Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-02-09
SOUTH CAROLINA NEWS.

has introduced a bill to prevent teie-
phone companies from collecting rem
tails for more than one month In adj
vance.
Laurens, February s: Advices from
Postofiice Inspector Gregory say the
yeggman killed here In g. fight with
policemen January 28th was known az
"Sheney Nike" or Kentucky Sheney."
originally of Louisville. This is based
on q statement from reformed safe
blower living In Boston. who was In
Jan with Sheney in Norfolk In 1898.
= Columbia, February 8: II has been
through no fault OF the members that
there has been no election Of an asso-
ciate Justice to fill the vacancy occa-
stoned by the resignation Of Mr.. Justice
Jones, who was elevated to the place
of chief justice. Ballot after ballot has
been had with practically no change
in the situation. AS long as there were
five candidates In the field II was
neck and neck race. Then when there
were four candidates IL continued
neck and neck race, and so It Is with
but three candidates. There Il 30 little
difference In the votes Of the three can
didates that one or two changes are
looked upon with interest There will
have to be decided break. or some
one Of the three candidates will have
to withdraw or dark horse will
have to be entered before there can be
an election. Which of these three con-
tingencies will arise no one II yet In
position to say. There IL very little
weakening on the part Of the advocates
Of any one OF the three candidates now
in the field.
= Columbia. February s: Sheriff Ow-
ems Of Dorchester county and three
special deputies arrested four men. well
known citizens Of Dorchester and Or
angeburg counties, on q warrant charg-
ing them with the murder Of Pressley
last. They were taken to st. Georges
and lodged In the county jail. The
men arrested are: Arnie McAlhaney.
Ellis o. Arrant and Marion Reeves Of
Dorchester county. and Tom Fairey Of
Branchville. Young Presley Reeves
was assassinated near his home near
st. Georges, being shot from the un-
derbush In the evening az he was re-
turning from his farm work. Reeves
was game warden In Dorchester. q Sec.
ton where the game law was motor
iously Ill enforced. especially the laws
protecting fish and by his vigorous Dis
mics. He had received numerous
threatening letters just previous to the,
assassination. 1t Is believed that q
negro, Bill Dooley, who fired the shot
and disappeared on the night Of the
assassination was made away with by
the same cowardly gang that murder
ed Reeves. The nature Of the evidence
against the prisoners Is not made pub
lie. but II 10 the result Of several
months investigation. It Is said one
Of the accused will turn states. wit
ness.
Union special Of February 6, to the
News and Courier: Guilty Of murder,
with a recommendation to mercy" was
the verdict In the case of the State We.
w. T. Jones. rendered here at three,
minutes after o'clock this afternoon,
the Jury having deliberated since S.l5
last night, in all eighteen hours and
eighteen minutes. The law has an
swered afiirmatiyely the question pro-
pounded last July. Did w. r. Jones
force his wife, Marian Jones. TO take
strychnine?" Thus has ended one Of
the most interesting criminal cases ever
heard In this state, and by far the most
remarkable In the history of this coun-
ty. To some the verdict was great
surprise, the jury's lengthy deliberation
giving promise, and to some hope, Of q
mistrial. However, reliable informa-
ton Is to the effect that the Jury hes
itated between an extreme verdict and
time nine members In favor OF fnflict-
ing the death penalty. At 11.37 this
morning Judge Memminger ordered
the jury brought before him, and ask
ed whether the difficulty In reaching
q verdict was based on the facts In the
case or the law as expounded from the
bench. The foreman replied that the
disagreement was on the facts, where
upon the court proceeded to further
charge and enlighten the jury. The
element Of suicide having been inject
ed through argument Of counsel for the
defense, the court explained the law In
reference to suicide, saying that per-
son who aided, assisted or In any man.
ner caused another to commit suicide
by providing the means for the con-
summation Of such unlawful act, was
guilty of murder under the laws Of this
state. The court also fully explained
the law Of circumstantial evidence and
impressed upon the jury the great Inn
portance Of reaching an agreement and
not leaving this duty to twelve other
citizens, who would sooner or later
have to decide the matter. Reference
tached to this trial, and which must be
borne by the county, although the jury
was cautioned not to allow this to In
fiueflce them. At 1904 p. m, the jury
again retired, and remained out until
3 o'clock. having announced short
while before that q verdict had been
agreed upon. The Jury was polled and
as the clerk Of court prepared to read
the verdict a death-like stiffness char
acterized the assemblage, which crowd
ed the court room. AS the fateful
words were uttered the prisoner per-
ceptibly paled, all eyes being fixed up
on him. For few moments he stared
yacantly into space, seeming unable
to comprehend the fate that awaited
him. Then, In a whisper. he spoke to
one Of his counsel. Mr.. James Munroe,
who sat beside him, perhaps to inquire
the significance of what he had just
heard The most dramatic moment Of
the entire trial was when the clerk
read the first word of the verdict:
Guilty" then hesitated. for the one
word would have inflicted upon the
convicted man the extreme penalty.
When the rest Of the verdict had been
read there was evident In the counten-
ances Of the defendant and his coun-
sci expressions Of certain degree OF
Tclicly diluOuSn IuC july iiiuAh6 Wdo
distinct disappointment to them.
The Judge thanked the jury for their
patience and forbearance during the
trial, which lasted more than three
days, and discharged them. The jury
showed signs Of great fatigue. While
they were made as comfortable. as pos
sible during the time they were kept
together and perhaps suffered compar-
atively little discomfort physically.
still the mental strain caused by
realization Of their grave responsible
ity was evident. It is not known upon
what features Of the testimony the
jury based its verdict. Two hours af-
ter the verdict was rendered. the court
being occupied in the meantime with
hearing motions Of appeals in several
minor cases, w. T. Jones was placed
in the prisoners dock to receive the
sentence which the law provides. Be-
fore sentence was passed, Col. George
tombstone, who made valiant fight
for hta client,s life and 1iherty enter.