Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-04-06
Correspondence of the Yorkville Enqu
LETTER FROM CHESTER d
CHESTER, April 3, 1871

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LETTER FROM CHESTER.
CHESTER, April 3, 1875.
The Court continued in session last week.
As stated in my last correspondence, Mon
day and the morning session of Tuesday were
devoted to the transaction of civil business.
On Tuesday afternoon, the case Of the, State
vs J. M. Brawley, County Auditor, charged
with dealing in teachers pay certificates, came
up for trial. The State was unable to make
out case against the defendant, and the jury
found verdict accordingly. @. . n. Rags
dale and London Gilmore, upon whom the
State depended to prove the charge alleged in
the Indictment swore to the purchase By Mr..
J. L. Harris of the school certificates alleged
to have been purchased by the defendant.
These witnesses also testified that Mr.. BrawF
ley not only did not buy, but emphaticaily re-
fused to purchase the certificates, for, the rea-
son that it would be in violation of law for
him to do so. Mr.. ]. L. Harris, cashier of
the National Bank of Chester, testified that
the school certificates alleged to have been
bought by defendant, were bought by himself
(Mr. Harris,) and that he (Mr. Brawley) was
in no ma ,ner, shape or form, connected with
the purchase, directly or indirectly. The pre-:
siding Judge directed the jury to render yer:
filled f to prove the quit Il tie defendant, b6t
that he (the defendant) had proved his entire
innocence of the charge preferred against him.
Mr.. Brawley has come out Of the case with
flying colors, and it gives me pleasure to re-
port this fact to the readers of the ENQUIRER.
j. j. Hemphill, Esq, defended him with
ability. ...1'E@ ~. =
The Court met at the usual hour on Wednes-i
day morning, when the trial of the case Of the
State U.s. Wade Rosborough, Robert McC Crorey,
William Caldwell, colored, and David Corder,
white, charged with grand larceny, began,
and continued throughout the greater portion
of the day. The crime charged against these
defendants was stealing eight bales Of cotton
from Mr. William Caldwell in the month Of
January, 1875, bringing them to our town and
selling them to one of our merchants Solic..
itor A. M. Mackey appeared for the State, as
sisted by J. j. Hemp phil, ESQ. Messrs. Pat
terson & CASTOR. and Gen. W. A. Walker
were the counsel for the defendants Willis
Caldwell, colored, made full confession of
all the facts and circumstances attending the
stealing and sale of the cotton in question,
and thus became the prominent witness Tor
the State. His story, substantially, was that
Corder, the white man, planned the stealing,
and the negroes carried out the plan. The
cotton, according to his testimony, was taken
from two houses on Mr.. Caldwells place SIX
bales from one house and two from the other.
He stated that Corder was present at the time.
of the stealing of the cotton, and gave the
necessary directions; that the cotton was con-.
veyed in wagon belonging to McCrorey to
place rented by McCrorey, and there kept
concealed in house for several days that at
the end of the time, when it was thought the
cotton could be sold with safety, it was
brought to Chester and sold to MI. r. M.
Cross that the money for the entire eight
bales was paid over to McCrorey, who on the
same day, in the vicinity Of the depot at this
place, gave the money to Ben. Corder, father
of David Corder, and that he (Ben. Corder)
made general divide few days afterward
at Blackstock, with the participants in the
grand steal. The counsel for the defendants
set their wits at work to overcome the effect
of this testimony, and succeeded splendidly.
They displayed their professional skill in CON
fusing and confounding Willis Caldwell, to
such an extent that his statements, before he
had finished the rigid cross examination, to
which he was subjected, were Of conflicting
character Moreover, another fact that ten
ded to vitiate his testimony was the possession
of an infamous character, which gave the op-
posing lawyers an opportunity Of dwelling
upon the injustice and folly of attaching any
credence to his story. However, though he
was known to be member Of gang Of cot
ton thieves; and while it was evident that
harmony was not marked characteristic of
his evidence, still the general impression was
that he told the truth in stating that the de-
fendants, with himself, were the parties who
stole Mr.. Caldwell's cotton. The verdict Of
the iury was in favor of the defendants.
The Court met on Thursday morning, but
remained in session only a short time, as there
were no cases ready for trial.
The Court reassembled on Friday morn
ing, but, after brief session, adjourned until
8 O'clock in the afternoon. The presiding
Judge stated that at that hour the trial Of the
case of the State %. F: B. Lloyd, School Conn
missioner, charged with purchasing teachers
pay certificates, would begin. He also stated
that the cause would be heard before Col. sF.
w. McMaster, Of Columbia /; and that, in
consequence Of the relationship existing be-
tween the Solicitor and the accused, the pros
ecution would be conducted by T.. @. Castor,
Esq. Mr. CASTOR, after this announcement,
stated that inasmuch as he had been retained
as one Of the counsel for the defence in the
case Of the State ss. B. g. Yocon, and as
this defendant would be a witness in the case
of the State us. F. B. Lloyd, he preferred not
accepting the position assigned him by the
Court. After statement by the presiding
judge of his reasons for the appointment, Mr..
Castor consented To assist in prosecuting the
case against F. B. Floyd, at the same time re-
questing that G. s. Brice, ESQ.,, be appointed