Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1911-05-10
8 SENTENCED IN BADGER CASE.
South CarOlinians Figure In Sensa-
tiOnai Trial ut Washington.
News and Courier.)

Armstrong, OF WatertOWn, 5. D.,
each aged 20 years, were to-day SEN
fenced TO four years each in the Fed
eral ~penitentiary at Leayenworth,
Kans., by Judge Wright, in Criminal
Court No. 1, Of the District of Co
lumbia, after they had pleaded gull
ty to working the badger game on
Charles Rosenthal, q well-known
merchant of this city.
The woman in the case, Flossie
Bennett, the supposed wife Of James
Bailey Knots, received a sentence of
two years In the ~penitentiary at Lam
sing, Kans. She gave her age as 10.
BENJAMIN Fl. Knots, aged SO, a
brother Of James Bailey Knots, who
at first pleaded guilty OF completely
in the badger scheme, by which
Rosenthal was lured to the woman's
apartments, attempted afterwards to
palliate his offence by claiming that
he had merely furnished the others
the money by which the apartment
was rented and fitted with electric
lights and photographing apparatus.
The jury found Benjamin Knots
guilty, but recommended him to the
courts mercy.
New Trial Asked.
Counsel for the defense gave no.
tice Of a motion for q new trial,
where pom the bail Of Benjamin
Knots was increased to $4,000, and
he was remanded until it should be
furnished.
Characterization and testimony
in rebuttal was very damaging to
Benjamin Knots, who claims that he
had no knowledge of the alleged
Matchmaking scheme, and replying
to his plea that he thought his bro
ther and Armstrong were engaged
only in experiments in electricity,
another woman, a friend of Flossie
Bennett, testified hat Benjamin
Knots had approached her and Of
fercd her $4,000 to assist in the
badger business, declaring that the
game could be worked with ease on
numerous men of prominence, who
would pay big money to escape, and
this woman's testimony was corrob-
GRATED by that Of women friends,
who claimed to have overheard the
conversation.
Girl Tells of Plmrs.
When counsel had made their
pleas and read numerous letters and
kilograms to the court, showing the
previous good records Of the three
men, and urging %leniency in the mat
ter OF punishment, Justice Wright
called on Flossie Bennett to explain
the inception Of the plan.
The young woman, who, while
only nineteen years old, has been
married and left .n husband in
Michigan, told Of making the &C
quaintance Of Bailey Knots and
Armstrong.
She said the two boys talked over
the scheme to work the badger"
game by taking photographs Of a vic
tim whom she was to lure to her
apartments, she said, and went to
Rockville and was married to Bailey,
as she called him. She declared
benjamin Knots had never discuss
ed the proposition with her or in her
presence, and said that she was una
ware that he was in the scheme until
he accompanied Armstrong when the
latter rushed into her bed room after
Bailey had threatened Rosenthal and
tied the latter to q chair
The court then called on Benja min
Knots to explain a letter written to
his brother, In which Bailey told him
his scheme was all ready, and that
he needed the money only to put it
into operation. This brought out the |
doubt Of the guilt of BENJAMIN
Knots, and the jury was called into
the box. and the trial Of Benjamin
Knots proceeded.
Attorneys In Case.
Attorney Campbell Darlington, OF
the local bar, and Attorney VIM. c..
Wolfe. OF Orangeburg, S. c., repre-
sented the two Knots and the girl,
and Attorney G.. w. Case, Of Water
town s. d., appeared for Armstrong.
IN behalf of the claim for l%eniency
to The girl and the two Knots coun-
sci called to the stand the father OF
the Knots.
The father, who is IA years old
ana VINO has not visited Washington
since he came to attend the inaugura-
ton Of Abraham Lincoln, told the