The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-09-10
COURT OF
GENERAL SESSIONS
B. Stark Convicted of Murder, With
Recommendation to Mercy.-The
Manning Case Postponed
Account Sickness

The Court of General Sessions
opened Thursday morning. The case
of the States VS.. Bee Starke was call
ed for trial. Starke killed another ne
gro near Antreville some little time
ago. He set up plea of self-defense,
claiming that he was suddenly at
tackled by his assailant whom he was
not expecting sucr attack. The
State, however, proved that he had
repeatedly threatened to kill his man
"even if it was the last thing I do"
The Jury did not sustain his deefnse
and he was convicted of murder, with
recommendation to mercy, which
means life Imprisonment unless he
secures a new trial. A motion to this
effect is pending. =
The next case tried was the State
VS.. Dave Barksdale, charged with
murder. Dave is an ex-soldier. He
had been living with Cora Haskell
before he went into the army. After
his return she went back to live with
him. But it seems that Cora had an
other lover named "Chuck" and she
sometimes liked his company. She
left one day and went to the home of
her brother. Dave thought she was
going to see "Chuck" and went over
to make her return home. She refus-
ed and a difficulty resulted. Dave
shot Cora's sister, killing her almost
instantly. He claimed that the sister,
Daisy and sister-in-law were at
tacking him when he shot, one Of
them with an axe. The jury failed to
sustain his plea of self-defense and
found him guilty of manslaughter.
He has not yet been sentenced.
The case of the State VS.. Charlie
Manning has been continued on ac-
count of the serious illness of one of
Manning's children. Mr.. Manning
shot and killed his brother Jim Mar
ming several months ago at their
home near Lowndesville.
The court was engaged Frilay
morning in the trial of the case of the
State VS.. Jesse Freeman charged with
murder. The evidence showed that
the negro and Will Hall, another ne
gro had a previous difficulty. They
met on the plantation IF Mr.. VIM.
Wilson near Antrev;.le AMI agreed
to shoot it out. Hall was killed, and
the jury found the defendant guilty
Of manslaughter. He has not yet been
sentenced.
The case of John Sibert, charged
with assault and battery with intent
to kill was next called, and the
trial begun. At the time we 60 to
press the jury in this case is still
out. Sibert shot his father-in-law
with shot gun, the affray growing
out of family fuss, in which Sibert
is alleged to have given his wife a
beating.
At the afternoon session the
white man Landers, living near Lit
tie Mountain, entered plea of
guilty of violation of the prohibition
law, and was sentenced to serve six
months on the chain gang and pay a
fine of one hundred and fifty dol
lars, the imprisonment part of the
sentence being suspended during
good behavior. =
The court is now engaged in the
trial of the case against Cooter
Hamilton charged with the homicide
of a negro near Antreville, the
homicide occurring at the same
house and on the same night that
Bee Stark killed another negro, for
which Stark was convicted a day or
two ago.
This will be the last case tried.
After sentencing those convicted of
crime, signing orders, and hearing
motions, Judge Moore will adjourn
this court, sine die, some time to-
morrow.