Maycomb Tribune: October 12, 1936
Colored News
Black Man Found Guilty of Rape Yesterday, Tom Robinson was found guilty by the jury after a weeklong trial concerning his rape of Mayella Ewell, a white woman. Tom Robinson was accused by Mayella’s Father, Bob, of rape. He claimed that he was heading back to his house one night when he heard the screams of his daughter. He looked through the window and saw Tom Robinson raping Mayella. Tom was said to have fled the scene immediately. Then, Mr. Ewell allegedly went to find the sheriff.
As we reported earlier in the year, Atticus Finch had been appointed by Judge Taylor to defend Tom. Atticus gladly accepted this role, and tried his hardest to show Tom’s innocence. This caused very much distaste among Maycomb’s citizens. This was frowned upon by most of the white people in town. The Negroes, however, have shown the Finch family an overwhelming amount of gratitude during this trial. Mr. Ewell’s attorney was named Mr. Gilmer.
Tom Robinson had a different story than Bob Ewell, Heck Tate, and Mayella Ewell had testified. According to Tom, he was walking home that day and was passing by the Ewell’s home as usual when Mayella Ewell called him into her house to lift a box down from a dresser. Tom climbed up a chair and Mayella hugged his legs, scaring him so much that he jumped down. He claimed that Mayella Ewell hugged him and wanted him to kiss her. At this point, Mr. Ewell appeared in the window, and directed some distasteful words towards his daughter. Tom Robinson testified that he then fled out of fear.
Though there was considerable evidence that Tom Robinson did not, and in fact would have been incapable of-raping Mayella, he was still found guilty by the jury. He was sentenced to death. However, it seems that this conclusion was not an easy one to come to for the Maycomb Court. They discussed this case for about three and a half hours before returning to the courtroom.This verdict was devastating for many black citizens of Maycomb. Tom Robinson is currently being held in a prison near Maycomb.
Braxton Underwood
Maycomb Tribune: October 13, 1936
Colored News
Obituaries
Tom Robinson Killed
Tom Robinson, 25, of Maycomb County died in the afternoon at Enfield Prison Farm. He was shot 17 times by prison guards while trying to escape during his exercise hour. Being proven guilty in the trial had really taken a toll on Mr. Robinson. He had completely given up hope, though Atticus Finch often reassured him that they still had a fighting chance. The trial was fought long and hard, and in the end, Tom had to take the punishment. Tom was known within his community to be a loving husband and father. Tom’s wife, Helen, and their three children were devastated by the news of his demise. The Negro community of Maycomb will always remember Tom as being a good, honest man.
Braxton Underwood
The articles were published in the Maycomb Tribune when a verdict was reached regarding Tom's case, and after his death. -Scout Finch