Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-09-17
WARREN JOHNSON
NEXT DEFENDANT 7
To STAND TRIAL
Jury Brought in Verdict at
HAS O'clock-Dr. Chap
man Makes No Statement
---Mistrial Had Been Ex-
pected

The Chapman case which consumed
all of last weeks session of Sumter
Superior court, after having twice be-
fore being before that tribunal, ended
at 11:45 o'clock this morning when
the jury returned its verdict finding
DR.. Charles X. Chapman guilty of the
murder of Walter Wade The verdict
oF guilty was accompanied by a rec
ommendation to the mercy of the court
which means if the verdict is upheld
by the higher courts that DR.. Chapman
must spend the remainder Of his life
In prison.
The jury received the case late Sat
urday afternoon and deliberated only
a short while before retiring for the
night. During Sunday the evidence
was not considered This morning the
jurors resumed their deliberations, and
soon after II o'clock informed the
bailiff in charge they had arrived at
a verdict. Immediately a messenger
was dispatched to find Judge Littlejohn
and the attorneys engaged the case.
These were soon gathered together at
the courthouse, and the court prepared
to receive the verdict There were few
spectators present when the body filed
into court, but a tenseness seldom eX-
perienced was felt by all attending.
Judge Littlejohn tapped lightly up
on his desk and Immediately order
was established. Then order to bring
in the jury was given and in solemn
procession the twelve men who had
reached a verdict after consideration
of the evidence produced by both state
ard defense filed into the room. Not a
sound was heard as they took their
places IN the jury box, and made ready
to inform the court of their decision.
The defendant and his attorneys eyed
the body keenly as they passed, but
there was no evidence that either dis-I
cerned the verdict about to be pro-
nounced.
After the jurors were seated, Judge
Littlejohn made the usual interroga-
tories and the foreman handed the ver-
dict to the clerk who read it 1t was:
"We, the jury, find the defendant gull
tv as charged in the indictment, and
recommend him to the mercy of the
court" AS soon as this had been read
and the members polled, Judge Little
john thanked them for their patience
during the lengthy trial and the ear
nest attention given during the hear
ing Of evidence The court then dis
them They were A. F. Hodges, l.. A.
McRae, L. A. Thomas, C. l.. Brown,
Leonard Smith, w w. Hines, Lester
Battle, Lee Hudson, Edward Dupree,
T. Dupree, j. E. Kinard, J. D. Pen
nington and j. E. Hodge.
Soon after the jury had been dis
missed, DR.. Chapman was conducted
to his cell in the Sumter county jail, i
where he will remian until further
disposition of the case is made. He
made no statement for publication con-i
cerning the verdict.
Other defendants named in the in
dictment with DR.. Chapman, and joint I
ly charged with the murder of Walter
Wade are Charles Chapman, Jr.. Wall
ter Johnson, John Etheridge, Henry |
Harp and Warren l. Johnson. The lat |
ter is now in Jail, having been denied
bail, and it is anticipated he VII be the
next to be placed on trial for his life. |
The others are at liberty on bail of
$4,000 each, except Harp, who was re-
leased on $500 bond following a ms
trial in the first hearing of the case
against Dr. Chapman. Whether or not !
Warren Johnson will be tried at the
present special term of Sumter Supe-
rior court, early this afternoon, had
not been determined.
1t is stated, though not authori- ,