J. E Gillis on Trial Charged With the Killing of McRae Whitaker.

Special to The State.

Camden, Oct. 4 – Unless there is n commutation of his sentence Aaron Williams, the rapist, will be hanged here on November 4th next.

Some time last June the people of this county were thrown into a state of excitement by the report that a negro man had ravished a respectable white woman near Boykin station on the Southern railroad. Aaron Williams, a colored man in the employ of Mr. John Langley whose wife was the victim, was accused of the crime and arrested several days afterwards, not having made any effort to escape.

Rumors of possible lynching reached Sheriff Trantham and he reported the matter to the governor, asking that the Kershaw Guards be placed under his orders. This was promptly done and the prisoner was carried to Columbia under the escort of the Kershaw Guards for safekeeping in the penitentiary.

There he remained until las week when he was brought to Camden to stand trial. The case was called this afternoon about 5 o’clock, and at a little before 7 o’clock the jury returned a verdict of guilty, and Judge Purdy sentenced him to be hanged on November 4th next.

All the morning session was consumed in preliminary arguments in the case of State vs. J. E. Gillis for the murder of McRae Whitaker. An effort was made to throw out the jury on the grounds of its having been improperly drawn.

Jude Purdy has taken the point Into consideration and will announce his decision tomorrow morning.

Should the decision be adverse to the moving attorney a motion for a change of venue will follow.

Assistant Attorney General Townsend was here today in consultation with Solicitor Thumond and Secretary Stackhouse of Clemson college over the alleged violation of the fertilizer laws. Warrants have been issued for the arrest of the party selling the fertilizer and he was present with numerous expert witness to take care of his case, but the solicitor announced that he was not prepared to give out the bill to the grand jury.