Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1938-10-08
Defendant Utterly OBJ
livious to Proceedings
Which Prepare For
His Death

David Jiggetts alias Clarence
Bracy, 23-year-old Negro farm hand
was convicted of first degree murder
bv a Jury in Vance Superior Court
late Friday afternoon, and a few min
utes later was sentenced by Judge
r. Hunt Parker to die in the gas
chamber at State Prison on Friday.
November 1S, exactly six weeks away.
Jiggetts was convicted for the con-
fessed fatal clubbing of William
Hamilton Williamson, IS year-old
prominent Townsville township far
rner at his tobacco barn the night
of August 81, 1888.
The jury received the case about
$50 p. M, and by six o'clock had. re-
turned with the first degree murder
verdict
In half an hour after sentence was
imposed, Jiggetts was on his way to
Death Row in Central Prison in Ra-
leigh, in charge of Sheriff E. Ham
lett and other deputies. and escorted
along the way by highway police who
had assembled here for the purpose.
In view of the Negroes confession Of
guilt, the first degree verdict was
generally expected.
Taken to State Prison ct the Same
time were Isaac Gill, given not less
than Is and not more than 30 years
for the Staying of Charles G.. Williams
both Negroes, last summer. Taken
also was Joseph Walker, j., sem
fenced to from three to five years for
the theft of an automobile.
Appeal Is Noted.
Counsel for Jiggetts gave notice of
an appeal to the State Supreme
Court, which, if perfected, will stay
execution probably for months until
a ruling is had by that body. Third
district appeals have already been
heard at the fall term of the Supreme
Court, and the Jiggetts conviction
may not be argued until the spring
term.
lobe Henderson, who was implicat-
ed in the Staying by Jiggetts in con-
fession the latter gave to officers at
the time of his arrest the day after
the crime, was freed by the court
when Jiggetts later admitted he was
alone in the brutal Staying. Hender-
sons case was nolle prosed by order
of the court.
Admits Attack.
Jiggetts admitted on the stand Fri
day morning, when he testified in his
own defense, that he slugged William
son over the head with a heavy wagon
standard, but that he merely intended
to render him unconscious so as to
rob him, but did not mean to kill the
tobacco grower.
In his charge to the jury, Judge
Parker advised them that the only is
sue for them to decide was the mem
tai competency of the prisoner. If
they found he had sufficient intel
ligence to determine right from wrong |
they should find him guilty of first
degree murder, he said The only
other alternative was acquittal. The
jurors deliberated less than ten min |
utes in reaching their conclusion.
Jiggetts was defended by ]. H.
Bridgers. Jasper B. Hicks and r. B.
Carter, who were appointed by the
court when the prisoner came into
court without counsel. H. E. White
assisted Solicitor E. r. Tyler in pro-
scouting the case.
Sanity Test Made.
DR.. j. w. Ashby, superintendent of
the State Hospital in Raleigh, came
here Wednesday and made sanity
test of the Negro. He found him to be
of extremely low mentality, but con-
cluded he was sufficiently intelligent
to know right from wrong, it was re-
sorted.
Jiggetts appeared to be wholly OBJ
livious to what was going on about
him as the jury returned the verdict
that, may have sealed his fate, and
seemed to know nothing whatever
about what was taking place when
Judge r. Hunt Parker read the sem
tence that fixed the date for his exc
cution., Asked later by an attorney if
he knew what had just happened, he
muttered, NAV, suh." He gave no in
dication of comprehending that his
death had been ordered by the courts