The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-11-25
TO HANG DECEMBER IS.
Negro Convicted OF Criminal Assault
in Columbia, After Hearing Tes-
timOny of Victim.

cious crime of assault, Minus High
tower, a negro youth, will pay the
death penalty on December %, at the
county jailyard in this county.
The hand of the law moved swiftly
and with unerring decision today, in
the trial of the young negro, who, on
October IS, ravished a married wo-
man of this city. Placed on trial this
morning, at special term Of court
ordered by the governor, the evidence
in his case completed at $50 o'clock
this afternoon, Hightower knew his
fate within three minutes after the
jury retired. The sentence Of the
court was Immediately announced, fol-
lowing the verdict of ''guilty."
Returned to Penitentiary.
Tonight, shortly after the court
room was cleared, Hightower was
whisked away to the penitentiary in
a waiting automobile. Behind the
automobile that carried the negro was
another with guards. Immediately
upon the clearing of the court room,
the court house was darkened so that
not one Of the hundreds of persons
outside of the building, save those
whose business it was, knew when the
negro was taken away. Before the
trial, even before the break of day,
Hightower had been brought in from
the penitentiary, where he had been
ever since the day of the crime.
Many Spectators.
Around the court house, ever since
early morning, a crowd Of people, at
times numbering a thousand or more,
waited. In the court room, save for
the period during which the prosecu-
trix testified, there was a crowd all
day.
There was no special demonstration
against the negro, although the crowd
aDpeared eager for the law to be car
ried out. It is only within the range
Of surmise what might have been done
if the verdict had been otherwise.
Likewise is the question as to how
many of the men had pistols. The
Governors guards and the Richmond
Volunteers were on guard during the
trial. These are two of the oldest
military companies in the State.
Husband Relieved of Pistol.
The husband of the prosecutrix.
during the morning hours mad pig
tol in his pockat. When this was
found out by the shift thu pistol
was taken away. The talk around the
court room was that the husband in
tended to 'start something" if his wife
had to testify before the crowded
court room This afternoon, the hus-
band was closely watched in court.
He is a painter by trade, and there
were many of his friends, both inside
and outside the court room. The local
police cooperated with the militia and
officials OF the county and court in
handling the case Systematically.
= The foreman of the jury was Vandy
Myers. Before the Indictment was
handed to him, as is usual in criminal
cases, to write the verdict, Mr.. Myers
had started to poll the jury. The sher-
if asked the jurors to retire. However,
in three minutes the jury had return
ed with the vedict.
Conclusive Case," Says Foreman.
Tonight Mr.. Myers said: 1--WE need
not have left our seats. It was con-
elusive case the State made OUT
In addition to that of the prosecu-
trix, there was testimony of negro,
John Franklin, who stated that High
tower did not go with him on hunt,
as the accused had stated in jail here.
Policeman Hite, who made the arrest,
and one or two other witnesses also
testified.
The court appointed Alfred Wal
lace, Jr., and Richard E. Carwile 70
defend the negro. When Minus High
towker was arrested within a half
hour after the assault, with which he
is charged; was committed he gave
the name of ED Byrd" During his
arrest he had other aliases, but Minus
Hightower is his right name.
Under the law, the newspapers may
not print the name of woman upon
whom an assault or attempted assault
has been committed. The prosecutrix
in this case is a pretty young woman.
She lives in the northeastern section
of the city. The State did not take
advantage of the law Of 1909 as to the
prosecutrix's testimony, but she was
in court and testified.