The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1897-12-16
THE CRIMINAL COURT.

I0of0 WAS Cuo Sdau0 A"IOA"~
concerning. the Criminal
court in Halifax last week that follow
ed the special term which Judge SUIT
ton held in September.
There were few criminals punished
with more than payment OF cost, and
in many cases they were given pretty
good time on that.
It goes without saying that the COL
ored people, tor the most part, make
the Criminal court of this district, and
40 most of the criminals before the
court were colored. And the remark
was frequent and the opinion general
that the sentence against the colored
people was in most cases very light
indeed.
The case of Reuben Smith, the col
ored man who killed another colored
man named Lawrence Howell at Hob
good was the only capital. case before
the court. And when he submitted to
a verdict of manslaughter and was SEN
fenced to only three and half years
in the State prison, many thought, and
expressed the thought, that it was a
very light punishment.
But the case which created most
comment by the public generally was
that of Mr.. Joseph L. Shields, good
citizen of this community.
He was indicted for cruelty to an
animal and the cruelty consisted in
shooting Mr.. A. A. Whites bull. The
animal had broken into Mr.. Shields
field. had been run out and had return
ed. Mr.. Shields had sent word re-
peatedly to the owner to take the bull
away had tried to drive him away
or impound him, and all efforts had
proved futile. Every reasonable means
had been employed to get rid of the
troublesome animal, which was ad.
mitted, as we understood it. At last
Mr.. Shields thinking he was justifiable
in using harsher means to protect his
premises, shot the bull with small shot
number or 6.
After being shot once the snima'
returned and broke into the yard and
would not be driven out, when Mr.
Shields shot him the second time
One stray shot hit the bull in the eye,
which was the most serious damage.
Under the instruction of the Judge
the jury rendered verdict of guilty
on Mr. Shields own evidence, which
verdict on the part of the jury no ont
criticised.
Mr.. Shields attorneys, Mess. Claude
Kitchin and E. L. Travis, prepared t.
take.an appeal upon the ground tina
Shields had right to use sufficien
force to drive the bull off his premises
and that upon the whole testimon,
the Judge should have instructed th
jury for verdict of not guilty.
Judge Sutton proposed that if the,
would settle it without appealing b.
would scale the cost, which was abou
$125. down to $40, and Shields coul
pay the $40 cost, pay White $40 70
damages done to the bull, and til
matter should thus be closed. Blu
when Mr.. Shields counsel still propot
ed to appeal, Judge Sutton rendere
the following written Judgment, whic
was pronounced by almost every ma
who heard it an outrageous one.
''The judgment of the court is
That defendant Joseph Shields b
confined in the county Jail for thirt
days, with leave of the county con
missloners to employ him at work III
on the public roads Of Halifax count,
And that he pay a fine of $50 an
cost OF this action, upon doing whic
he will be discharged according to la,
The clerk will docket this iudgmel
upon the Judgment docket of Halifs
county, or so much thereof as relat
70 the fine and costs.
sutton, J."
GREY" BABES STEWARDSHIP
Ex-Rev. T. w. Babb has been a