Daily Republican., 1889-02-07
YESTERDAYS COURT.
BUSINESS TRANSACTED AT
THE AFTERNOON SESSION..
Edward Farley Acquitted Other Cases
Disposed Of End of the Criminal
Business Report Of the
Grand Jury.

IS
commenced the argument for the State
TO the jury In tho case of the State Va.
Edward Farley, Indicted fJr ass Ault and
| highway robbery. He closed at 3.GOI
| O'Clock by asking the court 10 charge the
Jury that In cases OF this kind, where ihe
| crime Is clearly proven, evidence OF
good character Is TO have but little effect.
He vas followed by Mr.. Holcomb, who
| made an earnest argument 10 the Jury
| for the defense. He spoke abcut forty
minutes, after which Attorney General
BlRgs made the closing argument for the
State.
MIR, Blggs closed at 4.2O o'clock, when
the Jury were chake3 by the Chlef JUS
| tce and retired at 40 O'Clock. They
| did not return until after O'Clock
last evening, when they returned YER
dict OF not guilty, and the pr .oner sas
| discharged.
George w. Peterson, who Plead guilty
to the larc ny ni an unbr.ll4, the prop
| erty OF Bernard Wolison, was sentenced
to pay the costs o prosecut on, 81 restitu-
tiOn money, be Imprisoned three moaths,
and on Saturday be whipped with live
1 lashes.
James B. Groom, colored, Pleaded
guilty To AN Indictment charging him
| with u G larceny of "a pair Ct shoes and
|
cutiou, 30 eeut, festitut on money, be
impris on hree mot tbs aud be whipped
| with five la hes.
George Davis pleaded guilty TO the lar
ceny OF b rse blaI ke', the property OF
| Walton " Whann, and was sontcn ed TO
pay the costs OF prosecution, s. restttu-
tiOn money, be imprlgoued three months,
| and receive five lashrs.
Daniel Miller AID Jonathan Harris,
| both colored, plead guilty 10 an inilct-
ment charging them WITH breaking iuto a
ttore ia Red Lion Hundred, aud were
| tentcncId to pay the coats OF prosecution,
tne OF 300, lie Imprisoned onu year,
| and ON Saturday stand one hour In the
pil.ory, aud be whipped with twenty
lashes each,
A nolle proc. was entered IN the case of
Christian Sestefhenn, charged with as
sault and battery, the cosls of the case
being paid by the parties.
| A nolle pros, was also entered In the
case OF William Wilson, colOred, indicted
for carrying u concealed deadly weapon,
us he has already been convicted and
sentsnced for sssault
The tial OF Taylor E. Cooley, indicted
for involuntary manslau2h 2hter, was set for
| Monday, 18th inst.
As this about finished the criminal
business the Court took TIE occasion to
compliment Attorney General Bigps and
Deputy Attorney General Davis for the
very expeditions tnanuer In which,
through their efforts, 1t had been trans.
acted.
| GRAND JuRr's REPORT.
The Grand Jury presented the follow
IDS report, which was read by the clerk,
afier which they were discharged from
further attendance:
The grand inaue.t OF New Castle
Co lnty begs leave to report that It has
had submitted to 1t during the year IIS
bills oil indictment, of which l30 have
been returned as true aud lB Ignored.
OF the true bills returned, three have
been ior capital. Offences, a large number
for assaults with pistols and other deadly
weapons with intent to kill; so numef-
ously have srch indictments been pre-
sented 10 US that 1t seems amazing that
more murders have not occurred from
such causes.
10 order to discourage as mach as pos
| sib!e the recurrence OF such crimes, we
think the most severe penalty allowed by
law, II imposed, woald not be excessive.
| The remaining indictments are mainly
Tor gambling, carrying concealed deadly
weapons and petty larceny cases
| We reiteIate the hope 80 often ex,
pressed In reports OF other grand jures
that more simple and less expensive
method may soon be adopted for the set
tlement OF so many trivial cases as have
| come before us, In one case the whole
machinery Of the court was employed to
settle the guilt and punish the criminal
or stealing can OF tomato 8. the value
of which did not exceed 10 cents.
During November last The grand Jury
visited the jail, almahouse and insane
| "a Ia olo
good condition. The prisoners were well
fed and otherwise provided for. Several
suggestions were made by the sheriff and
warden, which will doubtlrss be Inyesli.
gated and attended to by the levy court
and officers directly In charge.
The enforced idleness of the prisoners
there, we think, seriously impairs their
health and will make them less useful as
citizens when their terms of sentence
shall have expired. We hope some EN-.
pioyment may bs given them, frcm
sanitary II no other standpoint.
The condition OF the aImshonse and
insane asylum was found very satisfac-
tory; the inmates are well fed, comfort |
ably clothed and contented. The periect
condit on in which the buildings were |
found reflects great credit upon the |
management of the superintendent and |
those who assist hin.
The only suggestions we think neces
saTy In reference to our court house Is
that n II hit be placed at the landing of
the rear ttairway OF the private entrance
to the court room ;the darkness now there,
We think, renders 1t dangerous; and also,
we lind the cells where prisoners awaiting
trial are conliGed In filthy condition,
not being provided with suitable bedding
nor proper conyeniences for bodily clean
| Illness
The grand Jury thanks the court, the
attorney, his deputy and clerk of the
court +, advice and courtsey.
HENRY A. NowLAND, Foreman.