Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1873-05-29
Dort q obacro dimes
PORT TOBACCO:
Thursday Morning, May ..e-.....<29, 1878.
The Circuit Court.

Since our last issue, the Circuit Court
has been busily engaged in disposing of
the business brought to its attention. AL
though no cases involving large amounts
of money, or title to real estate, have been
called for adjudication this term, never
theless the Court has been constantly oc-
cupied, sometimes until nine p M. An
equity case from Prince Georges, in the
matter of objections filed to the ratifca-
tion of the sale of certain lots of ground at
Huntington, was set down for hearing at
this term of our Court. The argument was
commenced on Wednesday evening before
his Honor Judge Magruder, and was not
terminated until Thursday afternoon. The
argument in this case was continued before
Judge Magruder, on Thursday, in the Of
flee of the Register of Wills, while the
regular routine business of the term was
being disposed of by Judges Brent and
Ford, in the Court House. The parties to
the cause were respectively represented by
Hon. Daniel Clarke, of Prince Georges
and the Messrs. Darlington & Darlington,
OF Washington. The Grand Jury have re-
turned quite number of true bills in the
cases Investigated by them, but they relat-
ed almost exclusively to minor offenses-
Notwithstanding the exceedingly wet
weather, during the first week of Court, and
the very busy season to farmers, the attend
ance at Court has been good. More than
the usual number of strangers were present,
and this, of course, indicates the great con-
venience of the railroad to those who may
desire to attend our Court from abroad.
On Monday, when the Grand Jury ask
ed to be discharged, the Foreman submit
ted to the Court the following interesting
paper:
GRAND JURY Room,
---'ey-r, May Term, 1873.
To the Honorable, the JUDGES ofhe :-
Circuit Court of Charles County:
The Grand Jury for the present term of the
Circuit Court for the county, in asking to be
discharged, and wishing to vindicate themselves
from any suspicion of neglect of duty in not
dispatching promptly the business brought be-
fore them, which might be with apparent JUS
tice entertained in view of the small number of
indictments found and the length of time taken
to investigate the few violations of law which
have come to their knowledge, and desiring to
facilitate the business of future Grand Juries,
and thereby lessen expense in the administra-
ton of criminal justice, beg leave respectfully
to submit the following statement:
During the first four days of the term very
few of the large number of witnesses, for whom
summonses had been issued, appeared before
the Jury. In a number of cases. we have reason
to believe, because the summonses were not
promptly served, causing delay in the transac-
ton of business which might otherwise have
been easily and quickly disposed Of ."
Again; parties having complaints to make
or violations of law to report, consulting their
own convenience rather than the public good
failed to come before the Jury until towards the
last of the week, necessitatng the summoning
of witnesses, some of them living long distances
from the county seat thereby postponing busi-
ness which might have been easily transacted
during the first three days of the term
These are evils which should be remeded
since they generally occur from neglect of duty,
or indifference to the good of the State.
The fact has been brought to the knowledge
of the Jury that large number of persons are
engaged in catching oysters in the waters of the
Patuxent contiguous to Charles county, not
s Ii.
nearly all, of the oysters taken are carried away
from the county, and large number from the
State. The Jury are induced to present the
facts to the Court, believing that the rights of
our citizens are being constantly infringed, and,
if possible, some means should be taken to cor
rect the abuse.
In, conclusion, we are pleased to be able to
congratulate the community upon the few vio-
htions OF Law which we have been called upon
to notice.
HUGH MITCHELL, Foreman.
TKe Jurors through their Foreasda
The repIevin case of Wills Executrix
Us. Digges, occupied the attention of the
Court for two days, resulting in verdict
favorable to the plaintiff. The case, we.
believe, goes on exceptions, to the Court
of Appeals.
The case of Stone, Trustee, o. the bond
of the late Sheriff, w. E. Dement,, resulted,
ON Tuesday, IN verdict for defendant, al
aer an interesting trial. =
On Tuesday last Philip Hawkins, a col
ored boy seventeen years of age, was tried
and convicted of larceny, and directed to
be sent to the colored boys House of
Reformation and Instruction, by Judge
Brent, for four years. fT
In the case of Timothy Dean, an alleged
Hanatic and panper, the jury failed to find
the allegations true as to the pauperism of
the party. This they were under the law
obliged to do, but they have made writ
ten recommendation to the County Com
missioners to provide for the unfortunate
youth at the county expense From all
we can learn, of the facts, the case is a very
hard one and appeals strongly to the coun-
ty charity.
James Wills, eolored, was sentenced to
confinement in the Jail for five months for
the larceny Of hog, the property of Mr..
3. A. Gardiner. SEQ 80.
The case Of Thomas Ward, indicted for
an assault with intent to kill was tried
yesterday. He was found guilty Of as.
sault, but not of intent to kill 90. go.
The Petit Jury were discharged ,yester-g
day. f GIRO Oil .5..,.fa~ # &
Judge Brent1e for Baltimore yesterday
morning and Judge Ford remains to close
up the business of the term, which is cx-
pected to end today. ~. Fl - 81
s.fH II --------->s 49, 80
Among the strangers present ia Port