Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-07-15

of his expeditions gave him as "many pearls
of good size as filled both his hands, Some
traders, as he believed, seduced his Indian
companions and the one who carried his box
of jewels ran away. On arriving at Charles
Town, Courture was imprisoned by the Gov
ernor, butreleased on his paying FIVE hundred
dollars. "The Governor" Courture said,
"endeavored, by threats, to force him to re-
veal the locality where the gold was discover
ed; but not being able to extort from him the
fact, he then imposed upon him heavy fine" !"
So soon as the facts in reference to the
search for gold, under the patronage of the
King of England, was communicated to Cour-
ture, he entered into the scheme with all his
heart. A company of explorers was formed
The names of the party-at least of the lead
ing spirits-were Jean Courture, John Smith,
David Maybank, Solomon Legare and Henry
Netherton. The scheme thus concerted, did
not, on account of two circumstances, succeed.
One Good, who was connected with the party,
was drowned by falling into the Savannah
amongst the rocks, and James Moore dealt
unfair and made false promises.
The peace and comfort of the last days OF
Blake's administration, were disturbed by
Nicholas Trott. The precise time that Trott
came into the colony, we are not able to say.
On the 9Th of February, 1897, the lords pro-
prietors constituted him, during pleasure, At
torney and Advocate General of the province
south of Cape Fear. His instructions are
dated March the 9th, 1893. At the same
time instructions were sent to Joseph Blake,
the Governor, enjoining upon him to give
Trott all countenance and encouragement.
1t would appear that Trott arrived at Charles
Town in the spring of 1893. The history of
Nicholas Trott is intimately connected with
the history of South Carolina during this and
the subsequent twenty years. He was ma
tive of the city of London, and had at one Pc
riod of his life been Governor of the Bahama
Islands. When sent to Charles Town, he
was, by the proprietors, clothed with very ex-
tensive and very great powers. All the laws
proposed by the assembly had to be examined
by him before finally passed. He had au-
thority to take entries of all ships either COM
ing into Charles Town or going out. All le-
gal matters of great importance were under
his control. According to some historians, it
would appear that Nicholas Trott was the first
Chief Justice of the State of South Carolina.
This is an error. Edward Bohun was, by the
proprietors, constituted Chief Justice on the
22nd of May, 1898. Bohun did not live long.
He and Samuel Marshal, the pastor of the
Episcopal Church in Charles Town, together
with many of the provincial officers and one
half of the members of the General Assembly,
we're carried off in the fall of 1898 by yellow
fever. When Trott became Chief Justice it
is not easy to say. 1t is probable that as
soon as Bohun died, Trott was, by the Gov
ernor, appointed to fill his place Provision
was made by the proprietors for filling the
place of Chief Justice Bohun in the event he
should die. 1t is probable that the Attorney
General was made Chief Justice at this time,
and continued up to 1719.
Trott was, beyond all controversy, man
of great learning, no small share Of ambition,
and very little stability. He was on all sides
of the questions of the day, and really on no
side He managed to gain the good esteem
of the populace, and in the fall of 1898 he
was chosen member of the General Assem-
bly,.
During conference of some of the COM
mittees, serious difficulty took place between
Governor Blake and Trott. The Governor,
as he thought, was grossly insulted. The
conference was broken up. The whole affair
was brought before the Assembly, and Trott
managed, by his shrewdness, to have reso'
luton passed by the Assembly, "that any man.
ager appointed by this house have freedom of
speech" The Governor had Trott suspen-
ded from exercising the functions of the Office
of Attorney General, because he had, in sew
eral instances, acted with partiality. This
was a serious state of things. In the midst of
this commotion, Governor Blake died. Trott
did not find it difficult task to persuade the
next Assembly to remove his suspension and
restore him to Office.
(ro pp roNT1NIrED NEyT WEEK