Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1922-11-30
ELECTRIC CHAIR FOR FARES.
Aarderer of Little Boy at Clover
: Given Death Sentence In York.

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William G. FAIRIES, go years old and
the father OF 16 children. was convict
ed at S:21 Saturday afternoon in the
court at York of the murder of 13-,
year old Newton Tayor at Clover ON
September 6 and for the crime was
sentenced by Judge Peurifoy to die
In the electric chair at the State pen
ttentiary in Columbia on December
2ss Counsel for FAIRIES Immediately
gave notice that an appeal would be
taken to the supreme court, which
stays his execution on that date.
Newton Taylor was one of four mem
bers OF the Taylor family shot to
death by FAIRIES in Cover following
quarrel between the children of the
two families. The best his lawyers.
Thos. F. Mellow and Cole l.. Blease,
could hope for, or asked for, in be.
half of their client was q verdict of
guilty with recommendation to the
mercy of the court, which would have
meant life sentence.
At 1921 Saturday afternoon fol-
lowing the trial which had lasted
through Friday and the greater part
OF that day, the verdict of guilty"
was announced by the foreman of the
Jury. 1t was stated that the Jury re-
Qutred only one ballot to reach
tie verdict. While the verdict was
being read FAIRIES sat handcuffed be-
side his attorneys and showed little
emotion. Stolid and unpurtured, he
had lounged on his chair through the
morning session Of the court, appar-
entity unmindful Of what was going
OH about him.. One of the jurymen
who decided FAIRIES fate was w. A.
Neil, Fort Mill township farmer.
Late Saturday afternoon, after de-
nying the motion OF FAIRIES counsel
Tor a new trial, Judge Peurifoy or
dered the defendant to stand up to
hear his death sentence. "I have
wondered" said Judge Peurifoy,
If you could retrace your steps II
you would live your life any differ
emily. Now, think, you have come
to know what 1t means to strike down.
ana Kill In anger, and possibly you
could tell the young folk OF this city
something about the control of the
passions. But, your race is run. /
do not know what your intentions
were in youth: but IL good intentions
are not translated into good actions
they fall short Of value. Yon have
taken the wrong angle. You might
have made friends of these people,
but instead yon fed the flames OF an
ger, and as result you stand today,
Just as the sun is sinking, almost in
the very presence Of your Maker.
Your attorneys may get you new
trial, but my advice to you is not to
rely upon this hope, but now, withou..
delay, to make your preparations to
meet your God'
referring to his refusal to grant the
motion fer new trial, Judge 9err-
ifoy said: 81 have seen nothing In
this trial to indicate that FAIRIES has
not had 2 fair and impartial trial.
Never in my court experience have I
seen better order maintained. There
were few il any objections to testi-
mony. II I made an error in refus-
ing to grant the change of venue,
there is, Of course, the State supreme
court to correct me. And I am still
OF the opinion that on Mr.. Wither-
spoons repeated statement, that de-
spite his previous opinion, he was
able to give the defendant fair and
impartial trial, and was a competent
Juror. He said he had formed this
opinion from reading newspaper ac-
counts Of the case, and anyone who
read the facts in the case would be
justified in saying the same thing. II
am in error the supreme court can
correct me. do not see how the jury
could have brought In another YER
dict unless. Of course, they had ex-
ercised their right to recommend
mercy. They chose not to do SO and
l believe were amply justified in SO
choosing.
Never before have I heard q more
powerful plea for mercy than that
made by counsel for the defense. I,
do not see how more could have been
said or said more effectively. The
verdict only shows that counsel must
have to present something more than
eloquence, something more than
words. So, however eloquent coun-
sells plea, he had nothing to base It
upon. FAIRIES own testimony was
sufficient to convict him OF murder.
Tho details Of the four siayiiSgs
checked the sensibilitles. OF the entire
State. II there were ever q case in
tie annals Of the State criminal law