In Judge Henry A. Grady's Court, April 6, 1925

Negro’s Sentence Cut in Half. . . One of Mr. Roy Sealey’s Assailants Gets Only 18 Months—Herbert Baker, Who Killed Woman in This County 13 Years Ago, Goes to Prison for 20 Years. . . Court Adjourned Friday

Robeson Superior court which convened last Monday for the trial of civil and criminal cases adjourned Friday at noon, after Judge Henry A. Grady had reduced James Marshall’s 3-years sentence in the State prison to 18 months. Andrew McColl’s sentence of 3 years remains unchanged.

Both negroes had plead guilty to assaulting Mr. Roy Sealey at his filling station west of here on the night of January 3. It was in evidence that Mr. Sealey remained unconscious about 13 days following the awful attack. On the stand he testified that these two negroes were the last that were seen in his place, and that he was positive that one of them struck him. It was also in evidence that the Marshall negro was at work at the Battery Service Co. after the assault took place, and Judge Grady for that reason, coupled with other evidence in favor of this defendant, reduced Marshall’s sentence. It was a very uncommon thing to see a negro cry, especially in the court room, but Marshall cried when the judge pronounced sentence, and that led some people to believe that he is not guilty.

13-Year-Old Murder

Herbert Baker, negro, was sentenced to serve 20 years in the State prison when h submitted to a charge of manslaughter. Baker was charged with the murder of a negro woman about 13 years ago, and it was the purpose of the court to have a jury pass on his mental condition, but following his plea, made by Mr. Robert McIntyre, attorney appointed by the court, Judge Grady announced the sentence and made a provision that the defendant be kept under strict observation for his mental condition and anything that might develop. Baker left Robeson county following the killing and returned about two months ago. He did not appear well, and when he was told that he had to take some medicine, he assaulted an old man, with whom he had spent the night, cutting his merely. He was placed in jail here to await admission to the state hospital for insane, and it was through a news item appearing in the Robesonian that relatives of the whom who was killed heard about Baker. They took steps to have him prosecuted, after which he admitted that he killed the woman.

From the front page of The Robesonian, Monday, April 6, 1925

newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn84026483/1925-04-06/ed-1/seq-1/#words=APRIL+6%2C+1925