The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-03-26
Court Proceedings
in Florence

The case of Victoria jackson.
charged with furnishing saws to aid
Willie Graydon to break out of jail.
grew entirely out Of its apparent i'm
portance when it came to trial in
court this morning. The finding o. the
county jailor for contempt, after a
dramatic interruption of an attorneys
address to the jury furnished the
chief sensation.
Victoria was found guilty and sem
fenced to three years i'm the peniten-
tiary after a lecture by Judge Mem
minger calling attention to her lack of
usefulness to the community and her
record as a citizen.
The hearing began in common place
fashion and was interesting chiefly
because c. T. Mcdonald. Esq, asso-
lated with A. l.. King, Esq, in the
defense of Edmund Bigham. appeared
or the defendant.
Attorney Mcdonald in addressing
the jury said that Eugene Griffin,
principal witness in the case, had
given his information while across a
barrel with a strap over him.
That's not so." exclaimed Jailer
Cook.
Mr.. Mcdonald recovered imme-
'iately and apologized for making
statement on hearsay.
Judge Memminger took the next
hand and called the jailer to account.
NO officer Of this court" said he,
can call an attorney to account for
What he says in this court, except by
| Use of proper means"
You are fined ten dollars and yol
will remain in custody of the sheriff
until you purge yourself of this con.
empt"
Victoria Jackson, chocolate colored
'Xccpt for darker spot on her left
cheek. was charged with furnishing
saws 10 Willie Graydon, a prisoner, to
ild him in escaping from Jail. The
,ase took on special interest because
he defense was conducted by G. T.
Mcdonald, Esq. associated with A. L.
King, Esq, in the defense of Edmund
Bigham.
Graydon was tried yesterday for
Killing WIDE. Br3Duy at the door 3i
Vlctoria's house the first of last De-
;ember and was sentenced to two
'ears on verdict of manslaughter.
Jailer j. L. Cook testified that he
had found tow hack saws in the hat
Il Eugene Griffin, a prisoner sharing
he cell with Graydon. He said Vic
.oria jackson frequently visited Gray
ion Griffin had said in the presence
IF the woman, Chta che had brought
The saws, to Graydon.
R,npcnp Griffin ,pc1iFiaH fIof
Ion had given him the saws and he
had hidden them under the band of
his cap.
Willie Graydon denied all knowl-
.dgo of the saws previous TO seeing
them in Grffn's possession. Victoria
had never brought him anything ex-
cept food. Cross examination failed
o shake his testimony for a time but
had to admit that he had been the
beneficiary OF another Jail delivery in
which he went out of the hole through
which white prisoner had escaped.
Victoria never saw the hackSaws in
evidence of any other hackSaws In
her life before. Victoria carried food
70 Willie Graydon but sometimes talk
I'd to him from the outside of the Jail.
herself yesterday because Of the
marked distinction of her costume.
His Honor was visibly pleased this
morning with Victoria's change to a
dress of simpler and more subdued
elegance.
John Branch pleaded guilty to vio-
'ating tic prohibition law. Officer
Williams totaling two barrels of mash
from Branchs house. He found no
whiSl<ey but did find a worm in the
we'll and kcrosne can in the woods
near the house.
Branch says he made the mash to
drink without distillation.
To Judge Memminger the prisoner
stated that the mash was good to
drink. He said he had embarked on
his enterprise single handed and had
he succeeded in making liquor would
have used it himself.
He had been in the chain gang once
for fighting
The judge remarked that fighting
was less dishonorable in South Car
olina now than making liquor.
Branch was sentenced to serve
three months on the chaingang.
Owens Williams accused of house
breaking and the larceny OF two pis-
tols and ether articles plea led guilty
and was sentenced to twelve months
in the chaingang.
1t was stated that he was a good
cook in jail and Judge Memminger ex-
pressed regret that he could not sem
tence him for life and parole him as
cook,