The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-09-15
SESSIONS COURT
HAS ADJOURNED
c. B. THOMAS GETS TWO YEARS
SENTENCE ON CHARGE OF
MANSLAUGHTER.

When we went to press on last
Tuesday afternoon the Court was en-
gagged in the trial of The State
against Laura McDuffie, charged with
assault and battery with intent to
kill on the person of Irene Patterson.
The jury found the defendant guilty
Of assault and battery of an aggre-
vated nature and she was sentenced
TO a term of four months in the
County Jail, or to pay a fine of S75.-
co. She was defended by w. M.
Graydon.
Ben Donaldson and Tom Fair, two
Georgia negroes, were tried for
house-breaking. They were found
guilty and sentenced to term of one
year each on the County chain-gang.
They were defended by Attorneys
Sam Adams and J. Howard Moore.
Bub Robinson was tried on the
charge of murder. The jury found
him guilty of man-slaughter. A mo-
tion for a new trial was made on the
ground that the testimony made out
q case of self defense, which was sus-
tanned by Judge Gary. VIM. P.
Greene is his attorney.
A great deal of interest was mani
tested in the next trial which was
that of The State against Charlie
Logan, Earl Burton, Will johnson
and Ben Massey, charged with the
murder of Mrs. Nina Scott. The de-
tails of this killing have been printed
so often in the different papers that
it is not necessary to repeat them.
About the only new matter brought
cut was that Will Johnson spent the
night with Charlie Logan, who later
confessed to the crime, and the testi-
mony of Charlie Logan who stated
that while Earl Burton and Ben Mas
sey left their home on Tuesday
morning to 60 to Anderson, they re-
turned during the night and that they
and Johnson were the parties who
entered the house and committed the
crime, while he watched ouside under
threats from them. Mrs. Ban Allen,
at whose home the negroes were sup
posed to be, near Anderson, testified
that she let Burton and Massey have
a mule and buggy about sundown on
Tuesday afternoon, and Logan claim
ed they came to the scene of the
crime by this means, reaching there
about eleven o'clock and that after
the old lady they returned
at once to Anderson.
Burton and Massey denied this and
produced satisfactory evidence that
they were not at the scene of the
crime, but spent the night with
kinsman of theirs near the home of
Mr.. Allen, in Anderson County.
The wife of Massey, who separated
from him at about that time, testified
that she had heard some threats made
against the old lady by these four
but her testimony was not
at all convincing.
The jury which tried the four ne
groes was composed of good men.
Patrick Roche, of this city, was fore
man. After hearing all the testi-
mony, a verdict of guilty was render
ed against Logan, while the other
defendants were acquitted.
Charlie Logan was represented by
Messrs D. H. Hill and J. Howard
Moore, under appointment of the
Court. Robert S. Owens was ap-
pointed to defend Ben Massey. Sam
Adams and j. M. Nickles defended
Earl Burton and Graydon & Graydon
and J. Moore Mars defended Will
Johnson.
The verdict was a correct verdict
under the law and evidence. The
writer followed the evidence through
out the case and it was perfectly
evident that Logan was the only PAL
ty responsible for the death of the,
old lady, and that he alone should be-
punished.
Judge Gary, in accordance with the
law, sentenced Logan to be electro
cuted on October 18th, next, and he
was remanded to the penitertiary to
await the date of his execution.
Scarcely less interest was mani
tested in the case of Chas. B. Thomas
charged with the murder of H.. G.
Fields. Mr.. Thomas is a prosperous
planter of the County and Mr. Fields
was tenant of his. The testimony
was not at all conflicting in this case.
It appears that Thomas and Fields
had some misunderstanding about