The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-09-14
JURY RENDERS
VERDICT AFTER
FORTY MINUTES
Wife Of One Of Prisoners Faints
as Sentence Is Pronounced
by the Judge.
SIGNED CONFESSIONS
USED AS EVIDENCE
No Motion For New Trial, But
an Appeal Is to BE Made
to the Governor.

LEXINGTON. s. c.. Sept &c. o.
Fox. s. J. Kirby and Jesse Gappins, con-
victed murderers OF William Brazell. 19-
year-old Columbia taxi driver. were this
afternoon sentenced by Judge Thomas S.
5ease 70 die in the electric chair Friday.
October n. between the hours OF 10
o'clock In the morning and 2 o'clock In
she afternoon.
The verdict in the case OF Kirby was
reached IN IS minutes. being returned be-
fore noon, while the case OF Fox and
Gappins. tried jointly, was decided after
the jury had deiiberated 40 minutes, this
verdict being returned at IA o'clock.
Brazal was killed by the men early
on the morning OF August 8 on the road
near Leesvilie. In Lexington county, on an
automobile trip FOR which they had en-
gagged the young taxicab driver.
The three condemned men were re-
turned to the state penitentiary to be
placed In the death csil Immediately on
adjournment Of court. the trip TO the
capitol being made without incident In
automobiles. They have been kept in
The state prison during the trial being
brought from Lexington each evening and
returned IN tho morning.
No notice Of appeals were filed BY tho
counsel appointed by the presiding judge
70 defend the men who were without law
tNE4e 4aA8e EAlIDTe- nC'WoHAEs SuAfi EAG
would appeal to Governor Cooper to COM
mute her husbands sentence on the
ground that no Is mentally unbalanced.
due TO an injury to his skull and 70 q
protracted Illness.
The three men heard the verdicts Of
the two juries with practically no show
81 emotion Gippins and Kirby exhibited
few signs ~ nervousness, but FOX liter
kEy did not bat an eyelid as ne stood
Iacing the judge apparently entirely un-
concerned
Mrs. kirby. who with her 11-year-old
daughter. sat through the entire session
today, tainted when sentence was pro-
nounced upon her husband after having
broken down this morning when the ver-
dict was read.
The mother and sister Of Gappins were
also present at the greater part Of the
hearing. Mrs. Gapping being at the verge
of breakdown throughout the taking Of
testimony IN her sons case. breaking
down completely during Solicitor T. o.
Cailison'g address to the jury. Mrs. Gap
pin sand her daughter left the courtroom
when the jury retired going 70 an ante
room where later she was told OF the
verdict and sentence. she was stiII IN
tears when she was escorted to an auto
mobile leaving for her home in Columbia.
Gapplns' wife attended the morning
session. listening at the evidence appar-
emily unconcerned.
y s. Fox. father Of Fox. was also
present throughout the trial.
Court was reconvened this morning
with Kirby atill on the stand, admitting
on REORGANIZATION that ne, with Fox
ard Gappina, had lured the taxi driver to
HIS death. The case went TO the jury
az 1924 O'Clock. 4 verdict Of guilty being
returned after So minutes deiiberation.
Two minutes after the first case had
been concluded. the trial Of Fox and Gap
pins was begun. both defendants testify
ing IA their own behalf
FOX, speaking IN a dun, but clear tone.
repeated the gruesome details Of the rnur-
der. showing no emotion.
He admitted that he had first struck
the driver with q blackjack and also
confessed to stabbing him twice with q
knife. at the Bamo time limiting that
Kirby was the man actually responsible
FOR Brazalrs death.
Il do not feel ike I killed him." he
said.
Capplns continued 20 claim that he took
no actual part In the killing and insisted
that he had attempted to deter the other
n,ony was oontradictod. however, in a
large part BY his own signed confession
given Sheriff Plunkett of Augusta, Ca.
IN Savannah. and by statements made by
both FOX and Kirby.
Several other witnesses were introduced
By tho state and the signed confessions
81 two OF the convicted men were intro
duoed a. evidence.