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Abbeville Press and Banner Established !844. $?oolhe Year. Tri-Weekly. Abbeville, Monday, April 12, 1920 Single Copies, Five Cents. 76th Year. KENNETH GOS! 40 W Sentenced By Juc after the Jury Hac and 55 Minute Defense Will 1 Supreme C Taken T< " me cont.pnned tc jvenneui uuaoci.? _ 40 years in the State penitentiary 01 on the Abbeville County chain gang by Judge Thomas S. Sease Saturdaj afternoon for criminally assaulting 2 lG-year old girl near this city Sun day March 14. The trial, one of the most sensational of its kind ever held in Abbe ville County, beiran Thursday morning, going to the jury at 1:05 Satur day afternoon. The jury was out foui hours and fifty-five minutes, bringing in a verdict of guilty on the frsl dount of- the indictment and recommending the defendant to the mercj of the court. Judge Sease imposea xne niuMmuu penalty of the law in such ca?es anc in doing so made the following statement: "I don't know that anything I maj say to you," began Judge Sease meeting the direct gaze of the defendant, will do any good. It is customary that the court make some statement that may benefit the prisoner at the bar and the public a1 such times as this, and what I say will be brief. Let this be a lesson tc all people. They must know thai they must not violate any law, anc especially this law for which you have been tried and found guilty. "I agree with the verdict of the jury. They have taken a mercifu! view of your case and I am glad But don't deceive yourself that i pardon will come to you soon. Yoi; have put yourself in this condition Very likely your age has weighed ir your favor with the jury. Those long years you will have co serve wearing stripes will shine as a lighl to others and should be a lesson te other boys and girls. "The jury has saved your life, bul it win De a living aeatn tor the balance of your life. "The sentence of the court is thai you serve at hard labor on the roadi of Abbeville county or in the statf penitentiary at Columbia for 4( years. Sit down." Over-rules Motion for New Trial As soon as the verdict was an nounced Attorney Price made a mo toin for a new trial on the sam< grounds given when a change of ven ue wps refused by Judge Sease These were that the jurisdiction o: the court was unconstitutional am that the indictment should be quash ed because the defendant was denie( trial by due process of law. Judg< Sease immediately over-ruled thi; motion. Attorneys for the defensi ' will appeal next to the Supremi Court, having 10 days in which t< prepare their case. Take Prisoner to Columbia Kenneth Gossett soon made fina preparations to leave the jail and \va taken to the Southern depot b; Sheriff Burts and turned over U. S Deputy Marshal Bruce, Deputy Sher iff T. L. Car.n, and Special Deput; Burt Fereruson. who took him to thi penitentiary in Columbia Saturda; nifrht. The la?t day of court was the mos tense of all. the crowd, thoujrh it wsi ? a<- rini'fn f a 1 o vnrn o c Tlinvs'/lnf r? , Friday, having become surfeited 01 salacious testimony remained to hea the verdict, the general predictio: being as stated above that it woul SETT GIVEN IRS FOR CRIME Ige Sease Saturday I Been Out 4 hours 2S. Counsel For ake Appeal To iourt. Gossett ) Columbia > result in a mistrial. The long deliberations, however, it was learned, ' was due to the fact that several T 1 j> members of the jury insisted from 1 the first ballot that the extreme I "[penalty electrocution, be meted out. lAfter the nearly five hours of dis leussion and balloting a compromise recommending mercy was agreed on. It was impossible to learn exactly " how the jury stood on the first bal"j ot. As soon as the vei'dict was an" nounced citizens living a far distance : from the county seat cranked up " J their cars and shortly there was the r-usual Saturday crowds on the streets. Attorneys in the case who lived l|OUt of town and Judge Sease left immediately. Solicitor Blackwell came I o Greenwood, George Bell Timmerjman went by train to Columbia and General Bonham, Proctor A. Bon,^ham, James H. Price and the judge went by automobile to Greenville. The case against Kenneth Gossett (nobody seeming to take seriously '.the charge against John Gossett, in' nocent in appearance and more inno' cent in demeanor, who the afternoon before had been discharged by spec' ial order of the court, and without ^ I the notice of the closest observers, 1 taken from the court room and to I liberty) was argued brilliantly by 