The dispatch-news. [volume] (Lexington, S.C.) 1919-2001, 1921-09-21
LIFE TERMS
FOR COOKS
And BARFlELDS

Nle COOK. ana Henry Wheeler were
Thursday sentenced by Judge Sease to
life imprisonment for the murder Of
Marcellus Cook near Steadman sev-
eral weeks ago. BY direction Of
Judge Sease the jury rendered a YER
dict Of Guilty with recommendation
to the mercy of the court"
Attorneys appointed By the court last
Monday to defend the prisoners stated
Thursday that the defendants admit
ted their guilt. but inasmuch as ex-
perts agreed that they were of such
low mental calibre that they were not
as responsible as persons of higher
order of mentality. they should be en-
titled to some consideration. Evi-
dence as to their mental development
was the only evidence INTRODUCED
c. Croft Williams, secretary of the
State Board of Public Welfare, was
the first witness. and he stated that
he had examined all of the defendants
and had found Ira Cook and Minnie
Cook to be very low in mentality, with
minds of a normal child of seven
years The other three, Mrs. Julia
Cook, Henry Wheeler and James Bar
field, ST., of little higher mentality.
but considerably below normal MI
Williams also read report of Dr. Ara
bella F'eldkamp of New York, repre-
senting the national committee OF
mental hygiene, who had examined
all Of the defendants and found them
to be mentally deficient.
Miss Louise Bishop, field agent for
the State Board Of Public Welfare,
was next placed on the stand and tes-
titled that she had examined all of the
defendants and found them to be con-
sidera bly, below the average mental
ity. Mrs. Julia Cook, IS years Of age.
had a mind of normal child 9 years
old; Ira C. Cook, 19 years old, a
mind Of years: Henry Wheeler 20
years old "a mind Of Q years: James
Garfield, 63 years old, had & mind OF
s years: Sarah Minnie Cook. 16 years
old. a mind Of :. She explained tho
difference between the physical ag"
and the mental age. and said the &C.
PENDANTS were normal physically bat
their minds had been retarded, caused
no doubt by the surroundings under
which they had been brought up.
The State did not introduce any
witnesses, and at the conclusion o.!
the defense testimony Solicitor CALI
son asked the jury to find q verdict
of guilty with recommendation to
mercy. He said he did not feel that
the State of South Carolina should
ask for a more severe sentence under
the circumstances. The attorneys for
the defense also asked for life sem
tences.
At the conclusion of the arguments
Judge Sease said that since all parties
had asked for the same verdict the
only thing for him to do was to direct
verdict, which he did, and sentenced
them to life Imprisonment in the state
penitentiary. None Of the prisoners
at bar seemed to care what happened
to them. and Wheeler smiled after
sentence was passed.
The five defendants were represent
ed by E. L. Asbill, John D. Carroll,
Cyrus L. Shealy and G.. T. Graham,
being appointed by the court.
The crime for which the five de-
PENDANTS was sentenced was partic-
ularly shocking one. It occurred near
| Steadman. According to the confes-
sions Of Ira Cook and Wheeler, which
| were substantiated by the two women,
| the plot was hatched by Mrs. Cook
and her alleged paramount, Barleld. y
previous attempt had been made to
poison the old man with calcium ar
senate. but on the day in question
Mrs. Cook. summoning to her aid her
son and daughter and Wheeler. a
wages hand, instructed her son to
cut his fathers throat with razor.
! This was done by the boy, his mother
| holding one arm, Wheeler one arm
| and the daughter the old mans legs.
| The old mans head was nearly sew
cred from his body. The guilty people
! then placed the razor which was the
| instrument lS which the aged pare
! lytic came 70 his death in the hands
| of the dead man. holding it until the
rigor Of death firmly fastened it there
| They prepared dinner and later went
70 the field to work, according to thei,