Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1881-05-27
Circuit Conrt.

OHSulS SOut.
This tribunal is still in session.
Judge Magruder lett on Friday last, and
since then Judges Ford and Chew have
been on the Bench. On Friday attach
ments tor contempt were issued against
three witnesses summoned to testify be-
fore the Court. and upon their appearance
they were discharged without fine. In
the case of State VS.. J. s. Ammon, the de-
tendant was admitted to bail.
On Saturday the Court being informed
of the sickness of William Boswell, Esq,
the Foreman of the Grand Jury, appointed
Geo. NJ. Lloyd, Esq, temporary Foreman.
The criminal docket was then proceeded
with and the case of State VS.. John E
Proctor, colored, indicted for stealing a
hog was taken up Submitted to the
Court. Verdict of not guilty. Mathews
for stare, E,lelen for defence. The case OF
John Sedwick, the administrator of Jas.
B. Latimer VS. the County Commissioners.
was next tried. Submitted to the Court.
Judgment for plainaiff tor $57,l2 Po-
sey Tor plaintiff. brent for defense. On
Monday, Robt. I. Lacey, appointed
Bailiff of this Cour in the place of John
d. Coyell, deceased, appeared and took
the oath. The criminal docket was to-
day resumed, and the case of State vs.
VIM. A Robey, indicted for adultery was
taken up. A jury was impane'ed in this
case. The State fai ed to prove the mar
riage of the accused, and verdict of not
guilty was rendered. Mathews tor State,
Edelen for defense. State VS.. VIM. A Ro-
hey and Mary Williams indicted for lewd
cohabitation. BY the Court. Not guilty
confessed by the State.
The next ca taken up was that of the
State vs.. Aaron Jackson, COL, indicted for
the killing of Enock Catcher, col, on Dec.
16, 1880. This case was submitted to the
Court. The killing in this case took place
at the cabin of jackson and was reported
in our local columns at tie time. The on
ly eye witnesses to the killing were three
children under IL years of age, two of
them sisters of the accused, and one the
brother of The deceased. The testimony
was very contradictory. James Catcher,
the little brother of the deceased, who was
the chi ef witness for the State, ties flied
that quarrel was in progress at the ca
bin of jackson between the accused and
IL, Ill
ed to shoot the deceased. This was disre-
garded by the deceased who stated that he
did not fear gun that was not loaded
Whereupon jackson exclaimed that he
would show wheh her it was loaded or not
and deliberately raised the gun and dis
charged the contents into the head of the
deceased The two little girls, sisters of
the accused, the principal witnesses for
the defense, testified that the gun was sit
ting up against he wall near the door, and
the accused while engaged in playing
with the witnesses accidentally touched
abe gun and it fell down and was discharg-
ed and killed Catcher. This was he the
DRY relied upon by tn defense. In rebut-
tai it was testified by an older sister of the
deceased thai when these little girls,
The witnesses for defense first met her on
the day of the killing they told her that
their brother had shot CATCHER in the head
aud killed him. The coroner, A. I. Mon
roe. and several Of the cornner's jury ties
81 n, If RI, .nl,
This .se was continued and concluded
on TUESDAY, and held undef adyisemcn'
Ay the Court Jno II. Mitchell and vii
aner for defense.
On Wednesday the case of he State VS..
WV. Padgett, indicted for permitting
intoxicai ing liquors to be trunk on his
premises, was taken mp. This was one OF
the indictments found by the Grand Jury
under the instructions ofJu1se Magruder-
Twen'y-une dealers in all were indie ed,
and nineteen of them united in the defense
of this case as a test case. Dem urrer was
filed to the indictmen', and upon ar.u-
ment the demurrer was sustained. There
appears to be no authority given by the
law bearing upon this question to find an
indictment for this offense. The law
merely provides that the Circuit Court, or
in its vaca ions, the Orphans Court may,
upon information duly made, suppress the
license of parties thus offending; but TO
provision whatever is made for any other
punishment. Much Of the time of he
Grand Jury was taken up in investigating
these cases, and the county was run to a
large expense in summening witnesses.-
The case was defended by Messrs. Edelen
Stone and Posey, States Attorney Mat
thews appearing for the s ale.
State vs.. Walter Swami, road
supervisor, indicted for neglect of
duty WAS next taken up and sub
mitted to the Court. The defendant was
acquitted. Matthews for State, Posey for
defense.
= On Thursday the case of State VS.. A. Q.
Tompkins, indicted for ass ault upon his
mother, was tried by jury and found
guilty. The Court sen cnced him to the
county Jail for four months Matthews
for State, Posey for defense.
The Court to day rendened s verdict
in the homicide case of Aaron Jackson
finding him not guilty, and he was dis
charged. The petit jury was to-day dis
charged. Nass Hanson, CO ored, indicted
for hog stealing was admitted to bail in
The sum of $25. His honor Judge Chew
left for home by the neonday train to-
day.
Report Of the Grand Jury.
To- tho r;rcnit Cnnrf of Charles