5 both sides. Addresses to the jury be' gan Friday afternoon with speeches jby J. Howard Moore and James H. ^ Price for the state and defense, reI I J ; pctwveiy, anu yesueiuay jiiuiuiug ^Solicitor Homer S. Blpackwell, ' graciously giving last place to his asistant George Bell Timmerman, 5 poke first for the defense, followed " y General Bonham, then Proctor A. ' Bonham and lastly Mr. Timmerman. Those who heard the arguments ' were agreed that neither side suffered in the least from lack of support |before the jury. Hon. J. Howard ^Moore, regarded as one of the leading attorneys at the Abbeville bar, 5 jinalvzed the the testimony to the one and pleaded for a verdfct that jwould agree with and uphold the common sense of the jury. He laid special stress on the fact that the " j wo young ladies were on their way ^to the house of worship when they were picked up by Kenneth Gossett. He also ridiculed the testimony of f Tullis and Hutchison, witnesses, who ^ wore they saw, as they judge it, the - merry party returning to town. ^ There were several differences in 3 estimony, particularly in the cross s xamination of the sister of the 21 prosecutrix. The testimony of the 5 prosecutrix as to the medical treat5 nent of her at home before the visit f the physician on the morning of larch 15, about 20 hours after the 1 lleged crime, was contradicted by s he prosecutrix' sister. The prosecu y nx, in her direct testimony yesterI. ay, said that she had received -J ledical home treatment on the night _ I C T\T U 1 A rni?. ?:_i 1 a:. i iuaitn 11. i lie 5iM.tr sum null, mis B reatment was not administered until y ftcr the physicians visited her on he morning of March 15. Dr. Gamrell admitted that the treatment si ould have produced a physical conc| dition which would appear from ' riminal assault. ! . . vi In directing the verdict in tno n ase of John Gossett, Judge Seasc ill ook the position that the testimony NO HEHCE WITH THE MAILS I Vigorous Action Will be Taken i Against Strikers if They De-j i T 1.1: lay i ranspurianuii Washington. April 12.?Vigorous action will be taken if there is any interference with the transportation of the mails as a result of the railroad strikes, it was announced today at the Postoffice Department. Otto Praeger, second assistant postmaster general, has sent the following telegram of instruction to all superintendents of the railway mail service: ' Instruct all chief clerks, transfer clerks and others to report any obstruction, directly or indirectly by conspiracy or otherwise with passage of mails as a result of strikes, to- J j gether with names of person or persons involved. Bring to immediate at-1 t(-ntion of local postoffice inspectors, j J inspector in charge and United States i j district attorney, with request that of-j fr-nders be vigorously prosecuted if! ! facts warrant. See Section sixteen J I ninety, seventeen twelve, seventeen j 1 e. ??,i covorifpon pierllteen DOSt- i ('yl laws." Reports to the postoffice department j j were encouraging. Chicago reported I t:;i'i local conditions were "very good" i land that the railway companies hand-1 [ ling all mails promptly. ! A report from New York said condijtions had improved and a similar re-j pert came from St. Lours. Some delay j J in mail was received from a number I of points where the men are on strike, j but officials said that thus far there; had been no serious obstruction of the ! mail. 'yeserday of the prosecutrix's girl! companion when she admitted that: neither she, the prosecutrix, nor1 'Kenneth Gossett had requested Johnj Gossett to leave the automobile at j [the Long Cane Branch bridge corn-j jpletely exonerated the older youth j He said that the fact of John Gossett going to Greenville under an as-; ? u ; ;sumed name, on wmcn mutu jwas laid by the prosecution, is ex-j I plained by the natural feeling of | i youth when excitement wias rife be- j jcause of the alleged crime and hisj | life might be in jeopardy. He saidj ithat the prosecution had failed toj !produce one vestige of evidence to jshow that the youth was aiding and jabetting in the commission of the I crime of criminal assault. Spirited Away ' As soon as the judge announced his: |decision, the lad was spirited out of; the court room by Charles J. Bruce,: United States deputy marshal, placed i jin an automobile and when court ad-| 'journed he was out of Abbeville! I i 'county. His father Dolph Gossett andj ;his sister, Mrs. Lula McCullough, and I the father and mother of Kenneth, | Mr. and