The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1910-01-19
WILL STRETCH HEMP
A FIEND TRIED AND CONVICTED
OF ATTEMPTING A
Criminal Assault Last November on
the Beautiful Young Wife OF q
Prominent Lexington County Man.

| HrOin1ne4I ASAi0SeoA So<AA@S .'~->>
coot Lever, the negro who at
tempted to conmi: criminal assaui
upon the beautiful young wife o
prominent Lexington couaty farm
| e- las. November. and who narrowl!
escaped being lynched. will pay th'
death penalty for bis crime on TN
25th Of February. ae1t.
At the trial. which was held a.
Lexington Wednesday. these wecf
four witnesses sworr for the prose
cutioc. the -!c,im and her husband
and Constable L. I. Roof and Nr
R. ~. y. Elezer. who made the a.
rest. and to whom Lever frst con-
sessed his guilt The pretty victim
who IS a woman OF intelligence. gen.
tie and refined. told OF the attach
in a plain, straight forward manner.
She was unable TO say IN positive
terms that Lever was the man who
attacked her. but stated that she
believed that be was the one. Her
husband swore to the fact that ae
had seen the negro pass along the
road where he was at work Ie"
minutes before the crime was at
tempted. Constable Roof told OF
the arrest. as did M. ElezeE. The
Judge ruled that the latter could
40. tell OF the confession made by
the negro. since Lever was told that
he would be properly protected II
he would confess his guilt.
Lever was the only witness Tor
the defence. He denied tha. he was
connected with the anal. IN any
manner. bat was unable to explain
why he was in the vicinity on the
day in qrestion. he told OF his e3-
perieace with the conjure doctor.
whom he called Lem Judge. ne
zro. Ee admitted telling the OF
acers soon after his arrest that DO
was guilty. and that the doctor was
the cause os it all. bat be said the
-easor for his telling this was the
fact that he was scared. He said
that he was IS years old and mar.
Tied.
At the conclusion Of the testi-
nony Nessrs- A. D. Mart!R and 7.
c. Stu.kie. who had been appointed
by Judge Watts TO defend the ne
gro. briefly addressed the jury.
Zach OF them pleaded for mercy for
the negro. stressing the point thar
the wor,an was not able to swea-
positively that the defendant was
the man who attacked her. and stat
ing that there might be some doubt
as to his guilt. Solicitor Thinner
nan. IN a brief. but vigorous man
ner. addressed the jury. urging the
Of the negro upon th"
ground that his confession. which
was made freely to the officers and
others who had talked with him time
after time showed coaclustve!y that
there was no room FOR doubt as To
his guilt.
Judge Watts charge consumed but
= short while. Il was clear and to
The point. covering the law as It
IS laid down in the statute books.
The jury retired ane remained IL
,he room about one hour. when they
-eturned with a verdict Of guilty.
There was absolutely no denonstrs-
,ion. although there was q large
crowd OF spectators IN the court
-oom. Just what the jury was de-
over. OF why It took them
50 long to reach q verdict. It no.
known. but It is presumed that there
were some on the panel who were
10 favor Of recommending the negro
20 the mercy Of the court-
In passing sentence upon Lever
Judge Watts took occasion to Civ"
,!m a good lecture When Judge
Watts had concluded. Lever said:
II ask for mercy Judge Watts
told him that 1t was not in his pow
or 10 give him mercy. and ordered
.he sheriff to remand him to jail
The verdict OF the jury meets With
general satisfaction. the majority OF
,he law will be upheld and the nam"
Of Lexington will not be stained by
the ruthless act Of her citizens.