The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-04-22
THE Ia URENSrILLE PRISONERS.
Proceedings Before tn. Commissioners,
1Frr,n the Columbia pneaix:l

lFrrn the Columbia ph@ni41
The following defendants from Laurens
County were brought up on Saturday on q
charge of conspiracy and murder, to wit: DR..
Thomas Mccoy, John A. Leland, Alexander
Mccoy and Dr.. William E. Black.
In the case of DR.. Thomas Mccoy, the defen.
dsnt was remanded for trial at the present
term of the Circuit Court.
In the case of John A. Leland, objection
having been made as to the competency OF
one of the Witnesses on the part OF the United
States, on account OF an alleged conviction Tor
an Infamous offence, the commissioner decided
that the record should be produced, but that
an opportunity would be allowed the counsel
for the defendant to produce the same, If they
withdrew their objection. The counsel Tor
defendant then argued at length that no Or
ganIzed conspiracy had been proven, and also
that no murder had been connected with the
defendant; inasmuch az 1t was q moral lmpes-
sibilIty for the defendant to have killed either
William Fleming or William Griffin, who were
found dead In the streets, from the localities
they we're said to have respectively occupied,
and that, therefore, If conspiracy had been
proven, the defendant was entitled to ball.
Mr.. Dunbar, for the United States, Insisted
on his motion, that the defendant be remand
ed for trial, and argued that a commissioner
had no discretion In the matter, where snth-
Client testimony to sustain the original afida-
Wits had been produced; and furthermore, that
a conspiracy had ben sufficiently shown by the
testimony, and that murder had been proven
10 the present case, and connected with the
defendant.
The commissioner decided that 1t was not
his duty to examine into Intricate points as to
the law Of conspiracy; that conspiracy under
the meaning Of the sixth section of the act OF
May 81, 1870, enforcement act,l mad been
sufficiently proven by the assembling OF q
band of armed men, their declarations and
their acts on that occasion, that he was no
Judge of the credlbilliy of witnesses, unless
the same was conflicting; that as to the charge
OF murder, 1t was sufficiently proven here, as
1t was shown, that murder was committed by
the baud of armed men, with which defendant
Is said to have acted, and that 1t was not ne
cessary to show that he himself fred q fatal
shot.
The defendant was accordingly remanded
for trial at the present term.
The cases of Alexander McCarley and DR..
William E. Black were also heard, several Wit
nesses examined, and the defendants remand.
ed for trial at the present term.
By consent of counsel, the remaining cases
were continued until Friday, 26ih instant, at
lv A. NJ, aud the recognizances of those on
bail were continued until that time.
Lieutenat Miller, with q few men OF his COM
mand, are In Laurensville, but they are deVot-
ing their attentions entirely to their private
affairs. No fresh arrests have been made.
Messrs. B. s. Jones and b. w. Anderson,
from Laurens County. charged with violation
of the enforcement act, were brought before
the commissioner on Friday, and bailed each
In the sum Of three thousand dollars