Mrs. M. T. Gossett, were in ;the court room. In addition there ^were 75 relatives of the two youths in the court room. Members of the family of the prosecutrix and her :girl companion likewise were in the court room. | | I Five other differences in testimony i other than outlined in the foregoing:, I are: j 1. The prosecutrix, in her preliminary examination which wasj 'mnrlo q nf rpporrl todav bv i J v. - .. ; the defense, swore that she was unjconscious at the time of the alleged; 'crime and did not know if she was| (assaulted, but yesterday, in her j direct examination declared that she jwas conscious of what was transpiring and that Kenneth Gossett as! |saulted her twice. i 2. Kenneth Gossett denied today that he made the statement in thoj 1 A M "JoJl lnooyAovofo/l ' [AiiUCiavu jau, \>wcu tuvuiwiui/vu | there, that he told John Gossett and: he prosecutrix's friend if they didn't, i eave the automobile that Sunday afternoon he would remain out until! imidnipht. Sheriff J. Olin Sandersj 'and his deputy, J. \V. Clamp of And-] jerson, swore yesterday that he did make it, and they were substantial*~.i + u.. t tt?; I t*. u ivuciy uv VMaiic.-? u uimiv* v^iuted States deputy marshal, and T. L. ICann, deputy sheriff of Abbeville 'county. John Gossett today substantiated his cousin's testimony and jGeorjre Pa ire, chief of police at jlfonea Path, who was present at the (Continued on Patre Eieht) JUSTICE OFFICIALS CONFER ON STRIKE Palmer Returns to Capital and Considers Situation, Admitc?: ILUlJf JCI1UU3 Washington, April 12.?Attorney General Palmer returned to Washington today and immediately conferred with officers of the Department of Justice who have been kept in close touch with the railroad strike situation. There was no indication what recommendations they laid before the Attorney General, but all admitted the situation to be serious. .Mr. Palmer's aides had received today a new sheaf of telegraphic reports on conditions at points of disturbance. They refused, however, to disclose their contents. It was understood that staff attorneys have begun the preparation of governmental briefs for logni option in event Mr. Palmer decides to take a hand in settlement of the trouble. W. N. Doak, vice president of the Brotherhood of Trainmen, and Senator Cummins, chairman of the Senate Interstate Commerce committee, which is to investigate the strike, called at the White House today to discuss t'10 situation with Secretary Tumulty. Postoffice Department officials said today that thus far there had been no serious interruption of the mail service, but that mails were being delayed at a number of places, including Chicago, St. Louis and other cities. Mail coming to Washington from New York is several hours late as is also that going into the south. The strike of switchmen on Ihe local yards which began yesterday was being felt today. Some trains arriving from the south could not be handled nt the union station and passengers were put off after the trains crossed the Potomac into the city. Congress May Make An Investigation Of Reserve System Washington, April 12.?The House rules committee will be called upon Thursday to decide whether Congress shall begin immediately an investigation of the Federal Reserve system. In urging action on his resolution providing for the investigation Representative King, Republican, Illinois, a member of the Banking and Currency committee, declared today it would show that 75 per cent of the high cost of living was "due to the financing of speculators and hoarders by the Federal Reserve system.'' Dr. Harvey W. Wiley of Washington; Charies De B. Hairborne. of New Orleans, ''airman of the National and State Bankers Protective Association; L. R. Adorns. Atlanta, secretary of the organization and Alexander W. Smith, of Atlantr. are among witnesses nam tu iu auuear rnursciay. "Don't put all the blame for exorbitant prices on the speculators.'' Representative King said, "but blame the bankers who are financing the speculators and the system which permits them to do it." Conference to Hear of Treatment Accorded Sin Fein Prisoners Paris, April 12.?George Van Duffy, Sinn Fein member of parliament and envoy to the Irish republic to the peace conference, is bringing to the official attention of the conference th~ treatment of the political prisoners in Dublin. Hi3 step was actuated by the following telegram which he received yesterday from Dublin: "Over 100 republican prisoners incarcerated in Mount Jov Drison in Lublin as common crimnials, many being detained on suspicion without charge, have been on a hunger strike since Sunday, April 4. They demand the observance of the agreement obtained by Bishop Macrory and the lord mayor of Dublin whereby the English government undertook to recognize the special status of political prisoners. Several men are in grave danger and crowds are reciting prayers for the dying at the gates of the jail." The telegram was signed by Kathleen Clarke, of the board of aldermen. and Madam O'Rahillv. for tho republican prisoners committee. May Use Trucks to Break the Strike Washington. April. 