114 Ga. 430 | Ga. | 1901
The accused was convicted of the offense of seduction, and brings his case here upon a bill of exceptions assigning error upon the overruling of his motion for a new trial.
Only two matters remain to be disposed of, and they are: was the verdict of the jury authorized by the evidence; and if so, was the sentence of the court “ severe and excessive ” ? On the first question all that is necessary to satisfy any fair and impartial person is to read the sad and simple story, as it appears in the record, of the guileless girl who is the alleged victim of the seduction. It is not the story of a bad woman, but it is the story of a pure, virtuous woman who has been led from the path of rectitude by the love and confidence which she reposed in the designing and unprincipled creature who has accomplished her ruin. Even those circumstances which are relied upon as evidence attacking her character are explained away in a straightforward and candid manner, showing that her conduct, while imprudent and unwise, was not that of a woman of a lascivious or lustful heart. The sworn evidence in the case absolutely demanded a verdict of guilty. The only thing that is interposed to break the force of this testimony is the unsworn statement of the accused, which is unreasonable, contradictory, and bears upon its face the stamp of absolute falsity. That a jury of
Judgment affirmed.