The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1886-06-25
COURT PR0CEEDINas.
The Jury Declare Thompson not Guilty
REBUKE FROM JUDGE WALTERS.

| The jury in the case of Geo. J. b. Thompson.
indicted for the larceny of harness belonging to
Mr.. Alexander Preston, of the second district,
remained out all Thursday night of last week.
! Soon after themeeting of court, on Friday morn
ing, they sent word to the judge that they were
unable to agree and asked to be discharged. Be-
ing brought into court, Judge Waters first ask
ed them II 1t was the unanimous opinion of the
| jury that they could not agree upon verdict,
and being answered in the affirmative, the judge
said to the jury that he differed from them en-
tirely in that opinion that he was very sure
they not only could but would agree before they
were discharged. He reminded them that each
one had taken an oath, in substance to find a
true verdict according to the evidence, and
that he did not intend to release them from that
duty until they found such a verdict; that in
many cases he could sympathize with jury in
their difficulty in reaching true verdict but in
this case he felt no such sympathy, and was sure
If each member of the jury would be controlled
solely by his oath, there would be no difficulty.
He then dismissed them to their room, with the
admonition that they should resume their DELHI
erations with the distinct understanding that
| they would not be discharged until they should
reach what they might determine to be the true
verdict, according to the evidence. After be-
| ing absent about half an hour, the jury announc-
| ed that they had agreed, and being brought into
| court delivered their verdict of Not Guilty.
After the verdict was recorded by the Clerk,
Judge Waters turned to the jury and said:
Gentlemen of the Jury, this is the first time
have ever felt the slightest disposition to avoid
the share of responsibility which attaches to the
court for the verdict of jury. But In this case
tinctly and expressly, that your verdict is the
| most extraordinary one have ever KNOWN
How you arrived at such verdict have no
means of knowing, and will not surmise. Ifyou
can reconcile your verdict with your consciences
1 have nothing further to, do with 1t. You are
now discharged from further service and are en-
titled to your certificates
1t is understood that the first vote taken
showed that they stood seven for acquittal and
| FIVE for conviction. Successive votes were talk
en- during the night, with the same result
Finally the five surrendered and aided in bring
| ing in a verdict of acquittal. The action
| of the jury has caused considerable comment.
Thompson was previously convicted upon the
charge of stealing Mr.. John A. Ewing's harness,
for which the severest penalty that can be i'm
posed is eighteen months in the penitentiary.
| On Friday the case of Levi Pennington VS..
Geo. Ivan Bibber executor of Thomas Sutton,
was begun. The plaintiff sued the estate to re-
cover a balance of $4,000, alleged to he due him
for board lodging and attention given to the de-
ceased from February, 1870, to December, 1884,
which period included his last illness. BY his
will Mr.. Sutton left $1,000 to Mrs, Penning-
ton, his niece, the remainder to go to St. Agnes g
Hospital and st. Mary's Industrial School. As
resduary legatees these institutions contested
Mr.. Pennington's claim and employed Messrs.
Charles J. Bonaparte, of Baltimore, and Thos. H.
Robinson, of Bel Air, to represent them. Messrs.
Henry w. Archer and VIM. H. Harlan appeared
for the plaintiff
The case was given to the jury on Tuesday,
who rendered verdict for ST. in favor of the
plaintiff.
| =
| Closing Exercises of Rel Air Graded