Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-01-14

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States soldiers no resistance to United States
officers, neither civil nor military, and there
would be none, as he believed. But he
thought they would fight Kellogg's militia,
his police and constables, and all the forces
he could raise, if permitted to do so 6y the
military forces Of the government. he de'
clined to express his individual opinion as to
the character of Kelloggs government. ne
knew the people themselves to be oppressed
and were greatly dissatisfied with his govern
ment. But he declined to say that ne be.
lieved it to be the wisest policy to sustaln that
government, or indeed to express any opinion
as to the policy which has been pursued by
the government toward louisiana
Correspondence of the Yorkville Enquirer.
LETTER FROM CHESTER.
CHESTER, January II, 1875.
The January term of the Court Of Common
Pleas and General Sessions for this county
began Oh Monday last. The juries were Or
ganized by the appointment Of G. A. brennan
as foreman of the grand jury, George Keenan,
foreman of petit jury No. l, and Alexander
Pendigrass, colored, foreman Of petit, No. 2.
Judge T.J. Mackey delivered a very good and
sensible chargeto the grand jury. He poured
out full measure of condemnation upon
the public school system, as practiced in this
county, during the past year. In referring to
the ignorance and incompetency of the retir-
ing school trustees, he said he had been in
formed that they were in the habit of going
through their school districts, taking the num-
Der of the children attending the public
schools, on tally sticks AS an illustration Of
the improper use of the public funds by the
school trustees, Judge Mackey stated that of
the $4,000 appropriated for public school pur-
poses for Chester county, $4,000 was spent in
the single township Of Chester. The Judge
also paid his respects, in uucomplimentary
terms, to the late trial justices of the county.
Their disposition to fill their pockets at the
expense of the public was enlarged upon; but
bis Honor inspired the dropping spirits of
his hearers with hope, by the declaration that
the days of plundering were past and gone,
and that in the future the public affairs of the
county and State would be administered with
honesty and economy. Your correspondent
proposes to keep the readers of the ENQUIRER
we'll informed, at least in regard to the
affairs of this county, so that at the close of
the present year they will be able to form
their own opinions respecting the dependence
to be placed in Radical promises. If any
rascaities are perpetrated by public officials,
they will, without fear or favor, be exposed to
the Hight of day.
In his charge, Judge Mackey referred
to the removal of Solicitor Brawley to
Charleston, and instructed the grand jury to >
investigate the matter and find out if the cir
cult is at the present time without Solicitor.
If such be the case, so to report, and, further.
more, to ask the Legislature to make imme-
diate provision for the election of another So
lcitor for the sixth judicial circuit. have
been informed that Mr.. S. J. Couch, prac.
ttioner at this bar, and one of our members
of the Legislature, is an aspirant for the posi-
tion.
Judge Mackey, i'll closing his charge to
the grand jury, alluded to the determination
of the ne administration to effect thorough
and complete reform in the management of
public affairs. Let US all hope that this soul
cheering promise will meet with an abun-
dant realization.
The hour for the sale of property by the
Sheriff having arrived, the Judge adjourned
the Court until three o'clock in the afternoon.
The Court reassembled at the appointed
hour, when the case of the State Us. Edward
Vandiver, colored, for stealing a COW, was
called, and the trial proceeded with. The
jury found the defendant guilty.
The Court met at the usual hour, Tuesday
morning, and proceeded to the trial of the case
of the State u.s. Mary Dale, charged with an
assault and battery upon Mary Fair, both COL
ored. Though the case was an insignificant
one, yet the entire morning was spent in the
trial and decision of the same Mr. S. J.
Couch succeeded in securing verdict of &C.
9uittal for the defendant.
The Judge charged the grand jury in the
afternoon upon the necessity Of repeating
the fence law. He showed the expense and
folly of fencing in whole plantation to
avoid the deprelations of stray cattle. Ac-
cording to the Judges calculation, eighteen
dollars is required to fence in an acre of land,
when the rails have to be bought-counting
230 rails for side, at 50 per hundred. The
jury were instructed to recommend, in their
report, the enactment by the Legislature of
stock law. After the delivery of his second
charge to the grand jury by the presiding
Judge, an unimportant assault and battery
case was tried, of which I will not further
mention. The time of the Court was con-
sumed Wednesday morning in the trial Of the
case of the State Us John McNeal and Betty
Dennis both colored, charged with an assault
and battery upon Samuel McKeown, white.
The State was represented by Mr.. j. j.
Hemphill, acting Solicitor, and the defen-
dants by General w. A. Walker. The State
established the fact of the taking by John
McNeal of a gun, by violence, from the hands
ofSamuel McKeown but the counsel for de-
fepdapt established, or endeavored to estah.
lish, that this was done by reason of self.de'
Tense. The jury, as it was composed Of both
elements, after deiberating for some time
upon the case, failed to agree upon verdict.
Wednesday afternoon the Court was engaged
in the trial of the case of the State Us. Cynthia
Walter, colored, charged with larceny. The
offense consisted in stealing under.garments