The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-11-08
DOINGS IN DARLINGTON.
How a Guilty Man was Acquitted-The
Franks Of Governor scott-Sales OF
Lnnd-Condition OF the County.
[FRoM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENCE

DARLINGTON, November L.
On last Friday evening the Court of General
Sessions and Common Pleas for this county,
Judge Rutland presiding, adjourned, after ses-
sion of three weeks, the ordinary session Of two
weeks having been heightened by the prefix OF
an extra session OF one week. The entire session,
with the exception OF two days and half, was
occupied by the sessions court, and yet the Jail
was barely cleared leaving untried the many in
dlctments against parties out on ball.
Perhaps the most startling incident OF the ses-
sions court was the rendering Of verdict OF
"not guilty." by full negro jury, under an in
dictment for grand larceny, la TIE face OF ful,
positive and undsputed evidence OF guilt. Be-
fore the trial was had, the counsel for the de-
fence in open court offered, on the part OF the
accused, to plead guilty, provided the Judge
would assure punishment not greater than that
prescribed for petit larceny. one oi THIS eniignt
ened jury, on being asked TO explain so astonish-
ing verdict, replied that "they could not see any
particular evidence against the accused" By
the audience, generally, the result was ascriDed
to the influence OF most disreputabe appeal TO
the preudices Of race and color, on the part OF
the counsel for the defence.
During the progress of the Court OF Sessions the
fact was developed that the Governor OF the state
had, By letter, ordered one OF the negro nd0iS
t,ateS Of TIE county to release, on bail, certain
parties who had been arrested on charge OF
murder-that the magistrate had obeyed the ille-
gal order and supposing that the Governor knew
the law, had since released other parties charged
with the same offence. or course, Governor
Scott is on one Of the horns OF the following d.
lemma-either lie is ignorant OF the laws oi the
State over which he presides, or regardless OF
those laws takes advantage Of the ignorance OF
one OF his negro appolntees to violate them.
In the little time allowed the Court OF Common
Pleas, much more was done than was expected.
The bar, generally, agreed TO withdraw mere
sham defences, and consequently the Judge went,
tpith great crash, through the sum. pro. and
inquiry dockets, leaving but little behind. The
issue docket and the equity docket, however, are
still like great mountains ahead. when VIII our
dockets be reduced To manageable siZef-is the
anxious question constantly troubling the minds
OF the lawyers and clients OF this county.
In the opinion OF your correspondent, the stay
law, Order No. 10, and the various circumstances
that have, up to this time, contributed 10 Dlock
our courts and render uncertain the CONDITION OF
property, have done more damage to the mate
rial prosperity OF this county than ala t'te iodr.
AS an Illustration and proof there Is the County
of Marlboro, where, for the past two years, by
some fortunate accident the dockets nave oeen
manageable and the course OF justice unimpedeu.
II Is, without dispute, the most prosperous county
of this section OF the State, and lands whlch, IN
this county, are regarded as high at SIX ana
seven dollars per acre. sell there Tor twenty anu
thirty dollars per acre. Our progress must con-
tnue to be slow, 50 long as we are tleu 10 lhe
dead body OF dnte0elltlm debts.
Monday last was sales-day, and an unusually
large and motley crowd filled our public square.
Some 1000 acres OF lanu were SOlu anu u CoHSiu-
erable amount OF personal property. The prices
obtained excited general and pleased surprise,
and testified to a very considerable increase IN
the value Of the property ol the county: ohe
tract OF land sold as high as tsS 50100I eight and
a half dollars per acre. The continued depression
in the price or cotton Affects very injurl0usy the
plans OF every class OF our citizens. The pros
pect OF an early advance in the price, and the
propriety of holding back the crop, until an ad.
vance does take place, were the main subjects OF
the sales-day talk.
Yesterday wednesday, there was sold at Tim.
monsvilc, in this county, a large amount OF real
estate belonging to the estate Of John NJ; : Tim, i'm
mons bankrupt. Over ono hundred lots in the
Town OF Timmonsville were sold and brought as
tonishngy high prices It,is believed that II, TINS ms
thriving Town of Timmonsve. "A few days be-
fore the sale the Rev. John NJ Timmons died ut
his place OF residence ut Tmmonsville. lie was
a Baptist minister, much respected, and Of great
usefulness. He belonged TO q noble band or Old
men, to whose energy and Ghe5aGhsr m IL tmmaiaISY iaSY
fifty years. In proof OF this, it is enough to @ say
that ne was the founder OF the prosperous little
Town OF TimmOnsve. h''