The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1871-07-06
From the AJbeuile Press and Banner.
The Recent Robbery of the County Treasury

The great case of the Term, and the pro-
tracted investigation of which has occupied 50
many days, was that of the State vs. L: L..
Guffin. i. =. Guffin, w. c. Gufin and Albert
Hamblin, for the we'll known robbery upon
the County Treasury on the night of the Both
of last March. The case was entered upon, on
Thursday last, and occupied the remainder OF
the week, in bringing out the testimony ior the
prosecution and defence. An idea OF the
amount of this testimony may be formed from
the fact that the Judges notes cover iitty,hye
closely written pages. Monday. and one-hali
Of Tuesday of the present week was devoted to
the argument, which occupied nearly twelve
hours. His Honor gave greater latitude to the
argument. he said, because so little of the time
of the Court had been consumed in taking ex-
ception to the testimony. During the argu-
ment the Court was densely packed, manifes-
ting the general interest which had been excl
ted. and for the first time in our observation,
the fair sex honored the temple of justice with
their involuntary attendance, whilst Its priests
were ministering at the altar. The attention
and interest which were maintained through
out the argument afforded the highest testimony
which could be given to the ability ana zeal
with which the case was argued by the legai
gentlemen engaged. The opening argument
for the State was made by Col. Coth[an, wno
was followed by Col. Thomson and Judge
Hoge for the defence-Gen: McGowan replIed
for the State Mr.. Burt followed for the De-
fence, and the argument was closed by the DO
licitor, Mr.. Perry, for the State: AS the lnves-
tigation had been most thorough and searchlng,
the argument was elaborate and cogent, and
the Judge closed with eSclear and dispassionate
review Of the law as applicable to the facts OF
the case.
The testimony for the prosecution was en-
tirelv circumstantial, and was remarkable tor
the number of circumstances relied upon. line
most prominent of these were-that enquiry
had been made of the Treasurer by one OF
more of the Defendants few days before the
robbery, when he was going to Columbia =
that application had been made to Messrs;
Seal, Sign & Robinson for putty-that files had
been procured by the Defendants the
KEYS of the Treasury had been twice borrowed
during the week of the robberry-that light
on the same night had been seen in the Fro
bate office-that small piece of iron suitable
for making q key had been missed from black
smith shop-that q vice at one of the Defendants
residence had been brought into requisltlo,n
&c, &C., and also great stress was laid upon tne
fact that neither the files scissors nor wee were
produced.
The Defence admitted tnat tne PutEy nav
been asked for, but stated that it was to DC
used for glazing-that files had been procured
but that they we're used, the smaller for cutting
the riyet of pair of scissors, and the othsIs II,
for sharpening the same and some saws, wh,en hcl,
borrowed, but only for few moments during
the absence of the Probate clerk who carried
the keys of the ofiee-that the light alleged
to be seen was produced by the rays Of lamp p
kept burning in neighboring building, which
were reflected from the door of the Probate
ofice-that the vice in question was out of re-
pair, &C., and as to some of the Defendants
offered testimony to prove an aliJi. In. the ar,
gument they denied that any robbery had been
Committed, but boldly charged that the Coun-
ty Treasurer had distracted his own funds.
The case was committed to a jury of SIX
whites and six colored with MIR. james A. Nor
wood as foreman, at little before two o'clock,
and after an absence of several hours they re-
turned with verdict of "not guilty"
So ended the great case.