The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1869-09-23
THE JOURNAL.
Camden, September %, 1850
THE COURT.

Friday morning last, after lengthy
and arduous sitting. The case of the
State us. Lewis Phillips, for murder,
was taken up on Monday morning of
last week; the testimony occupied Mon
day, Tuesday and Wednesday morning;
the arguments were commenced on
Wednesday afternoon, and consumed
the greater part of Thursday. After
TIE charge of the judge, the jury re-
fired, and after an absence of fifteen
minutes, returned with verdict of Not
Guilty.
AS the case possessed considerable
Interest to large portion of our citizens
who were unable to attend Court, full
report of the trial would doubtless be
gratifying to them; but that would ex-
ceed our limits, and we can only glance
at the most important part of the evi-
dence.
The testimony on the part Of the State
went to show that shortly after Sher-
mans raid, John N. Sowell, the father
of the deceased went to the defendants
house and demanded bacon that he had
lost; that defendant denied having his
bacon; that shortly after, deceased, his
brother and Minor Clyburn went to de
fendant's house, demanded bacon again,
and after his denial of having any ba-
con of theirs, beat him numerically.
That after doing this they left, and
when they had gone a short distance,
were shot at by some one unknown.
That in Octomber, 1867, deceased and
defendant were at Mt. Pisgah Church,
in this district, that deceased followed
up the defendant and kicked stick
which he held in his hand, that the de-
fendant raised the stick, deceased had
his knife drawn aud opened it on his
thigh, ard as defendant struck, he
commenced to cut; defendants brother
knocked the knife out of deceased's
hand, who went off, got pole as large
as the calf of a mans leg, returned and
struck defendant with it. Deceased
was taken off, and defendant. in faint
ing condition, was carried to the church.
At this point, there was great deal Of
conflicting testimony, some witnesses
saying that defendant said, "Wis is
fuice .you haze beaten me aOithom pro-
yocation-I am an old man, you can
kill me but you cannot scare MI" while
others have it, "This is t,csce you hare
beaten me this ,ray, and IvW Kill you
get, JIHae." The deceased said IT
kiUkM him yet," to which his father
replied, "I told you not to do it,"
Some evidence was then introduced
to show threats made by the defendant
AGAINST deceased, which were exclusive
, ly known by one family, one of whom
was proven by eight or nine Aituesses to
be unworthy of belief; the others were
the means of ascertaining and settling
the relative merits of tweedledum and
tweedleiee," according to one of the
counsel for the defence.
The defence proved a clear aHJi,
which, when proved, is regarded as the
strongest possible defence, and the de-
fendaut was accordingly acquitted.
The State was represented by Mr..
Solicitor Tally, and the prisoner was
defended by Messrs. Kershaw & Ker-
shaw and VIM. NJ. Shannon.
On Friday morning sentence was
passed upon the following convicts:
Henderson Bird, assault and battery,
to pay fine of twenty-five dollars anG
costs.
Berry Laney, larceny, two months
imprisoumeutin in the caunty Jail.
The civil docket was taken up, and
hes occupied the entire attention of the
Court. We understand that is proable
that the equity docket will not be soun-
ded, and that Court will adjourn to-
day.
ANOTHER PRIZE OFFERED-Col D.