The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-10-31
VAUGHN CONFESSES.
Trial at Greenville Comes to Dra-
matte Close.

6nt OF the OQQ FSllOWS f1Oue uoi0
was put on the stand by his lawyers
to-day and made a clean confession
of his awful crime.
The trial was brought to sensa-
tional close when Vaughn broke
down and confessed all He named
two other victims in addition to those
included in the indictment. The
Jury was out but four minutes and
made no recommendation for mercy,
the verdict carrying the death pen
atty.
Tears streamed down the face of
Judge Purdy, named by Gov. Blease
as special Judge for this trial. Many
Jurors, court officials and spectators
alike made no pretence of hiding
their tears as Vaughn, pale and
broken, acknowledged his crime.
Some jurors wept aloud.
Sentence Pronounced.
In the afternoon Judge Purdy, be-
fore sentencing Vaughn, overruled a
motion for a new trial, which was
argued by one of Vaughn's lawyers,
after his client made confession.
Judge Purdy, in sentencing Vaughn
to death in the electric chair, set
December 20 as the date for his
execution.
When court opened there was no
intimation that the accused would
make a confession. His attorney had
fought stubbornly since the begin
ming of the case to break down the
strong evidence developed by the
prosecutions little girl witnesses.
Immediately after court opened
to-day attorneys for both sides con-
suited, resulting in an agreement to
let Vaughn confess in an effort to
save his own life, and that the case
would go to the jury without argu-
ment
II have acted devilishly, l have
acted shamelessly," began, Vaughn.
1.-The devil tempted me and l have
fallen" He pleaded eloquently but
vainly with the jury to save his life.
Vaughn begged the jury to spare his
life, not so much for his sake as for
his wife and little daughter.
Neither Mrs. Vaughn nor her
daughter were in court to-day,
though they have been with the &C
cused since the trial opened. He was
formerly assistant superintendent of
the First Baptist church Sunday
school, one of the largest and most
fashionable in this city. He was a
ministerial student and frequently
occupied pulpits of churches in and
around Greenville. He owns consid-
cradle property.
Vaughn's Confession.
Facing the jury, Vaughn made his
confession. In all, his statement
makes three thousand words. Briefly
summarized it is as follows:
Gentlemen, it is useless to say
that in this instance l am greatly hu-
inflated, and for months and months
l have had agonizing hours over the
whole matter. l wish to say this in
the outset, that l have never wished
to conceal one whit of the truth when
the time came to make clear state
ment. have been so cautious in
these particulars that some have in
ferred that l had denied my guilt. l
know that some have had that i'm
preston, but l knew that l was
guilty and would tell it at the proper
time. For that reason, have made
impressions that were unfavorable to
me.
Il want to say here and now that
am going to assume full RESPONSE
bility. l want to take it off of that
girl. | want to say that l have loved
the girl always, but that love has
been misdirected and misused. l
don't think the girl will deny to-day
the reality of my love in many re-
spects, yet my conduct towards her
would make her take the position
towards me which she now takes,
and justly takes.
"As superintendent of the orphan
age, | had entire control of her. l
realize that now. did not at the
time realize just what I was doing.
do now. I did it under circum-
stances about which l do not care to
20 into details here. At the very
point 1 thought myself the strongest,
I found myself the weakest. I found
that the devil had attacked me with
a more subtle and powerful tempta-
ton in the very place l thought
could not be tempted. 1 cannot now
20 into the details of the circum-
stances surrounding me when 1 fell,
and I now assume full responsibility