The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1921-09-15
BRAzELL MURDERERS
GET ELECTRIC CHAIR
FOX. GAPPINS AND KIRBY SEN
TENCED TO DIE OCTOBER 81.
FOR BRUTAL MURDER


that pervaded the old temple of justice
in Lexington Tuesday afternoon at
$50 o'clock, Judge Thomas S. Cease
pronounced the supreme mandate of
the law on S. j. Kirby; c. o. Fox and
Jesse Gappins, the three Columbia
men convicted during the day of the
murder of William Brazell, youthful
taxi driver of Columbia, when he SEN
fenced them to die by electrocution at
the State Peniteniary, Tuesday, Octo-
Der 81.
Kirby's case went to the jury Tues
day morning at 1924 o'clock and a
verdict of guilty was returned in thir-
ty-five minutes, and that of Fox and
Gappins, who were tried jointly, was
given to the jury at 4.34 o'clock Tues
day afternoon and a decision was
reached in forty minutes. There was
much stocism in the demeanor of the
three condemned men when their fate
was pronounced. There was merely
a perceptive quiver around the mouth
of Kirby and Fox appeared to be un-
perturbed. Gappins, the youngest Of
the trio, turned livid, but he did not
quiver.
1t was quite reverse among the
relatives of the three men. Mrs. Kir-
by, wife of the condemned man, and
his young child, who were in the au-
dience sobbed aloud, while ]. S. Fox,
aged father of C. o. Fox, laid his head
upon the back of a chair and quietly
cried. The mother and sister of Gap
pins, who left the court house before
sentence was pronounced, were in the
yard of the building and were ex-
tremely affected. Gappin's wife, who
was in attendance at the trial in the
morning, was not present when her
husband learned his fate.
A pathetic scene was enacted during
a short recess of the court. Gappin's
mother and sister broke into the bar
of the court, rushed up to the young
man and gently stroked his hair, audi
bly, sobbing all the while. The guards
had to gently lead them back from
the youth.
The evidence Tuesday in the case OF
Fox and Gappins was repetition of
that in the Kirby case Monday, except
that of Fox, who, in voice without
a culver and absolutely emotionlcss,
told narrowing tale of the remorse-
less and merciless killing of William
Brazell. His recital was such that it
brought gasps from the audience.
Substantiates Confession.
Fox, substantiating written con-
fession of his which was introduced
earlier in the day by Sheriff j. I.
Plunkett, of Augusta, claimed that
the plot to steal an automobile was
broached to him by Kirby and Gap
pins, and they inveigled him into join
ing them. His narrative as to the
hunt for the car by Kirby and the
trip to and from the scene Of the
murder near Lcesville, this county,
was substantially the same as that
told by Kirby and Gappins and at the
time, published in The County Record.
Gas the car neared Lessville," swore
Fox, at was stopped several times,
and Kirby got out and called for Gap
pins. When Gappins returned he told
me that Kirby wanted him to knock
HI out of Brazen with the blackjack
and he refused" he said. Fox said
that when the car left Leesvillc, head
ed for Columbia, Kirby, who, at that
time was on the back seat With him
persuaded him TO hit Brazell in the
head with the blackjack. He declared
that he thought the weapon would on
ly stun the chauffeur and they would
put him on the side of the road to be
found while they left WITH the car.
81 damned him across the head" ne
continued. "He looked around at me
and asked what are you doing! L
then hit him several times more. He
tried to get out of the side door OF
the car and Kirby grabbed him by the
throat. l continued to hit him until
the blackjack broke and the shot were
scattered. At this time Brazell was
on the side running board Of the car
with Kirby grasping him ty the throat
with his knee pressed into his stomach.
He was jammed against the side OF
the car.
"Kirby hollered at me that we would
have to do something now and cried at
me stick him.. ! had out my knife