The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1872-03-06
OUR COURT.

his accustomed dispatch, yet owing to
the fact that the Court of Sessions occu-
pied the larger portion of the past week,
twill be impossible to make very great
progress in clearing the Civil Dochets.
His Honor holds the regular Term of
his Court at Walhalla, next week, and
expects to leave here on Thursday. and as
it will be necessary to devote dey or
60 to passing the necessary orders of the
Term, he contemplates dismissing this
Juries on this afternoon or tomorrow
morning.
Thursday morning of the past week
was devoted to passing sentence upon
the prisoners convicted during the Term,
and the sentence in each case was &C
companied with most admirable lee
ture. admonitory and exhortatory, which
whatever may have been its effect upon
the prisoners addressed, could not fail to
convey profitable instruction, and we'll
timed warning to many in the crowd OF
spectators. The following are tho SEN
fences passed:
State vs. Virgil Madden, highway
robbery, five years at hard labor IN the
Penitentiary.
Same ys. Larkin Ware, grand larceny,
one year at hard labor in the Penitentia-
~.
Same vs. Stephen Partlow, grand lar
ceny. The first named twelve months,
and the second ten months at hard Ia
Dor in the Penitentiary.
Same VS.. Andrew Quarles, petit lar
ceny, one week in the County Jail.
Same vs.. Elijah Johnson, assault and
battery, one week in the County jail.
Same vs. Cornelius Coleman, high
way robbery, three year, at hard labor
in the Penitentiary.
Same vs.. John McCord, assault and
battery upon public officer, one year
at hard labor in the Penitentiary.
Same VS.. Calhoun Hamblin, assault
and battery with deadly weapon, five
months in the County Jail, with fine
of $50 and costs; or fine OF five hun
dred dollars in lieu Of it all.
Same vs. Jeptha r. Hambltn, grand
larceny, in stealing cow, one year at
hard labor in the Penitentiary. In this
case the execution of the sentence has
been suspended by motion in arrest OF
Judgment. ....
In passing sentence upon Virgil Mad
den, his Honor edverted with just &C.
verify, to the downward course OF those
.diddlers,'' who threw them
selves into the Idle habits, and dissipa-
ted round of village life, and who in
stead of eating the bread of honest in
dustry, earned by the sweat Of their
brow, seek to live by their wits, aud to
prey upon the hard earning, Of others.
He denounced in no measured terms the
Gin of gambling Us one utterly demora-
lizing, and as preparing its devotee fol
the commission of any crime, however
aggravated. Labor was the law Of OuG
being; with it We acquire property, and
become useful citizens; without it, we
dissipate the patrimony of our fathers
and land ultimately in vice and crime
IAN idle brain is the DEVILS workshop"
and idieness is the prolific source OF the
crime which stalks abroad in the land.
But the transgressor may be sure tina!
'.his sin will find him out.' AS in the
case of Madden, he may escape one or
more times, but this will only embolden
him to go to greater lengths, and to fas-
ten upon himself the proof of guilt and
theinevitable punishment. For five years
past Madden had been "a candidate foi
the Penitentiary," and to this bis course
OF life had inevitably led. When for
1nerly before him, His Honor had sought
he said, to reclaim him by mild punish,
nent, and earnest admonition, but OF
this he no longer entertained any hope
and would now mete out the just Sc
verify Of the law.
In sentencing Stephen Partlow, Lar
kin Ware and others, His Honor pre-
sented in striking point of view the
extreme folly of larceny with its atten-
dant risks, when contrasted, with the
sure fruits and remunerative return Of
honest industry. These prisoners We're
convicted Of stealing q few hundred
pounds of cotton, for which they were
to undergo the penalty of twelve
months..or more imprisonment in the
Penitentiary, with a blasted character !;
When twelve months of bonest toll
I would have given them anhonestsuppor'
and ultimately independence and res
pectability. Truly 1.-THE way OF the
transgressor is hard"
In passing sentence upon John Mc-
Cord and Calhoun Hamblin, convicted
of assaults with deadly weapons, His
Honor commented in terms of just con-
demnation of the practice of carrying
deadly weapons on the person, as COW
ardly in the extreme, and as leading
naturally to the reckless sacrifice OF
human life. In a civilized community,
it was entirely reprehensible, since il
was entirely unnecessary, and put The
life of ones dearest friend often in the
jeopardy of passing fitof passion. Ht
himself in somewhat eveDtful life o.
fifty years, had reason to congratulate
himself, that he had never carried al
Iastol, which On one OF t~o occasions he ]