Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1921-09-21
KIRBY, FOX AND GAPPINs TO DIE
On Oct. 21-Found Guilty Of Murder
I'm First Degree at Lexington.

Lexington. Sept. 14.-C. 0. Fox,
S. }. Kirby and Jesse Gappins, con-
victed murderers Of William Brazell,
19-year-old Columbia taxi driver.
were Tuesday afternoon sentenced
by Judge Thomas S. Sease to die in
the electric chair on Friday, Oct. 81,
between the hours of 10 o'clock in
the morning and 2 O'Clock in the az
ternoon. The verdict in the case OF
Kirby was reached in 35 minutes.
being returned before noon, while
the case OF Fox and Gappins, tried
Jointly, was decided after the jury
had dellberated 40 minutes. this
verdict being returned at IA o'clock
sharp.
| Brazell WAS killed by the three
men early on the morning of Aug. 8
oil the road near Leesvllle, in Lex
ington county, on an automobile trip
for which they had engaged the taxi
driver.
The three condemned men wero
returned to tho State penitentiary
to be placed In the death cell imme-
diately on adjournment OF court, the
trip to tho capital being made with
out incident in automobiles. They
have hoen kept in tho State prison
during the trial, being brought from
Lexington each evning and returned
in the morning.
No notices Of appeal were filed by
Tho counsel appointed by the presid-
ing Judge to defend the men. who
were without lawyers. Mrs. Kirby.
however, said that she would appeal
to Governor Cooper to commute her
husbands sentence on tho ground
that he is mentally unbalanced, duo
to an injury to his skull, and to
protracted illness.
The three men heard the verdicts
Of the two juries with practically nc
show Of emotion. Gappins and Kirby
exhibited few sgns Of nervousness,
but Fox literally did not bat an eye
lash as he stood facing tho judge,
apparently entirely unconcerned.
Mrs. Kirby, who with her 1-year-
old daughter, sat through the entire
session to-day, tainted when sentence
was pronounced upon her husband
after having broken down when the
verdict was read. The mother and
sister Of Gappins were also present
at the greater part Of the hearing,
| 10 1,o{, 90
collapse throughout the taking Of
testimony in her sons case, breaking
/ down completely during Solicitor 7.
0. Callison's address to the jury.
Mrs. Gappins and her daughter left
the court room when the jury re-
tired going to an ante room. where
later she was told Of the verdict and
sentence. She was still in tears when
she was escorted to an automobile,
| leaving for her home in Columbia.
Gappins' wife attended the morning
session, listening to the evidence ap.
parently unconcerned. j. S. Fox, the
father Of Fox, defendant in the case.
was also present throughout tho
trial.
Court was reconvened this morn
ing with Kirby still on the stand, ad-
mitting on cross examination that
he, with Fox and Gappins, had iured
the transfer driver to his death. The
case went to the jury at 10.45 o'clock
and the verdict Of guilty was return
| ed after 36 minutes deliberation.
Two minutes after the first casa
had been concluded the trial Of Fox
and Gappins was begun. both de-
| PENDANTS testifying in their own be-
half. Fox, speaking In a dull but
clear monotone, recounted the grue-
some details Of the murder, showing
no emotion.
-s .