The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1919-10-17

charged with the murder of Luther
horton, of kershaw, on May 23. last.
was taken up by the court of general
sessions Wednesday morning. The
state was assisted by +. d. Blakeney.
OF kershaw, and the court appointed
John T. Green and Harry Hines. of
the local bar, to defend the prisoner
only few witnesses were examined
and the court delivered very force
aDie and concise charge and the case
was given to the jury at $50 o'clock
Wednesday with Instructions to hrin9
In sealed verdict and report at
S:3O Thursday morning All during
the day the court room was packed
TO suhocation, intense interest being
manifest during the entire taking of
testimony. A verdict of guilty was
rendered and Witherspoon was sem
fenced to die in the chair on Novem-
Der IA. In pronouncing sentence.
Judge Sease spoke as follows:
Moses Witherspoon, you have had
fair and impartial trial. Able law
yerS appointed by the court have de-
tended you. The lawyers appointed
by the court TO defend you have done
their duty fearlessly and in the proper
manner. 1t is the boast of the Eng
disappearing people that no man.
white or black, shall be convicted
without fair and impartial trial.
The majesty of the law will be yindi-
Gated in the sentence which is now
about TO be pronounced upon YOU.
You killed this man with malice afore-
thought and the jury's verdict has the
full approval of the court There is
something somewhat peculiar about
your case. You killed the son of Mr..
Horton. n man, who had furnished
the means and influence that acquit-
ted you Of the killing of another man.
although Mr.. Horton frankly stated
that you should have been convict
ed at that time. II is the very irony
Of fate that he lent his influence IN
acquit you and during your liberty,
| after you were freed, YOU killed his
own son. | think there is a lesson in
that, that every white man should
take to his heart and remember Rut
ior ms action and his kindness TO you,
his son would be living today and YOU
would he free man Ii is fearful
TO think what must be in the heart of
mat mantle father of the man Won
murdered-tO day But the law has
been Vindicated and il shows that
there is no cause for a community to
become wrought up and excited when
a man commits crime against the
law, for as sure as the sun shines. the
law Will take its course, especially
where man of your race kills n man
| OF another race and there can be no
doubt but there will be proper. fair
and impartial trial That has been
done In your case. All / can say to
you now is to prepare to meet your
God; there is no earthly hope for
you. Such is the judgement of the
law and it is solemnly demanded of
you. If you have anything to say why
sentence of death should not be pro-
nounced upon you, that you say 1t
now. The sentence of the court and
the law is that you be taken to the
place from whence you last came, to
the county Jail, and there placed in
solitary confinement for not more than
20 days or less than 2 days prior to
Friday. the 18th day of November,
1919, on which day in the hours be.
tween 10 o'clock in the morning and
o'clock in the afternoon, you vii,
be turned over to the superintendent
of the state penitentiary and suffer
death by electrocution. and may God
have mercy on your soul"