The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1872-02-21
OUR COURT.

OUR COURT.
The regular February Term Of ou
Courtepened here on Monday last, hi
Honor Jndge Orr presiding. Lawson
New Hall which had been fitted up TO
the occasion furnished very comfortabl
accommodations, and with the adjacen
rooms for the use of the Juries, aforde
all the proper appliances Of a Temple Q
Justice. The work has been we'll exc
cuted by Mr.. Leroy Wilson, and the al
rangements within reflect due eredi
upon all concerned.
The Court was organized after the al
rival Of the train on Monday with tn
following Grand and Petit Juries:
GaAND JuRY-Wm. A. Giles. Fore
MAJ AM. Aiken, w. T. Branch, Jas
N. Carwile, Samuel J. Hester, Davi'
McLane, Winston Arnold, Alexande
Bowie, Jack Clinkscales, Hiram Gro
mer, snowden Brown, ir., w. Joe
Smith, Thos.. Darraeott, "A. u, Hill
Chance Clinkscalee, 4. r. Nappors Free
Mcnwain, ]. II. Titus.
PETIT Junk No. LII. D. Bowie
Foreman +. 4. Brownlee, Alexande
Burt, Willis Bacon, Edward Baswell
Alfred Cochran, James Crawford, Thos
NJ. Christian, Richard Enright, Angus
tus Frazier, Louis Goulsby, ALFRED
Graves. 80
PETIT jury, No. 2--James III. Lati
msr, Foreman, ]. w. Huckabee, Jos. w
Huckabee, Jas. w. Irwin, Benjamin
Hughes, Oliver Kennedy, J. B. Kay
Samuel Lomax, II TLycn, VIM. c
Moore, James Robinson, Cit. Roosevelt
The Grand Jury, 1t will be recollected
hold o flee during the remainder OF thu
year, It is a fair representative body o
our District, and with their excellen
foreman, VIM. A. Giles, Esq, at theil
head, may be expected to discharge thei
duties promptly, fearlessly and impair
tially.==Upon the Petit Jury, also, w
gee some of our best citizens, who vii
meet out even-handed justice, withou
"fear, favor or affection"
His Honor, in his charge to the Crane
Jury, alluded TO the great loss which
Abbeyille had sustained in the recen
destruction Of its courthouse. 1t was
loss, he said, to be regretted, not merely
on account Of the expense to which II
subjected our impoverished people, but
on account Of the loss Of valuable papers
which would be q source of constant In
convenience. The extent of the loss he
did not know, and it would be the duty
of the Grand Jury, for the satisfaction Of
our people, to ascertain what records had
been preserved in all Of the public OFF,
ees. The loss of papers In the Auditors
and Treasuler's Offices might be sup
piled from duplicates in Columbia, but
that Of other offices was irrevocable.-
He had heard no allegations of culpa.
bility against any of our public officers
in relation to the matter; ibut it was the
duty of the Grand Jury to make due en-
quiry into the subject. The cost of con-
structing new building would be i'm.
posed upon the County, and represent
ing, as did the Jury, the whole Of oul
people, their suggestions as to its cost
proper location and details Of construc.
ton in the way Of making it fire-proof
would receive consideration from the
proper officers. It was the duty of the
Grand Jury to enquire into the officia
conduct Of all the County functionaries
and to present all malfeasance in office
Prominent. among these officials Were
the County Commissioners, who now ex
ercised the powers which were formerly
vested in separate Boards over the high
ways, the public buildings and the poor
In proportion to their powers so shoule
be the measure of their responsibilities
The last Grand Jury had ignored certain
bills Indictment which had been pre-
sented for failure to construct certain
bridges because of the limited means IL
the lands of the Commissioners. Th'
Jury should enquire into the condition
of theshighways, but at this season it i
not to be expected that much can b
donefn their repair. With regard to tn
management Of the poor, His Homo
made q number Of well-timed sugges
tions, and referred the jury to the yer!
interesting reports made to the Legisla
&ure at each session, showing the com
parative expense of the poor in the sew
eral counties. In some Of the counties
he said, the cost Of each pauper was onl,
one dollar per week, whilst in others
the cost was between three and four dol
lars; as much as charged in their bes
hotels. he referred, in special commen
dation. TO the management In Anderso,
county. The address, as usual, wa
characterized throughout by the practi
cal Judgment And sound wisdom whicl
distinguish all the efforts Of his Homo
in the discharge Of official duty.
In delivering other bills to the Gran'
Jury, he again called their attention
the policy Of making an inventory Q
the books and records which had beel
preserved from the late fire-he urge
them to makeenqairy as to the prope
observance of the law as to tavern AM
retail licenses-the proper disposition o
funds entrusted to publis officers, go.
&c. .rf9;,; g b. G1 s65..}
As there Is q large amount o
criminal business to be disposed Of, an'
from the number of bills given cut t
the Grand Jury the Court Of Session
will likely occupy the entire week. Th
catalogue Of offences comprises burglary