The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-11-13
COURT in KlNGSTREE.
An Important Session-Fonr Murder
CaSeS--TIc New Court House.
1Nc,cs uul Gr@licr.l

WltherSpoon presiding, ana Sollcltoi
Wilson and Stenographer Parrott IN
attendance The criminal docket was
full, and after a weeks work there
are yet several cases to be tried.
The renewed court house asready.
The building is prettier than before
as regards structure, but many OBJ
iect to the color which is red AS the
building now stands I believe it will
compare with any court house in the
State for simple and stately beauty.
The architect, Mr.. John X. Gourdin,
is we'll known In this section of the
State, and the contractor is Mr. G. W.
Brown, of Hillsboro, n. G. To the
interior of the edifce, both the offices
in the lower story and the court room
and other rooms IN the upper, there
is no objection. All are nicely finished
and well designed.
Of the court room the walls are OF
finest plastering and the ceiling over
head is plain yellow pine, corrugated,
with oil finish. In the centre is an
elegant piece of ornamental work,
from which hangs the chandelier. The
lumber used was all manufactured and
dressed at Alderman's steam saw and
planning mill, on the Central Railroad.
The seats are made of cypress, simply
dressed, without paint or varnish.
The timber from which they are made
was cut from Black River swamp, and
converted into boards and dressed at
the Black river steam mills, at this
place. Owing to some little differ
ences between them, the architect re-
fused to receive the work when the
contractor was ready to deliver it, tue
objections applying mainly to the fin
ishing touches. But the county COM
missioners, deeming the objections
trivial, decided to accept the work.
It is the general opinion that Mr..
Brown has given the county good
| job, and the cost is only about 5000.
So many object to the red outside,
that he proposes, it is said, to return,
if desired to DO SO, and paint it an
other color, without additional charge.
Fourteen cases were tried last week,
four of which were upon Indictment
for murder. The minor cases resulted
as follows:
Daniel Parsons, larceny Olive stock,
one year in penitentiary.
Ben McCrea, HOUSEKEEPING and
larceny, one year.
Harvey Albert, assault with intent
to kill aud carrying concealed weapons,
six months.
Joe Whitfield, Jr., carrying conceal
ed weapons, four months.
Lawrence Burgess, attempt to COM
NIT rape, three years.
Lavina Burney and Rachel Brown,
larceny from field, four months.
John Brown, housebreaking and
larceny, eighteen m2nths.
Mack AlcClam, hog stealing, not
guilty.
Louis Ladson, ceny, plead guilty,
not yet sentenced.
Palvey Ard, obtaining goods under
false pretences not guilty.
All were colored except the last.
The first murder case tried was that
against William Gray, Jr., young
white man accused of completely III
the killing of an old colored woman
near Lake City two years ago. John
A. Kelly defended the prisoner. The
Jury returned a verdict of not guilty.
The testimony showed that Gray was
present at the killing, but not that he
aided or abetted.
The greatest interest centred about
the trial of Dr. Christopher G. Lock
hart for the murder OF William P.
Griffin. Capt. John A. Kelley appear
ed for the defence, assisted by Mr.. E.
G. Chandler The principal witness
for the State was Henry d. Gardner,
now of Georgia, in whose Louise, at
Trio, where he then lived. the shoot
ing of Griffin took place on the night
of July 10, 1883. Gardner testified
in substance that on the night of the
shooting Lockhart came to the house
drunk; that he and Griffin occupied
the same room; that on that night
Griffin went into another room and
retired. Lockhart kept calling to him
to get up and come out. At last
Griffin himself came out of his bed
room, where he had already prepared
for bed, to stop Lockhart from ours
ing, which he was doing at lively
rate. Griffin went to Lockhart's
door, whereupon the latter, without
delay OF parley, fired the fatal shot.
Lockhart left the place and was
never seen there again. Lockhart
said that he and Griffin had been there
during the day making out some ac-
counts, and they with several women
in the house had been all day drink
ing "bitters," and that during the day
they had some words about some
things he had lost That night he
went into lis room to retire, and Grif-
fin not being there, he called him, then
went out for water, struck his leg
against a bench in the passage, and
damned it. Whereupon Gardner
came out and ordered him to leave
the house and threatened to put him
out next day. Griffin had meantime
dressed himself and come out, and
then rushed upon him with knife
and cut at him.
The case was opened for the de-
fence by Mr.. Chandler, WHO was fol-
lowed by Capt. Kelly in a long and
very able argument. Solicitor Viii