The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1885-11-25
THE EDGEFIELD LYNCHING.
Proceedings In the Court OF ScEsions-The
Trial Postponed, and the Prisoners Ad-
nlitted to Bail.

Trial Postponed, and the Prisoners Ad-
mitted to Bail.
AS already stated, the grand jury Of
EdycticId found true bill'' against
all the parties charged with the killing
of Culbrcath. When the indictment
was read to the prisoners, their coun-
sci intcrposed q motion to Quash it on
different grounds, eighteen in number,
which may be summarized as follows:
l. That the copy of the indictment
furnished them by the clerk OF Court
was not true copy.
,. 4 challenge to the array or panel
Of the grand jury.
g. The objections TO the validity Of
the grand jury because some of the
Jurors were removed and some excused
and others were instituted in their
places.
l. y motion to quash the indictment
because of defects in certain Of the
counts.
The State, through the Attorney
General, answered these objections,
denying that any one Of them was
tenablc in law.
The argument of the questions in
volved in the defendants motion COM
menced before Judge Hudson on
Thursday morning.
An hour was spent in technical
skirmish over points involving the
order in which argument should be
heard. The defence then proceeded to
open the case, Major Gary delivering
the opening argument III their behalf.
He delivered splendid legal argu-
ment, absolutely free from anything
like sensational appeals, but confined
entirely to the legal grounds upon
which the plea Of the defendants was
based He was followed by Attorney
General Miles, who likewise addressed
himself wholly to the discussion of the
legal questions involved in the case.
Mr.. Mics took occasion, however, in
passing, to make public acknowledge
ment Of his Indebtedness to the coun-
sci associated with him, Mcssrs. Bon
ham & Bonham, and Gary & Evans,
for the valuable aid which they had
extended to him in the preparation Of
the case.
General NJ. c. Butler closed the ar
gunent for the defence in a very
strong speech. Where human life, he
said, was concerned, it would not do
10 come into Court aud say that the
solemn injunction Of the law should be
trifled with. Before man can be put
on trial for his life every provision,
every injunction Of the law, must be
strictly and scrupulously complied
with The State could suffer no
detriment by having the law strictly
enforced. The citizen could suffer no
detriment and would, besides, have no
excuse for taking the law in his own
hands.
Judge Hudson then delivered his de-
cision orally, sustaining the State in
every particular and overruling all the
points made by the defendants, after
which the Court adjourned for dinner,
the defendants giving notice of ex-
ceptions to the ruling of the Court.
The defence next moved to quash
the panel of petit jurors, alleging vari-
Gus irregularities, and argument was
heard. Shortly afterwards, this mo-
ton to quash was abandoned. The
defendants counsel then moved that
the trial of the case be postponed till
the next term of Court, on the ground
of the absence Of a number Of their
witnesses and the expected absence of
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Sheppard, one
Of the counsel, and Senator Talbert,
one of The defendants. Attorney
General Miles said he considered that
the motion was addressed entirely to
the discretion of the Court. The State,
he added, was ready for trial.
After hearing the views of all the
counsel, Judge Hudson granted the
motion and continued the case.
a motion was then made to admit
all the defendants to bail, and the de-
PENDANTS counsel spoke at some length
on this. The encouragement said
that it was simply his duty, as the
officer of the State, to call the atten
ton of the Court to the Law on the
subject. The States attorneys, he
said, were glad that the responsibility
was on the shoulders of the Court.
They made no active resistance to
the motion, as they did not feel it to |
be in tine line of their duty.
Judge Hudson said that he regarded |
the circumstances Of this case as some
what extraordinary and peculiar, and |
without expressing al opinion as to
the weight of evidence in the case he
would admit all the defendants to bail |
in the sum Of $4,000 each.
Poor Fellows.
Frustrated, debilitated, enfeeblcd,
they feel as if thny were hardly worth |