had erred in holding thai X was no.
necessary TO. liquor constable un
der tie Carey-Coth7an law TO t!'
his bond with the clerk OF court ane
that therefor. constable could !e-
sa!ly perform bis duties without th'
/ fling OF such a bond. This was io'
main issue In the case from leSa
point OF view. Judge Dantzle
promptly over1uled the motion.
-~&qprpS re nEC;4fT