The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1896-05-30
pROcEEpINGs OF COURT.
Report of the Grand Jury-The Criminal
Docket.

The grand jury finished its labors on Friday
of last week, and were discharged. The SEES.
sion was the shortest for some years. There
was but one serious case to be examined
attempted rape, and the indictments were moi
as numerous as usual. The grand jury made
the following report:
REPORT OF THE GRAND JURY
''We have been in session eleven days, ex
amined ninety-one witnesses, have found
twenty-five presentments and twenty-one true
bills, and have dismissed fourteen cases thai
were brought before us for investigation. We
have visited the county Jail and found but six
prisoners confined therein. We were greatly
pleased to find the prison hcase in very neat
and Clearly condition. J. Oliver Murray, the
present Sheriff. and his assistants are ADM
rably suited and in every way competent to
discharge the duties of the positions they
occupy, and have our thanks for the kindness
and courtesy shown us.
We deem it unnecessary to make any report
of the Aims House, as that institution is I'M
der the direct care and supervision of the
County Commissioners.
We offer our thanks to the officers of the
Court for their courtesy and valuable assist
ance extended in the discharge of our impor-
tant duties. Also to the present States Attor-
ney, J. Milton Reifsnider, for his help in the
hour of need" DAVID Z. STEM, Foreman.
On Monday the petit jury reassembled, and
the criminal docket was taken up. The fol-
lowing cases have been disposed of:
State VS.. Martha Gore, for selling intoxi-
eating liquor without license; stetted on pay
ment of costs. Reifsnider for state; Thomas
for traverser.
State VS.. Lewis Gore, for selling intoxicat
ing liquor without license; stetted on payment
of costs. Reifsnider for state; Thomas for
traverser.
State VS.. Moses Burkowitch, for selling
goods without license; tried before jury, and
jury failed to agree and were discharged
Reifsnider for state; Reifsnider & Reifsni-
Thursday and verdict of not guilty was rem
dered.
State VS.. William Harris, for obtaining
COW under false pretense; tried before jury;
verdict not guilty. Reifsnider for state; Reif-
Under x Reifsnider and Bond for traverser.
State VS.. Harris Brown, was tried before a
jury and convicted. He was indicted for a
felonious assault on Lizzie NJ. Hepner, the g.
year-old daughter of Asa Hepner, of Sykes
vile. The indictment contained four counts,
on the most serious of which Brown was ac-
quilted, but he was found guilty of the attempt
to commit the assault. The principal witness
for the prosecution was a colored woman
named Florence Squirrel, who, hearing the
child's cries, ran to her rescue and saved her
from her brutal assaiant. Another colored
woman, Florence Mosley, having seen the
child with Brown, and realizing what her
cries implied, FASTENED to inform her mother
The crime was committed in small grove on
Hotel Heights, within 300 yards of the child's
home, December %, 1895. The defense
alleged the insanity of the accused, but the
Jury found that he was sane when the crime
was committed and is sane now. In pro-
nouncing sentence on Thursday morning
Chief Judge Roberts told Harris that he had
acted the insanity role admirably, but it was
evident that he was sane and knew what he
was doing when he committed the assault
The Court called his attention to the bad
conduct he had been guilty of. and warned
him of the consequences if he did not reform.
The Court also regretted that the law did not
provide more severe punishment for him, and
sentenced him to the House of Correction for
three years. Harris is but fifteen years old.
Reiisnider represented the state and Steele
the prisoner,
State VS.. John Marsh, indicted for three
violations of the license law; fined $50 and
costs each in tive cases; third case stetted.
Reifsnider for state; Bond for traverser.
The jury was discharged at noon on Thurs
day and Court adjourned. 1t was the short
est May term for some years. The grand
jury was paid for eleven days and the petit
jury for ten days.