The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-08-17
PINK" GRIFFIN TO
DIE SEPTEMBER z
DIR. LAWTON LIPSCOMB'S SLAY.
Err GETS QUICK SENTENCE
MONDAY-JURY OUT TEN
MINUTES-JUDGE GARY PRO-
NOUNCES SENTENCE.

With a mirthless smile, Pink Grif-
fin, convicted of the murder of DR..
Lawton C. Lipscomb, received at
1890 today, the sentence to die by
electrocution between the hours of
one a. m. and IL p. m. on Friday,
September 2. As soon as Judge F. B.
Gary, presiding over the special term
of court of general sessions, ordered
by Governor Cooper, had prnounced
the sentence on Griffin, the negro
leaned slightly over the docket rail
and muttered to Rural Policeman j.
T. Mcdowell, standing near him,
that he had made his peace with God.
Taking testimony was concluded at
1855 and the jury retired. AT 1905,
exactly ten minutes afterward, they
returned verdict of guilty Of muir
der in the first degree.
In the vast throng that jostled and
pushed for a place to stand inside
, the Court House this morning, not a
sign of disorder could be seen. When
the prisoner was brought into court,
there was not sound and the SEN
tence was received with a death
like silence. Judge Gary before ad-
journing court expressed his appre-
citation of the good order and de-
cared that the people of Greenwood
county deserved great credit for
their forbearance in allowing ths law
| to take its course. He also paid a
tribute to the efficiency of the off,
GERS of the law in maintaining order.
The crowd that filled the Court
House today was the largest since
Greenwood has been a county, at
torneys who have practiced here
since the county was organized, de-
clared. A seething mass Of human
ity showed and pushed for standing
room in the sweltering heat of the
court room, from which every ves-
tige of breeze was excluded by the
men-flled windows. Seats were
made for women inside the railing
and standing men almost blocked the
judges view of the grand jury, Men
crouched around the judges desk,
sat on edge of tables, improvised
bottoms for broken chairs, sat in the
witness stand until that was cleared
by the sheriff, and occupied every
inch of standing room in the build
ing. Only a handful of negroes was
present, sitting far back in the rear
of the. court room. The figures of
men could dimly be outlined in the
cavelike balcony on the south side
of the building. So great was the
heat that one was almost overcome
and had to be led through the throng
by the sheriff to the open air out
side.
After the order for the court sign
ed by Chief Justice Eugene B. Gary,
had been read, and grand and petit
jurors polled, the accused man was
led into the court room. His appear
ance was greeted with silence. Moth
ing but the whirr Of the electric fan
on the judges desk broke the still
ness for a moment and then a sup
pressed whisper passing over the
curious crowd caused the sheriff to
rap for order. The indictment was
handed over to the grand jury and
in few minutes they returned after
finding true bill. On arraignment
the prisoner pleaded guilty but his
plea was over ruled by Judge Gary,
who told the clerk that a plea of
guilty could not be accepted to a
capital offense and that q plea Of
not guilty must re recorded. When
admitting his guilt, Griffin smiled.
Throughout the trial, the only emo
tion he displayed was an occasional
smile and a nervous swapping of his
| finger nails. At other times he mere