12.?Chambers of ('nnnnerce and business organizations in all cities affected by the railroad strike were asked today by Charles W. Reid. manager of the transportation bureau of the Federal Highways Council, to renort on the situation in their cities with a view to utilization ni motor trucks to transport footli s!tiffs. The highways council announced it had tendered its services to th*> council of national defense for mobili: zation of motor transport services jshould the need arise. mce TO mm ( rnilTUCIII Tfl 111 irn I HI I III UL lUHLLICO I r Millerand Expresses Regret There's Been Occasion for Any Controversy Paris, April 12.?Premier Miller- q and's reply to the latest British t note has not been made public but t] it is declared to make no material j, change in the situation. It ex- c : presses regret that there has been f, occasion for any controversy but c points out that if France acted alone in her occupation move east of the Rhine it was because she was left alone in the face of a situation p which required prompt action on | her part. 't( | The note assures Great Britain e j that France is determined to remain [ faithful to the alliance, but it intimates that the government cannot j ! promise to abstain from defending j I the interests confided to it when its E i action is not contrary to the ob- a ' jccts of that alliance. j, | The foreign office has not receiv- f, "I from tlio powers | :o its notice of the occupation of | n l Frankfort, but it is learned that] 0 ! Baron Matsui, the Japanese amba.--[0 j sador, has unofficially stated that t) j Japan has no objection to the ac-in | tion of Fiance. j ^ I The softened tone of thp corres-1 ? i pondonce with Great Britain is not- p I ofl with some satisfaction but was| s, ' remarked with some surprise, it; c : was said, that while negotiations, n j over questions disagreeable to ad-! t ; versaries of the Entente were con-| r j ducted with a deliberation that was; (j | sometimes wearing to patience, the j British government had established j n ja record for rapidity in developing i s: I its grievance against an ally. j 1, . 1 | Memphis Physician a Killed by Police j? In His Own Home 11 I a i i d Memphis. April 12.?Dr. Bufordjti i N. Dunavant, Memphis" physician; ci i who served in the world war as n; r medical officer attached to the 115th j T j field artillery, with the rank of Ma- f< I jor, was shot and fatally wounded, c late last night, by policemen sum-i f | moned by neighbors to quiet a dis-! o | turbance at the Dunavant home. I b t Dr. Dunavant died shortly after be-j tl I Jixg luncu IU a. nuspuai. According to the report made by! b j the officers the*.- were met at the|,n ; front door by Mrs. Dunavant andj' j while in conversation with the wo-1,fc [man and her eight-year-old daugh-'.^ | ter, the polico declare. Dr. Duna-I/,., '-<"t apneared and opened fire on n . t' em. They returned the fire andip three of th^ir bullets took effect,I -g i?.dieting wl at proved to be fatal n, wounds. Dr. Dunavant was 36 years of _ age. He came^ tc Memphis somojJr time ago from Little Rock, Ar- -i kansas. -I Universal Training Up in Senate Again : of I Washington, April 12.?The Sen-i?' j ate today was prepared to again 111 grapple with the question of uni | versal military training in resum- i. ! ing consideration of the army re- .. J organization bill. Pending was the ! motion of Senator McKellar, Demo- ^ ' crat, Tennessee, to strike out proj visions for voluntary training of ' youths from 18 to 28 years of' ?ge 1 J which were substituted last week j for the military committee's compuli sory training plan. it Victims of Munition ExDlosion Removed 2 ? In Armored Cars London, April 12?Two hundred persona injured in the explosion of a munitions dump at Rotenstein, near Koenigsberg, East Prussia, n yesterday have been rescued, acord-le ing to a Berlin dispatch to the Daily!ej Mail. Explosions are continuing and j rescuers are able to approach the |T1 scene only in armored cars. | Fuses were being removed from | big calibre shells at he dump when! r one was ignited in some way and | thirty tremendous explosions follow-|ed. wrecking dwellings over a wide j jarea and shattering thousands on j windows in the city. Berlin, April 12.?Seven persons Hi were killed in yesterday's explosions ^ at Rotenstein, according to dispatch-i jes received here. : Hospital Furniture Arrives j ! 