The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-03-15
COURT PROCEEDINGS.

The following cases were tried and disposs
ed of s,nce cur repor, last Wednesday,
Tee State Vs. Hampton James, murder.
Guilty of manslaughter, with recommends
ton TO mercy. Sentence, years on chain
gang.
Jeboson, alias Willie Black, elias Thomas
Robiosoc, larceny Of live stock. Guilty.
Sentence, years on chain gang.
The State vs. Charlie Bailey, Larceny OF
live stock Plead guilty. Sentence, year
10 chain gang.
The State vs. John Niller, assault and
battery of high aud aggravated nature.
Guilty. Sentence, 10 months on chaio gang.
The following trne bills wers handed In
Thursday:
The State rs Zarie Scarborough, malicious
miechief. True oill.
The State vs.. Zarie Scarborough, assault
and battery with iatent to kill. True bill.
The State va. James Chestnut, obtaining
goods under false pretenses. True bill.
The State vs.. Wesley Jennings, assault and
battery of "a high and aggravated nature.
True bill
The State vs. William Simpson alias Bill
Simpson, assault aud battery With intent to
kill. True bill.
The State Vs. Osborne Jenkins and Frank
Burroughs, hoasebraaking and larceny.
True bill.
( The erand jury completed its lahors Thurs
day and, having acted on all bills, made
the general preseutment and was discharged.
The presentment was as follows;
To Honorable James Aldrich, Presiding
Judge:
The Grand Jury beg leave TO present the
following report:
We have passed upon all bills which have
been given us by the Solicitor The Solicitor
has spoken il open court of the defective
manner ia which some of the Magistrates
have attempted to do their duty in binding
over witnesses to- this court !; that he conld
not issue warrante for witnesses VINO fail 70
answer the call of the court on account OF
the defective manHer il. which the MagIs-
traies had taken their bonds. We respect
folly request the Solicitor to furnish ns with
the names of such Magistrates who have thus
failed to do their duty, causing delay and
unnecessary consumption of tine by the
court, 80 that by the next term OF court We
may properly present such officers for neglect
of duty OF else report them to the Governor
with the view of having them removed and
more efficient Magistrates appointed in their
stead.
We have received one or two anonymous
letters charging that certain citizens of our
county are living in adultery. We have
made some attempts to get the necessary
proof of such crimes, but owing to the nature
of the crime we have not succeeded az Jet in
obtaining such satisfactory proof as would
warrant as in requesting bills to be drawn.
We are determined TO make further 10 vestlga.
ton OF these charges, and would ask the good
citizens of the county to assist rs, if possible,
in getting sncb proof as will enable rs to
present such as may be guilty of this crime.
The public roads of Tie county have natu-s
rally been In worse condition recently, due
to the great quaatity of snow and rain. but
are now improving. We desire to make spe-
cial mention of the excellent work which has
been done by the chain gang of our county,
but we faar that too much has beea expected
of the cbalo gang in some portions Of the
county, and the reads havs been neglected
apparently under q disposition to wait Tor
the chain gs3g. We desire to call atteatioo
to the importance of appointing competent
overseers to superintend the ordinary road
hands while working the roads under the old
sye.em. In portions of the county this labor
has been plantifal bat the work has been poor
and unsatisfactory.
We learn that about S., 900 has been e1-
pended annually on account of the building
aud repairing of roads and bridges, the great
or part of which being paid for the repairing
of small bridges For 1893 50 1888 58 was
expeoded, which does not include the expense
of the chain gang. We are satisfied that this
expenditure is much greater than it should
be and is due to the system now worked, viz:
bridges are repaired at the suggestion OF BY
the consent of the township commissioners.
The work is often done by persons inexpe-
rienc.d 10 bridge work, and approved or
disapproyed by the township commissioners
vho may also be inexperienced in the proper
cost of such work. We would earnestly
recommend that the county commissioners
employ an experienced or ccmpetent bridge
builder and furnish him with such hired
assistance as may be necessary, together With
pair of mules and necessary tools TO be kept
constantly at work upon the bridges, the foot
crossings; and the repair of such bad places
in the roads as sometimes become almost im-
passabla aod not convenient to be immediate.
" repaired.by the chain gang. We believe
the plan proposed weuld greatly reduce the
expenses OF the county anu save lpe tOWnS01p
comm missioners from temptation to favositism
which might often be presented to them. If
it be- necessary that special enactment of the
Legislature be made in order to carry this
plan into effect then we would respectfully
suggest that such lave be enacted as will
carry the plan into effect.
We have divided the Grand Jury into such
committees as We deemed advisable in order
thereby more effectively to carry ont our
duties during the year.
In obedience to your Honor;s request We
have made some inquiries as to the spread of
smallpox in our county We beg TO report
that while the spread of the disease is not
perfectly checked es yet, in some portions of
the county, yet We are glad to report that it
is decreasing and we have reason to nope
will soon be stamped out.
We return thanks to the Presiding Judge,
the Solici,o. and other officers of the Court
for the assistance they have all given us In
the discharge Of our duties at this term of
the Court, and to A. B. Stuckey, Esq for
assisting as 10 framing this report.
Respectfully Submitted,
r n D1RANT Roreman