Daily Republican., 1880-11-18
OUR COUNTY COURT.
The Term Of General sessions and
Jail Delivery Closes Yesterday
-EwO TRIVIAL civil Cases-A Col.
ored Orator In His Own Behalf.

| cred Orator ln HIS own BomhlHs
Specially reported for tho Rspublisan.
New CASTLE, Nov. l7--Aftsr the re-
port published in the lGIe edition OF
oday's REPUBLICAN, closed the Grand
Jury came in and were discharged
from further attendance at this
term. They presented numter OF
true bills, which Swe led the number
found during tie term, to ffty.two.
Only two ossey have tesn ignored.
The witnesses in all tbs liquor case
together with those summoned in sew.
eral other cases and al the collectors
Of taxes, were discharged from farther
attendancs at this term.
Margaret Good win, coloIed, girl WAS
arraigned for the larceny Of dress,
and underskirt, the two garments val
ned at $44, frcm Miss Mary l.. Weod
ward. She pleaded "aot guilty" and
announced herself ready for trial.
William Gunkl9. a small boy, was
arraignsd for the larceny OF watch
and chain in Wilmington, from
Rachel Chambers on November Sth
He pleaded "not guilty" aud Il. G.
k.q., volunteered TO defend him.
Cartis Ksifmsn, col, pleaded "not
gu lty" when araignei for assault and
battery upon Mile Roy.
Court adjourned until 3 o'clock.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
On the rsas ssmbling Of the Court the
case OF State vs.. William Gunkle was
continued on application Of detenlants
counsel, Mr.. Turner.
State vs. Margaret Goodin, II. r.
Pennington for State II. C. Turner
for defence. This 10 q case Of larceny
Of silk dress and underskirt from Miss
Mary L. Woodward in Wilmington on
November 18th. The prisoner was in
the employ OF the Woodward family al
their residence, No. 82l Jefferson stree
where the larceny took place.
Miss Woodward was iTst called snG
testified to the property being taken
I having bsen in her room a. o'clock ID
the morning when she left home, bal
not there when she returned.
i Lille Thorp, a little girl living al
No. sl9 Jefferson street, adjoining Miss
Woodward's s residence, testified that or
the morning OF the theft she saw the
Goodin girl running down Madison
street with the dress under her arm
The slesve was hanging down aud by
. this she Identified 1t as Miss Wood
wards property.
Mr.. Turner, by cross examination
/ which was slightly more rigid than til,
circumstances really demanded, and
Conducive to more hilarity than Wa
In strict keeping with judicial dignity
drew forth the fact that the girl wal
halfa square away from the witness a
the tins and that at that distance tn,
dress was recognized by the sleev'
which was banging down, and whici
had black lace upon 1t. He asked ques
tion after question OF the witnets OF
this point, and showed himself quit
wall versed in the lore of laces an'
silks, bat the little girl was poSiiiv
and strongly maintained that She re
ccgnlzsd the dress.
Mrs. Woodward testified that tn,
girl had been engaged two days be
fore the robbery. On TIE day in cues
ton she sent the girl to the front doc
and . few minutes aftsrward hear
SONS oIs coming down stairs, and theI
the front door open AID close. Know
ing that the prisoner had no busines
upstairs sue went up t. her daughter
room aud found the dress missing.
| 1t seems that the police were at ono
put on Aargsret's track, for she W.
soon arrested and in the city hall, SO
cordipg to the testimony Of SOrgean
Whelsn, who was the next witness
confessed that she had left the propert.
at negro's house on the Newport pix Q
and there 1t was found In trunk. Tn
case was submitted without argumen
and the jury rendered . verdict @
guilty without leav ng the box.
She was senteno d to pay. costa, $44
restitution money, and be imprisoned
months.
State VS.. Curtis HOFFMAN, colored
Turner for State, prisoner not rep,esca
ted. This was case of aggravated as
sau and battery which was cOmAi:tec
on NJ lie Roy, a oolored woman. iii
ST.. Georges Hundred, on the Delawsr
City Railroad track one Sunday abou
a month ago. The prisoner was thicl
headed old fellow, with wool just iurn
ing gray, and the prosecuting witness
was a small, dried up specimen Of sn
cient African womanhood. She tolC
how HOFFMAN had come up behind he
and after speaking his her with clu'
which broke her jaw. In proof of thi
she showed large lump on the side o
her face, and declared that 1t took he
an hour to eat her meals.
Mr.. Edwin c. Reybold testified tt
seeing the injured woman at distance
after the assault. The State then closed
and HOFFMAN was told 10 speak In hii
own behalf.
Advancing slowly to in front Of the
Jury box, the old fellow put his hands
behind him and told about the affair.
Some of his expressions were homely,
and his language was not the most
elegant when be got excited, but when
he concluded he had made quite an
Impression upon the jury. Graphic ct
ltimes and sometimes humorous, his ad-
dress was very influencing, and, though
when he commenced to speak the jury
we're ready to give verdict Of guilty
at once, when he concluded he had
created such doubt that they had TO
retire. They fsturned with verdict
of guilty" and q recommendation OF
mercy to the Court. He was sentenced
to ine of $50 and one months im-
prisonment.
This was the last criminal case on the
docket, and at BIS the jury were dis
charged until Monday morning at 10
o,olncJ and Court aaiouruAd until that