The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-12-13
NEGRO SENTENCED TO DEATH,
SCOTT MADISON TRIED IN LESS
THAN WEEK AFTER CRIME.
Shot and Killed r.. II. Best at Barn
we'll on Last Wednesday Night
Miller Found Guilty of Assault and
Battery.

Barnwell, Dec. SIN less than
one week after Scott Madison fired the
shot tt t killed f. Peyton Best well
know merchant Of Barnwell, he
heard the sentence Of death passed
The negro was tried in the court of
general sessions here today and on
conviction this afternoon Judge Gage
sentenced him to die in the electric
chair between Friday, December 10
and Monday, December %. Gilbert
Miller was declared guilty Of assault
and battery and was sentenced to
serve 80 days on the county chain
gang. Mr.. Best was killed on the
night of December 3.
These two negroes, who were car
ried to the State penitentiary last
Thursday, following the finding Of q
verdict by the cOrOner's jury of in
quest, were brought back to Barnwell
this mOrning to face the charge OF
murder. They were escorted from the
depot to the court house by a large
number Of special deputies. There
was absolutely no attempt made, how
ever, to take the prisoners from tho
officers and it is apparently the desire
of everyone here to let the law take
it's course. When the accused men
were being marched down the street,
the wife and one of the sisters of the.
murdered man were standing on tn;
sidewalk and they, with tears in THEN
eyes, turned and watched the negroes
who had SO cruelty robbed them of
husband and brother.
The court room was packed when
best of order was kept. Fourteen
members Of the grand jury, of which
body Mr.. Best was a member at the
time of his death, answered to their
names They were handed the indicr-
ment and in short time returned a
true bill. The accused men entered a
pie" of not guilty. No trouble was
experienced in the selection of a jury
and the examination of witnesses was
begun Immediately.
Scott Madison is from Rimini He
was put on the stand in his own de-
Tense and told story entirely at va.
Rance with the testimony of the wit
nesses for the State. SO unsupportabl,
was his testimony that he got badly
mixed in the telling and no weight
was given to it whatever He denied
doing the killing, but said that it was
done with the gun he had gotten from
Andrew Simms. He accused Seamon
Moore Of the crime.
Gilbert Miller testified in his own
behalf and apparently told a straight
forward story, impressing his hearers
with the truth of his statements. II,
admitted buying a bottle of whsle!
in the restaurant That Mr.. Best had
pushed him out of the way and that
he had hit the dead man with a bottle,
after which he ran away, and that h,
was quite Il good distance off when
the shots were fired. He later met
Madison, who admitted having shot a
white man.
The jury was out about 20 min
utes, returning the verdict giten
above. Miller was sentenced to 80
days on the cha.nGang.
After sentence had been passed
Madison asked permission to speak
He made sevcra, requests as to the
disposition of his body, the collection
of some money owing to him and ask
ed that he be allowed to thank his
friends for what they had done. The
defendants were then rcmandcd to
Jail.