Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-03-14
PROF. MEARES GUILTY.
Correspondence of the Columbia State.

general Sessions lot tHiS equity Will
Judge Buchanan presiding reconvened
this morning at 10 o'clock, and the
closing speeches in the famous Meares
case were finished and the case given
to the jury. This morning Major D.
r. Duncan closed for the defense
and Solicitor Sease followed in very
strong speech for the prosecution. At
ter this the judge made very practi-
cal and appropriate charge, and the
Jury retired to seek a verdict. After
remaining out two hours they render
ed sealed verdict, which was an
nounced at the afternoon session of
court at 8 p. m. This verdict states
that the defendant is guilty of the
charge of running the young woman,
Cora Jenkins. Counsel for the defense
gave notice that motion would be
made by them in arrest of judgment
and also for a new trial. They stated
that they were not ready at this time
to argue the motion; but asked for a
hearing next Monday, which was
granted. 1t was the most prevalent,
preconceived opinion about the court
house and city that the verdict would
he guilty, and it came as no surprise.
The former trial in January resulted
in a mistrial. The jury then stood 8
to for conviction.
The history of this rather notorious
social disturbance is peculiar. Four
years ago, Cora Jenkins, young white
girl and an orphan, came to this city
from an orphanage in Asheville. She
accepted the duties as domestic at the
home of Miss Allen, near Cedar
Springs, remaining with that lady for
about one year. For the three sue
ceeding years, and Immediately before
the birth of her child, which event
happened last September, she was en-
gagged at the home of Prof. and Mrs.
J. C. Meares at Cedar Springs. Prof.
and Mrs. Meares had been instructors
in the state institution for the deaf and
blind at Cedar Springs for six years,
and held their respective positions in
this institute until the young woman,
Cora Jenkins, about four months ago,
brought the action against Prof.
Meares, charging him with being the
father of her illegitimate child.
Cora Jenkins was considered unusu-
ally bright for a girl of her advantages.
She went from the home of Miss Allen
10 Prof. J. G. Meares, where she re-
mained about three years. A few
months after he advent in the new
home, Mrs. Meares and Miss Hoots,
another domestic, took trip to the
home of Mrs. Finch, staying over
night. Cora Jenkins stated that after
the departure of these persons from
the house, Prof. Meares accosted her
and stated that he would give her a
music lesson. During this interesting
study she says he confined himself to
things far more real and material in
sentiment than the notes. Thereafter
music lessons were continued. May l.,
1899, she was sent from Prof. Meares'
home to the county parish, where on
Sept. II she gave birth to son. Just
before the leaving of the girl from his
house Prof. Meares called her into the
dining room and presented her with
50. This he did not deny on the stand.
The girl claims that on several occa-
sions the professor gave her candy and
sweetmeats, not to mention kisses and
caresses. Her statement is that the
professor promised her home and ex-
penses if she would not declare that he
was the father of her child. But this
promise he did not carry out. The
child is now S months old. 1t is a
healthy baby Of the albino type. The
defendant is an albino.
This case came up for trial in the
sessions court for January last. The
line of the defense then adopted was
to show that Cora jenkins had con-
Quoted herself improperly with other
men. The jury then stood s to for
conviction. After the trial in Janua-
ry, Cora jenkins went to the Door OF
Hope, a charitable institution estab-
lished in Columbia, where she remain
ed until the present term of court.
She was accompanied to the city by
Miss Anna Finstrom, assistant matron
of the Door of Hope. Miss Finstrom
proved a good witness for the state,
and her statements bore strongly
against those of Mrs. J. G. Meares who
claimed to have secured admissions
from Cora Jenkins to the advantage of
the defendant from a recent visit to
Columbia, accompanied by a lady of
this city, whose testimony was also
given, corroborating Mrs. Meares' in
the shape of an affidavit. Miss Fin
strom fatty contradicted this testimo-
ny, stating that no inmates of the
home are allowed private interviews
with visitors, and that all the conver-
sation had, between the parties, took
place within her hearing. Mrs. Meares
was contradcted in two similar alleg-
ed admissions by Mrs. Cunningham
and NJ. B. Smith, of Cedar Spring.
In the trial just ended the defense
adopted different system of tactics in
endeavoring TO meet the charges of the
prosecution. No effort was made by
direct testimony to attack the reputa-
ton of the prosecuting witness except
in the matter of contradiction, nor TO
show any improper relations between
her and any young men in the commu-
nifty. Their defense consisted princl-
pally in denials of the statements made
by the prosecuting witness, in contra
dictions of testimony given by her on