Americus times-recorder., 1919-12-04

a verdict of guilty with a recommen-
dation for mercy. This means life
imprisonment.
The fate of Sam G. Duckworth, al
legged slayer Of his wife, Pearl Duck
worth, whose body, with throat cut,
was found in the we'll at their home
on the night of Nov. II, was given in
to the hands of the jury III Superior
court at 40 O'Clock this afternoon.
The case was called early Wednesday
afternoon and large number of
witnesses were heard for the de-
ferse
Sam Duckw3rth, the defendant, was
called to the stand to make his
statement shortly before noon He is
al uneducated man, apparently Of
low mentality, and his statement was
very brief. He made 70 reference
ID the crime, either by confession or
denial, and only attempted 10 detall
his whereabouts on the day and
night of the killing. His aged
mother made a picturesque witness
late last evening. Probably the most
interesting witness, however, was
Duckworth's pretty 6-year-old daugh-
ter, who withstood the close ques-
tioning of the solicitor without a
break. She corroborated her grand
mothers evidence in detail, telling of
events before and after the disap-
pearance of her mother at, their
home.
The states case was built entirely
lround the confession Sheriff Harvey
and other fficers testified Ducl1worth
made in the county Jail.
The defense attempted to establish
an aibi, and presented a large num-
Der Of witnesses to sustain it.
In his charge to the jury Judge
Littlejohn told the jury what should
be the form of their verdict in case
they should find the defendant guilty
OF manslaughter, instead of murder.
The DucIsworth Jury.
The jurors selected were E. Tim
norman, Jr., Chas. W. Clark, R. D.
Winchester, Roy Black, E. R. Brown,
Lee M. Hansford, J. M. Council, B.
F. Harris, R. C. Markette, S. M.
Brinkley, D. c. Dodson, B. R. Boyd.
DR.. L. NJ. Hawkins, of Leslie, was
the first witness. He was called to
the Duckworth home, near Hunting
ton, after the body of Mrs. Duck
worth had been taken from the well.
He told of the cuts on her throat,
which he declared severe enough to
cause her death.
He admitted on cross-eXaminatlon
that he made no examination az to
wether she had been criminally at
tackled. He said he had passed the
Duckworth place the same afternoon.
An auto was standing there and he
noticed two or three women there,
one of whom resembled the woman
who was killed. This was about 3 80
Eastern time.
Sheriff Harvey said he reached
the Duckworth home at 1890 pm.
or later on the night of the killing.
The next morning, he said, a bloody
spot on the ground Is or more feet
north of the well, was found. Duck
worth's bloody pocket knife was
found there also A splotch of blood
was also found on the logs of the
house. The we'll is only about ~
steps from the house, he said, and is
N easy hearing distance. The well IS
Is to 18 feet deep. Bloody leaves
were found on a bush between the
vel and the bloody spot on the
ground, he said. The knife was Of
tered in evidence and identified by
the sheriff. He said Duckworth had
acknowledged to him that it was his.
The blood stains were still on the
knife.
He said Mrs. Duckworth' body
bore two white stockings, apparently
clean. He testified that Duckworth,
after his arrest, confessed in the Jall
to the killing. He said Duckwortn
said he killed his wife and that SID
ney Ware, a negro, helped put her IN
the well. He said he brought Sidney
Ware into the room and Sidney de-
MED any knowledge, whereupon
Duckworth said Chow can you deny
it? You know you helped put her IN
the well. You got blood on your
shirt from it, He said they then
looked and found blood on Sidneys
sweater. Thereupon Sidney said he
was going to tell the whole truth, ne
Raaa
Attorney Chappell offered a bloody
chip off the Duckworth well and ask
ed the sheriff how the blood on tne
side of the house compared in color
The sheriff said that on the house
lnnkAsi Ike IL had hean rubbed with g