The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-12-07
TRIO TO HANG
On One GaIlaws for the Murder Of a
Florence County Citizen.
KILLED kR. ELIHU MOVE

Five Negroes Were Arrested at First
Charged With the Crime, Which
Was Committed In the Home Of
the Victim, but Two Of Them We're
discharged.
For the murder of Elihu Moye,
Willie Burroughs, Ellie Weldon and
NaFance Ham were convicted at
Fforeuce Monday and sentenced to
be hanged on Friday. December 16.
The usual motion for q new trial
was overruled.
give negroes were under arrest
charged with the killing Of Elihu
More several weeks ago. OF tue
FIVE the solicitor held three and had
no bill returned in the case Of Henry
Jones and Senior Askins. The ne
groes on trial were Clarence Ham,
long a trusted employe and friend or
MI. iIoye; Willie Burroughs and Ell
lie Weldon.
The court house and court yard
were crowded long before the hour
for trial by people from all over the
county, who came to hear the case
and see the negroes who had COM
mittad q crime that shocked the en-
tire community.
Judge Browns charge to the jury
was brief, covering, as usual, the
degrees in homicide cases, and on
their duty to the country. The So
iicitor wished to use Clarence Ham
as 4 witness, SO did not put him
on trial with the other two. W. f.
Clayton, E. S. Oliver and Claude
Gasque were appointed by the court
to represent the accused.
Clarence Ham was put on the
stand first. He testified that he
had met the other two negroes and
they told him Mr.. Moye had gone
to Timmonsyille and that there was
money In the house and they must
have it. He consented to watch IN
the road while they went to get it.
He was to whistle in case any one
approached and be did SO when Mr.
Moye drove up later.
Mr.. Moye went into the house and
struck a match, the other negroes
forced him to go to the house. He
heard one shot, then another, then
saw some one stagger out Of the
door. He grabbed up the gun for
his protection, but they led him away
and offered him a drink, gave him
scotland told him to say nothing
about the affair. They offered him
S25 and to pay his way to Florence
IL he would say nothing about the
affair.
There was practically no testi-
mony for the defense and though the
counsel for the accused earnestly
worked to prevent injustice or pref
udice affecting the case. the jury,
without difficulty, found both We'll
don and Burroughs guilty.
The trial Of Clarence Ham was
then entered into. He acknowledged
his guilt and In response to the usl-
al question by the solicitor said that
n method Of trial would suit him.
He was promptly convicted.
Before the close Of court shortly
after seven o'clock all three negroes
we're sentenced to hang on Friady.
December Is. Mr.. Clayton. on be-
half of his clients. moved for a new
trial on the ground that the evidence
did not c]orroborate the confession
of Clarence Ham and that the crowd
and pressure Of public opinion in the
matter was an obstacle I o unbiased
opinion.
Solicitor Wells replied that the
Jury was competent to judge the facts
as presented and that there had not
been the slightest success attendant
on the efforts Of the defense to dis
prove any of. the statements and that
the verdict ought to stand. Judge
Brown compAmented the crowd tor
ifs order and refused to grant the
naw kr;oJ