Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1872-07-25
THE CIRCUIT COURT.

Our report Of the proceedings of the Circuit
Court last week embraced the business which
had been despatched up to the time Of the
adjournment of the Court en-. Tuesday after
noon. On Wednesday morning the sessions
business before the Court was resumed.
In the cases of NJ. McGary and Charles
Stewart, soldiers, and John and William Viii.
liams, citizens charged with riot and,tumult,
the jury, after trial, rendered a verdict Of
mot guilty."aoG ia. "@ @aa "a" .. ~"
Lawrence Withers, white, and Andrew
Bridges, colored, were convicted of burglary
and larceny. Withers was sentenced to five
years imprisonment in the penitentiary, and
Bridges to three years. ..-.
John Grier, colored, was convicted of biga-
my and sentenced to five years imprisonment
in the penitentiary at hard labor.
Joseph Wright, colored, was convicted of
larceny and sentenced to two years imprison-
ment in the penitentiary.
James H. Barry, who was convicted at a
previous term of the Court of assault and
battery on Hon. A. S. Wallace, was sentenced
to six months imprisonment, or to pay fine
of one hundred dollars. The fine was paid,
whereupon Barry was discharged from custo-
dy. This is the notorious milk affair, which
attracted so much attention last summer.
A number of cases of debt were submitted
to the jury, but in every instance, with one
exception, they declined to "scale" the debts,
and gave verdicts for the full amounts claim
ed. The exception referred to was case in
which the parties concerned desired the debt
to be reduced by the jury. ~"
The Court adjourned Oh Saturday afternoon
until the first Monday of November next,
when Judge Mackey will preside. Previous
to adjournment the following preamble and
resolutions were adopted by the Bar:
At meeting of the undersigned, members of
the Yorkville Bar, held July 20, 1872, W: Claw
son, ESQ.,, was called to the chair, and w. B. Will
iams ESQ.,, was requested to act as secretary. 1!i
1t being announced that the close of the present
term of the Circuit Court would terminate the
official duties of the Hon. William M. Thomas,
Judge ofthe Sixth Judicial Circuit, on motion, the
following resolutions were unanimously adopted:
WHEREAS, The official term of the Hon. VIM.
NJ. Thomas, Judge of the Sixth Judicial Circuit,
is about drawing to close, we the members ofthe
Yorkville Bar, feeling desirous Of offering some
tribute in commemoration ofthe kindly relations
that have subsisted between the Bench and the
Bar, during the official term of Judge VIM. NJ.
Thomas, be it Resolved
/. That we shall ever cherish with the kindest
recollections the marked courtesy, urbanity and
patience of Judge Thomas in his official labors at
this Bar in the discharge of its onerous duties.
2. That in parting from him, we desire to place
ord
and to extend to him our heartfelt wishes for his
future welfare and prosperity.
3. That copy of this preamble and resolutions
be furnished to Judge Thomas, and that the Clerk
of this Court be requested to enter the same upon
the minutes.
W. I. CLAwsoN, J. 8. R. THOMSON,
w. B. WILSON, w. B. WILLIAMS,
JAMES F. HART, T. J. BELL.
Judge Thomas responded to the resolutions
as follows:
GENTLEMEN OF THE YoRKv1LLE BAR: thank
you for the kind feelings which animate your res
olutions. Four years ago came among you
comparative stranger, junior to the most ofyou
in the legal profession, and ofa different political
party; vet have never known anything but the
utmost courtesy, good feeling, and that respect
which is due the Bench, characterising our inter-
course. 1t has been so pleasant that now leave
you with regret
While this is 80, my administration of justice
here has encountered series of simoons which
made shipwreck of my career. First came the
ku-klux, against whom our Courts were impo-
tent. You will all bear me out that did my
duty as judge and as citizen in my private
intercourse to suppress these troubles and bring
the guilty parties to trial. But the imbecility of
the State government, to whom your sheriff and
applied for aid rendered all my efforts unavailing.
In this emergency, the United States troops ar
rived upon the stage of action, and looked for
ward to their assistance in maintaining the su-
premacy of the law. But was sadly disappoint-
ed. Under Misrepresentation that there had
been outrages committed in the county since the
return of the Congressional Investigating Com
mittee to Washington, the writ of ha6eas corpus
the military rode down the law, made war upon
peaceable and defenceless people, and turned
this Temple of Justice into a farce.
endeavored to prevent these outrages by TAX
ing the position that the military was auxiliary
to the civil authority and that the troubles which
nizable in the State Courts. For this, the same
military at the succeeding session Of the Legisla
ture, by very improper interference with Its
members, made me the first martyr to q principle
which conscientiously held, and which now
rises in the North as polar-star for the emanci-
patton of the white men of our State.
If, then, in after days, In recalling to your
minds those scenes in which we have been con-
nected you can associate your recollections Of me
in aught with that angelic spirit which is now
pervading the land, tapping upon every northern
heart, and pleading for justice, peace, reconcia-
joy, and my retirement result In greater victory:
Gentlemen, each one Of you has my klndest
regards. bid you Goodbye.
n6 The New York Sun says that Mr.. A. T.
Stewart few days ago sent his check for
$4,000 to the Chairman of the Democratic