The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-01-10
HIS CHARGE TO THE GRAND
JURY POINTS TO CiIAnEE:i-
LAIN AND TIE BOARD OF
STATE CANVASSEES.
The Greenwood Homicide Case to be
Tried on Thursday.
Tho Trial Of the LOwndcSvlile Pris-
oncrs Fixed for Friday.
Lewis Allen gets a Commission to
the Consaree House.
Able Council - The New Solicitor
Performs his Duty with Ability,
md with the Grace Of q Veteran.

The Circuit Court Of Common Pleas
and General Sessions met at this place
ON Monday last at ten O'Clock in the
morning, but owing to the absence
of Jurors, business was suspended
until half past three O'Clock in the at
ternoon. His Honor Judge Thomp-
son II. Cooke presided with more
than his usual dignity and delivered
his able charge to the Grand Jury in a
clear and unimpassioned manner. Col.
Cothran, the new Solicitor, entered
upon the duties Of his new office, with
an air and manner which showed
that he was equally as much at case
on the side of the prosecutor as he has
heretofore shown ability and tact in
behalf of the defence.
AT the suggestion of the Solicitor,
His Honor directed the Clerk of the
Court to read the Commissions OF the
Solicitor and county officers.
The new Sheriff, MI. j. Y. Jones,
understands his business apparently
as we'll as II he had always been in Of
lice.
Mai. Zeiglcr discharged the duties Of
Clerk with satisfaction to the Judge
and Bar.
The honors OF the Offices seem to
rest gracefully upon each of the new
incumbents.
The Judges Charge to the Grand jury.
Gentlemen of ihc Grand Jury:
Among the various duties OF the Jul
ry In their grand inquest OF the county
is, to visit all the offices in the Court
House and to see that the various Off
ces of the county are faithful
w d%ischarging their respective du-
ties, you should visit each of the Of
1icers and make i true report Of their
condition to the Court.
THE JURY COMMISSIONERS.
I desire particularly to call your at
tention to the Jury Commissioners,
with the hope that you will strictly
inquire into the manner in which
they have been heretofore d~ischarging
their duty. There are three Commits
sioners-the Auditor and Chairman Of
the Board of County Commissioners
are. eX-officio Jury Commissioners and
act with the Commissioner appointed
by the Governor. Sometimes the Ju-
nv Commissioner aSsumes the whole
responsibility. This is not right. as
the others are equally responsible.
The name of II 20 MA should be put on
the list from which Jurors are drawn
unless he is personally known to at
least oRe. of the Jury.Colnmissioners to
be posse&ed of the necessary q%ualiti-
cations, of sound judgment, Sopd chat
.acter and free from legal exceptions
The law does not require that lie shall
be q white maj or u black man, but a
IMAM of good character and sound
Judgment.
THE JAIL AND THE CARE OF PRIs-
lei
1t is q part Of your duty to visit the
Jail, examine into its condition, and
ascertain whether or not the inmates
are properly fed, clothed and kept
comfortable. In most prisons the use
of fireplace and STOVES has been dis
continued owing to the danger of the
inmates setting fire to tlie building,
but in may other stoves may be put
uD in the halls, by which means the
prisoners may in some degree be pre-
vented from unnecessary suffering
from cold during inclement weather.
The law does not assume to punish q
prisoner awaiting trial in prison.
Aside from humanity it is to Il inter-
est to prevent Il prisoner from becom-
ing sick-for should he be sick the
cost of attending him would be great
or than the expense Of keeping fires.
N Poor HOUSE.
You should also visit the Poor House
of the County, and inform yourselves
rs to the true condition OF the paupers. |
The poor unfnrtunatcs of the County
are then cared for at the public en-
lense, and it is yoHr duty to see that
they are h%urnanely treated, and the
Intention of the law carriec out.
TRIAL JUSTICES.
Especial attention is directed to the
Trial Jestices. 1t is your duty to ell
quire into the n in which they
perform their duties. They often
abuse their power by arresting parties
for trivial offences, and intlict an un-
necessary cort upon the county. They
are required by law to hold a prellmi-
nary examination in every case, they
often neglect to perform, this imnor-
tant duty. The neglect of this duty
on the part of there officials il often
embarrassing to the Solicitor and fire.
quently delays the work Of this court.
by such q course OF neglect the Solic-
itor the solicitor is kept in the dark as
to the mouth of q case, while the de-
feudent may in the meantime employ
the best of council who is fully i'll
formed upon the case.
COUNTY conn ISsIoNERS.
{ Gentlemen Of the Grand jury:
In connecticut with your County
government, the Office Of County
Commissioner is second to none 9TH
.er. Tvese offices are invested with
power to tsx your people, to pass up
on. audit and direct the payment of all
claims against The county. Such
being the case, you must readily dis
10Y how very important 1t is to the
people that the duties and powers of
the County Commissioners be SO per-
formed and exercised as to secure the
interest and welfare of the whole peo-
pie. Their duty does not cease here.
They are charged with the care of the
unfortunate poor Of your county.
They are required to keep your bridg-
'es in good repoit, and your public.
roads in good travelling order: and the
law provides for their punishment for
default in the performance of any du-
ty imposed upon them. You will
therefore, make such investigation
and ihquiay as to the management OF
your county affairs by the Commits
aioners, as will ccure tho best interest
of the people whom you represent.
II LIQUOR LICENSE.
Gentlemen of the Grand Jury, it is
proper that l should direct your alien
ton to the liquor license law of the
State. The tendency of our people to
indulge in the use of Intoxicating liq-
uors Is we'll calculated to cause just
alarm 6those who have the good of
socity at heart, in this respect. The
entire fabric of society is endangered
by this growing evil. The combined
efforts of the temperance reformer,
the Waterman of God upon the walls
of Zion, ahd tina wisdom of our legis-
lature. have most sadly failed so far to
bring any relief to us againt the tri-
umphial march of this great destroyer
of the human family, and, without
designing to reflect upon the legis!a-
ture, l am firmly impressed with the
idea that nothing short of absolute
prohibition of the sale of ]spiritnous
liquors will eve crush the monster i'll
temperance. But whatever may be
the defect in the law Us it stands, it is
nevertheless the duty Of the Courts to
enforce it.
HOW LICENCES ARE TO BE GRANTED.