The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1890-06-04
COURT.

The Judges charge to the grand
jury was very long, and con-
tanned some good things. He
complimented the county on its
progress, and said that in considera-
ton of this progress it was a shame
the county possessed no better court
room. He compared the court room
to pig pen, and said that the furni-
ture was entirely too shabby for such
a prosperous county. He defined to
them the nature of the oath they had
taken and the necessity of the proper
performance of their duties. The
unit rule of petit iuries was discuss
ed, he advocating the verdict to be by
majority. He also desired to see a
change in the holding of court. The
civil court should first be held, and
one week given to it; then the court
of general sessions could be called and
another week if necessary given to
the trying of criminal cases. His
charge occupied fully an hour.
Several bills were then given to the
grand jury. The Solicitor stated in
reference to the bill charging Thos.
II. Harllee and Lawrence Bisset with
murder, that petition had been
handed him, which he read to the
court, but that be could not take the
responsibility of making any motion
for a mol. pross. in the case, as the
crime charged was too serious. The
petition was as follows:
PNEwooD, S. c., May 9, 1890.
To J1ao. S. WilSor, Esq, Solicitor 3rl Judicial
Cnc,I:
We, the undersigned respectfully request
that in case the grand jury OF Clarendon
county, S. c., render q true bill against
Thomas r. Harllee, conductor, and ELaw-
renee Bissett, engineer, upon the Indictment
based upon charges growing out OF the KILL
ING of Mrs. Rebecca E. Childers by the cars
under their charge on the night of April II,
1890, you Will mol pros the case against said
parties for the following reasons, VIZ:
/. We are satisfied that said parties did
not intend to do any injury to deceased.
9. The Railroad Company has promptly
repaired the damages SO far as 1t can be
done, by making satisfactory settlements for
the injuries done.
8. So far as known to Us it is not now the
wishes Of the community in which the oc-
currsnce took place to have these parties
prosecuted. Respectfully. [Signed hyl
J.D. Childers, Nelson Griffin, D. F. Lide,
foreman of the jury, and all the other
members of the jury.
Mr.. Childers was the husband Of
the deceased lady, and Mr.. Griffin
was the father of the little boy who
lost his leg. 1t will be remembered,
also, that these cases were compro-
missed some time ago by the railroad
paying all expenses and $4,000 to Mr..
Childers, and $4,000 to Mr.. Griffin.
The grand jury in a short time found
no bill, which ended the case against
Messrs. Harllee and Bisset.
The first case tried was that OF
Dick Meyers charged with burglary
and larceny. Meyers having no at
torney to represent him was allowed
to defend himself. The testimony
showed that Meyers broke into the
house of Cornelius Ward and stole
therefrom some clothing and money.
Meyers undertook. to cross examine
the prosecuting witness, but his lues-
tons only brought ont such answers
as would fix his guilt, so his Honor
warned him of his danger and he
stopped. The solicitor declined max
ing an argument. Meyers, however,
finished up his role of lawyer, and
made a speech in substance as fol-
lows: s:Well, gentlemen of the jury, I
am the prisoner at the bar, accused OF
this crime. I am not guilty, and I
think I have been punished enough
already by being in jail. I will leave
this case entirely to the honor OF the
jury, and ask your mercy, hoping you
will clear me-" The case then went
to the jury, who in few minutes
brought in verdict of guilty. The
court Immediately sentenced him to
the penitentiary at hard labor for five
years.
The next case tried was against
Richard Harvin, charged with rob-
berry and larceny. He was defended
by Jos. F. Rhame, Esq. The jury
rendered q verdict of not guilty.
Frank Meyers charged with forgery,
as stated in the TINES last week, was
found guilty and sentenced to one
year in the penitentiary. He had no
lawyer to defend him.
Brutus Pearson, black, and Eliza
Jefords, white, were next tried.
They were charged with living in
adultery, and found guilty, ard SEN
fenced, Pearson to one year and Eliza
Jefcrds to eight months hard labor in
the penitentiary. No one defended
them.
The last case was against Pedro
Meyers, charged with assault and
battery of high and aggravated na-
ture. He was found guilty and sen
fenced to six months in the peniten-
tiary.
The Judge in sentencing Brutus
Pearson and Eliza Jetfords, spoke OF
the disgusting scene Of q white woman
and a dirty black negro thus disgrac-
ing the community in which they liv-
ed, and after the sentence was passed,
asked the sheriff to take them from
bis presence as soon as possible.