The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-10-30
chIlD's HORRIBLE STORY.
ORPHAN GIRL TESTIFTES IN T.. u.
VAUGHAN CASE IN GREEN.
WILLIE.
Testimony Il ON the Whole Imprint.
able and Only Characterization OF
Recital IL Given.

Greenville. oct. 25.-A pretty IL
year-old orphan girl of Graniteville,
Aiken county, prosecutrix in an in
dictment harded down by the grand
jury last Monday against Thurston U.
Vaughan, former superintendent Of
the South Carolina Odd Fellows or
phanage. assistant superintendent Of
| the largest Sunday school In the city
| and teacher of q college for girls
Bible class, took the witness stand
In the court of general sessions here
today and for eight hours told a story
that tonight is upon many tongues
in Greenville and fills twice as many
| ears. With one day of testIfying
shifted behind the scenes Of time not
| half Of the witnesses summoned in
the case have yet been put on the
stand. What testimony they will Of
fer no one knows and the people
stand aghast and wonder what the
morrow will bring
AS q whole, the testimony offered
Is unprintable. A general character.
ization Of 1t Is. however. permissible
The witness stated. beginning In June
| 1908. Illicit relations with the de-
fendant extended over a period Of four
years and ended only this spring.
when she was removed from Waugh
ans private home in the city and sent
to her sisters home at Graniteville.
In December. 1908. she testified, she
submitted to an alleged criminal op-
Grafton to relieve her Of her embar-
raising condition.
Revolving stories Of barbarous treat
ment which she alleges Vaughan
showed her were woven into her testi-
mony. This treatment, she alleged,
consised Of beatings administered
with sticks. boards. switches. his hand
and most anything else" Tho last
beating which she said Vaughan gave
her was last spring after Vaughan
had resigned at the orphanage and
had brought her to live with him at
his home In the city. On this occa-
sion. she alleges, the defendant beat
her until she tainted. A physician was
sent for, she alleges. and Vaughan
told him that the girl had received
severe fall. from which she tainted.
Though the cross examination was
grilling. the girls story was unshaken
In the main when she was taken down
from the stand.
Two well known physicians Of the
city were examined. One gave expert
testimony along the line Of what
would bring about relief for one who
was in the condition which the girl
alleges she found herself. The other
physician had treated the girl after
the alleged operation had been per-
formed. but neither took any part in
nor had any knowledge Of such an
operation having been performed. He
testified as to the condition in which
he found the child.
tiny child, sister of the prosecu-
trix, was the fourth witness called.
he little girl sat on the edge Of the
witness chair, her feet scarcely reach
Ing to the floor. and told what she
knew. The witness appeared too young
to realize what was going on. She
was asked q few simple questions
which she answered in a child's way.
She stated that she mad slept with her
sister at the orphan home. that some
times at night her sister was taken
out Of the room and carried some
where. that she sometimes returned
the same night and sometimes remain
ed out all night. Eyes glstened with
| moisture as they beheld the pitiful
spectacle in the dim light OF the few
| flickering gas jets that disturbed the
/ gathering darkness in Greenville's
crumbling temple Of justice.
Court receded for the night, and
Will meet again tomorrow at $50
o'clock and resume the taking OF tes-
| timony.