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Jury Unable to Reach an Agree ment as to the Punishment to be § nil cted. PURVIS EDITOR SENT TO JAIL; WILL APPEAL 12 Lamar County Men Deliberate Over Verdict for 10 Hours; Charged with Killing Fellow Editor, Wiley A. Blackburn, Some Weeks Ago—Jury Last Night Stood 9 For “Guilty as Charged,” and 3 for Guilty With Life Imprisonment. Special to The News. Purvis, Miss., Feb. 16.—“Guilty as charged without ability to agree as to the punishment to be inflicted,” was the verdict of the jurors who filed into court here this morning at 0:20 o'clock when Judge A. E. Weather called court for the conclusion of the trial of Dr. Sam E. Rees, under indict ment for the murder of Wiley A. Blackburn, who at the time of his death was editor and publisher of the “Progressive Star,” a weekly newspap er published here. The case was given to the jury at 10:30 o'clock last night at the con clusion of the summing up by District Attorney Toxey Hall in what was characterized by many as one of the strongest and most impassionate Speeches ever heard in the court at this place. It was learned from interviews with the jurors that but two ballots were taken. That taken immediately after the jury received the case last night stood nine for a verdict of “guilty as charged,” and three for a verdict of guilty with life imprisonment. The ballot taken this morning was unanimous as reported to the court. Given Life Term. Attorneys for the defense filed a mo tion for a new trial which was sub mitted without argument and over ruled. The court then pronounced sen tence of imprisonment in the peni tentiary for life. Many expressions of surprise were heard at the verdict, since it had been freely predicted that an acquittal or a mistrial would result. A disposition to credit the result to the district at ttorney's closing address which at one point was so dramatic and effective as to elicit a marked show of applause from the large audience which packed the court room floor and gallery for two and a half hours last night, caus ing the court to rap sharply for order. After a conference of an hour with his wife and the transction of some business matters, Dr. Rees went to jail to await a result of the action of the state supreme court, which cannot be expected before September next, if then,
Newspaper Details
Hattiesburg News
Hattiesburg, Mississippi, US
Wed, Feb 16, 1916
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Margaret W.
USA 15 May 2026
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