The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-11-10
A FINE POINT.
Examining IA Woman for Truces of Colorcd
Blood.

- AoA Oh COIOrCu
Blood.
State vs. Johu Corwford, colored and
Maggie Dancey, white; unlawiully living
III wedlock. Prosecutor, n. l.. Gibson.
NJ. Solicitor CASTOR for the State. The
defendants were not represented by coun-
sci. Two colored witnesses. of glossy
blackness, we're introduced by the State
who sworc that they witnessed the mar.
ringe ceremony performed between the
defendants by Edward Lindsay, a colored
preacher; that they were married in this
county since cotton picking commenced,
ana that Crawford was recognized IA n
negro, and his wife was white woman.
Alr. Gibson testified that the defendant
Crawford had stated in his presence that
the woman to whom he is married is a
white woman. The defendant, dark mu.
atto, in his own behalf, testified from the
witness stand that he became acquainted
With the girl, Maggie Dancey, st Moores-
ville' n. W, where her family live. That
,hey formed an attachment for each other
but fearing on account of the stringent
laws in North Carolina upon the intermnr-
/ flngc of the races, that they could not be
legally married in that State, they de.
cided to come to South Carolina for that
purpose-hc having been informed that
there was no law in this State prohibiting
their union in wcdlock, and that the
preacher who married them, 80 informed
hIm before proceeding with the ceremony.
He accordingly returned to his home in
ior. county and in week or two ttle 2
girl followed him, and they were married.
While he did not know that he was vic.
lating the law of the State, provided the
girl was white, hc stated further that at
her home her family were regarded as
mixed blooded. He had seen the girl'a
grandmother she was bright muiatto.
The family only associated with colored
people OF their neighborhood attended
the colorcd church, and though to all ap-
pcarancc white, they were regarded as
mixed bloodcd.
inns statement presented the case in O
new light, and in the absence of testimo.
ny corroborative or contradictory of the
statement of defendant Crawford touch
ing the womans intermixture with the
African race, the Court, on suggestions of
he Solicitor called DIR. w. ). Whyto to
give his opinion rs a medical expert. In
company with the Sheriff, DR.. WHITE
and the woman retired to private room.
tho Doctor afterwards testifying that from
the hasty examination that he was ena.
oled TO make, he gave as his opinion that
The woman WAS notof mixed blood His
examination, however, was only cursory.
1t being late in the evening, and as his
opinion was not sufficiently positive to
satisfy the Court, the case was continued
until Tuesday morning, when the doctor
was notified that he would be expected 70
make more minute examination under
more favorable circumstances. Court
then adjourned until 10 O'Clock Tuesday
morning.
On the -convening of the Court,
tuesday morning, the case was resumed.
Dr. Whyte, taking the witness stand, said
lie had made further examination, but
owing to the Imperfect microscope with
which he examined the hair and skin of
the woman, the examination was not
| satisfactory to him; and beside, the mi
croscoplc test could not be we'll applied
to the cuticle without detachng it from
the flesh. While he could make no dis.
co'ery OF foreign or negro blood, and was
unable, on the second examination, to
detect anything leading him to change
the opinion he had previously expressed,
yet, in reply to question by the Court,
he said he could not say positively that
the woman is Of pure white blood.
Tho woman is of small stature, with
fair complexion, faxcn or light auburn
hair and light blue eyes.
The Court charged the jury explicitly
and at great length on the peculiar fca-
lures presented in this case. The impor-
tance Of the law under which the man
and woman are indicted was dwelt upon
and the necessity of its stringen. enforce.
ment, when clear that it has been viola.
ted, made manifest to the jury. But in
this case some doubts having arisen as to
the pure Caucasion blood of the defendant,
Maggie Dancy, he reviewed the testimo-
ny Of DIR. Whyte, who testified as an ex-
pert on this point, and charged the jury
that all doubt in their mind as to the
pure white blood of defendant, Maggie
Dancy, must go in favor of the defendant.
The jury took the case, and in about an
hour returned verdict of guilty
YorkviNe Enquirer.
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