Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1920-04-14
JOHN GOSSETT is SET FREE,
Kenneth GOssett Gets Forty Years in
Prison III Trial at AbbeviIle.


Prison In Trial at Abbeville.
Abbeville, April 9.--John Gossett,
one Of the two defendants who have
been on trial here for criminal as
sault, is free once more. .53
When all the evidence was con-
cluded this afternoon, Judge Thos..
s. Sease took up the motion of the
defense that verdict Of not guilty
be directed in favor Of John Gossett
on the ground that there was Insult
tcient testimony to warrant his con-
viction. After argument against the
motion by Solicitor Homer S. Black
well and George Bell Zimmerman,
that the evidence had clearly exon
Grated John Gossett Of guilt. and d.
rected verdict as to him. The story
told yesterday by the girl who ac-
| companied the prosecutrix on the
ride established the innocence OF
John Gossett, for she swore that his
behavior toward her was above re-
proach. A.a % ~
When this decision was announced
| there was not the slightest demon
stration in the packed court room.
Within few minutes John Gossett,'
unobseryed, left the theatre Of his
trial, walked to an automobile waitS
ing behind the court house, and, ac-
companied by Deputy United States
! Marshal G. j. Bruce, rode out Of the
county to an unannounced destina-
ton. Half an hour elapsed before it
was generally known that he had
left. i%
| John Gossetts testimony this af-
ternoon was practically ,unshaken BY
the prosecution. His straightforward
story strengthened the already favor
able Impression created for him by
the testimony Of the prosecutrix's g
girl companion.
Kenneth Gossett. however, was a.
much less satisfactory witness than
his cousin. The State scored against
him when George, Bell Zimmerman
merc1lessly cross7examined him. Ken
meth Gossett rather overdid it in. his
evident. seeking to clear himselfa 81
all blame: If he had admitted thatS
as q married man, his conduct with
the proseeutrix M y was at Least repre-
os ys 9Sas R
be saw nothing wrong in his conduct
and would feel that it was perfectly
proper to repeat it.
Forty Years for Kenneth Gossett.
Abbeville, April 10-Kenneth Cos
sett, IT. -year-old youth, will have to
serve what Is practically a life SEN.
tence In the State penitentiary for
criminal assault on 16-year-old
girl, native Of Abbeville.
After being out for four hours and
ffty-tive minutes, the Jury which has
been hearing the case Of the Honea
Path youth returned at o'clock a
verdict of rape, with recommends
tion to the mercy Of the court, and
Judge Thomas s. Sease immediately
pronounced the extreme penalty of
he law-forty years Imprisonment
at hard labor.
The finding Of the jury and the
pronouncement Of the sentence were
heard in stoical silence by the
youth. Two Of the brothers of the
prosecutrix were in court and tears
ran down the cheeks of the older
one.
Case will be Appealed.
Attorneys for the defendant, who
had fought the case bitterly since
last Monday in the face Of public in
aignation against the crime, appealed
for new trial on the grounds that
the court was illegally constituted,
end that the venire was not drawn
according to law, in contravention to
both the Constitutions Of the State
of South Carolina and of the United
States. This motion was overruled.
They will appeal to the State Su-
preme Court.
| Hopes it will be q Lesson.
In passing sentence Judge Sease
said that he presumed that the rea-
son why the jury recommended mer-
cy was because Of the extreme youth
Of KennethGossett. He hoped that the
lesson which has been taught in the
Court this week will have a deter
rent effect on others who commit
like crimes. He said that, in passing
the sentence he did, which was in
effect life Imprisonment, he hoped
that the prisoner would contemplate
on the wrong he had done.
There was no demonstration when
the verdict was announced. There
was some surprise that the youth
should be found guilty. It was the
thought Of not q few that there night
be an acquittal, and it appeared
when the jury stayed out as long as
1t did that there might be a mis-
trial.
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