The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1874-05-20
OUR COURT.

-. -. n. w. LAWSON, P. M.
OUR COURT. &"
The regular May Term of our Coul
was opened here on Monday last, hi
Honor, Judge Cooke, presiding, wit
the following Grand and Petit Juries: :
a GRAND JURY. ...g
sisS w. D. Mars, Foreman; VIM. Pope
VIM. Richey, Jas. l.. Clinkscales, r. NJ
Christian, Alfred Titus, Elijah Whit
lock-. Charles MeCaslan, Alfred Mat
thews, d. R. Morrah, Pierce Hamilton
George Scott, J.. w. Perrin, r. A. Nc
Caslan,' Sam Taggart, Abner Williams
Ed Henderson. a.,. 49,.
PETIT JURY no. 1.
J G Edwards, A Furguson, Wash
ington Foster, George Hawthorn, Henry
Harper, Henry Heard, James a Jones
Wm Lomax, G S Merriwether, Henry
Mark, John Mitchell, Luther Moragne
1 PETIT JURY NO. 2.
R w Anderson, Henry Mays, S I
Martin, G S. Cromer, Alfred Cunning,
ham, John Chiles, A ] Cochran, Wyatt
Cosby, e Carlisle, Fortune Calhoun,
Charles DonnelIy, W.T. Ellis.
sUPERNU81ERARIES.
Al Mckee, Jno w Moseley, Caswell
Stewart, John Scott, f w Watson, Geo
Wilson.
His Honor, after defining certain Of
fences of murder, arson, grand larceny,
&C., which were embraced in pending
bills of Indictment, charged the Grand
Jury upon various matters of general
interest which he deemed worthy of
their attention. His charge at the be-
ginning of the year upon the general
scope Of their duties, he said, had been
so minute, that he wsuld only call their
attention now to some subjects which
had arisen since. He adverted first to
the change in the license law, and after
ascertaining from. the Clerk that no
petitions for license had been filed, ac-
cording to the provisions of the new
law, which require these applications to
be made before the first or second term
of the Court, he complimented the coun-
ty upon the fact that by lapse of time no
licenses could now be obtained outside
of corporate towns, cities and villages.
As to these, the provisions of the old
law still applied, and a petition with
the recommendation Of six good men
was still necessary to be submitted to
the Grand Jary, and if approved, then
the license to be granted, upon the pro-
duction of the receipt for the license tax.
AS to existing licenses, it was the duty
of the Grand Jury to see that the proper
bonds had been filed, and that the pro-
visions of the law otherwise had been
complied with-that licenses had been
granted for no term less than twelve
months, nor for less than fifty dollars.
His Honor referred in terms of COM
nendation to the provisions Of the new
law which made it an indictable offence
to sell liquor to one Of intemperate hab-
its, and also to. q husband, after notice
not to sell from the wife, and he called
upon the Grand Jury to lend their aid
to the women of the county, in enfor-
cling the law against all offenders. An
other matter which His Honor brought
to the attention of the Grand Jury, was
the proper management of the De La
Howe Fund-a noble charity which had
been established near one hundred
years ago for the education of the indi-
gent poor of the County, and which
under its past management had proved
q very great blessing. The donation
had originally been made in trust to the
State Agricultural Society, by them
turned over to the Legislature, and by
that body managed through the aid of
the Abbeville delegation. His Honor
paid high and we'll merited tribute to
the old Board of Trustees, and to the fl
nancial abilityof Col. Thomson, the for
mer treasurer, through whose efforts the
fund had been preserved intact. through
all the disasters of the past: and stated
that very grave apprehensions existed
Us to the competency of the present
Board, and called upon the present
Grand Jury to make it the subject of
enquiry, and to decide without regard
to any outside pressure.
Another matter of grave import His
Honor brought to the attention of the
Grand Jury-an allegation of embezzle-
,nent made by State official against
Henry Ellison, a member of the Able
vile delegation, and sub-commisioner
for the sale of public lands to the colored
people, who was charged with having
received, without having paid out, the
purchase money of these lands. If the
charge be true, let presentment be made
by the Jury, and let the people remem'
ber at the next election to choose honest
men to office. His Honor instructed
the Jury that if necessary he would
grant them authority to send for persons
and papers, and called upon them to
perform their duty faithfully. Upou
their faithful discharge of duty, the
: prosperity of the country largely de-
pended. He concluded by making ia
vorabIe mention Of the colored members
in this particular. .s.".
h His Honor for the purpose of carry
ing put the provisions Of the Assess
ment Act. making it the duty of the