Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-03-31
GENERAL SESSIONS.


or less extended visit.
GENERAL SESSIONS.
The spring term of the court of general
sessions for York county, convened or
last Monday and is now engaged in dis
posing of the criminal business that ha:
accumulated since last November.
His honor Judge o. w. Buchanan j.
presiding, Solicitor j. X. Henyy is repre-
senting the state, and Stenographer NC
Cav is taking the testimony.
This is the first term of the court a
which Sheriff Logan has officiated. The
new sheriff, however, had already taker
occasion to inform himself thoroughly a.
to his duties, and is already beginning tc
look like an old hand at the business.
The only new court constables are eX-
Deputy Sheriff Scoggins and Deputy
Sheriff Harshaw. Messrs. A. F. McCon'
nell, R. c. Moore and w. NJ. Stowe are
retained in their o.d positions, and the
staff generally is composed of men OF et'
ficiency and ripe experience which fully
QlldlllleS luoli lOl IuOii Oi10h hi6A'J -
spon,ible position.
This being the first term of Judge Bu'
chanan, an incident to the organization o
the court, was the reading Of his Honors
commission, after which the grand jury
was called as follows:
j. r. Mitchell, C. w. Frew, p. II. Free
man, Moore Jones, ]. J. Dunlap, w. 5
Hill, j. E. Clinton, r. Fl. Cornwell
George Cowan, Kelly Inman, }. NJ
Brice, J. w. Kell, J. w. Leech, w. II
Baird, Jeff D. Whitesides, w. G. Wylie
A. D. Currence, c. H. Graham.
G. w. S. Hart asked for the excusine
of Messrs. Freeman and Wylie, of the
new county of Cherokee, on the ground
that they were no longer citizens of York
county. Upon being assured that the ac'
creating the new county went into effect
upon it's passage in February, his honor
announced that the two gentlemen men
toned were excused.
Messrs. G. w. Frew and George Cowan
were excused on account of sickness IN
their respective families.
After appointing Mr.. w. L. Hill fore.
man of the grand jury, his honor pro-
ceeded to deliver an elaborate charge to
that body. He dwelt particularly upon
the importance of the office of grand
Juror, emphasized the necessity Of their
keeping the transactions and develop
ments of the jury room absolutely secret,
and then went into general explanation
of their duties. He referred to the recent
iail delivery, and said that the matter
should be thoro ughly investigated. IT it
should develop that the delivery was due
to any negligence or connivance OF any
kind OH the part of any official OF
officials connected with the matter, il
was the duty of the jury to present all
the facts. If there had been any
thing culpable, those responsible should
be Justly punished, and if none OF the
public officials were to blame, then the
public should be assured of the fact. On
the subject of anonymous communlca-
tions, his honor said that the grand jurors
would have to use their own discretion.
The notion to the effect that the man
who was too cowardly to sign his name
tn information that he desired to con-
vey to the grand jury, was hardly to be
considered as altogether conclusive.
An anonymous communication, OF
course, in which there was only a
bare charge against an individual with
out any facts upon which to substantlate
that charge, was not worthy Of notice.
But when an unsigned communication
contained full statement of facts, together
with the names Of witnesses to establish
those facts, the information may be used
for whatever, in the opinion of the grand
Jury, it may be worth. His honor also
charged the grand jury carefully in regard
TO the matter of examining the books OF
county officers, and in regard to the
matter of looking after the condition OF
the inmates of the poor house, Jail, etc.
The panel of petit jurors was called as
follows:
I.G. Wells, w. b. Stroup,J J. B. Erwin,
J. n. Huey, w. p. Boyd, j. c. Mcknight,
]. O. Moore, \. +. Ruff, T.. j. Darwin, II.
J. Patrick, O. \. Osborne, j. NJ. Arm
strong, II. II. Sherer, j. w. Castles, j..
B. Ross, T.. w. Pursley, c. c. Hughes,
w. r. Carroll, w. l.. McLeave, 5. l..
Garrison, II. G. Strauss, r. \. Smith, II.
E. Hood, J. w. Duff, w. n. Elder, T. j..
Steele, A. G. L. Robinson, J. +. ID. Bar
nett, J. A. Green, j. p. Moore, w. 5.
Jones, Leland Purcell, J. G. Pursley. j.
p. Chambers, c. c. Beamguard, W. NJ.
Lucas.
Messrs. Leland Purcell and j. 4.
Green, petit jurors, were excused on ac-
count Of illness in their respective fami-
lies.
The first case taken up was that of the
state against John Hart, charged with as
sault and battery with intent to kill.
Messrs. Hart Il Hart appeared for the de-
fenSe.
Major Hart moved to quash the indict-
ment on the ground that the bill was
found by grand jury which was illegal,
in that all of the names from which it
was drawn were not those of citizens of