Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1872-03-14
THE ADVER TISER!
Terms, SO, 90 per Annum.
8. Pgogresssofthe Court. z
Last week we.gaYSss the progress OF ::
lrt mp to Tuesday afternoon.


store, and the evidence against him w
as clear as spring water, Neverthele
the jury, composed entirely Of nsgroe
pronounced him not guilty. Judge Me
ton seemed to be Mortified and indignal
at such verdict, and, to use commc
phrase, raked the twelve colored gentl
men with unmistakable asperity. An
well he might; for If this sort =" thing
to become the rule, it will soon be S!ia.
for black and white for white, race stant
ing up to race, without any reference
law or justice. Inthis case Mr.. Brawle.
Of Chester gacted .as Solicitor for th
State, enhancing much the favorable in
preston of him which our people ha
already conceived. For the. defence, al
peared. two young lawyers just maxim
their de6ut-Messrs r. G. Bonham an
J.D. Talbert. They managedit decided
ly well, and we predict for them a usefr
and honorable career at the bar.
On Thursdaysofternoon the Grand Jt
~; after making theirpresentment, wer
discharged. From this presontnnent W
publish the following extracts furnishe
us by A. Ramsay, Esq, Clerk of tn
TO Hls Honor s. W. Melton, Pr,esayS
Judge: >.,I. :t,i'e
The Grand Jury ef Edgefeld Cointy'
to whom was referred the special aatl ef
of ineuiring as to whether the county
Commissioners for >Edgefeld County
have published the annual stsement OF
receipts and disbursementsof puohc
monies passing through Highlands, and
of. other matters pertaining to the dis
chargeof their offcfar dyses;T beg leave
respectfully to, presensT that they find
upon investigations tat the Board OF
County COMMISSIONERS for said County
have published no statement of their
account in the. ounty paper of this
County, or othervse, as far as they can
ascertain since TIE 7th dayof July A.'D,
1870, and that ve'clefksof's said Board has
published onY partial statement on the
5th day of ofAHsps1s71.H 81
Thev tbsrctore recommend that the
Solicitor oe instructed by the Court. to
prepare md have served said Board,
and tb. clerk thereof a Rule to show
causeAt the next term of shis Gourt, why
an Indictment should not be preferred
against them for malfeasance in Office,
and derelictionin the discharge of their
public duties.
They further recommend that the said
Board he ruled to show cause at the next
term of the Court why bill of ,indict..
ment should not be preferred against
them for neglecting so grossly the public
Roads, Bridges and Ferries Of the Copp-i
ty.
The Grand Jury ask leave for further
time within which to enquire into the
several matters pertaining to the proper
discharge of. their duties. and invite the
cooperation Of all good citizens in COR
recting the many evils with which our
County is afflicted. SA}t,5<(A 49,.
JOSEPH EDWARDS, Foreman.
1t is due to Solicitor Brawloy to say
and ourpeople should feel undera weight
of obligation to him-that his persistent
enquiry into the reported shortcomings
Of our County Commissioners, was the
cause of this presentment of the Grand
Jury. And on Saturday the Solicitor did !
actually issue Rule to show cause, &C.,
in accordance with the recommendation
of the Grand Jury.
Before finally dismissing the Grand
Jury, Judge Melton took OCCASION to adj
dress them in speech of considerable
length. He reviewed the. conduct Of the
neg,o ,oes since the. emanci patton, and,
while not blaming them for the past,
gave them much good advice and warn
ing as regards their future course. He
also animadverted upon the general con
duct of County officers under the new
regime, .attributing theft shortcomings
more to the defects Of tie present law
(which does not provide for sufficient su-
pervision) than TO individual want of in
tegrity. Such officers were likewise well
advised and warned by his Honor. Judge
aIelton's address to the Grand Jury was
unmistakably Republican, but at the
same time, able, fearless, and unmiStaka
bly, conscientious.
Thursd:ry:and Friday were devoted to
the case of the State vs.. Barney BaGen-
tine. for the murder Of Grant, Boozy.
both eolored.' The cause~ Of difficulty
was the alleged illicit intimacy Of Booty
with Ballentine's WIFE,, Solicitor Braw-
ley and LEROY #. Youlhans, Esq, ap-
pcsred for the prosecution; Messrs w:
T. Gory and,R4G. Bonham for the de-
fence. The verdict of the Jury was
Manslaaghter, to the; establishment of
many, Nlo were Of opinions from the
evidence siduced, the Sskiflful manage !
ment and cry able argument of Col.
Youmans a8 tthe Solicitor,r and the |
clear and poined eharge'of The presiding I
Judge, at'the. verdict would be Muir
der. This was . important case, and
excited eonsideral-e e interest throu ughout
the trial. The de,nce mainly relied
upon was therumore adulterous inter
course of the deceased with the wife of |
the defendant, andcefta, circumstances
of self dcfeGcc, a1f .neces ,rily based in
Ygreatzaeasure upon circiustansi;a ev-
idence difficult to connect. Uhe counsel;
for the prosecution, in the l,suage of
Judge Melton, aud in the opium of the
..,sll-bound audience, did their whole
duty" Our young friend Richa. Bon
ham, for the prisoner, made hifrst
speech in eusc of murder, spoke 'th
ease and self-possession. and BY hishla |
" creditahle argument won the applaus
of all. Maj. Gary, ons Of the first cfimi-
nal lawyers at our Bar, closed for the de,
fence. and surpassed amy iorlner effort o'
his in lcgalknowlcdge, graceful delivery
and touching eloquencc- And ths Coaf
in this case paid meriied coi'piiiiici
when he said that the defence was con
Quoted with grca. perti;;acity' "h''fiit:
yea, and unusual ability.
On saturday the Court sat hut'a shor
zine, notI,ing.worthy of Mention hci"s
accomplished, Saturday, too, Mr.. bFiE
lev departed, and was succecaed' Il
States Attorney. by Attorney Genera
Chamberlain.
The case of the State w Yinslow Ham
l,tf