2 A carload of hospital furniture j j lid fixtures has been received by the! Abbeville County Memorial Hospital j | nd will be placed as soon as the | plastering has ben completed, j Practically all of the furniture and | 1 4-t i,?= i,A.,i?l,f ??,il | Ull i* 11(1.^ WVVI1 "I'M soon as the building is finished the hospital will be ready for occupancy.' ILEMSDW TRUSTEES " l iibi a m ?? a ? a. VHjUlt KIGGS !ol. Cummins, Commandant, is Also Upheld by the Board Clemson College, Apr. 11 (Special) ?President Riggs and Colonel lummins have been vindicated by he board of trustees. Findings of he board in the investigation asked Dr by President Riggs and Colonel ummins may be summed up in the ollowing quotations from the offiial report: "The board expresses its? very fullst confidence in the veracity, inegrity and loyalty of President tiggs, both to the college and its tudents and deems it unnecessary 3 express an opinion touching his xtraordinary efficinecy, so well nown to the people of the State." As to the disagreement between President Riggs -and members of he freshman and sophomore comnittees, "The board believes and dopts the theory of President Riggs .luiseji, maue a.i me Hearing ttnu mnrl in his testimony, the follows: i>Jv own theory is that these young len. whether through my mistake f their questions or their mistake f my answers, got mixed in the matsr of my approval of this order, or lv seeing this order, with my not nowing of this order. That is now lie only theory upon which I can xplain it. The reputation of this tudent. body is as dear to me as it an be to any living soul. I would ot wish at this time to have you hink that the young men of this orps would attempt, directly or in. irectly, deliberately to deceive me. ask you to accept their statements f the conference with the some incer'ity that you accept my recoljctions to the contrary." Regarding the charge of harsh , nd unjust administering of disciline. the board found as follows: The testimony offered to support lie charge that discipline had been dministered harshly or unjustly oes not sustain it. The characer. veracity and efficinecy of the ommandant, Colonel Cummins, was tot even brought into question, he board allowed any cadet to of?r complaints or testimony against ol. Cummins or his assistants, 'ive cadets out of the corps of 800 ffered complaints and testimony, ut it is the belief of the board lat every one who heard their evience was convinced, as was the oard, that these complaints were ot sustained." All the trustees were present, as )llows: Alan Johnstone, chairman; x-Gov. R. I. Manning; A. F. Leor Henrv C. Tillman, W. D. Bar ett, J. E. Wannamaker, B. H. awl, RI. L. Donaldson, W.v W. radley, I. M. Mauldfn, R. H. Timierman and J. J. Evans. 'our More Women Named on Democratic National Committee Washington, April 12.?Appointment ' four additional women as members ' the executive committee of the Deoeratic National Committee, was an1 1 J1Vi o; -i n fnmmins. junceu luucty uy vummiau v/?? hey are: Mrs. Henry Ridgeley, of over, Del., Mrs. Charles A. Ames, 'ashington: Mrs. Otto Wittpenn. Jer;y City, and Miss Katlirine Filene, oston. Two other women members >on will be named, Chairman Cumins said, giving the women equal 'presentation with the men in the cecutive body of the Democratic Naonal organization. The executive committee will hold s first joint meeting in Chicago April ), simultaneously with a meeting of ie committee on arrangements for the an Francisco convention. ROAD COMMISSION The road commission, authorized the top soil road bill, passed by the gislature and ratified by a recent ection in this county, will meet here lursday to organize. Officers will be ected and the question of hiring an igineer will be discussed. Negro Gives Bond. Jesses Freeman, who shot Charlie all near Antreville April 4, gave >nd of $1000 here Saturday, Hall ivinjy died Thursday night in a ispital in Anderson. Freeman aims self defense. COTTON MARKET. Spot Cotton 43.00 May 41.40 July 38.95 October 34.S7 DocumbiM* 33.83 January 32.73