State v. Thomas

The appellant, a'negro 20 years old, was convicted in the circuit court of St. Louis county of forcible. rape, a felony under Sec. 4393. The punishment assessed by the jury was death. The facts are revolting but are candidly set out in the brief of his counsel, who did not enter the case until after the trial below. Appellant did not testify or offer any evidence except.a single record entry showing he was represented at the trial by attorneys appointed by the court.

The State’s evidence was that appellant effected an entrance into the home of the prosecutrix at Wellston after midnight in…