The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-05-04
THE CRIMINAL COURT.
Sixty.Five Cases Tried by Jury During the
Week, BESIDES About Fifteen Gases
Otherwise Disposed Of-EIeven Convicts
for the Work House-Repor of the
Grand J~ury-Cour Adiourns.

court Of New Hanover county met yes
terday, Judge Sutton presiding.
GRAND JURY REPORT.
The grand jury having completed its
labors made the following report and
was discharged:
ITO His Honor Thomas H. Sutton,
Judge of the First Criminal Circuit,
the Grand Jury Of the April Term,
1897. would respectfully report:
we have passed upon 81 bills Of in
dictment and have found 81 true bills
and l lot true bills. We have also
made four presentments.
The county home for the aged and
infirm and the buildings and premises
attached and surrounding have been
carefully examined. The condition of
the inmates of the home has been in
Quired into and their treatment inves-
tigated. The premises around the home
are clean and the garden bears evil
dence of good work and proper super
ntendence The home itself is quite
neatly kept and otherwise is in reason
ably good condition, though whit
washing Of the rooms would contribute
much to their appearance and add
greatly to the comfort of the inmates.
The kitchen especially needs the treat
ment just referred to. For of
use and convenience though not now
essentially necessary. we think there
should be three drive pumps located
On the stOckade premises. behind the
colored ward and in the asylum yard.
In general the patients express them
selves cOntented with their food and
With the treatment received from the
keeper. Complaints of insufficiency of
clothing we regard as m~easurably just
and we suggest that this should be
remedied. While neither the food nor
it's insufficiency at the times it is
served, is just cause for complaint, We
think that from noon of one day to
8 o'clock of the next is much too Ing
a period Of abstinence from solid food
and We recommend hat such food,
however light, shall in sufficient guam
tity be furnished between the hours
named, say at or near sunset. AS in
dictated above we have been led by our
investigation and inquiry to regard Mr..
Thomas Watson, the present keeper of
the home. as a kind and considerate
superintendent and director and as
faithful in the performance of the du-
ties laid upon him.
w have made due inquiry and in
as TO the management of
the county Jail and the condition of the
building, and we find hat the food is
clean and of the proper character
we believe is properly served. The
building is keI7t as clean, probably, as
is practicable, but we think the entire
interior needs embarrassing. We re-
gard it as essential that the building
should be properly ventilated, the foul
air in the female ward being, in our
opinion, exceedingly unhealthful.
with regard to the court house we
recommend that measures be taken to
nNy1rn orn I s.o~- =. H. Ill
and on the balconies. and that more
%spittoons be purchased in order, in
part, to effect this.
JOHN McLAURIN,
Foreman"
THE DOCKET CLEANED UP.
The court took up the remaining
cases on the docket and disposed Of
them as follows:
State VS.. Robert Fennell, colored, car
rying concealed deadly weapon, defend
ant called and failed, judgment nisi.
State VS.. Alex Fuller, colored, injury
to personal property, cutting the tire
of Mr.. Frank T%urrentine's bicycle, mis- |
trial.
State VS.. Isaac Carver, colored, aban-
donment of wife, not guilty.
State vs. William Schenck. colored, |
carrying concealed deadly weapon, YER |
dict not guilty. . !
Edward S~harpless, colored, convicted
Of ~manslaughter for the killing of Sam
Register, colored, and sentenced to a
term of ten years in the penitentiary, |
was brought into court. His attorney, |
Bellamy, Esq, informed the
court that Sharpless was 81 years old, |
and in view of his previous good char
acter, entreated Judge Sutton to re-
duce the old mans sentence, so that
at least his term would not be more
than would carry him beyond the allot-
ted time Of man, "three-score years and
Judge Sutton told Sharpless that
in recognition Of his previous good
character, showing what a good char
acter is worth. he would reduce his
to seven years.
RECRUITS FOR THE PENITEN- |
TIARY.
Since the court convened at 10 o'clock
Monday last, the court tried 65
cases by jury, besides otherwise dis
posing of about fifteen cases.
The following convicts were SEN
fenced to the state p~enitentiary. and
Deputy Sheriff w. w. King will leave
here on Tuesday morning with them
for Raleigh, viz:
Edward Sharpless, colored. man.
seven years.
Robert Johnson. colored. larceny,
three years and six months
James Davis. colored. larceny, two
years and six months.
John Dobson. colored. larceny. two
years and six month
William Jackson, colored. larceny, |
two years.
Thomas Johnson, colOred, larceny, !
one year.
William Fisher coIOred. larceny. one |