The Wilmington morning star., 1947-05-17
CRIMINAL COURT
SESSION CLOSES
Two Men Get Suspended
Prison Terms Before
Adjournment

Final business of the May term
at New Hanover County's Super
Tor court late yesterday was the
sentencing by Judge Clawson J.
Williams of two men to three te
tive-year suspended prison terms
They were Jack Batson, g.
year-old seaman and Leroy Long,
81. ex-sailor, both whom had beer
found guilty by juries OF robbery
IT money from men with whom
they had chummed.
Judge Williams place. the pan
on probation for the next five years
and ordered them to pay the cour1
costs. Batson had been found
guilty of taking nearly 500 from
J. c. Rogers and c. M. Shocks
while the pair were asleep las!
April "A in a Brunswick hotel
room.
When the jury found him guilty
last Tuesday, Batson Collapsed IN
court and his mother added to he
scene by rushing to his side and
eNclaiming that her son cant DC
guilty"
The mother was in court AGAIN
yesterday and sat fearful and red
eyed in a front row as the court
passed sentence.
Long, admitted a previous con-
viction, was found guilty OF TAX
ing $500 from Marine Sergeant
e. L. Walling who had b~efriended
him by feeding and buying him
beer and allowing him to sleep
in his room.
The court told Long that for the
next five years he must work al
a steady job, stay out of trouble,
and report regularly to the proba-
ton officer.
Clammie Beatty, 6O-year-old
Negro, previously sentenced to
two years on the road on an as
sault charge, failed to get his term
reduced despite another plea by
his attorney Addison Hewlett, Jr.
Attorney Hewlett, for the second
time, since his client was found
guilty Wednesday, pleaded 70:
clemiency, asserting that the
Negro is aged and in i'll health.
Slightly before the noon recess
Of court. Attorney Aaron Goldberg
asked that Judge Williams take
into consideration that Jack Bat
son was mentally unstable before
he passed sentence on the mer.
chant marine, who was found
guilty of burglary by a jury earl
er this week.
Goldberg informed District So.
licitor Clifton Moore that Batson's
mother had asked him to make
an appeal.
Moore read Batson's record as
furnished by the Federal Bureau
of Identification and Goldberg
pointed out the fac that the young
man had attempted to commit
suicide upon one occasion.
Just before the mental question
was entered in Batson's case,
Judge Williams had announced
that he would continue judgment
in Elwood Taylor's case on con-
dition that he be admitted to a
veterans hospital.
Taylor had pleaded nolo con-
tendere on a charge of attempted
criminal assault.
Melsin isaac, Negro. found guilty
OF taking a wrist watch from q
former girl friend, was sentenced
TO 10 months On the road. His sen
tence was suspended to two years
upon good behavior and no con
viction.
Earlier in the morning Walter
Berry and John Virgins, both Ne
gro, were found guilty on charges
Of robbery and sentenced to S.
years in the p~enitentiary.
The men YER charged with tax
ing $A from the room of George
King, Negro, in Maffitt Village.
Kings testimony recalling the
mems first visit to his home
brought laughter from the cour"
room as he demonstrated to the
words and knocks Of open the
Door, Richard"
A suspended sentence Of two tt
three years in the state peniten'
tiary was given to John Faux, 20
year-old Wilmington youth convict
ed Of stealing merchandise valued
at Is from the grocery store Of
Homer Ellis. Faux was placed or
probation for five years and was
ordered to remain steadily EN-
ployed during that period.